Vol. 65 No. 52 Notes from the Podium

Print PDF

President's Time

The Darwin's are out!!!!  Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.
Here is the glorious winner:
     When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his victim during a hold up the robber in Long Beach did something that can only inspire wonder.  He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again.  This time it worked ...
      And just one of the nine honorable mentions for a chuckle:
When a man attempted to siphon gas from a motor home by sucking on a hose, he got more than he bargained for.  Police found a very sick man curled up next to the motor home near spilled sewage.  You guessed it, he put the siphon hose into the sewage tank by mistake. 

DUES ARE DUE:  Today, June 30 is the last day to pay and take advantage of the 20% discount on lunches for the coming year.  If you pay during the month of July up through July 31, you can still take a 15% discount.  You can at the meeting or you can go to the website and pay with a credit card through PayPal.

2010-2011 Was A Very Good Year!

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE PROMISED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF
INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, RAY KLINGINSMITH, WHO TOLD US THAT SERVICE, FELLOWSHIP, LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY AND INTEGRITY IS WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A GREAT ROTARY CLUB.  CORAL GABLES IS A GREAT ROTARY CLUB!

FELLOWSHIP IS WHAT BRINGS US HERE WEEK AFTER WEEK, FELLOWSHIP IS AT THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SERVICE.  OUR DIVERSITY AND OUR DEDICATION TO EACH OTHER IS WHAT MAKES OUR CLUB  GREAT.  PEOPLE ALWAYS COMMENT ON THE CAMARADERIE THEY FEEL WHEN THEY COME TO OUR MEETINGS.  IT’S ONE OF OUR STRONGEST POINTS - WE MAKE NEW PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME. WE’RE A FRIENDLY BUNCH, WE ENJOY EACH OTHER AND LIKE TO HAVE FUN.

WE HAD PARTIES!  

4TH OF JULY BARBQUE AT THE OLD STONE PAVILION AT MATHESON HAMMOCK.  5TH FRIDAY AT CITIZENS FOR A BETTER SOUTH FLORIDA  HALLOWEEN AT THE NEW CORAL GABLES MUSEUM.  THE 40TH ANNUAL MOOSE MILK PARTY ON NEW YEARS DAY AT THE HOME OF  CHRIS TYSON.   AND OUR APRIL 5TH FRIDAY AT MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY, THE CLUB’S LARGEST EMPLOYER!

WE DID SERVICE!

MONTHLY BINGO GAMES AT THE VA,  COASTAL CLEAN UP IN SEPTEMBER, HALLOWEEN WITH  THE INTERNATIONAL KIDS FUND AND THE MERRICK EDUCATIONAL CENTER, THANKSGIVING AT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FOR THE HOMELESS. WE RANG BELLS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY AND HAD A CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE BENEFITTING CHILDREN AT THE LODGE, BAND AMBASSADORS AT THE JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL PARADE AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS GOLF.

WE RAISED MONEY!

OUR GOLF TOURNAMENT IN OCTOBER RAISED $5,200; 
THE YARD SALE IN NOVEMBER  MADE $4,700.  

IN MARCH WE CELEBRATED OUR 65TH BIRTHDAY WITH CHANCE & DANCE, A SPEAKEASY CASINO NIGHT THAT RAISED  $37,000.   THE PROCEEDS WENT TO HABITAT FOR GRANDMA.  AFTER EXPENSES WE HAD $4,000 FOR OUR CLUB’S FOUNDATION.  WHAT A  PARTY WE HAD!

WE MADE ANOTHER $3,500 POURING BEER ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY AND $2,000 FROM ANONYMOUS DONOR.

WE RAISED $19,300 FOR OUR FOUNDATION THIS YEAR.  THAT’S MONEY TO HELP  FUND OUR LOCAL AND GLOBAL PROJECTS AND PARTICIPATE IN MATCHING GRANTS WITH ROTARY INTERNATIONAL TO MAKE THE MONEY WORK.

 WE DID INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS!

