Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 65 No. 49 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

Welcome to our last meeting in the echo chamber! Everyone missed the punch lines today because of the feedback. Suffice to say that the young man who made a single sale of $110,237.65 did so with his own ingenuity. First he sold the guy a small fish hook, then a medium fish hook, then a larger fish hook. Then he sold him a new fishing rod. Then since he was going fishing down coast he needed a new boat, so he sold him a Chris Craft. Then, because his Honda couldn't pull the new boat he sold him an F350. The boss was impressed. Couldn't get over the fact that the guy started out buying a fish hook and ended up spending $110,000 ++. But the super salesman said that wasn't quite true ... the man's wife had a headache and he came in to buy some aspirin, the young man pointed out that his weekend was shot anyway, he might as well go fishing!

There's still time to text to end polio during the Heat vs. Mavericks games. Text 50555 to contribute $5 to END POLIO NOW.

Our June 30th meeting will be a combination fo the 2010-2011 year-end recognitions and awards and the Installation of the 2011-2012 Officers and Board of Directors. PDG Marcy Ullom will be officiating. You're welcome to bring your friends, relatives or a guest, but please let us know in advance for the guarantee. Special menu with wine to celebrate all that's great about Rotary Club of Coral Gables. Please RSVP your guests with Terry Long.

MAKE A NOTE ... for the first meeting of the new Rotary year we will be returning to the Coral Gables Country Club. We will be in the Merrick Room - that's the room with a separate entrance on the west side of the building. Remember, JULY 7, 2011 at the Coral Gables Country Club. Parking is free in the rear.

Gemini is known as the Twins. You always get more than you've bargained for and you never know which one is going to show up. They're adaptable, communicative, youthful and inquisitive. Say Happy Birthday this week to Dar Arian on June 10th and to Sally B, Richard DeWitt and Rodney Langer ALL on June 15th.

Happy Rotary Anniversary

Deena Bell-Lewellyn

Who has been with our club for four years this week.

Thanks for all your service!

Happy $$$

Now that we have TWO Interact Clubs that need Scholarships, Dr. Randy is going to have to find lots more happy Rotarians to Groh scholarships every week! He started out today by announcing another upcoming photographic safari to Africa is in the offing. If anyone is interested, contact him for details. Also happy today was Susan (Diva) Guttmann. Happy to be back with us again after seven long weeks being incapacitated with a badly broken ankle. Carlos Bolado was happy to announce a party at his store on Miracle Mile. The echo was pretty bad but we heard food, drink and really cool men's fashions. Contact Carlos for more details. Alfredo Iglesias is also happy to be back. He's been traveling nearly non-stop with his new job and while he's seen very many great new places, he has really missed our club. It's also nice to have his friend Alejandro with him today. Dan Scipione is happy to announce that he has a mango table set up in the back of the room. Get yours on the way out. Catarina Jimenez was happy to see all the folks who went to Honduras at the meeting today. BUT NOT A WORD FROM DICK GOLDEN TODAY??? Remember, keep on smiling because happiness pays.

Working Rotarians - June 9, 2011

Greeters - Rodney Langer & Rolf Frankfurter

Registration - Debbie Swain

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Frank Sexton, Yoli Woodbridge & Hadley Williams

Open the Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Pledge - Randy Groh

Singers - Dan Scipione & Bill Quesenberry

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Susan Guttmann

Given to - Richard DeWitt & Miki Spiejers

Pin Drawing Gift - Mangos by Scipione

Pin Drawing Winner - Lan Nghiem-Phu

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & Donald Trombly

50/50 Winner - Bruce Kerestes

5-Way Test - Bill Quesenberry

Today's Program

Catrina Jimenez, Chair, 2010-2011

International Avenue of Service

Humanitarian Trip to Honduras

On President's Weekend, February 18 - 22, Catarina led a group of 12 Rotarians and their spouses on a trip to Honduras. Over the past two years, the Internationanl Committee, under Cat's leadership, has completed a series of grants to benefit the needy in this Central American Country. With her were Yoli Woodbridge, Terry Long, Bill and Rita Oates, Dick and Teri Golden, Jon and Judy Arthur, Bill and Melissa Quesenberry and her two friends from Spain, Juan and Diego.

With a grant for $16,500 we purchased a container of 150 wheel chairs and sent them to the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa last year. Several of the chairs were not delivered in order that our group would be able to see firsthand the needs to which they had contributed so generously. Two of the recipients were crippled children, a young boy with CP and a young girl unable to do for herself. As part of the program Catarina was successful in melting a few more hearts and was able to get commitment that will keep diapers coming to this very poor family for the next two years.

The second project was to purchase cook stoves for one of the indigenous people living about 45 minutes outside of Copan. First they got to visit the factory where the stoves were made. Then they got to deliver stoves and see them in action. These are smokeless, flame-less cooks stoves that are so necessary to prevent fires and burns in so many villages. This project was done jointly with the Tegucigalpa Rotary Club, each with a donation of $1,000. With matching funds from District and Rotary International we had a total grant of $22,000 with which to make these stoves a reality for these people.

Aside from the magic of hands-on help for others in need, Catarina stressed the magic of donating to Rotary. A small contribution becomes a big grant and accomplishes so much more when it's done through the world of Rotary.

Stay tuned for next year's humanitarian trip that will be set up by our International Service Committee.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: Alberto Carvahlo, Superintendent of Dade County Schools.