FOUR-WAY TEST PROGRAM

Today, Matt Primmer will introduce our contestants for our annual Four-Way Test speech contest.  The committee members are: Matt Primmer, Nicole Workman, Bev Young, Mary Longo, Del Duffy, and Dan Wigton.

ROTARY FOUR-WAY TEST SPEECH CONTEST RULES

This contest is an opportunity for any Marion City/County high school student – a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior in a public, private, or home school; and they may have completed and won in previous years, but with a different speech.  Contestants must compose and orally deliver an original speech applying the Four-Way Test to an important issue in our everyday relationships with other people.  The test asks the following questions:  Of the things we think, say or do

1.  Is it the TRUTH?
2.  Is it FAIR to all concerned?            
3.  Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4.  Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Contestants should prepare a speech with facts, statistics, stories, examples and quotations.  The speech must be 5 to 7 minutes with a 15 second leeway (points off for going over or under).  It may be memorized or minimal notes may be used, but reading is discouraged.  Contestants should not mention their name, school, or city.  Judging will be based upon performance criteria established by Rotary District 6600.

Special Event Larry Hall and his committee have planned an outing April 30^th the Marion Coliseum, for a 6PM “tail gate dinner”, and then attend a Marion Blue Racers indoor football game (was Marion Mayhem).  The Blue Racers are part of the Continental Football League.  Set aside April 30^th now for a fun social dinner and evening with your guest, all at no-charge to the Rotarian.  More than one guest will cost $20.00 for each additional person.  Contact Larry Hall for more details or reservations.  There will be sign-up sheets on clipboards at the meetings.  

   Jim Jordan was raised in Champaign County, Ohio, graduating from Graham High School in 1982, where he was a four-time state champion in wrestling with a career record of 150-1. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, where he was a two-time NCAA wrestling champion. He later earned a Master’s degree in Education from the Ohio State University and a Law Degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. 



   Jordan is a fiscal conservative who believes that families and taxpayers, rather than government, know best how to make decisions with their money. Jim Jordan believes that cutting taxes and letting families keep more of what they earn helps build strong communities and a vibrant economy.  He won the Defender of Life award from Ohio Right to Life; and in Congress, Jordan has championed legislation in defense of the unborn and has led the fight on pro-family issues like defending traditional marriage.   The Congressman has long supported securing our borders and enforcing our nation’s laws to deal with the problems stemming from illegal immigration. He is active in supporting the rule of law and fixing the system so that families who long to come to America can do so the right way by learning English, gaining legal citizenship, and becoming taxpaying Americans.

   In Congress, Jordan has also emerged as a prominent defender of the taxpayer’s pocketbook, and as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee's Budget & Spending Task Force, he introduced the only balanced budget alternative to President Obama's budget.  He serves on the House Judiciary Committee, the House Budget Committee, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.  As one of the most conservative members of Congress, his efforts have earned him recognition from Citizens against Government Waste, Americans for Tax Reform’s Friend of the Taxpayer Award and praise from the American Conservative Union as one of the “Best and Brightest.”  Jim and his wife Polly are the parents of four children, and they live near Urbana and attend Grace Bible Church.

Special Event Larry Hall and his committee have planned an outing April 30^th at the Marion Coliseum, for a 6PM “tail gate dinner”, and then attend a Marion Blue Racers indoor football game (was Marion Mayhem).  The Blue Racers are part of the Continental Football League.  Set aside April 30^th now for a fun social dinner and evening with your guest, all at no-charge to the Rotarian.  More than one guest will cost $20.00 for each additional person.  Contact Larry Hall for more details or reservations.   

CLARIFICATION: Remember, we are meeting at the PALACE during FEBRUARY and MARCH this year, and we will meet at Tri-Rivers during the month of APRIL.                                                 

CO-WORKERS DAY

Jim Barney has the honor of introducing the program for today.  The speaker will be our Mayor, The Honorable Scott Schertzer, Ridgedale High School graduate, who earned his BA in Social Studies Education from the University of Toledo.  Scott has 13 years of teaching experience in Marion County, worked in Ohio Secretary of State Sherrod Brown’s office, was employed by the Treasurer of the State of Ohio Mary Ellen Withrow, and is currently serving as our Mayor for the term 2008-2011.  He has been very involved in many the Marion community organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the YMCA, Marion County Historical Society, Marion CANDO, and others.  The Mayor will be speaking on “The State of The City” in these uncertain times. 

