Our next meeting will be Friday (12/21) at Newcastle Place, 12600 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI 53092.

This Friday we will be wrapping gifts for the two St. Marcus families we've adopted for this holiday season. Wrapping gifts will be a fun way to get the spirit and all be a part of the service project (see Thought of the Week below)!

The greeter will provide either the thought, a Rotary minute, share a family moment or a cultural tradition ... anything they would like to start off the day positive.

Upcoming "It's your Rotary moment" assignees:

• Lynn Streeter (12/21)
• Lee Szymborski (12/28)
• Steve Taylor (1/4)
• Jo Ann Vetter (1/18)

Note: If you are unable to act as "It's your Rotary moment" assignee when scheduled please arrange for your replacement.

Visit our website at mtsunriserotary.org.

“And the Grinch,
with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling,
how could it be so?
It came without ribbons.
It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store?
What if Christmas, perhaps,
means a little bit more?”

~ Dr. Seuss

Back Story:

Earlier this year Lynn Streeter introduced us to an exceptional young man by the name of Matthew Ceelen. Matt's story began with a letter to our club requesting financial support for his Eagle Scout project of building two bat houses to be placed in the Mequon Nature Preserve. With the request approved, we heard what Paul Harvey used to call "The rest of the story".

Matthew was diagnosed with bone cancer just weeks shy of his 15th birthday. In medical terms it is a high grade sclerosing subtype of osteosarcoma. Approximately 450 children in North America are diagnosed with osteosarcoma each year. He is 1 of approximately 4 children who will be diagnosed with his subtype of osteosarcoma in 2017. 

Update:

Matthew is having surgery on Wednesday, December 19 to address the problems he has been experiencing with his left arm. The donor bone that was implanted last year to replace his cancerous left humerus has showed no signs of healing. After many tests, the bone scan results showed that a portion of his native bone at the shoulder has remained "alive” despite the damage caused by the loose surgical screws and resulting collapse of his native bone.

The surgery on Wednesday will be very extensive and delicate. A decision was made to go ahead with the surgery that will give him the best option for regaining the most function of his left arm. The plan is to remove part of the fibula and it’s blood supply from his right leg and put it in his left arm. The donor bone will be hollowed out and the fibula will be placed inside it. Microscopic surgery will then connect the blood vessels to keep the fibula “alive” and promote healing at his shoulder and near the elbow. A skin graft will also be taken from Matthew’s upper leg to cover the area on his leg that they won’t be able to sew together. His orthopedic surgeon and a plastic surgeon will work together during his case. If things do not go as expected, plan B and C have also been discussed and will be ready to implement if necessary. I will post more updates than normal this week to keep you all informed.

Please keep Matthew in your thoughts and prayers during his surgery and extensive recovery.

Just in this morning:

Matthew’s surgery is finally finished. He went to the operating room at 8:30 am and made it to recovery around 7:15 pm. Everything we’ve heard from the surgeons and anesthesiologist has been very positive. He is able to move his fingers so that’s a great sign. 

Thank you all for your support! You truly make a difference. 

Nancy by Olivia Jaimes

Our Rotary Exchange student, Elisabeth Burschel (center) from Germany, and friends Avery and Meghan enjoyed a night on the town.  Elisabeth's HHS Chamber Orchestra played in the Milwaukee Center atrium before they attended Christmas Carol and enjoyed a fun evening . (Photo by Bob Blazich)

As you might have heard, we are going to be angels to two St. Marcus families of 5 people each this year.

Family 1: Lasonya (mother, age 41), Avanni (girl, age 3 - K3), Quron (boy, age 15 - 9th grade), Jamarquae (boy, age 16, 11th grade), Anthony (Lasonya's  disabled brother, age 35)

Family 2: Shirley (great aunt & primary caregiver), Jade (girl, age 11 - 5th grade), Jamie (girl, age 9 - 1st grade), Taylor (girl, age 5 - K5), Tatum (girl, age 3).

We will be collecting gifts as well as household staples (cleaning supplies, toiletries, food) over the next few weeks until Friday, December 21. If you would prefer to contribute monetarily instead of shopping on your own, please bring cash to a meeting in advance of the deadline to ensure we're able to get everything together by the 21st. At this Friday's meeting, November 30, we will have gift tags and lists available for you to take to help your shopping excursions. 

On Friday, December 21, we will be wrapping the gifts for the families as a club during our meeting. Will be a fun way to get the spirit and all be a part of the service project!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me (aejorgensen@rwbaird.com, 262-240-3538).

Andrea

UPDATE:

Last week was the first to pick up gift tags and household item lists to start shopping for the two families of 5 we adopted for Christmas this year. Thank you to those of you that took some and have already started shopping! That said, we still have MANY gift tags left (30 to be exact). I will have the tags available again at this Friday's meeting and would love more participation if you're able to help!

Another option if you do not want to shop would be to contribute money and we will take care of as many of the gifts as possible that aren't claimed by a Rotarian. If you'd like to contribute monetarily, please bring your contribution to the meeting this Friday or next so that we have time to shop in advance of our December 21 club wrapping party. You can also venmo me if that is easier: @jorgy.

Following the December 21 meeting, we will need volunteers to take the gifts to the two families homes. Please let me know if you are able to help with deliveries. From our last meeting I think I have Danielle and Connie.

Thank you and see you Friday!