Great program today as Founders Karen Lanman and Amy Couvillon talked about their innovative Red Basket Program, aimed at helping hungry high school students in CFB-ISD schools. Check out their Facebook page to find out more, including how to donate. 

 

Join us this Thursday, July 30, for our first FIFTH THURSDAY Program. Every fifth Thursday of the month, in place of hearing a speaker, Club members are invited to do a service project together to support our Club's outreach to the community. This week, we will be putting together marketing materials for our Flag Program.

 

Looking for a painless and free way to support CFB Rotary? Please take a minute to check out our club's Facebook page, like it, review it, and make a comment or two. 

 

Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary was privileged to host dear friend Beverly Grogan for her last official act as Governor of Rotary District 5810. Beverly presided on Thursday, July 9, at the installation of this year's new Club officers. She is shown above receiving a bouquet of flowers from Club Treasurer Bill Bexley (left) and newly installed Club President Sonja Dodds (right).

We finally had our overdue ticket drawing tonight while several of us were doing flag assembly in preparation for the 4th of July.

 

Many thanks to Paul, Mark, Debbie, John and Timothy for helping get our last 25 flags assembled.  Paul, Ben, and I did 25 on Monday night to make the 50 we need to meet the demand for the 4th of July. We are delivering 369 flags for the 4th.

 

The winners of the ticket drawing are as follows:

 

$  500.00   Ben Hogan

$  750.00   John Allen

$1,000.00  Austin Newell

 

Click on Ticket Drawing to watch the video of the drawing.

 

Thanks to everyone for participating and a special thanks to Debbie Walton for all her help in getting the drawing set up.

 

Thanks

Bill Bexley

 

 

 

 

The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club awarded 2020 Community Service Grants to both local libraries–the Carrollton Library and the Farmers Branch Manske Library. CFB Rotary has long supported the libraries' work. 

 

We are saddened for the loss of one of our beloved members, Raul Paredes.  He passed away last week after courageously battling cancer for many months.  Raul was a great example of what it means to be a Rotarian.  He lived his life following the guiding principles of the 4-way test, and it was never a doubt that he followed the Rotary motto "Service Above Self."  When you were in his presence, you always felt as if you were the most important person in his life at that moment.  On a personal note, he always called me Billy. I have not been Billy since high school, but when he called me Billy, I felt as of I had known him all my life.

 

He joined our club in March of 2006.  He immediately got involved in whatever he was asked to do. He was our club secretary in 2009/2010, then our incoming president in 2010/2011, and our club president in 2011/2012. That was an outstanding year under his leadership, and was the recipient of the District 5810 Outstanding President of the Year Award. There were over 60 clubs in the district, and to win this prestigious award was not only a great achievement for Raul, but for our club as well.

 

As you would expect, Raul was a generous man, not only with his time, but also with his support of our club.  He lived his life as a Christian, a loving husband, father, and grandfather as well a great Rotarian.

 

We extend our deepest sympathy to Aurora, his beloved wife of over 45 years, as well as to his children, grandchildren, and other family members.

 

We will miss him

Bill Bexley

 

 

 

CFB Rotary President David Hale has asked every club member to give him input about when we should reopen for in-person meetings. Following up on a spirited discussion at our most recent meeting via Zoom, Chief Hale wrote in an email, "I need to know of your willingness to return to in-person meetings at Brookhaven on June 11, 2020, by simply giving me a YES or NO response." "This is a personal decision," he added, "based on what is best for you and has no judgement associated with it." Those who aren't ready to reopen are asked to let him know when they think they might be comfortable enough to do so. 

 

Zoom Rotary meetings have become the new norm for many clubs during the COVID-19 crisis. While club members would rather meet in person, one of the benefits of Zoom meetings is the opportunity for those members and clubs that have a connection to a club in a different country to join in from around the world. On April 30, during CFB Rotary's weekly Zoom meeting, we invited our current global grant student along with The Rotary Club of Montego Bay, Jamaica, to join in. District 5810 Governor, Beverly Grogan, also joined in.

 

The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club has donated $20,000 to Metrocrest Services to provide urgently needed assistance to those in our community who have been most impacted by COVID-19. This is in addition to last month's donation of $2,750 by the Club and District. 

 

CFB Rotary cares! Rotary Board members John Dodd and Bill Lovell have been tasked with reaching out to Club members to check in and stay in touch. Many of our members are facing enormous challenges at home and at work: money, relationships, health, and pretty much everything else. One member said the COVID-19 epidemic is the biggest crisis he's had to face in his forty-five-year career!