Club News

Twenty-five newly-elected student government leaders from Corvallis and Crescent Valley high schools in Corvallis will participate in a unique Ethical Decision-Making Workshop Tuesday, May 22 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

The workshop incorporates real-life ethical dilemmas from school and work settings to help students evaluate and make sound decisions based on their personal values. Students will identify their core values, learn the relationship between values and ethics, and practice a five-step decision-making process as they discuss the various situations.

Local business professionals will serve as table leaders in the discussions, including Rotarian members of the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis. Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning and Courtney Campbell, the Hundere Chair of the Oregon State University Department of Philosophy and Ethics, will facilitate the workshop.

“The goal of the program is to enable students to serve in leadership roles and ultimately enter the work force with a strong sense of how to make decisions that are ethically correct and not at odds with their personal values,” explained Manning.

The workshop is sponsored by OSU’s Department of Philosophy and Ethics, the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis and Samaritan Health Services.

Members of the Greater Corvallis Rotary Club and their family members spent two hours on Saturday, April 28 working in the Starker Arts Garden for Education (SAGE). The group managed to weed, hoe and plant three rows of peas, spinach, carrots and beets. In addition they spread mulch over the tenacious weeds in specific areas of the garden.

Members Jeff Davis and his son, Rick Schroff, Megan Schneider, Michele Kellison and Jim Swinyard donated their time to this community garden, which provides education and produces food for those less fortunate members of our community.

“I highly recommend taking the time to help out at this garden,” said Kellison, who is president of the Rotary group. “They have open work parties every Tuesday. In addition to helping out you have fun and learn a lot about gardening.”

For two days in January 2012, Benton Country received seven inches of rainfall that led to significant flooding and landslides. Mary King, Emergency Services Manager for the Benton County, explained that a combination of heavy rainfall and no reservoir capacity led to the county being declared a disaster area.

King shared information about county flood plains and compared 2012’s flooding to others in 1861, 1943, 1964 and 1996. King also shared details about landslide problems in the northern part of the county near Vinyard Mountain.

“It was a La Nina weather cycle,” said King, only she described the weather front as colder and with more rain. While the county had warning regarding the flash floods that occurred, officials weren’t warned about the landslides and while there was significant damage and loss, no citizens were injured.

King encouraged citizens to take steps to be prepared in emergencies, caused by natural disasters. Floods are the most common. Landslides and earthquakes can also occur. All county residents are encouraged to register for Linn-Benton Alerts, an emergency notification system offered by the county. Residents can sign up at http://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff.

Greater Corvallis Rotary raised money for equipment for Alsea School as part of their volunteer efforts at the Corvallis Half Marathon, held Sunday, April 15 in Corvallis. More than 2000 runners and another 300 volunteers helped make this year’s race a smashing success.

Fourteen Greater Corvallis Rotarians served Tomato and Chicken Bisque soups, fresh fruit and Great Harvest Bread to runners as they finished the race. “The reviews are in and those who ran said it was the best organized race ever,” said volunteer Ron Thiesen who was one of the volunteer crew organizers from Greater Corvallis Rotary.

Appreciation is extended to Rotarians Steve Sullivan, Rick Schroff, Frank Heresco, Jim and Janet Swinyard, Ken Roblee, Ron Marek and granddaughter, Joseph Baily, Susie and Ali Cook, Jen Costa, Karen Emery, Ron Thiesen, Doug Oxsen, Les Boudreaux and Beth Ray for their efforts.

It costs only 60 cents to vaccinate one child and protect them from polio, a crippling disease that mostly attacks children under the age of 5, said Harriett Schloer. Schloer, a long-time Rotarian with husband Walt, told Rotarians about the latest End-Polio-Now campaign. She came to the Greater Corvalllis Rotary Club meeting on Friday, April 6, complete with an old iron lung that she and her husband transport from meeting to meeting.

The iron lung — an extinct piece of medical equipment — is a constant reminder of our goal to eradicate this disease, explained Schloer.

Polio is 99 percent on the way to being eradicated. “Actually, 99.8 percent,” said Schloer. The disease cripples children and resides in only three countries — Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. “To reach the final one percent of children is the most difficult because polio still exists in some of the most challenging parts of Africa and South Asia.

Schloer told stories of youngsters saving their change to help this cause. She challenged every Rotarian to add 60 cents to the change jar she brought to Friday’s meeting.

For more information about Rotary’s fight to eradicate polio, visit http://www.rotary.org/en/EndPolio/Pages/donate.aspx.

Two years after an earthquake devastated Haiti, more than 200,000 people are still living in ShelterBox tents provided by Rotary, says Liz Thwing of the Delta Rotary Club in Eugene, Ore. Through ShelterBox USA, Rotarians provide immediate shelter relief within 24 hours of a disastrous event.

“Rotarians are often the first group in to help with ShelterBox and the last to leave,” said Thwing.

The first ShelterBoxes were delivered in 2001. The box includes a 10-person tent, outdoor cooking stove, pots, pans, dishes, tools and items to provide shelter, clean water, comfort, and dignity for people suffering in a disater. In addition to Haiti, ShelterBoxes have been delivered to Pakistan, Nepaul, Brazil and other nations where help is needed.

Nearly 22 percent of Rotary Clubs in the United States are contributing to the program. Oregon has three clubs participating. Greater Corvallis Rotary has contributed to the assembly of two ShelterBoxes used in relief efforts.