Our Greeter today was Dan Crane and he did a marvelous job.
President Jeanne Shipe rang the bell at 7:30 A.M. to open the meeting. Pastor Jean Masiko gave a very nice invocation.
Pres. Jeanne began the meeting having the members recite the Four-way Test.
GUESTS:
Dave Dries, President, Spring Township RC: Wilmer Schultz, Emmaus RC.
Pres. Jeanne showed pictures starting with TT4, then Dictionary distribution, and the Atlanta RI Convention. Then we saw DGE Herb Klotz at the D7430 Changeover dinner placing the DGN pin for Janet Kolepp. The passing of the gavel with 8 Past District Governors was next. Then we had folks from the Dining out at the Shanty, and volunteers for the Kingdom Life Food Pantry last Friday evening.
LOWHILL FOOD PANTRY:
Please remember that the Collection jar is at the registration desk for cash and check contributions.
NEW JOKE SUPPLY:
Herb reported that while at the Shanty Restaurant last week, his attention was drawn to a particular stall in the Men’s room where many jokes appeared. Herb took a picture, typed them up and gave Dan Crane a copy. Two were told later this morning. There are many more to come.
SCHEDULE:
President Jeanne has added about 100` upcoming events to our ClubRunner on-line Calendar. She reminds us that the ClubRunner cell phone App. makes it easy for us to check dates for Rotary.
TOMORROW, July 12th is the next Thursday evening meeting. Barb Kistler said it is at the Boos Rock Winery at 5:30 PM at 10201 Ziegels Church Rd, Breinigsville, PA 18031. Admission is $10 which is for the wine tasting and will be applied to a wine purchase. Cheese and crackers will also be provided. Purple Pinkie Team will meet following the meeting.
DINING OUT – JULY:
July 20, 2018 at Nostos Greek Restaurant, 701 N 19th St, Allentown, PA 18104 (BYOB). A signup sheet is going around.
2020 DISTRICT CONFERENCE PLANS:
Herb already is making plans for his Conference, and he invites all AW members to join the committee. So far he and Ronnee have signed up.
NEXT MEETING -- JULY 18th:
Our Greeter will be Bob Gordon . And our program will be Treasurer Chris Blechschmidt and President Jeanne Shipe with the 2017-18 Official Year End Treasurer's Report and the 2018-2019 Budget Rollout.
Pres. Jeanne introduced S-a-A Mitch Huston who conducted the drawings and collected some “guilty” fines.
The door prize of a Bird House donated by Dan Crane was won by Bill Weber.
The 50:50 pot of $26 was not won by Chris Blechschmidt whose ticket was selected. Ten marbles remain.
HAPPY DOLLARS:
Herb Klotz told two brief jokes, one about a talking mushroom ( a “FUN-Guy”) , and one about jumper cables in a bar not allowed to start anything.
Herb also presented to Pres. Jeanne a Toronto Banner from the recent RI Convention.
INVITATION TO BREAKFAST CARDS, have been reprinted by John Scott. They are on the front table, and members are asked to write their name on the back, and keep some at the ready to give to potential membership candidates.
Sue Weber is very happy to have Dawn Costello with us today. She also was pleased that they took Ala to dinner last evening. Then Ala heads west for the Youth Exchange 3 week tour.
Chris Blechschmidt took Ala to the airport. And at the same time took his daughter who is on her way to Germany.
Bob Gordon is happy to be back home after his trip to Switzerland. He has been in 8 foreign countries so far this year.
Dave Dries is most happy to report that his grandson’s H.S. soccer team for 16 year olds has won the regionals, and is heading to Cal. For the National Championship game.
Ralph Witcher’s son, Seth, sang at the Iron Pigs game, and then at the PPL Center the next evening.
Ron Coleman is happy to report that his daughter who is 5 months pregnant, will be having a girl.
Dawn Costello’s 18 year old granddaughter, Maddie, came in first in her age group and fourth overall in a Triathlon with over 100 participants.
Geoff Legg told the story about Mitch using dynamite to go fishing.
Joe Goll’s son and daughter-in-law soon are coming home from Athens, Greece after two years. Then after training for a year they will relocate to Belgium.
Mitch Huston reminds us of the Trumpets at Gettysburg National Park that play Taps each day until Labor Day.
