CDC Director commends Rotary’s work to end polio

Dr. Julie Gerberding has dealt with critical health issues her whole career. She now serves as director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Dr. Gerberding recently thanked Rotary for its work on Polio eradication. Click here to watch video.

Upcoming Programs for January

Don't miss a meeting. The Topeka Rotary Club has some excellent speakers upcoming, including the Kansas Governor, Kathleen Sebelius.

01/03 Barry Feaker, Topeka Rescue Mission
01/10 Roger Viola, Topeka Community Foundation
01/17 Kathy Smith, Arts Connect
01/24 Jeff Taylor, President of PT's Coffee
01/31 Kathleen Sebelius, Govenor of the Great State of Kansas

Bringing Art Back to his Roots

Paul Dorrell left the art world of the East Coast and brought to the Midwest a flair for art that is creating quite a buzz. Dorrell, who owns Leopold Gallery in Kansas City, is also the art consultant for H&R Block. And when they built the new downtown corporate office, Dorrell brought some of the best artists from Kansas and Missouri together.

Dorrell's presentation included photos of various sculptures from buildings such as the newly built Sprint Center, H&R Block and the KU Medical Center.

To learn more about the Leopold Gallery or to view more of the works of art in the gallery, visit http://www.leopoldgallery.com/.

Today's Rotary Rundown

For Thursday, November 29, noon at the Ramada Inn Downtown

1. Place: Grand Ballroom

2. Program: Nov 29 - Paul Dorrell, Leopold Gallery Founder,
"Artists and Business"
3. New Member Table:

In order to acquaint new members with our Rotary Club and Rotary International, the board is asking all 2007-08 new members to sit at the designated "New Member Table" for the first four weeks after you become a member. This week the table will also include:
Past President: Vicki Peterson
Board Member: Glenda DeBoise
Membership Committee Member: Alvin Dvorak

4. Cup Money: Antioch Family Life Center Food Bank

5. The RoTopeka for November has been posted on the club website:
http://downtowntopekarotary.org
It is also available at the Rotopeka Blog site:
http://rotopeka.blogspot.com

6. Holiday Party Details, Dec 20:

The annual Rotary Holiday Party will be on Thursday December 20, in the Regency Suite, Topeka Ramada Inn. The photographer will be available at 10:30 am, and the buffet will open at 11:30 am.
There will be Santa hats, cookies, and candy for the children, group singing with piano accompaniment by Hurst Coffman, combo music by the Heart Strings, interactive story telling by Rosie Cutrer, and finally Santa's arrival to hear children's requests. Charges are the normal $10 luncheon fee for members, $10 adult guests, $5 children 3-12, free for children under 3.
Sign up sheets will be on the tables on and after November 29. We hope that all of you can be there.

7. Request for Volunteers for Rotary Service Project with TARC:

Bob Clawson is leading a group of Rotary club members to volunteer at this year's TARC WinterWonderland at Lake Shawnee. If you aren't familiar with the WinterWonderland decoration display sponsored by TARC, it is one of the best Christmas holiday decoration displays that families drive through each year.

This year TARC has asked us to assist with an activity for seniors they hold during the WinterWonderland. On December 5, a Wednesday night, they will be having a Bingo game activity at Reynolds lodge for seniors.
Reynolds Lodge is a shelter house at Lake Shawnee. We would help them with the activity by serving refreshments, distributing prizes and helping some of the seniors play the game. We need volunteers who can be there between 5:30 to 9pm.

It is a nice opportunity to provide a fun service to members of the community during the holidays, and an opportunity to meet with Rotary club members.

While you could come and enjoy the evening on your own with other Rotarians, it could also be a great activity to bring your spouse. If you have teens or young adult children who would like to participate that would work as well. Making it a family activity may be important during this time of year when we are so busy with the rush of Christmas holiday
shopping, parties, etc. Last year some club members brought their teen
children, and they had a great time helping out. On your own or with your family, we could use your help.

Please contact Bob if you have questions or want to volunteer to help.