IN FEBRUARY A GROUP OF MEMBERS TRAVELED TO HONDURAS THANKS TO CATARINA JIMENEZ. OUR DONATIONS  FOR WHEELCHAIRS IN TEGUCIGALPA ($16,500) AND ECO-STOVES IN COPAN ($22,000) WERE WELL RECEIVED.  WE WERE AWARDED FIRST PLACE IN THE DISTRICT FOR OUR 2010-2011 INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECT IN HONDURAS

WE PARTICIPATED WITH THE ROTARY CLUB OF CARTAGENA WITH $2,000 A MATCHING GRANT THAT BECAME $38,000 FOR THE FRANCO PAREJA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IN CARTAGENA COLOMBIA.  

IN APRIL WE DONATED $5,000 TO THE PETIT GOAVE/HAITI CLINIC AND ANOTHER $5,000 TO THE DISTRICT HAITI INITIATIVE WITH PROJECT MEDISHARE.

WE GAVE OUT SCHOLARSHIPS!

HAPPY DOLLARS THIS YEAR RAISED MORE THAN $4,700 FOR OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.  WITH THE MATCHING FUNDS FROM FOUNDATION AND PRIVATE DONATIONS  WE GAVE OUT NEARLY $11,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO CORAL GABLES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GRADUATING IN 2011.

ROTARY IS SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION, AND CORAL GABLES IS SUCH A GREAT CLUB ... I LOVE THIS CLUB ... WE’VE  BEEN BRIDGING CONTINENTS AND BUILDING COMMUNITY FOR 65 YEARS.  BUT WE NEED TO  LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE AND WHO WE ARE.  WE SET OUT TO BRAND OUR CLUB THIS YEAR AND FOR OUR EFFORTS, OUR PIN, OUR SHIRTS, OUR BANNERS AND LOGO,  WE WERE AWARDED 2ND PLACE IN THE DISTRICT FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS.   THIS  BLOG  TOOK  2ND PLACE IN THE DISTRICT FOR CLUB COMMUNICATIONS TOO.  AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, WE RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL CITATION FROM ROTARY INTERNATIONAL FOR OUR OUTSTANDING WORK FOR 2010-2011!

NEW GENERATIONS BECAME AN OFFICIAL AVENUE OF SERVICE THIS YEAR AND SO YOUTH HAS TAKEN THE FOREFRONT IN ROTARY.  WE HAVE A FIRST CLASS INTERACT CLUB AT CORAL GABLES HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE ADOPTED A SECOND CLUB, GULLIVER PREP INTERACT BEGINNING NEXT YEAR.

OUR ROTARACT CLUB (THE ONLY COMMUNITY BASED ROTARACT IN MIAMI DADE) IS A  STRONG, VIBRANT CLUB WITH ACTIVE MEMBERS.

SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT THE 2010-2011 OFFICERS AND BOARD ACCOMPLISHED MOST ALL OF THE GOALS WE SET FOR OURSELVES.  COULD WE HAVE DONE MORE?  PROBABLY.  CAN WE BE PROUD OF WHAT WE DID ACCOMPLISH?  ABSOLUTELY.

2010-2011 Officer & Board of Directors

AND SO TO THE OFFICERS, HADLEY WILLIAMS, VICE PRESIDENT, WALTER ALVAREZ, SECRETARY, CARLOS BOLADO, TREASURER, DEBBIE SWAIN, PRESIDENT ELECT AND ABE HOROWITZ, PAST PRESIDENT, AS WELL AS THE OTHER 16 MEMBERS OF THE BOARD;  JUDY PANTOJA, COMMUNITY SERVICE, CATARINA JIMENEZ, INTERNATIONAL SERVICE, DEENA BELL, CLUB MEETING SERVICE, DR. PHIL BOSWELL, NEW GENERATIONS, DR. RANDY GROH, CIVIC & CHARITY, RICK TONKINSON, RI FOUNDATION, YOLANDA WOODBRIDGE, MEMBERSHIP, BRUCE KERESTES, DEVELOPMENT, ED MORRIS, RETENTION, GENE WITHERSPOON, PROGRAMS, GLORIA BURNS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, LAN NGHIEM-PHU, CLUB COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AND TERRY LONG, SCHOLARSHIPS, THANK YOU ALL!!!  WE’RE AS GREAT AS WE ARE BECAUSE OF YOUR DEDICATION TO ROTARY AND OUR CLUB.

THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID TO MAKE 2010-2011 A SUCCESSFUL 65TH YEAR FOR THE ROTARY CLUB OF CORAL GABLES.  AND THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE FOR THIS YEAR.  IT’S BEEN FUN!

Happy $$$

Today we gave Dick Golden the mic and let people pay him NOT to tell a joke.  It worked pretty well.  We got a lot of $20 happy dollars for just that reason!  First of all Sally B was happy to have had the opportunity to serve as President for the past year.  Lan Nghiem-Phu, who didn't make it in time to do the Invocation today, paid to do it anyway.  Yolanda Woodbridge was very happy with the award that she received because it's signed by the RI President!  Chris Morrison gave us a college baseball update.  Stanford, Gators, Oregon State, Texas, USC all doing FINE.  Ed Morris was washing his hands in the men's room today when Gloria Burns walked in!!  Debbie Swain thanked Sally for all her hard work this past year.  Dan Scipione just got back from vacation with the wife, and the kids and three dogs and a cat having spent nine lovely days in Ashville.  It took him 16 hours to get home.  Carlos Bolado was pleased to be recognized for this devotion to the Club this year and thanked Sally for a great year.  Margarita Tonkinson is happy to have two new GREAT Rotarians in our Club, Carlos Ruiz from the Miami Club and Carol Alexander from Miami Sundown.  Welcome to them both!  Jack Witty has been in Ashville too and last week when he visited their Rotary Club he was greeted by two old men dressed in tutus of pastel yellow and blue with organdy wings and caps (the tooth fairies?) to raise awareness of their dental clinic project. Rodney Langer thanked Debbie for putting him on the new Board but warned her that he is not the most organized person to do the job.  Rosendo Castillo has just returned from a trip to Montreal with his wife France.  They had a great trip and drove back across the border through historic New York where they had a blowout.  But everything came out okay.  Happiness pays so keep on smiling!

Working Rotarians - June 30, 2011

Greeters - Rolf Frankfurther & Rodney Langer

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Chris Morrison

Open Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Bill Quesenberry

Pledge - Dick Golden

Singers - Bill Quesenberry & Dan Scipione

Introductions - Dick Bullman

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Hadley Williams

Given to - Rodney Langer & Ed Morris

Pin Drawing Gift - THE Donald

Pin Drawing Winner - Paolo Possenti

50/50 Collections - Gloria Burns

50/50 Winner - 

5 Way Test - Sally B.

Thought of the Week

by Felix Pardo

'There are two ways  to live life,

you can live as if there are no miracles,

or you can understand that all of life is a miracle."

Albert Einstein

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING:  "Seagull One" with author Lilian Prellezo.  A true story of the rescue of Cuban rafters.

REMEMBER, WE WILL BE MEETING AT THE CORAL GABLES COUNTRY CLUB, 997 North Greenway Drive.  Same time, 12:15

Installation 2011 - 2012 

Officers & Board of Directors

Past District Governor Marcy Ullom did the honors.

President - Debbie Swain

President Elect - Walter Alvarez

Past President - Sally B.

Vice President - Rick Tonkinson

Secretary - Dan Scipione

Treasurer - John Porro

Sergeant at Arms - Jack Witty

Abe Horowitz

Deena Bell-Lewellyn

Rodney Langer

Terry Long

Mead McCabe

Greg Martini

Bill Martinez

Patrick Morris

Bill Quesenberry

Kelly Sastre

Margarita Tonkinson

John Wallace

Yoli Woodbridge

See you next week, same time 12:15,

new place, CORAL GABLES COUNTRY CLUB

Same great bunch of Rotarians.

