The 2015-16 Rotary theme is "Be a Gift To The Word." At the Daybreak Club, we will promote all persons, activities and organizations that "give" to their communities and the world.
We recognize that every action we take affects other people, and we will continue in our actions to put "service above self." Come join us on Tuesday mornings for breakfast, fellowship and fantastic programs. Be a gift to the world.
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Next programs due
4/19 Matt Smith (Matt Barr)
4/26 Taylor Smith (due 4/12)
5/3 Leslie Vance (due 4/19)
5/10 Barbara Warden (due 4/26)
"RAW" (Rotary After Work) Progressing
The joint project of the Daybreak and Noon Rotary clubs continues to be worked on, ram-rodded by Taylor Smith and Mandy McCary, incoming presidents of their respective clubs. The concept is one of an additional meeting opportunity, sponsored by both clubs, but which is NOT a separate club. The meetings will be in the early evening just after the usual work day and be held at various locations with hosting alternated between the clubs.
As reiterated by Prez Allen Garrett at the April 5 meeting, RAW is NOT a separate club.
... on the Amateur "Ham" Radio air, that is. Rotarian and ham radio operator (callsign KA5GIL) Gil Jones did an updated classification talk today based on his ham radio hobby and the National Park System.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™) has teamed up with the National Park System (NPS) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the NPS.
Throughout 2016, Amateur Radio will be helping the National Park Service celebrate their 100th anniversary. Hams from across the country will activate NPS units, promote the National Park Service and showcase Amateur Radio to the public. ("NPOTA," 2016)
The local Ham club, Highland Lakes Amateur Radio Club, "activated" the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in March on two different weekends, giving operators a chance to talk to President Johnson's "Western White House" as it was known. Gil mentioned that there were 483 NPS units eligible to be activated by Hams. "Activation" means that a ham radio operator is communicating from an NPS unit. So far, Gil has "worked" (i.e. communicated with) 34 units across the U.S.A.
In the photo at left, Evan Roberts is seen at the LBJ Park operating by Morse code -- a skill still used even in today's electronic world.
The original notion of a "national park" is credited to George Catlin (1796-1872), a self-taught artist who worried about the westward expansion and the effect on Indian civilization, wildlife and wilderness. (Smith, n.d.)
Yosemite, now a national park was originally a California state park, having been given to the state by Congress in 1864. In 1872 Congress estatablished Yellowstone National Park in the territories of Montana and Wyoming. That began a worldwide national park movement where today more than 100 nations contain some 1,200 national parks or equivalent preserves. ("History (U.S. National Park Service)," n.d.). Our NPS includes 20 categories including battlefields, military parks, historical parks, national lakeshores, national recreation areas and more. But it was until 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the legislation that the National Park System was officially created.
The largest, most hotly-contested battle of the Revolutionary War's Southern Campaign was fought at the small North Carolina backcountry hamlet of Guilford Courthouse. The battle proved to be the highwater mark of British military operations in the Revolutionary War. ("Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (U.S. National Park Service)," n.d.)
General Nathaniel Greene met the British General Cornwallis head-to-head there and so decimated their forces and supplies that the Brits fled to New York, but rather than resupplying, they wound up surrendering because the French Armada had cut off the British supply ships. Thus, the Guilford Courthouse battle can be said to have led to the end of the Revolutionary War although technically we lost the battle.
This flag is the "Guilford Courthouse" flag of which Gil has a replica hanging in his mediation office.
Gil's message about the National Park System was that it is a wonderful system with great beauty and history, and ought to be seen and supported.
Gil spoke briefly also on how he came to be Justice of the Peace for Burnet County Precinct 4 upon the early retirement of Judge Ed Cutchin. He explained how the County Commissioners and Judge were looking for someone to appoint who was not going to run for the position, and who was dumb enough not to say "no." He figures his name came up unanimously.
