Newsletter - Current  Oct 3, 2008

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	Newsletter of the
Issue #30	Date Here	Volume #5

Greetings Fellow Rotarians!

Today was another great meeting of with old friends; our two new Rotarians Dan Goebel and Rob Helglin; guest like fellow Rotarian John Maier from Texas; and our speaker Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, of the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Announcements

• Brian Begley informed the group that we will meet at 5:30 pm on October 16^th at Symmes Tavern to label the books for this years Dictionary project. This will be a great chance for everyone to socialize with your fellow Rotarians as well as help prepare for our next Dictionary project.

• Fred Valerious announced that unfortunately we suddenly find ourselves short three foursomes for the golf outing. He needs to get the foursomes together by Monday. If you have or foursome, or if you have not signed up for lunch yet, please contact Fred by Monday!

Students of the Week

Jay Bauer and Diane Chow were our Students of the Week. Jay plays volleyball and is a member of the NHS. E hopes to attend Ohio State to study Journalism. Diane Chow is another honor student who enjoys music and math. She will apply to MIT to study Physics. 

Program

Our guest speaker today was Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, of the Supreme Court of Ohio. She was born to missionary parents in Bangkok, Thailand, and spent her childhood in Southeast Asia, attending boarding school in South Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam War, and later in Malaysia, coming to America periodically with her parents. At age 18, she returned to America alone with only a few hundred dollars in her pocket. She worked her way through school, receiving a Juris Doctor degree from The Ohio State University College of Law.

Justice Stratton's legal career began in the courtrooms of central Ohio as a trial lawyer. In 1989, as the first woman judge to be elected to the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, she presided over major cases ranging from capital murder trials to major civil actions.

With a partnership between courts and the mental health system, Justice Stratton believes many defendants whose mental illness is the basis of their criminal activity can be helped and their lives improved. She formed the Supreme Court of Ohio Advisory Committee on Mental Illness and the Courts, a task force that includes mental health, legal and criminal justice professionals from around the state. The advisory committee focuses on mental health initiatives in the court system and how to effectively implement such programs. Justice Stratton also leads several national efforts toward helping persons with mental illness.

Next Meeting will be Friday, October 10^th - Invocation and pledge by Jerry Gore. Our guest speaker will be the new Fairfield High School Hockey coach. 

Together we can Make Dreams Real,

Mark Koeninger