Bloomington Rotary Club

ROTA-LETTER for Feb. 7, 2012
BLOOMINGTON ROTARY CLUB
Founded in 1918 • www.bloomingtonrotary.org
Rotary International 2011 Theme: Reach Within to Embrace Humanity

NEXT MEETING
Feb. 14: Dan Cole, IU law professor, environmental policy, Frangipani Room, Indiana Memorial Union.

GREETER: Leslie Green

President Jon Dilts conducted the meeting.

PLEDGE AND REFLECTION: Faiz Rahman reflected on the remarkable literary work of Charles Dickens, born on Feb. 7, 1812 — 200 years ago today.
He quoted a less-known work, “American Notes,” in which Dickens, traveling in the United States, reflected on American phenomena such as chewing tobacco and spittoons, as well as more serious matters such as slavery, arrogance, a predilection to violence and anti-intellectualism. Faiz asked us to reflect on how much has changed since then.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: Charlotte Zietlow
Martina Chance, guest of Jean Emery, United Commerce Bank.
Jeff Wuslich, guest of Steve Moberly.
Beth Rodriguez, guest of Joy Harter, director of development, Centerstone.
Don Gading, guest of Jo Daron, retired businessman (and Jo’s husband).
Jim Weikart, guest of Jon Dilts, returning Rotarian.
Logan Good, guest of Joy Harter, Western & Southern Financial Group.
Byangin Bae, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.

BIRTHDAYS
Bill Murphy, Feb. 7
Del Brinkman, Feb. 10
Lance Eberle, Feb. 11
Randy Bridges, Feb. 12
Jean Emery, Feb. 13

CLUB ANNIVERSARIES
Bob Shanks, 1 year
Andrew Bratton, 1 year
Geoff McKim, 2 years
Ann Wrenn, 10 years.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Roses, roses, roses! Mike Baker took his turn at poetry and rose-vending — Roses are red, rotary is yellow and blue — and went on to say it is up to you to buy the last 18 (no, now 17 dozen roses), to be picked up on Feb. 13 and 14.
The final work now begins:
• De-thorning at the garage of Marshall Goss, 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12.
• Boxing at Marshall’s garage: 9-11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13.
• Pickup at IMU Circle: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13.
• More de-thorning at Marshall’s garage: 1-7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13.
• Final pickup: Tuesday, Feb. 14, Frangipani Room.

HAPPY DOLLARS: Sergeant-at-Arms Lynn Schwartzberg collected lots of Happy Dollars, celebrating everything from sports team victories, Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday, children’s successes and the upcoming wedding of Charlie Osborne.

PROGRAM
Elsa Harik introduced speakers from Pets Alive — executive director Melissa Kusturin and development director Charlotte Walker. Walker, an IU public-affairs graduate and two-year volunteer at the animal shelter, described the work of Pets Alive as high quality, high value spay and neutering of cats and dogs.
The organization was founded in 2002 to reduce euthanasia with an adopt-a-pet program and puppy trains, which exported dogs to Wisconsin and New England. In time they realized that the only effective way to reduce the animal population was reducing the births of new puppies and kittens — a spay/neuter program. Following the model of North Carolina Humane Alliance, Pets Alive started the spay/neuter clinic in 2004, and discontinued the adopt-a-pet and puppy train initiatives.
Pets Alive performs 80 surgeries a day. There are three streams of patients: local owners and feral animal catchers, animals from regional animal shelters, transported by a Pets Alive Van, and animals from the local animal shelter.
Cats and dogs are also vaccinated, if needed, and Pets Alive also has a retail selection of wellness supplies. The surgeries are provided by two specially trained veterinarians, with five technical assistants. The clinic is in the former Marsh shopping center on South Walnut and Country Club Road. The clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with retail sales and vaccinations from 3-5 p.m.
Pets Alive is committed to reaching as many pets as possible and tries to keep prices down. Spay and neuter of dogs is $53 and cats $33, and it offers frequent reduced prices. They are offering a Love-a-Bull promotion — fixing all pit bulls or pit-bull mixes free. And with the warm weather we have been having, in February, they are offering spay/neutering of cats for only $20. Additional revenues are raised with donations, grants, license plates, vaccination fees, and retail sales, for an annual budget of $800,000.
Kusturin has worked in animal welfare since 2003 with the White River Humane Society in Bedford, and she said she was delighted when Pets Alive started its programs, led by Karla Kamstra. Hers was one of 18 organizations that worked with Pets Alive and sends cats and dogs to be spayed and neutered on a scheduled basis.
Melissa became executive director in February 2009. She has helped develop the regional collaborations, and she said she hoped to services established in Greene and Owen counties, now not served.
Charlotte and Melissa invited Rotarians to come by the clinic, at 2444 S. Walnut, 812-349-1FIX. Bring in your dogs and cats, volunteer or just spread the word.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
From Lucille Ball: “One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”

UPCOMING MEETINGS
Feb. 14: Dan Cole, IU law professor, environmental policy, Frangipani Room, Indiana Memorial Union.
Feb. 21: Brenda Brenner, music-education professor, on Fairview Elementary’s arts-based curriculum Artful Learning,
Frangipani.
Feb. 28: Mary Catherine Carmichael and Bob Zaltsberg: “Friday Edition: Why, What, Whence and Whither,”
IMU Alumni Hall.
March 6: Frangipani.

Charlotte Zietlow, reporter