References
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/guco/index.htm
History (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/history.htm
NPOTA. (2016). Retrieved April 5, 2016, from http://www.arrl.org/NPOTA
Smith, D. (n.d.). National Parks - A Brief History. Retrieved April 5, 2016, from http://usparks.about.com/library/weekly/aa012598.htm
John Hallowell, local (not so) amateur historian and publisher of the Highland Lakes Magazine gave us a primer on local historical characters.
John, originally from Canada, has become well-steeped in Burnet County history and shared tales of three of the interesting characters who have come through these parts.
The first was Virginia Webster, once captured along with her mother by Comanches who returned to the area to establish the community of Strickling. She came back there, the site of her father's murder by the Comanches, at age 16. Strickling was on Northeastern Burnet County.
John then told of some of the lesser-known facts about the founder of Marble Falls, General Adam Rankin Johnson. At age 12 Johnson was put in charge of running a pharmacy until at about age 15 he was running a factory with 80 employees, successfully. After the Civil War, returning here blinded he would stand guard on his front porch, protecting his wife and children from Comanche raiders, rifle in hand. When his wife declared "but you are blind" his quick response was "but they don't know that."
The third, Tex Robertson, was quite well known throughout the area. Starting as a national champion and Olympic swimmer, and once the roommate of Gerald Ford, Tex established the highly successful Longhorn Camp.
Great program, John; and thanks to Rotarian Chuck Johnstone for bringing it.
A recent federal court ruling has placed CPS kids in jeopardy.
Judge Jack in Corpus Christi has ruled that the Child Protective System (CPS) in Texas is violating the rights of children in their care. Most particularly, group homes can no longer be used unless that have a 24 hour-awake attendant on premises. That effectively eliminates the typical couple-based group home, according to CASA director Kristen Harris who addressed Daybreakers today.
This makes our Foster Awareness/Adoption Day project even more important.
Russell Sander has just finished his first week as Fire Chief in Marble Falls.
Welcome to Marble Falls, Russell. He gave us a bit of his life and work history and an overview of the MFFD. His talk finished up with a great fire prevention tip: the No. 1 cause of home fires is in the kitchen with something left on the stove. Because we're not tethered to the kitchen by a landline telephone, we tend to wander off to another room with the cellphone and forget what's cooking. TIP: carry a kitchen utensil with you.
Russell's big goal for Marble Falls is to get us an ISO Class 1 rating which will bring down insurance premiums by making us safer. The department has 12 fulltime and 10 part time firefighters along with 3 staff.
For the 10th year, Bryce Gage brought one of his choir groups to entertain.
And entertain they did. This year we heard from the Chorale Singers -- a hand-picked group out of the huge choir program that Bryce has built over the years. They always kick off the Christmas season for us and we love hearing from them.
Lt. Steve Savoy from the Burnet County Sheriff's Office is part of the area task force combating vehicle crimes.
The Burnet County Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force (HOTATTF)
covers almost 5,000 square miles and a population of nearly 400,000. They deal with not only auto thefts but all vehicle crimes that includes also crimes involving heavy equipment and cargo.
Chess Long and several students from MFISD's Falls Career High School gave Daybreakers a great rundown of the unique features of Falls.
Chess (far left) is in charge of student services at Falls and is shown here with several students, current and graduate. Rotarian and Past District Governor Barbara Warden (far right) arranged the program. Chess gave us a clear understanding of what Falls is, and is not. Foremost, Falls is not the "discipline" campus, a point which was made by the stories of some of the students.
One of them was new to the campus and sought the ability to set her own pace and graduate early. The instructional material is computer-based with teachers available for assistance and additional instruction as needed. While a minimum pace is set, the student can move forward at a greater pace which appeals to many students over the traditional classroom format. Two of the students found themselves parents at an early age and has used the flexible format of Falls to finish their education and obtain their diplomas while fulfilling their parental responsibilities.
Daybreak and Falls have a special relationship of mutual support. The Club involves the students in its community and fund-raising activities which provides a great venue for the students to fulfill their community service obligations and learn Service Above Self through hands-on experiences.
