Blair Rotary Newsletter
"Make Dreams Real"
November 10, 2008

 

 

Reminder: attendance should be at least 60%, if you can't make a meeting you can do a make-up on the web at the following address: http://www.rotaryeclub7890.org/makeup.htm

 

Notes from November 4th Meeting -Program Chair - Mick Jensen

Mick's program guest was Tim McCoy, a wildlife biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.  Tim is currently the Agriculture Program Manager and has spent the a great deal of time during the past two years on the new farm bill.  Tim talked about the agency and provided the following facts:

• The agency has over 1,000 employees and is the 5th largest Nebraska state agency
• The bulk of funding comes from user fees and permits
• The overall budget of the agency is $64M with the bulk of funding (over 50%) coming from user fees and permits
• 25% of the budget comes from federal funds which are typically matches from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses
• General tax revenues represent approximately 15% of the budget and have been a decreasing portion of the budget over the past several years

Tim also talked about a number of challenges facing the Commission including:

• Public access to private land (a focus of effort in Northeastern Nebraska)
• Deer and Turkey population and control
• Disease control and analysis among wildlife
• Recruitment and retention of hunters

If you would like additional information on the Commission please go to the following website: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us

Rotary Question of the Week

What is the primary source of funding for  Rotary Foundation programs?

 

Rotary Fact of the Week (from the RI or District Website)

The mission of the Annual Programs Fund mirrors that of The Rotary Foundation: to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

Contributions to the Annual Programs Fund through the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative are the primary source of funding for Foundation programs, which cover more than 160 countries and geographical areas on seven continents. From digging water wells for villages in Africa to teaching basic literacy skills to children in Latin America, during any given moment, thousands of Rotarians volunteer their time and expertise. All contributions to the Annual Programs Fund are spent wisely on quality Rotary projects.

Thought of the Week

"Any community's arm of force - military, police, security - needs people in it who can do necessary evil, and yet not be made evil by it.  To do only the necessary and no more.  To constantly question the assumptions, to stop the slide into atrocity." Lois McMaster Bujold, "Barrayar", 1991

November Birthdays
LuAnne Patak - 1st
Don Boswell - 14th
Shawn Petersen - 24th
 

 

SERVICE Above Self!