Dear Fellow Rotarians of the E-Club of Houston, TX,
Rotary International is an international service organization whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
We know that Rotary International can’t accomplish anything without people. People are doing the good work for the people that need our help. As the past Rotary International President Ron Burton stated in his final address in Sydney “Being a Rotarian isn't about our own achievements, it isn't about our own careers, it really isn't about us at all. It's about the people we help. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters in Rotary is how much better the world becomes because Rotary is in it."
Look at the great things our club has done for our communities and at places we have never visited in the short period of existence of only 14 months. I added the activities and projects completed by you since July 1st, 2014 in the document “Humanitarian footprint of E-Club of Houston” posted on our WebSite in the section “Home Page Download Files”. So while we may not have the luxury like other Rotary clubs of a meal together with all club members, the work of our club is impressive.
I want to say “thank you” for being part of this amazing and vibrant club.
Dear Fellow Rotarians from Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX USA,
We will be having our catch-up online Rotary E-Club BOD and General meeting on Thu, Apr 30, 2015 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM Central Daylight Time.
Here are the connection details (please download GoToMeeeting software):
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/148727893
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States : +1 (571) 317-3122
Access Code: 148-727-893
This meeting is called due to cancellation of the meeting scheduled last Saturday when we had tornadic weather. Hope you can join us tomorrow!
Published on Oct 27, 2014 - TedxTalk
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Sonia Trigueros designs novel nanostructures capable of delivering drugs directly to a targeted area of the human body. This revolutionary technology may be able to treat everything from antibiotic resistant bacteria to cancer.
Sonia Trigueros’s research focuses on the design of novel nanostructures to target DNA biomolecular motors and DNA conformational states in dividing cells, specifically cancer cells. She is developing nanomedicines to tackle bacterial antibiotic resistance. A PhD in molecular biology from IBMB-CSIC and Universidad de Barcelona, Trigueros was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard and Oxford, and a research visitor to many academic institutions including NIH-Washington and Havana University. She is an associated professor at the Physics Department and co-director of the Oxford Martin Institute of Nanoscience for Medicine at University of Oxford.
I was attending District 6900's District Conference in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Saturday morning we were honored to have the CEO of MAP International - a non-profit organization which ships medical supplies which are donated by numerous pharmaceutical companies as our Speaker. The headquarters are located in Brunswick Georgia, just across the bridge from Jekyll Island.
Saturday evening our DG Alicia Michaels made the announcement of the devastating earthquake which had struck Nepal. MAP International had a container ready to be shipped with $2.1 million dollars of medical drugs on board. The one problem it was going to cost $25,000 to ship them by air.
The largest club in the District donated $5,000 and challenged the rest of the clubs to also donate. Sunday morning it was announced that $28,500 had been donated.
And that, my friends, is how Rotarians are eager to assist those in crisis.
Highlights from the plenary sessions at the District 5890 conference 2015 in New Orleans
The plenary sessions on Friday April 16 and Saturday April 17 were filled with great speakers. Below is a summary of some of these presentations.
Hank Moore talked about how Rotarians inspire each other, which results is significant global impact. In line with his new book about Houston legends, he stated that Rotarians have the quality of legends within them; we have a significant impact on communities, and we do it from the heart, not for recognition.
RI President’s Representative Allan Jagger shared examples of how a Rotarian’s idea is being embraced and implemented by a group of fellow Rotarians, resulting in global impact. Share your ideas, together we can realize them! He further talked about the fact that Rotary membership is dwindling in North America, Japan and Australia, it is steady in Europe, and other geographies are growing. Every year Rotary welcomes more than 120,000 new members, but loses more than that. The average club size is currently at 34 members. RI needs to change to appeal to younger generations, they like making contributions instead of joining a club, and communication needs to be adjusted to catch their attention.
