Our Speaker this Week is Brian Platt, City Manager. His topic will be "Kansas City: Today and Tomorrow."
Under our Council-Manager form of government, the city manager is responsible for the city ’s day-to-day operations. He leads a staff of more than 4,500 employees and his mission is to make city services run efficiently and economically.
Since Brian started in December, he has developed new programs and policies, with an eye for innovative use of existing resources. The City now has a more aggressive snow removal plan and a new equity plan to create a culture of inclusion while reducing discrimination. He has tackled homelessness by opening the region’s largest emergency warming center. Brian has also recommended a balanced budget for the next fiscal year that prevents layoffs, furloughs, and any reductions in essential city services. His targeted initiatives will create a more efficient and fiscally prudent city government while maintaining, even increasing, funding for certain critical infrastructure and services.
Brian previously served as City Manager for Jersey City, New Jersey. He has served as Jersey City's first Chief Innovation Officer and established the City's Office of Innovation in 2015. His previous work experience includes management consulting with McKinsey & Company and serving as a kindergarten teacher with Teach for America. Mr. Platt earned his Master of Public Administration Degree at Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy at Emory University.
You can join this week's program on your computer or iPad with this link:
The ZOOM meeting began promptly at noon with a send-out to the breakout rooms, where we contemplated our preferences for canines vs. felines. (or dogs vs. cats – your preference). Dogs appeared to win the contest, with no cats objecting.
We then sang Happy Birthday (with a live feed of the current piano player, one C. Bolte, aided by maestro Charlie Huffman) and the week’s patriotic song, My Country, Tis of Thee (the melody of which also happens to be the national anthem of the United Kingdom – according to Wikipedia.)
After the Pledge to the Flag, Christy Chester voiced a thoughtful invocation. Visiting guests were invited to speak up. None did. Club anniversaries were noted for Chris Boland, 40 years; and Tom Woolwine, 2 years.
Linn Mills reported on the “Shoes for Orphan Souls” project. Last year our Club purchased 1700 pairs of shoes. So far this year we have purchased 500 pairs of shoes and 664 pairs of socks. With two months to go, Ms. Mills is challenging us to reach 2000 pairs of shoes. Our District is pursuing a goal of 20,000 pairs of shoes.
Pres. Elect/Membership chair Tony Andresen reported on the committee meeting that had just adjourned before the start of this meeting. With Tony’s leadership, the committee is highly energized. He began the meeting with a TED talk about emphasizing the personal benefits that come with service to others, including better health and longevity, tranquility, happiness, and friendship. So when we are promoting Rotary to potential members, we can remind the prospect that participating in service to others is powerfully beneficial – greater health, longevity, and happiness!
Marc Horner suggested that we consider donating our coming stimulus checks to our Camp for Kids. Funding for the operations of the Camp will be a challenge this year because the usual income from the annual Kansas City Day paper sales will not happen this year. A committee is working on alternative plans to sustain the funding of the Camp. There will be a Kansas City Day on May 18th in a different way – see the Buzzsaw for details. Meanwhile, Club activities are being planned for the Camp. Again, see the Buzzsaw.
There is a tentative plan to resume Club meetings at The Gallery (or possibly another facility) after the July 1 Changing of the Guard event, to be held at the Camp. New (old) member Todd Newton, new chairman of the entertainment committee, talked about plans being made for a parking lot party on April 22, details to follow. Other events are being planned also.
Mandy and/or Pres. David introduced our speaker for the day, Joel Bacon, who is a Community Relations Specialist for C-SPAN. His team’s goal is to engage students, teachers, civic groups, and anyone interested in politics to use C-SPAN as an unfiltered “Window on Washington” to follow the daily happenings of the Federal government. His job has included traveling around the country in the C-SPAN bus to present information about C-SPAN’s programs. In the last 4 years, he’s seen about 40 states, including Alaska.
C-SPAN began its operations in 1979 with the mission of providing access for anyone to the proceedings of the various components of the national government in Washington, D.C. You can, for example, go to C-SPAN’s website www.c-span.org and watch and listen to a committee’s investigation of a nominee for a federal office – as it happens, or on a recording thereof. In contrast to the usual procedure of the national TV networks to provide commentary both before and after a Presidential speech for example, C-SPAN simply brings its video cameras into the room and transmits the raw data of the speech to the viewer, as if he/she was seated in the room listening to the speech.
In Mr. Bacon’s words, “C-SPAN is not going to attempt to tell you what to think. We're going to simply put you in the rooms where the most important political and policy issues are being discussed and debated. We're going to let you watch all of these events in their entirety so that you can think for yourself and make up your own mind.”
Mr. Bacon emphasized that C-SPAN receives no funding from any governmental source, federal or otherwise. It is a private 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that obtains 99% of its revenue from affiliate fees paid by the cable, satellite and telephone companies (e.g. Comcast, DirecTV, Verizon) that provide our television networks to their customers.
This space does not permit a full description of the kinds of information that C-SPAN provides. That information is available on their website, www.c-span.org. The C-SPAN channel is available on local TV.
Our meeting closed with a bit of Rotary history, “Greater Kansas City Day” was launched with the tagline, “Buy a paper – Help the kids.” A quote from Mother Teresa: “People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway. And the 4 way test.
Our dedicated Shoe shoppers, Brad Kleindl, Mary Bright, and Diane Scott, are doing an outstanding job. Thus far, 500 pairs of shoes and 664 pairs of socks are purchased.