One of the biggest joint projects was the renovation of the landscaping at the old Marble Falls city jail on Second Street. Their next project with us is Adoption Day on November 14, 2015 where eight families will welcome over a dozen children into their fold.
New member Galyn Woerner shown with Dr. Dan McBride and Lynn Bishop, and "Lucy."
The program on October 20 was an update on exciting progress in making the Christ-Yoder animal shelter a sustaining part of Burnet and Llano Counties into the future. Dr. Dan McBride is the area Veterinarian who tends the shelter animals, and has for a long time. Lynn Bishop is the Board president. There is reorganization going on to preserve and capitalize on the years of sacrifice by Lin Christ and Dee Yoder, the creators of the shelter.
The shelter provides important services for the citizens of Burnet and Llano counties and animals that have been abandoned, become lost or have been injured. The Christ Yoder Animal Shelter offers adoptable animals which have been checked by a veterinarian, brought up to date on shots, checked for heart worms, and micro-chipped. When you're looking for a new 4-legged addition to your household, check there first!
This is a big deal. The Rotary International/World Health Organization collaboration has almost licked polio, everywhere.
"The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on 25 September that Nigeria is now polio-free and has been officially removed from the list of countries where polio is endemic. It’s been 14 months since any cases of polio caused by the wild virus have been detected there. With Nigeria’s historic achievement, polio remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. That means transmission of the virus has never been stopped there."
And "In other encouraging news, an independent global health commission officially verified on 21 September that wild poliovirus type 2, one of three strains of the wild virus, has been eradicated worldwide."
We take water for granted in America where we just turn the tap. Without the water well that is about to be drilled, the Maasai people subsist on tainted water carried by the women in used petroleum drums, on their heads, five gallons at a time.
"Cookie" as he is known shared his experience with the project in Maasai Land area of Tanzania, East Africa where Rotary is putting in water well systems and other infrastructure. Daybreak Rotary is assisting in funding along with a Global Grant from Rotary International and donations from six other clubs.
We take water for granted in America where we just turn the tap. Without the water well that is about to be drilled, the Maasai people subsist on tainted water carried by the women in used petroleum drums, on their heads, five gallons at a time. World wide, 783 million people have no clean water. One in 10 of those will die from bad water. Of the children in those areas, 80% are sick from bad water.
Cookie regaled us with stories of hearing the "Maasai yoddle" as he calls it which led to his singing cowboy songs for the Maasai people, including "Happy Trails" which -- to his surprise -- they knew.
Landscaping of the old city jail was completed on April 28
10 bags of topsoil and 40 bags of mulch later, the project was declared done!
The jail landscaping project was completed on April 28, 2015 with the addition of the mulch seen prominently in the photos. The students were a bit incredulous when Jim McCrocklin and I pulled up with a trailer loaded with 40 bags of mulch and 10-40# bags of topsoil. Jim and I were most grateful for the young backs to handle all of that.
These photos show just some of the students who have participated in the project. On the back far left is Chess Long, faculty member, and on the back far right is Harry Born, a volunteer at the Falls Career High School campus.
(Full size of those photos appear in the photo album. Click here.)
Dr. Dan McBride opened our eyes as to how a rare species becomes extinct.
The beautiful Pronghorm, a unique to North America animal, has declined in population from the 10's of millions as estimated by Lewis & Clark during their exploration of the West, to just thousands. Through efforts by wildlife conservationists like Dr. Dan McBride the Pronghorn is on the way back from the brink of extinction.
Dr. Dan explained that the Pronghorn is not truly an antelope although the common reference is to a "Pronghorn Antelope" among the general public. It is in a distinct biological classification by itself, in the species Antilocapra americana.
Dan -- who is also the Burnet County rabies control officer -- shared a startling statistic about rabies: that more people die annually from rabies than from the Ebola virus. Because of it's large animal population mixed with an ever-increasing human population Burnet County is perennially in the top brackets for rabies incidents, according to Dan.
Thanks for a great program Dr. Dan! The photos were beautiful and the discussion quite interesting.
Mickey West Career Assets charitable fund seeks to aid the Highland Lakes workforce in achieving a career pathway.