Rotary has access to a limited number of excellent loge tickets to the Broadway Across America productions of:  Les Misérables, Ohio Theatre, Columbus:  Friday, March 18, 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 19, 8:00 p.m. ($69.50).  Mary Poppins The Musical, Ohio Theatre, Columbus: Friday, April 22, 8:00 p.m. ($75.00); Saturday, April 23, 2:00 p.m. ($80.00); Saturday, April 30, 2:00 p.m. ($80.00); and Sunday, May 1, 6:30 p.m. ($44.00).  All tickets were purchased prior to going on sale to the general public. Please call Sherry Brammer, 383-7923, for ticket reservations.  See flyer at Badge Box.

    Pam Stone will introduce to us Dave Gorenflo who is a life-long resident of Marion, Ohio.  Dave graduated from Harding High School in 1969, attended OSUM from 1969-1971, and he received a BS in social studies education from Ohio State University in 1973.  Graduate studies included a Masters in Secondary Administration from Ohio State in 1979 and additional coursework at Ashland University.  After a seventeen year career in the classroom at Elgin High School, Dave spent eighteen years in administration, serving as the Principal of River Valley High School from 1994-2008.  From 2008-2010 he was the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Coordinator for the Tri Rivers Educational Computer Association (TRECA.)  On August 1 he was hired as the Director for the Marion Area Partners Tech Prep Consortium at Marion Technical College.

            Dave’s mission with the Consortium is to reform our educational system to involve all aspects of our regional community in a workforce preparation process that includes career-coherent linkages between school-based and work-based learning; rigorous, relevant and integrated academic and occupational learning; and a seamlessly integrated sequence of secondary and postsecondary education.  This is all done to fully prepare our youth for rewarding careers in a quality workforce and enhance the economic development of our county.

President Brooks is having a Club Assembly today to discuss the following:

-Brad Ridge to speak on the Foundation Investments

-Carol Garverick and Kathy Masters will speak on the Water Well Project

-Steve Williams will speak about the Tall Grass Project

Today Scott Yancey and Fran Voll bring us Brian Agler, a Marion County native with relatives in Prospect, who is basketball coach and currently the head coach of WNBA's Seattle Storm. He has been the head coach of two other professional women's teams, and won two professional titles as coach.  Agler attended college at Wittenberg University in Ohio, where he helped the Tigers win the 1977 Division III NCAA Championship as a point guard. He graduated in 1980.

As head coach of the Columbus Quest of the American Basketball League (1996-1998), Agler led the team to a combined 82-22 record and two ABL Championships. He was named ABL Coach of the Year in 1997.

After the ABL collapsed in late 1998, Agler made the shift to the WNBA. He became the first head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, piloting them to a 48-67 record from 1999-2002. He served as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Mercury in the 2004 season, then with the San Antonio Silver Stars from 2005 to 2007. The Seattle Storm named Agler head coach on January 9, 2008. He succeeds Anne Donovan who resigned in November 2007.  Agler coached the Seattle Storm to win their second championship in 2010.

He now lives in Ohio, while still coaching the Storm.

Please note the Holiday Party which is fully explained in the flyer.  It is December 4^th, 12:00 noon to 2:00PM at the Palace Pavilion.   There will be a child friendly lunch catered by Special Occasions, front row seats to enjoy the Christmas Parade, and free admission to the Palace’s annual Christmas movie.  RSVP by Wednesday the 24^th to Del Duffy at 740-383-5281, Ext. 5463, or email dduffy@unitedfcu.com.  You may also use the signup sheets at the regular meetings.

