Awards and Recognition - 2010 - 2011 Rotary Year

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Coral Gables 

Rotarian of the Year

2010-2011

Abraham Horowitz

Abraham Horowitz, who in his real life is a Vice President at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, was awarded ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR for 2010-2011.  Abe’s been a member of Rotary since 1999.  He got active the moment he walked in the door!  He’s got nine years of perfect attendance.  He served three years as Club Treasurer.  He was President in 2008-2009.  He does everything and goes anywhere, willingly, to do for Rotary.  And despite the fact that having been a multi-year officer and President of the club entitles you to sit the next one out, Abe never does.  He assumed the duties of the Treasurer once again for 2009-2010 when that year’s Treasurer had to resign.  He has served as Consigliere for incoming Presidents and Treasurers, without objection and always with a spirit of “let’s get it organized and get it done!”  He is generous with both his time and his money, supporting our Club and The Rotary Foundation whenever he can.  To that end, because of his outstanding financial support this year, we are also pleased to present Abe with his fourth Paul Harris Fellowship and a three sapphire pin. Abe Horowitz is a Rotarian for Every Year!  

2010 - 2011 

Service Above Self Award

Carlos Bolado

A well known Coral Gables Clothier, Carlos Bolado is awarded the 2010-2011 Service Above Self Award for his untiring efforts as Treasurer of the Club. He accepted the position, despite the demands of his own business.  Carlos has devoted untold hours to the task of managing the finances of the Club.  Considering the fact that both the Club and it’s charitable Foundation are each an individual business on their own, the hours were many and the rewards few.  But our gratitude for his unselfish devotion to duty can never be adequately expressed.

International Service Award

Catarina Jimenez

Catarina Jimenez, an Associate with Jones Lang LaSalle is the Chair of the International Avenue of Service and was recognized for her outstanding efforts in moving Rotary Club of Coral Gables into a partnership with Rotarians in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  She single-handedly spearheaded a project to send 150 wheelchairs to Honduras, raising $16,500 in cash and matching grants to send the container to Tegucigalpa.  As if that wasn’t enough her next project was to raise money through grants and donations for an eco-stove program for a village outside of Copan, Honduras.  Once she had all her funding in place and the grants were all accepted, Catarina proceeded to arrange a trip for members of our Club to visit and see for themselves the results of our International Committee’s efforts on behalf of Honduras.

Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award

President-Elect Debbie Swain

President-Elect 2011-12 Deborah Swain, Vice President of Millian Swain & Associates, was recognized as the Most Valuable Player for 2010-2011.  In addition to the proscribed duties of the President-Elect, Debbie was accountable for numerous other projects that fell outside her job description but never outside of her expertise

The Un-Sung Heroes  

Dr. Randy Groh

Happy Dollars 

$4,700.00

Dick Bullman

Auctioneer Extraordinaire

Introductions  EVERY WEEK!

Aaron Glasser

Most Dependable 

Registration EVERY WEEK!

Chris Morrison

Rotary Golf Classic

$5,200

District Gates Challenge 

Golf Ball Drop

$200,000 

Carol Brock
Alphalit International
Matching Grant Funding
$38,000

Vol. 65 No. 52 Notes from the Podium

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President's Time

The Darwin's are out!!!!  Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.
Here is the glorious winner:
     When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his victim during a hold up the robber in Long Beach did something that can only inspire wonder.  He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again.  This time it worked ...
      And just one of the nine honorable mentions for a chuckle:
When a man attempted to siphon gas from a motor home by sucking on a hose, he got more than he bargained for.  Police found a very sick man curled up next to the motor home near spilled sewage.  You guessed it, he put the siphon hose into the sewage tank by mistake. 

DUES ARE DUE:  Today, June 30 is the last day to pay and take advantage of the 20% discount on lunches for the coming year.  If you pay during the month of July up through July 31, you can still take a 15% discount.  You can at the meeting or you can go to the website and pay with a credit card through PayPal.

2010-2011 Was A Very Good Year!

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE PROMISED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF
INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, RAY KLINGINSMITH, WHO TOLD US THAT SERVICE, FELLOWSHIP, LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY AND INTEGRITY IS WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A GREAT ROTARY CLUB.  CORAL GABLES IS A GREAT ROTARY CLUB!

