Posted by Liz Nichols on Feb 06, 2018
Gina Vild was the day's speaker.  Her topic was her book,  "The Two Most Important Days," which was written with Sanjiv Chopra.
 
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
 
Pete Wallace-- IC Noon
Kathryn Wallace-- Deb Dunkhase
Elizabeth Barisik-- Pam Ehly
Paula Mompio-- Exchange student
Gina Vild-- Speaker
 
Announcements
 
Deb Dunkhase brought the book that was produced to give to the students of the school in Guatemala when the IAMOST team returns there in a couple weeks. We have a record number of our own members going with the IAMOST team this year: Susie Poulton, Tom Novak, Nan Johnson, Karin Franklin, Amy Nicholson, and Deb Dunkhase.  There are also several members of the IC Noon Club planning to go.
 
The next RLI workshop will be March 3 in Iowa City.  Register at the RLI website. 
 
Attend Toast To Rotary on Friday April 13 at the Radisson from 11 to about 2:30.  Cost is $49 until April 1st.
 
Dick Huber said a bike ride fundraiser is being planned by all four area clubs and a few co-sponsors for this summer. 
 
Dick will substitute for Phil Peterson next week for the regular meeting and the Board meeting while Phil takes a few days off in sunny Indianapolis.
 
Rotarians in the News:  Susie Poulton was quoted in the Gazette.
 
There were many Happy Bucks perhaps most notably, from Ron Logsden, who survived his 5th heart attack last week and received a stent which may finally do the trick of preventing more attacks.
 
Speaker
 
Gina Vild is the associate dean and chief communications officer for the Harvard Medical School.  She is a long-time friend of Deb Galbraith.  They met while they were both working for the City of Cleveland. 
 
"The Two Most Important Days" refers to the quote by Mark Twain that the most important days in one's life are the day you are born and the day you discover why.  The book is about finding happiness and purpose.
 
Research shows about 50% of our proclivity toward happiness is inherited.  About 10% relates to your living conditions and the other 40% is within your control to determine through your voluntary actions.  Much has to do with your sense of purpose.  We can choose what kind of story our lives will tell by making the choice toward happiness.
 
Those who develop resilience, are hopeful and are positive and optimistic tend to be happier.  Happy people are also physically healthier.  There is less incidence of heart disease and other chronic problems in happy people.  Happy people weather stress better.
 
Children smile about 400 times per day; the average adult about 40-50 times per day.  Smiling gives off endorphins through our facial muscles and that helps to make us feel better and happier.  Find a reason to smile by paying it forward and making other people happy!
 
Vild noted that our club gives off the sense of happiness because there is obviously a lot of giving back, a lot of laughter and joy that we demonstrate so early each Tuesday morning and whenever we gather.  Very perceptive!