11-21-2013 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha

Guests included Bob Chamberlain.

Prayer concerns included Rotarian Jim Glaze and Don Pittman, father of Jerry Pittman.

President Greg Elliott reminded Rotarians to sign up for the Dec. 12 Christmas Party at the USAO. Each Rotarian is responsible for selling 5 tickets for the drawing for a John Deere Gator. Deadline for turning in tickets and money is Dec. 11.

Rotarians are needed to help man the Festival of Light gates on Sunday, Dec. 15 and Tuesday, Dec. 17. The previously announced dates were incorrect.

Dr. Jason Shaw, an assistant professor of biology at USAO, was introduced as the guest speaker. He is known as the school’s “Batman,” because of the extensive research he has done on bats and for the past couple of years on Oklahoma bats.

“Oklahoma is an extremely diverse state when it comes to bats,” Shaw said. “There are 23 species of bats in Oklahoma.

Three of the species in the state are endangered – the gray, Indiana and the Ozark big-ear bats. Shaw said loss of habitat and pesticides are most likely to blame.

He said Red bats are active in the summer and migrate in he winter.

The Mexican Free Tail bat has been proclaimed the official State of Oklahoma bat.

Shaw said research he conducts includes looking at the impact of bats on insect population and a bat disease called white nose syndrome.

Thank you Dr. Shaw for a most interesting program.

President Greg reminded members that there would be no meeting on Thursday, Nov. 28 because of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

The meeting adjourned after recitation of the Rotary 4-way Test.