Bob Clawson
215-7652 (cell)
232-0744 (home)
bob.clawson@gmail.com

8. Greeters:

Nov 29 - Ron Francis, Webb Garlinghouse, Dale Garrett, Fred
Gatlin, Ray Gerstenkorn, Pete Gierer

Dec 6 - Grant Glenn, Tom Gorrell, Kevin Graham, Wendell Graham,
Scott Griffith, Ken Grotewiel

9. Reception: Nov 29 - Jane Mackey

10. Program Preview:

Dec 6 - Roger Viola, "Philanthropy and Giving"

Dec 13 - Steve Eubank (conductor), Topeka High Madrigals

Dec 20 - Holiday Party

Dec 27 - No Meeting

Request for Volunteers for Rotary Service Project with TARC

Bob Clawson is leading a group of Rotary club members to volunteer at this year's TARC WinterWonderland at Lake Shawnee. If you aren't familiar with the WinterWonderland decoration display sponsored by TARC, it is one of the best Christmas holiday decoration displays that families drive through each year.

This year TARC has asked us to assist with an activity for seniors they hold during the WinterWonderland. On December 5, a Wednesday night, they will be having a Bingo game activity at Reynolds lodge for seniors.
Reynolds Lodge is a shelter house at Lake Shawnee. We would help them with the activity by serving refreshments, distributing prizes and helping some of the seniors play the game. We need volunteers who can be there between 5:30 to 9pm.

It is a nice opportunity to provide a fun service to members of the community during the holidays, and an opportunity to meet with Rotary club members.

While you could come and enjoy the evening on your own with other Rotarians, it could also be a great activity to bring your spouse. If you have teens or young adult children who would like to participate that would work as well. Making it a family activity may be important during this time of year when we are so busy with the rush of Christmas holiday
shopping, parties, etc. Last year some club members brought their teen
children, and they had a great time helping out. On your own or with your family, we could use your help.

Please contact Bob if you have questions or want to volunteer to help.
Thanks!!

Bob Clawson
215-7652 (cell)
232-0744 (home)
bob.clawson@gmail.com

November Rotopeka is Online

The November issue of the Rotopeka is online. Click here to read it online. This month features an article by Roger Aeschliman on the presentation by Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson as well as President Joan Wagnon's monthly message about "Every Rotarian Every Year."

Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson Speaks to Topeka Rotary Club

Energy production, aviation manufacturing (and other manufacturing) and agriculture remain the big three economic engines in Kansas and all three are firing on all cylinders right now. That was a key message from Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson at the November 15, 2007 meeting of the Topeka Rotary Club. Parkinson said the Kansas economy is doing about as well as it ever has due to continuing high demand for energy, airplanes and agricultural foodstuffs worldwide. Boeing is one of only two manufacturers of big commercial airplanes in the world (the other is France based Airbus), and the Wichita air nexus is a huge driver of the entire state economy. As demand for ethanol increases more farmers shift to the higher paying corn crop and the decline in wheat then increases wheat prices so farmers in western Kansas are doing well right now he said. All these remarks led to a discussion about renewable energy. “Every state talks about doing renewable energy but few states has the natural resources to really do renewable energy. Kansas is rated number three in the nation for renewable energy potential,” Parkinson. That includes ethanol production. Currently Kansas produces 100 million gallons a year from corn and plant stalks. When all ethanol plants under construction (18 right now) come on line that number will jump to 1 billion gallons a year. Also Kansas is the third best state for wind energy potential. “We now have everyone on the same page and we are going to have wind farm development. By 2010 we will have 10% of our electrical needs met by wind. This also helps the western part of the state where the wind potential is the best.” Workforce is the cloud on the horizon of this otherwise sunny Kansas day. “WE lack key workers in key industries to do the work we already have right now,” Parkinson said. This includes high-skilled careers in engineering and broadly throughout the medical field, as well as skilled labor. “We hear from the business community over and over that what we really need are more workers.” Several Topeka news media representatives attended the meeting and grilled the Lieutenant Governor after his remarks. A news story appeared on Page 1 of the Friday Topeka Capital Journal.

Rotary International on MySpace

I just noticed that Rotary International has a home on Myspace. If you, your children or others are into the new social networking on the internet, check them out at http://www.myspace.com/rotary_international or click here.

Quick Update

I just wanted to give a quick update on the Rotopeka. The November issue is just about ready and I hope to have it to John Wall by Friday. It may be a few pages shorter than usual, but this has been a very tough month. Two weeks ago, I was at a meeting in Wichita and last week I was at a meeting in Las Vegas. On Thursday, I will be out of town at a funeral. Once I get this issue back on track, I will begin doing the weekly updates from the Rotary club meetings. My apologies for those who began following this website and then are wondering why nothing has been done ... that is the reason.