[Dilworthian] Aug. 28 issue

Thu Aug 27 17:36:22 PDT 2009

The Dilworthian

August 28, 2009

Service on This Dilworth Team Requires

Fingerprinting, Background Checks

Dilworthians have to be fingerprinted and background checked to serve on one
of our Club’s service committees, but the eight members of the USO team are
glad to do it because serve at the USO is so rewarding..

The fingerprinting and background checks are required because the USO Center
is inside security at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.   Every time
a member of the USO team goes to work a shift at the USO, he has to go
through security as if he were going to board an airplane.

Our USO team includes John Barringer, Lamar Gunter, David Hodgkins, Pete
Johnston, Bob  Lyons, Ernie Rider, Harding Shinn, and Lee Wensil. 

In the Center, our volunteers handle various aspects of operating the Center
to serve more than 200 military members, retirees and their guests each day.
They staff the registration desk at the entrance to the center; make
sandwiches and coffee; stock the cooler shelves with soft drinks; pick up
donated food items from airport vendors;  sweep, dust and vacuum;  they
check out video games for guests to play; and they answer lots questions.
Service members ask about hotels if they are stranded overnight, about plane
schedules, and where other USOs are located.

One question they often hear is what does USO stand for and how did it get
started.  The initials stand for United Services Organization, although it
is known simply as the USO.  The USO was formed in 1941 in response to a
request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt who determined it would be best
if private organizations handled the on-leave recreation needs of the
rapidly growing U.S. armed forces. Roosevelt’s call to action led six
civilian agencies to coordinate their civilian war efforts and resources to
form a new organization – the USO (United Service Organizations). The six
civilian agencies were the Salvation Army, Young Men’s Christian
Association, Young Women’s Christian Association, National Catholic
Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and the National
Jewish Welfare Board. The USO was incorporated in New York February 4, 1941.

What do the Dilworthians get out of volunteering at the USO?  Lee Wensil
probably said it best: “I volunteer for a good many things, but there is
nothing more rewarding than the USO.  When you talk with these young and
retired military men and women, you cannot help but feel pride and thankful
that these have stepped forward to serve this country.”

Pete Johnston said, "I run into so many people these days, especially young
people, who are opinionated but uninformed. The troops we serve at the USO
are refreshing!  It's great to know that America still has young people who
have more to offer their country than just their opinions! These are our
true Patriots and it's a privilege to serve them! "

David Hodgins said, ”I look forward to my shifts at the USO each time I go-
It is one of the most rewarding things I do! It never fails to amaze me that
the military people I meet always thank us for volunteering. We should, as I
do, thank them!  To see how much they appreciate the conversation, the
stories, and the warm feelings that they get while at the Center is
extremely rewarding!”

Bob Lyons said something similar to David, “I marvel at how they always
thank me for giving them a little food, something to drink and a place to
rest........after all they do for me, my family and our country.”

There are about 300 USO volunteers, some of them Rotarians, but our Club is
the only one that made USO volunteer service one of its club projects.  If
you think you might like to volunteer, you will have to put your name on a
waiting list because the USO is limited by the Airport to 300 security
badges. There is a waiting list to be a volunteer, but it is a volunteer job
worth waiting to get. 

DilWorth Noting

September Rotarian Offers More Good Reading

 With our Club considering sponsorship of an Interact Club at Garinger High
School, R.I. President  John Kenny’s letter in this month’s Rotarian is
particularly appropriate reading for us.  He points out that September is
“New Generations Month”  and Rotary’s programs for youth are the focus of
his letter.   

Other articles outlined in the September contents:

Page 30 I (mis)behaved The novelist and former federal prosecutor says we
don’t have to accept unethical behavior from public officials.

Page 34 I’m (not) sorry  Most people can tell the difference between genuine
remorse and expedient excuses.  The ones who can’t are usually the ones
making the apology.

Page 38 Oh, to be in England  Highlights from the Birmingham convention in
pictures.

Page 40 The Rotarian Conversation with Mia Farrow   The actress and activist
casts a clear-eyed look on the devastation of Darfur, Sudan, and the plight
of its refugees.

Page 44 Back to school in Sri Lanka  We revisit Sri Lanka four years after
the tsunami to see how Rotarians rebuilt schools ravaged by the storm.

