Your International News Magazine / Digital Issue Number 32 / Volume 99, Number 4

October, November, December 2017

President Dale Woodroffe 340A Eagle Heights Canmore, AB T1W 3C9 dale.gyro@gmailcom First Vice President Matt Johnson 6720 94th st ct nw Gig Harbor, WA 98332 matt.j@rm-law.us

Second Vice President Ted Shewchuk

Box 1013 Red Lake, Ontario P0V 2M0 shewchuck.gyro@gmail.com

Immediate Past President Dana Davidson 2030 3 Greystone Walk Dr. Toronto, ON M1K5J4 d.davidson@rogers.com

Secretary-Treasurer Emil L. Baijot 1903 Ponderosa Drive Bellingham, WA 98229 emil@baijot.guru

District I Governor Bryan Flanigan 10705 Mount Royal Concord, OH 44077 District II Governor Neil Baker 714 Holdorf Drive Blue Grass, IA District III Governor Brent Malfara 205 Cowling Heights Peterborough, ON K9K 0B2District IV Governor Peter Evans 7250 W. Saanich Road Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 0A3 District VI Governor Louis Countinho 901 Clifton Avenue Windsor, NB B0N 2T0District VII Governor Blanton Bessinger 2155 N Rosewood Ln St. Paul, MN 55113District VIII Governor Peter Carter 13510 100 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T5N 0H9District IX Governor Roger Lindley 265 Black Sage Circle Nipomo, CA 98444District X Governor Al Sinicrope 3946 Doral Drive Tampa, FL 33634

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

DISTRICT GOVERNORS

Editor: Emil L. Baijot, Secretary-TreasurerGyro International – 1096 Mentor Avenue – Painesville, OH 44077-0489

Headquarters Phone: 440/352-2501 Fax: 440/352-3882e-mail: sheila@gyro.org - or - baijot@comcast.net

ABOUT THE COVER: Graphics backgrounds on several pages depict the advent of Winter

ABOUT THIS DIGITAL GYROSCOPE: This issue is in .pdf format. To print a copy, simply select PRINT and the printer will start with pages in order. To open properly, use the free Adobe Acrobat 7 or higher

- graphics & design, courtesy of the editor -

PAGE

2 Gyro Officers / Contents 3 President’s Message 4 From the Editor’s Desk 5 District IX Convention 7 District VII Curlarama 2017 8 “An Idea for your club?” - Davenport 9 District III Convention 10 District Governors Photos, 2017-2018 11 District Governor Bios 12 Veterans Day in Fresno 13 Give the Gift of Friendship 13 No one believes Seniors 14 District I Convention 15 Fresno Christmas / Senior Moments 16 Hello to New Members 17 District VI Convention 24 Farewell to Departed Friends 24 Loneliness and Health 34 International Convention Flyer 35 What Successful Clubs have in Common 36 Upcoming Meeting Dates

- 2 -

Gyro International

CONTENTS

The President’s Holiday Message

As mentioned in my last correspondence your Gyro International Executive (EC) has been very busy since our Annual General Convention in June, in lovely Vancouver, British Columbia. There were five District Conventions in September making it one of the busiest months for the Governors, Club Presidents and EC.

Congratulations to all the new Governors, Club Presidents and Club Directors and committee Chairmen. These Gyros make the organization function, giving us all the opportunity to have fun and fellowship.

Gyro International office staff, Secretary Treasurer, Financial Administrator and Director of Membership have been busy with registering new members, helping District Governors, Club Presidents and Gyros throughout the organization with day to day administration and questions and concerns. This creates hundreds of emails and phone calls for all concerned. And as many of you know, we have reduced our EC by one Vice President and have cancelled the Interim Convention this year.

To improve communications the EC and Governors have established a committee to start a schedule of regular Conference Calls. We have been experimenting with a soware package identified by the communications committee last year called WebEx and have had two conference calls to date with another one scheduled for December 14th. We have succeeded in getting rid of most of the glitches and are having good communications. But still have a way to go in having all the Governors introduce the soware for District Conference calls. Some Districts are already using WebEx.

Another committee has been established to look at the responsibilities of the Secretary/Treasurer, Director of Membership, Finance Administrator, Web Administrator and support staff.

A dra report put together by the Committee of Ed MacDonald (District VI), Blanton Bessinger (District VII) Peter Evens (District IV) and myself (District VIII), has been sent to the EC for review. The committee plans to have a final report by December 31.

Enough on business! This is the time for all of us to enjoy the Holiday Seasehalf of the Gyro International Executive, the staff in Painesville and, Mary Ann and myself, we all would like to wish all Gyros, Gyrettes, Ladies and Friends of Gyro …

It's the Holiday Season, and friends and family become our focus again. Let us celebrate our Gyro family and the difference we are making in each others' lives.

aa Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year - and -“”All the Run and Friendship that you can handle in 2018!”

December 2017

From the desk of the Editor ...

Letters to the Editor & Trivia of Interest

- 7 -- 7 -

Next to a sunny August evening when I can sit on the deck with a glass of red wine in hand, I’ve always been most moved by the wonders of the Christmas Season. Beyond the religious implications to most, I also remain in awe of how people give, not only of themselves in many ways, but also the desire to brighten someone’s life by gifting. It may sound crass, but I to like to give, AND I like to receive.

Although many years have passed since my first memory of Christmas, I do still recall it well. I was four and seated on the living room floor looking at the lights and the enormous pile of wrapped gifts that had miraculously appeared overnight. (It was a few years later that I learned that Santa lived in the attic). In time a large box was slid over to me. Following the actions of my older siblings, I tore off the ribbon and the wrapping. Opening the box I discovered an army of perhaps 100 toy soldiers in every stage of action. Dy-no-mite, eh? Who could forget such wonders?

During the ensuing years the family gifting tradition continued, albeit sometimes adjusted to business ups and downs. The older generation was replaced by the current family and then added to again by the latest generation. Along the way, the pleasure of receiving was replaced by the pleasure of giving. How could it not be with so many loving and entrancing human beings we call grand-kids?

More recently, the reality of the young adults in school or starting families has caused the family to now rely on a family draw of cards, i.e. one main gift to give. Somehow the oldsters get around that by also substituting stocking-stuffers - many of which could never fit into any stocking.

Since this magazine is online prior to Chrismas Day ... all this unimportant trivia was just my opportunity to maybe elicit a memory of your own and to wish you all:

“A Very Merry Christmasand a

Prosperous & Healthy New Year”

A thought for 2018 ...

“”Most moral education happens by the power of example. We publish the book of our lives every day through our actions, and our conduct. We teach one another what is worthy of admiration and what is worthy of disdain.”

Javier Lanzon, Spanish philosopher.

- 4 -

District 9 Convention - Oktoberfesthosted by Blacklake Gyro Club

The Blacklake Gyros hosted the District IX Conven�on at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo during September 28-October

st1 . Forty-two Gyros and their spouses from clubs around the state and Canada a�ended all or some the events, and everyone enjoyed par�cipa�ng in the events and mee�ng old friends. As an added bonus, Gyro Interna�onal President Dale Woodroffe and his wife Mary Ann a�ended the conven�on and installed the District IX officers.

So what happened at the conven�on…..A golf tournament at Dairy Creek. Unfortunately, the condi�on of the course prevented the ou�ng from being as much fun as it should have been.

