Recently installed President RON ZIRKLE began his first official meeting by promptly forgetting the invocation, for which covered nicely. JO MCCLAIN was the forgotten invocator once JULIUS GLOVER finished leading us in song. SHANNON BIRD introduced the day’s two guests; Rick Pitano a potential member and her personal guest and Penny Baker our next member and guest of PAT DANIELSON.

More committee members are needed on the Program Committee headed up by TRESSA SHOCKLEY and Young Children Priority One led by BECKY SCHOLL. It is expected that every member serve on at least one committee.

Jo announced that a newspaper recycling account has been set up at Michelson Packaging for Aktion Club. When you recycle, you can tell the attendant to put it on the Aktion Club account.

STEVE EMHOFF talked briefly about the upcoming Father-Daughter Dance. It will be held January 17th at the Clarion. Tickets will cost $65 per couple which includes dinner, raffle, silent auction, and dancing. KARL CORPRON was recognized for the work he did on the posters, tickets, and support materials, all of which will be available soon. Mark the date.

Greeter Shannon won bingo, which as called by DON DAVIDSON. LORI CROW fined just about everyone as the meeting’s Sergeant (complete with word games on the table). BOB BROWN was the 50/50 Raffle winning ticket holder, but drew a five of hearts and so did not win the jackpot of $909.

Tressa introduced our three guest speakers; Nancy Leahy, Circle of Success Executive Director and Purdue graduate; Jodi Bailey, assistant and WSU graduate; and Jovana Mayo, helper and YVCC student. The early learning program for children ages 0 to 5 has been associated with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library’s Let’s Read program for the past three years. Nancy was proud to tell us that 542 new children had been enrolled the previous year in the program, bringing the total to 3,190 since June of 2005. It is an important program as it has been scientifically proven that 80% of brain development is completed by age 3 and fully 90% is in place by age 5.

Nancy talked of the 300+ community contributors, but stressed there is always room for more. She related the positive impact the Let’s Read – Imagination Library program by telling the story of Stevie a Selah kindergartener who was named the top reader in his class for reading 1,050 minutes in one month. He was enrolled in the Let’s Read – Imagination Library by his grandmother when he was 2 ½ and received a book a month until he turned 5 when he graduated from the program. His younger sister is now a member and receiving a book a month until she enters kindergarten.

The cost of the program is $60 per child per year, but is free to the recipients. The Yakima chapter is one of 15 in the state, but is by far the largest operating in 55 cities in 2 states, primarily through a partnership with Yakima Valley Farmworkers Clinic.

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