Blog

Thirty percent (30%) of West Virginia boys and girls under age six live in poverty. That means that a family of three earns less than $20,000/year, or about $400/week. Research in brain development shows that social, emotional and cognitive development is shaped in early childhood and has a lifelong effect. Poor kids are 5 times more likely to have children outside marriage, twice as likely to be arrested, and nearly 3 times as likely to have severe health problems, than kids not living near the poverty line. Poor kids also end up earning incomes less than half that of their counterparts. Taking care of our most vulnerable children is not only the right thing to do; it is the best way to help our state’s health, welfare, and economy in the long run.

The West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition along with other individuals, private organizations, and state agencies, work to improve the health of children and families in West Virginia. They provide a forum for diverse organizations to discuss, coordinate and collaborate on issues that improve the health and well-being of West Virginia children. Stephen Smith has been named the new West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition Executive Director. Prior to coming to Healthy Kids, Stephen was the director of organizing for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and is the author of Stoking the Fire of Democracy: Our Generation's Introduction to Grassroots Organizing. A graduate of Harvard University and the London School of Economics, Stephen has worked with a wide range of communities – from running a for-profit bakery operated by people with disabilities to founding a youth advocacy organization that won victories on health care and financial aid.

President Mike's Program

• His first goal is to bring in at least 12 new members.  Of course this means that our present members need to bring people to the meeting that they think will make good members.
• Second on the list is that 100% of our members serve on a committee.  This should be easy enough as there are 26 committees listed on our DACdb page and run from 4-Way Speech to Youth Exchange.
• Third is raising $14,000 for the Rotary Foundation. We raised more than that this year, so that’s not an overly ambitious goal.
• Fourth is raising $2,500 for water purification systems in third world countries.  This is a humanitarian project and that’s what Rotary is about.
• Fifth is identifying 10 local charities for matching grants from Rotary. Obviously, there are many charities in Berkeley County so this should not be a challenge.
• Sixth is organizing a mixer with the other 4 clubs in the Eastern Panhandle, which will give us all a chance to know each other, exchange ideas, and organize projects we can all participate in.
• Seventh is identifying our own international project and doing it.  The only international project we have is the World Affairs Seminar for high school students.
• Eighth is chartering an Interact club at the new Spring Mills High School.  We have an in there as the advisor from Musselman will be teaching there this year.
• Ninth, Mike also wants to bring us into the 21st Century by starting an e-club and by getting us to use DACdb.  It’s just not that hard to use a computer.
• Finally, Mike would like to change the Memorial Day breakfast to a pig roast for lunch.  Yum!

Cogwheels

Rotary was instrumental in promoting "Beyond the Field Ministries" last year.  This year, the Charles Town Cannons of the Valley Baseball League will be recognizing Larry Cooper's "Beyond the Field Ministries" on Wednesday, July 17, 2013, at 7pm at Jefferson High School (Sager Field).  If you come and mention either "Beyond the Field Ministries" or you're from Martinsburg, you'll be allowed to enter free of charge.