Update On District 7680 Flights of Honor

The Rotary District 7680 Flight of Honor Steering Committee will conduct its
pre-flight briefing tomorrow for 120 World War II veterans who will fly to
Washington, DC on September 19 and already has more than 60 applications for
the next flight.

What the Steering Committee doesn’t have yet is enough funding for the Sept.
19 flight.

If you plan to make a donation, perhaps in honor of a family member who was
in the military during World War II, please make it soon.  If you donate
through Dilworth Charities and designate the check for Flight of Honor, it
is deductible under the federal tax code. Mail your check to Dewey Jenkins,
Dilworth Charities, P. O. Box 19429,

Charlotte, NC 28219

News about Members

Gus Psomadakis is back in Carolinas Medical Center.  He had surgery to drain
fluid from his lungs. 

Happy Anniversary

Maxene and Harding Shinn, Sept. 2

Jane and Lee Wensil, Sept. 2

Patty and Joe Dyer, Sept. 10

Programs

Aug. 28       Official Visit by District 7680 Governor Karen Shore.  Each
District 

                     Governor visits each club in the District and meets
with the officers

                     and directors of the club. The District Governor will
address the full 

                     membership.

Sept. 4         Dr. Roland Carter, President of Johnson C. Smith University.

Service Opportunities

339222417 at 28062007-0F2F

Weekly at Meetings:

International Projects - 

·      Participate in the weekly lottery.  Half the proceeds go to benefit
our

      International projects. 

·     CART - Donate your loose change to the Alzheimer's research project by

           tossing it into the blue bucket at the check-in table.  

Have News for The Dilworthian

Have news for The Dilworthian? Deadline is each Tuesday at 9 p.m. Call Lamar
Gunter, 704/525-0569 or e-mail to Lamar at gunter4283 at bellsouth.net  

Dilworth Rotary's Web site is a valuable source of information on committee
chairs, upcoming programs and events, projects and other club matters.
Other important Rotary links on the Web are
<http://www.rotarydistrict7680.org/> www.rotarydistrict7680.org and
<http://www.rotary.org/> www.rotary.org, the Rotary International Web site. 

Please report changes of e-mail address by using the "contact us" feature on
the Charlotte Dilworth South End Rotary Web site.  Please report changes of
postal mailing address to Tricia King, assistant secretary-treasurer,
<mailto:thekings at carolina.rr.com> thekings at carolina.rr.com, or P. O. Box
471211, Charlotte, NC, 28247-1211.

Make-Up Opportunities

All  makeups should be mailed to Tricia King, Dilworth Rotary, Post Office
Box 471211,  Charlotte, NC 28247-1211. Club projects and committee meetings
count as make-ups.  All meetings listed below are at 12:30 p.m. unless
otherwise indicated.

MONDAY

Charlotte North - Byron's South End, 101 W. Worthington Ave.

Matthews - The Senior Center, 1050 DeVore Lane, Matthews, NC 28105 

Charlotte Top-of-the-Week  -  7:30 a.m., Dunhhill Hotel, 237 North Tryon,
uptown.

Charlotte South  -  Zebra Restaurant on Sharon Road in SouthPark. 

TUESDAY

Charlotte – Crowne Plaza, 201 S. McDowell St. 

Charlotte University City  -  7:30 a.m., University Hilton, 8629 J. M.
Keynes Dr.

WEDNESDAY

Charlotte West  -  Carolina Golf and Country Club, 2415 Old Steele Creek Rd.

North Mecklenburg - 12:15 p.m.  -  Peninsula Country Club, Hwy 73, W. Jetton
Rd., Cornelius

Charlotte SouthPark - 7:30 a.m. Marriott SouthPark Hotel, 2200 Rexford Rd.

THURSDAY

Charlotte East  -  Red Rocks Café, 4223 Providence Rd.  

Lake Norman-Huntersville - 7:30 a.m. NorthStone Country Club, 15801
Northstone Rd.

Waxhaw-Weddington - 7:30 a.m. in Rippington's Restaurant in Waxhaw.

Mint Hill - 7:30 am at Pine Lake Country Club, Mint Hill 

FRIDAY

Mecklenburg  County-South  -  7:30 a.m., Raintree  Country Club, 8600
Raintree Lane

Ballantyne Rotary – Piper Glen County Club, 4300 Piper Glen Dr., 

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