Sad News

Rotarian J.B. Spence - We Will Miss You!

Our dear friend and good Rotarian, famed lawyer J.B. Spence, known as the "Dean of Torts" for his scores of million-dollar-plus verdicts, died Saturday, November 26  at Doctors Hospital, near his home in Coral Gables. He was 89.

A 2010 Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame inductee, and “semi-retired’’ from The Cochran Firm, J.B. was a specialist in personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death cases, Spence practiced law in Miami for 60 years. He won the first seven-figure jury award in Florida for the death of a child: $1.8 million in 1970, to the parents of a 15-year-old boy killed when a cargo plane crashed into an auto-body shop near Miami International Airport.  On hearing the verdict, Spence fainted.

Born on March 31, 1922, in Hot Springs, Ar., Spence attended night school at Lindsay Hopkins Technical Education Center after serving in the U.S. Navy, then the University of Miami Law School, where he later taught.  He wrote two books: Opening and Closing Arguments: The Law in Florida (Harrison Co., 1980) and The Life of a Trial Lawyer (Trafford Publishing, 2006).

For more than 20 years, Spence led the firm of Spence, Payne & Masington, which he founded in 1967 with Roland “Buddy” Payne Jr. The firm disbanded in 1995.

In addition to his daughter, Spence, one-time president of both the Dade County Bar Association and the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, is survived by sons Mark Spence and Gary Spence, of Miami, and John Spence, of Gainesville.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 3rd at First United Methodist Church of Coral Gables.

Thanksgiving Service

We bought the Thanksgiving Dinner.

Chapman Partnership

cooked the Dinner.  

  

Then Rotarians joined together to serve it to the residents of the Homeless Assistance Center on Thanksgiving Day.  Several hundred residents at Chapman came in for a delicious lunch, the funds for which were donated by our Club Foundation.

Those who arrived early were able to assist volunteers from St. Phillips Church in the preparation of box lunches for the resident.  We must've made 500 of them, complete with drinks and desserts.  Once the supplies were moved out of the way from that project, we were able to set up for the main lunch.  The food looked really good!  We all wanted to sample but as good Rotarians, we restrained ourselves.  

We were done by 1 o'clock.  Plenty of time left to spend with our own holiday celebration.  Plenty of reasons we all have to be grateful for the blessings we have been given and to give "Thanks" on this day.

No Meeting This Week!!

Coral Gables Rotary Foundation Annual Fundraiser

The Rotary Foundation Charitable Gift Annuity

Vol. 66 No. 21 Notes from the Podium

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President's Time

President Debbie reminded us all that there is no meeting next week at the Country Club but you can join us at the Partnership for the Homeless where a whole lot of us will be serving Thanksgiving Dinner.

November is Foundation Month and The Rotary Foundation has just changed how you can donate to Rotary.  Now it's possible to designate what type of project you would like to support, Literacy, Water, Hunger, Polio.  For more details see Abe Horowitz, 2011-12 Foundation Chair.

A little reminder about Rotary etiquette ... for the hour or so that we are all together every week, leave people's titles at the door.  When we're here we're all just Rotarians.  Don't bother or badger your fellow Rotarians to engage in discussions about your particular issues.  We all really appreciate the consideration.

Nominations Open for the 2012-2013 

Officers and Board of Directors

Past President Kelly Sastre reviewed the requirements of our Club's By Laws and announced the slate of Officers and Directors proposed by President-Elect Walter Alvarez and the Nominating Committee:

OFFICERS

President - Walter Alvarez

President-Elect - Donald Trombly

Vice President - Greg Martini

                                       Secretary - Rodney Langer

                                      Treasurer - Bill Quesenberry

DIRECTORS

Community Service - Deena Bell-Llewllyn

International Service - Carol Brock

Club Service - Steven Spann

New Generations - Pat Morris

Membership - Bill Martinez

Development - Fred Baddour

Retention - Ana Fournaris

At Large - Dan Scipione

Nominations are open from the floor.  The second reading will be at the meeting on December 1st.  If an election is required it will be held on December 8th.  The Rotary year goes really quickly.  Seems like only yesterday that Debbie Swain took the reigns and now we're already at the halfway point!

We're at the cusp of Scorpio and Sagittarius this week.  Natives tend to be optimistic, intellectual, exciting, compulsive and restless.  Say Happy Birthday to Gene Mariutto on the 19th, Julio Velis on the 20th, Felix Pardo on the 23rd. Next week we move right into Sagittarius and jovial, good humored, philosophical folks like Keith Phillips and Alfredo Iglesias both born on November 26th and Tom Dixon who celebrates on the 28th.  

