Laughter, the BEST Medicine

This week’s meeting was the 662 all time and 17th of the year meeting of the Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise. And what fun this one was! We bent down, we stood up, we stretched out, and we laughed and laughed.

It was treat to hear this week from Ronald Harrison, a lifelong student of the “all things funny.” Ron’s path to living has taken him from a biologist by education, to a former medical student and a former stand-up comedian. For 30 years is worked in the information systems industry then in 2004 he started studying the use of laughter in the wellness process and in the spring of 2009 he was certified as a Laughter Yoga Leader. This past summer he began a collaboration with the Huntsman Cancer Center to add laughter therapy to the mix for cancer patients. His company, Laughter Unlimited, is expanding this form of wellness to the workplace.

We learned some science this week. For instance, laughter is innate, all mammals are born with the ability. We learned there are 3 elements in life that have the potential to make us sick: genetics (cancer, for example); environment (flu, for example); and stress which has the potential to suppress the immune system making us vulnerable. We learned that STRESS IS POISON but LAUGHTER IS THE ANTIDOTE. We learned that laughter is 80 times more powerful than morphine!

Halloween is coming! Can you say "Thriller"?

The science is now being offered in Laugher Yoga Clubs, Laugher Social Clubs, and workplace programs that focus on starting the day with the laugh. The two gems of advice from Ron that stuck in my mind, are 1) start your day with something funny and 2) end your day with something funny – you’ll sleep much better.

Thanks Ron for sharing.

Don’t forget next week we have a vocational visit to the Dixie Center. Same day, same time, different location. Come join your fellow Club members to see and hear things you probably didn’t know about the Dixie Center. Breakfast will be served.

See you next week!
Marla Shelby-Drabner, President

The Business of Art and other great things......

Janet O’Riley and Christina Schultz came to educate us at the October 15th meeting of the Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise on educational opportunities at Dixie State College. Wow, who knew so much was going on right here at our very own DSC?

Janet, Director of Community Education for DXC and Washing County School District has both BA and MS in Education and has been in her position for 15 years which has given her the opportunity to be involved in community education and after school programs. Christine Schultz is the Vice President of Institutional Advance at DSC which means she oversees fundraising, alumni relations, public relations/marketing and publications and cultural arts. The program today focused on two of her projects, a documentary film entitled “Return to Little Hollywood” a promotional documentary featuring the movie making heritage of heritage which is currently being used as a tool to bring production back to the area. And, DOCUTAH, the Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival to be held in St. George and Kanab in September of 2010.

Moreover, these ladies came to announce the free artist seminary in Kanab on Nov. 14, 2009 featuring Eric Dowdle, artist, and Margaret Hunt, Executive Director of the Utah Arts Council.. This is fantastic opportunity for local artists to showcase their work and learn how to expand that showcase in Utah.

I could go on and on as the presentation also included expansion plans for Dixie State College, the Celebrity Concert Series and the Performance Series. However, a BLOG is meant to be a teaser for bigger things. So, let me suggest you get lots more detail on “The Business of Art’ and Dixie state college and the full offering of events at http://www.dixie.edu/. For more information on the Business of Art contact Janet at oriley@dixie.edu. You can register online at ce.dixie.edu.

And, thanks to Trish for inviting our guests.

Teaser: watch for an upcoming BLOG on the folks who visited us while attending the Huntsman games and see what else Tris has been up to to help our club.

Until next week,
Marla Shelby-Drabner, President
Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise.

Crime on Campus

Welcome to the 660th meeting of the Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise. In addition to our very interesting program, we were honored to induct James Sippel into the Club. James, whose classification is CPA was sponsored by John Johnson. Thank you John!

It was my pleasure also to announce that Greg Nielsen has accepted the appointment to the Board, replacing our departed Kyle Ashby. Thank you Greg!

Our speaker today was Don Reid, Director/Chief of Dixie Campus Police. He brought with him Assistant Director Ron Isaacson. These gentlemen bring an extraordinary number of years of experience to the safety of the Dixie State College Campus. Don has a total of 34 years in campus police, 28 or those years as a Director. He also has experience as an Investigator with the Medical Examiners office. He holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. Ron has 17 years as a law enforcement professional. He joined the DSC force a year ago after being a part of the St. George City force.

The presentation focused heavily on why crime, on campus or elsewhere, has risen so rapidly and why it is so different today then in past generations. In past generations, teenage “crime” consisted to cutting classes and maybe smoking a cigarette in the school bathroom. Today we see gangs, drugs, and concealed weapons. Don expressed his strong opinion based on experience and the research of others that the techno smart youth of today have no social contract. There is an amazing social disconnect. While fully connected moment to moment the connection is not personal. This is the most violent generation this country has ever known and the blame rests heavily on violent movies and video games which have desensitized the audience.

The nature of a BLOG is such that it presents just a brief taste of our meetings. This topic, however, is serious and Don suggests anyone wishing to delve deeper into it read the books of Lt. Col David Grossman on the subject.

See you all next week! We'll learn about The Business of Art!
Marla Shelby-Drabner, President
Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise

Washington City Public Serivce

The 659th meeting of the Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise took place on Thursday, Oct. 1st. The group was privileged to hear from Jim Keith, Police Chief/Public Safety Director for the City of Washington.

The past 4 years of Chief Keith’s career have been as Chief of Police of Washington City where he was given the opportunity to start a Police Department and Fire Department for the City. His 25 year career in diverse aspects of law enforcement have given him the foundation to tackle this start up. His career has included dignitary protection as well as a number of years with the Utah Police Academy.

The Washington City force has grown in just 4 years to 16 officers who are faced with crimes driven primarily by drug use and gangs. Today, officers are finding the drug of choice in young persons and adults to be prescription drugs generally stolen from in-home medicine cabinets. Kids are using left over pills at “parties” where pills are passed around at random with the result of creating a heroin type high but can just as easily result in death.

He told us, as we have heard from others, that Washington County has members of all the “national” gangs. In fact there are over 500 documented gang members in our area and crime is what gangs do. Period. He reiterated that drugs and gangs equal crime.

On the positive side, he gave us great information on the use of drug dogs. St. George City has one and shares when needed. Washington City would very much like one but the total cost to bring a dog up to speed as a drug dog in time and training is over $30,000. The City is working on grants and other possible sources of funding and will continue to pursue the dream.

At the conclusion of the presentation the group had lots of questions and learned much about safe living in our area.

President Marla reminded the group of next week’s Board Meeting and invited everyone to return for more great information next week!

Marla Shelby-Drabner, President