It will be President Brooks honor today to introduce us to Dave Dayne, our new District Governor.   Dave Dayne and his wife, Carol of 40 years, have resided in Galion since 1972 when Dave accepted a position with the Galion Police Department. Dave retired in 1994 at the rank of Lieutenant. He soon felt the need to continue to serve his community. In the ensuing years, Dave was elected and served a term on Galion City Council, served as President and CEO of the Galion Area Chamber of Commerce, Chair of the Galion Civil Service Commission and President of the Crawford County Regional Planning Commission. Dave currently serves on the board of the Crawford County Crippled Children and Adult Society and is a member of the Galion Area Betterment Commission. Dave is an agent representing United First Financial.

Mr. Dayne graduated from Libbey High School in Toledo and attended Liberty University; Lynchburg, Va. Dave served in the United States Air Force, US Army and was active in Ohio’s State Defense Forces retiring at the rank of Colonel.

In 1996, Dave was invited to join Rotary and served as president 1997-98 and again in 2006-07. He brought to the club the July 4 Fireworks project and has served on various club committees. Dave is a Paul Harris Fellow and member of the Paul Harris Society. He currently serves as a District 6600 Assistant Governor and member of the Executive Committee.

Dave’s wife Carol, also a Rotarian, is the Administrative Secretary for the City of Galion City Manager.

Dave and Carol have one son Mike who works in the defense industry.

The invocation will be by Tarina Rose and Del Duffy will greet you at the badge box.

Today, Nikki Workman will introduce our own Bev Young, Executive Director of the Marion Area Counseling Center and Jody Demo-Hodgins the Executive Director of the Crawford-Marion ADAMH Board.  Jody will be providing an overview about the Mental Health and Substance Abuse needs of the Marion community and explaining the importance of treatment, intervention, and prevention services as part of an effective Health Care delivery system.  She has worked for the ADAMH Board since 1989 and has served as its Executive Director since 1997.  She is a licensed social worker and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health Administration.

Bev will be providing an overview of the vast array of services and programs offered at the Marion Area Counseling Center.  She is a native of Marion, graduating from Marion Harding High School, and also has a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Wright State University, a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Management from the Ohio State University, and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor.  She has been with MACC for 33 years.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE OF OHIO

     Today Scott Shawver will present Mike Rankin who began work on August 3, 2009 as the Assistant Secretary of State for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.  In this position, Mike helps to lead and direct the work of the office that oversees all elections statewide and handles various business entity registrations among other things.  Mr. Rankin brings his 30 plus years of experience as a practicing attorney; and community leader with a lifelong dedication to helping others; and from 2007 to 2009, he led the 2,000 person Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) as the Registrar having been appointed by Governor Ted Strickland in April 2007.  Responsible for managing an agency with annual revenues topping $900 million, Mike focused on taking the BMV to a better place by helping improve customer service with fewer staff through improved communication, training and community outreach.

     Mike is a graduate of The Ohio State University  and the University of Toledo School of Law where he worked his way through night law school first as a jail counselor and then as a judicial law clerk.  He has served the public in a variety of capacities including: as an Assistant Lucas County Prosecutor; a Special Prosecutor for the City of Columbus; and as a 12 year member and former Chairman of the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission.  Mike led Ohio’s busiest court system, the Franklin County Municipal Court, as the Chief Deputy Clerk of Court for Lori M. Tyack and set up three in-house legal departments during his career. Mr. Rankin is also a 1981 Ohio police academy graduate and academy instructor.

     In private practice, his clients have ranged from solo run businesses to multinational corporations and government entities, including retailers; electric generation companies; wireless telecom tower companies; and various national and regional real estate developers.  Mike is a member of the Columbus, Ohio Downtown Noon Rotary and has served on the national board of directors for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. He is the co-founder of Ohio’s first formalized child protection group- the Mid Ohio Amber Alert and has served on the Governor’s State Amber Alert Board & Steering Committee since 2003.  Mike lives with his wife in suburban Columbus and is the father of two adult children.

The invocation will be by Katie Chivington; Andy Harper will greet you.

Today is the day of our annual Family Cookout which is being held at the Marion Country Club, starting @5:45PM.

There is NO noon program at The Palace, and no make-up meeting.  Your reservations must be made by September 16^th, so call Don Hall 387-2710.

