Newsletter - Archive  Mar 5, 2009

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Once again we had a very full agenda.  Jill Kuli and her committee sorted through many requests for funds for our Villa Park Teachers.  In fact Jill said it was a record year for requests.  In the end we awarded 15 teacher minigrants in amounts up to $500 for a grand total of $5000.  Many of the requests were for high tech devices that would make teaching more interactive. One of the grants also went to improving the venue at Villa Park High School's Cafetorium, which in the past has served as the school's theatre for band, orchestra and theatrical events.

After our invocation by Juliana Ditty and Pledge by Teri Brooks we were treated to the high school band playing the National Anthem.

We also gave 108 blue backpacks to the Make a Wish Foundation.  This was a project suggested by Bob Kreisberg and the backpacks were purchased by Jill Kuli.

Steven Pollack also reported that the club delivered 95 "Love Packs" to Tecate to be given to the orphans.

Our speaker this week was SPC Angel Meyer, who just returned for a brief furlough from her second tour of duty in Iraq. Angel, who is the wife of VPRC member Ken Meyer, gave us a brief video tour of her base in Iraq and then opened the floor for questions. Angel gave her perspectives on the current and future situation in Iraq as she sees it.  Even though she is a trained mechanic she has been assisting at the base hospital with medevacs, radio communications and many other essential duties.  She is due to return to Iraq in the next 2 weeks and from there suspects she will go to Afghanistan.  Ken and April gave a brief discussion about their group "A bit of Home" which sends

DVDs, hygeine products and snacks to the troops. Ken pointed out that the army does very little to supply the troops with these goods and even though they are available at the PX, they are very expensive.

Our Rotarian of the Month for February was Ellen Turnbull.  Ellen, Chairperson of the Vocational Services Committee, did a wonderful job selecting and running our annual Speech and Song Compeititions. She put a lot of time and effort into the events, as well as, a nice infusion of her own personality.

Photos are availble on the Photo album site of this website.