Amanda McFadden introduced the speaker, Dr. Liang Chee Wee PhD., who is the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges Chancellor/Director. The most interesting and motivational topic was "We Do Life Together." Dr. Wee came to the United States in 1983. He had previously served in the Singapore Armed Forces and grew up in a rural village. He is the 39th recorded generation of his family with a family history going back 1,000 years, and his family included fisherman, farmers, and scholars. Dr. Wee began his speech with an anecdote about how his wife broke her wrist leaving a shuttle at the airport, they went to Mayo Clinic, and were fortunate to find key people on duty. A lady at Mayo's brought him a chair while he was waiting for his wife and told him to let her know if he needed anything. The lady was a custodian who then started cleaning rooms. This event reminded him of how important everyone is in an organization. In a typical hospital, there are 3 nurses to 1 doctor, which is 40%. Who is the other 60%? Sometimes we don't pay enough attention to the other 60%. He stated "we do life together" and need to be curious about people we don't know. He considers this experience a blessing. When he told the Mayo's doctor about his experience, the doctor said "that's how we roll here."
Dr. Wee asks how many understand the mission and values of an organization? Mayo's mission statement included compassion and teamwork, including unsurpassed collaboration. That night, he experienced the "magic of humantiy." He asks himself, am I curious about others? Nowadays, he pays attention to what goes on around him. He articulated the 4 way test of Rotary and highlighted building trust among each other so we can do good work together. Let the 4 way test guide our relationships in life.
He said his Mom had to quit school when she was 10 to help support her family who was poor and that she and his father valued education. He had grandparents who couldn't understand each other's language; however, his Mom did. Growing up, he learned four languages. Casey Cook asked Dr. Lee how old he was when he left Singapore--21 years. Mark Patton asked about raising pay for lower paid professions. Dr. Wee stated the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges are trying to work with employers to provide a pathway so a CNA can become an LPN for example. Employers could subsidize employees' child care so an employee can go to school. Consider whether employers can create pool of money to subsidize childcare? Dr. Wee wears a Colin Powell pin--every child every promise and expands it to every person every promise--to remind him of what community college is for. Everyone is admitted. He closed by reciting the four way test.
Mark Patton called the meeting to order at 7:05 a.m. (in President Theresa B's absence). Announcements included that money is being collected for Ukrainian relief, member Ann Romanowski announced the Polio Social at MidwestOne Bank from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. today (October 24), and there is a baby and driver supply drive at the North Dodge Hyvee on October 28th. Happy bucks included Beth Beldon hosted the exchange students overnight, and Amy Nicholson saw Phil Jordan on stage in The Trip to Bountiful. Mark Stanley reported on the status of polio cases in the world. The meeting concluded at 8:00 a.m.