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            District Governor Gerald Retzlaff from Monticello will make his official visit to our club today. He's an interesting, energetic Rotarian and we hope you will be there to meet him.

            Governor Retzlaff has been a member of the Monticello club for 14 years and before that was a Rotarian in Clarion. A graduate of Iowa State with a BS and MS degree in ag education, Gerald taught school is Belle Plaine for six years before a 20-year career in banking. Today he works fro Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

            Our Governor has spent many years in various district leaderhsip positions and much of the last two years preparing to be our Governor.

            Remember, it is customary to stand when he is introduced to the club.

With the arrival of the new parking meters in Downtown Waterloo parking enforcements are being stepped up.  Please read the following press release so you don't risk a $5 fine!

CONTACT: Sindee Kleckner                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

        (319) 291- 4298                                                          July 21, 2009

PARKING ENFORCEMENT STEPS UP

Downtown Waterloo has undergone some major changes over the last year and everyone who works, visits, and lives Downtown knows it was worth the wait. 

East 4^th Street went from no parking during construction, to un-metered time- limited parking after construction, and now the meters are here.  With the arrival of the new parking meters parking enforcement is being stepped up.  The City has approved additional parking officer positions and they could be on the street checking cars as early as today.  Regulating parking assures that one of the most valuable pieces of real estate Downtown is meeting its maximum benefit.  These regulations are in place for one reason; to encourage turn-over of parking spaces and attract more people Downtown.  Time limits, parking meters, and parking enforcement are all tools that protect a very important asset to customers and visitors Downtown: convenience.  There is a City regulation that prohibits parking after the prescribed time limit.  That means that "plugging" a 2-hour meter is in violation.  With over 3,000 public parking spaces available Downtown, most of which are free after 5:00 pm, there are plenty of opportunities for parking Downtown. 

We also ship bikes and need your help to collect them

As we start our annual Shoebox Project, we need to remember that in addition to shoeboxes and layettes, we also provide bicycles for our friends in Chinandega, Nicaragua.  We have been doing this for a number of years.  Two years ago we shipped 60 bikes, and last year 56.  We need your help in collecting bikes in serviceable condition to ship this year.

Bike coordinators Ken and David Allbaugh ask that you check your own basement and garage, then get the word out to your church members, neighbors, friends, and others.  Remember, the bikes need to be serviceable.  Because we don't have repair capability, the bikes must work. That means the brakes, chain, and gear shifters must function, and no bike parts are missing.  Flat tires are OK, as long as the tubes and tires are not worn out.  We welcome all types of bikes, including children's bikes.

We are collecting the bikes for disassembly and packaging at the Hawkeye Alarm warehouse.  Rotarian Ken Samek, Hawkeye Alarm owner has been kind enough to provide his facility again this year to support our efforts.  Thanks Ken!

When you locate a bike you have a couple of choices.  If you can transport the bike yourself, you can take it directly to the warehouse, located at 16 River Road in Waterloo.  It's near the intersection of Commercial Street and West Mullan Avenue.  The folks in the Hawkeye Alarm office can open the warehouse for you during normal business hours.

If you can't transport the bike, please call Dave Allbaugh at 235-1386 to pick it up.  We would like to have all available bikes collected by 15 August.

Remember, our friends in Chinandega don't ride bikes just for exercise.  They use them for primary transportation, a significant improvement over walking.  Like them, we thank you for helping with this Rotary Project to improve their quality of life.

Rotary Clubs throughout Iowa are supporting the growth of young leaders through a RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) camp in August.   More young people are needed.  

District 5970 has a great RYLA camp planned Aug 14-16th 2009 for youth between 16 & 19 years of age or students who've completed the 10-12th grade. However, for whatever reasons the application numbers have not been sufficient to conduct the camp. Cost has been kept at the minimum at $280 per camper and we've been suggesting that the student pay a portion with the club making up the difference.
 

Unless several additional campers get registered before July 31st we will cancel the RYLA camp for this year. Registration forms are available on the district web site.
 

Please review the material regarding the camp at the District web site at http://www.district5970.org/  or call co-coordinator Gus Glaser at 563-652-9047 or give Gerald Retzlaff a call at 319-480-0014 (C)  If you know a young person who could benefit please get in touch.

Foundation's manager to attend Perlman event November 8

            As the general manager of The Rotary Foundation, one of the largest charitable organizations in the United States in terms of fundraising and international grantmaking, John Osterlund oversees the operations of five divisions: Humanitarian Grant Programs, Educational Programs, PolioPlus, Fund Development, and Operations and Administration.

            John was a 1987-88 Ambassadorial Scholar, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sebring, Florida, (District 6890) to attend Stockholm's Universitet in Sweden.

John is a member of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, a Paul Harris Fellow and a benefactor. He is married to Elizabeth Gaizutis Osterlund, and they live in Evanston and have three children: two sons, Benjamin and Peter, and a daughter, Abigail.

Consider leaving it in your doctor's waiting room

              Rotarians in Butler, PA are taking their Rotarian magazine to the doctors office when they've read it; or the dentist's office and other waiting areas.

            The club supplies them with labels to put on the front cover advising those who read it about how to find out more information.

            According to a story in the current issue of the magazine, club members got the idea from remarks made by former RI President D. K. Moon about the value of the periodical.

            Even without that label you can follow their example with your copy. Who knows who might pick it up.