FELLOWSHIP IS WHAT BRINGS US HERE WEEK AFTER WEEK, FELLOWSHIP IS AT THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SERVICE.  OUR DIVERSITY AND OUR DEDICATION TO EACH OTHER IS WHAT MAKES OUR CLUB  GREAT.  PEOPLE ALWAYS COMMENT ON THE CAMARADERIE THEY FEEL WHEN THEY COME TO OUR MEETINGS.  IT’S ONE OF OUR STRONGEST POINTS - WE MAKE NEW PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME. WE’RE A FRIENDLY BUNCH, WE ENJOY EACH OTHER AND LIKE TO HAVE FUN.

WE HAD PARTIES!  

4TH OF JULY BARBQUE AT THE OLD STONE PAVILION AT MATHESON HAMMOCK.  5TH FRIDAY AT CITIZENS FOR A BETTER SOUTH FLORIDA  HALLOWEEN AT THE NEW CORAL GABLES MUSEUM.  THE 40TH ANNUAL MOOSE MILK PARTY ON NEW YEARS DAY AT THE HOME OF  CHRIS TYSON.   AND OUR APRIL 5TH FRIDAY AT MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY, THE CLUB’S LARGEST EMPLOYER!

WE DID SERVICE!

MONTHLY BINGO GAMES AT THE VA,  COASTAL CLEAN UP IN SEPTEMBER, HALLOWEEN WITH  THE INTERNATIONAL KIDS FUND AND THE MERRICK EDUCATIONAL CENTER, THANKSGIVING AT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR THE HOMELESS. WE RANG BELLS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY AND HAD A CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE BENEFITTING CHILDREN AT THE LODGE, BAND AMBASSADORS AT THE JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL PARADE AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS GOLF.

WE RAISED MONEY!

OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT IN OCTOBER RAISED $5,200; 
THE YARD SALE IN NOVEMBER  MADE $4,700.  

IN MARCH WE CELEBRATED OUR 65TH BIRTHDAY WITH CHANCE & DANCE, A SPEAKEASY CASINO NIGHT THAT RAISED  $37,000.   THE PROCEEDS WENT TO HABITAT FOR GRANDMA.  AFTER EXPENSES WE HAD $4,000 FOR OUR CLUB’S FOUNDATION.  WHAT A  PARTY WE HAD!

WE MADE ANOTHER $3,500 POURING BEER ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY AND $2,000 FROM ANONYMOUS DONOR.

WE RAISED $19,300 FOR OUR FOUNDATION THIS YEAR.  THAT’S MONEY TO HELP  FUND OUR LOCAL AND GLOBAL PROJECTS AND PARTICIPATE IN MATCHING GRANTS WITH ROTARY INTERNATIONAL TO MAKE THE MONEY WORK.

 WE DID INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS!

IN FEBRUARY A GROUP OF MEMBERS TRAVELED TO HONDURAS THANKS TO CATARINA JIMENEZ. OUR DONATIONS  FOR WHEELCHAIRS IN TEGUCIGALPA ($16,500) AND ECO-STOVES IN COPAN ($22,000) WERE WELL RECEIVED.  WE WERE AWARDED FIRST PLACE IN THE DISTRICT FOR OUR 2010-2011 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECT IN HONDURAS

WE PARTICIPATED WITH THE ROTARY CLUB OF CARTAGENA WITH $2,000 A MATCHING GRANT THAT BECAME $38,000 FOR THE FRANCO PAREJA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN CARTAGENA COLOMBIA.  

IN APRIL WE DONATED $5,000 TO THE PETIT GOAVE/HAITI CLINIC AND ANOTHER $5,000 TO THE DISTRICT HAITI INITIATIVE WITH PROJECT MEDISHARE.

WE GAVE OUT SCHOLARSHIPS!

HAPPY DOLLARS THIS YEAR RAISED MORE THAN $4,700 FOR OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.  WITH THE MATCHING FUNDS FROM FOUNDATION AND PRIVATE DONATIONS  WE GAVE OUT NEARLY $11,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO CORAL GABLES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADUATING IN 2011.

ROTARY IS SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION, AND CORAL GABLES IS SUCH A GREAT CLUB ... I LOVE THIS CLUB ... WE’VE  BEEN BRIDGING CONTINENTS AND BUILDING COMMUNITY FOR 65 YEARS.  BUT WE NEED TO  LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE AND WHO WE ARE.  WE SET OUT TO BRAND OUR CLUB THIS YEAR AND FOR OUR EFFORTS, OUR PIN, OUR SHIRTS, OUR BANNERS AND LOGO,  WE WERE AWARDED 2ND PLACE IN THE DISTRICT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS.   THIS  BLOG  TOOK  2ND PLACE IN THE DISTRICT FOR CLUB COMMUNICATIONS TOO.  AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, WE RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL CITATION FROM ROTARY INTERNATIONAL FOR OUR OUTSTANDING WORK FOR 2010-2011!