The goal is to alleviate critical skill shortages throughout the Highland Lakes by helping adults succeed in post-secondary training, certifications, and degrees. The program brings together leaders in business, education, non-profits, and government to design workforce training for specific high-demand occupations that are important to our regional economy.
The lead organizers are Gail Davalos of Horseshoe Bay, and Celia Merrill of Marble Falls. Davalos founded Mickey West Career Assets, a 501(c)(3) charitable fund, to establish and sustain the multi-agency partnerships of a Highland Lakes workforce training program and to provide services that enable participants to stay on a career pathway.
This graphic demonstrates the synergy that Gail and Celia hope to foster.
Those partnerships then endeavor to create a career pathway for workers by a systematic program to help not only the unemployed worker get the first job but then to sustain them through development in a career path leading to improved skills and qualifications for better employment.
Theirs is a concept for a regional adult career pathway that will move people from entry-level jobs upward, with a focus on the "working poor." An especially important feature of the training caught my eye -- that of "soft skills" such as greeting the public, customer relations and other interpersonal skills that are so important in the industries being focused on. Those include healthcare, hospitality, information technology, construction and light manufacturing.
Gettysburg -- the turning point of the U.S. Civil War, is sometimes referred to as the "War of Northern Aggression."
Eddie Shell, local defense attorney, history buff and descendent of a Confederate soldier, offered the Marble Falls Daybreak Rotary an interesting perspective on the Civil War. "The War of Northern Aggression," as Eddie's grandfather called it, was lost long before the South actually surrendered, when the Confederates lost the Battle of Gettysburg. Lee's army suffered enormous casualties as a result of Pickett's Charge, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Shown here with one of the many books in his Civil War library, Eddie also shows off one of his many pieces of historical information and art. Eddie mesmerized the Rotary members with his explanation of what led General Lee to order the fatal charge on Union forces known as Pickett's Charge. The "fog of battle" was the culprit, consisting of poor intelligence, overshooting cannon fire, and the resulting dust that obscured the fact that fortifications had not been destroyed.
After suffering the loss at Gettysburg, the South never fully recovered and lost many battles more battles. One such battle was the Battle of Bristoe Station, where George Washington Shell, Eddie's great grandfather, was captured and held prisoner until the surrender by the South and the end of the Civil War. Upon his release, Shell migrated to Briggs, Texas where many generations of Shells have since inhabited.
Not Forrest Gump, our own Rotarian Brad Quinn ... and he is still running.
Running and promoting running -- that's what Brad and his wife Nyla are all about. In addition to busy careers (Brad is an occupational therapist) and raising four children, Brad and Nyla have been organizing trail races since 2006 and recently added a road race in 2013.
Brad began running trails to stay fit after moving to Texas in 2001, and by 2005 was completing a 30k. His talk today was focused on Ultramarathon running, and the description of what that entails had the Daybreak membership shaking its collective head. Ultramarathons began in earnest by the 1980s with the primary event being a 100 mile run in what is now known as the Western States Endurance Run. Gordy Ashley, known as the father of the Ultramarathon, first ran what was then a horse event. "Starting in Squaw Valley, California near the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics and ending 100.2 miles later in Auburn, California, Western States, in the decades since its inception in 1974, has come to represent one of the ultimate endurance tests in the world." (Source: www.wser.org).
According to Brad, Texas is the 2nd most active state for endurance running out of approximately 70,000 people now running seriously. The demographics are interesting, including that 33.4% of the athletes fall into the 30-39 age range and 4% in the 60-69 age group. Among races of interest described by Brad is one near Durango, CO where the total ascent is 33,000 feet. That is airliner cruising altitude.
Sir Edmund Hillary, when asked why he climbed Mt. Everest replied "because it's there." Brad says "I run to burn off the crazy." Keep running Brad, and encourage all of us to get out there and keep the body parts working!
From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy.