Only one Rotary Anniversary this week, Luis Sardinas has been a member of our Club for six years this week.  Thanks for your service Luis.

                                    Introduction of Visitors & Guests

The figures are in - we had 116 people at last week's meeting with the GSE Team - so many, we didn't have a chance then to introduce everyone.  But there's not too many people visiting this week.  Gene Witherspoon brought his friend from Washington DC, Dean Bottica.  Keith Phillips brought him mom and dad - Keith Phillips Sr.,  once the Mayor of the City of Coral Gables.  Mead McCabe brought Dennis Doucette, General Manager of The Biltmore Hotel.

City of Coral Gables

Employee of the Month

Meralva Asensio is the Assistant to the Director of Human Resources for the City of Coral Gables.  She has held this position for the past five years.  Her supervisor, Frank Dilorenzo said that she was recognized for more than her work performance.  She is honest, has integrity and understands the responsibilities of a public employee.  She does her best to always help the people with whom she interacts to the best of her ability.  Congratulations to Meralva.  Keep up the good work.

Coral Gables' Newest Member

Macdonald West

Rick Tonkinson introduced us to Mac West today.  Mac has been a Rotarian since 1977.  He is a former member of our Club but moved to the Rotary Club of Miami when his professional life took him out of Coral Gables as Executive Vice President for the Graham Companies.  Mac got his MBA from Columbia.  He's the Chief Operating Officer for the Allen Morris Company and was involved in the construction of Morris' beautiful Alhambra Towers office building.  He's been in commercial real estate in South Florida his entire life.  Be sure to give Mac a warm welcome back to the best Rotary Club in town!  It's really nice to have him back.

  

Third Place Winner of the Rotary 

District 6990 Golf Ball Drop 

Margarita Tonkinson

The Prize?

Sunday Champagne Brunch for Four

at  The Biltmore Hotel

Congratulations Margarita!

Happy $$$

Diva filled in for the ever-missing Dr. Randy this week.  President Debbie allowed us to have 30 seconds of happiness again this week.  Among those experiencing this brief thrill were Yoli Woodbridge who had $10 of happiness, $5 to thank everyone that participated in the GSE Team's visit and $5 to Frank for spending time with one of them.  Pastor Arnie Perry has returned to us and he is really happy to be here.  He said it was quite an experience, traveling backwards down US 1 in the ambulance.  He had a small stroke but the doctors tell him that he can expect to be back the way he was  - no better - in no time at all.  Kelly Sastre was beaming with happiness for the third time this year.  She became a Grandma again, this time to James Cameron Sastre who was born last week after 32 hours of labor!  Dick Golden told a story befitting Bill Martinez ... at least he could have used the punch line for an advertisement ... Ed Morris was happy to tell President Debbie's "favorite" joke (she denies it of course!).  It was about a lady at a prayer meeting who was happy that her husband was okay after his bike accident but she had the wrong body part that was injured.  Even 30 seconds of happiness pays. Keep on Smiling. 

Working Rotarians - November 17, 2011

Greeter - Steven Spann

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - John Porro

Head Table - Rodney Langer

Special Needs - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Open the Meetign - Jack Witty

Invocation - Steve Magenheimer

Pledge - Dick Golden

Singers - Ed Morris & President Debbie

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - John Porro

Given to - Aaron Glasser & Rolf Frankfurther

Pin Drawing Gift - Rodney Langer

Pin Drawing Winner - Trish Hoffman

50/50 Raffle - Fred Baddour & Gloria Burns

50/50 Winner - Joe Witz

4 Way Test - Andrea Covre

Today's Program

Wendy Kallergis, President & CEO, Hotel Association of Greater Miami & the Beaches:  "The Biltmore Hotel - Crown Jewel of Coral Gables"

Wendy pretty much grew up in the Hotel business in South Florida.  Her career prior to representing the industry put her in most of the finest hotels in the area, from The Biltmore to the Intercontinental and more.  But she's had a personal and professional relationship with The Biltmore over the past 20 years.

Miami Dade County has 165 hotels, 70 of which are located on Miami Beach.  Of all these hotels, the senior executive team of Seaway Corp., is the most active in town.  Gene Prescott, it's President, is very active both locally and globally.  Dennis Doucette, General Manager of The Biltmore is well known throughout the Coral Gables community including the Chamber of Commerce, Dade Heritage Trust, Coral Gables Community Foundation and more.  

