Welcome to the Elkhart Rotary Club Meeting on June 24, 2019; Today we welcomed Lisa Koop, Associate Director of Legal Services, National Immigrant Justice Center
President Peter Norton opened the meeting and introduced Ashley Bowen who shared meaningful words, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Four Way Test.
Thanks to Rob LaRoy who introduced today's guests: David Damerow (Tom Shoff), Melissa Kinsey and Lori Holt (Eric Garton), Dani Spring (Lou Ann Welsh), Mary Short and Suzanne Makajc (Aaron Clow), Ruben Nieto (Ashley Bowen), Lindsay Sell and Kathy Strukel (Shawn DeBaar), and Marie Drake. Welcome to ALL guests, we hope you can all join us again some other time!
Announcements for June 24:
- ***SAVE THE DATE*** Susan Ginther introduced her successor to the Social Committee Chair for 2019-2020, Julie Cotton and announced an exciting upcoming event for our club members; we will have a block of tickets available for the Friday, October 4, 7:30 p.m. concert featuring Dionne Warwick, a six-time Grammy Award-winning music legend who has earned more than 75 charted hit songs and sold over 100 million records. To reserve your tickets, email Julie Cotton at julie@nextlevelimprov.com; tickets are limited to 30, with some already spoken for at the meeting! We also plan to have some type of pre-concert gathering (details to follow). Each ticket for the concert will be approximately $65, including handling fees and taxes. Whatever is planned prior to the concert will be at additional cost. Each Elkhart Rotary member is limited to 2 tickets, unless additional tickets are available after the initial sign up. The Elkhart Rotary ticket block is located on the right side of the main floor right aisle, rows R, S, and T.
- Board of Directors - - please remember that incoming District Governor Al Brothers would like to meet with us at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 1 BEFORE our regularly scheduled club meeting. See you there!
- Shannon White reported that a past, long-time club member Gordon 'Gordy' Anderson passed away Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at Roosevelt Park Nursing Center in Muskegon, Michigan. Gordy was president of the club in 1983-'84 and will be missed.
Today's Sergeant was Bob Shultz, who did a great job of FUNdraising today using trivia about the U.S. Senior Open, which is currently being played at Warren Golf Course in South Bend. Great job, Bob. Rotary fines are collected weekly and are pooled into a fund throughout the year. In the spring more than $10,000 is distributed as grants to not for profit organizations around our county. Thanks, All, for your contributions!
Candy introduced today's speaker, Lisa Koop, Associate Director of Legal Services, National Immigrant Justice Center in Goshen.
Heartland Alliance's National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. With offices in Chicago, Indiana, and Washington, DC, NIJC provides direct legal services to and advocates for these populations through policy reform, impact litigation, and public education. Since its founding three decades ago, NIJC has been unique in blending individual client advocacy with broad-based systemic change.
- Areas of immigration legal assistance: Adjustment of Status, Asylum applications, Consular Processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Employment authorization, Family-based petitions, Habeas Corpus, NACARA, Naturalization/Citizenship, Removal hearings, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions
- Types of immigration legal services provided: Filings with USCIS, Representation at Asylum Interviews (Credible Fear Interviews, Reasonable Fear Interviews), Representation before the Immigration Court, Representation before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), Federal court appeals
- Populations served: Detained individuals, Domestic Violence Victims, Farm workers, Human Trafficking Survivors, Individuals who are not in legal immigration status, Individuals with criminal histories, Individuals with physical/mental disabilities, Juveniles, Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender, Torture survivors
Want to learn more or help? Visit NIJC's website or https://www.immigrantjustice.org/how-help
Thanks, Lisa, for an informative program!
About Rotary:
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, community leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and act to create lasting change – across the globe, in our local communities, and in ourselves. The Elkhart Rotary Club was founded in 1917 and serves its community through volunteerism, providing grants to not-for-profit organizations, sponsoring, and participating in service projects such as ringing bells for the Salvation Army, roadside trash collection, and are the originators and sustainers of Wellfield Botanic Gardens. Elkhart Rotary Club’s membership consists of approximately 150 dedicated individuals from various professional backgrounds and diverse interests. Membership in the Elkhart Rotary Club is by invitation. We welcome guests to attend any of our meetings and hear from our great lineup of weekly presenters.
For more information on the Elkhart Rotary Club, visit elkhartrotary.org or email elkhartnoonrotary@gmail.com. Like and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook/ElkhartRotaryClub to stay current on meetings, upcoming events or speakers, and initiatives in the community.
Upcoming Meetings and Programs:
- July 1: District Governor Alfred Brothers, Jr - District 6540 District Governor
- July 8: Dave Dufour - Executive Director of Elkhart Civic Theater
- July 15: John Hill and Wayne Stubbs - Executive Director and Board President - Elkhart County Symphony Association
- July 22: Irwin Larrier, Executive Director - Center for Community Justice
- July 29: Elkhart Rotary Club INTERACT's presentation about their recent trip to Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica and their service project at the Biblioteca David Kitson. Don't miss this special presentation highlighting the work of young adults making a difference in our world.
Join us for our next meeting:
All meetings are at noon on Mondays at the Matterhorn Banquet and Conference Center, 2041 Cassopolis St. in Elkhart IN, 46514. In months that include a FIFTH Monday, the Elkhart Rotary Club holds an alternative meeting or activity.