The scheduled speaker for next week's meeting canceled last week, so Mary Moe has agreed to step in to tell us a story she had hoped to tell last August, on the 100th anniversary of women's winning the right to vote.
After the 19th Amendment was approved by Congress and President Woodrow Wilson, it had to be ratified by 3/4 of the states to become law. At that time, we had 48 states, so 36 state legislatures had to convene and vote to ratify. Tennessee was "the perfect 36th."
In a cliffhanger with lots of twists and turns, the amendment was ratified by the Tennessee legislature. You know that. But the personalities, the politics, and the parliamentary procedure behind the scenes? Great stuff. Come to Rotary next week at noon or on Zoom and hear all about "the perfect 36."
Last Week at Rotary
Last week we held our annual luncheon recognizing young people in the area who have become Eagle Scouts in the last year. Since deceased Rotarian Bill Harp established this tradition, his family was invited to join the club for this event, which began with a recognition of Bill and the presentation of a memory book on Bill to his wife and son (pictured below). Thank you, Sheila Rice, for all the work you did in preparing the presentation and creating the book! It meant the world to Bill's family.
Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster Aaron Weissman then introduced the Eagle Scouts attending, providing each one with the opportunity to tell the club about their projects. Each project showed the creativity, persistence, and dedication of the new Eagle Scouts, and hinted at important lessons they learned along the way. As one Venture Scout observed, "It's not so much the project i completed as what I got out of it. It was the journey that was important, not the destination."
Unable to attend the occasion (because she has moved to Hawaii) was the first female Scout to achieve the rank of Eagle. Her project involved improving the City's dog park, stabilizing it and providing better access for smaller dogs. The program concluded with a talk to the new Eagles by Brett Doney, an Eagle Scout, Rotarian, and past president of Rotary Club of Great Falls. His remarks were so memorable they are summarized below as our "weekly wisdom."
Coming Events
Philipsburg Rotary's annual summer concert is on Saturday, August 21. Contact Susan Wolff if you'd like to volunteer or attend as a paying customer.
Social Committee Chair Heidi Hockett has planned our next Rotary Social at Brush Crazy on Thursday, Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. With some help from a local artist, we will be painting canvases that we can take home with us. The cost is $15 and bring the beverage of your choice. Reservations are required for the 15 spots available, so please email Heidi at Heidi.Hockett@northwestern.com to reserve your spot.
Our first ever club camp-out at Camp Rotary is Saturday, September 18. It'll be fun! Contact President Lacey Gallagher or John Juras for details.
Updates
Nothing new to report about Camp Rotary. The pre-evacuation order continues to be in place but fires have not closed in. Your e-bulletin cub reporter drove to Judith Gap yesterday and the smoke from the turnoff to Neihart on is noticeably thicker than it is in Great Falls. Scary times.
Milestones
Two Rotarians celebrate birthdays this week: Owen Robinson on Wednesday and Caitlin Walter on Friday. Those born under the Leo sign are known for being fun, loyal, and honest in their individual connections. Those descriptions fit these two to a T! Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year ... and thanks for all you both do for Rotary Club of Great Falls.
Weekly Wisdom from an Eagle Scout and Past President
Brett Doney addressed the Eagle Scouts honored at last week's luncheon with these observations about what becoming an Eagle Scout teaches you. For starters, it teaches perseverance, which is important in any successful endeavor. It also teaches leadership. When a project is yours, you must take the helm, figure out how to steer it, form the alliances and acquire the resources to get the project done.
There's a good deal of juggling involved in becoming an Eagle Scout. You have to learn how to manage a time-consuming project and still do your schoolwork, participate in school activities, and do your chores. This skill, too, is one you'll need throughout your life.
You become a problem-solver as you strive to be an Eagle Scout. There is no manual for your project; you have to figure out what resources you need, how you will get them, and what timeline will be wise all by yourself.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you learn the importance of being a "doer." Eagle Scouts don't sit idly by. They aren't armchair quarterbacks who never take the field themselves. Doers see an opportunity or a problem and they address it. Sometimes they do that as part of a group; sometimes they lead the group or do the work themselves. But if you look around this community, or any community, Brett pointed out, everything good you see started with a doer who had a dream. That's the big life lesson, Brett said. "Be a doer for life."
Words of wisdom from a man who walks his own talk!
