MEETING DATE:  1/27/2016

Attendance:  Michael Bailey

Greeter: 

Thought & Pledge:  Joan O'Neil

Scribe:   Maureen Barry

Music:  John Ray

 

GUESTS:  John Butler (Jim Griffith’s son-in-law), Chris Cole (new to Wilmette, prospective member)

 

VISITING ROTARIANS: 

 

BIRTHDAYS:  Barry Miller, Jan. 29

 

ROTARY ANNIVERSARIES:  Sue Kozak (9 years), Maureen Barry (11), Pam Kerr and John Ray (18 years)

       

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  1) No meeting next week, please use the opportunity to attend another club meeting.  The meeting on Feb. 10 will be Club Assembly so those who do can report back.  2) RYLA - our Club chose Rose Peterson (Interactor), Kirk Stewart and Spencer Olson, all from New Trier, to attend.  We are trying to find other clubs to sponsor the remaining 3 applicants.  We’ll ask our attendees to come back and tell us about their RYLA experience.  3) The Elmwood Dunes project was selected as Public Works Project of the Year in the Historic Restoration/Preservation Category by the regional chapter of the American Public Works Association.  Our club was recognized at the luncheon in Addison as a major sponsor, which Tim Frenzer and Sue Watson attended as our representatives.  4) From DG Rodney Adams – a Disaster Relief Liaison Team and 501c3 are being established within the District to help determine how Rotarians can assist when major events occur, such as the storm along the East Coast this week.   

 

Paul Harris (+1) Presentation to Tim Frenzer – Tim said thank you for the recognition.  He is proud to support all the good work Rotarians do, locally, in the U.S. and internationally.

 

 

 

Operation Warm News:

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:  1) Soup Kitchen is next Monday 2/1 at First Baptist Church in Evanston.  Contact Tom Ryan to sign up.  2) March 12 - Kids Against Hunger food packing event in Winnetka, $20 goes towards food costs, deadline is Feb. 14, after that cost is $25.  Contact Ellen Falkof. 3) Shen Yun – Sue Kozak is organizing a group to attend on either Feb. 13 or 14 at the Rosemont Theater, 10% discount on tickets of $135 or $90.  4) Ben Ivory announced an invitation to visit Prague and surrounding cities, April 8-16, $1300, organized by the Prague Rotary Club where Ben attended while he was living there.  More information will be posted on the website. 5) Mt. Prospect/Prospect Heights is holding a fundraiser (see Carol for date).  6) Fox Valley fundraiser, Village Pizza and Pub on Randall Rd. Feb. 4.

 

 

MEMBER BIO MOMENT: None

 

PROGRAM:  The Politics of Art and Culture in the Middle East

(introduced by Jim Griffith)

Jessica Winegar, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University

 

Prof. Winegar recently attended a conference commemorating the 5^th anniversary of the Egyptian revolution which gathered all of the major revolutionaries and human rights activists in one spot.  She presented on the findings of the conference, which focused on Egypt, but has ramifications and insights for the rest of the region.  The region has not improved after the “Arab Spring”, and in fact has never been worse, in terms of poverty and powerlessness for the people.  In Egypt, there are 40,000 political prisoners in jails, including university faculty.  Any protest is now illegal and there has been a media clampdown.  Any opposition is framed as ISIS, which has made progress into Egypt, along with the Muslim Brotherhood. Violence in Syria and Iraq has led to complete disruption there, and in Yemen and Libya also.  Access to food, clean water, medicine is challenging.  The ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestine creates world-wide political divisions. What went wrong after the Arab Spring?  Lack of organization (except the Muslim Brotherhood) and political sophistication, few viable alternatives.  Emergence of ISIS has changed the scene completely.  People have a daily fear of being targeted by ISIS.  Emotions of despair, sadness, trauma and physical bodily damage was the main theme of the conference, but also talk of change.  The CC government in Egypt is scared and doesn’t have control over certain segments, which leads them to repress.  This is giving hope to the revolutionaries (now in their 30’s) who remember what they did in overthrowing Mubarek and in other countries, and they have decided it is not over.  More counter-revolutionary behavior is taking place.  Good things: Morocco is at the head of climate change progress. Introduction of low cost Hepatitus C vaccinations are now in Egypt. Massive protests in Lebanon, which is barely functioning.  Emergence  of new charity movements, “Charity Hooks” in Iran for example.

 

 

 

Greeters:   Jim Bowman

Thought for the Day:  Volunteers??

Bio:  Elias Friedman 

Set-Up:   Gil

Attendance:  John Bowman

Scribe:  Norene Chip