DECEMBER 11, 2009  Volume 89, Number 24

ROTARY'S FOUR WAY TEST "Of the things we think, say or do: 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?"

OPENING

Bob Mason and David Pfendler welcomed members and guests. President Jan thanked our greeters, and Johannes Goddik and Chuck Pattishall for   the setup. Past President Chuck read a moving Christmas poem about a U.S. Marine for the inspirational moment. Lee Vasquez led the club in the flag salute.

VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS

MEMBER RECOGNITION BRAGS AND ANNOUNCMENTS

Richard Weed followed with the latest letter from outbound exchange student, CHEYENNE WISENHUNT, who is studying in Brazil. CHEYENNE shared her experiences with the Day of the Dead, dancing competitions, fiestas and birthday parties, school, showering from a bucket, church, her Rotary counselor, her presentation to the local club about the U.S., and learning Portuguese. (see her letter below*)
 

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

President Jan returned to welcome McMinnville High School Principal Dr. Kris Olsen, to the stage for the presentation of the Students of the Month. JONATHAN FLORES and ELYSE LIPKE were recognized for their athletic, academic and leadership achievements (see the full description below).
 

In honor of Rotary Family Month, Bruce Huffman introduced our program guests, the Taron family. MIKE and VANGI TARON met at college in Portland. They have been married for 20 years and have six children. They lived in McMinnville for 14 years working as youth pastors, relocating in 2006 to Pasadena, California to work with William Carey International University and U.S. Center for World Mission. They are now back in McMinnville to prepare for a bold move overseas and a new experience.

MIKE thanked Rotary and commended the organization for the work it does locally and globally. Daughters NATALIE and AMANDA then joined VANGI at the piano for a lovely rendition of “What Child Is This?” 

MIKE continued by explaining how he came to discover business as a means of transformation. Business is among the most powerful forces in society. Churches often see business as only a source of funds, but in reality they need their entrepreneurship.

He also recognized that his ceiling in life would be the floor for his children, so he felt the urge to challenge himself and his family. He once heard someone exclaim that one way to seek peace is to develop a new generation of peacemakers. This inspired him to want to help his children, and others, learn how to bridge the gap between the West and Muslim world through business; creating economic opportunity with a social purpose.

He acknowledged that moving from a church environment to the business world is scary, perhaps even pioneering. However, Oregonians are pioneers, and this gives him confidence. Thus, he and his family started River Resources, LLC to begin their new vision and journey. Soon they will be moving to Brunei, an Islamic country in the South Pacific, to run their business. He and his wife intend to live there permanently. The book  “Three Cups of Tea,” about a man who on his own set out to build schools in Afghanistan, inspired MIKE that he could make a difference. We must recognize that we are all part of the problem, and that we can each be part of the solution.

MIKE is not seeking any money now, nor is he going to proselytize. He only seeks individuals and businesses who are interested in the same vision of helping bring peace by bridging the gap between Western and Islamic countries. If anyone in Rotary is interested, please contact him. mike.taron@mac.com

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

President Jan Hartzell and fellow Rotarians, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you one of McMinnville High School’s student-of-the-month for November, senior Jonathan Flores, representing Fall Student-Athletes.

Jonathan is the son of Julio and Vickie Flores.  He has and older sister (Jessica – 22) and brother (Julio – 20), and younger sister (Jasmine – 14) a freshmen at MHS.

Jonathan attended Newby and Columbus Elementary, and Duniway Middle School before enrolling at McMinnville High School in his freshman year.

Jonathan currently holds a 2.54 grade point average, pursuing a full load of college preparatory courses in his junior and senior year.  This semester, he is enrolled in United States Government, College Writing, Accounting, Contemporary Math, Senior Language and Literature, College.com., Marketing, and is a student assistant in the Art Department.

While in high school, Jonathan has been very active in our men’s soccer program.  He’s been a member of the varsity team all four years while at MHS; played on the State Championship team his freshman year; has been a 1^st Team All-League player each year (freshmen through senior); was voted the Player-of-the-Year in the Pacific Conference during his sophomore, junior, and senior years; was a 2^nd Team All-State selection in ’06, 1^st Team Selection in ’07 and ’08, was the Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in Oregon in ’08, and just this week was selected to the 2009 All-State Team.  Jonathan is the most decorated soccer athlete to ever attend MHS.

His future plans include attending the University of Portland, to play men’s soccer for the Pilots.  Jonathan plans to major in Business with an Accounting focus.

His fondest memory in high school are beating Jesuit in the 2006 state championship game to win MHS’s first 6A soccer title.  His worst, loosing to Clackamas this fall in 2^nd round action.

Jonathan Flores

President Jan Hartzell and fellow Rotarians, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you one of McMinnville High School’s student-of-the-month for November, senior Elyse Lipke, representing Fall Student-Athletes.

