WELCOME
Welcome to the Georgetown-Millsboro (DE) Rotary Club's web site. We're located in the center of Sussex County in the heart of DelMarVa (Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Peninsula), affectionately known as "Lower Slower" Delaware. For those living in the area or visiting, please consider joining us for lunch any Tuesday at the Sussex Pines Country Club, near Georgetown. Check out the speaker's schedule below or contact us for more information. Bill Purnell, President
Announcements
If you don't find what you're seeking here, try DaCdb or District 7630.
Coming Attractions
Winter Gala Committee 11am/Feb 9
Winter Gala - Feb 20
District Conference/Dover Downs - April 22-24
New Paul Harris Fellows 
Its likely club history was made on January 19th with seven new Paul Harris Fellows recognized and four members receiving their PHF +1, +2 or +3, representing a combined contribution of $11,000 to the Rotary Foundation. Pictured (l-r), seated: Jo Ann Hopkins, Charlene Hubert and Carol Smith, first row: Dan Tabler, Jean McCool, Bernice Edwards and PDG Roger Clavette (+3). Back row: Pres. Bill Purnell (+1), Ernie Megee (+2) and Dean Rubino (+1). Missing from photo was new PHF Beatrice Megee.
Thanks to Jason Bentley, we now have a Facebook page. To learn more go to: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php#/pages/Georgetown-DE/Georgetown-Millsboro-Rotary-Club/362189010146?ref=ts If you have Facebook questions, please ask Jason (bentley@dtcc.edu) or Jennifer (jennifer.pavik@vernoncompany.com) our Facebook "experts".
Winter Gala 
Terry Megee, Linda Price and the Winter Gala Committee have been busy planning the best Gala ever. We're looking forward to another fun evening at Del Tech on Sat., February 20th from 7 to 10pm. Tickets remain at $35/person and are available from any Rotarian but will not be sold at the door. This year's "Pirate" theme Gala will feature music by the Honeycombs, live and silent auctions, wine and locally brewed beer tasting and much more. Live and Silent Auction items
are beginning to roll in with a combined deer/goose hunt for two valued at $500, a personal plane ride valued at $250, a cruise for four on the Broadkill River valued at $100, art work, five hours of house cleaning, bottles of wine and more already received. And, if you draw the combination that opens the Pirates Treasure Chest you'll win $1000. Buzz Matthew's granddaughter Jocelyn, pictured right, is ready for the Pirate Gala, are you?
Welcome
Vickie Croley, Business Services Supervisor of NRG Indian River Power LLC, is our newest member. Vickie lives in Ocean City and works in Dagsboro. Her son James is an architect and daughter Rachel a Certified Nursing Assistant, both in Lexington, KY. She was sponsored by Randy Cash. Please welcome Vickie to our club.
Jason Bentley, Delaware Tech Development Director, was welcomed as a new member on November 17th. Jason is from West Virginia where he held a similar position at West Virginia Wesleyan College. His wife, Erin Bryan Bentley, is from Georgetown and a graduate of Sussex Central High School. Jason was sponsored by Lin Faucett. Please welcome Jason to our club.
Board Meeting Highlights
The January 21st meeting was called to order by President Bill Purnell with eight officers/board members and two members present. The Board again reviewed accounts receivable and attendance issues. The consensus was that we need to do a better job of "closing the books" on the Gala and Golf events. The new Report to the Community magazine project under Jim Rasa and Linda Price's leadership has gone very well with an anticipated profit of about $9K that will be split between the Gala and the Endowment. Leave requests by Bud Clark, Bill Colley, Paul Mylander and Pat Ryan were all approved. Jack Donovan will be invited to attend the February Board meeting to provide a status report on the Can-Do Playground being developed in Milford by Area 4-0 and 4-1 clubs. The Board approved a $50 request to provide trophies and ribbons for the Sussex 4-H Public Speaking Contest. Dan Tabler will serve as a judge representing the club. The next Board meeting will be on February 18th at 8am in Lin Faucett's Board Room at Del Tech. Board meetings last about an hour, are open to all members and count as a meeting make-up.
Community Grants
Children and Families First, Christiana Care Visiting Nurses and the Georgetown-Ellendale VFW each received $1000 as part of the club's Community Grants program. Applications are being accepted for the Spring 2010 Grant Cycle (deadline 3/31). Please click these links for the Grant Guidelines and Application to learn more. Pictured (l-r), Ray Hopkins, Grants Chair, Joe Forester of of Georgetown-Ellendale VFW, Judy Applegate of Christiana Care Visiting Nurses, Marcie Urgo of Children and Families First and Reid Beveridge of the Community Grants Committee.
