THE SPARK'S shadow                  Of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park, MD____________________________________________________________________________________

 February 1, 2010                                                        Vol. 270Available on the web at:  www.rotarylp.org .               50 Years of "Taking Time to Serve" through "Service Above Self" 1960 -2010 Chartered May 7, 1960 Meetings held every Monday at noon at The J.T. Daugherty Conference Center, Lexington Park, MD

________________________________________________________________________________________________________The January 25, 2010, meeting was opened by Pres. George Hurlburt. Mac MacGarity gave the invocation. Ed Turbush led the Pledge. Bob Goldsmith led the group in singing “Yankee Doodle Dandy”.

ATTENDANCE: Mac McGarityCASHIER: Bob Merritts

TODAY’S PROGRAM: Club Service (If schools are open, we will meet; if schools are closed for the day because of snow we will not meet)

GUESTS: We were pleased to welcome the following guests to the Jan. 25, 2010 meeting: Tiny Taylor, guest of her son Frank Taylor

Steve Brown Guest of Dan WattersTiny Taylor Mother and

guest of Frank, Dave and Bernie Taylor Today’s Song Lyrics: "By the Light of the Silvery Moon - "The music was written by Gus Edwards, the lyrics by Edward Madden. The song was published in 1909. It was one of a series of moon related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. This popular tune has been used in a great many television shows and motion pictures. The song was one of a number of early-20th-century songs which were used as titles of musical films made by Doris Day in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

By the light, of the silvery moon, I want to spoon, To my honey I'll croon love's tune. Honey moon, keep a-shinin' in June. Your silv'ry beams will bring love's dreams, We'll be cuddlin' soon, By the silvery moon.

A Rotary Moment in Print: “Rotary clubs and districts worldwide are mobilizing resources to deliver urgently needed relief to the millions affected by Haiti's devastating earthquake. District 7020, which includes Haiti, has flown in 55 planes filled with more than 50,000 pounds of medical equipment and supplies into the cities of Pignon and Port-de-Paix to bypass logistical problems in the hard-hit capital of Port-au-Prince.” – RI Website

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Name Badges are on order. Members who do not have badges should receive them within the month.

District Conference Registration should be submitted by mid-March in order to receive the ‘early’ discount. All members are encouraged to attend. This year’s conference will be held jointly with District 7390 in Gettysburg, PA, April 22-25, 2010. There will be programs for the entire family including Living History and Battlefield tours, an auction, golf, and other activities. Call 717-339-0020 for special hotel rates. See www.rotary7620.org for further information.

Health Share will host the Annual Mardi Gras on Feb. 5th. Rotary members may sign up for our ‘Rotary Table’. If you plan to attend, you may request seating at the “Rotary Table”.

Money Smart: Ed Turbush, Chairman of the Financial Literacy Committee, encouraged members to support the Feb. 20th ‘Money Smart’ conference to be held Saturday, Feb. 20th at the Leonardtown campus of CSM from8:00 to1:00. Expo tables are available for $75. Financial support is needed for the continental breakfast which will be served. Signs advertising the event will soon be available for display at your business. The event is jointly sponsored by the College of Southern Maryland, the Rotary Club of Lexington Park and the St. Mary’s County Chamber of Commerce. Local financial experts will present free seminars on economic issues including banking, budgeting, personal finance, and credit. (A flier is included as an attachment in this email edition of the Spark). Ed will appear as a guest on Dr. Gottfried’s College of Southern Maryland radio broadcast in early February.

Vocational Lane Director Ed Turbush

Haiti Relief: Pres. George reviewed Rotary’s work in Haiti, noting that donations for relief get direct results. Pure water, sanitation, medical provisions, and food are the main priorities. A goal of $100,000 has been set for the district. ‘The hat’ was passed and a Club donation of nearly $1,000 was collected. Contributions may be made to The Rotary District 7620 Project Trust Fund, for Haitian Relief. 1 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701. Include a notation that the Rotary Club of Lexington Park should be credited with the donation.

LEXINGTON PARK BOASTS A DISTRICT GOVERNOR FOR 2012-2013

District Governor Paul Frey writes: “It gives me great pleasure to announce that the 2012-2013 District Governor Selection Committee, chaired by PDG John Murkey, has selected Robert (Bob) Parkinson of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park as District 7620's District Governor Nominee Designate.  Bob will become our District Governor Nominee on July 1, 2010. Please join me in congratulating Bob and the Rotary Club of Lexington Park!”

Bob will become the first District Governor in our club since Col. Thurston Baxter served in that role over twenty years ago.