 There will be refreshments, salad, and a cash bar available.  A desert table will be available for after dinner and before the program.  Dinner will begin at 6:30 sharp, so you should have your salad, etc. finished by that time.  Dress is casual.  If you need to make last minute reservations or CANCEL a reservation please contact Don Hall ASAP at his phone number above, preferably before the 16th.   

Jeff Coppler will introduce Tom Graser Managing Editor of The Marion Star who will speak to us about the Marion Star B2B Program.  The topic will be Star Community Media.  The goal is to introduce the community to a collection of products that target specific segments of our community. The Marion Star is Marion County’s dominant local news source,          and devotes more resources to the daily reporting of news, sports and community conversation than any other media outlet.  Each Sunday, paid copies of The Star reach more than 19,000 readers and over 16,000 readers each weekday; and making The Star a powerful tool to connect with civically engaged consumers.

Tom Graser is the Managing Editor of The Marion Star, and he has held that position since Dec. 13, 2004.  Previous to that he was the Assistant Managing Editor of the Asheville Citizen-Times in Asheville, N.C., plus he has also worked in radio.  He is from Plattsburgh, N.Y., is a former Montreal Expos fan, and lives with his wife Mary and daughter Lucy.

Ron Scharer will introduce Andy Dickson who is a charter member and the Managing Director of the Ohio TechAngels, which is the second largest Angel fund in the U.S. with three operating funds and more than 280 investors. Many of these investors are active participants in deal sourcing, due diligence and ongoing portfolio management.  In six years of fund operations, the Ohio TechAngels have made 28 investments which have subsequently attracted more than $210 million in additional private equity, experience in private equity investing, deal structuring, business development, and strategy development in venture-backed, Angel-financed, and grant-funded companies having led or assisted in dozens of transactions.  Andy graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Financial and Computer & Information Science from The Ohio State University and holds several securities licenses.

Andy Dickson will discuss Angel Investing, particularly as it has helped raise funds for small businesses in Ohio.  Angel Investors provide capital for start-up businesses, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership capital.  Often these investors organize themselves into angel groups to share research and pool their investment capital.  Many venture funded companies in Central Ohio were seeded by Angel Investors.  In addition to capital, Angel Investors often bring business expertise to projects and often serve as an extension of management in their field of experience."

Jim Barney will introduce our own Brad Bebout to speak to us about The Marion Community Foundation (MCF) which was founded in 1998 when Ohio MedCenter Foundation, Inc. (d.b.a. MedCenter Hospital) sold its assets to Marion General Hospital.  MedCenter changed its name to the Marion Community Foundation then reorganized itself as a community foundation. The proceeds from the sale of its’ assets were used to create MCF’s first fund, the Health Care Fund, which makes grants for health related programs in Marion County.  Since 1998, MCF has added about 130 component funds, each with its own mission and charitable purpose; and in its’ relatively short history, MCF has bestowed nearly $4 million in charitable grants and scholarships.  Its assets will soon total more than $23 million and they will pass the $30 million mark next year.  In 2000, Brad Bebout was appointed President/CEO of MCF.  Brad is an attorney and former court magistrate, and he will tell us more about Marion Community Foundation.  We are fortunate to have an active charitable foundation of this size and stature in our community

Scott Hoffman will introduce Jim Young, son of our own Bill Young, who is the Senior Vice president and CEO of Crown Castle International.  He is responsible for the management of all operating groups including: Field Operations, Property and Asset Management, Service Delivery, New Site Management, and Information technology.  He also serves on the Board of Crown Castle’s Australian subsidiary.  Mr. Young has more than twenty five years of experience in the telecom industry, having held leadership positions in multiple disciplines ranging from Engineering and Operations to Sales and Human Resources.  Prior to joining Crown Castle in 2005, he spent eight years at Sprint Nextel serving as the Northeast Region Vice President of Network Operations.  Preceding Nextel, He was employed at GTE for thirteen years in a variety of leadership positions in the wire line, wireless operations, manufacturing, and Yellow Pages business units.  Mr. Young has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from DePauw University, a B.S. in Systems Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Master’s of Science in Management from Perdue University.  A native of Marion and a graduate of River Valley High School, Jim has relocated fourteen times since leaving Marion, although none of these moves have returned him to Ohio.  He resides in Pittsburg, PA. with his wife Andrea, and their three children.

