Welcome to an issue of our weekly bulletin! Find out who our upcoming speakers are, what we covered during the last weekly meeting, and learn more about our Member of the Week.
Rotarian of the Week
Patrick Franklin
Patrick H. Franklin graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers in December 2006. He married his wife Abigayle in January 2007 the day before he left to Officer Basic Course. His first duty station was Fort Lewis, Washington where he deployed to Iraq for 18 months in April 2008 as a route clearance Platoon Leader and company Executive Officer. He attended the Engineer Officer Captains Career Course in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 2011. His last duty station was Fort Polk, Louisiana where he left the service at the rank of Captain and accepted the position of Project Engineer at Alcoa Point Comfort Operations in November 2013. Patrick is the immediate Past Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars District 24, Department of Texas and served as the Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4403 for two years from 2015 to 2017. After being laid-off from Alcoa in July 2016 Patrick transitioned to working for Testengeer at Formosa Plastics Corporation where he served as a Mechanical Construction Engineer until February 2019.
Military Service: Captain, U.S. Army, January 2007 – September 2013
Overseas Service: Operation Iraqi Freedom, April 2008 – September 2009
Military Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Superior Unit Award
Special Guest Speaker Tom Plumb, Hands to Honduras
Last Weeks Speaker
Jo Anne Settles – Rotary’s Polio Eradication Campaign
Since 2002, when she became Chair of District 5930’s (south Texas) Polio Eradication Committee, Jo Anne Settles has made hundreds of presentations throughout the US to promote Polio Awareness. Along the way, she has been a keynote speaker in California at the Far West PETS and at four Zone 25 and 26 Zone Institutes, as well as many district conferences, district assemblies and club meetings. During 2003 Jo Anne also traveled to India to participate in a National Immunization Day. In recognition of these and other activities, she was awarded Rotary’s Regional Service Award for a Polio-Free World 2006-07.
A member of the Victoria (Texas) Downtown Rotary Club since 1997 Jo Anne served as club president for 2003-2004. While president, she established the “Books & Babies” project to provide books to all newborns in Victoria. Other Rotary activities have included Area 1 Coordinator of “Shots Across Texas” for 1994-2002 and local coordinator of the program from 1994-2013 She is was married to her high school sweetheart, Billy Settles who served as Governor of District 5930 for 2000-2001. She is a Paul Harris Fellow, Major Donor, Sustaining Member and Benefactor, and has attended nine International Rotary Conventions.
Jo Anne has been a registered nurse for more than 50 years, with a Master’s Degree in Community Health Nursing. She currently serves as a Professor of Professional Nursing at Victoria College and is enrolled in a doctorate program at Texas A & M University, College Station. Victoria College awarded her the distinguished Teaching Award in 2018.
Area Make-up Opportunities
Mon. - Victoria Downtown – Huvars Artsian Market - 7:oo AM (1st & 3rd only)
Tues. - Victoria – Victoria Country Club – 12:15 PM
- Portland – North Shore Country Club – 12:00 PM
Wed. - Goliad – Blue Quail Delicatessen – 12:00 PM
Port Lavaca Rotary Club