The 4-Way Test
From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The 4-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The 4-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:
A recent online article on the Bill Gates blog caught my attention about RI's participation in eradicating the world of the polio virus. His blog mentioned only the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and not Rotary's PolioPlus and that led me to look up the GPEI. While at first I thought Gates and the GPEI were hijacking the role of Rotary, I was pleasantly surprised.
The website of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has an info page that speaks about -- among others -- the huge goal that Rotary International has played in the fight to rid the world of the wild polio virus. I quote (emphasis added):
Rotary International
More than one million Rotary members have volunteered their time to polio eradication
Rotary International is the world's first and largest humanitarian service organization with a global network of 1.2 million members in more than 170 countries. Through its PolioPlus programme, established in 1985, Rotary was the first to have the vision of a polio-free world.
Rotary’s primary responsibilities include fundraising, advocacy, and volunteer recruitment.
More than one million Rotary members have volunteered their time and personal resources to polio eradication. Rotary members also provide valuable field support during National Immunization Days through social mobilization and by administering the oral polio vaccine to children.
Rotary is the main private sector donor to polio eradication, and will have contributed more than US$ 1.2 billion by 2013.
In November 2007, Rotary International entered in a unique partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to inject a further US$ 555 million into the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Source: Global Polio Eradication Initiative > About us > Partners > Spearheading partners. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2015, from http://www.polioeradication.org/Aboutus/Partners/Spearheadingpartners.aspx
Reach behind your head and pat yourself on the back.
Former Granite Shoals mayor and leader in this tennis project, Frank Reilly, gave us a great update on the current stage and future plans for the Roddick Youth Tennis Foundation.
The Roddick Tennis Center at Quarry Parks in Granite shoals at the municipal complex now has two quick-start courts, two full size covered courts, and the RYTF is working toward the next phase to add 4-6 regular courts.
The Center is planned to eventually have 18 courts and the ability to host USTA tournaments. Sanctioned tournaments of that nature can bring in as many as 1200 people, according to Reilly.
He also mentioned the fifth annual Vegas by the River fund-raiser to be held November 28, 2015 at the Marble Falls Pavilion. The Center will also have a lengthy run/walk, hike, bike trail which Leonel Manzano helped to lay out and other outdoor features for young and old.
Rotarian Chuck Johnstone teamed up with PDG Rich Kaye and incoming DG Melinda Osbourn to tout the Foundation.
Chuck, shown here receiving his Paul Harris Fellowship pin last September had a great format for presenting the work of the Foundation, with banter back and forth with Past District Governor Rich Kaye.
Rich is a member of the Killeen Heights Rotary Club and is retired from the Army, now in defense contracting.
He is the "go-to" guy in Rotary District 5870 for Foundation Matters. In addition to many statistics demonstrating the awesome work done by Rotary to eradicate polio, he had an interesting fact unknown to most Rotarians. Many of us (at least those born up to about the 1950's) recall the name Savin -- Dr. Albert Savin -- who created the oral polio vaccine from the original Salk vaccine (by Dr. Jonas Salk).
Fast foward now to 1985 when Dr. Carlos Canseco is the President of Rotary International. Dr. Canseco was the instigator of the Polio Plus eradication program. How did he come to do so? He was a partner with Dr. Savin! No wonder he thought of it.
In 1988 there were 125 polio-endemic countries and only 71 polio-free. In 1985 Rotary launched a $120million fund-raising campaign and actually raised $247 million. 1991 saw the last of the wild poliovirus in the Americas. Rotary has contributed over $800 million and put feet on the ground in over 122 countries.
Polio is now 99% eradicated. In 1985 thousands of children were struck daily. There were 350,000 cases in 1988. By 2008 there were fewer than 2,000 cases world-wide.
Last year there were only 385 cases, world-wide. If you eliminate Pakistan and Afghanistan (and the Afghan cases trace back to Pakistan), there were only 19 (Nineteen!) cases in the rest of the entire world.
Incoming District Governor Melinda Osbourn also joined us in the meeting. She is shown here in her usual animated speaking style while Rich -- the consummate coffee consumer -- stands by.
