The Scoop...June 17, 2013

President Jim Osmon opened the meeting at 12:09pm and invited Rita Brown forward for the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.  Harold Bischoff gave the Sgt. At Arms report and welcomed Shannon O’Neill as the guest of Phil Hayne.  David Grimm introduced his guest, Dale Merkle, who is coordinating the Red Power Round Up at the fairgrounds this week.  It’s the national meeting of fans of International Harvester.  More than 20,000 people will be at the show to see the more than 15,000 exhibits.  Harold Bischoff also reported that he’s going to Bucyrus tonight to give a donation to those participating in the MESA bike ride.

Mario Sanko gave a history of her life as a mother, teacher, and now realtor for this week’s Spotlight.

Jim Osmon and Mike Schoenofer recapped the Changing of the Guard party and unveiled this year’s Rotary honorees.

Jim also reported that the board has voted to move our meetings back downstairs beginning July 1.  We will not be meeting in the same room as we did before.  Instead, we will be in the North Exhibit Hall.  The reasons for the move include better accessibility, and a better sound system.

Empowering those with autism to reach their potential is the goal of Bittersweet at Betty’s Farm.  Bittersweet’s Director of Community Services, Betty Elton, told Rotarians that the program was started 25 years ago by a woman named Betty Ruth Kay who was a special needs teacher in Toledo.  She realized that when her students graduated, their future was bleak…”What’s next?  Where do they live?  Where do they work?  Who would employ them?” were questions that bothered her.  So she started Bittersweet where people with autism could work, play, and live to their fullest potential.  Bittersweet has three campuses in Lima, Whitehouse and Pemberville.  It provides programming for adults and adolescents including:  adult day services, life skill programs, summer enrichment programs, vocational training and community service to increase autonomy and self reliance.  Funding comes from grants, donations, the Board of Developmental Disabilities, and programming fees.  25 people are currently served in the evening programming and 7 are served in the day programming.  Bittersweet hopes to be able to offer residential services to its clients in the near future.