College Scholarships
The Georgetown-Millsboro Rotary Club offers two $1000.00 scholarships to a deserving high school seniors from the Georgetown-Millsboro area. Scholarship recipients Xin Li and Paige Valeski, the Sussex Central Valedictorian and Salutatorian, were recognized at the June 9th meeting. Please click on Scholarship Guidelines and Application for more information or contact Scholarship Chair Dr. Carl Maschauer.
MEETINGS
The club meets every Tuesday at noon at The Sussex Pines Country Club, 22480 Sussex Pines Road Georgetown, DE 19947 (302 856-3363)
Speakers - VP Bernice Edwards coordinates our weekly speakers. Please contact Bernice (302 856-7761 x102) with speaker/program suggestions.
SPEAKER SCHEDULE
| DATE | Speaker | Topic | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
Feb 2 |
Jim Rasa |
Dyslexia |
Jim Rasa |
Feb 9 |
Rose Ann Whittaker |
TBA |
B. Edwards |
Feb 16 |
Bill Purnell |
Club Assembly |
Pres. Bill |
Feb 23 |
Scott Chambers |
Community Natl Guard |
B. Edwards |
You could have heard the proverbial pin drop when member Jim Rasa began speaking; attentiveness usually reserved for only the most prestigious speakers. Jim shared some highlights from his forthcoming book “Dim Bulb,” about his journey with dyslexia that the National Institute of Health encouraged him to write. The title of the book, to be published by Barnes and Noble, was inspired by a comment Jim overheard his father make when Jim had failed an important school exam. Jim went on to explain that dyslexia is not well-understood and is often misdiagnosed. He said that children who are creative and outgoing yet struggling with reading and math should be tested for dyslexia as often that is the cause. Jim also shared his willingness to go anywhere and speak to anyone to help dyslexia become better understood so that children in the future will not have to struggle as he did. Jim received a well-deserved standing ovation at the conclusion of this talk.
VP Bernice Edwards conducted the January 26th in President Bill's absence. Several years ago our club developed the Community Grants program to help local organizations that provide direct services to those in need. Grants are awarded in the spring and fall. Ray Hopkins chairs the committee that also includes Reid Beveridge and Tammy Brittingham. Three organizations received $1000 each as part of the Fall 2009 grants cycle including Children and Families First, Christiana Care Visiting Nurses and the Georgetown-Ellendale VFW. (Photo above right: Marcie Urgo of Children and Families First receives a $1000 check from Grants Committee Chair Ray Hopkins. See a group photo in the Community Grants section) In other business, Dean Rubino reported on the great time several of our members had at Rehoboth Beach Sunrise's Championship Sunday. Acting as Sheriff, Dean fined all members who didn't attend Championship Sunday.
The Rotary Foundation was the focus of the January 19th meeting led by Foundation Chair Dean Rubino and "Mr Foundation" PDG Roger Clavette. Dean and PDG Roger presented Paul Harris Fellow pins, medals and
certificates to Jean McCool, Reid Beverage, Mike Johnson, Bernice Edwards, Carol Smith, Charlene Hubert, Dan Tabler and Jo Ann Hopkins. Bill Purnell and Dean Rubino received PHF+1, Ernie Megee PHF+2, PDG Roger PHF+3. Beatrice Megee, Ernie's wife and Dean's mother-in-law, also received a PHF. The program was both informative and fun as Dean introduced a new game called "Squirt Ray". Members paid to have Jo Ann squirt Ray if he was unable to answer a question about the Rotary Foundation. Following the last question Ray, a very good sport, was soaked and $300 had been raised for the people of Haiti.
Michael Shockley, who recently joined the United Way, showed a PowerPoint presentation on the organization’s role in Delaware and Sussex County. Michael was born in Lewes and now lives with his wife Mary and two
children in Ocean View. His mission is to create and maintain relationships with United Way partners and to create more awareness of the organization’s message – “Give, Advocate, Volunteer”. Michael said that growing up in Lewes in some ways kept him sheltered but since having become involved with United Way he has seen a great need, especially in Sussex County, for all of the services and organizations the United Way supports. Michael encourages any business interested in starting a United Way donation program to call him at 856-7884 or go to www.uwde.org . Michael is a member of the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Club. Thanks to Linda Price for this article.
Happy Birthday!
| Feb 19 | Bill Purnell | Feb 22 | Randy Cash |
| Feb 25 | Lit Dryden | Feb26 | Charlene Hubert |
Rotary Radio
WDEL at 7:30 am Sunday mornings - Discussion involving Rotary and topics of interest.
Photos by Dan Tabler and others as noted.
Updated 2/03/10 - Send Webmaster Dan Tabler club news and photos
