Newsletter Date: Jan. 31
Meeting Date: Jan. 26
Reporter: Erica Busillo Adams
INSPIRATION
Ron Hoak quoted from Return to Your Core: “Gratitiude: Do not reserve being grateful for only the holidays. Live a life of gratitude daily. Gratitude lifts your spirits and the spirits of those around you. When the desire for more takes precedence, more will never be enough.”
ANNOUNCEMENTS , Etc…
The ballots for election of board members and officers have gone out. Please do remember to vote!
This coming Tuesday’s meeting features Amy Luckiewicz who will discuss the adventures of shark diving.
Visitors / Guests
- Carl Alves - Dartmouth Rotary Club
- Rufus Jones, Yarmouth Rotary Club
- Elizabeth Habecker – President Elect, Bristol Rotary Club
- Steven Habeeb, Braintree Rotary Club
- Maarten Hemsley Duxbury Rotary Club
- Liz Pasqualini - Chariho Rotary Club
- Deb Tennant – President, Rotary Club of the Bridgewaters
- Rodney Kornegay
HAPPY BUCKS
Margaret Kane: $5 happy bucks for a plaque she saw to George Babcock at Coastal Medical and an additional $5 happy bucks for Steve Hug's choice of college roommate.
John McGinn: $10 happy bucks - $5 for his new son through marriage opening up a new dog walking business, RI Rovers, and $5 Steve Hug for the fantastic speaker last week.
Peter Brock: $10 happy bucks, one for every Super Bowl Tom Brady has been in!
Jim Gilcreast: $1 happy buck because he’s happy and $1 happy buck for a Braintree Mass Rotary Club member joining the meeting today!
Steven Habeeb: $5 happy bucks for Jim Gilcreast!
Don Saracen: $1 happy buck for a picture that his son took of Point Judith that was recently framed and is now hanging in his home!
DR. TODD JENKINS EXPLAINS:
WHY THE BOWTIE?
Dr. Todd "Bowtie" Jenkins – a proud Rotarian since age 24 who currently serves on Rotary International’s DEI taskforce! – started his presentation by answering the question “Why the bowtie?” He finds that people from all walks of life are curious about his bowties, and this servers as a reminder to him to be and stay curious about other people.
Dr. Jenkins then charged club members with having “Bow-Tie” conversations:
B - Be - Be present
O - Open - Have an open mind and heart
W - Willing – Be willing to share your own story and own your own truth
Tie – Tie conversations together – What do you learn from each conversation you have?
Dr. Jenkins went on to give his own definition of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):
- Diversity – Refers to both visible and invisible differences between individuals – both what you can see and what you can’t see.
- Inclusion - Creating an environment and culture that respects visible and invisible differences and where all individuals can be both seen and heard.
- Equity vs. Equality - Equality is when everyone gets the exact same pair of shoes. Equity is when everyone gets a pair of shoes that properly fits them and is suited to their needs. Equity asks us to examine and dismantle the structural barriers to opportunity.
Dr. Jenkins explained that there are three cases for inclusion:
- the moral case – it’s the right thing to do
- the social case – the world and communities are changing, therefore change is needed
- and the business case – when you get inclusion right, businesses thrive.
Applied to Rotary, Dr. Jenkins feels that inclusion will build a better, more innovative and more effective Rotary. Look at this year’s theme – “Rotary Opens Opportunities.” With inclusion, everyone wins! Dr. Jenkins also made a point of stating how passionately he believes in Rotary’s mission and that “there’s hope for the hopeless because of Rotarians!”