Darren Hightower of the Children’s Music Foundation shared the amazing work they are doing with and for children. They for instance hand out guitars at Ronald McDonald houses and teach children to play. This brings enormous joy to the children, who go through very difficult phases in their lives, and it is proven that the brains of people who play music are different, resulting in a higher success rate.
Melissa Williams shared the work she is doing with Read 3 Zero to bring books in children’s lives. The ultimate goal they work towards is to get children to write, and to get their work published. They organize book signing events for these children, to celebrate their success.
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia talked about his challenges to keep Harris County safe. He for instance uses technology (an app) to minimize the impact of the reduced number of officers due to budget cuts. He also explained that about 30% of the people in Harris County’s jails suffer from some form of mental issue. Texas is among the states who spend the lowest amount of money on mental health care. After 30 days in a correctional facility people for instance lose Medicaid, and therefore access to their medication. They have to reapply and requalify, which in quite a few cases is unsuccessful and results in recidivism.
Irene Hickey presented the data on sex trafficking in Houston, which is the highest in the nation. This impacts American women as well as women from other geographies. The huge amount of money that this activity generates makes it difficult to fight. The task force Irene is leading is currently identifying options on how Rotary can help.
Besides these thought provoking presentations and discussions there of course were the Second Line Band Escort through the city, a boat ride on the mighty Mississippi, great meals with friends, a pub crawl in the French Quarter, and the Governor’s Masquerade Ball. And as always, great fun and fellowship with fellow Rotarians throughout our great district!
Houston NW Sunset Rotary Club is holding a FUN FUNDRAISER - a Tamale Making 101 Class on May 3rd, just in time to a Cinco de Mayo Party! It will be limited to 15 people each session with sign up times from 10:30 - 12:30 pm; 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm; and 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm. Tickets are $30/person. Tickets include fee for the class, and self-cooked tamale. Drinks may be purchased. The address is: Soto's Cantina, 10609 Grant Road, Houston, Texas (near Jones Road). Contact Robin Charlesworth ASAP for tickets and identify your preferred time slot (970-944-5200). Hope to see you there!
Beer Lovers Gear Up For Big Event That
Gives Back To The Community
By Melanie Saxton
David Loesch once attended a Brew Fest in Breckenridge, Colorado that raised money for foster homes. The concept of “fun for a cause” resonated deeply, and he thought it would be an awesome idea for the City of Katy. Three years ago he arranged the first Katy Wild West Brew Fest that drew 1,700 people. The second year attracted 2,700 and more than 4,000 the third year!
The growing popularity of the Brew Fest required a new location to accommodate an anticipated capacity crowd of 7,000 this year. The 2015 event will be held at Katy Mills Mall between Bass Pro Shop and Sun and Ski. This allows fans to enjoy an abundance of craft brews and then conveniently walk to a nearby hotel if they wish (discounted for the event).
Launch Party: Show Me Your Taps!
The 2015 Launch Party kicks off May 1 and will feature new and unique beers that can’t be found anywhere else in town. These special on tap brews are exciting, such as Karbach’s Single Barrel aged in Jack Daniels single barrels. Saint Arnolds will debut a special cask. No Label is brewing up something special with its Don Jalapeño. Fort Bend Brewing is bringing a limited release “heavy” brew. This is an opportunity to enjoy some “one off” beers with the brewers themselves. On May 2, fans can return for one more day at the ever-popular Brew Fest.
In fact, beer lovers will enjoy an astounding 220 beers from 110 brewers, from Angry Orchard to Fruli to Magic Hat to Pedernales to Spoetzl to Wyder’s Cider — a dream come true for those who crave unique craft beers. Notably, the Feb. 25 issue of the Houston Chronicle heralded the most popular beers across the Lone Star State and all will be featured at the Brew Fest:
Saint Arnold Divine Reserve Series
Buffalo Bayou Secessionist Series
Karbach FUN Series
Don Jalapeño Ale
Blood & Honey
Devil’s Backbone
Deep Ellum IPA
Fire Eagle American IPA
Boxer’s Revenge
Old Bat Rastard
Black Crack
A Booming Industry Gives Back
According to the Brewer’s Association, small and independent American craft brewers make a big economic impact. Beer moves through the three-tier system (breweries, wholesalers and retailers) and includes all non-beer products such as food and merchandise sold by pub restaurants and brewery taprooms. In 2012, the craft brewing industry contributed $33.9 billion to the U.S. economy and more than 360,000 jobs.