    Deb Alspach will introduce Judge Judith Ann Lanzinger who was elected to the 150^th Supreme Court in 2004, and made history by becoming the only person ever elected to all four levels of the Ohio judiciary. Over the last 25 years, she has served on the Supreme Court, the 6^th District Court of Appeals, the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas and the Toledo Municipal Court. This background helps her understand how Supreme Court decisions affect the work of all judges in the state.

    The granddaughter of coal-miners, Justice Lanzinger was the first one in her family to attend college. She received a bachelor's degree magna cum laude in education and English from the University of Toledo. She then taught elementary school and started a family before earning a law degree cum laude at the University of Toledo College of Law where she was valedictorian of her class.

     Justice Lanzinger practiced civil law with a corporation and then with a Toledo law firm before joining the bench. As a judge, she won scholarships to become one of the first to earn a master's degree in Judicial Studies from the National Judicial College and University of Nevada, Reno. The college recently recognized her for 12 years of being on its faculty. 

    The Justice enjoys speaking about the court system to community groups, especially to school children in the Law and Leadership program. She has been an adjunct professor since 1988 at her former law school and has taught judicial courses throughout the United States, as well as in the former Soviet Union. She has a special interest in the use of technology and has written more than 200 opinions during her term, with the aid of her ever-present laptop. 

    Along with her regular court duties, Justice Lanzinger currently chairs the Supreme Court Commission on the Rules of Superintendence for Ohio Courts. Previously, she served as chairperson and a board member of the Ohio Judicial College. She is a charter member and past president of the Morrison R. Waite American Inn of Court, a group that mentors law students and new attorneys. She also served as co-chair of the Public Education and Awareness Task Force of the Ohio Courts Futures Commission and was a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline, as well as the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission. 

    Married for more than 40 years, the Justice and her husband, Robert Lanzinger, live in Toledo and have a daughter, son, and son-in-law, who are all attorneys, and three grandchildren, who keep her well-balanced and enjoying life.

You will be greeted by Tina Salamone and Bill Probst will give the invocation.

The Wilson Bohannan Padlock Company, which was founded in 1860 in Brooklyn,

New York by Wilson Bohannan, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. 

Mr. Bohannan’s grandson, Wilson Bohannan Tway, moved the company in 1927 to Marion, Ohio.

Howard Smith, the president, is the sixth generation family member to run the lock company.  Their company’s motto is “Locks Since Lincoln”.

The long history of this company is a time travel through America’s Industrial Revolution.  The Wilson Bohannan Company is proud of the fact their padlocks are 100% American made.

John Scharer will introduce Kelly Davis, Marketing Director, who will discuss the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center.  North Central Ohio Educational Service Center has offices in Fremont, Tiffin, Marion and Mansfield.  We provide services to over 33,000 students throughout 22 districts in these counties.  We provide services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, vision/hearing services, psychology services, gifted services, special education, preschool/early childhood services...just to name a few.  We also assist districts with administrative searches, bus driver training, professional development and curriculum assistance.  In addition, we also serve as the fiscal agent for the Region 7 State Support Team.  We are committed to offering quality programs and services that will help school district meet their unique needs.

Kelly has been employed as the marketing director for North Central Ohio Educational Service Center since October 2009.  Prior to that, I was the Advertising Sales Manager for The News-Messenger and the News Herald for approximately 2 years.  She holds a Master of Business Administration from Tiffin University, and 2007 Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from University of Toledo, 1998

     Kathy Masters will introduce Mike Miller, Chairman of the Towers Board, to give us our yearly report on the status of Marion Rotary Senior Citizens Inc. 1 and 2; and new directors will be elected.  The US economy is not doing well, and may get worse, which is bad news for all businesses, including the Towers.  Cathy Abrams will briefly speak about how the Towers is coping with today’s economy, and what they are doing to try to compete with other newer senior citizen housing in this area.  Note that this meeting is being held at the Palace, not the Towers.