An annual Business Mee�ng. Yes, we actually did some work at the conven�on. The a�endees voted to amend the District IX Cons�tu�on to establish November 1-October 31 as the term for district officers (the dates of the term had previously been unspecified). President Woodroffe reported on goings on at the Interna�onal level and installed the following Gyros as District officers for the upcoming term: Lowell Gist—Immediate Past District Governor and Roger Lindley- Governor. Mike Eisner-Ist Lt Governor and Jim Vaughn-Secretary-Treasurer will be installed at a later date as they were away on trips.

A poker run—stops included the Madonna Inn, Morro Bay, Harmony, and the Firestone Walker Brewery in Paso Robles where par�cipants had lunch and some partook of the local cra� beers.

- 5 - - photos by Larry Duba

And a banquet/murder mystery—John DeYulia organized a murder mystery presenta�on involving the Blacklake Gyro Repertory Theater Group: Steve and Paule�e Black, Jim and Diana Wiggins, Bill and Kaye Morrow, and Ed Henderson as narrator. The group's thespian talents were such that none of the five tables of a�endees in the audience were able to deduce who the actual murderer was.

Many thanks to the members of the Blacklake Gyros Planning Commi�ee for their �me and efforts in planning and organizing an enjoyable conven�on.

- submi�ed by Craig Armstrong,

D-9 Oktoberfest, cont.

President Blacklake Gyro Club

- 6 -

Every year in early November, District VIII Gyros travel to Banff, Alberta for a weekend of fun, friendship and the opportunity to compete for Gyro curling supremacy. This event, known as Curlarama, has been held on a continuous annual basis since the 1950's with the Calgary and Stampede City club's taking turns handling the organizational responsibility.

Curlarama 2017 was hosted by the Calgary club from November 3rd to 5th withsixty Gyros and guests braving an early season snow storm in traveling to Banff. Eight clubs from District VIII (Calgary, Castlegar, Edmonton, Edmonton Crossroads, Nelson, Regina, Sherwood Park and Stampede City) and The Albernis from District IV were represented at the event.

Upon arrival on Friday, participants gathered in the Gyro hospitality room at the Voyager Inn for registration, a chili dinner and team strategy sessions. A host bar contributed to spirited socializing late into the evening.

The curling competition began at 8:30 AM on Saturday at Banff's impressive Fenlands curling facility where spectacular mountain views from ice level are an unavoidable distraction. All teams played two or three games during the day. Back to back games were necessary for some teams which presented a physical challenge for several of the Gyro athletes. Interna- tional President Dale Woodroffe, who has a home in nearby Canmore, dropped by to say hello and view the curling action.

That evening, following curling postmortems in the hospitality room, we enjoyed a superb prime rib and chicken dinner. During dinner, Bob Rowan (Stampede City ) was recognized for his 45 years of attendance at Curlarama. The Sherwood Park club, with 12 members participating, earned the 2017 “man miles” award. District VIII Governor Peter Carter had words of welcome. Thank you Peter for attending Curlarama as an interested spectator, curling critic and photographer. Joe Vingo (Nelson) then took the floor to briefly promote our District's 2018 onvention which his club will be hosting from June 7 to 10. Visit www.nelson.gyro.ws for details of what is certain to be a very enjoyable convention. The dinner concluded with two separate (cont. on page 8)

DISTRICT VIII - CURLARAMA 2017- submitted by John Hodgson / photos by Governor Peter Carter

- 7 -

50/50 draws. Garry Pattison (Stampede City) defied the odds by winning both draws. Following dinner, poker enthusiasts participated in a Texas Hold'em tournament with Henry Reimer (Nelson) emerging as the big winner.

The curling event finals were played on Sunday morning. Congratulations to The Albernis which defeated a Calgary team to successfully defend their A Event title. Calgary appeared to be in good

thshape playing in the 4 end with a 4 to 1 lead. However, Albernis skip Gary Gray made a miracle angle raise takeout on his last rock to remove the Calgary shot stone and count 4. The stunned Calgarians were unable to recover. It should be noted that The Albernis team, which included club member Bill Milne, was bolstered with the addition of Derm Jackman (Castlegar) and Bill's son-in-law John Cobb, a Calgary resident who I understand intends to join the Stampede City Club. Congratulations also to the other event winners: B – Sherwood Park, C – Regina, D – Nelson.

Those who follow Gyro curling, may be wondering about the “Special Needs” team, a quartet of orphaned curling misfits who surprised the Gyro curling world by winning the D Event title in 2016. Alas, there was no such Cinderella story for the 2017 version of the Special Needs team, consisting of Ken Baker (Calgary), Joe Vingo (Nelson), Garry Pattison (Stampede City) and Al Lynas (a former Nelson and soon to be Stampede City member). They reverted to expected form with no wins and three losses.

Thank you to all who attended this year's Curlarama. Please note that Curlarama 2018 is scheduled for

November 2nd to 4th . Mark your Calendars!

Curlarama, cont.

- submitted by Governor Neil BakerAn Idea for your Club?An Idea for your Club?

- 8 -

May 2017Northwest Indiana Donald DiehlWestern Reserve Richard P. MunyCanton Donald C. Coen

JUNE 2017Powell Ron L. Thompson

JULY 2017Dixon Joseph HeatonCaloosa Clarence Bundy

AUGUST 2017Painesville Salvatore G. RizzonEtobian John BradfordSpokane William J. MeyerCranbrook George R. PeltonSan Jose Tom O. WagnerFt. Lauderdale/GC Gorgon J. Elliott

OCTOBER 2017Powell Larry MathewsCamosun Court HaddockAkron Ronald D. Bowman

NOVEMBER 2017Blacklake Lester G. KvekNew Glasgow Jean MacDonaldEtobian Robert MacDonaldCalgary Edward Robert BlaskenCamosun John B.L. Walter

DECEMBER 2017Caloosa Robeert KemmerRegina Vernon M. GriswoldCalgary T. Cambell

SEPTEMBER 2017Metro Milwaukee Robert A. CadwellGasparilla Charles L. StevensTampa C. Stanley MweaverMt. Diable Ray R. Deschamp

FAREWELL Departed Friends

Subject: Davenport Gyros' contributions to First Tee Program In a September, 2017 meeting, Davenport Gyro member Bob "Steamer" Fulton approached the membership for contributions to the First Tee Program in Davenport, Iowa. He explained how First Tee works, for those unfamiliar: the Program solicits participation among young kids who are likely unfamiliar with the sport of golf and mentors them in skills and rules and, more significantly in the values of the sport as well as the values that transcend it. The Program is thriving and thriving in no small part due to the (necessary) contributions. Members were encouraged to check (scour?) lockers, closets, basements, attics, and garages for clubs (sets or random pieces), balls, and other equipment that the Program depends on. The response was truly encouraging: donated were upwards of 200 dozen(!) balls, several pull carts, umbrellas, and many, many sets and individual clubs. Steamer guessed at retail, there might have been a total value of $20,000; in used condition, perhaps $5000+. It was an energetic effort by the Gyros. Kids who have benefitted by such donations have responded, personally and in writing, with expressions of gratitude and enthusiasm. The local First Tee in Davenport was likewise very, very appreciative for our attention to the "cause." It is a win-win situation: giving enabled us to clear some areas of things no longer used...and it's tax deductible (Steamer provided forms to that end). But the ultimate purpose of our giving --supporting an organization that supports kids-- is the real winner. Kudos to both organizations, the First Tee Program and the Gyros.

- submitted by Governor Neil BakerAn Idea for your Club?

