Chilly Morning Meeting

submitted by Erin Gallagher

We opened with a large crowd of 25 this morning, including David Uhlmann's guest, Leslie Ortiz from Hilo.


Thought for the Day
Be kind to people even if they have little value to you.
You really have good character if you do the right thing even when no one is watching.
(or something like that-sorry Don H. that I couldn't write fast enough!)


Dick Behenna introduced our guest speaker, Melody Raymond, of Naalehu. Several months ago, our club promised to pay for half of the incorporation fee for Once Upon A Story, if the group could raise the other half. Melody is the spearhead of this literacy organization and she came to tell us about it. Once Upon a Story will be opening a small used book store in Naalehu which plans to be open regular business hours to sell books, but more importantly to provide help with literacy. It will be located at the Waiohinu Community "Shack", on the grounds of the community center. The shack is need of serious renovation, the next strong wind and .... splat. Melody has negotiated a 5-year lease in exchange for building repair.

Melody has been a VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) volunteer for the last four years, sponsored by Bay Clinic. In this Americorps program called Reach Out and Read, she is working with the Health Clinic to promote literacy through well-baby visits. Whenever parents bring in their babies, she is there to give them books and help parents as well. Unfortunately, her sponsorship through Americorps is already running a year past the original 3, and she doesn't want her efforts to end there. She has touches the lives of at least 400 children regularly.

The bookstore at Once Upon a Story should be open in March and the reading program hopes to begin in June. We can help by donating books (just drop them off at the Bay Clinic in Naalehu). If you'd like to help in other ways, please contact Dick Behenna and he can tell you more.


Happy Dollars
Paul Ducasse is glad his house in finally freshly painted, school has resumed, and thanks to the Meyers for the New Year's breakfast. Jerry Shimoda is happy for the Happy New Year! Many were happy for the Meyers' breakfast and the speaker, inluding Conard Eyre, Frank Box, and Linda Jane Irwin. Marie had a great time winning Brent (for a friend of hers she says) at the Habitat Bachelor Auction, and Brent was happy that the event helped raise $8,700! Dick Behenna is happy that there are grassroots organizations at work in Naalehu, and Jack Lockwood is happy for the existence of literacy programs in general. Many were happy for the speaker, including Mililani Hughes and Helene Buntman.

I'll give a happy dollar or two for these nene I saw on my way home this morning!

President-Elect Don Morgado's Board for 2008-2009
Don is still working on filling positions for his board for the next year. Let him know if you'd like to be involved. Some discussion ensued about whether we are "cogs" or "spokes" in the great Rotary wheel. Well, cog, spoke, sprocket, ball bearing, WD-40, whatever--everyone has a job to do!