Kathy Masters will introduce Tim Davis from The Ohio Division of Wildlife who is a Wildlife Area Supervisor responsible for three Wildlife Areas: Big Island, Delaware, and Kokosing; totaling just less than 12,000 acres of public land.  He is a 1996 graduate of OSU with a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science, specializing in Wildlife Management; and he will speak to us today about eagles. 

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), our national bird, is the only eagle unique to North America. The bald eagle's scientific name signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head. At one time, the word "bald" meant "white," not hairless. Bald eagles are found throughout most of North America, from Alaska and Canada to northern Mexico. About half of the world's 70,000 bald eagles live in Alaska. Combined with British Columbia's population of about 20,000, the northwest coast of North America is by far the greatest stronghold for bald eagles. They flourish here in part because of the salmon. Dead or dying fish are an important food source for all bald eagles.

Rotary Story - Rotary Distributes Food, Frank C. Murray, DRFC                                                                                                                                                 The Coordinacion de la Tarahumara (Bureau of Indian Affairs) for the Mexican State of Chihuahua announced the delivery and distribution of 80,000 pounds of food supplies to the 34 state owned and operated birthing centers established late last year in the Sierra Madres.   The Sierra’s are home to the Tarahumara Indians, one of the poorest tribes in Mexico.  The birthing centers were established to help decrease the infant mortality experienced by Indian women at childbirth. Working in cooperation with the State Government of Chihuahua; the Rotarians from the Odessa Texas Club proposed the 3 humanitarian matching grants to provide this year-long supply of food and nourishment.  Each family with pregnant mothers going to the birthing center will receive a bag of food with 60 servings to aid in the critical time following the birth of their child. The 40 tons (80,000 lbs) of food will supply over 36,000 families during this next year. The commitment of these humanitarian grants through the Rotary Foundation made it possible for the State Government to budget, construct, and develop the 34 birthing centers in the very rugged and mountainous region.                                                                                                                          

Cherie Carroll will greet you and Carl Wade will give the invocation.              

NOTE:  There will be a Board of Directors meeting March 16^th, at the Smith Clinic board room, @ 4:00PM.

"Service Above Self”

Ted Babich is introducing us to Cliff Edwards who grew up on a farm in northwest Ohio.  He completed his undergraduate degree in Social work from the Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and received his Masters degree from the Ashland University.  Prior to his current role as CEO of the Center Street Community Health Center he served for ten years as the executive director of the Marion AIDS Task Force. 

Since beginning with CSCHC, Cliff has attended all three levels of Finance and Operations trainings sponsored through the National Association of Community Health Centers, secured a seat on the board of directors of the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers and last spring was one of 40 individuals chosen nationwide, and the only one from the Midwest, to attend an intensive Health Care Executive program sponsored by UCLA, HRSA and Johnson & Johnson.  Cliff has been successful in pulling in federal dollars to reinforce the work of our community.

Today, Matt Primmer will introduce our contestants for our annual Four-Way Test speech contest.  The committee members are: Nicole Workman, Bev Young, Bob Dowd, Mary Longo, Del Duffy, Dan Wigton, and Matt.

      ROTARY FOUR-WAY TEST SPEECH CONTEST RULES

WHO:  This contest is an opportunity for any high school student (grades 9-12) to compose and orally deliver an original speech based on the Rotary Four-Way Test.  Contestants may be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in a public or private school; and may have competed and won in previous years with a different speech.

LENGTH:  5-7 minutes with a 15 second leeway (points off for going over or under). 

DELIVERY:  The speech may be memorized or minimal notes may be used, but reading is discouraged.  Memorization is certainly more impressive and will score higher. TOPIC:  Material must be original in content and be about applying the Rotary Four-Way Test to an important issue in our everyday relationships with other people.  The test asks the following four questions:  1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to ALL concerned? 3. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to ALL concerned?    

Contestants should prepare a speech with facts, statistics, stories, examples and quotations, and add some humor and personal touches; but cannot mention the student’s name, school, or city within the speech.  Judging will be based upon performance criteria and a point system.

