Pres. Tim Tholen called the meeting to order. We stood for a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag, followed by an invocation by Kelly Collins
After our guests were welcomed, we noted the club anniversaries for the following members: Tucker Clark, 3 years; Rich Simonson, 2 years; Stacey Carrow, 3 years; Harlan Stamper, 32 years; Lee Brumitt, 2 years; and Linn Mills, 9 years.
Thanks to the greeters for the day, the Women of Rotary.
Reports included a thank you to the Club Volunteers who helped to make the just concluded Rotary Regatta a big success. Look for more details from Tom Woolwine.
A well crafted and delivered reminder from member Sally Bibb about contributions to the Legacy Society, a relatively new way to support the financial needs of the Club’s Camp for Kids for many coming years. See Ms. Bibb for details.
What is a Purple Pinkie? It’s the hand and fingers of children who have been vaccinated against polio and it has become the international symbol of a polio free world. Rotary Districts and the Gates Foundation are continuing their work of achieving final eradication of polio. During this seventh annual “Dunkin’ Purple Pinkie Day” drive, every dollar raised results in a total contribution of $7.50 toward polio eradication. Learn more at www.Rotary.org.
Upcoming events of note include:
Sept 19 – Join or Die Movie at Rockhurst U.
Sept. 24 – Rotary Night at the Zoo
Oct. 3 – Bolte Beer & Brat Brash at Peter Ho’s home
Oct 24 – World Polio Day Social at Minsky’s
Harlan Stamper went to the podium to introduce the speaker for the day. If you are relatively new to the Rotary Club, you probably were wondering, “Who is Harland Stamper?” Since I did an interview with Harland several years ago, I can answer that question. Harland joined our Club about 32 years ago. During those years, he was one of the people who took turns leading the singing at our Rotary meetings. Recently getting to our downtown meetings from his home in Overland Park (just north of Wichita, KS) has been a bit of a challenge. So, you, ask, why is he here today introducing our speaker? Because the speaker is one of his daughters.
And that daughter is Megan Cote. She is the Technical Assistance Coordinator at the National Center for Deaf-Blindness (NCDB). To this role, she brings extensive experience as a classroom teacher, including 30 years in the field of Special Education. She holds a Master’s degree in Severe Multiple Disabilities/Deaf-Blindness a the U. of Kansas.
Her remarks today were a review of the prevalence of children/adults in our country who have disabilities/total inabilities to hear and or see, and the opportunities in facilities across our country to help those children/persons achieve some semblance of ability to see and/or hear.
- The National Center of Deaf-Blindness is funded by the Office of Special Education with headquarters is located in New York and provides resources for services all over the US.
- A child or person with total lack of hearing or sight can be trained to communicate with other people.
- At least 70 different causes for the onset of deaf-blindness have been identified
- Only about one percent of children with deaf-blindness have total lacks in both areas. The rest have some level of abilities in one or more of these areas.
- Some form of deaf-blindness is present in at least 10,000 children in the US.
- Children of all ages and ethnicities are in that group
- With access to trained support, most can achieve some level of communication with other people. It is important that that training begins as early as possible.
- In the absence of physical contact with other people, a totally deaf and blind is only aware of what they can touch with their hands.
- Ms. Cote described several deaf-blind children with whom she’s worked.
The experience of sitting and listening to Ms. Cote talk about her work was deeply moving on two levels: The awareness that so much work is required to help a child with some level of deaf-blindness is over-whelming. And each of us is so lucky to be going through our lives with some level of adequate hearing and vision.
And at least one of Harlan Stamper’s daughters is a most remarkable lady.
The meeting end with the usual 4 way test and today’s quote: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Paul Harris, Founder of Rotary.
Please join the Rotary Book Discussion Group for the discussion of the book The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The book discussion will be led by Vivien Jennings and all Rotarians and guests are welcome. The group will meet at J. Wilbur Company.
Our District leadership has coordinated with several local Dunkin Donuts locations in the KC Area to offer, again, Purple Pinkie Donuts here in District 6040. 
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