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Hillcrest Rotagram - December 9, 2008 Meeting BULLETIN EDITOR: Bill Burcham   NEXT WEEK: On Tuesday, December 16, we will hear from Eric Burgsman, Executive Director of Hillcrest "100" speaking on "Hillcrest 100: Service to Our First Responders."   COMING PROGRAMS: On December 23, our program will feature The Singing Angels performing "Angels at Christmas." On December 30, we will have our annual Holiday Reception at PDG Joe Skoda's home in Woodhawk.   AILING PRESIDENT: Mike Johns, Jr., substituting for President Joe, indicated that Joe will need more back surgery and is having to restrict his motion. Obviously, he can use our prayers. In addition, if you have questions or information for Joe, Melissa DiBlasi will be in daily communication with him.   GUESTS: We welcomed Bob Inman.   HAPPY/SAD BUCKS: Tom Mugridge reported that he missed us, but he was forced to attend a business meeting in Tucson. Gail Sinito also missed a meeting but enjoyed Thanksgiving in Florida with her entire family. Ross DeJohn spent two weeks in Asia. He found the culture very interesting and their manufacturing "amazing and scary." George Schumacher attended Philanthropia and was impressed by the variety of organizations and nationalities. Lynda Rossiter missed the Taste Thank You Dinner on Friday because she was tied up in traffic due to an accident. Fortunately, she was not involved in the accident. On Monday, she attended Philanthropia and narrowly missed winning a prize.   FOUNDATION MONTH: November was dedicated to the R. I. Foundation, and George Schumacher emphasized how much The Foundation helps those less fortunate than we are and how it does so without using any of our money for administrative costs. Two ways we can contribute are to fulfill "Every Rotarian-Every Year" and to pledge a portion of our estate to Rotary through its Benevolences program.   HOLIDAY PARTY:vIt will be on Saturday, December 20, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Jackie Minotas encouraged all Rotarians to attend even if you are not bringing children or grandchildren.   DATES TO SAVE: Tuesday, December 23 for the Singing Angels. Cost has tentatively been set at $20 per person.   Sunday, December 28, will be our Taste Thank You Brunch at Appetites beginning at 10:00.   Saturday, January 3, for our Strategic Planning Meeting. It is expected to last from 9:00 to 3:00.   CATHOLIC EDUCATION: Our speakers were Stacy Picard and Sister Rita Mary Welsh, OSU who have co-founded SDG Advisors to assist Catholic schools in incorporating effective business practices.   They pointed out that studies have shown that Catholic schools do a better job of educating pupils than public schools even in the inner city. However, enrollment has declined in recent years from 5 million to 2 ½ million, from about 12% of students nationwide to 5%. Fewer nuns and brothers teaching have required the hiring of lay teachers who must be paid. To do so has meant the schools have had to increase tuition to cover their salary costs which total about 80% of each school's expenses. Tuitions now average $2,400 at elementary schools and $8-10,000 at the high school level.   SDG has as its goal the "re-tooling" of Catholic education by working with the schools' infrastructure, not its curriculum. They have experience in both the corporate and education worlds, and will try to marry practices from both so schools can be operated more efficiently. SDG's website is www.sdgadvisors.org.   Sr. Rita Mary Welsh is the sister of Richard Welsh who spent the summer attending our meetings. She emphasized that he really enjoyed our club.   ROTABUCK WINNER: Mike Johns, Jr.