To celebrate the 20th year partnership with Buckner International, our District Shoe Cheerleader, Larry Lundsford, has set a goal for the District to donate 20,000 pairs of Shoes. We are keeping our fingers crossed that Club 13 will deliver 2,000 pairs of shoes to the District Shoe Roll Call on May 22, 2021.
Thank you for the generous donations from Sally Bibb, Bob Lager, Lonnie Lawton, Carl Bolte, Dennis McKeehan, Mary Kingsley, and the Greater Kansas City Foundation.
You can still donate to this worthy cause until May 12th. Please make your checks payable to the Kansas City Rotary Club Foundation and note in the memo line, “Shoes for Orphan Souls.” Please mail your check to our Shoe Chair, Linn Mills, 147 NW Pointe Drive, Kansas City, MO. 64116.
Your gift can be the first step out of poverty. New shoes put children on a path to Health, Education, Hope, and Opportunity.
For additional information, please free to contact Linn Mills at lfrenchnc@aol.com or call 505-402-6630.
Doing some spring shopping? Make sure you use Amazon Smile! Amazon has created a service through smile.amazon.com that automatically donates a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choice. This support comes at no extra cost to you, and you can still receive all your prime benefits while shopping! The Rotary Youth Camp is registered as a charity through Amazon, so you can select our camp to receive your donations. To ensure donations are made from your purchases you have to either use smile.amazon.com for all your Amazon purchases, or turn on Amazon Smile in the app settings. Follow this link to set your charity of choice to the camp, https://smile.amazon.com/ch/44-6000884
then bookmark the Amazon Smile page for easy access!
supplies/clean fans /beds/screens/carts/trashcans/mattress repair or replace
May
powerwash comfort station floors
2
powerwasher/squeegees
May
mulch tetherball area/hang tetherballs
2
mulch/gator/tetherballs
May
install screen doors on cabins
2
gators/screen doors/door pins
May
Move picnic tables to marked areas
4-6
trucks/gators/placement map
May
We meet Thursdays at Noon
The Kill Devil Club
31 E. 14th St.
Kansas City, MO 64105
*We are currently meeting virtually via Zoom*
@rotaryclub13
@rotary13
@rotaryclub13
By David Hanzlick
Rotarians are known as ‘People of Action.’ That’s not simply a tagline; but rather, it’s a reflection of reality. Club 13 members individually and collectively exemplify that ideal as they place ‘service above self.’
In spite of everything we have been through these past 12 months, the club continues to make progress. The committees are hard at work on many projects – ranging from the installation of a hydration station in city market to the building of sanitary toilets in Zambia and from the weekly bagel run to the collection of shoes through Shoes for Orphan Souls, among many other initiatives.
I am delighted to report that groups within the Club are signing up for ‘Front Porch’ projects at Camp. The Club board will have a work day on April 3. Women of Rotary has two scheduled two workdays – one on March 27 and another on April 5. I encourage other groups and committees to schedule work days as well. Laurie has provided a list or projects that can be found elsewhere in the Buzz Saw.
Camp work days are an ideal opportunity to socialize and work in a safe, socially distanced, outdoor setting. Other opportunities for outdoor gatherings are coming up. Thank you to the Entertainment Committee for arranging a parking lot party at Bibb & Associates on April 22. I look forward to seeing many of you there.
Additional events this spring include the annual memorial service and family picnic on June 5 and the Changing of the Guard on July 1 – both at the Rotary Youth Camp.
The plan is to return to in-person meetings in July, depending on circumstances as that date approaches.
Thank you for your commitment to making a difference in the community and the world through your commitment to Rotary.
The Satellite Club will meet on Tuesday, March 23rd, 5:30 PM via Zoom with Eryn Realmuto serving as Moderator. There will be a discussion on Rotary Youth Camp Front Porch projects and the group will select a project and date to go out to the Camp. Following networking, Michelle Biondo of the Seton Center will speak on “Offering Help, Giving Hope”. All Club 13 Rotarians are welcome to link in.
Bowling News
By Tim Tholen
Hello Rotary Club 13!!
Only 6 weeks left of the 2020-2021 season and things are tightening up and bowlers are improving.
The ZOOM meeting began promptly at noon with a send-out to the breakout rooms, where we contemplated our preferences for canines vs. felines. (or dogs vs. cats – your preference). Dogs appeared to win the contest, with no cats objecting.
Mandy and/or Pres. David introduced our speaker for the day, Joel Bacon, who is a Community Relations Specialist for C-SPAN. His team’s goal is to engage students, teachers, civic groups, and anyone interested in politics to use C-SPAN as an unfiltered “Window on Washington” to follow the daily happenings of the Federal government. His job has included traveling around the country in the C-SPAN bus to present information about C-SPAN’s programs. In the last 4 years, he’s seen about 40 states, including Alaska.
Our dedicated Shoe shoppers, Brad Kleindl, Mary Bright, and Diane Scott, are doing an outstanding job. Thus far, 500 pairs of shoes and 664 pairs of socks are purchased. 
Doing some spring shopping? Make sure you use Amazon Smile! Amazon has created a service through smile.amazon.com that automatically donates a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choice. This support comes at no extra cost to you, and you can still receive all your prime benefits while shopping! The Rotary Youth Camp is registered as a charity through Amazon, so you can select our camp to receive your donations. To ensure donations are made from your purchases you have to either use smile.amazon.com for all your Amazon purchases, or turn on Amazon Smile in the app settings. Follow this link to set your charity of choice to the camp, 
@rotaryclub13
@rotary13
@rotaryclub13
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