Locally, the popularity of craft beer creates an opportunity to give to charities and other organizations such as Brookwood Community, Rainbow Room and Casa de Esperanza. “Our main mission is to support organizations that really try to look after kids — kids who want to do well in life but may have economic obstacles or family situations to overcome,” says Loesch. Brew Fest recently supported the Katy ISD FFA Auction by purchasing three steers, four pigs and three goats and gave all the meat to local food pantries.
It supports Katy ISD scholarship commitments, extracurricular organizations, campus clubs and the annual “Take Me Fishing Day” at Hutsell Elementary. Other beneficiaries include Katy Christian Ministries, the Annual Rotary Katy Toy Drive and the Katy Freedom Pavilion remembering 9/11. Loesch notes that Mayor Fabol Hughes and the city councilmen are 100 percent on board, as well as 300 volunteers who make the nonprofit Brew Fest event possible. To date, $115,000 has been donated back to the community.
It isn’t just beer that draws people to this event. Music definitely ramps up the festive atmosphere, and crowds have come to expect popular artists. This year is no exception. JT Hodges and Curtis Grimes will perform great Texas country music under the stars. Both have won multiple awards and have held the No. 1 Texas Country Single several times. Two additional bands, Kaos and Horizon, will entertain the daytime crowds and play at the after party.
Notable Sponsors
The Wild West annual craft beer tasting event is sponsored by the Katy Texas Rotary Club. Loesch is a member and notes that Rotarians are great people who generously support worthy causes. Other sponsors include the City of Katy, Beer Connoisseur Magazine, Katy-Fulshear Lifestyles & Homes, 93Q Country, Cane Island, Karbach Brewing, No Label Brewing, Jack Daniel’s No. 7, Loesch Luxury Properties, H-E-B, Chef Martinez, Flemings, 3 Olives, Bistro 829, Babaloo, Texas Mesquite, Frontier Title, Blizzard Blaster, Total Foot Care, Toyota Lift of Katy, Houston New Home Team, Light It Right, Farmer’s Insurance, Papa Murphy’s, Yummy Dog Gourmet Sausage, ER Katy, Extreme Offroad Performance, Frontier Title, Your Total Foot Care Specialist, HoustonsEagle.com, ReMax, Seavers Landscape, Aspen Leaf Design, BB&T, Blizzard Blaster, Don McGill Toyota of Katy, HomeWatch Caregivers, SWBC Mortgage, Wrights of Texas, Ace Hardware Cinco Ranch, Brock Orthodontics, Brookwood, Pepper Lawson Construction and Sowell, Alavares & Walls. Additional sponsors may sign on before the event commences.
Visit katybrewfest.com to order your tickets and discover more about this annual celebration. You can also connect on Facebook with 6,000 other fans! The experience will be amazing for those who simply want to mingle and sample beer, as well as aficionados and diehard hobbyists who avidly seek the newest products offered by craft breweries. See you there!
May 16th join in the fun, fellowship, and personal reward of being a part this great fundraiser to be held at the North Shore Rotary Pavilion located at 14560 Wallisville Road, Houston, 77049. Food service begins at 11:00 am and the live auction starts at 12:30 pm. There will also be a terrific Silent Auction. This is always a highly successful event and a model event of successful fundraising. You can even order your food "To Go"!
Tidbits as we build better friendships with each other in our e-club:
Martine Stolk - She enjoys birdwatching!
