Michael Is a Winner

District Governor Clenise Platt congratulates Michael Desplaines for his award.

Michael Desplaines was recently named the Rotary District 7600 Alumni of the Year for 2019. Although Michael only became a Rotarian in 2014, his Rotary roots date to 1996. Back then he worked at a YMCA in Fall River, MA and was recruited to help with a Rotary program that brought children from Northern Ireland to the United States. Michael, executive director of Norfolk Botanical Garden, recalls "dragging the kids to lots of Rotary meetings: where he learned a lot about Rotary.

In 2000 while working for a YMCA in Cranston, R.I., Michael's Rotarian boss encouraged him to apply for a Rotary Group Study Exchange to India. He calls the one-month trip there "the experience of a lifetime -- one that changed my life because I saw all the good work Rotary does."

Shortly after moving to Hampton Roads, Michael was invited to join our club by Bill Eisenbeiss. In 2015 he joined the district's Rotary Alumni Association and was elected its president in 2018. Last summer, the association was honored at the Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany as the Alumni Association of the Year. Michael currently is vice president of programs for our club.

December 3, Rotary Day of Giving

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 3, Rotary’s Day of Giving. On that day, the club will match donations with a minimum of $100 of up to $500 given through myrotary.org to either the Annual Fund or to Polio Plus for existing Paul Harris Fellows (PHF). It is a great way of obtaining your next level of PHF. For those people who are PHF + 8 or above, we will not match because The Rotary Foundation does not recognize points for Major Donor status.
As a reminder, the club already matches donations in increments of $100 for those working to become a Paul Harris Fellow.
To make the donation, please have an account at myrotary.org before Tuesday, December 3. It is easy to create (there is a link to create a user).

CHKD Update

Rotarian Dr. Marilyn Gowen introduced our speaker, Dr. C. W. Gowen, who happens to be her husband. He has been a neonatologist at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters since 1990 and chairs the pediatric department at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Dr. Gowen gave a full update on what is happening at CHKD. The hospital has seen phenomenal growth since its beginning in 1961 and is now one of the leaders across the country among children’s hospitals.

He reported that CHKD:

Is a leader in preventing accidental newborn death by educating mothers about safe sleep
Has 55 per cent diversity among staff and medical residents
Is researching gene therapy to cure for the first time some challenging medical conditions
Is working to warn patients and parents about the dangers of vaping and e-smoking.

In only one area, CHKD come up short -- mental health care for children. There is a shortage of child psychiatrists nationwide, and Hampton Roads is no different. Better access to mental health professionals for children will help correct a great many health problems. That is why CHKD is building a 14-story, 60-bed hospital that also will have outpatient treatment and an expanded staff. CHKD has broken ground on the building, which will open in 2022.

The Meeting

The school of the week was Tarralton Elementary School, which received a book in honor of our speaker.
Bob Heely reported that pianist Frank Whitman is out having heart surgery, which explains why Eleanor Schoonover capably, led us in singing without accompaniment as we started our meeting.
Good news: Bob Latimer’s annual Hot Dog Day will be at noon on December 20 at Doug's Hot Dogs in Ocean View.
Bill Moore reported there is only one small piece of work to finish the installation of walk-in freezer and refrigerator at Hunton YMCA.
Our New Generation Rotary visitor from Brazil is in Richmond will soon be in Norfolk where she needs volunteers to give her with rides to work at area nonprofits.
Bob Heely is on the prowl for various people for Career Day to help high school seniors explore career options.
Rotary Foundation month is ending, and all donations to the Rotary Foundation made on December 3 will be matched.
We were visited by a sprightly elf reminding us of the December 17th club social at the Mambo Room. Be there or risk being turned into an elf for the next year.

Happy Bucks

John Cameron had a picture from his Mongolia trip printed in the Virginia Pilot Sunday.
Steve Schultz and Jeff Wells enjoyed helping with painting of the future little readers' library at the Hunton YMCA.
Joe New was happy that his Hokies are back in the top 10.
Michael Desplaines is Rotary Alumni of the Year for Rotary District 7600 plus the Norfolk Botanical Garden he heads was voted the top non-profit fundraiser at a recent National Philanthropy Day celebration.
Major James Allison is happy about the good work The Salvation Army does this time of year.
Sharon Laderberg is pleased to again have a house full of children and dogs.

George Compo had the winning raffle ticket for the 50-50 and took home the princely sum of $14.

President Lorna closed the meeting with moving thoughts on Thanksgiving and how much the generosity of Rotarians means to her.