    Many thanks to Brad and Kathy Ridge who have offered to host our exchange student for the remainder of the program year.  Aino will be welcomed into her new home with the Ridges later in February.  As the proud parents of three wonderful sons, Brad and Kathy recall with fondness that their home was often the "place of choice" for gatherings of positive young people.  Aino will most certainly have new opportunities for friends and fellowship.

     The committee is still actively recruiting potential host families for the next program year.  We can expect our new student to arrive in August.  If you or someone you know is interested in acting as a host family, please contact Roxane Somerlot, Rotary Youth Exchange Chair at W-387-8560 ext. 286; H-382-0654; or via e-mail at somerr@odjfs.state.oh.us

Jack Telfer is now at Sunbridge Nursing Home, 524 Jamesway, Marion, OH.

You will be greeted by Del Duffy and Ed Allen will give the invocation.

 Note: Directors – Board Meeting February 15^th, 4PM, at the Smith Clinic Board Room.

      This is the third of our January meetings at Tri-Rivers, and Scott Yancey has the program for today.  Our speaker will be Jim Steffen, America’s Fun Fitness Coach.  Jim Steffen began his fitness career playing basketball at the University of Findlay (OH) and obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.  During college, he worked as a personal trainer for Hard Bodies Gym and Findlay Tennis & Racquet Club.    After seeing the high fitness drop-out rate, the devastation of childhood obesity, and the challenges facing all overweight individuals, Jim’s mission became:  motivating people to start a healthy eating and exercise lifestyle AND to show people fitness can be fun!  Jim sold Jim’s Gym and Thin & Healthy’s Total Solution Findlay in 2007 to focus full-time on inspiring others to make healthier choices and exercising. 

     After college, Jim worked as a personal trainer at two of the top rated health clubs in the country – East Bank Club in Chicago and Frog’s Gym in San Diego.  He then returned to Findlay in 1997 and began personal training in a 600 square foot garage behind his house.  Ten years and two expansions later, Jim grew Jim’s Gym Family Fitness to a club with over 750 members and to a 6,500 square foot facility.  Jim trained everyone from professional athletes, young children, senior citizens and others looking to make fitness a lifestyle. 

At this special annual meeting, Melinda Gilpin will introduce Scott Case, manager of the Marion plant of POET Biorefining.  This $130 million facility has the capacity to produce 65 million gallons of ethanol and 178,000 tons of Dakota Gold Enhanced Nutritional Distillers Products from 21 million bushels of locally grown corn.  Scott received his degree in Chemical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.  From there, Scott worked with Dow Chemical for 10 years in chemical manufacturing and research with a focus on Agriculture Chemicals.  Scott’s next move was to another large chemical manufacturing company, Rohm and Haas, working primarily with latex chemistry.  While there, Scott moved from production into management of manufacturing operations. 

After 12 years with Rohm and Haas, Scott worked with Sherwin Williams for 2 years before coming to POET in March of 2008.

Scott lives with his wife Shelly and four children, Travis, Megan, Emily, and Taylor, in Powell.

 MESA Warehouse Inventory and Bike Tour 2009                                                                                                The Marion Rotary Club will be participating in two annual MESA Warehouse workdays.  Our workdays will be the last Saturday in April and September each year.  Our Club will also continue to be a host city and raise funds for the annual MESA Bike Tour in July.  Our first 2009 MESA Warehouse Inventory workday is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  The next date in 2009 will be Saturday, September 26, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  MESA maintains a warehouse to collect, organize and distribute donated items around the world, and it is located at: 310 E. Bigelow Ave., Findlay, Ohio 45840.  Please contact Cherie Carroll at 382-8231, ext. 124 or ccarroll@faheybank.com, to RSVP for our first MESA warehouse workday, April 25, 2009, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Brad Bebout will greet you and Doug White will give the invocation.                                                                        

Austin Jacob, winner of our 4-Way Test competition, has won second place and $350.00 at the district level.  Congratulations Austin!

NOTE:  1) Applications for Rotary Foundation Grants are available from your secretary.  30+ applications have already been sent to all the non-profits who applied last year.  If an address has changed since last year or you know of a new charity, you may want to hand deliver an application to your non-profit.   2)  Parking is at a premium now at the Palace due to construction, arrive early. 

"Service Above Self”