7620 DG Nominee Bob Parkinson

LEXINGTON PARK ROTARY DICTIONARY WEEK More than twenty-five LP Rotarians went or are going back to school to deliver dictionaries to over 600 third graders in the 13 public, parochial, and private schools in the southern part of our county. The Rotarians

became the teacher as they guided students through short lessons on looking up the definition of a word, finding proper spellings, discovering interesting facts

and pronouncing long words in the English language. They also helped educate the classes about what the Rotary Club is and how we are expected to live our personal and business lives according to The Four Way Test, and how “Service Above Self” is our guiding principle. Students were encouraged to do the same.

Keith Koerper and Bob Parkinson Barbara Ives Mike Guy and Gus Eggert

Paula Coxon, Community Service Lane Director and Dictionary Project Chairman, organized the teams, provided guidelines for the classroom lessons, and distributed the books to team leaders. Brent Bennitt provided the labels and letters to parents. Several members helped at more than one school, enjoying the experience as much as those receiving the books. The children are surprised that they really can keep the dictionary. For many it is the first book they have ever owned. The superintendent reported last week that many students still use these dictionaries in Middle and High School. This is the 6th year for this event. The goal of The Dictionary Project is to assist all third grade students to complete the school year as good writers, active readers, and creative thinkers by providing the students with their own personal dictionaries.

Paula Coxon and John Levay Bernie Taylor and Brent Bennitt Tom Burke and Mel Powell

HONDURAS WATER PROJECT

John Levay (right) introduced Dan Watters and visiting Leonardtown Rotarian, Steve King, who spoke on the RI Honduras Water Project. This 3-year old project is a joint effort between the RCLP, Leonardtown Club, and seven other clubs. The program helps bring clean water to rural areas in the Western Honduras mountain region. The people of this area are primarily coffee plantation workers, potato farmers, and potters. The local population was involved in building the ten systems which benefited over 6000 residents and five schools. They are gravity flow systems that require no electricity. The local people are trained on how to use the chlorinators and must provide any needed maintenance. The money spent went into the local economy providing work for the people. The bricks required were

locally made and locals built the needed conduits. The people involved signed a contract to maintain the system. Our Own Dan Watters

The projects were completed under the estimated $62,000 budget, which allowed for the building of 100 latrines. Since there is no inside plumbing the latrines have had a dramatic impact on the reduction of disease. With the reduction in disease, the children are able to attend school on a regular basis and thus literacy has improved. Our local school system donated microscopes to the communities where they are used to examine water and allow the people to actually see the impurities in water that seems pure to the naked eye. While the donated microscopes have been replaced in SMC schools with more up-to-date models, they are still usable and will be a valuable asset in classrooms that have never seen a microscope. District Water Coord: Steve King

A simple, relatively cheap project designed to bring pure water to a rural community has resulted in the desired pure water, but has caused the decrease in disease, the increase in school attendance and thus literacy, the building of more sanitary toilet facilities, the involvement of our local school system which was able to recycle old microscopes, thus helping with the “greening of our planet, which in turn added a new dimension to the education of the children. The effects of this project will have impact on the people of this Honduras community for years to come. Dan and Steve traveled to Honduras to review the project . JANUARY BOARD MEETING

The Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park met on January 27, 2010. There was a full discussion and approval of our involvement in the upcoming Money Smart event at the College of Southern Maryland. To bolster our emphasis on increased membership and retention, directors for recruiting, indoctrination and retention were named. Appropriate tasks were defined and approved. A meeting was established for February 3 to kick-off the requisite membership activities. The financial picture is the same as it was in December and it was agreed that a spring fund-raiser was a worthwhile remedy to the loss of funds due to the foul weather during the Oyster Festival. The club made a formal bid to the Olive Garden restaurant chain involving a “sneak peek” event before the Grand opening, but we have as yet to receive any feedback. Consequently, other fund raising ideas are being considered.

