April 10, 2003

Guests: Sonny Kanieski, Rick Roush, Angela Huston, Marilyn and Amy Sobotincic, Jim Shields, Delores Shields, John, Kathleen and Andrew Shields, Nobby Lewandoski (past president) and Rod Steiger (past president).

News at 7:05: The Dow, Nasdaq and S&P all rose today, Greenspan praised the resilience of the economy, a suicide attack injures 4 Marines, Bush speaks to the Iraqi people on TV letting them know the soldiers are friends and liberators not conquerors, US targets the last remaining Iraqi forces in the North, Colin Powell and Turkey reach accord on the Kurds, the House approved the Amber Alert Package, studies show human cloning may be impossible (thank goodness considering the possibilities), gas was found for $1.27 on W. 130^th Street, the rain postponed the Masters, the Indians are at 3-4 while the Cavs are 15-63, the Great Gatsby was published today in 1925, the Titanic set sail in 1912.

Sergeant @ Arms: Jane Lang served as our substitute Sgt @ Arms and collected dollars for: our guest Angela Huston, breakfast at the Brunswick Rotary Club, Sherry’s perseverance, the Best-Looking Sgt @ Arms we ever had, the guests, the exchange students, Marilyn Sobotincic, the pancake breakfast for Project Learn on 4/12/03 (see Sobo for tickets), Mark Sutherland’s trip to Florida and the great weather, our guest Rick Roush, the great job the Exchange Students did when speaking at Leadership Medina, Pat Norris asking Rotarians to vote for Norris Auto Mall as the best dealership, Rick Roush asking us to vote for Chesrown Honda, Linda having a guest of Chesrown yet promoting Norris, the less than quiet meeting in the room behind us, the beautiful day, the troops, the awards for the evening, Darlene only having 3 weeks left in the Semester, Sonny’s dad (John K.) being with the students on the DC trip and being out of the office, the upcoming highway clean-up, the Indians to improve, the past presidents who are visiting, eating with 7 others at a table and 6 of them being all right, Emma Rolling getting her first 2 teeth, the Citizen of the Year Honorees, the sunshine, Brian Feron being in high school when Nobby was President.

District Governor nomination: Our club made another nomination: Mark Sutherland

Upcoming programs: April 10^th – Founder’s Night/Citizen of the Year Award.

Fireside chat: Rich Bidinger will be hosting a "Fireside Chat" at 6:00pm on April 17th at Rustic Hills Country Club. It will be held downstairs at the Club. This is for new members and anyone else who wants to attend. On April 18th is the Good Friday Breakfast at Rustic Hills. If you cannot make it to the Good Friday Breakfast and plan to go to a "round table" at Rustic Hills on Thursday night, also plan on helping with the "Fireside Chat".

Rotary Club Shirts: Orders are being taken for shirts. The sign-up sheets are circulating at the meetings. Contact John Sobotincic for details.

District Conference: Our May 8^th meeting will be held at the District Conference at Quail Hollow

Service Opportunity: On May 17^th, we will be having a “Clean-up the Square Day" and clean-up at Camp Paradise. Sign-up sheets will be circulating at the meetings.

Citizen of the Year Night: The Medina Rotary Club has presented the Citizen of the Year award since 1992. This award has been presented to individuals distinguishing themselves in the Medina area in volunteer activities consistent with the beliefs of Rotary International.

Rotarians are individuals who look beyond themselves to their community, nation, and the world. They seek the truth; let fairness govern their relationships; endeavor to build goodwill and better friendships; and strive to benefit all in every interpersonal relationship. In short, they put service above self, thus the Rotary Motto - “Service Above Self”. The Rotarian idea of friendship, fellowship, and service to others has spread to six continents.

In order to acknowledge the outstanding community service of the recipients of this year’s Medina Rotary Citizen of the Year Awards, the Club presented each recipient with an honorary plaque along with a contribution made for $1,500 each in their names to Rotary International Polio Plus Campaign for the worldwide eradication of Polio. In addition, Mayor Jane Leaver sent each recipient a proclamation from the City of Medina.

This year’s recipients, Jim Shields & John Sobotincic, have shown an extraordinary devotion to the community through their numerous volunteer activities and civic dedication.

Jim Shields is a 1984 graduate of Medina High School who went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Miami University and his juris doctor degree from the University of Akron School of Law. Jim is currently the Assistant Business Manager of the Medina City Schools Business Department. Jim’s volunteer activities include United Way of Medina, Medina Chamber of Commerce, Medina Noon Kiwanis, Medina Jaycees, Junior Achievement, Medina Junior Basketball & Youth Baseball, Committee for Youth Service Awards, and the Friends of Medina Schools just to name a few. Jim has also held the office of Vice President and President of the Medina Jaycees, Vice President and President of Medina County Bar Association, Chairman of United Way, Vice President of the Volunteer Center of United Way, Committee for Youth Service Awards and Salvation Army Advisory Board Member and Vice Chairman.

John Sobotincic is married to Marilyn Sobotincic and has two daughters and two granddaughters. John is now retired from serving as Area Manager for GTE Corporation following 35 years of service. John and his family moved to Medina in 1989 and ever since he has been dedicated to making it a better place to live, work and raise families. John’s volunteer activities include but are not limited to the Medina Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Medina, Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, Project LEARN, and Holy Martyrs Church. John has also held the following offices: President of Medina County Economic Development Corp. for two years, President of Project LEARN, Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity, Advisory Board Member for Catholic Charities, President of Medina Rotary Club, Board Member of the Medina Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of United Way of Medina County, Co-Chair Medina Rotary Wine & Cheese and Co-Chair Construction of Rotary Pavilion for the Year 2001. John was also selected to represent Medina County as an Olympic Torch Bearer in January 2002.

Special Thanks to the Committee Chairperson, Cinzia Rolling and the committee members Brian Feron, Don Spickler, Melanie Hillebrand and Ken Tender.

56 Years ago… April 9^th was the 56^th anniversary of Rotary in Medina. That’s 56 years of service to the Medina and World communities. During the past few years, Rotary in Medina has built pavilions in Greenwood and Reagan parks. We have furnished a room at the battered women’s shelter.

On the international level, over the past 28 years we have brought 88 exchange students to Medina for a year each and sent them back to their home countries with a better understanding of the American people.

On a greater scale The Medina Rotary Club, as part of Rotary International, has participated in a world wide effort to eradicate polio. Rotary Internaitonal, through the efforts of Clubs like ours, has raised millions of dollars that have gone towards vaccinating the world’s children against polio. It is hoped that this job will be completed by Rotary International’s 100^th anniversary in 2005.

Rotary is now raising funds to complete the effort. An effort that is so important that The Gates Foundation has pledged to match funds raised from July 1^st, 2002 to June 30^th, 2003 on a 4 to 1 basis. For every dollar Rotary raises, The Gates Foundation will contribute four dollars.

THE FOUR WAY TEST

“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?

Fourth - Will it be Benefitical to all Concerned