Our Meeting was called to order by President Mike McKay
The following new members were inducted:
Angelica Vannatta (Proposed by Jerry Waddilove) Non-Profit: Fundraising
Rangaswamy Rajagopal (Proposed by Usha Balakrishnan) Education: Geography (Retired)
R. Scott Finlayson (Proposed by Bart Floyd) Accounting Services: Treasurer
Tracy Tritle (Proposed by Mark Pries) Consulting: Community & Project Development
Katy Brown (Proposed by Tom Cilek / Minda Hamann) Marketing: Development
Goat Rider: Dan Kuenzi
PROGRAM:
Rtn. Devin van Holsteijn introduced Rtn. Chuck Swanson, executive director of Hancher Auditorium. Chuck shared that this week has been a whirlwind of activities at Hancher, combining the talents of performer Taylor Mac with those of his design artist/costumer, Machine Dazzle. Machine Dazzle, an award winner designer, has been in residency at Hancher this week, connecting with the Iowa City community in ways ranging from a display of over 24 costumes in Hancher's Stanley Cafe to making May baskets for the UI Children's Hospital with local junior high students.
Machine Dazzle commented that today's inductees will always remember their induction as the "day Rotary had a drag queen!" and then shared the stories behind seven of the costumes on display at Hancher. Taylor Mac designed a show in 2016 exploring the ways communities come together in the US as they're being torn apart (like the gay community during the AIDS crisis of the 80's). That exploration turned into a 24 hour exploration of all 24 decades of American popular music. Performed once in New York as a full 24 hour show, Hancher will present an abridged version on April 28. Machine designed costumes to reinforce the themes Taylor shares in the performance and to give a taste of decades they represent. For example, hot dogs and barbed wire were invented around the time of the Civil War. Machine designed the barbed wire to look like hot dogs with buns around them. The symbolism is to "eat away at the things that divide us."
After a number of audience questions about Machine's design process, earrings, costume for the day (created in a day from locally purchased pieces) and childhood, President McKay thanked Machine for his presentation.
The meeting ended at 1:00 pm as President Mike led the assembly in reciting The Four Way Test.
