Assistant Vice President Bryan Slaba kept ringing the bell at the Wagner Rotary Club, Wednesday, September 18th until he managed to get some eyebrows raised! VP Slaba was standing in for President Bill Frei who was unable to make it to the meeting.

Pastor Laurie Kidd was called upon to offer prayer: She gave thanks for the gorgeous day and sunshine, asked for strength for those still dealing with flooding and poor roads and all those who are working so hard to return things to normal.

Amanda Bechen introduced her guest, Christina Ymker, her associate at her accounting firm. Rotarian Dave Isebrands took the podium for our weekly Membership Minute. Dave’s MM was two parts, both dealing with the eradication of polio. The first message was from Foundation Trustee Chair Gary

C.K. Huang. Huang said “World Polio Day is next month, and we are facing a major challenge. The news out of Afghanistan and Pakistan tells that we have more work to do. It tells us that polio will not die out quickly or easily.”

Rotarians are needed now more than ever. Success will require us to remain steady and show that there is no time limit to our commitment. Rotary has great friends in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative—including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which continues to match every donation 2-to-1. We have already eradicated wild poliovirus type 2, and type 3 could soon be wiped out.

We can rid the world of a disease forever. And you will be the ones to do it, through your continued commitment and generosity. Be a part of history!

Help us overcome the final hardship, the final challenge. Make your donation at ENDPOLIO.ORG/DONATE

Willis Sutliff Polio Plus Chair District 5610, which is the district Wagner Rotary is a member of; is encouraged to join our District Governor, Ina Winter in donating $35 on World Polio Day, October 24, 2019. District 5610 Rotary Clubs are encouraged to raise funds for this day also.

Rotarian Laurie Kidd led the members in signing the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” Verses One and Five. For our Rotary song we sang the 4-Way Test, not once but twice!

Guest Christina Ymker pulled out her own ticket number so therefore had a chance at drawing the Queen of Hearts. Everyone tensed up as she flashed a card with a heart on it, but relaxed when they saw it was the Jack of Hearts!! Close!! There are only seven cards left in the deck. VP Slaba reminded everyone that they must be present to win. $18 was collected today and the total pot is now worth $902.00

Secretary/Treasurer Patty Frei reported that Pastor Bill had one absence today with a total of 12 misses; Pastor Laurie had three absences today but with some makeups her total is at 12 also. There is only one more meeting left in the month of September and members have two weeks on either side of an absence to make up a meeting.

Roger Wiltz had the program today in place of Gerrit Juffer. Roger had been quite impacted weeks ago by a program given by High School Principal Neil Goter who had mentioned that there is no punishment for juveniles today. None.

Roger contacted an old friend, Lyle Sorensen from Mitchell, who was in law enforcement for over 20 years. He was curious what Lyle had learned from his years of dealing with offenders. Sorensen stated that there were four reasons for the current problem. 1. More and more women began committing crimes and money was spent on housing them in a new prison. 2. No more punishments became the norm instead of the exception. 3. The death of Gina Score in 1999 at the Plankinton Training School which ultimately led to the closure of that school as well as the facility at Custer for Youth. This was a great loss as those institutions were succeeding in reforming young people. 4. The complete swing from parents punishing children for the things they do wrong to blaming the school, the teachers, the police, etc. for the offenses their offspring commit.

Roger feels very strongly about the lack of punishment or consequences for those committing crimes today. He proposed that the club draft a letter to Governor Noem and our local representative Lee Qualm urging them to try to find solutions for this pervasive problem in our society. It affects everyone whether you live in the country, in town, or a city.

As usual time ran out for discussion on a worthy topic and the club adjourned in its usual fashion with, the singing of America.

Sergeant at Arms Becky Brunsing had a short list of fines for the club:

• $1 to Bryan Slaba for working so hard with the bell and $1 for trying out some fancy dance moves in his chair

• $1 each to Jordan Weber and Jamie Soukup for sitting together once again, and another $1 to Jamie for trying to worm out of the fine

• $1 to Scott McAdaragh for moving from the Soukup/Weber table to another, but he said he was “pushed out” by Weber and Soukup

• $1 to Becky because she felt she took an awful picture that was in the newspaper

• $1 to Francis Doom for forgetting his glasses and hearing aid for the meeting

• $10.00 Happy Fine from Bryan Slaba for getting away from Rotary for the coming two weeks

• $5.00 Happy Fine from Dave Isebrands who had a wonderful motorcycle trip that he takes every year after he got rid of his old motorcycle which broke down twice last year and once this year