The District III Convention, hosted by the Toronto Gyro club, took place September 22-24 at the Sheraton Hotel in Hamilton, Ontario. It had a theme of red and white, in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday. Toronto President and Convention Chairperson Louie Fortsas did an amazing job organizing a fun event that included a boat cruise, a dinner from around Canada, wonderful dancing and the installation of new Governor Brent Malfara and 1st Lt. Governor Bob Fraser. We were particularly pleased to welcome Matt Johnson and his wife Lisa, who travelled from Washington State to install the new officers. The photos include PDG Ned Barber (red bow tie) and wife Mary, along with Governor Brent and wife Judy (in red jacket).

District III Convention- submitted by Governor Brent Malfara

- 9 -

- 10 -

Peter Carter - District VIII Roger Lindley - District IX Al Sinicrope - District X

GYRO DISTRICT GOVERNORS

Bryan Flanigan - District I Neil Baker - District II Brent Malfara - District III

Gyro District Governors

Photo notavailable atpublication

time

Peter Evans - District IV Louis Countino - District VI Blanton Bessinger - District VII

Neil Baker District II - Davenport

Neil was born in Lewisburg, PA and raised in Lancaster, PA. After graduation from Drexel University, Philadelphia, he served in the Army Chemical Corps as a Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer for four years in the late 1960s. It was an easy transition to Army Civil Service at Edgewood Arsenal MD, where he served il retirement in 1994. He has also worked as an engineering consultant until 1974. He then moved to the Iowa Quad Cities and continued to work as an Army civilian at the Rock Island Arsenal and finally as a Realtor, before finally retiring for good in 2013. Neil and Lolita have been married for 11 years and have four children and four grandchildren between them. Lolita has a special interest in historic buildings and their restoration, having restored one of her own over a 25 year period. Since joining Gyro in 1998, Lolita and Neil have been able to attend many Gyro International Conventions and continue to enjoy meeting new friends at each of the gatherings.

Bryan Flanigan District I - Painesville

Louis Countino District VI - Windsor

Peter Evans District IV - Victoria

Blanton Bessinger District VII - Oryg

Al Sinicrope District X - Tampa

- 11 -

Peter Carter District VIII - Edmonton

GYRO DISTRICT GOVERNORS

Brent MalfaraDistrict III -

I joined ORYG club In St Paul, MN, 20+ years ago. I am a retired physician. My specialty was Pediatric Cardiology and, then later, medical management as VP Medical Affairs for the Children's Hospitals of Minnesota.

I was born and raised in southeastern United States, went to college and medical school at Emory University (Atlanta). I moved to Minnesota in 1965 to be an intern at the University of Minnesota. I have lived here since that time. We have three grown children, and three granddaughters.

We are snowbirds, living in Rio Verde, AZ, (Phoenix area) during the winter.

Al has been a long contributor to Gyro and its management. He is a member of both the Tampa and Gasparilla clubs.

Al is in his third term as Governor of District X. During his life in Gyro he also served five years on the Executive Council of Gyro International and was president in 2003-2006.

Peter is the father of 3 and grandfather of 7, and with his wife Debbe, live in Brentwood Bay, near Victoria BC. He joined the Gyro Club of Victoria in 2005, has served in all the chairs and as club President for 2013/14. Peter is a re�red police officer and serial entrepreneur. He describes himself as an 'ideas guy', who wakes up in the middle of the night with thoughts of the next big things. As the DIV Governor, he hopes some of those ideas will rub off, making the District even stronger than it already is.

Peter was born in London, England and immigrated to Canada in 1954. He re�red in 2013. He had three different careers: was in the Travel Industry for 23 years as owner of Carter's Travel & Cruises. Prior to that he was the Admin. Director for the Edmonton Art Gallery, for 10 years; and before that he was with North American Van Lines, a subsidiary of Pepsico, for 11 years, his last two posi�ons being Controller, Western Canada, and General Manager, of Edmonton. Peter has served on numerous Boards: Boys and Girls Clubs of Edmonton; Edmonton Chamber of Commerce; and Edmonton & Northern Alberta Crime Stoppers. He is a Past District Governor and a Past Na�onal Treasurer, of Kinsmen. He is currently on the Boards of: Legal Aid of Alberta; Lurana Shelter Society; and Pilgrim's Hospice.

ndAnd for something different, he is a 2 Bass in the Edmonton Swiss Men's Choir. He has been in the Gyro Club of Edmonton for 16 years; and served as its President in 2016/17. His wife, Eileen, is a Gyre�e.

Roger Lindley District IX - Blacklake & C. Coast

Roger was born and raised in Los Angeles. He received the honor of acceptance to UCLA in 1964. A further signal event occurred in 1968 when he met wife-to-be Carol; they were married in 1982. After several years as a UCLA employee, Roger entered the real estate appraisal profession in 1977. He earned his MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute in 1986. He retired in l997. Moving to Blacklake in 1998 introduced Roger to Gyro; he has been a member for 15 years. He was on the Blacklake Gyro board for nine years, serving a chapter president three times. He served a prior term as District IX Governor in 2003-2004. Roger has three adult children and three adult grandchildren. He is now blessed to dote on three great-grandchildren. He is an active golfer and weightlifter. He is also a member of Lions and the Nipomo Newcomers. A member of three Gyro clubs, he is very busy with the Clubs' activities.

Louis is the new Governor for District VI and he comes into his new role with a purpose to ensure the survivability and growth of the Clubs in his District. Actively engaged as the Chief Administrative Officer (Town Manager) for the Town of Windsor, serving in that position for the past 11 years. Prior to that, he was a thirty year (30) employee of the Halifax Regional Municipality. Broad experience and knowledge in governance and organizational issues and is Board representative for Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island - Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). Louis is a Past President of the Windsor Rotary Club and a Past President of the Windsor GYRO Club. Louis sits on several work-related Boards and Committees. He and his wife Avila have been married for 36 years, have two sons and three grandchildren. They are his joy and passion. In his spare time, Louis is an avid birder, plays bridge and enjoys digging around the garden. Louis is inspired by strategic initiatives, innovative thinking and leadership development.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, in 1951, Brent Malfara lives in Peterborough, Ontario, and has been a member of Peterborough Gyro since 1999. My family includes my wife, Judy, and adult daughters Francesca and Marissa. I also am the extremely proud grandfather of Aurora, who will be turning one in October 2017. I work for a family business specializing in shoes and in fi�ng ortho�cs. My interests include watching sports and poli�cs, playing golf and a�ending Nascar with my fellow Gyros, and travelling to Gyro events across North America. I hope to represent District III well as Governor this year.

Joined the Painesville Club in 2009.Served as Treasurer, Secretary, VP and 2013 President. The 62 member Club is a constantly growing club, with social events every two weeks. Managing the expectations for social and friendship in that environment prepared him for his present role as Governor of District 1. Married for 48 years to beautiful Sandy, they have 4 children. A daughter in Asheville, NC, a son in Louisville Kentucky, and two sons in Ohio. Two grandchildren – an 11 year old boy in NCand a 20 month old granddaughter in Ohio. Bryan has is a Mechanical Engineer but his career for over 30 years has been Sales. His latest role as VP of Sales moving construction equipment to some of the largest Global contractors, and mining Companies. He has won the award Employee of the Year twice at 40,000 employee Global manufacturing company. Bryan & Sandy enjoy their family, close friends and their special Gyro friendships in D-I.

