One more chance for our Nature Hike in Brazos Bend State Park led by Martine Stolk!!
The e-Club of Houston Texas invites you and your family to this fundraiser event. For only $25 per person, Martine will share stories of how pioneers utilized what they found in nature, identifying birds, sharing facts about alligators and more.
Brazos Bend State Park is a true nature gem just south of Houston, brimming with wildlife. Get your binoculars and cameras. After your walk, have a picnic in the park, touch a baby alligator in the Nature Center, or hike and bike some more on your own.
The normal park entrance fee has been covered by one of our members so that your contribution of $25 per person will fund community service projects the Rotary eClub of Houston supports; such as Rotary Youth Leadership training (RYLA) for High School students in the Houston community, Polio Eradication efforts in Pakistan, college scholarships for students in Nicaragua and many more.
The walk will be held April 10th (TOMORROW) so please email Martine for additional information or to reserve your place. Space is still available.
Here are some photos from today's walk around 40 Acre Lake to Elm Lake: Here is a white-eyed vireo.
The photo to the right is a common moorhen, or common gallinule as it was recently renamed. An we saw many alligators. Also, black bellied whistling ducks checking out the nest box (shown below).
Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions,
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Representatives from Rotary clubs worldwide will gather in Chicago 10-15 April to consider changes to the policies that guide Rotary International and its member clubs.
The Council on Legislation meets every three years and is an essential part of Rotary's governance. The representatives -- one from each Rotary district -- review and vote on proposals that seek to change Rotary's constitutional documents and on resolutions that express an opinion or make a recommendation to the Rotary International Board of Directors.
Many of this year's proposed changes are designed to increase membership by giving clubs greater flexibility in the timing and the nature of their meetings. Other proposals would amend membership requirements.
Over the decades, Council representatives have debated virtually every nuance of Rotary policy and membership and attendance rules. The five-day meeting is one of Rotary's primary agents for change, allowing the organization to evaluate and enhance its relevance in a rapidly changing world.
"Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple."
~C.W. Ceram
Your Inspiration For Today!
Albert Einstein's theory of relativity is one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century, and even scientists agree the formula is complex. Einstein disagreed. Explaining the basic theory to a non-scientist one day he said, "Have you ever spent time with a pretty girl and time just flew by? Have you ever spent time with someone you didn't like and time seemed to drag on forever? That's relativity."
Dr. John Kitchin traded a lucrative career as a neurologist for the chance to pursue a lifelong passion: rollerblading. Every day Kitchin skates along San Diego’s Pacific Beach boardwalk practicing his unorthodox form of meditation. His unique style of skating has earned him the nickname "Slomo." Josh Izenberg's documentary by the same name takes a closer look at the man and his method.
The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web and selected by National Geographic editors. We look for work that affirms National Geographic's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of the National Geographic Society.
"Time Out" to check if you feel that your life is balanced. Some folks decide to rewrite their lives as Dr. Kitchin did to be certain there is an opportunity to wear a smile each day of living. Rotary offers opportunities for finding your own smile as you help put smiles on others through service projects, mentoring, educating, improving health, etc. Are you doing what you want to do? Or are you waiting for the right time, the right amount of money, or the right group of people to join in your project or activity. Chances are you will find opportunities in Rotary with people who have a "Can do" attitude and the means with district or larger grants to make dreams come true. Rotarians traditionally recite the Four-Way Test in meetings, and many clubs add a fifth, "Is it FUN!!!?" Enjoy life, and if life hands you lemons simply make some excellent lemonade and don't forget to share!
Willing to part with that gift card to a store you never frequent? Interested in donating Paul Harris Points or other Rotary items? Ready to put together a basket that will represent your company to thousands of Rotarians in the Houston area? Well we have the perfect opportunity for you! Rotary District 5890 members from all over the Gulf Coast region will be convening in Galveston for the District conference and we are looking for donations of gift cards, gift baskets, dinner cards, or other items that can be given as door prizes during the District 5890 Conference in Galveston. Please email President Linda Caruso if you have an item for our gift basket. Thank you!
This is a great way to get the name of your company out to others in the district, or just to donate a small item that would be memorable to others. If you are interested in donating, please contact Linda Caruso or Dree Miller and we will arrange to get the materials to the conference. Thank you for your support.
Please save the date - June 25th. It will be our Installation for the 2016-2017 Incoming Board of Directors. We will have a luau party at PDG Ed Edward A Charlesworth's house. Dress code: Hawaiian style. Don't miss this event, specially if you are a board member or incoming board member. More details coming soon. Please let me know if you know anybody who plays the ukulele.
Mahalo!
Adriane Miller (Dree).
The 2016 Katy Wild West Brewfest will be held at the Katy Mills mall in Katy, TX – a suburb of Houston. This will be the fifth annual occurrence of this non-profit event, and the first held at Katy Mills mall. According to event organizer David Loesch, the reason for the move was simple: “We outgrew our old space; it simply could not handle our capacity anymore.”
All net proceeds of the event go to both local charities in the Houston-Katy area as well as other charities around the world. A few of the charities represented are: The Rainbow Room, Future Farmers of America, The Shaw Center, along with various disaster relief efforts and fine arts programs locally. The event is fully staffed by volunteers, which means that no one works the event to turn a profit, and 100 percent of the net gross goes back to the community. Not many events can say that. Over 6,300 people traveled from as far as the Netherlands to enjoy the raucous atmosphere and wide beer selection at the WWBF in 2015, and event organizers are hoping for an even better turnout this year.
April 23rd, at 4 PM (3 PM for VIP admission) the event opens to the public. For those that don’t want to make the drive to Katy Mills Mall, the “Texas Beer Bus” will pick up throughout the day at various locations around the event. While Uber or a designated driver is always an option, why not hop on a bus with fellow festgoers and perform an out-of-tune version of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” before or after the event? Sounds like a blast to me.
The 2016 WWBF will feature over 150 breweries bringing over 500 (!) beers for your perusal. “With over 143,000 square feet of beer nirvana, every style you can imagine will be represented,” according to a WWBF press release. The VIP tent alone is over 10,000 square feet and will feature rare and one-off beers that will be made available for this event only.
