50-50 RAFFLE
POT SIZE: $183.50
Rob Lutts and Jake Segal had the raffle numbers, but there was no winner!
CALENDAR RAFFLE
SOLD BY: John Hall
SOLD TO: Luisa Coppola
VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS
Reverend Ken was visiting from Wake Forest.
Dennis Knight was a guest of Viktoria Talebian.
Stephen Rowe was a guest of Jason Consalvo.
FINES AND RECOGNITIONS
Dick Lutts told a funny joke as did Reverend Ken.
Claudia Chuber visited the Cambridge Rotary where she met Dana McIntire who will be president of that Club next year. He sent his regards to friends at the Salem Rotary.
Dick Moore said that the Topsfield Fair is starting on Friday, October 3rd.
Rinus Oosthoek promoted the Halloween Parade that is taking place on Thursday evening starting at 6:30 PM and going from Shetland Park to the Common.
Jason Consalvo mentioned that his father was in the military so he was familiar with what happens when the forward is in danger. And so it is with the Patriots. Jason had no need to pay a fine for a Patriots win!
Jane Stirgwolt reported on her three daughters: Anna and her husband bought a home in Colorado; Nel and her husband bought a home in Connecticut; and Hazel was chosen for Federal jury duty.
Rich Eisner gave his report on his son’s hockey team: They are in first place in their division having recently beaten Lynn.
Juli Lederhaus played on a foursome at a Salem State University golf outing at Kernwood Country Club. Her team came in 1st place in the woman’s division!
John Neely spent three weeks in Europe. He tried a beer on Turkish Airlines before being served a Muslim meal.
Brenda Smith reported that her friend Denise Murphy was struck by a vehicle while she was riding her bike on Route 1A. Denise’s husband is Patrick Smith. Prayers are requested for Denise.
Viktoria Talebian went to a Pit Bull concert that was a lot of fun! She also mentioned the Club Service Project at Lifebridge. Roberta Cantor designed a delicious Italian meal and is contributing the food for it. Tim Clarke, Mary Ann Lyons, Viktoria and her son will be assisting at the dinner.
Patty Pace went apple picking with her grandchildren.
At the Rotary Golf Outing there was a raffle prize of a full detailing at Salem Car Wash. Claudia won the bid at $155.00.
Some photos of the recent Lifebridge dinner:
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BIRTHDAYS
Happy birthday to Jane Stirgwolt on October 2nd!
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mark Shaw and Rich Eisner received $11,500 in calendar ad sales. Each Rotarian was given 10 calendars to sell or give as gifts. They cost $20 each. All money and registration slips are to be returned by January 13, 2015 to Viktoria or Rich Eisner. If all 10 are sold before that date, the money and slips may be returned earlier. Extra calendars are available. Dick Lutts?!
THIS WEEK'S SPEAKER
Rosario Ubiera-Minaya introduced this week’s speaker, Elsabel Rincon, Executive Director and Founder of the Immigrant Advocacy Project.
Elsabel came to the United States from the Dominican Republic when she was 10 years old. She could speak very little English. She did well in school and was enrolled as a pre-med/international relations student at BU when she changed her educational focus toward helping recent immigrants. Elsabel has received many awards and honors for her work in this field.
Elsabel talked about the United States being a nation of immigrants, although presently, only 2% of the world’s immigrants come to the US.
There are many issues facing new immigrants. Some of them are about the two-sided geo-cultural adjustment…leaving a country that is familiar and entering one that is new. The adaption to the new country is affected by how the individual is received. Leaving one’s familiar country is a significant life event that research shows may have serious mental health impacts.
There are many reasons why a person may become an immigrant. A few examples are:
- To reunite with a family member
- To work for a better economic opportunity
- To receive an education
- To flee from oppression and abuse
When we are interacting with a member of the immigrant community, Elsabel recommends that we consider several factors that may deeply affect the individual, such as how they entered the country…was it traumatic? What is the individual’s immigration status…is he or she a permanent resident, on a visa, or a refugee brought by the US from a refugee camp? Is the person receiving asylum in the US because to return to their own country poses safety risks? Is the person a highly skilled contract worker or undocumented? Why did the person leave everything behind to start a completely new life?
Consider that an individual may have left a colonized country with a legacy of violence or sexual assault; perhaps he or she was exposed to war. Did they migrate as an adult or child? Although a person may look like an immigrant, they may in fact be first, second or third generation in the United States.
It is a challenge for immigrants to go through acculturation. It is a balancing of the culture left behind with the one being learned. One must develop a post migration cultural identity. Will the individual become completely assimilated or fully integrated?
Things that change when going through this process are foods, dance, music religion, attitudes toward authority, religion, sex roles, family values, medicine, etc. How quickly the process goes depend on whether they are the first of their ethnic background to arrive in an area or if they are joining an enclave. Does the person have access to their homeland? What is the size of the new community? How does their appearance differ from others?
Other challenges could be:
- Decrease in earning capacity
- Non-transfer of professional training or education
- Lack of transportation
- Change in nutrition
- Differences in parenting styles
- Existing anti-immigration sentiments
- Racism/discrimination
Sometimes there is a significant role reversal and resultant challenge when the child understands the new language and culture better and becomes more of an “authority figure” for the family in the new country.
Elsabel recommends that we check facts when dealing with an individual who appears to be from another country. Do not make assumptions about them. The best idea is to practice “cultural humility: so that we are aware of our own views and attitudes; we try to gain knowledge of others; and maintain a cultural curiosity.”
Elsabel’s final recommendation for relating to those who may be from another country was to let “the person in front of you be your guide.”
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