Coral Gables RotaryGram: Vol. 65 No. 34 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

This week in America, four workers have been fired from a Utah Wal-Mart for tackling and disarming a gunman. Wal-Mart policy requires workers to "withdraw" if a suspected shoplifter pulls a gun, but the four say they had no choice when the gunman put his weapon in one worker's back. One man said learnign he'd been fired "felt worse than when I had a gun in my back."

Ir was a good week for getting poked after Columbia University researchers found that 83 percent of prostitutes have Facebook pages, and that the average hooker now gets a quarter of all clients that way.

We are very grateful to Nick DiDonato, Jannette Alix and the staff at Coral Gables Country Club for their quick response to our request for an alternative site for today's meeting. It was seamless and we appreciate their cooperation and professionalism.

Coral Gables Rotary celebrates it's 65th Birthday next Friday, March 4, 2011. And we are celebrating with a party that benefits Coral Gables Seniors through CoralGables@HOME. Chance & Dance, our Speakeasy is an evening full of entertainment. There's the Casino where you can win some BIG prizes, dinner, and open bar, and dancing to the music of the Sultans of Swing. It's $150 per person and the price includes $50 to get you started in the Casino. It's going to be a terrific party and one you don't want to miss. RSVP today to Terry Long (terryclong@bellsouth.net) or buy your tickets with any major credit card on the home page of our website at www.coralgablesrotary.org. Some of our sponsors include Bacardi USA, Coral Gables Country Club, Community Newspapers, CRB Environmental Services, Stanfill Funeral Home, Robert J. Fewell Real Estate and Mercedes Benz of Coral Gables to name just a few.

COMMUNITY SERVICE UPDATE: March 12 - Habitat for Humanity - 7 am. until 3 pm. Sign up now.
March 17 - John Martin's St. Patrick's Day Festival - we're pouring the beer (not drinking it!) 5 to 11 pm. Sign up now for a two-hour shift..

Pisces natives (OUR CLUB IS A PISCES) are sensitive, selfless, compassionate, sympathetic, kind and idealistic ... and we probably have more members born under this sign than any other! Say happy birthday this week to Deena Bell tomorrow. Luis Boue on the 26th, Yolanda Woodbridge on the 28th and Jim Hirschmann on March 1. Keep swimming upstream! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL.

There is only ONE Rotary Anniversary this week ...

DICK BULLMAN

Congratulations on 17 years of Service.

Hold your happiness for next week. In the best interest of our program today, HAPPY DOLLARS was cancelled. We expect you to be doubly happy next week to make up for not having an outlet for your cheer.

WORKING ROTARIANS - FEBRUARY 24, 2011

Greeters - Rodney Langer, Keith Phillips

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Special Needs - Frank Sexton, Hadley Williams

Invocation - Yolanda Woodbridge

Pledge - Bruce Kerestes

Singers - Bill Quesenberry & Dan Scipione

Introductions - Dick Bullman

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Eddie Snow

Given to - Al Smith & Brent Nagel

Pin Drawing Winner - John Wallace

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & Fred Baddour

50/50 Winner - Ramon Ferrer

This Week's Program

City of Coral Gables Mayor Forum
Tom Korge, Jim Cason, Don Slesnick
Moderated by Frank Sexton

The three candidates running for the office of Mayor of Coral Gables in the upcoming election (April 12) were our guests today in a forum moderated by Past President Frank Sexton.

Born and raised in South Florida, Tom Korge attended University of Florida Law School, with additional degrees in finance and tax law. He has worked at the US Tax Court and as a US Congressional Assistant. Before returning to his home town in 1988, he practiced with a national law firm in D.C. Tom teaches income tax law at eh University of Miami and is the current chair of the City’s Planning and Zoning Board. He and his wife Debbie have three sons

James Cason is a graduate of Dartmouth College with an MA from Johns Hopkins University. He most recently was the US Ambassador to Paraguay and previously he served as Chief of the US Interests Section in Havana, Cuba. The Interests Section is maintained in lieu of a normal embassy. He has served as advisor to US Atlantic Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic as well as his diplomatic service in many European and Central and South American Countries. He has been married to his wife, Carmen, for 38 years.

Don Slesnick has served 4 terms as our mayor. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he was also a US Army Advisor to NATO forces in Germany. He retired from the Army after 27 years as a Lt. Colonel. Don attended Miami Senior High, University of Virginia, and received his Law Degree from the University of Florida, and received his MBA from FIU. Don has been extensively involved in south Florida community and charitable organization, and the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. He has been married to Jeannett for almost 40 years, and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

In their opening statements, Mr. Cason said that it is his desire to keep the City Beautiful but he promises that he will not stay forever. Mr. Korge proclaimed his love for the city and his intention to address our current fiscal crisis and invest wisely for the future. Mayor Slesnick is proud of his 10-year record of accomplishments on behalf of the City and believes we are well positioned for the future. Each of the candidates was asked to respond to questions provided in advance by members of our club. The final question posed by our historian and moderator Frank Sexton was "Which U.S. President was responsible for the naming of Coral Gables?" Do you know the answer? Each candidate was then given an opportunity to make a closing statement in this cordial forum where each demonstrated his professionalism.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM: Performance Selections by Actors' Playhouse