Sunday

OPENING
 

President Dan Gardner began this Friday’s meeting by thanking Past President Brent Adams for officiating at last week’s meeting while Dan and others were away at the District Conference.

Dan thanked greeters Jill Methven and Jeanne Hermens.

Randy McCreith provided a very timely inspirational moment using a number of quotes relating to perseverance.  John Swenson led Rotarians and guests in the flag salute.

VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS
 

Jack Crabtree introduced today’s speaker Jeff Thomas and his technical expert Jose Garcia, both from the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Sheridan.

Erin Stephenson introduced her guest, visiting Newberg Rotarian Myrna Miller.

Jeff Sargent introduced inbound exchange student Jessy Guinot.

MEMBER RECOGNITION, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND BRAGS
 

President Dan then looked in vain for Russ Rainwater to perform member recognition.  Failing that, he asked who had been appointed to fill in for the missing Russ.  This query resulted in total silence causing Dan to mumble something about a fine for Russ. We were now on the honor system and the Rotarians really stepped up to the plate.  Submitting themselves for recognition were:

Gene Zinda married for 45 years to Carol

Steve Larson married for 6 years to Nona and putting an “appropriate” contribution in the pot

Wayne Bailey married for 11 years to Nicolette.  Wayne and Nicolette are actually celebrating this year at a wine maker’s dinner held at the Stephanie Inn.

Bruce Dickson announced 57 years contributing for his birthday.

Both Jeff Stevenson and Scott Chambers confessed to birthdays.
 

Brent Adams made his weekly rugby brags – and the news was good although somewhat confused.  His teams have made it to a 2^nd and possible 3^rd in the State championships.

Dan Gardner ponied up to brag about our own 4-Way Speech Contest winner Nicky Nielsen who took first place at the District level last week.

Bob Emrick announced the Teatro ZinZanni, a fun and free flowing interactive five-course dinner theater offering in Seattle.  He left brochures on the tables and invited Rotarians interested in attending as a group to contact him.

Teresa Smith said that we have a late start this year for the Rose Sale.  She has ordered 1,000 roses and we have just one month to get the sales completed before delivery.  Last year we netted $8,000 from this effort and she shared some of the worthwhile places the money goes.  The Team Captains have been provided with yellow sales sheets for each of their team members.  Several of the Team Captains are new members this year and all were introduced to the members to avoid confusion.

Dan announced that this year’s Demotion Dinner would be held June 20 at the Ballroom.  This is both a change in date and location due to conflicts.  The Friday June 20 Demotion Dinner will be in lieu of a regular meeting.

Art Bradley officiated at the induction of Phil Hutchinson, President of the McMinnville Chamber of Commerce and a transfer from the Newport Rotary Club.  Rotarians welcomed Phil with a standing ovation.

MAIN EVENT

Jack Crabtree introduced our speaker, Warden Jeff Thomas of the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan.  He assumed this position in February of this year.

Warden Thomas said that prisons are stereotyped.  Most of the impression the public has about prisons comes from movies.  A lot more goes on in prison than most realize.

The first federal prison was opened in Leavenworth Kansas in 1895.  As the system grew, the Federal Bureau of Prisons was formed in 1930 to improve the system.  Construction began on the Sheridan FCI in 1986.  In 1995 the Federal Detention Center was activated.  The facility now has a total capacity of 2,000 inmates and occupies 191 acres.  The FCI employees 340 and Warden Thomas reviewed the organizational chart to help demonstrate all the activities that are carried out.

One activity serving as an example is the Agriculture and Produce Program.  31 acres are farmed within the FCI providing agricultural experience for inmates and subsidizing the food supply.

They perform a number of community service projects that have included painting and carpentry work on the Sheridan Fire Department, construction of a playground, artwork for the McMinnville Mayor’s Ball, sandbagging at the 2007 flood, and Toys for Kids.  Bob Rhoads later pointed out that the Toys for Tots program started with McMinnville Rotary.

The formal presentation was followed with a very lively question and answer period.  During this time we learned that there are now 1,808 inmates, average age is 37, and the average sentence is 98 months.  52.2% of the inmates were convicted of drug charges, the highest percentage.

The FCI operates on a $54 million budget.  The average cost per inmate is about $17 per day. [editor's note - Someone is using a Federal Calculator - The Rotary Calculator (54,000,000/365)/1808)=$81.23 per day]

Dan thanked Warden Thomas for his presentation with a donation of a book to the Early Reader Program and a gift of the McMinnville Rotary pen used to sign the book.

Next week is the popular Outstanding Teacher Awards.  With that reminder, the meeting was adjourned.

 

"When meeting day comes around, I do not have to decide whether to attend or not, for that has already been decided for me . . . it was one of the obligations I accepted when I joined Rotary." -- A Rotarianan
 

Back to McMinnville Rotary's Home Page
 

Copyright (c) 2008 * Rotary Club of McMinnville * All Rights Reserve