The handoff of the Group Study Exchange was accomplished and Robin Finnacom, our new International Lane Director, will now formally head-up the GSE associated activities. We anticipate a multi-club International Night event in late April featuring the visiting GSE team from the Czech Republic. The board is also gearing up for our club’s 50th Anniversary celebration, likely scheduled around the 5th Monday in May.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR REPORTS ON HAITI RELIEF

District Governor Paul Frey writes: “I am pleased to announce that our district received $17,549 over the past ten days from Rotary clubs and Rotarians in District 7620.  As agreed, we have wired the funds to District 7020 for the purpose of purchasing water, food, medical supplies, medicine, and jet fuel to deliver the needed items.  In addition to the $17,549, we wired $3,620 two weeks ago, also representing funds donated by Rotary clubs and Rotarians in our district.  In total, according to the emails we have been tracking, Rotary clubs and Rotarians in our district have sent over $50,000 in cash, Shelter Boxes, and other in-kind items.   Thank you for your efforts as we work towards our goal of donating a total of $100,000 from our district towards the Haiti relief efforts.” SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUTA project that helps others has far reaching effects. Who would have thought that helping to purify water would increase literacy? CLUB RELATED CALENDAR EVENTS  JANUARY   Dictionary Day                          Financial LiteracyFEBRUARY     Scholarship Applications,                            RYLA Event                                     MARCH            Rotary Leadership                           Institute I, II and III                                  Ambassadorial                           Scholarship Application

President Elect TrainingAPRIL                Christmas in April                                  MPT Save the Bay Campaign MAY                  Signature Project (When Done)

District Conference JUNE               River Concert Series,  

Service Above Self Awards                     Dues (Jun 30)

JULY                  Rotary New Year                           River Concert SeriesAUGUST           Rotary Membership Month      

                           MonthSEPTEMBER    Literacy Day OCTOBER       Oyster Festival                          County Guide Published                         Teacher of the Year DinnerNOVEMBER      RYLA Nominations DECEMBER      Choral Group                            Presentations   Board Election            Brent Bennitt Distributes DictionariesTHIS AND THAT  Long range Events Calendar

Feb. 01 Club Service (If schools are open, we meet, if schools are closed for snow we do not meet) Feb. 06 District Vision Project Club Certification Meeting in DC Feb. 08 Financial Literacy Meeting, 11 AM at JTDCC

Feb. 08 Capt Matt Scassero - MelwoodFeb. 15 No Meeting – President’s DayFeb. 20 CSM Money Smart Seminar Series – 8 AM at CSM “C” LeonardtownFeb. 22 Rick Tancreto – CareNetFeb. 25 Board Meeting, 5 PM at JTDCC (Sponsorship Focus) – Moved to ThursdayMar. 01 Club Service

Mar. 08 Financial Literacy Meeting, 11 AM at JTDCCMar. 08 Glen and Barbara Ives, Leadership Maryland, Leadership Southern MarylandMar. 15 Energy – Joanne Simmons, SMECO Energy AnalystMar 5 – 6,       Multi-District PETSApr.22-25   2010 District Conference, Gettysburg, Pa.

New Club Web Site Operational: The New Rotary Club of Lexington Park, Website is ready for accepting members. The outward site at http://www.rotarylp.org presents public information about the features of our Club. Behind the public facing portion of the site, however, is a collaborative space designed to support member interaction. Each member will be sent an email invitation to sign-up shortly. To reach this restricted area prior to being invited, select the “SIGN UP” prompt from the public site. You will then be asked to provide a working email address, a desired password and your date of birth (can be restricted from public view). Once you submit, an administrator will approve your account after verifying your email address against the list of our members. This will automatically spirit an automatic email back to you indicating acceptance. You may then access the inner workings of the site by selecting the “SIGN IN’ prompt from the public site and any time and supplying your email and password. In the coming weeks additional features are planned for both the exterior and interior of the site. Of course, your creative ideas are always welcomed.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS  

Higher Ed Center to host Film Festival: The Higher Ed Center has been chosen by the Office of the Secretary of State as one of the sites for The Bridges to the World International Film Series, a statewide, month-long initiative in recognition of the State’s global reach and a reflection of those connections here in Maryland. World Artists Experiences and the International Division of Maryland’s Office of the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, Frostburg University, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Salisbury University and Towson University invite the public to attend free screenings of five international films, one each from Russia, Korea, Argentina, Estonia and Nigeria. The series will run for five weeks, on Wednesday evenings, from February 10 through March 10 at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center in the Center Hall, Building II, and features films chosen by the embassies of the respective countries. Each film will be introduced, screened, and followed by a discussion. Presentations begin at 7:00 p.m. All films will be shown with English subtitles. All showings

will be at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, Center Hall, Building II, 44219 Airport Road, California, MD 20619. The schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, February 10 Russia the IslandWednesday, February 17 Korea My Dear EnemyWednesday, February 24 Argentina Son of the BrideWednesday, March 3 Estonia December heatWednesday, March 10 Nigeria Dance of the Maidens

Tickets are not required for these free screenings; however seating is on a first-come basis.

Big Brothers and Sisters will host a Dinner Dance at the J.T. Daugherty Center on Feb. 13th.

