Vol. 66 No. 7 Notes from the Podium

Presidents Time

With a very full agenda today, President Debbie took a few minutes to update us all on our busy Rotary schedule:

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Saturday, August 20th is VA Bingo from 1 until 3 p.m.
Friday, August 26th, Community Service Meeting at 6 p.m.
Saturday, September 17th, Coastal Cleanup at Matheson.

ROTARY EVENTS
Saturday, August 20th - Rotary Leadership Institute at American University in Weston
Saturday, August 27th - Rotary Marketing, PR and Membership Summit
Wednesday, August 31st - Rotaract Wine Wisdom at Calamari's from 7 until 9 p.m.
Monday, September 12th - Rotary District Mixer at Seasons 52 from 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 13th - International Committee Meeting - contact Bill Quesenberry
Thursday, November 3rd - Fall Fun8th Annual Rotary Golf Classic - contact Chris Morrison
Thursday, November 17th to Sunday, November 20th, District Conference
Saturday & Sunday, December 3 & 4 is Rotary Service with the Miami Dolphins

 Congratulations to Jack Witty

 This week he celebrates

51 Years of PERFECT ATTENDANCE

Don't you wish you could beat that record!

Way to GO Jack!  
Thank you for all your years of Service.

Membership Minute 

by Greg Martini, Chair Membership Committee

Greg asked a really simple question, "Who here likes to spend their evening with good friends, good food and great conversation?"  The answer was obviously, unanimously, everyone.  And the Membership Committee is working towards that goal.  Please sign up to either host or participate in a Membership Retention Pot Luck Evening.  Get to know your Rotary friends and their spouses, outside of the Thursday meetings.  It'll be fun.

  

City of Coral Gables Employees of the Month

Walter Foeman, City Clerk for the City of Coral Gables introduced us to the July and August winners of this always-well-deserved award.  First was the July Employee, Susan DaCosta who just happens to be the Clerk's secretary, has been working for the city in the City Attorney's office since May, 2006 and was made Secretary to the Clerk in 2008.  She is reliable, hard working, conscientious and just wants to get the job done!  She is the Employee of the Month for JULY.  Congratulations Susan!

Raimundo Rodulfo is in the Information Technology Department of the City and he works on special projects in the IT Deptartment.  He provides team support for all of the new software and systems that are being installed, he's built their database, the new management system and the system that is used by the Clerk's office, TRIM.  He is an invaluable employee who loves his job and works well with everyone.  Raimundo is the Employee of the Month for AUGUST.  Keep up the good work!

THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AWARDS ARE GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY RON SHUFFIELD AND EWM REAL ESTATE. 

Civic & Charity Donates to 

Coastal Cleanup

Kelly Sastre, Chair of the Civic & Charity Committee presented a check from our Foundation to Sunny Middleton from the organization that is coordinating for the upcoming Coastal Cleanup (September 17th at Matheson Hammock Park beginning at 9:00 a.m.).  Sunny has just started at University of Miami and Kelly is working on getting her involved in Rotaract!  Our $500 donation buys us a sponsorship, with recognition.  It also means that we are required to work.  So sign up today for Coastal Cleanup.  The sweatiest service project that you'll ever do!

Here we are on the cusp of the Lion and the Virgin!  That could almost be a joke for Dick Golden.  They are confident, ambitious, melodramatic, reliable, analytical perfectionists.  Stay out of their way!  But do say Happy Birthday  to Elizabeth "Lovables" Silverman on August 22nd, Margarita Tonkinson on the 23rd and Bill Oates on the 24th.  

We have only one Rotary Anniversary this week and it's Ms. Lovables herself!  Elizabeth has been a member of our Club for six years.  Thank YOU Liz, for all you do!

Introduction of Guests and Visitors

 

Quite a few members brought guests today but Mr. B didn't do a great job on the names!  So we'll just say thanks to the members who brought them.  Joe Witz was here again.  He's from the Miami Club.  Lara Bersano was here all the way from the Buenas-Aires Club! Gloria Burns brought Ray the Printer once again.  He used to be a Rotarian and we're trying to interest him in our Club.  Deena Bell-Lewellyn brought her friend Lorraine Sheldon once again.  Catarina Jimenez brought someone who once was once an Interactor.  Yoli Woodbridge wasn't here today but her guest Carlos came anyway. Margarita Tonkinson introduced us to one of our Ambassadorial Scholars, Daniel Duarte, who leaves in a few weeks for England for a year on Rotary.  We probably missed someone who brought someone ... we apologize for that error.  It was great to meet you anyway.  Come back again and often.  We're a fun bunch!

