Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 65 No. 32 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

Only in America, an Ohio man is suing the Ocean Creek Golf Club claiming the course's design caused him not to see an alligator that ripped his arm off. The course has signs warning of the presence of native alligators but the victim says the dark, brackish water of the pond on the 11th hold makes it difficult to see "large aggressive alligators" waiting for golfers chasing errant balls.

It was a bad week for propoganda after China Central Television shows a Chinese J-10 Fighter plane during a training exercise. The clip was actually filched from the movie Top Gun. Also a bad week for terrorism after a suicide bomber in Moscow was blown to bits when an unexpected text message to a cell phone attached to the bomb detonated it. The message was from her phone service provider wishing her a happy new year!

Chance & Dance is our 65th Birthday Party. Chance & Dance is our major fund raiser this year. It benefits CoralGables@HOME. Past President and respected Rotarian Frank Sexton spent a few minutes telling us why we need to support this effort. MONEY. Yes, 85% of the proceeds from this event go to our very worthy beneficiary but 15% is retained by our Foundation. This is money that we NEED to continue our good works around the city and around the globe. In 2007, the year end balance in our Foundation was $122,000. At the end of 2010 it was just $60,000. We've spent a lot and need to replenish. So Frank urged everyone to do their part to support this event. For the sake of the good things it can do for the seniors in our community and for the things that we can accomplish through the Magic of Rotary with just a little bit of money. Buy your tickets on our website home page at www.coralgablesrotary.org.

A MEMBERSHIP MINUTE was presented today by Ana Fournaris. She asked PE Debbie Swain why it was she joined Rotary. Debbie said it was for what she now knows is the FELLOWSHIP of Rotary. Deena Bell joined because she was used to giving back and didn't think she was doing enough of it. And in Rotary, what you put in you get out. She joined for the SERVICE. Ana herself said that she joined Rotary at the urging of former Mayor George Corrigan who said that good Rotarians always can MAKE A DIFFERENCE. So why not bring in someone you know who is looking for these kind of opportunities. They'd be happy in our Rotary Club ... they'd have fellowship, they'd do service and they would be able to make a difference. And we'd have another good Rotarian!!

SAY THANK YOU TO OUR LATEST SPONSORS!

NEW GAMBLERS - Bill Martinez, Stanfill Funeral Home and Fred Baddour, CRB Geological & Environmental Services

NEW WARD BOSS - Abe Horowitz, CFP, Dick & Terri Golden, Poe's Hardware & Sutton Brick

TEMPERANCE LEAGUE - Frank Sexton, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Kerdyk Real Estate and Donlevy-Rosen & Rosen.

Happy $$$

Diva's back and making scholarships Groh her own way. She was thrilled to announce that she will be participating in the Boston Marathon. Her LAST marathon for sure. Bill Quesenberry was happy to have had the opportunity to have a three day cruise with old friends and reminded everyone to hire him and his singing Miamians to wow your sweetie at Valentine's Day with songs and flowers. Lan Nghiem-Phu is happy to be back with us for the second week. Abe Horowitz was happy to announce that after 12 years with Raymond James he is now Vice President at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Kelly Sastre was happy for two things...the first is the birth of her new grandson on Tuesday, Jack Eli Anthony Sastre...and second that her son is a doctor because he delivered his own son! Frank Sexton was happy to introduce us to his friend Frank Quesada who is running for a seat on the Coral Gables City Commission. He's a great attorney and a decent, loyal and honest man. Felix Pardo also sang the praises of Frank Quesada as a great guy who takes after his "old man". But mostly Felix was warming up the audience for Dick Golden by telling a story about inmates in the insane asylum who told jokes by the numbers. Dick Golden was finally permitted his turn and decided to tell a really sad blonde joke about being on the other side of the river ... Chris Tyson said that Felix was President when he joined our club and it was a good thing he liked Felix because he was elected and we had to stick with him, even though he told bad jokes. Jerry Santiero was also extolling the virtues of Frank Quesada as a member of the Coral Gables Commuinity Foundaion Board and he totally endorses Frank's candidacy. Finally, Dick Bullman was happy that Gloria told him his email had been hacked and was sending out requests for $2,000 so he could come home from London (where he wasn't).

Working Rotarians - February 10, 2011

Greeters - Rolf Frankfurther & Rodney Langer

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Abe Horowitz & Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Invocation - Yoli Woodbridge

Pledge - Fred Baddour

Singers - Bill Quesenberry & Dan Scipione

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Dick Bullman

Given to - Gloria Burns & Lan Nghiem-Phu

Pin Drawing Gift - Dan Scipione

Pin Drawing Winner - Jordan Steele

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & Fred Baddour

50/50 Winner - Edgard Mann

Today's Program

“Blue Babies, Bombs and Bad Places”
Charles Miller, Director of Development
Children’s Heart Foundation

One million babies each year are born with a congenital heart defect. It is the #1 birth defect worldwide. Birth defects are more prevalent in countries outside of the US due largely to inadequate health care, prenatal care, malnutrition, chemicals and poverty. 94% of birth defects, and 95% of infant deaths happen outside of the US.

Worldwide, one in every hundred babies is born with a heart defect. In the US, no matter what their financial means, care is available. This is not the case in other countries. For 16 years, the Children’s Heart Foundation has provided surgery, supplies, and education to those in need oversees. This year alone, they will have 45 two-week trips performing surgery on 20 kids per trip, or 900 kids this year. The cost of the service is $2500 per kid, all funded through donations, including Rotary, which provides about $300,000 per year. These surgeries are provided to kids in Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Columbia, Bolivia, Brazil, Haiti, Iraq, Russia, India and Egypt.

Kids are kids the world over. Can we save one more? Is it worth it? www.childrensheartfoundation.org

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: "Speaking Music" Sergei Novikov, a Russian immigrant who learned to communicate through his musical skills.

Curt, a Visiting Rotarian from Pont Fortin, Trinidad (District 7030) is the President-Elect of his club. He brought us (in addition to his club flag) a bottle of Agnosturian 1919 Rum (something really special for rum drinkers I understand) to auction off with the proceeds to our favorite charity. Our Foundation. John Wallace won it for $75. He gave us $100 and said to keep the change. Thank YOU Curt. For your kindness and generosity. Come back and visit us anytime you're in our neighborhood.