It's the Rotary Foundation that makes this possible, and more. In addition to ending Polio, Rotary International focuses on clean water, women's health, various humanitarian projects, world understanding, goodwill and peace. Basic education and literacy are also top priorities for Rotary International.
Rotarians learned about the financial operation of the Foundation which includes the fact that 100% of your contributed dollar goes to work after three years, that 50% of it can come back to the District, with 25% coming directly to our Club for projects we wish to do.
The Marble Falls Jail -- historical -- will be beautified
Marble Falls Daybreak Rotary in conjunction with the Falls Career High School of MFISD will be beautifying the old jail on 2nd street, just across from the Chamber of Commerce. It has already had a good cleanup with the plan is to do a major planting of hardy, native plants to dress up that part of our town. A plan has been drawn by Bill Bradshaw, Emeritus Landscape Architect and is in the works.
Mr. K.R. Wood noted Texas musician and performer spoke to the Marble Falls Daybreak Rotary about his recent humanitarian trip to Tanzania Africa.
In addition to his music, Mr. Wood is an avid Texas historian and has produced and performed on the album Fathers of Texas Series, the Crockett Chronicles. Mr. Wood has also been given the honor of being declared as part of David Crockett’s extended family bestowed on him by the heroes’ direct descendants. He and his band have also had the rare privilege to actually perform with a fiddle that was owned by Crockett. "Cookie" is shown here with Daybreak President Jeffrey Bartz. Looks like they were having fun.
Galyn Woerner, Camp Agape's Camp Director explained how Camp Agape helps children in the bereavement process.
Explaining the intricate mixture of fun, group therapy, counseling, singing and other activities at the Camp, Galyn made clear the benefit of the bereavement camp.
Camp Agape enjoyed a new venue for the 2014 camp
that accommodated the large number of different activities such as making memory boxes. The camp was held this year at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center in Glen Rose and expects to return there next year, according to Woerner.
Pulling off camp requires approximately a 3:1 ratio of adults to children who are ages 7 to 12. Special assistance comes from a cadre of "high school helpers," a group of truly special high school students who are constantly working in the background.
Children who have lost a parent, sibling or other person close to them are eligible to attend the 4-day camp without charge. Relying almost totally on volunteers and donations, Woerner is the only paid employee. A 5k run is being held on November 15 this year as a fund-raiser for Camp Agape in preparation for next year's crop of grieving children who will begin to learn to deal with bereavement.
Falls recognized the partnership with a beautiful plaque at graduation.
On Friday, June 6, Jim and Barbara Warden together with Jennifer and myself attended the graduation ceremonies for Marble Falls Career High School where we presented three scholarships of $1,000 each. Other organizations also awarded scholarships to some of the 36 graduates.
What we did not expect was to receive recognition by way of a beautiful plaque given to Daybreak. The plaque was presented to the Club on June 10.
Each Christmas season Daybreak Rotary along with the other two area Rotary Clubs helps in the bell-ringing for the Salvation Army. We hear grateful stories which we now share with you.
While the current bell-ringing raises the entire budget for the local Salvation Army effort and is appreciated by them, many people have stories from years and decades past where the Army helped them or a loved one. Heart strings are tugged. Additions to the stories below will be forth-coming. The quoted material is the person's story as recalled by the Rotarian ringing the bells.
Giver: "My brother came back from WW2 and made it to the U.S. but we did not know where he was. The Red Cross would not help us, but the Salvation Army did. They looked for him for months." Rotarian: "Did they find him ok?" Giver: "No, but they tried. They tried hard." -- as told by Gil Jones
I had a lady stop her car in front of the bell ringing , holding up traffic, and pulled her ash tray out full of change to give to Salvation Army. Kinda cool. Another stopped, wrote out a check and came running up to deposit. Fun to see. -- Dick Nicholson
My job tends to lead me to dealing with the tougher side of people; I had no idea what to expect.