Happy $$$

No Dandy Randy and no Diva today but THE Donald stepped up and enriched our scholarship coffers with the help of a lot of happy Rotarians including Dan Scipione who is simply ecstatic that his daughter's school started TODAY!  Carlos Ruiz was happy to report that he learned yesterday that he was going to have a new granddaughter.  Dr. Phil Boswell was really happy to see Pat Morris and his sneakers at the meeting today.  They are busy planning things for the New Generations for the upcoming school year.  Anyone interested in working with the Youth, contact either one of them.  Swiss Chris Tyson merely stood up and sang .... a song that many recognized from their misspent youth ... "Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer" ... something to remember from the good old days.  Luis Boue was so excited to hear the tune that he had some nasty flashbacks to his college days, hangovers and headaches!  J B Spence was happy to be a Grandad again but like his good friend said, the title has one problem. You're sleeping with a Grandma!  AND FINALLY ... welcome back to Dick Golden.  He brought back an auction item that kinda fell flat, "Adopt a Bat" with a nude photo of a real bat. Then he couldn't give up the mic without a clean but silly joke about a dying man being denied his wife's chocolate cake because she was saving it for the wake!  Yes, believe it or not, this happiness PAYS.  Keep smiling.

Working Rotarians - August 18, 2011 

Greeters - Steven Span & Rolf Frankfurter

Registration - Aaron Glaser

Collections - Bill Forshee & John Porro

Head Table - Rodney Langer

Special Needs - Frank Sexton & Lan Nghiem-Phu

Open the Meeting - Jack Witty

Invocation - Bill Quesenberry

Pledge - Dick Bullman

Singers - Dan Scipione & Bill Quesenberry

Introductions - Dick Bullman

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Edgard Mann

Given to - Rolf Frankfurter & Gloria Burns

Pin Drawing Gift - Rodney Langer

Pin Drawing Winner - Debbie Swain 

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & THE Donald Trombly 

50/50 Winner - Jerry Santiero 

4 Way Test - Dr. Phil Boswell 

Today's Program

Deena Bell-Lewellyn, 2011-12 Community Service Chair made a presentation to the Club today about SERVICE ABOVE SELF, Rotary Club of Coral Gables' Service Projects.

"I think the purpose of life is to be useful, honorable and compassionate.  It is above all, to matter. To count. To stand for something. To have made some difference that you have lived at all."  Leo Rosten, 1908-1997.

Deena had a really complete photo presentation of most all of the service projects our Club is involved with throughout the year. She was assisted by members to whom each project was near and dear including Frank Sexton who spoke about VA Bingo, Bill Quesenberry who told us of the wonders of sailing with the disabled at Shake-A-Leg. Judy Pantoja spoke for a few minutes about International Kids Fund Halloween Parties. Walter Alvarez who makes arrangements for our Habitat for Humanity projects, Sally B who extolled the virtues of working up a good dirt at Coastal Cleanup,Lan Nghiem-Phu advised us of the problems that Special Olympics is facing because of funding cuts and Bruce Kerestes introduced many to the International Fellowship of Hunting and Fishing Rotarians. The list of projects and organizations that we work for every year is much longer and itemized below. It's really awesome when you see how much we do!

St. Patrick's Day at John Martins
Community Partnership for the Homeless Thanksgiving

Camilus House 

Empowered Youth 

Salvation Army Bell Ringing 

Paws 4 U 

Humane Society 

Caroling Competition 

Junior Orange Bowl Parade 

Kristi House 

And this year we will be adding: 

Gables Bike Day 

Fitness Spin-a-thon 

Citizens for a Better South Florida 

Charlee 

Earth Day 

Drowning Children Program 

Mentoring Program 

Community Blood Drives

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:"Experiences in Shipboard Medicine" presented by Dr. Jim C. Hirschmann, Senior Ship's Physician, Carnival Cruise Lines.

Thought of the Week

by Abe Horowitz

"I hated every moment of my training, 
but I said to myself
if you work really hard 
you can live like a champion
for the rest of your life."
  
Mohammed Ali

 

Scene Scenes

See you next week, same time, same place, same great bunch of Rotarians!