Peter Skalski spoke recently with fellow Rotarian Jean Wright, and he reports that she is very active and happy in her assisted-living home in Sarasota. She is teaching !! an exercise class 1 1/2 hours a day and playing bingo and who knows what else! Her vision is limited, but otherwise Very Sharp! Very special lady.
Read Carl's meeting notes below to help celebrate!
President Chuck Norton chaired the meeting commencing at 12:18 with the Pledge of Allegiance in light of the chaos at the Capital.
There were no birthdays this week, but on January 19, Jean Wright will be celebrating her 95th birthday. If you would like to send her a birthday card, her address is:
Ms. Jean Wright
Brookdale Palmer Ranch
5111 Palmer Ranch Pkwy.
Sarasota, FL 34238
(Although she has trouble seeing, others will be able to read cards to her). She also likes to get phone calls. She may answer who's this? Because she can't see a caller's name. But as soon as she knows - she's right there!
Her phone is 941-244-4701
Other Announcements:
Rich Lalley is working on a companion program for Operation Warm—Shoes for Children. With the help of a grant from Rotary International, the cost of a pair of shoes is only $6.50. Your contribution would be much appreciated.
Barbara Tubekis has been busy delivering Donna’s meals to needy families at Good News Partners in Rogers Park. She needs some help. It is right after Rotary on Thursdays. You would pick up the meals from Donna after Rotary and deliver them to Rogers Park.
Chuck Norton is working on the Co-Presidents and just needs to tie up a few loose ends.
Happy Bucks: Patti was pleased to be seated (on her screen) next to Mike Shelton.
Peter Skalski was happy to be in Florida and about Jean Wright’s 95th birthday.
Dig and Grin: Julie Tye told us about “A horse walks into the bar….”
Speaker: Mitch Meyers. Mitch gave us an overview of the cannabis business in Illinois, Missouri and the United States. Take Aways:
Cannabis medical-uses have been under-studied due to illegality. As it has become legal in more states, its potential uses have dramatically increased. For an example, cannabis can be used to treat epilepsy and has far less side effects than current Big Pharma drugs.
Cannabis was legal until the 1930’s and the end of prohibition.At that time, a federal bureaucrat, in danger of losing the funding for his operation, determined that cannabis (which he renamed as marijuana) was a danger to the public.In fact, cannabis is significantly less dangerous than alcohol, tobacco or opioids.
The tax on medically prescribed cannabis is 1% while the tax on recreational cannabis is 35%.
Cannabis has been generating significant new taxes and has resulted in a re-building of parts of downtown Denver.
Medical cannabis is restricted to 4 oz. per week while recreational uses are restricted to smaller amounts, but instead based on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, most to the dispensing licenses and the growing licenses have been distributed to rich white men because any blemish on a person’s record disqualified them from receiving a license and the need to spend thousands of dollars before even applying for a license disqualified other minorities.The next round of licenses will be more accessible to people of color.
Since cannabis is still illegal federally, national banks cannot be used. Only state chartered banks can be used to finance cannabis operations.
Now is the time to express interest in participating on the Board because the Club Nominating Committee is discussing candidates for next year's Board. If you have interest in a Board position, please contact President Chuck at 847-501-3355, or by email at: chuck.norton@sbcglobal.net
At a regularly scheduled Thursday meeting in January, the Club will vote to approve the Board candidates slated by the Nominating Committee. The next Board term begins in July of 2021.
We did it again! Thanks to all our members and friends of Rotary who contributed over $2,700 to our annual Share Your Bounty campaign! 100 bags full of groceries are going to Good News Partners, along with a financial donation to support their food pantry.
Continuing our club's long standing Thanksgiving tradition, we will once again partner with the Volunteer Center to provide post-holiday groceries for families in transitional housing who are served by Good News Partners in Chicago's North of Howard neighborhood. We will purchase groceries in bulk at Costco on November 23, so please donate by November 22.
We hope to provide over 100 bags of groceries, and have a fundraising goal of $2,000. This will be easy if everyone contributes.
This campaign has closed. If you missed out on supporting it, please consider a donation to our sleeping bags for the homeless campaign. You can donate here.
One of the nice features of meeting virtually is that our meetings can be recorded. This of course depends on your meeting host (me) remembering to start the recording (sometimes I'm a bit late in starting it).
