Recent Meetings - April 17, 2020

Brian Foyle – “The USO: What it is; What it does” Brian, brother of club member Melissa Richards, spoke to us on Zoom from the US Naval Air Station in Sicily! The USO is a private foundation chartered by the US Congress that supports military service members. For more information on what Brian’s outfit does, see USO – Fast Facts, attached below.

Upcoming Meetings – May 1, 2020 Jeanne Braha is Executive Director of the Rock Creek Conservancy, based in Bethesda. Jeanne holds a Masters of Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a concentration in Environmental Studies from Bryn Mawr College. She joined the Conservancy in 2018 after several years serving as Director of Foundation Relations for the Student Conservation Association. She has appeared several times on Carla Satinsky’s cable television show, “Montgomery Week in Review.” The Conservancy sponsors the annual Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup, which our club has participated in for nearly a decade.

ROTARY CLUB OF NORTH BETHESDA Currently meeting via Zoom

Fridays @ 7:30 AM 7:15 AM to 7:30 AM Mix and Mingle

Contact us at nbrotary.org May 2020

Upcoming Meetings and Events Date Speaker Topic May 1 Jeanne Braha

May 1 Bob Sonawane 3-Minute TalkMay 8 Bruce Fowler 3-Minute Talk

May 15 Carla Satinsky 3-Minute Talk

Milestones Name Event Date

Mary & Bruce Fowler Anniversary May 19 Marianne Ryn Birthday May 20 Paul Arveson Birthday May 21

Kathe & Paul Arveson Anniversary May 26 JoAnn & Barry Thompson Anniversary May 30

Board Notes

April 15 Meeting--Fairytale Brides Proposal There was extensive discussion about Steve and Donna's Fairytale Brides proposal. Fairytale Brides is Donna's charity store that sells discounted wedding gowns and is about 7 years old, and a 501.3 organization. Gowns sell for between $100 to $1500. She has 500 gowns or more and lots of name recognition. The only expense is the overhead and it nets about $2000 a month. She gets lots of volunteers - old and new. Older ones help brides, younger ones do social media. If the Club took this over, we would need to find a project administrator, an accountant and a guarantor for the monthly lease payments. We could consider partnering with Metro Bethesda Rotary Club and/or Montgomery College.

District and International News

100+ Volunteers Across the Continent Deliver to High-Risk Individuals March 27, 2020 — The initiative started when Rotarians from District 7620 joined together to discuss how to appropriately respond to the pandemic and to provide help to those in need. In a mere 72 hours, the team mobilized 100+ volunteers from 5 states and 2 provinces in Canada and has secured a partnership with two companies -- RingCentral and BaseCamp -- to provide its technology to support the new ‘hotline’ service. The team has expanded its effort to include a GoFundMe campaign, where 100% of funds raised will go to provide free prescription fulfillment for those unable to afford medicine. In the first 24-hours, the team has already raised $1200+ USD.

How it Works Between 9am-6pm EST, any high-risk individual (elderly, disabled, or severely injured person) unable to leave their home can call 240-781-6586 to coordinate grocery and medicine pick-up.

Interested volunteers and supporters are encouraged to:

• Share the hotline number with people in need: 240-781-6586 • Sign up to volunteer for ground support (pickups and deliveries) or remote support

(participation in the call center, logistics, marketing). • Donate to the GoFundMe campaign • Follow and share the efforts of the team on Instagram and Facebook

Rotary Club of North Bethesda 2019-2020 Officers

President: Carmela Carr Vice President: Joseph DiPietro

Secretary: Linda Berg-Cross Treasurer: Steve Vaccarezza

Club Administration Director: Rob Follit Club Membership Director: John Waterston

Vocational Service: Vacant Club Service Director: Vacant Public Relations Director: Samantha Crosby

Sergeant-at-Arms: (January-April) Linda Berg-Cross

Since 1941, the USO — a private, nonprofit organization — has served the men and women of the U.S. military, and their families, throughout their time in uniform – from the moment they join, through their deployments and as they transition back to their communities.

Today’s service members need the care, comfort, connection and support that can only be provided by an organization that is with them at every point of their military journey, wherever they serve.

The USO is continuously adapting to the needs of our men and women in uniform and their families so they can focus on their important mission.

Although the USO is a congressionally chartered organization and works in close partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), the USO is not part of the federal government.

We are a family of volunteers, sustained by the charitable contributions of millions of generous Americans and united in our commitment to support America’s service members by keeping them connected to the very things they’ve sworn to defend – family, home and country. Our work is America’s most powerful expression of gratitude to the men and women who secure our nation’s freedoms.

The USO remains dedicated to expanding access to USO centers and programs around the world, increasing annual service connections and boosting transition services for our service members and their families throughout their time of duty. In every corner of the world, our service members will know that the USO is always by their side.

T h e US O s t re ng th e n s A m e r ic a’s mi l i t a r y s e r v ice m e m b e r s by ke e p ing th e m co n n e c te d to fami ly, h o m e an d co un tr y, th ro ugh o ut th e i r s e r v ice to th e n at io n .

UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, INC. ▪ 2111 WILSON BOULEVARD, SUITE 1200 ▪ ARLINGTON, VA 22201 ▪ USO.ORGThe information presented reflects 2019 USO impact data

1 2 . 7 M T O TA L S E R V I C E C O N N E C T I O N S W O R L D W I D E

2 MILLION Active Donors

30,000Volunteers

250+ USO Locations

7 continents

15 countries

32 states and 1 territory

- W H O W E S E R V E -

5 MILLION Active Duty, Guard and Reserve

and their families

- O U R G L O B A L R E A C H -

1.6 MILLIONVolunteer Hours

8.1 MILLIONCenter Visits

4.1 MILLIONCenter Program and Service Participants

392,000Expeditionary and

Family Program Participants

17,000Transition Program

Participants

FAST FACTS2 0 2 0