NEW GENERATIONS BECAME AN OFFICIAL AVENUE OF SERVICE THIS YEAR AND SO YOUTH HAS TAKEN THE FOREFRONT IN ROTARY.  WE HAVE A FIRST CLASS INTERACT CLUB AT CORAL GABLES HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE ADOPTED A SECOND CLUB, GULLIVER PREP INTERACT BEGINNING NEXT YEAR.

OUR ROTARACT CLUB (THE ONLY COMMUNITY BASED ROTARACT IN MIAMI DADE) IS A  STRONG, VIBRANT CLUB WITH ACTIVE MEMBERS.

SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT THE 2010-2011 OFFICERS AND BOARD ACCOMPLISHED MOST ALL OF THE GOALS WE SET FOR OURSELVES.  COULD WE HAVE DONE MORE?  PROBABLY.  CAN WE BE PROUD OF WHAT WE DID ACCOMPLISH?  ABSOLUTELY.

2010-2011 Officer & Board of Directors

AND SO TO THE OFFICERS, HADLEY WILLIAMS, VICE PRESIDENT, WALTER ALVAREZ, SECRETARY, CARLOS BOLADO, TREASURER, DEBBIE SWAIN, PRESIDENT ELECT AND ABE HOROWITZ, PAST PRESIDENT, AS WELL AS THE OTHER 16 MEMBERS OF THE BOARD;  JUDY PANTOJA, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CATARINA JIMENEZ, INTERNATIONAL SERVICE, DEENA BELL, CLUB MEETING SERVICE, DR. PHIL BOSWELL, NEW GENERATIONS, DR. RANDY GROH, CIVIC & CHARITY, RICK TONKINSON, RI FOUNDATION, YOLANDA WOODBRIDGE, MEMBERSHIP, BRUCE KERESTES, DEVELOPMENT, ED MORRIS, RETENTION, GENE WITHERSPOON, PROGRAMS, GLORIA BURNS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, LAN NGHIEM-PHU, CLUB COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AND TERRY LONG, SCHOLARSHIPS, THANK YOU ALL!!!  WE’RE AS GREAT AS WE ARE BECAUSE OF YOUR DEDICATION TO ROTARY AND OUR CLUB.

THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID TO MAKE 2010-2011 A SUCCESSFUL 65TH YEAR FOR THE ROTARY CLUB OF CORAL GABLES.  AND THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE FOR THIS YEAR.  IT’S BEEN FUN!

Happy $$$

Today we gave Dick Golden the mic and let people pay him NOT to tell a joke.  It worked pretty well.  We got a lot of $20 happy dollars for just that reason!  First of all Sally B was happy to have had the opportunity to serve as President for the past year.  Lan Nghiem-Phu, who didn't make it in time to do the Invocation today, paid to do it anyway.  Yolanda Woodbridge was very happy with the award that she received because it's signed by the RI President!  Chris Morrison gave us a college baseball update.  Stanford, Gators, Oregon State, Texas, USC all doing FINE.  Ed Morris was washing his hands in the men's room today when Gloria Burns walked in!!  Debbie Swain thanked Sally for all her hard work this past year.  Dan Scipione just got back from vacation with the wife, and the kids and three dogs and a cat having spent nine lovely days in Ashville.  It took him 16 hours to get home.  Carlos Bolado was pleased to be recognized for this devotion to the Club this year and thanked Sally for a great year.  Margarita Tonkinson is happy to have two new GREAT Rotarians in our Club, Carlos Ruiz from the Miami Club and Carol Alexander from Miami Sundown.  Welcome to them both!  Jack Witty has been in Ashville too and last week when he visited their Rotary Club he was greeted by two old men dressed in tutus of pastel yellow and blue with organdy wings and caps (the tooth fairies?) to raise awareness of their dental clinic project. Rodney Langer thanked Debbie for putting him on the new Board but warned her that he is not the most organized person to do the job.  Rosendo Castillo has just returned from a trip to Montreal with his wife France.  They had a great trip and drove back across the border through historic New York where they had a blowout.  But everything came out okay.  Happiness pays so keep on smiling!

