top of page

 

March 20, 2019

Today's Meeting
Head shot.jpg
Our meeting was called to order by President Joanne Doell at Noon. Gary Redfern led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Our Greeter, Barry Rosenfeld inspired us with “God may be slow but he is never late.”
 
The Hawaiian Word of the Day is Wailuku which means “water of destruction” part of Na Wai Eha meaning four waters or four streams (Iao, Waihe’e, Waikapu and Waehu). In 1790 Kamehameha I was battling each island for supremacy. He arrived at Kahului, marched to Iao, and engaged with Kalanikupule for two days in the brutal Battle of Kepaniwai (damming of the River). Then, on day 3, Kamehameha brought up 2 cannons and won. It is known as one of the most bitter battles fought in resulting in the “damming of the waters” by corpses floating in the river. It was said that the river “ran red with the blood of the dead”
Introduction of guests.

Merritt Wiseman from Visalia, CA
Chris Wood, our speaker from Maui
Marge and Al Cieri from Eugene, Oregon
Al Stjernegaard from Port Moody, British Columbia 
Brad Benn from Lanaii
Joanne Laird from Lahaina Sunset Club
Alan Gray from Chicago
Wendy Hornack from Upcountry
 
Today's Speaker
Chris Wood
IMG_0679c.jpg
Margie Flores introduced our guest speaker, Chris Wood.
​
Chris gave us an his perspective on what is going on in the lives of day to day police officers. They are committing suicide, men and women both, and at an alarmingly high rate. In 2016, 171 officers were killed in the line of duty and 140 committed suicide. In 2018, 150 officers were killed the line of duty and 163 to suicide. Officer suicide should be preventable but there are circumstances that keep officers from talking about their suicidal tendencies.
​
Chris was with the Dallas police department for his career and after July 17, 2016, when he witnessed five of his men shot to death at a Black Lives Matter rally, he realized he had to take another direction in his life. He and his wife Penny, a practicing chiropractor on Maui moved here. With little but his remorse, he started to write about his experiences and started a website The Officer Next Door, that states "With a deep respect for what police officers do
for this country and having done the job for over a decade, this blog was started with the goal of bridging the “gap” between police officers and the rest of society. We hope to offer a point of view through the eyes of a police officer about incidents that happen and police related topics in general. Most police officers can’t voice their opinions publicly due to department rules or policies, that is where we come in. For those who have never walked the streets wearing a bullet proof vest and a badge, it’s impossible to know what these men and women go through on a daily basis. We will strive to provide this vantage point and show you what it’s like to walk along the thin blue line."
​
A summary from a 2017 Ruderman Foundation White Paper [click for details] states:
  • Both police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.

  • The vast majority of first responder suicides are not covered by the mainstream media, and the public is not given the opportunity to celebrate the lives of those lost.

  • There are several barriers that prevent first responders from accessing mental health services, including shame and stigma. These same barriers prevent families from talking openly about the suicide of a loved one, thereby contributing to silence and lack of awareness around the issue of first responder suicide.
     

Humanizing the badge is an important way to make us realize the police are normal fathers, brothers, husbands who go home and try to forget all the horrible events they see on many days. Layers of technology have been added to an officer’s job such as body cameras, which can exonerate or condemn an officer accused of wrong-doing. The media gives crime top priority and minimizes the community support and service that makes up most of police work. Crime news sells. Officers run into situations that we, as civilians, run away from. There are 64.9 million contacts a year between officers and citizens, and of those millions of contacts 1,000 are fatal. Maui needs good police officers. There is a hiring crisis with few willing to take on the thankless task. For more information go online to Facebook and look up blue help.org. on youtube. Members and guests testified to the challenges faced by the families of police officers. Chris answered questions and signed a label for the school library books.
​
Here is a link to the Columbia Protocol, six questions that family and friends can ask someone who may be at risk for suicide, but has been too depressed or angry to ask for help, which is what they want and need.
IMG_0680c.jpg
We had a flag exchange with Merritt Wiseman from Visalia
Announcements:
Smita Martinez reported on her evening at the Peace Heroes Award. She attended with Mark Harbison who won the award last year. This year's awards went to four community members.

Please fill in the membership information form and give it or email it to Joanne today.

Margie Flores gave us the dates (April 18 & 24) for upcoming dental events at Kihei Elementary and Kamali’i schools. Sign up in the binder or online.

Next Meet & Greet Pau Hana will be March 27, Wednesday at 'Ami 'Ami Poolside from five to seven. Happy hour is from five to six. This is an opportunity for you to invite a prospective new member to an evening of talk story and get to know Rotary.

The next Rotary Work Day will be April 13. Maui Food Bank will be with Lokelani students. Sign up in the binder.

The district conference is May 17-19 in Honolulu. Pineapple Tour will be May 28. Sign up by today.

Janet Walker announced birthdays and anniversaries. Birthdays were Stuart Karlan and Jane Sawyer and Jane and Tom Sawyer had Rotary anniversaries as well as Jay Satenstein at 46 years and John Moore at 42 years.
​
Our best wishes to Rema Bagshaw! Dennis and Gary Redfern have been in touch daily and per her Doctor, the Knee Surgery was a complete success!! Physical Therapy visits at home to start and Clinic visits will follow. Dennis and Rema are a great team and we look forward to seeing their big smiles and endless energy back at our Club very soon.
​

Speaker's Schedule:

 

March

March 27    5–7 pm: Meet & Greet Gathering

                   at the Kamaole Poolside Bar behind 'Ami 'Ami restaurant

April

April   3     Elizabeth JohnsonNon-Traditional Children’s Learning

April 10     Nicole Fisher,  Akaku Public Television

April 17     Dawn Hall, Animal Rescue

April 24     No Speaker

April 30     Pau Hana

​

May

May   1      Malia Cahill, Executive Director at Maui Huliau Foundation

May   8      Kim Julen,  Feng Shui Intuitive Coach

May 15      Beth Mathias,   Pacific Bio-diesel

May 22      No Speaker

May 29      Pau Hana

​

June

June   5     Megan DeGaia,    Publisher-Neighbors of Wailea and Makena

June 12     Pending

June 19     Pending

June 26     No Speaker

Janet passed the Happy dollar bowl.
 
Happy were Merritt Wiseman, Kit Hawkins, Gary Redfern, Elizabeth Kemmish, and 19 others. All very happy to have heard the tough message from Chris Wood and thanking him and all in Police and Fireman positions for their service and devotion.
George Fontaine relayed an Act of Kindness—at Starbuck’s recently he observed two police officers being thanked by a patron who bought them coffee.
IMG_0713c.jpg
Dave Ballaine held the Magic Marble basket and Chris Wood drew Randy Miller’s ticket number. He drew Blue. The pot was $574. There will be 21 marbles next week.
 
Rotary Foundation
Barry Hyman gave a final push for Donations to the Rotary Foundation EREY. Questions ask Barry. He brings records of giving to every meeting he attends.
 
The Wacky Word Day today is “I want you to be Happy Day” which sounds like a winner and to go along with that it’s also, “National Mulled Wine Day”. I’ll let you decide how one can actively lead into the other.
 
The Closing
Joanne Laird led us in the 4-way test and Stuart helped us sing our guests out the door. Mahalo nui loa and a hui hou from President Joanne Doell.
Charlotte Smith was exit greeter. The meeting ended at 1:09.
NEWSLETTER REPORTER
Heather Ballaine
NEWSLETTER PHOTOGRAPHER
Kit Hawkins
NEWSLETTER LAYOUT
Steve Moksnes
NEWSLETTER EDITORS
Joanne Doell
Stuart Karlan
bottom of page