The Biltmore Hotel has succeeded in branding Coral Gables as a world-class destination.  American Airlines ranks The Biltmore as the number one hotel in Miami and number six in the nation.  Conde Nast Publishing  ranked it the best in the US and among the world's best hotels.  These kind of accolades don't just "happen", they were earned through dedication and hard work.  The signature restaurant, Palm D'Or has received the five diamond award repeatedly.  It is rated as one of the top restaurants in the country and has been awarded the Golden Spoon award every year since 2000.  The Biltmore Hotel has an economic impact of more than $300,000 a year for Coral Gables.

The property, given back to the City under the administration of Keith Phillips, Sr., is on the National Registry of Historic Places.  More than 13,000 people just visit the hotel every year.  That's in addition to the 200,000 guests they entertain annually.  Since taking over The Biltmore some 20 years ago, Seaway has spend more than $63 million in capital expenses and repairs.  

It is not an easy property to run. It's not an efficient building. The average hotel room is 750 square feet per key.  At The Biltmore it's 1,500 square feet per key.  They have 600 full time staff and 370 additional contract personnel.  The costs of renovation are astounding because of the age and complexity of the property.  Costs of operating are also not the standard business model for hotels.  In addition to their mortgage they have a land lease as well as the costs for Historic Preservation and those costs are complicated by the fact that Federal Grants and resources they used to depend upon are no longer.  

The Biltmore Hotel is the Crown Jewel of Coral Gables.  It is everything that George Merrick envisioned and more.  It is the centerpiece of our community, the Gateway to the Americas.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:   "How to Grow Your Business" Ronald Roman, Esq.

Thought of the Week

by Abe Horowitz

"Government does not solve problems, 

it subsidizes them."

Ronald Reagan

Scene Scenes 
 

See you in TWO WEEKS,

Same time,

Same Place

Same terrific bunch of Rotarians.

Happy Thanksgiving to your and yours.

November is Foundation Month!

Five Reasons to Support

The Rotary Foundation

There are as many reasons to support The Rotary Foundation as there are ways to do good in the world.  By donating to the Foundation, you support Rotary's six areas of focus, which help advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Contributions to the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative, are the primary source of funding for Foundation programs. By giving US$100 a year through EREY, you become a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member. 

Here are a few ways your contributions are changing lives around the world.

5. Fighting hunger

In Romania, children have eggs, milk, and meat because of a Foundation grant that enables local farmers to buy animal feed, packaging materials, and other supplies. The farmers agree to donate a portion of their products to children's hospitals, schools, and orphanages.

In Alaska, USA, the Rotary Club of Anchorage East is alsofighting hunger by distributing food to low-income families through a mobile food pantry.

Projects such as these address two areas of focus: maternal and child health and economic and community development.

4. Reducing child mortality

The Rotary clubs of Jaela-Kandana, Western Province, Sri Lanka, and Madras Northwest, Tamil Nadu, India, are helping to reduce child mortality by providing improved sanitation facilities for 15 families in a small community in Sri Lanka. With a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant, the clubs have built 14 toilets, helping to prevent the spread of diarrhea-causing diseases related to poor sanitation.

According to the World Health Organization, 1.8 million children die of diarrhea every year, making it the second leading cause of death among children under five. Proper sanitation can reduce the child mortality rate in many communities by more than 30 percent. Water and sanitation is one of the areas of focus.

3. Promoting peace and conflict resolution

Watching civil war tear apart his homeland of Côte d'Ivoire instilled in Rotary Peace Fellow Kouame Remi Oussou a passion to resolve conflict.

He is now working for the United Nations Development Programme in the Central African Republic, a country that weathered periodic internal fighting before a comprehensive peace accord went into effect in 2007. Read more about Oussou.

Rotary Peace Fellows are leaders in promoting national and international cooperation, peace, and conflict resolution. Help support the Rotary Peace Centers and read a discussion of what the program has meant to a group of peace fellows. The efforts of Oussou and Rotary Peace Fellows advance the peace and conflict prevention/resolution area of focus.

2. Basic education and literacy

A literacy project sponsored by Rotarians in South Africa and Rhode Island, USA, in conjunction with the International Reading Association and Operation Upgrade, is teaching adults in the rural community of KwaNibela, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to read and write. These skills will help them fight poverty in their community.

Through the effort, nearly 600 adults are attending literacy classes taught by instructors trained with help from Operation Upgrade, which specializes in adult basic education. Funding from The Rotary Foundation provided classroom books. Read more about the project, which supports the basic education and literacy area of focus.

1. Eradicating polio

Around the world, Rotarians are going the distrance -- participating in walkathons, climbing mountains, cycling, even circumnavigating a continent in rubber dinghies, among other fundraisers -- to help Rotary rid the world of polio.