PROGRAM:
President-Elect Amir Famili introduced Dr. Pushpinder Puri, Both Herb and Amir worked for Dr. Puri at Air Products some years ago. Jeanne Shipe said that he is a friend and neighbor, and work colleague to many of us in AWRC. He is very active in the local Sikh community with his wife, Mona. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.
Dr. Puri moved to the Lehigh Valley in 1985 to work for Air Products until 2009. He then founded his own consulting firm in the area of chemical technology—specifically membrane systems. After he earned his bachelors and masters in chemical engineering from Punjab University in his native India, he later got his PhD from University of Ottawa, Canada.
Dr. Puri began with a statement that it was nice to have an audience that is really interested in the subject. He discussed the Sikh religion and the Sikhs in the Lehigh Valley. This group of citizens in our country and around the world is largely unknown to many, though Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world.
Dr. Puri began his presentation with a lovely picture of the Golden Temple in Punjab, India. He then explained that The Sikhism was revealed to Guru Nanak over 500 years ago. It Is a monotheistic religion i.e. believes in one God. And It is 5th largest world religion with over 30 million followers worldwide.
The major population of the Sikhs outside India are in the UK, Canada, USA, Australia, South and Eastern African countries and South Asian countries.
The Sikh Principles are:
Naam Japo: Remembering God at all times (ceaseless devotion to God).
Kirat Karō: Earning/making a honest living, without exploitation or fraud.
Vand Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need.
These principles are the FOUNDATION of Sikhism.
Sikhs and Humanity ----
- All living beings (plants, animals and human) came from one God (Sab me eako jot samai)
-All people are created equal irrespective of their gender, color, cast, creed or religion (Manas ki jaat eko pahichanbe)
-Pray for the “goodness” of the whole humanity (Sarbat tha bhalla)
Sikhism and Human Rights ----
Sikhism stresses on civil liberties and human rights:
"Henceforth such is the Will of God: No man shall coerce another; No person shall exploit another. Each individual, has the inalienable birth-right to seek and pursue happiness and self-fulfillment. Love and persuasion is the only law of social coherence.“ (Guru Granth Sahib, page 74)
Sikh Gurus preached and fought for these civil rights more than a century before the United States Bill of Rights was written!
Liberty, Justice, Freedom and Equality
Dr. Puri said “Turban as Hallmark of a the Sikhs.” He showed a montage of folks wearing different turbans. Colors are optional, but some are favored for special events.
Dr. Puri discussed the People of Indian Origin in the USA.
4 Million ( 1.1% of US Population)
Percent of US Workforce:
Engineers: 3%
IT professionals: 7%
Physicians: 8%
10-20% of tech startups have Indian founders
Over 87% of Indian-American adults are foreign born and 38% of them have been here about 10 years. The vast majority of Indian immigrants entered the U.S. legally.
The Sikhs in America -----
There are about 500-700,000 Sikhs in the USA. The Majority of them live in the east coast (NY,NJ) and the west coast (CA). Several pockets of Sikh populations exist in major US cities (Chicago, phoenix, Indianapolis, Miami, Seattle, St. Louis, Houston, Dallas, etc.).
The First Sikhs came to US about 125 years ago to work on the Transcontinental Railroad and later as soldiers and farmers.
Sikhs are very much entrepreneurs and enterprising. Their Major occupations are: Transport, farmers, small business owners, IT, engineers, doctors, nurses, finance, teachers/professors, etc.
The first and only Sikh congressman in the US congress was Dalip Singh Saund (1957-63).
And 60% of Americans admit knowing nothing about Sikhs or Sikhism.
Dr. Puri noted that you rarely find a Sikh living on a public assistance program.
The Sikhs in the Lehigh Valley ----
About 250-300 Sikh families (1000 Sikhs) reside in the Lehigh Valley. Most of them moved to the valley in the last 20 years. Their Main Professions are:
Engineers and IT
Medical (Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists)
Tradesmen (electricians, carpenters, mechanics, painters, etc.)
Other Professions (Chemists, Finance, etc.), Large Business Owners (Auto Dealers, oil Distributors, Restaurant Chains), and Small Business Owners (mostly gas stations and convenience stores). Also they are in Transportation (Trucking companies, truck drivers, Taxi owners/drivers).
Dr. Puri answered many questions and stayed extra time for us.
CLOSING:
We closed our meeting by reciting the saying “One profits most who serves best.”
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