Working Rotarians - June 30, 2011

Greeters - Rolf Frankfurther & Rodney Langer

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Chris Morrison

Open Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Bill Quesenberry

Pledge - Dick Golden

Singers - Bill Quesenberry & Dan Scipione

Introductions - Dick Bullman

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Hadley Williams

Given to - Rodney Langer & Ed Morris

Pin Drawing Gift - THE Donald

Pin Drawing Winner - Paolo Possenti

50/50 Collections - Gloria Burns

50/50 Winner - 

5 Way Test - Sally B.

Thought of the Week

by Felix Pardo

'There are two ways  to live life,

you can live as if there are no miracles,

or you can understand that all of life is a miracle."

Albert Einstein

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING:  "Seagull One" with author Lilian Prellezo.  A true story of the rescue of Cuban rafters.

REMEMBER, WE WILL BE MEETING AT THE CORAL GABLES COUNTRY CLUB, 997 North Greenway Drive.  Same time, 12:15

Installation 2011 - 2012 

Officers & Board of Directors

Past District Governor Marcy Ullom did the honors.

President - Debbie Swain

President Elect - Walter Alvarez

Past President - Sally B.

Vice President - Rick Tonkinson

Secretary - Dan Scipione

Treasurer - John Porro

Sergeant at Arms - Jack Witty

Abe Horowitz

Deena Bell-Lewellyn

Rodney Langer

Terry Long

Mead McCabe

Greg Martini

Bill Martinez

Patrick Morris

Bill Quesenberry

Kelly Sastre

Margarita Tonkinson

John Wallace

Yoli Woodbridge

See you next week, same time 12:15,

new place, CORAL GABLES COUNTRY CLUB

Same great bunch of Rotarians.

HAVE A HAPPY, SAFE 4TH OF JULY!

God Bless America.

Rotary International Avenues of Service Award

CONGRATULATIONS TO 

YOLI WOODBRIDGE

RECIPIENT OF THE

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AVENUES OF SERVICE AWARD

Rotary International has a very special award that is only given at the request of a Club President who wishes to honor a particular Rotarian who has demonstrated the strength of the Rotary ideal that is founded on the service carried out by club members worldwide, this citation program provides a means for Rotary clubs to personally recognize a member of the club for outstanding efforts in the five Avenues of Service.

The citation commends the service carried out by an individual Rotarian in the club, thereby reinforcing the importance which Rotary places on the personal involvement of each club member in Rotary service activities. The recipient must have consistently demonstrated support of the Object of Rotary through participation in service activities in each of the five Avenues of Service: Club, Vocational, Community, International, and New Generations.  An individual may only receive this award once.

It is an honor to present Rotarian Yolanda V. Woodbridge with the Rotary International Avenues of Service Award for 2010-2011.  Yolanda is a Past President of the Club, a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Benefactor, a member of the Bequest Society and of the Paul Harris Society.  She has been instrumental in securing all of the programs that have consistently set our Club apart from others in the District.  Everything she does, she does because she loves Rotary.  This is our way of letting her know that Rotary loves Yolanda.

District 6990 Haiti Initiative - Project Medishare

District Haiti Initiative Benefits University of Miami's Project Medishare

On June 27, senior leaders of Rotary International’s District 6990 (representing southeast Florida and Grand Bahama Island) including Todd Dayton, Ted Eldredge, Ellen Blasi, Robin Shelley, and Marcy Ullom, led by RI District 6990 Haiti Initiative Task Force Chair and Coral Gables Rotarian Noelle A. Galperin, presented Project Medishare for Haiti, Inc. with a grant commitment of $70,200 to be used for training and equipment in the areas of radiology, ophthalmology, and laboratory work. These funds are intended to assist Project Medishare in providing urgent care to critically injured and ill patients at the Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare in Haiti. Dr. Barth Green, Dr. Arthur Fournier, Dr. Enrique Ginzburg, Dr. Gillian Hotz, and Dr. Enrique Alfonso were in attendance and accepted the donation on behalf of Project Medishare.

This is the second time Rotary International District 6990 has partnered with Project Medishare to fund its efforts in Haiti. In 2007, Rotary International District 6990 gave Project Medishare $107,733 towards their work in the Central Plateau.

“We are proud to be partnering with Project Medishare once again in your efforts towards the sustainable redevelopment of Haiti,” commented Noelle A. Galperin, Chair of RI District 6990 Haiti Initiative Task Force. “After personally visiting Hospital Bernard Mevs Project Medishare, it became immediately apparent that Project Medishare is an organization that is achieving its ambitions goals in Haiti - training Haitian doctors, nurses, and health care administrators to be the future leaders of health care in the country.”

