Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 66 No. 24 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

Hollywood awaits! President Debbie will probably secure an "Oscar" at our Gala on March 9th for her work as an editor on the film entitled "Rotary Winner's Choice Raffle". You had to see it. Bottom line of her "film" was buy a raffle ticket today and get your choice of a car, a boat or $20,000.

The year is winding down. You can always tell by the announcement of the Club's annual Moose Milk Party. This year marks the 41st year that Coral Gables Rotarians will kick off the New Year with the brew of the Moose. It will be once again in the secret garden of Richard & Luba DeWitt, beginning at 11 a.m. on January 1st. It's one of the best parties we have all year. Bring something that you really like to eat. The Moose Milk is on the house. There's a sign up sheet in the back - and be sure to tell us what delicacy you'll be bringing with you. Food comes in shifts and we need to be organized in our eating ... otherwise you get too full too fast and never get to taste it all!

Community Service Minute

Community Service Chair, Deena Bell took a few minutes to read us a thank you letter from the Veteran's Hospital. They are very grateful for the time that we spend with the Vets every month. We are too!

Deena is collecting money and toys for the Chapman Partnership for the Homeless. We will be wrapping the gifts on December 14th with Rotaract at John Martin's. We will be giving them out on the 17th at a Christmas Party at the HAC. Sign up now. In addition to a lot of toys, Deena collected $250 to spend at Toys-R-Us for the kids.

Foundation Minute

Foundation Chair, Abe Horowitz once again presented a member with their next level Paul Harris Fellowship. Judy Pantoja has already given $3,000 and today she received her two sapphire Paul Harris Pin. She didn't even know it! Just goes to show you how quickly you can achieve major giving to the Annual Programs Fund of The Rotary Foundation. A few years of sustaining membership donations, a couple of golf ball drops and voila! You're suddenly at the next level. Thank you Judy.

Introductions of Visitors & Guests

By Dick Bullman

Visiting Rotarians abounded today - just to hear our speaker. Welcome to Dr. Michael Newman and Patricia Pardinas from South Miami and Mariella Malfeld from the Miami Club.

President Debbie brought husband John Swain. Yolanda Woodbridge brought Vanessa Estrada once again. Axel Ulrich brought himself and a guest today. Don Slesnick introduced us to a new arrival in Coral Gables and former Rotarian from South Carolina, Gus Reyes. Trish Hoffman brought her son Gavin and Terry Long brough a former member of our club, Vivian Miller. Chris Tyson re-introduced us to his daughter, Natalie. Thanks for coming and come back again soon!

Happy $$$

Dr. Randy returned again to Groh Scholarship $$ and he certainly did! Chris Morrison was happy to have received an email from Kelly Sastre about Stanford's Women's NCAA Soccer victory. Margarita Tonkinson was excited about the possibilities of the blue tickets - all that money can buy a lot of raffle tickets. Lorraine Sheldon has tickets to the Villager's Home Tour. The main event begins at the historic Boy Scout House on Greenway Drive and all of the homes on this year's tour are around the golf course. Rick Tonkinson was touting an investment seminar his firm conducted at the UM Business School. The lecture series will be repeated again next year - it was that good! Eddie Snow was sad because he lost both his brother and his mother just two weeks apart. But they both had great lives. He was thankful for his friends in Rotary AND his Landlord just got an offer on his space so look for him to be moving Snows to another Miracle Mile location soon. Ramon Ferrer was happy to see Ralph Cabrera. Abe Horowitz remembered J.B. Spence with the story about December 7, 1941 that J.B. ALWAYS told us. Steve Magenheimer does the invocation every week but this time he had a joke that he heard from the televangelist, Joel O'Steen. Dick Golden had a joke about two drunks and a mirror. Yoli Woodbridge was ecstatic that Fred Baddour has donated $1,000 to our VA Bingo program. Chris Tyson was happy that he joined our Club when Felix Pardo was president but apparently that statement lacks enthusiasm! Keep on smiling because HAPPINESS PAYS!!

Working Rotarians - December 8, 2011

Greeter - Steven Spann
Registration - Aaron Glasser
Collections - Joe Witz
Head Table - Rodney Langer
Open the Meeting - Jack Witty
Invocation - Steve Magenheimer
Pledge - Aaron Glasser
Singer - Dan Scipione
DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Axel Ulrich
Given to - the Club & Rolf Frankfurther
Pin Drawing Gift - Rodney Langer
Pin Drawing Winner - Yoli Woodbridge
50/50 Raffle - Donald Trombly
50/50 Winner - Bruce Kerestes
4 Way Test - Jim Skinner

Bruce Kerestes won it ALL! Again!
He drew the King of Hearts
He won $1,492

How Lucky Can One Guy Get - EVERY YEAR!!

Today's Program

Dr. Ken Broad, 2011 National Geographic Explorer of the Year

"Beyond the Invisible: Secrets of the Blue Holes."

Dr. Broad has a long list of degrees, qualifications and titles and nearly as many adventures to treat you with. He was elected a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2006, A Fellow National of the Exploreres Club in 2009 and was selected as the 2011 National Geographic Explorer of the Year. His work was featured as the cover story of the August 2010 issue of National Geographic.

95% of our drinking water comes from below our feet, and it's getting ugly down there. Salt water intrusion increases as the sea levels rise. These Blue Holes hold the key to many of the mysteries of the deep and are pocketed throughout the limestone shelf on which we live. There are two types of blue Holes, inland and offshore. One of the largest offshore holes is 660 feet deep. They often have peat ceilings and weird wildlife. Sea creatures that have adapted to the lack of light by having no eyes. Sharks that just lay there as the currents gently rock their bodies. The water temperature is 72 year round and the atmosphere is anoxic (there is no oxygen down there). The size of the holes is unbelievable. The rock and stalactite formations eerie and beautiful.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: Everglades Legacy Choir, winners of the 2011 Rotary Music Award and one of two Grand Prize Winning Senior High Schools in the 2011 Caroling Competition performs their Christmas program and the Rotary Music Award entry, "Where Angels Lately Knelt".