Elyse is the daughter of Mike and Esther Lipke.  She has an older sister, Makaela, a graduate of MHS and current junior at the University of Oregon.

Elyse attended Newby Elementary and Duniway Middle School before enrolling at McMinnville High School in her freshman year.

Elyse currently holds a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked 1^st in her class of 488 seniors. She has a combined SAT score of 1880, and a composite score of 30 on her ACT.  She has been on honor roll each semester throughout his high school career, and is on-track to graduation as a valedictorian this coming June.  This semester, she is enrolled in Yearbook Production, Spanish III, Advanced Placement Language & Composition, Advanced Placement Statistics, United States Government, Yearbook, and is a student-aide in the Student Center.

While in high school, Elyse has been very active in our school’s soccer and tennis programs for all four years.  She was selected as the News Register/MAC Club Women’s Soccer Player of the Year this fall, and represented MHS at last year’s District Tennis championships.  Elyse was selected as a HOBY (Hugh O’Brien Leadership) participant during her sophomore year, and this year she was selected as the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) student award winner.  Elyse is the current yearbook Editor-in-Chief, Doernbecher Club President, and National Honor Society and Relay for Life, and Bear Buddies member (mentoring students at Wascher Elementary School). 

Her future plans include application to the University of Montana, Northern Arizona, Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, Whitworth, and Oregon State University, where she plans to major in Secondary Education to be a high school math teacher, or Zoology where she’d like to work in a zoo setting as a Zoologist.

Her fondest memory of high school occurred this fall when she was selected to the Homecoming court as a senior class princess by her class.  Her worst memory, a video project she failed in Spanish II.  Ouch!

Elyse Lipke.

Oi Richard,    Yes, this month was even more amazing than the last!    The second of November was ``Dia de Morta,´´ or Day of the Dead. My family and I went and bought a bunch of flowers. Then we went to a church gathering in honor of those who have died. After that everyone took a candle to the cemetary and normally there would be a whole bunch of burning candles around a grave. We took our candles and would light them using the candles already burning on the graves and set our candles there. I put my candle on my mae´s dad´s grave. There was also a huge cross with tons of burning candles around it for Jesus. It was a very interesting day :)   CTG is going well still. I love dancing there, it´s so cool. Earlier this month my mae took me to get a skirt and shirt made so I can dance with everyone else. One night we had to give a dance presentation in front of everyone. It went well and was really fun! I danced the whole night with everyone and learned to dance a Brazilian conga line type thing, it was a great night! Sunday we spent the whole day learning a new dance. It´s the last dance of the compition that we have in June, so it has to be good, it was a long day, but the dance is really cool and I´m getting better :)   I still go to lots of festas here. They are all great though, I always meet new people!!! Lots of birthday parties too. Saturday I went to the birthday party of a girl turning 15, which normally when you turn 15 here they throw a big party for you, it was cool!!! I also went to a birthday party of a Rotary member´s little boy, it was cute!    My friends and I drink lots of Terere still and go to Avenida where we eat ice cream. All my friends here are so crazy and wonderful, it´s great!!! And everyone keeps asking me to make them more cookies :)    School is going well, I think it ends this Friday though. All the little kids are always around me asking me to say something in English for them, it´s funny. We have had a lot of test, I think the only one I did well on was English, and presentations, which I have been giving too. My class is all trying to get ready for graduation, so we have been doing lots of stuff for that. Last Friday my class and I all made 50 pizzas to sell so we can raise money for graduation. It was fun and I sold a lot of pizza.     I recently discovered what it is like to take a shower in a bucket. The power goes out here a lot and you always have to take a shower before bed. So my mae heated up some water on the stove, dumped it in a bucket and said ``Toma bano,`` so I took the bucket and walked away, now I know what a shower in a bucket is.    I´m still going to church with my family, it´s nice. We had Secret Santa at youth group. That was fun, all the people are really sweet!!!    I went to Campo Grande last Thursday with Raissa and her class. It was great!!! We went to a mall there and walked around everywhere, and then we went and watched New Moon at the movie theater, it was a really fun day!!!     My Rotary counselor here is wonderful!!! I spent a day with here last week, she´s really nice. And she owns a ranch close to town, so I stayed the night with her family and early the next day we went out to the ranch and rode horses and helped with the cattle, it is so beautiful out there!    Last Tuesday I gave my presentation about the U.S. and myself to the Rotary club here. It went really well and they want me to give it again for a Rotary event coming up :)     My family here is absolutely amazing!!! They are so helpful and nice. And my Portuguese is way better too, it´s so incredible how fast you can learn another language, but I still have work to do!   Thanks for everything!!! :)

Beijos, Cheyenne

P.S. I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

CLOSING

President Jan invited the TARON family to sign a book for the Early Reader Program and thanked them for their time and story.

She reminded all not to forget the First Federal Community Rewards Program, and that next week's meeting will feature the Twighlighters. Have a great week!

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"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 Rotarian 

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