I’m a numbers guy and naturally had to see my score at the end. During my 2 hour ringing I made about $200; I’ll take $100/hour any day. This included 2 - $10’s, 13- $5’s and then a large pile of singles and change that I didn’t expect. Multiple people thanked me for even being there. A father stopped with his two young sons and described how the Salvation Army had saved his life when he was orphaned at a very young age, making their lives possible. It was truly amazing.
Looking back at Christmas 2012, this was when I felt the spirit of giving and genuine human desire to help one another selflessly. Thank you for allowing me to be involved; it helped me quite a bit also to see the power of giving.
This was something I had thought would drag down my day; it was the true bright spot instead.
This was something I expected to add to my stress; it got my mind off of my problems completely and gave me a sense of accomplishment.
This was something I expected to endure; it instead strengthened me.
Those people gave me more than $200 for the Salvation Army.
-- from Whit Holcomb
An older gentleman with the gait of a much younger man came up to me and, as he was making his donation to the kettle, he told me that the Salvation Army was the only organization that he gives money to. He explained now that he was on social security he he had to watch his pennies. However he could not pass up a Salvation Army kettle with out giving all the money he had in his pockets to help out.
He said that the worst time in his life was as a young man in World War 2 where he served in the European Theatre. While he was there, the only time that any one gave him anything was when the Salvation Army gave him hot coffee, a free doughnut, and a warm smile. Even today he hasn't forgotten the Salvation Army's outreach, and he continues to give back what he can.
-- shared by Jim Warden
Hill Country folks sure are generous, and especially around Christmas. We're not born knowing how to give, though, and it takes some patient training from those who love us to develop that compassion for others. I saw this in action as I rang the bell this year. A little boy about six proudly walked over to the kettle to deposit the money his mother had tucked into his hand. She watched thoughtfully, and said "Son, what's in your wallet?" He looked over in surprise and said "my money." She said, "put in the bucket." With a shocked look, he stated "it's MY money!" She directed him, "put it in - all of it."
He did so, a LOT more slowly than he'd deposited the first donation, and with a rather troubled look on his face. His mother smiled and said, "Son, your gift will be returned to you with so many blessings - many more than you gave." I could see the doubt in his eyes, but I knew her lesson was heard and would prove true. I felt a big lump in my throat, hearing that reminder, so well taught that afternoon in front of Wal-Mart.
-- an experience by Barbara Warden
A WW2 vet walked over to the bucket & emptied every pocket, including his jacket. He explained that he never passed up a Salvation Army bucket because they were the only ones who cared & went all the way. I asked what he meant.
He explained that he was in WW2 as a young man, fighting in France after the invasion. His unit had just taken a small village from the Germans, but the Germans retreated all around the village. They were "sort of" under siege surrounded by the German troops they just ousted. The Germans didn't attack, but just kept them in the town. They soon found out why, as food, water, shelter & clothing were scarce. All they could do was wait for reinforcements.
The few locals remaining told them that red cross was nearby, but refused to come in, stating it was too dangerous & not a great enough need in the village.
A few days later the salvation army showed up in town, with food, water & most of all, dry boots & socks for everyone. He never forgot. They never asked for "thanks" & refused even the smallest token of appreciation. He gives his "thank you" in every red bucket he sees, every year.
-- Wow. What a story as related by Allan
The local Ham club, Highland Lakes Amateur Radio Club, "activated" the 
Yosemite, now a national park was originally a California state park, having been given to the state by Congress in 1864. In 1872 Congress estatablished Yellowstone National Park in the territories of Montana and Wyoming. That began a worldwide national park movement where today more than 100 nations contain some 1,200 national parks or equivalent preserves. ("History (U.S. National Park Service)," n.d.). Our NPS includes 20 categories including battlefields, military parks, historical parks, national lakeshores, national recreation areas and more. But it was until 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the legislation that the National Park System was officially created.
General Nathaniel Greene met the British General Cornwallis head-to-head there and so decimated their forces and supplies that the Brits fled to New York, but rather than resupplying, they wound up surrendering because the French Armada had cut off the British supply ships. Thus, the Guilford Courthouse battle can be said to have led to the end of the Revolutionary War although technically we lost the battle. 
