Chickasha Rotary Club 

Chickasha Rotary Club

Aug. 18-16

President Nathan opening the meeting

    Guest:    Mary Kate Henson  (Nathan's Guest)

                Josh Epperson (Jay Epperson)

    No visiting Rotarians

Jim Allen gave his sergeant of arms report and then opened up a concern about the past-president Brad.  He called an outside witness to the stand.  To watch video click here https://youtu.be/9HXgMMQ75Qs

Sunshine Report:  People lifted up were ---  Sherman Fredrickson, Richard Varley, Conrad Duprez, Elmer Kuntz  

Rotarian of the Day is Brad Duvall who introduced his program Jen Jantzen, Executive Director of Chickasha School Foundation.  She is a Chickasha girl.  She moved back to Chickasha in 2005 as her husband took a job with the school in Ninnekah.  She worked for Fox 25 news and worked with charitable organizations.  She did not get to work with local communities so she is glad to be able to work as a part of the community again.  

The Foundation has been around for 30 years with $20,000 and now have 1.1 million.  She started as an Interum for 6 months.  She is hooked.  The Classroom School Closet program provides school supplies to every students regardless of income.  These supplies are the basic needs which can help the families of Chickasha.  Some teacher were spending up to $400 of their own money on students that could not afford the necessities.  Chickasha has 80% of the students in 8th grade and lower on free or reduced meals.  Bill Wallace uses 7,000 glue sticks. 5,000 boxes of crayons have been bought and found out there is a need for even more.  The Foundation cannot do what they do without the support of the community.  

The Foundation's biggest project is the Classroom Closet but they also do the 5th grade mentor program.  The 5th grade boys and girls separately have an event at the USAO ballroom where they dress up and learn all about formal eating.  Each table has an adult mentor that works with the 5th graders to enjoy the meal with the educate coach teaching them how to eat properly.  The girls last year had Harley White a race car crash survivor and the boys had a local teacher  Steven Tellighouse who talked about setting your dreams.

The Foundation also gives grants to teachers.  The teachers can apply for a grant to fund a function that the district or the local school cannot afford.  It takes the community to support the Foundation and asked for all to consider helping out when possible.  

Thanks you Fancy Pants Brad for a great program.