Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 66 No. 31 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

Since January is Rotary Awareness Month President Debbie figured she would make us all aware of what's going on in our Rotary Club. Nice preface for the usual announcements, huh?

RAFFLE TICKETS are still on sale. After the meeting today we will hold the first "Early Drawing" for two tickets. Keep reading to find out who won ... we have lots more tickets to sell but give it a try ... after all there's a 1 in 300 chance somebody can win $20,000, a new car or a boat.

A NIGHT ON THE RED CARPET is coming on March 9th. It's our annual fundraiser benefiting both our Foundation and Citizens for a Better South Florida. Sponsorships are still available but not for much longer, we will be printing the tickets next week. Don't want to be a sponsor? You can buy your tickets through our Club's Website and still do your part.

Community Service Update

Deena Bell, Avenue of Service Chair

Tomorrow night is the first Community Service Meeting of the new year. Please come to Deena's house at 6 p.m. with your bottle of wine and some good ideas for new projects for the club. After the meeting everyone just - socializes. Deena said she's having so much fun this year she agreed to be the Community Service Chair again next year under President Walter!

Coming up for February ... the 12th is a huge volunteer effort for Tour de Cure. They need as many volunteers as they can get for a cycling fund raiser for Diabetes. Shifts start at 4:30 a.m. Deena's got registration sheets so you can pick your job and your shift for the day. Saturday, February 18th is our monthly Bingo at the VA . This month will have a valentine's theme.

And of course our favorite job in March is coming on Saturday, March 17 when we pour beer for John Martin's St. Patrick's Day celebration. We need 75 volunteers for that day so we are partnering with Shake-A-Leg this year and they will get a portion of the proceeds that we are paid for our hard work that day. They literally couldn't pull this off without us!

Fat Tuesday Breakfast Fund Raiser

Gloria Burns invited everyone to breakfast on Tuesday, February 21 at the Westin Colonnade Hotel beginning at 7:30 a.m. It's a fund raiser for Westin's favorite charity, "Give Kids the World". Breakfast is only $10, AND here's the best part ...

$5 per person comes back to Rotary Foundation of Coral Gables. Pretty cool, huh?

The food will be great. You'll know everybody there. We'll put $$$ into our Club's Foundation. And you know how we like to spend money to do cool things for people from our Foundation!

The Magic of Rotary Does it Again!

Bill Quesenberry, International Service Chair, presented a check for $50,000 from our Club Foundatoin to Bill Murph, Executive Director of Alfalit International. This huge check happened because Carol Brock brought in $15,000 that was specifically earmarked for Literacy Projects. Through the magic of Rotary, and a 1 to 3 1/2 multiplier, the matching grants from both Rotary International and our District that became the $50,000 we gave them today.

Alfalit is a 50 year old organization founded in Cuba and later moved to Costa Rica. They operate Literacy programs in 25 countries, including, most recently, Africa, Nigeria, Angola and Mozambique. Mr. Murph said this is the third grant they have received from our Club, largely through the efforts of Carol Brock, and that all of Alfalit wishes to extend their appreciation as we represent a significant portion of their funding.

This $50,000 will provide tuition for 500 students who will be able to go from complete illiteracy to a third grade level in six months for a cost of $60 per student. It will be used to purchase a new vehicle to transport the children as well as for the materials, books, supplies. Mr. Murph said that when in he told the officials in Santiago about the award this morning the roar of appreciation was so loud you hardly needed a phone to hear it. Rotary Club of Coral Gables Rocks!!!

Quarterly Blood-Letting Today

The Community Blood Service Bloodmobile was parked outside today during the entire meeting and for an hour or so afterwards. Lots of hearty, healthy Rotarians gave a pint to help our community. Blood supplies are very low this time of year and the CBS was very grateful for our support and assistance.

Happy Rotary Anniversary this week to a bunch of great guys including Hank Collins who has been back in our Club for five years. Chris Tyson for eight years this time, Bill Quesenberry celebrating 16 years of service, Greg Martini with 17 years and Dick Bullman with 18 years. Thanks for everything and all your collective years of support to the Rotary Ideals.

Introduction of Guests & Visitors

Visiting us today from Puerto Rico, our friend and a former member, Telen Fernandez. Carlos Ruiz de Quevedo brought a guest today, we have his photo but not his name. Same with Keith Phillips. Fred Baddour re-introduced us to his amazing mother Ann Baddour. Carol Brock brought Bill Murph. Terry Long introduced us to another attorney, Dottie Joseph. And the lovely, late Judy Pantoja brought her friend Vince Flor.