Fresno: Car Club Parades Blind Veterans

The Sequoia Classic Thunderbird Club th(Chapter #109) participated in the 98

annual Veterans Parade held in Fresno, thCalifornia on November 11 . It is now

the largest Veterans parade in the United States, and the “Lady Birds On The Go” provided six drivers of the thirteen cars.

The Club President is Jack Armistead, and the Vice President is David Roth. The leader of the “Lady Birds On The Go” is Maxine Brock. The Thunderbird car club members were proud to give rides to the Central Valley Blind Veterans, for the 7th year, as well as other Veterans. There are approximately 220 legally blind veterans in the Central Valley who seek treatment from the Veterans Administration for their eye conditions. In our group we had nineteen Veterans, including drivers and passengers, who are Veterans of World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, the Berlin Crises, Desert Shield and Operation Enduring Freedom. Services represented were the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force and the Mexican Army.

Larry Duba, Retired Lt Col USAF Reserves, has been coordinating with Central Valley Veterans and arranging rides in the parade for many years. Larry is Secretary of the Fresno Veterans Parade Executive Board, and he was wearing the colonial uniform as Commander of the “Heroes of 76” (a patriotic group in the National Sojourners).

- 12 -

ManyofusareabletoGivetheGiftofLifebydonatingbloodfortheuseofpeopleinneedofthiscritical�luid.However,somearenotallowedtodosoforvarioushealthreasons.

OnethingthatweallcangiveistheGiftofFriendship.Friendship,forthosewhoarelonelyandordepressediscriticalfortheirhealth.Studieshaveshownthatthosewhohavemanyfriendsaremorehealthythanthosewithoutthistypeofrelationship.Friendsprovidesupportduringthegoodtimesaswellasinthebadtimes.

We,whoarealreadymembersofGyroInternational,havetheopportunitiestomakemorefriendsacrossCanada,theUnitedStatesandmorerecentlyinTokyo.We,whotakeadvantageofinteractingwithmembersfromotherclubs,notonlymakenewfriends;butwealsogettoseesomebeautifulcountryandinterestingthingsintheirarea.

So,asweleavethistimeofgivingduringtheChristmasSeason,remember“TheGiftofFriendship”andmakeaNewYearsResolutiontoinviteoneormorememberstoGyroin2018.

Yourfriend–LarryDuba(PIP2012)-MembershipDirector

Alice I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! We look forward to visiting with our friends during the year at the various conventions and

club events. We cherish our friends and look forward to making new ones in 2018!

Give the Gift of Friendship

- 13 -

HUMOUR?

No one believes SeniorsEveryone thinks they are Senile

An elderly couple was celebrating their sixtieth anniversary. The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and had moved back to their old neighborhood

after retiring. Holding hands, they walked back to their old school. It was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk they’d shared, where Jerry had

carved I Love You, Sally.

On their way back home, a bag of money fell out of an armored car, practically landing at their feet. Sally quickly picked it up and, not sure what to do with it, they

took it home. There, she counted the money - fifty thousand dollars!

Jerry said, we’ve got to give it back. Sally said, finders keepers. She put the money back in the bag and hid it in the attic.

The next day, two police officers were canvassing the neighborhood looking for the money, and knocked on their door.. Pardon me, “did either of you find a bag

that fell out of an armored car yesterday?”

Sally said, “no.”” Jerry said, “She’s lying. She hid it up in the attic.” Sally said “don’t believe him he’s getting senile.” The agents turned to Jerry and began to

question him. One said: “tell us the story from the beginning.”

Jerry said, “ Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday ...”

The first officer turned to his partner and said, “we’re outta here!”

Put in Bay is sometimes called the “Party Capital” of Ohio's North Coast, maybe due to the college-age enthusiasts who flock there on summer weekends. However, seventy-eight Gyros gave the youngsters a run for their money the weekend of September 8-10.

The weather was a little cold for early September, but that only fortified us as we enjoyed a Friday dinner overlooking the lake, and then repaired to various evening locations, including our indoor/outdoor hospitality suite.

Saturday's business meetings were unique in the fact that we changed locations (from our open-air rooftop setting) due to interference from high school marching bands practicing for their part in Put in Bay's Historical Weekend festivities. No worries, business was completed, and we enjoyed various daytime activities including winery tours, or island tours on a golf cart, or just lunch harbor-side.

Attendance was very well distributed, it actually seemed like we were at an International Interim, with guests from District 2 (Gov. Neil & Lolita Baker), and District 3 (IPIP Dana Davidson & Barb Dukic) joining the festivities along with Gyros from Akron, Canton, Marion, Northwest Indiana, Painesville, Powell, & Western Reserve.

The evening's festivities were at the hotel's poolside, next to a perpetually running waterfall. The hotel did a wonderful job providing emergency audio system, fire-pits for light (some would say heat), and a delectable buffet menu.

The reins to District One's well-being were passed from Randy Tarrier (Powell) to Bryan Flanigan (Painesville), in a fire-lit ceremony next to the roaring waterfall, surrounded by many happy Gyros. District One wishes the best to our new leadership, and many happy returns to all of those people who made this convention a success by being there.

Gyro District One Convention September 9, 2017

Pool-side dinner at the Commodore

Bill Anthony (Canton) with Lula the Hula Girl

- submitted by Randy Tarrier

PDG Lew Lause tries his luck at“Gyro Jenga” as Jenga-Mistress

Kelly Keller looks on

- 14 -

TheFresnoGyroClubheldtheirChristmasdinneratthePlazaVentanaMexicanRestaurantonDecember

th14 .Therewere16friendsinattendanceincludingChadandMireiKrelleroftheTokyoGyroClub.ChadhadreturnedfromJapantobewithhiswifeandthreedaughterswhoarenowlivinginCaliforniasothegirlscanattendschoolhere.PastInternationalPresidentLarryDubapresentedChadwith'TheJimmieHubbellGyroFriendshipCup'plaqueinappreciationforhisleadershipandservicesinexternalexpansionbyorganizingtheTokyoGyroClub.Chad,whoworksandlivesinJapan,gaveapositiveandinformativetalkaboutthecurrenteffortstoincreasetheinterestinGyroandinvitemoreindividualstojointheTokyoGyroClub.ManyJapanesewanttolearnEnglish,andthebestwaytodothisistoattendaclassandtalkingtoAmericans.OnememberMasaAkitraveledtoCanadaandvisitedthen

st1 VicePresidentDaleandhiswifeMaryAnnWoodroffeforaweek.Hereallyenjoyedhisvisit,andheishelpingspearheadtheefforttorejuvenatetheclubbytalkingtodifferentgroupsaboutthepositivebene�itsofbelongingtoGyro.TheTokyoClubcurrentlyhasfourmembersinJapan

andfourchartermembersintheUnitedStatesandCanada.BruceandBobbiMcKeewontheraf�leprizefora$50giftcerti�icatefortheLimeLiteRestaurant.They

gavetheprizetoChadandMireiwhoexpressedtheirappreciationforthedinner,plaque,giftcerti�icateandfriendshipthatwasexperiencedatthemeeting.

Fresno Gyro Club's Christmas Dinner

- submitted by PIP Larry Duba

Earl and Bubba are quietly sitting in a boat fishing, chewing tobacco and drinking beer when suddenly Bubba says, “Think

I’m gonna divorce the wife - she ain’t spoke to me in over 2 months.”

Earl spits overboard, takes a long, slow sip of beer and says,

“Better think it over .... women like that are hard to find.”

