Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 66 No. 25 Notes From the Podium

President's Time

Today President Debbie was preoccupied with finding seats for everyone. To accommodate our program we had to move to the Atrium for today's meeting. And it seems like when we move to this room attendance goes up! Or maybe it's just the programs that we have when we move. Either way, she was busing tables and moving chairs today.

RAFFLE TICKETS are still available but according to PEE Donald they're going fast! This is your chance, one out of 300, to win your choice of a Fiat 500, a Mako Flatboat or just plain old dirty cash, $20,000.

There will be a mini-drawing in early January among all those who have purchased tickets. The prize will be announced later. It does not preclude you from winning the big drawing on March 9th. So buy your tickets and take the tax deduction before January 1st.

ACTIVITIES UPDATE: The year may be winding down but not for our Club. We're double booked on Saturday with Christmas Parties at both the Chapman Partnership for the Homeless AND at the Veteran's Hospital where we play bingo with the Vets every month. Chapman is Noon to 3:00. VA Bingo is 1:00 to 3:00. You can't do both but try to do one - it will give you the grins for the holidays.

January 1st is our 41st annual Moose Milk Party. This year it returns to the DeWitt's Secret Garden. Please RSVP and let us know what delectable dish you'll be bringing (we need to know so that we can "pace ourselves" eating). The Moose's Milk is on the house. It's from 11 until 2:00.

January 2nd is the 63rd Annual Junior Orange Bowl Parade. We need six more volunteers to serve as Band Ambassadors from Noon until 4:00. It's a great afternoon of fellowship, music, and all the trappings of a parade.

Here come those cusp babies again! Natives born on the cusp of Sagittarius and Capricorn are likely to be honest, straightforward, practical, disciplined and a little pessimistic. Say Happy Birthday this week to Judy Pantoja on the 19th, Bob Downy and Don Trombly on the 20th.

We have two Rotary anniversaries this week, Bill Martinez with 15 years and PE Walter Alvarez with 10 years. That's a lot of years of service between you! Thanks for all you do.

And speaking of years of Service, William Isaias is celebrating 19 years of Perfect Attendance this week too!

Welcome Our Newest (Old) Member

Rick Belz

Rick Belz was a member of our club for nearly ten years until he resigned in 2009 - for good reason. He and his wife went to China to adopt a little girl. By the time she got here they were expecting a little boy. That was way too much for his wife to handle and so Rick resigned to help with his new family. But he says he always missed his Thursdays with his friends. One day recently, Membership Chair Greg Martini called him and invited him back. He came. He's glad. He's back to being a Rotarian again. He's a property appraiser by profession. He's a former Eagle Scout. Now he's the proud father of Samantha and Kaleb. It's good to have him back again. Tell him so!

Congratulations to the Coral Gables

Employee of the Month

December, 2011

Roberto Garcia, Parking Enforcement Officer is a loyal and valued employee. He's got a great attitude and is always commended for the manner in which he performs his job. Keep up the good work, Roberto.

Introductions

Visitors & Guests

We had a visiting Rotarian friend of Fred Baddour, Mike Duchenean from Massachusetts and we exchanged Club flags with him. Dr. Michael Newman from South Miami visited us again today to enjoy our program. He brought his son David, a former exchange student on his way to becoming a Rotarian. In addition, Greg Martini brought Serre Murphy. Dick Golden brought his friend Allen Rubin. Don Slesnick brought several guests today, Dominic Johner and Lily Noches. Deena Bell brought her partner, Luis Aqui. Ana Fournaris brought Michael Regan. Fred Baddour brought Mike Duchenean. Jack Witty brought his lovely wife Joan. Jon Arthur brought his wife Judy. Paolo Possenti brought his wife Lucia. Thanks for coming all. Come back again!

Happy $$$

First up today was Susan Guttmann a/k/a Diva. She spent much of her happiness trying to hold back her tears. Seems she's going to take a leave of absence from Rotary for 90 days. She's trying to figure out how to make everything work with her new, very important promotion and she loves Rotary and doesn't want to leave us. Pat Morris is happy to be leaving on Tuesday for Hawaii for a family reunion (related to the Obamas?). He went to the Wrapping Party yesterday with Interact and Rotaract and had a wonderful time with some wonderful your people. New (old) member Rick Belz is happy that Greg Martini called him to come back. Chris Tyson is happy to have his other daughter here to help he and his wife celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary in three days. Terry Long was ecstatic to have found an Optometrist who is a Rotarian, especially since we don't have one in our Club (hint, hint). His name is Dr. Ivan Jacobson and he's in Palmetto Bay and a member of the Perrine Cutler Ridge Rotary Club. Rosendo Castillo is very happy because he and France are leaving for California to celebrate their three grand children's birthdays. Carlos Ruiz just returned from his first time in Cuba in 50 years. He said there's not enough money to express how thankful he is. He got to meet family members unknown to him and other whom he has not seen in 50 years. Most of all, he's happy to be back home again. Axel Ulrich was happy to have gone to Dr. Randy with his dental problems today. He was promptly taken care of and can still eat! Luis Boue had stupid dollars today. He lost his phone someplace. He went to AT&T and wanted them to zap all the important numbers off his phone but they couldn't do it so he stopped at Bill Forshee's office and asked to use his computer and they very kindly complied. Margarita Tonkinson was happy to see all the happiness because it makes our scholarship fund grow.. PEE Donald Trombly and family is celebrating his birthday with a trip. They're leaving on Saturday for Savannah, Little Rock and then on to Orlando for Christmas with his Mom. He also encourage everyone to jump at the opportunity to buy up the remaining raffle tickets before it's too late. Happiness pays so keep on smiling.

Working Rotarians - December 15, 2011

Greeters - Steven Spann & Rolf Frankfurter

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Frank Sexton

Head Table - Rodney Langer

Special Needs - Margarita Tonkinson & Lan Nghiem Phu

Open the Meeting - Jack Witty

Invocation - Steve Magenheimer

Pledge - Jon Arthur

Singers - Dan Scipione & Bill Quesenberry

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Don Slesnick

Given to - Susan Guttmann & Rosendo Castillo

Pin Drawing Gift - Rodney Langer

Pin Drawing Winner - Paolo Possenti

50/50 Raffle - Fred Baddour & Donald Tromble

50/50 Winner - Gloria Burns

4-Way Test - Trish Hoffman

Today's Program

Everglades Senior High School Legacy Choir, directed by Shanpatrick Davis, a Grand Prize winner in the 2011 Caroling Competition and the 2011 Winner of the Rotary Music Award for a new composition, "Where Shepherds Lately Knelt" by Thomas Courtenay.

Everglades has been under the direction of Mr. Davis for the past eight years. This choir is filled with dedicated individual who each bring their vocal talent to the table. Together they sing with inspiration as one voice to leave a legacy that fills one's heart with music.

It is impossible to communicate the beauty of their music in writing. If you'd like to hear them perform the Rotary Music Awards, go to Merrick Festival on Facebook. You will find the performance from the Awards show posted on the wall.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: No formal program is planned. We will have a Pre-Holiday Fellowship Meeting that is sure to be a lot of fun.