May 5, 2008 GE AVIATION COMES TO MISSISSIPPI Kristi Sturgeon, plant manager for GE Infra-Aviation, is today’s guest. She’ll tell us about the company that’s in the finishing stages of building a new plant near Batesville to manufacture composite parts for GE’s aircraft engines. The company has been working out of Raspet Flight Research Lab here since January 2007 and will move as soon as the new plant becomes operational. CURRENT HEALTH ISSUES IN THE STATE Next Monday, our guest will be Dr. Ed Thompson, State Health Officer. He’ll discuss health issues and concerns currently being dealt with in Mississippi. LAST WEEK AT ROTARY Attendance: There were 134 members (95 active, 38 exempt, 1 honorary) present and 66 members (41 active, 18 exempt, and 7 honorary) missing. Four members are on leave. Invocation and Pledge: Charlotte Coker. Guests: Guests included Brian Portera of George Sherman; Jan Zeppelin of Jean Faver; Rick Ferrall of Lee Beck; Tammy Tyndall of Dan Camp; and Club guests Maryna Melnik and Negrita Caicedo (RYE students) and Doug Moore (Pushmataha Area Council of Boy Scouts). Makeups: Rick Smith made up in Louisville April 9; Dave Boles made up on line April 14; Andy Gaston made up in Aberdeen April 21. Friends of Scouting Dinner: President Ned Browning presented a check for $1,000 to Doug Moore, executive director of the Pushmataha Area Council to cover the cost of the Friends of Scouting dinner held the previous week. In accepting the check, Moore said the relationship between Starkville Rotary Club and scouting is unique. He thanked Rotarians John Robert Arnold and Bryce Griffis for their help with the Friends of Scouting campaign. “Three reasons I love scouting – what it means to our community, the volunteers who make it work, and the scouts themselves,” Moore said. Meeting Notes: President Ned Browning thanked all those who helped make the District Conference a success. “It was a fine conference and I’m very proud of our club.” He reported that the auction of the football, basketball, and baseball (autographed by the respective MSU head coaches) resulted in $800 for the District literacy efforts. He displayed a banner from the RI Foundation designating us an “every member every year” club. Ned also thanked everyone involved with the successful hosting of the Group Study Exchange Team from France. Our Club and Greenville Rotary Club got the Governor’s Award for the most outstanding clubs in District 6820. STARKVILLE COMMUNITY MARKET The vision of an open-air community market in downtown Starkville will become a reality this summer, thanks to an organized effort led by MSU assistant professor Jeremiah Dumas and an enthusiastic board of directors and advisors. Dumas described Starkville Community Market as much more than just a farmers’ market dealing in locally grown produce. “It will be a reflection of who we are as a community,” he said. “It will be based on proven public markets. It will provide an outlet for local farmers, craftsmen, and artisans and be a portal to showcase the diverse culture of our community.” An assistant professor of landscape architecture, Dumas specializes in research with the MSU Geophysics Institute and specializes in urban planning. After completing his graduate degree in landscape architecture at MSU, he spent a year working on management and design of landscape architecture and planning projects throughout New Mexico and west Texas. In Santa Fe, Dumas experienced one of the best-known well-established community markets in the country. After returning to Starkville and the MSU faculty in 2006, he recognized how a public market could benefit our community by showcasing our diverse culture and developing a true sense of place. He found considerable interest among others in the community. In cooperation with city and university officials, an eight-member board of directors and a five-member advisory committee of specialists were formed. An identifying logo for Starkville Community Market was developed and planning began for the open-air market. Based on studies of proven public markets, including those in New Orleans and Santa Fe, the board identified the qualities that make them successful. “We are determined to set development standards that will enable the market to persist through time,” Dumas said. “The market must be located downtown. We want to maintain a reasonable balance – 60 percent crops, 20 percent value added products (jams, jellies, baked goods, etc), and 20 percent arts and crafts. It will NOT be a flea market; we intend to assure quality.” Tammy Tyndall will be the manager. Several downtown sites are being considered and a decision is expected soon. Tentative plans call for the market to open in early summer (when produce becomes available) and operate Saturdays from 7 to 11 with a cowbell signaling that vendors may begin selling. Vendors can set up shop for a modest $10 charge. Other rules and regulations are being developed. “There is great diversity in Starkville as a university town. We want the Starkville Community Market to be unifying hallmark,” he said Although he’s enthusiastic and excited about the project, Dumas said there are still the challenges of attracting vendors (“we need to rely on smaller vendors”) and funding. However, the only major expenses are for promotional materials. In conclusion, he said “we need to be patient. We need to grow it and sustain it.” The program was introduced by Matt Cox. The market has a website up and running at <starkvillecommunitymarket.com> NEED FAMILIES FOR NEW RYE STUDENTS Our Club will again host two Rotary Youth Exchange students for the 2008-09 school year and the Youth Exchange Committee is seeking host families. Estefania Alejandra Romero, whose nickname is Nia, comes from Barquisimeto, Venezuela. She turned 17 in January and has a 15-year-old sister. Her father is an administrator and a Rotarian; her mother is a medical doctor. She rates her English (spoken and written) as “good,” and says she enjoys cooking, reading, making jewelry, and listening to music. Our second student is 17-year-old Takatoshi Sato from Fukuyama, Japan. Taka is the youngest of three brothers. His father is a fireman for the city, his mother is a nurse. He was captain of his junior high basketball team and is now vice captain of his school volleyball team. He wants to be an English teacher and his hobby is playing the piano (he has taken lessons since he was 5 years old). The committee hopes to have at least three host families (preferably with kids at SHS) for each student during the year (total of six). If you’re interested or know of a potential family, please contact Martha Wells, Debra Hicks, or Keith Remy. ROTARIANS WITH MAY BIRTHDAYS Rotarians with birthdays in May include John Robert Arnold, Tom Ball, Larry Box, Melissa Dixon, Carolyn Jackson, Paul Millsaps, Lynne Richardson, John Simpson, Jim Tisdale, and Tony Vizzini. |