“My memory is gone Mildred, so I changed my password to Incorrect.” “That way when I log on with the wrong password, the computer will tell

be “Yor password is incorrect.”

- 15 -

ChadandMireiKrellerTokyoGyroClub

- more photos page 16

MAY 2017 Victoria Paul J. McGroarty Peter Guy

Cliff Wilde Rochester Denis J. Stemmle Tom Acquiviva New Glasgow Paul M. Hagenbuch Mike Jenkins Peterborough Camiel Duwyn Calgary Ronald Robinson Bernie Somerville

Gary Stephen Dixon Jarrett Priller Dixon Charles Thomas Naples Alexander E. Morris Robert Mendelsohn McKenzie Island Daniel Wesolowski McKenzie Island Andrew Johnston McKenzie Island Chris Roulston Kitimat Lou Bedard JUNE 2017 Victoria Reginald R. Copithorne Gordon McFarlane

Darryl Owens Stampede City Thad S. Prevette Brad Hinds

Alan Clark Edmonton Peter Gommerud John Ross Minneapolis Metro Louis G. Demars Lyle Larson Clinton Chad Berens Mark Walton Rochester Thomas R. Krugh Tom Lennox JULY 2017 Davenport Mike L. DeBruyn Dave Samuelson Rochester Theodore L. Horne Tom Lennox Clinton Timothy Manning AUGUST 2017 Golden Ears John Bingley Oryg/St. Paul Peter Honsa Bill Queenan

Joe Gendron Western Reserve Paul Hanahan Painesville Gary M. Estadt Roger Sustar

Robert Sanderson Clinton Bernard J. Holtkamp Ryan Veenstra Blacklake Hilton L. Stonerock Bill Peterson Metro Milwaukee Daniel P. Deter Tim Flately Ft. Lauderdale/Gold Coast Richard Kurras Davenport Gary R. Hansen Robert Benson SEPTEMBER 2017 Davenport Jerry Arthur Lowe Manny Fritz New Glasgow Andrew C. Douglas Mike Jenkins Prince George Chris B. Pallot Sean Kehler

SEPTEMBER 2017 Davenport Jerry Arthur Lowe Manny Fritz New Glasgow Andrew C. Douglas Mike Jenkins Prince George Chris B. Pallot Sean Kehler Prince George Darcy M. Bryant David Godfrey St. Catharines Rob Bird John Kazmir New Glasgow Glenn R. Williams James MacConnell Olympia Ted Leland Jack Armstrong OCTOBER 2017 R. Alan Lattime Rochester Tom Lennox Dave Howard Tacoma Matt Johnson John A. Overall Victoria Peter Evans Darren T. Ewasiuk Prince George Robert W. Hale New Glasgow Bill Skinner Rochester David Hedges St. Catharines Jack Wallace Tony Flus St. Catharines Anthony Parker Tony Flus St. Catharines Douglas McNaughton Tony Flus Canton William D. Hackman David Frolich Prince George Todd Prosser George Stedeford Prince George Kevin Beatty John Duncan Victoria Robert D. Gibb Darryl Owens Victoria Scott Owens Stuart Chalmers Nelson Joe Duncan Henry P. Reimer NOVEMBER 2017 Nanaimo Ed Salvesen Golden Ears Jim Tuckett Painesville David J. Fries John H. Vanas

Roger Sustar Painesville James T. Penko John Galeazzo Painesville John Popely Brian Kane Cleveland Heights Jeff Novak Ed Benhoff Cleveland Heights John E. Bedrick Ed Benhoff Edmonton Dunc Mills John Mann Naples Rick J. Alexander North Shore Bob Hawkins Naples William L. Williams Frank Weinberg Naples Richard D. Richmond Doug Alger Camosun James A. Bailey Prince George Charles Hardie Marc St. Arnault Wheeling Bryan S. Michaels William Crowl Wheeling Jeffrey S. Shultz Philip High Sherwood Park Nicholas T. Ewanchuk Scott Brisbin

NOVEMBER 2017 (cont.) Sherwood Park Lester R. Bellan Milton Lanes Port Arthur David A. Heroux Dale Smith Port Arthur Ron W.S. Green Gary Kunnas DECEMBER 2017 Nanaimo Robert W. Cunningham Stampede City John Cobb Alan Clark

Dale Green Oryg/St. Paul Dennis P. Barrett John Tuohy

Jim Gesell Russell Sudeith Jr.

SEPTEMBER 2017 Davenport Jerry Arthur Lowe Manny Fritz New Glasgow Andrew C. Douglas Mike Jenkins Prince George Chris B. Pallot Sean Kehler Prince George Darcy M. Bryant David Godfrey St. Catharines Rob Bird John Kazmir New Glasgow Glenn R. Williams James MacConnell Olympia Ted Leland Jack Armstrong

Say “HELLO” to our New Members

Fresno Christmas Party, cont.

- 16 -

Another great District VI Convention is in the books. The event was well attended and the participation

numbers varied from event to event with 18 participating in the golf tournament, 56 joining us for the Fun

Night, 26 attending the Ladies Coffee Party, 25 attending the Annual General Meeting and 69 registered for

the Governor’s Banquet.

Golf

The golf was a scramble format and 18 members and guests played on 5 teams. The weather was perfect,

the fellowship superb, and the golf, great. The winning team had a score of 69 followed by teams with

scores of 70, 2 at 71 and a 72. It was an excellent competition and the teams were obviously well matched.

The team of Jaqueline MacPhee, Pat Priest, S/T Raymond Harvey and Governor Ed Macdonald took top

honours. Tom Calkin organized the tournament and arranged for winning medals and prizes for everyone.

Thank you Tom; everything was perfect!

Fun Night

The Meet ‘n Greet Fun Night was hosted at the Avon Valley Golf Club and Barb Scott acted as our

organizer and host for the evening. After a round of complimentary drinks (by District VI) and an

opportunity for guests to re-acquaintance themselves with long-time friends, the evening broke out in a

singsong lead by guest pianist, Tina Munford-Kehoe. Keeping with the theme of celebrating Canada 150,

the group sank songs relating to Canada and of course, numerous songs about NS. Then it was time for a

game of Canada and NS trivia. Everyone was designated a place at one of 10 tables and the game was on.

Thirty questions later, we had a winner; the table of Ian/Marion Palmer, Pauline/Daryl Sullivan, Gerry

Abell and Andy Kirk ~ 29 out of 30. Who would have thought that the old Pictou Post Office had a

window in its chimney, that Truro had a natural woodland park within its Town Boundaries, and that NS

switched from driving on the right-hand side of the road to the left-hand side in 1923. It was a great night

and special thanks are extended to Barb Scott and Debbie DeWolfe-Scott for organizing the event.

Ladies Coffee Party

In spite of the heavy rain, 26 ladies attended the Ladies Coffee Party. Ladies were graciously welcomed by

hostess Della Marie Jay to the beautiful and historic Lawson House known for its round towers and conical

roofs. Those attending enjoyed a delicious display of coffee, tea, coffee cake, muffins, sweet bread, biscuits,

jam, jelly, cheese and fresh fruit. Following coffee, author and illustrator Peggy Kochanoff, gave a very

informative and interesting talk on the children’s books she has written and illustrated. She explained the

process of book making from beginning to end including finding a publisher. Her love of nature, keen eye

and interest in both animal and plant life resulted in books which are clearly written, beautifully and

accurately illustrated, informative and most of all, fun to read.