Rotary International District 6990 is comprised of 2,100 Rotarians who belong to 51 clubs. This donation furthers Rotary International’s goals to provide humanitarian service and to help to build goodwill and peace in the world.

The clubs that contributed to the project were Rotary Club of Miami with $15,000; Rotary Club of Miami Dadeland Pinecrest, $10,000; Rotary Club of Coral Gables, $5,000; Rotary Clubs of Doral, Homestead and Coral Springs Parkland, $1,000 each; Rotary Club of Perrine Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay, $500 and Rotary Club of Miami Lakes, $200. These funds were matched by Rotary International and District 6990 with $35,100 for a final grant of $70,200.

Makes you proud to be a Rotarian in District 6990. Thanks to our own Noelle Galperin for her hard work and dedication to this Project.

Vol. 65 No. 51 Notes from the Podium

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President's Time

This was a good week for a fellow names Charles Futrell, a 90 year old Floridian who became the oldest man to complete a sanctioned triathlon when he swam 440 years, biked 10 miles and ran three miles in two hours and 18 minutes.  It was a bad week for Grandma when the staff at a Goodwill store in Fenton, Michigan received a box labled "Grandma's Urn" as a donation.  In it was a sealed vase containing Grandma's remains.  Now they're trying to find the grand kids.

DUES ARE DUE.  To take advantage of the 20% discount on your lunches for the year, pay in full before July 1st.  If you pay in full during the month of July you'll get a 15% discount.  If you would rather pay semi-annually you will received a 10% discount.  But if you'd rather pay monthly and forgo the discount, just give the Treasurer your credit card and he'll set it up for you on a monthly payment basis.

DON'T MISS OUR JUNE 30TH MEETING.  FIND OUT WHO IS THE 2010-2011 ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR.  EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY AS WE CELEBRATE THE INCOMING PRESIDENT, DEBBIE SWAIN, HER OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 

WE'RE MOVING!  The Westin Colonnade Hotel has been our home since 2007 and it's been a great location for our Club.  They have been awesome hosts!  But beginning with the first meeting of the new Rotary year, on July 7th, we are returning to our ROOTS!  We will be back at the Coral Gables Country Club.  Parking is free, in the rear.  We will be in the Merrick Room on the west side of the building.

Emotional, intuitive, shrewd, and kinda clingy, Cancer natives are ably represented by the Crab.  Happy Birthday this week to Michael Falsetto on June 23, Chuck Whitcomb and VP Hadley Williams on the 27th.

Happy Rotary Anniversary

to

Rob Hatfield

Celebrating 38 years of Rotary Service

Thanks Rob!

Classification Talk - 

Steven Spann, Attorney, Family Practice

Frank Sexton, Vocational Service Chair, introduced us to a relatively new member and his professional expertise today.  Steven Spann spent 15 years in higher education, decided to hang it up and went into divorce law.  Hopefully he won't find too many clients in our Club!

Steve's specialty is Divorce Law.  Divorce is devastating to everyone involved.  To the two people who once said "I do" and now say "I don't", to the children, the property, etc.  He's a proponent of collaborative divorce, i.e., divorce without war and recommends couples involve mediators to try to settle matters fairly, quietly and as inexpensively as possible so that everyone has something left when its all over.  He is associated with the firm of Orsham & Fajardo.  If you need his services, don't hesitate to give him a call.  He's here for you!

