Las Vegas West Rotary Club

October 23, 2012

We had a terrific speaker today, Paula Lawrence, who is the Southern Nevada Executive Director for Dress For Success.  Dress for Success was founded in New York City by a young woman in 1997 who, upon graduation from law school, received a $ 5,000 inheritance from her grand mother.  Desiring to do something great with the money, she went to her Catholic church to ask advice.  The out shoot was an organization to help dis-advantaged women obtain suitable clothes for a job interview.  The scope has grown to  include resume writing, interviewing and and training which results in self confidence. 

In southern Nevada Paula networks with places such as Job Connect who send her clients, and receives donations of clothing and money. They have set up a boutique, which Lynn Purdue says rivals any top retail clothing store.  Lynn has volunteered to teach resume writing and has had "Rotary Moments" in the process.  When a client arrives at the boutique (photo attached) they are assigned an Image Consultant to help with the selection process.  It is a thorough process, and includes job training for various industries, so that the client become employees of the highest order.  Walmart offered their training manuals for the classes.  Believing that their mission is to start careers, not just help clients find a job, they started PWG, Professional Women's Group, which meets monthly with speakers and support.  They will dress 200 women this year and plan to double that next year.  Houston, in their 8th year, dressed 5,000 women, and the organization has helped over 600,000 world wide.   

Paula is such a wonderful, enthusiastic speaker it is impossible not to be impressed with the program.  Dress for Success in southern Nevada was started by Paige Candee, an associate of Lynn's who has worked with our club on our golf tournament and visited many times.  Their firm encourages all their employees to be active in the community, and Paige decided to start her own non-profit rather than become involved in an existing one.  I think she really hit a home run.

Also attached is a photo of Miss Nevada at West Prep, courtesy of Tom Novotny, and a shot of Ken Fong's "seconds" at lunch, a plate filled with shrimp cocktails, which obviously resulted in a cross fine.  His reputation is intact. The food at recent meetings rivals what we had years ago - kudos to the new chef.  There is a board meeting Thursday at noon at the Porchlight Grill at Durango and Deseret Inn in a Vons shopping center.  All members are invited to attend.

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October 16, 2012

We had 12 members and no guests or visiting Rotarians.

After Steve and Ted beat me up about Texas losing a football game, the meeting proceded.  Caitlin announced her Crohn's Foundation fund raiser, a muscle car show, on Thursday Dec. 6, and Ken announced that our Christmas party is Tuesday, Dec. 4.  Francie did not announce it, but I think there is a board meeting next Tuesday after the regular meeting, somewhere off property.

Our small crowd was livened by the speaker, Chloe Powell, current Miss Helldorado Rodeo.  She tried out for Miss Nevada Rodeo, but was not selected.  However, there were some Elks Club members present and they asked her to be their Queen.  The competition involved judgement in horsemanship on two horses picked at random as well as beauty. She plans to try again for the state title in April with more experience under her belt buckle, which she wore along with big hat and smile.

Chloe graduated from Faith Lutheran in 2008 where she was Key Club president.  She got her first horse at age 7 and has never looked back, competing in barrel racing and pole bending as a teenager.  Currently she rides cutting horses and participates in Western Pleasure, which is a competition that encompasses how naturally the horse moves and the posture and aesthetics of the rider, among other things. The Elks ask her to speak to elementary students and other groups, which she happily does, since she talks real good.  Did I mention that smile? Photo attached.

Chloe told us a lot about her experiences with horses and cattle, and was a delightful breath of fresh air to our club meeting.

October 9, 2012

Dr. Robert Lang, UNLV Director, Brookings Mountain West
Robert E. Lang joined the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in January 2010 as a professor of sociology and UNLV Director of Brookings Mountain West.

Our speaker gave a rapid fire dissertation of the issues affecting Clark County as they relate to funding and relevance   He thinks it is crazy that Clark County produces most of the wealth and then sends it to Carson City for parceling out.  At least that's what I got out of it.  Unfortunately he did not offer any solid solutions, just that Nevada needs to re-organize its political structure.  It was also unfortunate that he bolted before any Q & A.  We could have had a long discussion of the issues he raised.  Still, he has examined communities all over the country and comes to his ideas from a wealth of knowledge.

Bill reminded us of the Awards program started during his term.  Ken announced we would not have a tail gate party this year due to a conflict.  And I was looking forward to some power house football...from the visiting team. He will be planning a Red Rock clean-up.  Ted's happy fine was his grandmother's 101st birthday.  Also a 30" brown trout he caught on the Truckee river.  Some were pushing for a total of $ 131 as a fine, but he didn't fall for it and just coughed up a couple of bucks.  We had 3 birthdays, Francie, Lynn Price and Lynn Purdue, pretty sweet 16's all!  Ken Fong was not there to sing Happy Birthday, and efforts to recruit Caitlin failed.  Brett was not available for Brett's corner, because he was teeing off at 1:30.  That should have left plenty of time for Rotary, I think.  Big fine next week.  Ken's Rant was supposed to have filled in, but amazingly he could not think of one.  Doesn't seem possible.

We had 14 members and 1 guest.