We like to have visitors so please come again, soon.

Happy $$$$

The absence of Dr. Groth didn't seem to hurt happiness one single bit today. Either that or Ralph Cabrera is just really good at encouraging happy Rotarians to spend $5 for Scholarships, even though President Debbie warned that nobody could have the mic for more than 30 seconds. First up was Trish Hoffman who, as a Penn State Graduate, wanted to pay tribute to the late Joe Paterno. Fred Baddour was really happy to have his Mom here today and wantd us to know a few of her accomplishments (really proud son!). She was a test pilot, the first woman, for Lincoln Labs Aerospace Division, she has flown 16 air races and broken 55 speed records AND won the coveted Harmon Trophy! Awesome lady and really a good mom. Reza Dehbozorgi wanted to share good news and bad news with us today. First the good news ... he's a Grandpa! Then the bad news ... his 54 year old brother, PhD., in Aerospace/Physics, an long-time advocate for humanity in Iran and held under house arrest there for a number of years, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. John Wallace wanted to introduce everyone to RAGS (Rotary's Amazing Golf Society). It's a little golf fund raising venture started by himself, Keith Phillips, Jon Arthur and George Reeves. Join them for $1 mulligans and $3 high scores across the street on the Granada course after the meeting. Bill Martinez was happy that his parents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary today. Despite all her threats to the contrary, his mom never did get that divorce! Bill Quesenberry is happy that next week he goes to Quito, Ecuador and then on to Peru with the ministries. Ana Fournaris said that Fred Baddour stole her thunder but she just wanted to say how happy she is to see Ann Baddour at the meeting today. She's also happy that Sunday is her daughter's 31st birthday. Rumor has it she was only 9 when she became a mom!! Margarita Tonkinson was happy about all the sponsors who have come forward for our upcoming Gala. Happiness pays really good when Ralph's on the mic. Keep on smiling.

Working Rotarians - January 26, 2012

Greeters - Steven Spann & Rolf Frankfurter

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - John Porro

Head Table - Rodney Langer

Special Needs - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Open the Meeting - Jack Witty

Invocation - Kelly Sastre

Pledge - Diane Thurston

Singers - Bill Quesenberry & Dan Scipione

Pin Drawing Gift - Yoli Woodbridge

Pin Drawing Winner - Gloria Burns

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns

50/50 Winner - Visitor Vince Flor

4 Way Test - Reza Dehbozorgi

Today's Program

Mayor of the City of Coral Gables, James Cason, presented his State of the City Report.

A formers Rotarian from Maracaibo Mayor Cason is new to the job but that hasn't stopped him for a moment. He spent his entire career as an international diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service. He speaks five languages fluently. He and his wife Carmen retired here to Coral Gables because they love the city and it's endless possibilities. He is honored to have the opportunity to direct the course of the community for a few years.

Even though 2012 brings a new reality, jobs are limited, revenue is restricted and budgets are being re-evaluated the City was able to reduce the millage rate from 6.072 to 5.869. Coral Gables was one of only 14 municipalities able to do that in Miami Dade AND Coral Gables is the third largest decrease in the County.

The City's focus for the year ahead is on a Neighborhood Based Planning Initiative which is an action plan for an internal vision of our community. We will be strengthening our infrastructure and implementing a program known as NRP - Neighborhood Renaissance Program - that has 17 initiative that will be accomplished including resurfacing 39 miles of city streets, completion of the traffic calming circles, renovation of the Granada Commercial Entrance, Granada Plaza and Segovia Plaza, city-wide landscaping to replace trees lost in the most recent storms and much, much more.

As part of the plan to restore our fountains, the City will be holding an International Competition for Fountain Features. We finally have the where-with-all to build the Senior Center that has been promised for so long. There is so much work planned and underway - but they always keep our values in mind - everything is being don to maintain the City Beautiful

Mayor Cason also urged everyone to go to the City Website for information about the new program, "Random Acts of Kindness" to recognize individuals in our city that contribute to making it a great place to live and work. People who generally go unnoticed and never get the recognition they deserve. You can download a form from www.coralgables.com.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: No speaker - next week's meeting will be a social meeting. You'll get to enjoy lunch with your favorite people.