Since Rotary launched its PolioPlus program  in 1985, eradicating the disease has become the organization's top priority.  End Polio Now  and help fulfill Rotary's promise to the world.

A child works on his studies thanks to books donated through a Rotary project. By contributing to the Foundation, you support basic education and literacy. Rotary Images/Monika Lozinska-Lee

Your contribution to Every Rotarian ,
Every Year helps make projects such as this possible.

---

Vol. 66 No. 20 Notes from the Podium

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President's Time

The Atrium is a spectacular room in which to hold meetings, with a view of the garden and the swimming pool.  It makes for a difficult venue however, since the people in the back are out of range and a little isolated.  Didn't matter today though, as people sat on the wall and the stairs and just about anyplace they could find a seat.  We were able to share our meeting with our friends from Rotary Club of Miami (and even a few from Key Biscayne).  It was nice to have such a large crowd.  Thanks for waiting for the silverware!

We had all the visitors with us to meet the 2011 In-Bound GSE Team from Australia.  They arrived last week and Yoli Woodbridge has been organizing their visit, their vocational days, their entertainment and their host family.  As usual, she's done an outstanding job!  Thank you Yoli.

Be sure to sign up to serve Thanksgiving Dinner at the Partnership for the Homeless beginning at 10 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.  You'll be out of there by 1 o'clock and it will give you a new perspective on all that we have to be thankful for on this holiday.

Debbie took a few minutes to recognize all of the Veteran's in the room today, including PE Walter Alvarez, Navy, George Reeves, Navy, Rosendo Castillo, Army, Robin Shelly, Marines, Jack Witty, Air Force. Thank you all for your service to our Country and our Freedom.

CHRIS MORRISON, Chair of the 8th Annual Rotary Golf Classic and the Helicopter Golf Ball Drop, reported that while we have not yet finished tabulating the results of the golf tournament, the total income for the Helicopter Golf Ball Drop is in excess of $35,000.00 with money still coming in.  He also took a few minutes to say thank you to all of the tournament sponsors - it was like reading the Club Roster.  This really is a CLUB event!

November is Foundation Month

And International Foundation Chair, Abe Horowitz took a few minutes to update us on his "incentive plan" for getting more members to step up and become Paul Harris Fellows or moving their Fellowship to the next level.  He will be contacting all those who are ready to move over the next week.  There will be offers made to help you achieve your goal and all those who contribute to get their PHF this November will be invited to a complimentary wine tasting event, courtesy of Abe himself.

For those who have aspirations to become a major donor to The Rotary Foundation, he will assist you in that endeavor AND your reward is a fine, wine-based dinner, hosted by Honest Abe.  Look to hear from him next week!

Determined, forceful, powerful and obstinate are a few of the characteristics of those born under the sign of Scorpio.  Sounds a lot like Aaron Glasser!  Happy Birthday to him today.


Congratualtions to Steven Spann who celebrates his first Rotary Anniversary this week.  It's nice having you here Steve.  Thanks for your service.

Introduction of Guests and Visitors

There wasn't enough time to introduce ALL of the members of the Rotary Club of Miami but a lot of them came to visit our club today.  In addition, our members brought guests today too, including John Wallace with his wife Louise, Father Mike Kelly was a guest of Rosendo Castillo, Carol Brock brought Dr. Ruth Dow, Jon Arthur introduced us to Eleanor Zahner, Gene Witherspoon brought a friend from Merrill Lynch, Fred Baddour introduced us to his lovely wife Annette, Greg Martini brought two guests and Hank Langston brought Dillon Patel, President of the Gulliver Interact Club and another Interactor to hear the GSE Team today.  Thank you all for coming.

Happy $$$

The idea was to hold everyone's happiness to a maximum of 30 seconds because everyone wanted to hear the GSE Team, so Dick Golden was instructed to snatch the microphone from people's hands.  The Miami Club had Mario Menendez act as their happiness collector and although we didn't hear the final but assume that Coral Gables' happiness is far more boundless than theirs.

