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            For over 20 years Waterloo voters have approved a local option sales tax with the funds used to repair city streets. The issue is on the ballot Tuesday for renewal.

            At least one third of the funds come from people who live outside Waterloo but shop here. The tax, if passed, would not raise the amount we currently pay.

            This local option is totally separate from the local option tax we pay for school buildings.

Our regular meeting on Monday is just one of five events plus an election we hope you will participate in this week.

1.  Vote in the city election on Tuesday.

2.  Pork chop dinner Thursday at the Rotary Reserve.

3.  Community Service day Saturday; watch for details. Be there or be square.

4.  Rotary Foundation seminar Sunday afternoon at Mauker Union, UNI.

5.  Itzhak Perlman concert Sunday evening, 7:30 at the Gallagher Bluedorn PAC.

6.  No meeting Monday, November 9; we'll all need the rest.

Foundation's goal is to have every member make a gift every year

            You probably don't feel really happy when you pay your property or income taxes, but your gift to the Rotary Foundation should at least cause a smile. There are several reasons:

1. The gift you make will go towards an approved project.
2. Every dollar you give will be spent on projects.
3. Funds to run the Foundation come from earnings in the three-year period from the time you make the gift until the funds are spent.
4. A Rotary Club or district where the project is run is responsible for making sure money is spent as designated and must supply receipts.
5. Foundation gifts also pay for Ambassadorial scholarships of $24,000 each and this year two women from Waterloo are studying abroad on this program.
6. Ten percent of the money you give can go for projects here in Iowa. Recently our club got a grant to pay for landscaping at the Rotary Reserve.

 Perlman Joins Our Club

            The board voted to make Itzhak Perlman an honorary member; the other three clubs sponsoring the November 8 will do the same. Maestro Perlman will also become a Paul Harris fellow for the second time recognizing his effort to fight polio. Details of when he will get the two honors are still being worked out.

New Gift for Speakers

            Recognizing that a ballpoint pen may not be the greatest thank you for speakers, the board decided to start giving a shoebox containing a Rotary tee shirt and an explanation of the shoebox project. The explanation will also suggest that the speaker or one of his/her groups might consider joining our effort next year.

Financial Report Shows Loss

            Treasurer Todd Rohlfsen submitted a report showing a year-to date loss of $16,430 compared to $8,967 a year ago. Part of the loss is due to timing; most income from the Hops and Grapes party was in last fiscal year while $6,144 in expenses were received after July 1. The club operates on a cash basis.

            Still, the loss shows the importance of growing club membership. So far this year nearly 90 percent of club income was from member dues.

Members will be Surveyed on Location for "Hops and Grapes"

            Members planning for next springs "Hops and Grapes" event have been asked to survey members on moving the 2010 event from the Rotary Reserve to a closer location.

            Expect to see a ballot at your place in the near future.

Dean was active to the end, including a ride on a zip line at 86

            When the chance came to travel to India in 2001 to participate in a polio immunization, Dean and his wife Lee went, even though he was 82.

            And when the club began taking members to Nicaragua to deliver shoeboxes in 2002, there was Dean, ready to go, first with oldest granddaughter Catlyn and later with Breanne.

            Those of us who went on those trips remember going with Dean on our last day there to a rain forest to take a zip line trip which involved climbing 60 feet into the air and then traveling from tree to tree. Dean was the oldest person to have made the trip at the time.

            Dean also believed it wasn't Christmas for the children of the dump without a few pieces of candy. So for the three years he made the trip we carried suitcases of candy and every child who got a shoebox also got a small bag of sweets.

            Dean was always willing to help out the club, donating flowers several times and working on club projects. Dean was a great role model for many, many younger members and his cheery approach to life will be missed.

Here's a link to the Courier article this week

            At its monthly meeting October 27, the club's board approved four people for membership plus one honorary member. That brings the total to nine new Rotarians versus four resignations since July 1. The club goal is 40 new members by June 30 with a net gain of at least 20.

            The new members are Patty Achey Cutts, proposed by her husband Ken; Jason Barta, director of the Boys and Girls Club, proposed by Chris Hurley. Also Marvin Swestka from Community Motors, proposed by Bill Robert; and Bryan Burton from Advanced Computer Engineering Services (ACES), proposed by Mason Fromm.

            The two resignations are Jerry Martin, who cited time constraints, and Dean Platt, who died October 25.

            This is not the time to let up in our search for new, younger members, so continue your work. President Elect Amber Jedlicka has done a great job of lining up great programs and the club's board is working on initiatives that it hopes will appeal to prospects.

            Our club's annual pork chop dinner will be Thursday, November 5 at the Rotary Reserve with a social hour at 5:30 and dinner at 6:30. Because of the event, there will be no regular meeting November 9.

            You may make reservations at our web site, www.waterloorotary.org  Log in by clicking on the word LOGIN at the top right of the home page.  Enter your username and password, then click CALENDAR at the top of the page.  Browse to November 5th and click on "Pork Chop Dinner".

            Click the link "Attend or Decline" to register yourself and be sure to click on the "Register additional guests" button for your spouse and guests. You'll get an e-mail confirmation for each person you register.

            If you have problems logging in or registering, you can always call Kelli at the Rotary office, 234-1440 or email Mason.

And remember, it's not the swine flu

            Several months ago our friends at the Center for Disease Control mistakenly refered to the H1N1 flu as the swine flu; they corrected their error the next day, but by then the damage was done.