-2-

Before leaving, many ladies toured the home and all attending left with a jar of homemade apple or

blackberry jelly. Many thanks are extended to all those Windsor members who helped in any way to make

the coffee party a successful event, especially Debbie and Della Marie.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM was held at the Windsor Super 8 Hotel and was well attended with all District VI Clubs being

represented. The minutes of the last AGM were approved as read and the budget for 2017/18 was approved

as circulated. The meeting approved the election of Louis Coutinho as the new District VI Governor and

the meeting gave a warm round of applause as a show of appreciation for out-going Governor Ed

Macdonald and S/T Raymond Harvey for their many years in office and all the dedication, time and effort

they put forward on behalf of the District during that period. Each Club representative gave a brief update

on the status of their Club and in general, everything seems to be trending in the right direction.

A special panel was organized to have a look at the options of doubling down on the effort to make Gyro a

more functioning body within the District or have a sincere look at moving away from Gyro and creating

something akin to a Maritime Social Organization that would mirror the fun and fellowship objectives that

define the best of what keeps the organization functioning. Without modernizing Gyro and bringing it in

line with the needs and desires of the next generation members, the fate of Gyro is predictably grim and the

last few standing will have to make the ultimate decision for their Club. The presentation was well received

and generated some spirited discussion. The District Executive will now follow-up with each Club during

the Fall & Winter and the future of District VI will be on the agenda for a decision at the District Interim in

the Spring of 2018.

Governor’s Banquet

The banquet was very well attended and 69 members and guests registered for this wonderful event in the

beautiful meeting room at Avon Valley Golf Club. The meeting started with a reception and a round of

drinks, compliments of District VI, and hors d’ oeuvres, courtesy of Windsor President, Stan Kochanoff.

The 3 course meal started with a crisp salad, followed by a choice of salmon or chicken and a wonderful

apple crisp/ice cream dessert. Wine was also served at the table to compliment the meal.

Out-going Governor Ed Macdonald was MC for the evening and graciously acknowledged AVGC Manager

Brad Corkum and staff for their cooperation throughout the two days of events. First VP of Gyro

International, Matt Johnston, installed the new Governor, Windsor’s Louis Coutinho and PDG Ed

Macdonald. Chairman Ed thanked the convention Chair Judy Barnes and her committee of Tom Calkin

(golf), Barb Scott (fun night), Debbie DeWolfe-Scott (ladies coffee party), Raymond Harvey (finance) Fran

Mailman (registration) and Pauline Sullivan (banquet). It was a wonderful event and the District extends its

heartfelt thanks to all committee members for a job well done.

Reception

The Smiles Say it All ~ Cheerio Dartmouth, Truro & New Glasgow Guests

Matt Johnson, 1st VP Gyro Inter’al, Bob Kimball, Les & Sharon Smith, Ann & Mike Jenkins PDG Jim White, PP Frank Strickey

Wear a Tie & they will Always Put you to Work New Glasgow’s Large Contingent

“Hors d’ Oeuvres Anyone”

Pat Priest, Marion Palmer, Tom Calkin & Alex Priest Mike & Ann Jenkins, Dr. Tom Disney, Sandy Macintosh, BJ & Dr. Rod Stevenson, Margaret-Ellen Disney, Jim Sweet, Shirley Macintosh, Doug Smith, Inez Sweet

Governor’s Banquet

Windsor & Gyro International Guests Windsor, Truro & Dartmouth Guests

Pres. Stan & Peggy Kochanoff, 1st VP, Gyro Inter’al, Matt Johnson, PDG Pat & Bill MacKinnon, Trudy & PIP Harold Bernard, Vera Saunders, Governor Ed Macdonald Pauline & Daryl Sullivan

Windsor, & New Glasgow Guests Windsor, & New Glasgow Guests

Della Marie Jay, BJ & Dr. Rod Stevenson, PDG Jim &Inez Sweet, Lieutenant Governor Louis & Avila Coutinho, Alice Pereira, Shelia Schofield & PDG Jim White Dolena & PDG Keith AuCoin

Governor’s Banquet

Windsor & Truro Guests Windsor Guests

Janet & Andy Kirk, Sherry & John Swinamer, Pat & Alex Priest Gerry Abell, Phillip & Debbie Scott, Ann Church

Windsor, Dartmouth & New Glasgow Guests Windsor, & Truro Guests

Mike & Ann Jenkins, Nadine Allen, Judy & Bob Kimball Jeanne& S/T Raymond Harvey, Bob & Peggy Colburne

Jaqueline & Dr. Colin MacPhee

Governor’s Banquet

Windsor, Truro & New Glasgow Guests

Ian & Marion Palmer, Sharon & PDG Les Smith, Doug Smith

Award Presentations

2017/18 District Executive Bud Abell & Charlottetown Cup Attendance Awards Installed by 1st VP of Gyro International Presented to the New Glasgow Club

Gov. Louis & Avila Coutinho, 1st VP, Gyro Inter’al, Matt Johnson, S/T Raymond Harvey, Ann & Mike Jenkins Vera Saunders, PDG Ed Macdonald

Award Presentations

Internal Expansion ~ New Glasgow Best Program/Activities Club ~ Truro Travel Gavel –Visitation ~ Dartmouth

S/T Raymond Harvey, Mike Jenkins S/T Raymond Harvey, Dr. Colin MacPhee Bob Kimball, S/T Raymond Harvey

Best Club Bulletin Award ~ Truro District Governors, Past and Present

(Marilyn Carroll –editor)

S/T Raymond Harvey, Dr. Colin MacPhee PDG, Ed Macdonald, Gov. Louis Coutinho, PDG, Keith AuCoin, PIP, Harold Bernard, PDG, Jim Sweet, PDG, Les Smith (missing PDG Jim White)

The following pages were submitted by District IV Governor Peter Evans

It is presented in the interest of improving our Communications, and seeking solutions and methods that we can

employ to improve our membership.

The article offers a strong acknowledgment of how membership in an organization such as Gyro

can affect one’s health and well being.

This is not a new observation, but afurther confirmations as written by the former Surgeon-General of the United States.

- 24 -

Fun”DIGITAL ARTICLE

It can make social isolation at work evenworse.

READ

On August 24, 1992, in the early hours of the morning,

my family and I stepped out of our temporary shelter

to find our city — and our lives — forever changed. We had spent the past

several hours huddled together as Hurricane Andrew battered our South

Florida neighborhood with torrential rain and winds near 170 miles per hour.

We saw pieces of homes strewn across the landscape, power lines flung about

like pieces of string, and sea creatures stranded in trees, having been blown

far inland by the storm.

Like thousands of others, we survived the storm and the many dark days that followed because of

the kindness of strangers who brought food, water, and comfort. Hurricane Andrew forged a deep

sense of connection and community in South Florida as the nation rallied around us and as we

supported each other. But slowly, as normal life resumed, the distance between people returned.

We went back to our homes, our work, our schools, and our lives, and once again we grew apart.

Looking today at so many other places around the world ravaged by disasters of all kinds, I think

about how often tragedy brings us together — and how fleeting that connection often is.

There is good reason to be concerned about social connection in our current world. Loneliness is a

growing health epidemic. We live in the most technologically connected age in the history of

civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s. Today, over 40% of adults in

America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher.

Additionally, the number of people who report having a close confidante in their lives has been

declining over the past few decades. In the workplace, many employees — and half of CEOs —

report feeling lonely in their roles.

