Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 65 No. 51 Notes from the Podium

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

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

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