Southern Maryland Vacation for Vets Sweetheart Dance: - Support our wounded troops by attending this dance. Country Music will be provided by Gary Rue and The Dance Hall Ghost’s. The event will be held at the Brass Rail, Great Mills on Saturday, February 13th from 6-10p.m. $10.00 a person, Under 12 Free. Gift Baskets will be available for purchase by Silent Auction. Hot Dogs and water for Sale, Dessert table available, Cash Bar 50/50 raffle (do not need to be present to win). Vacation for Vets provides “free of charge” weekend retreats, at Greenwell State Park, for our recovering troops from Walter Reed and other Military Hospitals. Contact: Connie Pennington for more information 301-904-0707

Christmas In April: A special Christmas In April “Spring into Summer” event will be held at the JT Daugherty Conference Center on March 6 from 7 until 9:30 pm. This event supplants the annual event which was disrupted by the November nor’easter. $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

UPCOMING ROTARY EVENTS  

Zone 34 / District 6990 on a NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION DAY TRIP TO INDIA from February 3rd – 13th, 2010 - $1750 plus airfare for Double accommodations The District 7620 Conference will be held April 22 – 25, 2010, in Gettysburg, PA. This will be a joint conference with District 7390. The Keynote speaker will be RI President, Richard King. There will be programs for all ages, Living History and Battlefield tours, an auction. Golf, and “A Rotary gathering of epic proportions. “ Call 717-339-0020 for special hotel rates for the event. See www.rotory7620.org for further information. Reduced rates are still available through March 2010.  ATTENDANCE  

There were 48 members present at the January 25, 2010 meeting. There were thirteen reported makeups for a total of 61. This is 67% of the membership based on a count of 91 active members.

Make-ups: Membership in Rotary carries with it many responsibilities.  One of these is regular attendance.  Members are reminded that involvement in a Rotary activity, any project work, visiting another club, attending committee or Board meetings, or any other Rotary Function, may be counted as a makeup for a missed meeting. These activities should be reported in at the attendance table. .According to Rotary International we can legitimately cover a missed meeting 14 days before or after the date of the makeup. Nearby Rotary meetings where a makeup may be achieved are: 

Charlotte Hall. 7:30 A.M., Tuesday, St. Mary's LandingsLeonardtown / 7:30 A.M., Thursday, St. Mary's Hospital CafeteriaNorthern Calvert / 7:30 AM, Thursday, Smokey Joe's  in Chesapeake beachPrince Frederick /6:30 p.m., Monday, Stoney’s Restaurant in of Pr. FrederickLa Plata / 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, OUTBACK Restaurant at the corner of route 6 and 301 in        La Plata. Waldolf / Noon, Tuesday, Hong Kong Buffet (Kmart area)   Or Make up on line at:  http://www.rotaryeclubone.org

The Spark's Shadow is printed as a courtesy by Maryland Bank and Trust of Lexington Park and Tom Daugherty. The Editor is Zora Siemasko. Electronic edition is by George Hurlburt. Photography is by John Ramos, Bill Rymer, Bill Moody, and George Hurlburt.           Rotary Club of Lexington Park Board of Directors

      Officers for 2009-2010                                          Lane Directors for 2009-2010President,            George Hurlburt                       Club Service,                     Karen EverettPresident Elect,   Bill Moody                               International,                     Robin FinnacomVice President,    Kirk MacKinnon                        Community Service,          Paula Coxon

             Secretary,            Bill Rymer                                 Vocational,                         Ed TurbushTreasurer,            Lillie Lane                                 Special Projects,                Neil Jubeck

             Past President     Bob Parkinson                          Membership,                     Molly Chen.

THE FOUR-WAY TEST                                                  Rotary Club of Lexington Park                                                                                        P.O. Box 20Of the things we think, say or do:                                    Lexington Park, MD 20653

1.  Is it the TRUTH? 2.  Is it FAIR to all concerned?3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?4. Will it be  BENEFICIAL to all concerned? 5. Is it Fun!

World Understanding Month February 2010Sund

ay Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

11200 – Club Service Day

2 3 4 5Rotary Table

at Mardis Gras Ball

6District

7620Vision

Project7 81100 Financial

Literacy Meeting1200 –

Melwood Presentatio

9 10 11 12 13

14 15President’s DayHOLIDAY

NO MEETING

16BECA

ScholarshipApplications

17 18 19 20CSM

Money Smart Event21 22

Cancer1200 –

CareNetPresentatio

23Board

Meeting1700 JTDCC

24 25 26 27

28