Jim Wells - Plays senior basketball at the Texas Senior Games, and in February a three on three tournament at the Brazos Valley Senior games in College Station - "we had some pretty tough competition! We had to play the number two nationally ranked 60 plus team - the Ball Hawgs -twice. We lost to them by 7 in the first game and by 12 in the final round, but we did capture the silver medal." Keep playing, Jim!
Mache Perez-Hidalgo - Congratulations on your recent graduation from Universidad Iberoamericana de Ciencia y Technologia UNICIT!
Brandt Smith - Enjoys a good game of racquetball!
Olga Bautista - Lives the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self" - serves lunch at Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen.
Celebrate with Rotarians from around the world and feel the heartbeat of samba during our own Rotary Carnival, a Host Organization Committee event, Saturday, 6 June. Thanks to the change in convention dates, you’ll find it even more convenient to attend this must-see event. This year's convention begins and ends one day earlier than previously scheduled -- 6 June through 9 June -- because the original opening day coincided with one of the city's most popular parades.
São Paulo is the perfect venue for a Rotary convention because Brazil, like Rotary, reflects many different cultures and peoples who have made the country their home. The financial and creative hub of Brazil, this sprawling city boasts many expanses of parks and gardens, including the immense Parque Ibirapuera. The best way to experience São Paulo is to explore its diverse neighborhoods, from Vila Madalena, where you will find galleries, bookstores, and nonstop nightlife, to Higienópolis, known for its international cuisine.
São Paulo’s churrascarias, pizzarias, bakeries, and ethnic restaurants make the city the gastronomic capital of Brazil. Visit the indoor Mercado Municipal to sample tropical fruits and enjoy a freshly made mortadella sandwich or pastel de bacalhau, a deep fried cod fish turnover. Museums such as Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), shopping centers such as Iguatemi and Morumbi, and the city’s architecture and public art will excite your mind and senses.
With so much to do in São Paulo, you might forget that pristine beaches, such as Maresias and the island of Ilhabela, are just a few hours away. Adventure farther to visit breathtaking Rio de Janeiro and Iguaçu Falls, historic Salvador and the Northeast, Minas Gerais, Brasilia, Amazonas, and much more.
PLAN AHEAD - USA citizens do need a Visa. Brazil operates under the reciprocity rule, meaning that whatever is required of Brazilians traveling to your country of origin is what Brazil will require of you. Citizens of several countries, including most European countries, most Central and South American countries, Korea, New Zealand, and Philippines, do not need a visa to enter Brazil.
Rotarians who are active members of the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Visiting Rotarians, and Guests will find a bar which states "Attendance" directly beneath the banner of the WEBSITE which is: www.clubrunner.ca/10506. Please complete this form which is appropriate and it will be merged into an excel spreadsheet for the club secretary to review weekly. Visiting Rotarians may add their own email address or their club secretary's email address to capture attendance, OR simply print the Visiting Rotarian form and give to your club secretary.
Also our "Service" report for active members to complete is available on the website below the banner so we may track the total number of hours contributed to our communities by our club members. This form is also located just beneath the banner on our website.
ALL MEMBERS NEED TO REPORT THEIR ATTENDANCE TO BE CREDITED AND ALSO REPORT ANY OTHER ROTARY FUNCTIONS ATTENDED ALONG WITH THE DATES OF ATTENDANCE. 50% ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED BY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL. The window for make-up meetings is two weeks prior to the missed meeting and two weeks following the meeting. On-line meetings are simply reviewing the weekly bulletin and watching the videos with a minimum of 30 minutes. Most members enjoy spending more time as reported.
The Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:
Of the things we think, say or do
First, Is it the TRUTH?
Second, Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Third, Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
and Fourth, Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
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Celebrate with Rotarians from around the world and feel the heartbeat of samba during our own Rotary Carnival, a Host Organization Committee event, Saturday, 6 June. Thanks to the change in convention dates, you’ll find it even more convenient to attend this must-see event. This year's convention begins and ends one day earlier than previously scheduled -- 6 June through 9 June -- because the original opening day coincided with one of the city's most popular parades.