Last week we heard from Shawn Tallent of Rural Migrant Ministries and President Donna presented a Blue Badge to Chuck Waterman.
WELCOME VISITORS
Scott Healy, newly independent CPA with accounting and tax services here in Newark,, brought his co-worker Bella Olivera-Hernandez. Today’s speaker, Shawn Tallent was a guest of Linda Werts.
WELLNESS REPORT
Jean Williams is still recovering from a fall- now wearing a brace on her knee. Jean Bendix is doing well following back surgery - no more tingling in her legs! Holly reported that Steve Taylor’s mother is in hospice in Florida. Pat Albrecht is doing better and awaiting a follow-up visit with her doctor. Some of you may know Brenda Osterling - in hospice.
BAD DAD JOKES - GARY REILLY
COMPLIMENTS OF JEAN BENDIX
I am going to stand outside, so if anyone asks, tell them I’m OUTSTANDING!
Sundays are always a little SAD but the day before is a SADDER DAY!
COMPLIMENTS OF AUSTRALIA
At a Diplomat’s dinner, a waiter tripped and shattered the beautiful plate in which he was carrying a large turkey. Hushed silence turned into a roar of laughter, when the quick-witted Diplomat announced - You have just witnessed 4 major international events : Fall of Turkey, Breakup of China, Spillage of Greece and frustration of Hungary!
COMPLIMENTS OF THE LEGION MAGAZINE
A diner asked, Waiter, didn’t you hear me say “well done?” The waiter ignoring the pale-pink steak replied, Yes Sir - Thank you - it is seldom we get any appreciation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRESIDENT DONNA - Thursday marked the 51st celebration of Earth Day. Following this year’s Rotary conservation focus our club will be cleaning up the trail along the canal and a stretch of highway on Rt 88 North this Saturday, April 24th.
MELISSA CORREIA - Newark Central Schools have been approved as a new corporate member.
PRESIDENT DONNA - Please be a part of the DEI challenge. Lucina will sell the BBQ tickets of the first to complete the challenge. A $75 Amazon gift card is even more incentive!
KEVIN MOONEY - Our club will be adding a new foundation committee to help with tax benefits. Scott Healy explained that we are now 501C3.
You may donate to both the RI foundation and the Newark foundation. We will need new committee members that are not on the existing board.
JOANNE SPEIGHT - A successful blood drive in memory of Bob Goodman collected 40 pints of blood.
At the Blood drive held at the Newark American Legion, in an effort to promote our Public Image, Our Project Boards displayed the Sponsor’s and where their money goes.
QUEEN OF HEARTS
The pot is growing and is now worth $1,500. There are only 9 cards left! Buy a winning ticket on May 6th at our open meeting.RED BADGE COMPLETION
Chuck Waterman has graduated to a Blue Badge by completing the new member requirements and going above and beyond the call of duty by leading the singing in numerous monthly birthday songs. Pat Albrecht is proud to be his sponsor.
HAPPY MOMENTS
Melissa was happy that her youngest sister arranged for all her father’s siblings to visit him in hospice.
Mark and Holly are happy that Grace has been selected as the top ranking Cadet in her ROTC program at the University of Vermont.
SPEAKER - SHAWN TALLENT
Linda Werts introduced our speaker. Shawn Tallent graduated from Antioch University in California with graduate studies at the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica. Currently he is the Regional Coordinator for Western NY at Rural Migrant Ministries.
Shawn gave us an overview of why migrants and refugees want to(and need to) come to America and the problems they face.
He lives in Lyons and his wife and baby daughter are in Mexico awaiting decisions from our immigration system.
Our Agricultural Dairy farms hire mostly migrants who are willing to work in bad conditions for low wages just to be safe in the U.S. Caravans come mostly from the Northern Triangle, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. People leave these countries because of corruption in their governments. Countries are being run by cartels - no democracies. Girls (10-11) cannot leave their homes because gang members grab them up for their partners. Because of climate change there is a lack of food. The US has loose gun rules and are willing to pay for drugs.
To make these countries a place where people want to stay is close to impossible - we can’t tell foreign leaders how to run their countries.
One possible solution is to better direct our money that is going to the military to instead improve living conditions.
Drugs are a core issue - if we legalize drugs then money does not go to the cartels.
We also need to address climate change - politics is a problem with many who don’t acknowledge this issue.
Any solution seems to have insurmountable problems.
We hope Shawn and his family can be reunited.
Next week there is no meeting.