Dick Golden spoke of the age old fight between Australia and New Zealand but that's it's hard to keep New Zealand above water?  Dan Scipione found a U.S. Presentation Flag in his closet.  It's perfect, has the pole and stand and everything.  He'd love to donate it to some worthy charity.  Owen Freed was happy to be at Coral Gables today, 51 years since he became a member of our Club (although now he's with the Miami Club).  THE Donald Trombly came up to see if he could sell a few raffle tickets - not the blue ones - tickets for the 2012 Rotary Raffle - Winner's Choice.  Only 300 tickets printed.  They're $150 each.  300 chances to win your choice of a 2012 Fiat 500 OR 2012 Mako Flat Boat OR $20,000 cash. See him after the meeting,  Linda Singer, President of the Miami Club was just happy to be here.  Fred Baddour was happy to have his wife Annette at the meeting today and they have had a terrific time hosting one of the members of the GSE Team in their house.  He highly recommends the experience for everyone.  Lan Nghiem-Phu was happy to report that his cardiologis says he has a perfect heart and should live to be 110.  Robin Shelly was happy to have the Australians here and invited them to our version of a rugby match - the game in Tallahassee this weekend. Gary Sisler's guest came up just to experience what 30 seconds of happiness felt like.  Ann delas Posas was happy to see Norman Kasoff up and around.  Danela (Miami Club) was happy to see everyone here today.  It appears that Coral Gables won - but keep on smiling because happiness pays.  

Working Rotarians - November 10, 2011

Greeter - Steven Spann

Registration - Aaron & Leslie Glasser

Collections - John Porro

Head Table - Rodney Langer

Special Needs - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Open the Meeting - Jack Witty

Invocation - Steve Magenheimer

Pledge - Aaron Glasser

Singers - Bill Quesenberry, Dan Scipione, Rosendo Castillo & Linda Kaplan

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - John Wallace

Given To - Deena Bell & Fred Baddour

Pin Drawing Gift - Rodney Langer

Pin Drawing Winner - Joe Wirtz

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & Donald Trombly

50/50 Winner - Frank Sexton

Today's Program

2011 Inboud Group Study Exchange Team from Australia.

Group Study Exchange (GSE) is another program that is made possible by your donations to The Rotary Foundation.  It's another program that is designed to build goodwill and better friendship between countries.  It focuses on the individual professions and fosters information sharing between the team and their host country.  In fact, the GSE Program exemplifies all four of the Objects of Rotary.  It's another example of the power of a very small donation to The Rotary Foundation Annual Programs Fund.  We had an opportunity to meet the team today.  

Vicki Kembery, Past President and member of the Rotary Club of Armidale, Australia is the only Rotarian in the group and is the TEAM "MUM".  She has a number of professions including journalist, part-time TAFE teacher, tour guide and retail travel goods store which she runs with her husband Neal.  They live on 100 acres just north of Armidale.  She's been a Rotarian since 2000 and president of two clubs in Armidale.  She loves gardening, reading and travel.

Helen Schmidt, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie is known as "the Chalkie".  Helen is a high school science/math teacher at a school in Laurieton.  She lives with her two children, 17 and 13 in Wauchope, a small town a few miles inland from the coast.  Helen's brother is a pilot with Northwest.  She loves sports and is very involved in netball, plaing in local competitions and working as an umpire and a coach.

 

Georg Truman, known as the "Dirt Doctor" is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gunnedah West.  He lives on a small far (20 acres) near Gunnedah where he grazes a few cattle.  He enjoys the outdoors, car travel, caravanning, camping and mountain biking.  He is alos interested in acting and has performed in a number of local shows.  He plays golf only "occasionally" and some tennis and enjoys working around the home, renovating an old place and creating new gardens.

Joanne McLane is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Inverell.  She's known as the "Safety Guru" of the Team.  Jo lives with her husband Damian and a collection of horses, dogs and cats on 25 acres south of Inverell.  She is the Managing Director of a consulting business in Risk Management.  They have offices in Inverell and Armidale.  She and her husband play polocrosse and are engaged in all things "equine" as well as playing basketball, reading and socializing with family and friends.

Michelle Cameron is the "Kindergarten Cop" on the Team.  She is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Guyra.  Michelle is 32 years old and lives and works as a primary school teacher in Guyra, a small rural town on the top of the ranges.  She enjoys spending time with her famil and being part of the local community.  She plays netball and touch football and is a member of the local choir.  She also enjoys cooking and sewing and is a very skilled quilter.

Jack Woods, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tuncurry Forster is known as the "Sparky".  Jack is an electrical linesman with the largest electrical service provider in New South Wales - Essential Energy.  Jack is 25 and has had the same beautiful girlfriend for 4 1/2 years,  He just bought his first house in Forster and is involved in coaching and playing volleyball.  He is hoping to have a run-in with an alligator while in Florida.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:    Wendy E. Kallergis, President & CEO,The Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association, "The Biltmore Hotel - the Gem of Coral Gables"

Thought of the Week

                                              by Sally B.

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world.  But the Marines don't have that problem."

Happy 236 Birthday to the Marines.  Semper Fi!

                                                         Ronald Reagan, 1985

Scene Scenes

See you next week, 

Same time, same place,

Same great bunch of Rotarians.