Reported by Dick Brown
President Julie Benkoski called the meeting to order at noon and led in reciting the club’s Vision Statement. Past President John Braziel led the pledges and Ann Graham gave the invocation. Past President Dick Brown led us in reciting the “FOUR WAY TEST.” Mary Reynolds was our Greeter at the top of the stairs and Debbie Farnum introduced our guests and visitors.
Past President Lee Yeakel then came to the podium and provided the Membership Minute. He told us that, as a United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas, he is part of that District’s Austin Division, which handles cases in many central Texas counties, from Washington County in the East to Kimble County in the West. He told us that most of the people who appear in his court do so in orange jump suits and he hopes none of those present ever would. He is a member because of the service projects we do and the great people in the Club.
After President Julie’s Announcements and a few minutes of Fellowship, Annual Ask Committee Chair Rich Fikani introduced our Austin Rotary Club Foundation (ARCF) panelists: himself and Amy Jackson.
Amy Jackson explained that dues and lunch fees do not support any of the Club’s many good works projects. All of that funding comes as a result of contributions we, as Club members, make to the ARCF and to The Rotary Foundation – the charitable sister organization to Rotary International. She explained why the club has chosen to have an Annual Ask program instead of doing fund raisers.
Rich Fikani explained how the money contributed to each of the Annual Ask’s four categories of giving are used. Contributions designated for Club Projects go 80% to next year’s good works projects and 20% to ARCF corpus. Austin Rotary Club Foundation designated contributions are added to the capital of the ARCF. Contributions designated for The Rotary Foundation go there and it returns that same amount to the Club and the District after 3 years. Polio Plus designated contributions go entirely to Rotary’s International’s worldwide polio eradication program.
Amy Jackson reported that the ARCF now holds over $1.9 million and distributes 4% of its multi-year average balance to the Club to finance its good works projects, including, last year, $58,000 in scholarships.
President Julie Benkoski announced next week’s program – Texas Rangers Chief Chance Collins, thanked our featured newsletter sponsors, Bill Koen (Joe Koen & Son Jewelers) and Louis Williams (Baker Hill Farms), closed with a “Thought for the Day” and adjourned at 1:00 p.m.