HAVE A HAPPY, SAFE 4TH OF JULY!

God Bless America.

Vol. 65 No. 51 Notes from the Podium

Print PDF

President's Time

This was a good week for a fellow names Charles Futrell, a 90 year old Floridian who became the oldest man to complete a sanctioned triathlon when he swam 440 years, biked 10 miles and ran three miles in two hours and 18 minutes.  It was a bad week for Grandma when the staff at a Goodwill store in Fenton, Michigan received a box labled "Grandma's Urn" as a donation.  In it was a sealed vase containing Grandma's remains.  Now they're trying to find the grand kids.

DUES ARE DUE.  To take advantage of the 20% discount on your lunches for the year, pay in full before July 1st.  If you pay in full during the month of July you'll get a 15% discount.  If you would rather pay semi-annually you will received a 10% discount.  But if you'd rather pay monthly and forgo the discount, just give the Treasurer your credit card and he'll set it up for you on a monthly payment basis.

DON'T MISS OUR JUNE 30TH MEETING.  FIND OUT WHO IS THE 2010-2011 ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR.  EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY AS WE CELEBRATE THE INCOMING PRESIDENT, DEBBIE SWAIN, HER OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 

WE'RE MOVING!  The Westin Colonnade Hotel has been our home since 2007 and it's been a great location for our Club.  They have been awesome hosts!  But beginning with the first meeting of the new Rotary year, on July 7th, we are returning to our ROOTS!  We will be back at the Coral Gables Country Club.  Parking is free, in the rear.  We will be in the Merrick Room on the west side of the building.

Emotional, intuitive, shrewd, and kinda clingy, Cancer natives are ably represented by the Crab.  Happy Birthday this week to Michael Falsetto on June 23, Chuck Whitcomb and VP Hadley Williams on the 27th.

Happy Rotary Anniversary

to

Rob Hatfield

Celebrating 38 years of Rotary Service

Thanks Rob!

Classification Talk - 

Steven Spann, Attorney, Family Practice

Frank Sexton, Vocational Service Chair, introduced us to a relatively new member and his professional expertise today.  Steven Spann spent 15 years in higher education, decided to hang it up and went into divorce law.  Hopefully he won't find too many clients in our Club!

Steve's specialty is Divorce Law.  Divorce is devastating to everyone involved.  To the two people who once said "I do" and now say "I don't", to the children, the property, etc.  He's a proponent of collaborative divorce, i.e., divorce without war and recommends couples involve mediators to try to settle matters fairly, quietly and as inexpensively as possible so that everyone has something left when its all over.  He is associated with the firm of Orsham & Fajardo.  If you need his services, don't hesitate to give him a call.  He's here for you!

Happy $$$

Although he didn't get two lines going full, tilt, boogie, Dr. Randy did manage to Groh scholarships once again.  First up was Keith Phillips who is happy to be back from North Carolina for a few days. He's returning on the first of July and we probably won't see much of him this summer.  John Wallace paid $5 just to tell us that the news that he was moving to Fairhope, Alabama on July 16th is NOT THE TRUTH!  The deal on the sale of their condo fell through so he and Louise will remain Key Biscayne beach bums for awhile longer.  Good for us!  Steve Magenheimer gave us an update on college baseball ... there are five team left and his Alma Mater, University of West Virginia is on top. Vanderbilt who is a first time visitor  won two games.  The powerful Florida Gators could win their very first  title against the Gamecocks of South Carolina.  The Texas Longhorns and the Texas Aggies went down first.  Rick Tonkinson invited everyone to tune into Fox Business Network on July 2 at 4 p.m. There will be televised coverage of the Tonkinson family (including the dog) and Tonkinson Financial on "Today in America" with Terry Bradshaw.  Don't miss it!  Dick Golden behaved himself today, and in keeping with the Classification Talk said that some years ago when going through a divorce he felt suicidal and so he went to a psychiatrist for help.  But he wanted to be paid in advance.  LOL?  Rodney Langer is happy to be Club Meeting Service Director for 2011-2012.  He's searching for some able-bodied Rotarians who really like to do service at the weekly meetings because he still has a few spots to fill.  Shoot him an email and volunteer.  Felix Pardo thought that the timing of today's Classification Talk was really impeccable. Today he is celebrating his 38th Wedding Anniversary!  Noelle Galperin wanted to share the news that in just two months, our District raised $70,000 for the District Haiti Initiative with Project Medishare.  She's very happy that our Club led the way with the first $5,000 donation (which then was matched by both District and RI to become $15,000 through the magic of Rotary) She invited all interested Rotarians to join her at Jackson Memorial Hospital for the Medishare presentation on Monday, June 27 at 7:45 a.m.  Gene Witherspoon is happy that his year as Program Chair is over. He said he hopes that we enjoyed the 50 programs that he brought us because he though it was a great slate and he had a good time doing it.  (Ed. Note:  Thank YOU Gene!  You made the meetings really interesting.  Good job!).  And finally Ted Pappas, who's been gone for awhile, was happy to report that like departing Congressman Weiner, "he's holding his own!"  Keep laughing because happiness pays!

