PROGRAM - Terry Freeman, City of Columbia, ”Residential Energy Efficiency Incentives”

GREETERS - Gena Patton & Dave Holtgraewe

INVOCATION/RAFFLE/ FUNDRAISER - Bill Costello

Metro Rotary will host its monthly fellowship social from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 1 at 44 Stone Public House (3810 Peachtree Drive).

All Metro members and friends are invited to attend!

Thanks to all the Columbia community and friends who have registered to assist with the Columbia For Joplin event on August 27. To date, over 700 individuals have offered to assist the Joplin community that was affected by a recent tornado.

Saturday morning, these volunteers will leave at 4:00 a.m. from The Crossing (3615 Southland Drive) , and drive to Joplin, where we will they will meet with representatives of AmeriCorps, a not-for-profit organization coordinating volunteer efforts there. The work day will conclude at 4:00 p.m., and the group will return to Columbia that evening.

This grass-roots initiative began locally to organize as many volunteers as possible from the Columbia area to take part in a work day in Joplin on August 27.  The event is organized by a group of Columbia-area Rotarians, but there are many non-Rotarian friends and family members who have agreed to help rebuild the Joplin community.

Again, Metro thanks everyone who has registered to participate in this important event.  You are what make Columbia such a great place to live, work and do business!

PROGRAM - Andy Craver, “Engineers Without Borders”

GREETERS - Jennifer Deaver & Scott Christianson

INVOCATION/PLEDGE/ FUNDRAISER - Liz Magee

Thanks to all members who supported the Central Missouri Food Bank annual fundraiser on August 23 at the Stoney Creek Inn.  The featured event was local civic clubs competing in a “Minute to Win It” contest.

Metro was well represented by Tom O’Connor, Scott Heck, Tina Ehrhardt and Team Captain Casey Buckman (above left to right).  Overall, they won more events than the other teams, but one other group had a large pledge total banked prior to the event which landed Metro in second place overall.  Congratulations and thanks to these four Rotarians for representing Metro so well.

PROGRAM - Don Ludwig, “Columbia Public Schools Redistricting”

GREETERS - Sally Beth Lyon & Lyle Johnson

INVOCATION/PLEDGE/ FUNDRAISER - Rose Hayden

The annual fundraising event to benefit the Columbia Food Bank will be held on August 23 at the Stoney Creek Inn.  Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m., and the program should conclude at 1:00 p.m.  This year’s luncheon will feature a “Minute to Win It” contest with various local civic clubs competing.

Metro will be entering a team of five members. Contact Casey Buckman to join our team!

Even if you will not be participating, please plan to attend.  Attendance credit will be awarded for members who are present.

PROGRAM - Eva Prost, “My Rotary Experience in Turkey”

GREETERS - Liz Magee & Ryan Lidolph

INVOCATION/PLEDGE/ FUNDRAISER - Jeff Davis

The Metro Rotary Board of Directors will not meet on August 10. Instead, we plan to hold a strategic planning retreat on Thursday, August 11. The retreat will be held in Room 173 of the Columbia Area Career Center (4203 South Providence Road). We will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m. and hope to adjourn by 6:00 p.m.

President Jim welcomes the input from all Rotarians, and everyone is invited to attend this important meeting. The efforts of all our members will be needed to make 2011-2012 a successful year.

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend! We hope to see you there.

PROGRAM - Dr. Rita Esterly, District 6080 Governor

GREETERS - Sarah Perry & John Stringer

INVOCATION/PLEDGE/ FUNDRAISER - Brad Nelson