Happy $$$

Although he didn't get two lines going full, tilt, boogie, Dr. Randy did manage to Groh scholarships once again.  First up was Keith Phillips who is happy to be back from North Carolina for a few days. He's returning on the first of July and we probably won't see much of him this summer.  John Wallace paid $5 just to tell us that the news that he was moving to Fairhope, Alabama on July 16th is NOT THE TRUTH!  The deal on the sale of their condo fell through so he and Louise will remain Key Biscayne beach bums for awhile longer.  Good for us!  Steve Magenheimer gave us an update on college baseball ... there are five team left and his Alma Mater, University of West Virginia is on top. Vanderbilt who is a first time visitor  won two games.  The powerful Florida Gators could win their very first  title against the Gamecocks of South Carolina.  The Texas Longhorns and the Texas Aggies went down first.  Rick Tonkinson invited everyone to tune into Fox Business Network on July 2 at 4 p.m. There will be televised coverage of the Tonkinson family (including the dog) and Tonkinson Financial on "Today in America" with Terry Bradshaw.  Don't miss it!  Dick Golden behaved himself today, and in keeping with the Classification Talk said that some years ago when going through a divorce he felt suicidal and so he went to a psychiatrist for help.  But he wanted to be paid in advance.  LOL?  Rodney Langer is happy to be Club Meeting Service Director for 2011-2012.  He's searching for some able-bodied Rotarians who really like to do service at the weekly meetings because he still has a few spots to fill.  Shoot him an email and volunteer.  Felix Pardo thought that the timing of today's Classification Talk was really impeccable. Today he is celebrating his 38th Wedding Anniversary!  Noelle Galperin wanted to share the news that in just two months, our District raised $70,000 for the District Haiti Initiative with Project Medishare.  She's very happy that our Club led the way with the first $5,000 donation (which then was matched by both District and RI to become $15,000 through the magic of Rotary) She invited all interested Rotarians to join her at Jackson Memorial Hospital for the Medishare presentation on Monday, June 27 at 7:45 a.m.  Gene Witherspoon is happy that his year as Program Chair is over. He said he hopes that we enjoyed the 50 programs that he brought us because he though it was a great slate and he had a good time doing it.  (Ed. Note:  Thank YOU Gene!  You made the meetings really interesting.  Good job!).  And finally Ted Pappas, who's been gone for awhile, was happy to report that like departing Congressman Weiner, "he's holding his own!"  Keep laughing because happiness pays!

Working Rotarians - June 23, 2011

Greeters - Rodney Langer & Paolo Possenti

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Frank Sexton, Yoli Woodbridge, Lan Nghiem Phu

Open the Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Lan Nghiem Phu

Pledge - Dick Golden

Singer - Bill Quesenberry

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Eddie Snow

Given to - Gene Witherspoon and Carlos Bolado

Pin Drawing Gift - THE Donald Trombly

Pin Drawing Winner - Jordan Steele

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & The Donald

50/50 Winner - Terry Long

5 Way Test - Keith Phillips

 Today's Program

Judge Jeri B. Cohen

Miami-Dade County Drug Dependency Court
There are only five child abuse judges in Miami-Dade County for over 3000 children in the court system. The most common reason for a child to be in the system is due to the parents’ drug abuse or mental illness. The Verahona case recently in the news is not the normal circumstance – there are mostly successes, which are not in the news. This has resulted in a poor public impression of the effectiveness of the Court system. However, the DDC has a reputation nationally of being one of the best in the country.

The DDC seeks to change the hearts and minds of the parents in the system to break the transgenerational cycle.  Approximately 70% of families are reunified, and there is only a 13% recidivism over a 13 year period.  The DDC has been implementing systems for drug treatment based on scientific research, such as parental training, and evaluations by addiction specialists. The DDC is considered a model, and has provided training for hundreds of other court systems nationwide.

Judge Cohen has been a judge for 20 years, and has been in the Drug Dependency Court (DDC) for 13 years.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:  Rotarian of the Year! And other good stuff.  Don't miss it!

                                       Thought of the Week

by Chris Morrison

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.  It's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

&

Some peole regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot.  Others look on it as a cow they can milk.  Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, 

pulling a sturdy wagon.

                                                                   Winston Churchill

Scene Scenes

Join us next week

for the final meeting

for 2010-2011

We look forward to seeing you.

Same time, same place,

same great bunch of Rotarians!

Coral Gables Rotaract Transitions

 Coral Gables Rotaract Club 

Installs New Officers for 2011-2012

Some 30 people, both Rotaractors and Rotarians, celebrated the start of the 2011-2012 Rotary Year at Calamari Restaurant on Main High in Coconut Grove on Wednesday evening, June 22nd.  It was a very special celebration because Rotaract has it's FIRST MALE PRESIDENT!

Outgoing President Madeline Johnson sadly removed her President's Pin and turned it over to Maxwell Kirshner who will serve the club this year. Maxwell's board includes Natsha Valle, Vice President and Helen Quinn, Secretary.  Maxwell has some great plans for this coming year.  He wants to institute a mentorship program between Rotary and Rotaract.  He'd like to raise awareness of the Club around the community by doing some killer Community Service projects and he really wants to partner with his parent club!


The officers were installed by their Rotary liasion, Abe Horowitz who has been working with the beautiful women of Rotaract all year!

Past Rotary President Abe Horowitz with the two Prez's

Almost past president Madeline gave out a few end of the year awards to deserving members, including
Daniel Duarte, the outbound 2011 Ambassadorial Scholar from our Club received the Silver Dollar Award;  Vikram Jagadish, Exceptional Leadership Award; Sarah Coles, Distinguished Service Award and Elizabeth Oates, Rotaract Foundations Award.