THE AUTHOR

VIVEK H. MURTHY

Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy (@vivek_murthy) served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, from

2014 to 2017. As Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy commanded the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a

uniformed service of 6,600 public health offices serving vulnerable populations in 800 locations domestically

and abroad. During his tenure, he helped address critical public health issues, including the Ebola outbreak, the

Zika virus, low rates of physical activity, and the explosion in e-cigarette use among youth. In 2016, he launched

the TurnTheTideRx campaign to combat the opioid epidemic.

During my tenure as U.S. surgeon general, I saw firsthand how loneliness affected people of all

ages and socioeconomic backgrounds across the country. I met middle and high school students

in urban and rural areas who turned to violence, drugs, and gangs to ease the pain of their

loneliness. I sat with mothers and fathers who had lost sons and daughters to drug overdoses and

were struggling to cope alone because of the unfortunate stigma surrounding addiction. And I met

factory workers, doctors, small business owners, and teachers who described feeling alone in their

work and on the verge of burnout.

During my years caring for patients, the most common pathology I saw was not heart disease or

diabetes; it was loneliness. The elderly man who came to our hospital every few weeks seeking

relief from chronic pain was also looking for human connection: He was lonely. The middle-aged

woman battling advanced HIV who had no one to call to inform that she was sick: She was lonely

too. I found that loneliness was often in the background of clinical illness, contributing to disease

and making it harder for patients to cope and heal.

This may not surprise you. Chances are, you or someone you know has been struggling with

loneliness. And that can be a serious problem. Loneliness and weak social connections are

associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day and

even greater than that associated with obesity. But we haven’t focused nearly as much effort on

strengthening connections between people as we have on curbing tobacco use or obesity.

Loneliness is also associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression,

and anxiety. At work, loneliness reduces task performance, limits creativity, and impairs other

aspects of executive function such as reasoning and decision making. For our health and our

work, it is imperative that we address the loneliness epidemic quickly.

Once we understand the profound human and economic costs of loneliness, we must determine

whose responsibility it is to address the problem. The government and health care system have

important roles to play in helping us understand the impact of loneliness, identifying who is

affected, and determining which interventions work. But to truly solve loneliness requires the

engagement of institutions where people spend the bulk of their time: families, schools, social

organizations, and the workplace. Companies in particular have the power to drive change at a

societal level not only by strengthening connections among employees, partners, and clients but

also by serving as an innovation hub that can inspire other organizations to address loneliness.

THE ROOTS OF LONELINESSLoneliness is the subjective feeling of having inadequate social connections. Why has this feeling

increased over past decades? Partly because people are more geographically mobile and are thus

more likely to be living apart from friends and family. Indeed, more people report living alone

today than at any time since the census began collecting this data. In the workplace, new models

of working — such as telecommuting and some on-demand “gig economy” contracting

arrangements — have created flexibility but often reduce the opportunities for in-person

MANYEMPLOYEES— ANDHALF OFCEOS —REPORTFEELINGLONELY INTHEIRROLES.

LONELINESSSHORTENSLIFESPANSIN A WAYSIMILAR TOSMOKING15CIGARETTESA DAY.

interaction and relationships. And even working at an office doesn’t guarantee meaningful

connections: People sit in an office full of coworkers, even in open-plan workspaces, but everyone

is staring at a computer or attending task-oriented meetings where opportunities to connect on a

human level are scarce.

Happy hours, coffee breaks, and team-building exercises are designed to build connections

between colleagues, but do they really help people develop deep relationships? On average, we

spend more waking hours with our coworkers than we do with our families. But do they know

what we really care about? Do they understand our values? Do they share in our triumphs and

pains?

These aren’t just rhetorical questions; from a biological perspective, we evolved to be social

creatures. Long ago, our ability to build relationships of trust and cooperation helped increase our

chances of having a stable food supply and more consistent protection from predators. Over

thousands of years, the value of social connection has become baked into our nervous system

such that the absence of such a protective force creates a stress state in the body. Loneliness

causes stress, and long-term or chronic stress leads to more frequent elevations of a key stress

hormone, cortisol. It is also linked to higher levels of inflammation in the body. This in turn

damages blood vessels and other tissues, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, joint

disease, depression, obesity, and premature death. Chronic stress can also hijack your brain’s

prefrontal cortex, which governs decision making, planning, emotional regulation, analysis, and

abstract thinking.

This isn’t just bad for our health; it’s also bad for business. Researchers for Gallup found that

having strong social connections at work makes employees more likely to be engaged with their

jobs and produce higher-quality work, and less likely to fall sick or be injured. Without strong

social connections, these gains become losses. Connection can also help indirectly by enhancing

self-esteem and self-efficacy while also shifting our experience toward positive emotions — all of

which can buffer an individual during stressful situations and have positive effects on health.

Indeed, studies have found that companies whose workers feel they have high-stress jobs have

markedly higher health care expenditures than their counterparts with low-stress employees.

Our understanding of biology, psychology, and the workplace calls for companies to make

fostering social connections a strategic priority. A more connected workforce is more likely to

enjoy greater fulfillment, productivity, and engagement while being more protected against

illness, disability, and burnout.

FORGING CONNECTIONS AT WORKMy experience has been that people bring the most to their work when they feel connected to the

mission and the people around them. While I was at the Surgeon General’s Office, our staff grew

quickly as we sought to build a team that could address an array of pressing public health issues.

Although team members got along well, it soon became clear that we didn’t fully recognize the

rich life experience that each person brought to the team. We had a decorated Army nurse, a

woman who had spent years providing medical care to prison inmates, an accomplished pianist

and preacher, an Olympic-level runner, and several team members who had struggled with

addiction in their family. Even though we were operating with the formality and hierarchy of a

uniformed service, my team was hungry to know more about each other.

SOLVINGLONELINESSREQUIRESTHE HELPOFINSTITUTIONSWHEREPEOPLESPEND THEBULK OFTHEIRTIME.

COMPANIESHAVE THEPOWER TOADDRESSTHELONELINESSEPIDEMICQUICKLY.

To bring us closer, we developed “Inside Scoop,” an exercise in which team members were asked

to share something about themselves through pictures for five minutes during weekly staff

meetings. Presenting was an opportunity for each of us to share more of who we were; listening

was an opportunity to recognize our colleagues in the way they wished to be seen.

The impact was immediate. These sessions quickly became many people’s favorite time of the

week, and they were more enthusiastic about participating at staff meetings. People felt more

valued by the team after seeing their colleagues’ genuine reactions to their stories. Team

members who had traditionally been quiet during discussions began speaking up. Many began

taking on tasks outside their traditional roles. They appeared less stressed at work. And most of

them told me how much more connected they felt to their colleagues and the mission they

served.

I remember one Inside Scoop from a team member who had proudly served in the U.S. Marine

Corps. I expected him to talk about his experiences in the military. Instead, he spoke about the

complex relationship he had had with his father and how he could see his father’s spirit living on

in the musical talent of his grandchildren. He described his mother as his hero and shared how

remembering her in the face of a challenge would transform his doubts into strength. As he spoke,

his eyes glistened. I felt a deep connection to him in that moment and was inspired by his honesty

and compelled to reflect on my own relationships. Even though we were close before, my

relationship with him became even stronger after that day.

I share what my office did not as the antidote to loneliness but as proof that small steps can make

a difference. And because small actions like this one are vital to improving our health and the

health of our economy.

