February 23, 2017
VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUEST
Terri Jaggers-Guest Speaker
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today Rotary’s is celebrating 112th Birthday!
Victoria and Doris are at PETS in Dallas
March 13th next Board meeting 5 at Daniella’s office
March 14th 6pm Ladies night out at Janet’s a salad supper Bunco game night - come to learn how to play and have great fun!
April 21st-23rd District Conference in Lufkin Registration is currently $175. If you are interested please register before March 10th because fee will go up by $200.
Los Compadres we need auction items! Please get with Roz or Rick. Peggy is also looking for hole sponsors. Also if you would like to be part of her team please let her know. We currently have 15 teams. Please let Victoria know if you have any teams interested in Bunco tournament.
MY ROTARY –Peggy has been a Rotarian since 1995. She joined because her brother and father had 100% attendance and she also wanted to have 100% attendance. Her brother was also the President of the River Oaks Rotary Club!
FAMILY OF ROTARY –No Update
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Jan Ricketts-Service-We are taking nominees for the 2017 Non-Rotarian Volunteer of the Award. Please turn in nominations by March 16th.Currently three applications have been turned in.
Shannon Salsbury-Membership-Membership Drive in March! This year we are having team Competition. The teams are the same as the Los Compadres auction teams. A point system is being established to determine the winners (1 point-for guest attending meetings and 2- points if your guest submits an application). More information to come next week.
Daniella Mead-Administration/Programs-Steak and Beans is coming up and we need someone’s home to host.
Deanna Voitle-Public Image-We are starting the “Why I joined Rotary”speeches again.
Chef Rick -New Generations-No Update
Mike Berger-Polio Chair- No Update
Gary Milleson-Foundation-12 still need to make the $100 donation to EREY! Next week I will be sending e-mail of those that have paid. We need donations in by the end of March to be counted at the District Conference.
Don Carter-Memory Park-Saturday had workers out cutting all the dead plants from the freeze and also had new trees planted. The Houston Rotary District Conference will be held at La Torreta. They are wanting to do a project in Memory Park (The Back wall and planting trees) they are willing to spend $6,000-$8,000. Memory Park Board is now formalized with Charlie taking the 5th board spot. In the process of establishing a larger committee that will have 8-10 members.
GOOD NEWS
Jan announced she lost some money two weeks ago at Walgreens. She went back in and to her surprise they returned her money to her. They had put her money in the safe to return to her when she came back in.
GUEST SPEAKER
Terri Jaggers with Orphan Care Solutions of Texas spoke with the Club about the issues facing the state of Texas Foster Care System and how Montgomery County is leading the way to make a difference. The state of Texas found that the current state of our Foster system is unconstitutional and it will take $100 million to get back in compliance. As of now one child could have between three and four caseworkers per year; due to the CPS being overworked and understaffed leading to burnout for some workers. Resulting in Children being placed all over the State due to lack of homes available.
In 2005, Orphan Care Solutionsin collaboration with child welfare stakeholders in Montgomery County began to work together to find a solution, which was to partner with local area Churches. The OCS bridge model provides churches the ability to freely engage in various critical initiatives in collaboration with any of the foster care stakeholders using their time talents transform foster care problems into sustainable solutions. This bridge model also established and outlined the primary focus to help the children permanency, kinship, and aging out foster youth, recruitment and retention of caregivers, normalcy initiatives, and volunteer services. The churches have made it possible for children to be in the same home and not be shipped all over the state. Foster homes have increased in Montgomery County by 200% just by partnering with Churches. Also as a result of this bridge connection 108 of the 180 children have been adopted. The model has also helped in the transition of aged out children with Hopes Path. It is a 10,000 sq. ft. building that is used to help mentor and teach life skill programs. Programs are offered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings for anyone to come and help teach a skill anything from changing a tire to balancing a check book all talents are welcomed to mentor to these children. In all get involved if you can and talk to your representatives and legislatures adopting the Orphan Care Solutions of Texas method all over the state.