Working Rotarians - June 23, 2011

Greeters - Rodney Langer & Paolo Possenti

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Frank Sexton, Yoli Woodbridge, Lan Nghiem Phu

Open the Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Lan Nghiem Phu

Pledge - Dick Golden

Singer - Bill Quesenberry

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Eddie Snow

Given to - Gene Witherspoon and Carlos Bolado

Pin Drawing Gift - THE Donald Trombly

Pin Drawing Winner - Jordan Steele

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & The Donald

50/50 Winner - Terry Long

5 Way Test - Keith Phillips

 Today's Program

Judge Jeri B. Cohen

Miami-Dade County Drug Dependency Court
There are only five child abuse judges in Miami-Dade County for over 3000 children in the court system. The most common reason for a child to be in the system is due to the parents’ drug abuse or mental illness. The Verahona case recently in the news is not the normal circumstance – there are mostly successes, which are not in the news. This has resulted in a poor public impression of the effectiveness of the Court system. However, the DDC has a reputation nationally of being one of the best in the country.

The DDC seeks to change the hearts and minds of the parents in the system to break the transgenerational cycle.  Approximately 70% of families are reunified, and there is only a 13% recidivism over a 13 year period.  The DDC has been implementing systems for drug treatment based on scientific research, such as parental training, and evaluations by addiction specialists. The DDC is considered a model, and has provided training for hundreds of other court systems nationwide.

Judge Cohen has been a judge for 20 years, and has been in the Drug Dependency Court (DDC) for 13 years.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:  Rotarian of the Year! And other good stuff.  Don't miss it!

                                       Thought of the Week

by Chris Morrison

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.  It's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

&

Some peole regard private enterprise as a predatory tiger to be shot.  Others look on it as a cow they can milk.  Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, 

pulling a sturdy wagon.

                                                                   Winston Churchill

Scene Scenes

Join us next week

for the final meeting

for 2010-2011

We look forward to seeing you.

Same time, same place,

same great bunch of Rotarians!

Vol. 65 No. 49 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

Welcome to our last meeting in the echo chamber!  Everyone missed the punch lines today because of the feedback.  Suffice to say that the young man who made a single sale of $110,237.65 did so with his own ingenuity.  First he sold the guy a small fish hook, then a medium fish hook, then a larger fish hook.  Then he sold him a new fishing rod.  Then since he was going fishing down coast he needed a new boat, so he sold him a Chris Craft.  Then, because his Honda couldn't pull the new boat he sold him an F350.  The boss was impressed.  Couldn't get over the fact that the guy started out buying a fish hook and ended up spending $110,000 ++.  But the super salesman said that wasn't quite true ... the man's wife had a headache and he came in to buy some aspirin, the young man pointed out that his weekend was shot anyway, he might as well go fishing!

There's still time to text to end polio during the Heat vs. Mavericks games. Text 50555 to contribute $5 to END POLIO NOW.

