Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 65 No. 25 Notes from the Podium

President’s Time

This week a fellow in Maine crashed into a light pole in the Wal-Mart parking lot and is suing for damages, claiming the pole was in a hazardous location. He sustained $2,918.05 in damage to his truck by hitting the free standing pole and a Wal-Mart employee later confessed that this was not a “normal configured lot.”

Churches throughout the US are attaching GPS tracking devices to their nativity statues of the baby Jesus. In past years there has been a nationwide spate of thefts of nativity statues by vandals, prompting the GPS installations. Apparently there’s been none attempted since a Catholic church in New Jersey announced the tracking.

Moose Milk Countdown. Be sure to sign up to attend our Club’s 40th Annual Moose Milk Party on January 1 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. You’ll be home in time for the bowl games. We’re being hosted this year by Chris & Chris Tyson at their home on the 3rd Tee of The Biltmore Golf Course. If you’re coming by car the address is 1498 Sevilla Avenue. Bring something you love to eat because everyone else will too. You’re not a “real” Coral Gables Rotarian until you’ve milked the moose at least one time in your Rotary career.

Junior Orange Bowl Parade Band Ambassadors WANTED! This year the parade has two out of state bands and eight locals. We need 10 people to babysit the bands from the time they arrive at noon until the time they go into the chute. The parade starts at 4 p.m. on Alhambra Circle and Ponce de Leon Blvd. It’s fun and you get a ring side seat for some great music! January 2, 2011 at 11:45 a.m. We’ll meet in front of LaPalma.

Beaux Arts Festival, Saturday & Sunday, January 8 & 9 at University of Miami. Sign up now to help cook, serve or sell 5,000 of Bruce’s Special Chicken Wings. Proceeds go to our Club’s Foundation. We need at least 20 Rotarians each day. It’s great fun! Bruce Kerestes has been aging his "secret sauce" for an entire year (ever since last year when the weather drove us out of business) so we're set to make this a really profitable weekend for our Club's Foundation.

Chance & Dance, a Speakeasy Casino Fundraiser is being presented by the Rotary Foundation of Coral Gables. This evening will provide a trip back to the era of Prohibition when bathtub gin and games of chance were all held behind locked doors. The music plays while ladies and gentlemen dance as they partake of the illegal liquid libations. Shhh! Speak easy when you ask to come in.

The proceeds from the event go to fund Habitat for Grandma, a Coral Gables Rotary sponsored program being undertaken in conjunction with CoralGables @HOME. The goal of this partnership is to provide funding to underwrite memberships for low-income seniors at $100 a year, a price they can afford for a service they need. Second is to give all seniors, regardless of their income, the assistance they need to make changes in their homes and facilitate their ability to remain active, and involved in their community. Over time, a few neglected home maintenance jobs can add up to major issues. Since most seniors have lived in their homes for 40+ years, it’s not uncommon to find their homes in need of a fresh coat of paint; carpet and curtain cleaning; small repairs; organization needs and lawn and garden maintenance. Simply installing grab bars and hand rails can make a home safer and more livable for seniors with compromised mobility.

Capricorn natives are known to be practical, prudent,careful and pretty pessimistic ... say Happy Birthday this week to Derek Griffith on the 24th and THE Donald Trombly on Christmas Day!

Dan Scipione is celebrating nine years in Rotary this week. Thanks for your years of Service Dan!

Diva Does $$$$

Diva stood in for Dr. Randy today with the goal of out-raising the good Dr. Randy, making scholarshps Groh ... first up was Bill Quesenberry who was ecstatic over just how many toys you can buy for $300. The money that we gave for the toys for the kids at The Lodge plus the toys that people brought made Christmas very merry for these abused children in need. He read a letter from Kate Williams, the Executive Director of The Lodge, expressing their gratitude for our generosity. Dick Golden told a Christmas joke about three guys at the pearly gates trying to get in by expressing all of their knowledge about the holiday with a punch line about Carols and underwear ... Chris Tyson was happy to have something to say ... he recited a poem that turned out to be the Alma Mater from his high school which he still remembers word for word. Bob Downey was happy for the good service he received at the hospital but unhappy about the fact that he still has a blood clot. Ana Fournaris was happy to wish everyone happiness and joy this holiday season. Dan Scipione recited the Alma Mater from his high school, Lehman High (looks like Chris started something). Luis Boue commented that since he barely graduated high school he couldn't remember his Alma Mater but he was happy that he sat all alone in the back of the room because the two best looking Rotarians sat next to him, Ana Fournaris and the Diva! Felix Pardo was happy to see that Luis had finally gotten into the work release program and that his kids are here from Chicago and Boston and he'll get to see all the photos from their trip to Egypt and Istanbul. Happiness pays so keep on smiling!

Working Rotarians - December 23, 2010

Greeter - Rodney Langer

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Bill Forshee

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Frank Sexton & Hadley Williams

Open the Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Pastor Perry

Pledge - Gene Witherspoon

Singers - Bill Quesenberry, Arne Themmen & Dan Scipione

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - David Mitchell

Given to - Yolanda Woodbridge & Abe Horowitz

Pin Drawing Gift - Dan Scipione

Pin Drawing Winner - Diva

50/50 Collections - Gloria Burns

50/50 Winner - Frank Sexton

5 Way Test - Bill Beckham

Today's Program

Dick Anderson
“A Dolphin Football Stadium for the Future”

Dick Anderson started his NFL career in 1968, when he was named “Rookie of the Year”. He then went on to play through most of the next decade, and in 1978 he was elected a State Senator. The 2010 Dolphin team is 7 and 7, with most of the losses at home. This year the Dolphins lost nearly all of their close games, including last week against Buffalo (at home) where Dan Carpenter missed four field goal attempts, after an outstanding season record. However, the defense has played a great game this past year – key to a winning season. As an example, in 1972 when the Dolphins were undefeated, the defense only allowed 165 points from opponents, and the following year, only 150 points. Under a new defensive coach in1974, over 200 points were scored against the Dolphins.

The team’s new owner, Stephen Ross, a Miami Beach High School alumnus, has been very involved in the community. Last month’s bicycle ride raised $.5 million in its first year. Blood drives at games have been held – giving donors free tickets to future games. 1700 turkeys were given away for Thanksgiving. Other owners include the Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Venus and Serena Williams, and Marc Anthony.

Of the 31 stadiums in the country, 19 are new since 1995, and seven have had renovations exceeding $300 million. Superbowls are historically awarded to cities with new stadiums. After the Marlins leave, Sun Life stadium will had a removable canopy added, new football stadium seating and new lighting.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: The UM Bone and Tissue Bank; Gary Sisler, Rotary Club of Miami