Attending Rotary is always a pleasant experience from Dale Bippus greeting us warmly to the wrap up with the 4 Way Test, this week lead by Andy Price.

President Renee' announced that the Cruise Tickets are being distributed to each of us as a gift from the Club. Our only obligation is to fill out the stubs and return them to Gina. The winning ticket will be drawn at the District Conference May 2. The winner will receive a cabin for 2 for a 7 day Hawaiian Cruise on August 3-10, 2013.

We continue to bless Amarillo Kids and Parents with our contributions to Kids Cafe'. Our fund is now up to $918.71. Thank you Rotarians, for being so community minded!

Soon we will return to Back Pack for Kids as our weekly beneficiary.

Renee' reminded everyone to be thinking about possible fundraising opportunities and to complete the forms so that all your recommendations will be considered.

Now that we have completed our commitment to the YMCA for Rotary Park, we have the opportunity to designate a new recipient for contributions.

Please remember that instead of a noon meeting on March 14^th, we will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with dinner at the Big Texan. There is no charge for Rotarians and guests will be charged $16.28 each. Mark your calendars for this great upcoming party!

Program Chairman for February is Andy Price, Classification Boy Scouts. Andy took a moment to reassure the club that the Amarillo Boy Scouts maintain their historic position on moral issues. Let's all keep the Boy Scouts in our prayers that they will stand firm in their commitment to high moral standards.

David Terry, Executive Director of the West Texas A&M Enterprise Center presented the program:

David explained that the WTAMU Enterprise Center serves as a "Business Incubator" and captured our interests immediately with his proclamation "Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast." Change is the only constant they deal with and their focus is to welcome change and add to that change value. They help entrepreneurs who in his words, "Don't know what they don't know and don't know when to ask for help." The incubation process involves a lengthy program where coaches educate the budding entrepreneurs in programs, systems and processes that will take their ideas from conception to fruition.

Typically many start-up businesses fail because there are undercapitalized, have inadequate accounting skills, don't know how to choose a location and are basically emotionally unstable,meaning that they don't understand how to deal with the various challenges that companies face on a daily basis. Coaching twice a month helps the individuals receive the technical information and training needed to become successful and viable business owners.

Business Incubator programs are market focused and mission driven. Funding is provided by WTAMU and the Amarillo Economic Development Center. In Amarillo their focus areas are in food production, agriculture technology and clean technologies. Located on Western Street across from Tascosa Country Club, their facility is 31,000 square feet, which provides space for start-up entrepreneurs to develop their skills. Their first client in Amarillo was Sage OilVac, now a very large and successful company who, by the way, received the Chamber of Commerce Top Small Business Award in 2007. David stated, "It takes a team to make a company grow." Being a part of their team is a wonderful opportunity and enables many people in the panhandle to turn their dreams into successful businesses.

Many thanks to the people who made our meeting run like clockwork this week:

Greeter, Dale Bippus

Raffle Tickets, Basil Walker

Opening Ceremony, David O'Dell

Invocation, Erv Bergen

Presiding, Renee Wilson

Introductions, Bob Murray

Cruise Tickets, Denise Blanchard

4 Way Test, Andy Price