Elynne Greene, MA is currently manager of human trafficking and victim services at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.  She began working with victims of violence in 1974 and has worked as an advocate, a therapist and presently as an administrator.  Ms. Greene serves on the executive committee of the Community Coalition for Victims’ Rights and the Attorney General’s Nevada Council for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.  She was recently appointed to the Governor’s Commercially Sexual Exploitation of Children Coalition and is co-chair of the Care Coordination Committee.

Ms. Greene is a POST certified instructor and has presented at both state and national conferences.  She serves as an expert witness in both state and federal court in domestic violence.  She was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Red Cross in 2015.  Elynne Greene is a 24-year resident of Las Vegas.

Dear Rotarians,

It looks like 2017 is the year of many important centennial celebrations. Among many other seminal occurrences, 1917 marked the independence of Finland from Russia, the establishment of the U.S. Virgin Islands as a territory of the United States, the birth of the Lions Club (also, interestingly, started in Chicago) and perhaps most endearingly for those of us from the Great White North, the start of the National Hockey League!

Of course, I would be remiss if I did not at least mention that fact that 1917 also marked the start of The Rotary Foundation
with a donation of $26.50 by Arch Klumph. That $26.50 start (worth about $540.34 in 2016 dollars) was a seed that initiated
an endowment that now totals over $360 million with about $11 million distributed annually for matching grants.

We are all blessed to be part of a global organization with the financial strength of Rotary. We are equally blessed to have
established our own Las Vegas Rotary Foundation that we use to enhance our support for local causes here in Las Vegas.

So, as we move through 2017 please look for ways you can support both The Rotary Foundation and our own Las Vegas
Rotary Foundation. As Arch Klumph once said:

“We should not live for ourselves alone, but for the joy in doing good for others.”

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2017!

David Thorson
President 2016 -2017
Las Vegas Rotary Club

• President David Thorson called the meeting to order.
• Bob Fisher gave the invocation. Sidra Kain led the club in singing “Auld Lang Syne.” The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and the Sergeant-at-Arms was Past President Brock Fraser.
• There were no International Rotarians, (0) Visiting Rotarians and (10) Guests of Rotarians were introduced.
• The drawing began at $2,979.00 plus this week’s donations. The winner gets half the pot and half goes to the Las Vegas Rotary Foundation. Ticket Winner: Carolyn Sparks who won $10! Lawry Bucks Winner: Pete Samoulis.
• Paul Kruger informed the club that Ty Hilbrecht is currently awaiting cataract surgery and Past President Irwin Kishner is getting over pneumonia.
• President David Thorson presented a 4 Way Test Coin to Stu Lipoff for his tireless work on the 5th Wheel and Set Up and Tear Down at the weekly meetings.
• President David Thorson reminded the club that the Las Vegas Rotary Foundation’s goal of $2 million is set for June 30, 2018 and good progress is already being made.
• Rampur Viswanath introduced his grandson Akosh who was quizzed by Rotarians to demonstrate his encyclopedic knowledge of U.S. Presidents and Vice Presidents.
• President Elect Michael Gordon reminded the club that the Rotary Car Show is on track and will be held at Celebrity Cars on April 23, 2017.
• Arleen Sirois announced that the next “Wine to Water” event will be held at the home of Dr. Kazem Fathie on February 22, 2017. The committee is in need of raffle prizes.
• Kirk Alexander reviewed the numerous upcoming youth programs scheduled for 2017 and requested volunteers for RYLA.
• Erik Astramecki announced that there will be a 25 Club Social on January 20, 2017. Location is TBD.
• Marie Walsh announced that the next Breakfast with Books is on January 10, 2017 at Beckley Elementary at 8am.
• Larry Tomsic introduced the speaker, Debi Kinney, Vice President, CSR and Hotel Business Development for Clean the World. Debi has a long standing history with Rotary, Las Vegas and the hospitality industry. She is passionate about her role with Clean the World which provides recycled soap and hygiene products to people in need all over the World. Before Clean the World got started, over 1 million bars of soap were thrown away ever day in Las Vegas alone and over 9,000 children died from preventable diseases. Now, with 4,000 hotel partners worldwide, the program collects used soap and other hygiene products from the hotels and repurposes them to distribute to people in need.
• President David Thorson presented the speaker with a “Sole Power Award” and
  adjourned the meeting.