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NEWSLETTER

Cedar Rapids Downtown Kiwanis Club

March 8, 2006

"Now More Than Ever"

The meeting was called to order by President Doug Dix.      28 Members in attendance.

Guests:  Deb Fisher (John Schweitzer, who claims Deb intends to apply for membership)

Sage Saying: “Do it right the first time and do it very right the second time” - Anonymous

Birthday: None this week or last

Anniversaries:  3/1 – Kelly Allen (05); 3/2 – Kelly Moore (93); 3/3 – Dan Thies (87); 3/6 – Glen Fox (01)

Announcements:  Joe Nolte invites all to join the Float Committee to decorate our entry in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade – Thursday, March 16, 6:00 at All Seasons Equipment; Al Gravelie reports that Jim Manville is not doing well.  Our best wishes and prayers for a rapid recovery go out to him; Dan Breitbach announced a big push for pancake ticket sales, especially to corporate customers.

Happy Bucks: Rod Thorpe claimed to be happy to be back from snow birding in Arizona; Dan Breitbach had three bucks worth for only one dollar; Don Grimm had one for the Collins guys asea on their quest for Amelia Earhart’s airplane, and one in memory of his bridge partner’s mother, recently deceased; John Waggoner troubles mount, now with shingles.

Next week’s program:  3/22/06 - the Honorable Kay Halloran, Mayor, Cedar Rapids

Speaker: Margaret Fitzgerald, the liaison officer for homeless families in the Cedar Rapids school district explained the history of the job and laid out some of the principal duties.  The position exists as regulatory requirement starting in 1978, and Cedar Rapids has had a liaison for the past nine years.  The main thing is to make sure that all children have access to an education.  The process is discreet, with few knowing the homeless status of the 600 kids K-12 and 28 preschoolers in town.  If the kids become homeless after being established at a school in the system, they are almost always kept at that same school regardless of the location of the alternate housing.  This leads to aggressive transportation problem solving.  For new arrivals to town, the liaison officer often must kick down doors to effect prompt school placement despite absence of school records, immunization records, birth certificates, etc.  The liaison office provides school supplies, arranges for school meals and whatever else contributes to a stable home base for children.

Word for the day: cosset, n. 1. A lamb (colt, etc.) brought up by hand; a pet lamb, cade-lamb.  2.  Applied to persons, etc.,: a petted, spoiled child

Submitted Chuck Wehage