The Rotater

Today, Terry Scott, coordinator of StoryCorps, spoke. Joe Alcorta's outstanding summary of each of our meetings appears on our club website. Thanks, Joe.

NEXT WEEK: Rick Diaz, with the Area Agency on Aging, will speak.

PROPOSED BY-LAW CHANGE: BE SURE AND REVIEW THE ENCLOSED BY-LAW AMENDMENT, which changes the way we elect our club president. After club members have had a chance to review this proposal, the board of directors will set a date to vote on it. (The proposal is to change from the board of directors electing the club president to having the club members elect the club president.) A two-thirds vote of all members present at the meeting is required to change our by-laws.

DID YOU KNOW? Non-profits may be exempt from PAYING sales taxes but may have to COLLECT sales taxes. Non-profits can have two, one-day events, per year such as auctions, rummage sales, and other fundraisers, without having to collect sales taxes. Jay Hobbs and his committee are already working on our major fund-raiser, TASTE OF ABILENE, which will be held on Tuesday, April 8. We will need lots of volunteers to assist us in this project, so PLEASE say "YES" when you are called to help.

Do you know a high school "junior" who is interested in going to Rotary Camp RYLA in June at Texas Woman's University for four days? If so, please tell David Stubbeman.

Rotary, through the Rotary Foundation, is committed to wiping out polio, not merely controlling it. In 2006-2007, Rotarians and friends donated $133 million to the Rotary Foundation, of which $23.7 million went to the Polio Plus program, while other grants went to humanitarian and educational programs. The Rotary Foundation is able to make grants directly to organizaions and individuals in foreign countries for charitable purposes because it exercises "expenditure responsibility", as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, by having Rotarians in the receiving country insure that the money is going for charitable purposes.

ROTARIAN OF THE WEEK: RALPH BRIDWELL. Ralph went to high school in Missouri and Drury College in Springfield Missouri. He joined our club in 1963 and is now retired from the oil business. Ralph was president of our club in 1986-1987. He has three children, two of which live in Abilene (Tucker and Gray).

MAKE-UPS: Marty Pothier, Bob Hunter, and Tom Boecking made-up at the Abilene Southwest Club; and Turner Cariker made-up at Abilene Wednesday Rotary. Remember, you can make-up on line, or by attending a Board of Directors meeting, or by attending other Rotary club projects. Just let David Stubbeman know if you need make-up credit after you attend a club function.

Club Officers: Bob Test, President; Randy Piersall, President-Elect; Mary Beth Kilgore, Secretary-Treasurer; Directors: Kim Bosher, Kent Brown, Frank Dlugas, Woody Gilliland, Steve Glenn, and Jay Hobbs; Sergeant at Arms, Marty Pothier; Assistant Sergeant at Arms, Will Dix; and Mike Weber (immediate past president)

The Board of Directors recommends the following change to Article 1, Section 1 of the By-Laws of the Rotary Club of Abilene:

"During a meeting six weeks prior to the meeting for election of President and three Directors, club members will be invited to make written nominations from the floor. In addition, a Nominating Committee will be appointed by the current President consisting of the immediate Past President as Chairman, one current Board member and one member not serving on the current Board of Directors. Written nominations from the floor will be taken until noon of the following week's meeting. The Nominating Committee will evaluate the nominations, and recruit members willing to serve in each office. One week prior to the election meeting, the Nominating Committee Will present three candidates for President and five candidates for the Board of Directors to the club.

"The sixth week, the election will be held with results announced at the end of the regular meeting. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes for President will be designated the President-nominee, and the three candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the Board of Directors will be designated as Board member-nominees for a two-year term. All will join the Board in service as of July first, with the President-nominee becoming the President-Elect at that time. The President-Elect will become President after one year.

"Former Board members and past Club Presidents are eligible to serve as Board members or officers again after three years have passed since their last term of service ended.

"All other officers will be selected and voted on by the full Board of Directors on, or around, July first. Officers are elected by the Board for a one year term, but may be re-elected for an additional year if the Board of Directors so chooses. Only the Club Secretary may serve multiple terms if elected yearly by the full Board of Directors. The President-Elect is allowed to serve more than two years if needed to fulfill the duties of President-Elect, President and Past President."