Daniel Duarte Ambassadorial Scholar 2011

Past Presidents Liz Oates, Amanda Hermes and Madeline Johnson with Maxwell

If you know a young professional between 18 and 30 who would really make a good Rotarian, take them to a Rotaract meeting.  This is a fine club and a group of young people we can be proud of!  Congratualtions to the new board.

Roots by Cholly Capps

A Little History of YOUR Rotary Club

Our roots go back to the first Rotary Club, now called – not the Rotary Club of Chicago – but simply Rotary/One.

Everyone should know by now that Paul Harris was one of four founding members. When he passed away January 27, 1947, he was President Emeritus of Rotary International. Like us, he devoted much of his time to Rotary, but, also like many of us, he was also prominent in other civic and professional work. He was the first Chairman of the Board of the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults in the USA (now the Easter Seal Society) and of the International Society for Crippled Children. He was a member of the Board of Managers of the Chicago Bar Association and its representative at the International Congress of Law at The Hague, and he was a committee member of the American Bar Association.

Harry L. Ruggles (you never hear about him) was the 5^th Founding Member. He originated Luncheon Club singing in 1905. That was right after Charles A. Newton (also 1905) thought up the idea of the luncheon meeting. Sylvester Schele (you’ve heard of him) was originator of the Roster-photo and Classification Talks. Montague M. Bear who also joined rotary in 1905, was creator and designer of the first Rotary wheel emblem. Dr. C.W. Hawley (1907) originated Charitable Service as a club objective. Ches Perry (1908) was the originator of the first name badge, assisted in organizing and presiding over the first Rotary convention (1910) was Secretary of RI (1910-1942) and Arthur Frederick Sheldon (1908) originated the motto "He Profits Most Who Serves best” (now degendered).

We owe a whole lot to these early Rotarians who added so much to our own Roots

Vol. 65 No. 50 Notes from the Podium

 President's Time

This week police ticketed a 10 years old Texas boy for not wearing his seat belt properly.  When the cop stopped the car he issued a citation to the child and asked for his signature.  The young man complained that he's only 10 and doesn't have a signature yet!  Also this week, a North Carolina teen  won a legal battle to wear a nose stud to school.  She argued that as a member of the Church of Body Modification, she should be exempt from the jewelry ban at her high school.

JUNE 30TH MEETING is our last one here at the Westin.  It is not only the presentation of the Rotarian of the Year, it's also the installation of Debbie Swain's 2011-2012 Officers and Board.  It will be a special lunch, wine and everything.  Please bring a guest, spouse, significant other or perhaps a prospective Rotarian. Be sure to let Terry know in advance so we can confirm a count to the hotel.

FOUNDATION MINUTE from Foundation Chair, Rick Tonkinson as he awarded multiple Paul Harris pins to Chris Morrison, who received his three-sapphire pin for a total of four PHF's.  Also to Hadley Williams who got RUBIES.  Hadley has just achieved his seventh PHF which changes his pin from sapphires to rubies.  You can't find a better charity than The Rotary Foundation.  Every dollar you give goes back out into the world.  Give freely and often and give large.  The Rotary Foundation.

Only two birthdays this week.  And like all good Gemini's they come in two's.  Miki Spiejers and Luis Sardinas a couple more of these energetic, adaptable, impulsive people.  But because they're on the cusp of Cancer they tend to be a cautious and just a little moody.  Say Happy Birthday this week to both Miki and Luis on June 21st.

Congratulations to Luis Boue

Celebrating 16 years in Rotary this week.

Thanks for all your years of service. 

Employees of the Month
April & June, 2011

The City of Coral Gables Employee of the month for April, 2011 was Jacqueline Lewis, the very able right hand of Carmen Olazabal in the Building and Zoning Department.