CREATING CONNECTIONWe know that if we are to prioritize our health and the health of our companies, the workplace is

one of the most important places to cultivate social connections. And while it may seem easy

enough to organize a team-building event, grab a cup of coffee with a colleague, or chat with

people around the water cooler about Game of Thrones, real connection requires creating an

environment that embraces the unique identities and experiences of employees inside and

outside the workplace. Here are five deliberate steps that can help build healthy and productive

relationships:

Evaluate the current state of connections in your workplace. Strong social connections are not

simply about the number of friends and family members one has; it’s the quality of those

connections that matters more. You can be surrounded by many people and have thousands of

connections on LinkedIn or Facebook and still be lonely. Conversely, you can have just a handful

of people with whom you interact and feel very connected. To assess the quality of the

relationships at your organization, here are some questions to consider: Do employees feel that

their colleagues genuinely value and care for them? Do they believe their institution has aculture

that supports giving and receiving kindness? Would they characterize their relationships with

colleagues as being driven more by love or by fear?

Build understanding of high-quality relationships. Strong social connections are characterized by

meaningful shared experiences and mutually beneficial two-way relationships, where both

individuals give and receive. High-quality relationships must be grounded in love and informed

by kindness, compassion, and generosity. There is a tendency to look at such positive emotions as

“soft” and even as a liability that distorts judgment and impairs tough decision making. But

research increasingly shows that positive emotions enhance performance and resilience. Be clear

with employees and colleagues about the types of relationships you want to see at work and what

types of actions, like generosity, foster those relationships.

Make strengthening social connections a strategic priority in your organization. Designing and

modeling a culture that supports connection is more important than any single program. It will

require buy-in and engagement from all levels of the organization, particularly leadership. Having

senior members of an organization invest in building strong connections with other team

members can set a powerful example, especially when leaders are willing to demonstrate that

vulnerability can be a source of strength, not weakness. Ask yourself if the current culture and

policies in your institution support the development of trusted relationships.

Encourage coworkers to reach out and help others — and accept help when it is offered. Although

it may seem counterintuitive to assist others when you are feeling lonely, extending help to

others and allowing yourself to receive help builds a connection that is mutually affirming. Late

one night during my residency training, I was managing a busy intensive care unit when one of

my colleagues stopped and offered to help with a sudden influx of critically ill patients. Because

of his generosity, we were able to rapidly place specialized catheters in patients with bloodstream

infections and get them life-saving antibiotics quickly. We worked together for only an hour that

night, but the connection we built lasted years. Giving and receiving help freely is one of the most

tangible ways we experience our connections with each other.

Create opportunities to learn about your colleagues’ personal lives. The likelihood that authentic

social connections will develop is greater when people feel understood and appreciated as

individuals with full lives — as mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, individuals with passions

outside of work, concerned citizens and community members. Everyone in an organization has

the power to create spaces for sharing, whether it is in a formal gathering or an informal

conversation over lunch.

HEALING ONE ANOTHERWhen I think of loneliness, I think about the first day of my internal medicine residency program.

A faculty member advised us to call the people we love and tell them that they wouldn’t be

hearing from us much over the next year. As medical students, we’d heard about the trials of

residency training: the unforgiving hours, the grueling intensity, and the crushing isolation. That

morning, the idea of stepping away from our most trusted social relationships felt unnerving.

Despite my initial fears about loneliness, those three years ended up being the best of my life. The

hours and intensity were just as billed, if not even more so. As predicted, it was very difficult to

stay in touch with friends. But in time I developed rich and fulfilling relationships with my

colleagues in the hospital.

Coming to work came to feel like spending time with friends. There were plenty of difficult

moments when our emotional, intellectual, and physical reserves were tested — navigating a

difficult end-of-life conversation, trying to find an elusive source of infection in a critically ill

patient, or simply fighting back our own exhaustion — but my bonds with my colleagues softened

the blows and saved me from plenty of others. Those bonds enabled me to do more, give more,

appreciate more, and be a better doctor to thousands of patients. Today, years later, I wonder if

these relationships provided deeper healing: if they made me not just a better doctor but a better

colleague and leader, too.

The world is suffering from an epidemic of loneliness. If we cannot rebuild strong, authentic

social connections, we will continue to splinter apart — in the workplace and in society. Instead of

coming together to take on the great challenges before us, we will retreat to our corners, angry,

sick, and alone. We must take action now to build the connections that are the foundation of

strong companies and strong communities — and that ensure greater health and well-being for all

of us. THE BIG IDEA

THE LINEUP Sign InWork and the Loneliness Epidemic

InFebruary2015,theNewEraCommitteeissuedareportoftheirsurveyresultsastowhatstrategiesthatcontributedmosttoclubmembershipincreases.SincemembersarethelifebloodofourFraternityofFriendship,itisworthrepeatingtheresultsfromtimetotime.Wealwayshavenewmemberswhomaynothavereadthesetips.

· EachclubneedsaPresidentwithgoodleadershipskills.· Eachmemberneedsto“BringaFriendtoGyro”.· Selectafewactiverecruiterswhoareenthusiasticandoutgoingintheirsocial

interactions.· Involvetheladiesinseveralcouples'eventsthroughouttheyear.· BeorganizedwithrealisticClubBylaws

Afewimportantcommentsasfollows:· Clubeventsneedtobeinterestingandfunsothatcurrentmemberswillwantto

sharethisexperiencewiththeirotherpersonalandbusinessfriends.· Allowyoungernewermemberstobringtheirfriends;otherwisethemembership

getsold,tiredandcomplacent.· Createa�irmannualscheduleandincludemanyeventsthatwillmotivatemembers

toattendandtosharetheexperiencewithnon-members.· Includingtheladiesatevents,andencouragethemtoinvitetheirfemalefriendswho

wouldthenbringtheirhusbandstotheactivities.· Revisittheclub'sConstitutionandBylawswiththeclubof�icerssothateveryone

knowstheirdutiesforensuringthattheclubissuccessful.· ItisimportantforthePresidenttoappointcommitteeswhoareactiveincarryingout

theirresponsibilities.· Makesurethatthereareclubeventsthatyoungermembersandprospectswould

enjoyattending.

Althoughthemakeupofeachclubisalittledifferent,weallhavethesamegoalsandthatistobewithfriendsandshareinsomeGyrofun.Sopleaseprovidethisopportunitytoothersby“BringingaFriendtoGyro”.

ByPIPLarryDuba,MembershipDirector

What Do Successful Clubs Have in Common?

- 35 -

Conventions & Interim Meetingsto learn more, go to http://www.gyro.ws

Future Deadlines for the GyroScope March 27 / June 28 28

DISTRICTS

INTERNATIONAL

?“HAVE YOUINVITED AFRIEND TO

GYRO” - 36 -

September 2018 ............................................................................................ District III Convention

September 2018 ......................................................................................... District VI Convention

June 7-10, 2018 ........................................................................................... District VIII Convention

Prestige Lakeside Resort, Nelson, BC

June 25-29, 2018 ............................................................................................... District II Convention

Abbey Resort, Lake Geneva, WI

October, 2018 ................................................................................................. District IX Convention

September 13-16 .............................................................................................. District VII Convention

Oryg hosting

ember 10-12, 2018 .................................................................................... District X ConventionNov

June 25-29, 2018 .................................................International Convention Lake Geneva, WI - District II

Lake Geneva, WI / June 25-29 / 2018

Annual General Meeting / Convention

and drop in to a

convention

anytime

p bring a friend