John, originally from Canada, has become well-steeped in Burnet County history and shared tales of three of the interesting characters who have come through these parts.
Welcome to Marble Falls, Russell. He gave us a bit of his life and work history and an overview of the MFFD. His talk finished up with a great fire prevention tip: the No. 1 cause of home fires is in the kitchen with something left on the stove. Because we're not tethered to the kitchen by a landline telephone, we tend to wander off to another room with the cellphone and forget what's cooking. TIP: carry a kitchen utensil with you.
Lt. Steve Savoy from the Burnet County Sheriff's Office is part of the area task force combating vehicle crimes.
Chess Long and several students from MFISD's Falls Career High School gave Daybreakers a great rundown of the unique features of Falls.
Chess (far left) is in charge of student services at Falls and is shown here with several students, current and graduate. Rotarian and Past District Governor Barbara Warden (far right) arranged the program. Chess gave us a clear understanding of what Falls is, and is not. Foremost, Falls is not the "discipline" campus, a point which was made by the stories of some of the students. 
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New member Galyn Woerner shown with Dr. Dan McBride and Lynn Bishop, and "Lucy."
This is a big deal. The Rotary International/World Health Organization collaboration has almost licked polio, everywhere.
We take water for granted in America where we just turn the tap. Without the water well that is about to be drilled, the Maasai people subsist on tainted water carried by the women in used petroleum drums, on their heads, five gallons at a time. World wide, 783 million people have no clean water. One in 10 of those will die from bad water. Of the children in those areas, 80% are sick from bad water.
The jail landscaping project was completed on April 28, 2015 with the addition of the mulch seen prominently in the photos. The students were a bit incredulous when Jim McCrocklin and I pulled up with a trailer loaded with 40 bags of mulch and 10-40# bags of topsoil. Jim and I were most grateful for the young backs to handle all of that.
The beautiful Pronghorm, a unique to North America animal, has declined in population from the 10's of millions as estimated by Lewis & Clark during their exploration of the West, to just thousands. Through efforts by wildlife conservationists like Dr. Dan McBride the Pronghorn is on the way back from the brink of extinction.
Dr. Dan explained that the Pronghorn is not truly an antelope although the common reference is to a "Pronghorn Antelope" among the general public. It is in a distinct biological classification by itself, in the species 
The lead organizers are Gail Davalos of Horseshoe Bay, and Celia Merrill of Marble Falls. Davalos founded Mickey West Career Assets, a 501(c)(3) charitable fund, to establish and sustain the multi-agency partnerships of a Highland Lakes workforce training program and to provide services that enable participants to stay on a career pathway. 
This graphic demonstrates the synergy that Gail and Celia hope to foster.
Shown here with one of the many books in his Civil War library, Eddie also shows off one of his many pieces of historical information and art. Eddie mesmerized the Rotary members with his explanation of what led General Lee to order the fatal charge on Union forces known as Pickett's Charge. The "fog of battle" was the culprit, consisting of poor intelligence, overshooting cannon fire, and the resulting dust that obscured the fact that fortifications had not been destroyed.
![] Rotary volunteer wearing “Good-bye polio” jacket, Nigeria](http://www.polioeradication.org/portals/0/Image/About/about-partners-spearheading-02.jpg)
Chuck, shown here receiving his Paul Harris Fellowship pin last September had a great format for presenting the work of the Foundation, with banter back and forth with Past District Governor Rich Kaye. 
Incoming District Governor Melinda Osbourn also joined us in the meeting. She is shown here in her usual animated speaking style while Rich -- the consummate coffee consumer -- stands by.
"Cookie" is shown here with Daybreak President Jeffrey Bartz. Looks like they were having fun.
Galyn Woerner, Camp Agape's Camp Director explained how Camp Agape helps children in the bereavement process.
such as making memory boxes. The camp was held this year at the Glen Lake Camp and Retreat Center in Glen Rose and expects to return there next year, according to Woerner.