For the month of June, the award goes to Terrance J. Daniel, an inspector in the Fire Department.  Chief Robert Lowman praised him for his outstanding work on behalf of fire safety in our City.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Happy $$

The good Dr. Randy was not available to Groh Scholarships today.  He had to work.  But Luis Boue stepped up to the plate in honor of his 16 years (and because he's really good at it) and formed two lines ... one line for Coral Gables Interact Scholarships and another line for Gulliver.  We're feeding two now and we need to be a whole lot happier!  First up was Chris Morrison who brought us an article from the Manley Daily in Sydney, Australia.  Seems that the Helicopter Golf Ball Drop that Chris created to raise money for polio has gone viral.  They just used it in Sydney to raise $7,000 for the earthquake victims.  John Wallace was happy to report that after four long years of trying, he an Louise have finally sold their home and will be leaving us and moving off to Fairhope Alabama on July 16th.  Yoli Woodbridge is so happy to belong to our Rotary Club. After the request at last week's meeting for a motorized wheel chair for the Rotarian in Honduras, our own Jerry Santiero found one and donated it to the cause.  Walter Alvarez is happy that his middle son has found employment for the summer.  He's happy to belong to Rotary too because the research job his son secured is with Hadley Williams.  THE Donald Trombly is happy to report that on the 22nd he will have been married 15 years.  On a trip with Fred and Greg he recently learned to kayak.  Now he's taking his wife on a kayak tour with him.  Don Slesnick  is happy that the University of Virginia is headed for the College World Series.  He'd like to thank the UC Irvine Anteaters!  Rick Tonkinson, just returned from Europe, was pleased to report there is evidence of Rotary everywhere.There's a metal map of Rotary International in Cambridge, England, donated by a local club.  And John Cameron, the Prime Minister was just quoted in the Economist as crediting Rotary for his own successes in life.  Aaron Glasser was happy to see some of the City's finest at our meeting today.  He salutes the Fire Department, Chief Skinner, former Mayor Don Slesnick for all their service to the citizens of Coral Gables.  The Diva (Susan Guttmann) gave a very emotional testimony of her recent injury and the effect that it had on her life.  She spoke of the difficulty she had being confined and having to depend on others and what it was like in a wheel chair.  She's sure that this broken ankle happened for a reason and one is that she now understands how being dependent affects your life.  She is very grateful to all of her friends in Rotary that have helped her through this ordeal.  She's happy she is a Rotarian.  Finally Dick Golden.  Bad joke today so it's been censored.  In closing, Luis admitted that he has missed Diva's giggles and he's really glad that she is back. 

Working Rotarians - June 16, 2011

Greeters - Rodney Langer & Rolf Frankfurter

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado & Abe Horowitz

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Frank Sexton, Chris Morrison & Lan Nghiem-Phu

Invocation - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Pledge - Walter Alvarez

Singer - Bill Quesenberry

Pin Drawing Gift - Donald Trombly

Pin Drawing Winner - Rolf Frankfurter

50/50 Raffle - Donald Trombly 

50/50 Winner - Gary Rovin

5 Way Test - Dr. Phil Boswell

Today's Program

Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent
Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Miami-Dade County’s Public School District is the fourth largest in the country, and the 2nd largest economy in the State. In the past three years, a plan has been implemented that has elevated our school districts to one of the top four large urban school districts in the Country.

When Carvalho first accepted the position three years ago, Miami-Dade Schools were facing the worst catastrophic economic conditions in its history. A $130 million liability was disclosed, the health insurance provider announced a $73 million price increase, and there were no contracts with any of the unions. MD Schools was almost put into state receivership. Carvalho’s plan included reducing administrative costs by 52% by putting 400 administrators into schools, and firing 100 that were responsible for the financial problems. A line by line budget review identified an additional $30million cost savings, and the health insurance provided was eliminated and the Schools became self-insured. Nine county schools were slated for closing due to consistent F scores. At the town hall meetings with parents and students of those schools, Carvalho asked if they were satisfied with the results – the schools had winning athletic teams, but students read at the 5th grade level. The principals and 60% of the teachers were removed, and now, for the first time, all nine schools have received C grades. For the first time Coral Gables High School received an A grade.

Today MD Schools continues to launch new models and reinvent itself. Two new MAST Academies will be launched – one each in Homestead and Hialeah.  An International Program (ISPA) will be opening in the fall. Funding for arts and music programs will  be enhanced using funds donated to a 501c3 formed by MD Schools. The Schools’ reserves have been increased from $4million to $131 million. MD Schools has become better with less money. FCAT scores are higher than ever before, and the number of graduates has increased. Based on a nationwide test, MD Schools has ranked at the top. Miami-Dade Public Schools is now one of four finalists eligible to win an award characterized as “The Nobel Prize of Education”. The winner will be announced in September.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:  Judge Jeri B. Cohen, Drug Dependency Court

Thought for the Week

 By Debbie Swain

"It's easy to make a buck.

It's a lot tougher to make a difference."

Tom Brokaw

Scene Scenes

Join us next week.

Same time, same place

and same great bunch of Rotarians.