Our June 30th meeting will be a combination fo the 2010-2011 year-end recognitions and awards and the Installation of the 2011-2012 Officers and Board of Directors.  PDG Marcy Ullom will be officiating.  You're welcome to bring your friends, relatives or a guest, but please let us know in advance for the guarantee.  Special menu with wine to celebrate all that's great about Rotary Club of Coral Gables.  Please RSVP your guests with Terry Long.

MAKE A NOTE ... for the first meeting of the new Rotary year we will be returning to the Coral Gables Country Club.  We will be in the Merrick Room - that's the room with a separate entrance on the west side of the building.  Remember, JULY 7, 2011 at the Coral Gables Country Club.  Parking is free in the rear.

Gemini is known as the Twins.  You always get more than you've bargained for and you never know which one is going to show up.  They're adaptable, communicative, youthful and inquisitive. Say Happy Birthday this week to Dar Arian on June 10th and to Sally B, Richard DeWitt and Rodney Langer ALL on June 15th.

Happy Rotary Anniversary 

to 

Deena Bell-Lewellyn

Who has been with our club for four years this week.

Thanks for all your service!

Happy $$$

Now that we have TWO Interact Clubs that need Scholarships, Dr. Randy is going to have to find lots more happy Rotarians to Groh scholarships every week!  He started out today by announcing another upcoming photographic safari to Africa is in the offing.  If anyone is interested, contact him for details.  Also happy today was Susan (Diva) Guttmann.  Happy to be back with us again after seven long weeks being incapacitated with a badly broken ankle.  Carlos Bolado was happy to announce a party at his store on Miracle Mile.  The echo was pretty bad but we heard food, drink and really cool men's fashions.  Contact Carlos for more details.  Alfredo Iglesias is also happy to be back.  He's been traveling nearly non-stop with his new job and while he's seen very many great new places, he has really missed our club.  It's also nice to have his friend Alejandro with him today.  Dan Scipione is happy to announce that he has a mango table set up in the back of the room.  Get yours on the way out.  Catarina Jimenez was happy to see all the folks who went to Honduras at the meeting today.  BUT NOT A WORD FROM DICK GOLDEN TODAY??? Remember, keep on smiling because happiness pays. 

Working Rotarians - June 9, 2011

Greeters - Rodney Langer & Rolf Frankfurter

Registration - Debbie Swain

Collections - Carlos Bolado

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Frank Sexton,  Yoli Woodbridge & Hadley Williams

Open the Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Pledge - Randy Groh

Singers - Dan Scipione & Bill Quesenberry

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Susan Guttmann

Given to - Richard DeWitt & Miki Spiejers

Pin Drawing Gift - Mangos by Scipione

Pin Drawing Winner - Lan Nghiem-Phu

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns & Donald Trombly

50/50 Winner - Bruce Kerestes

5-Way Test - Bill Quesenberry

Today's Program

Catrina Jimenez, Chair, 2010-2011

International Avenue of Service

Humanitarian Trip to Honduras

On President's Weekend, February 18 - 22, Catarina led a group of 12 Rotarians and their spouses on a trip to Honduras.  Over the past two years, the Internationanl Committee, under Cat's leadership, has completed a series of grants to benefit the needy in this Central American Country.  With her were Yoli Woodbridge, Terry Long, Bill and Rita Oates, Dick and Teri Golden, Jon and Judy Arthur, Bill and Melissa Quesenberry and her two friends from Spain, Juan and Diego.

With a grant for $16,500 we purchased a container of 150 wheel chairs and sent them to the Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa last year.  Several of the chairs were not delivered in order that our group would be able to see firsthand the needs to which they had contributed so generously.  Two of the recipients were crippled children, a young boy with CP and a young girl unable to do for herself.  As part of the program Catarina was successful in melting a few more hearts and was able to get commitment that will keep diapers coming to this very poor family for the next two years.  

The second project was to purchase cook stoves for one of the indigenous people living about 45 minutes outside of Copan.  First they got to visit the factory where the stoves were made.  Then they got to deliver stoves and see them in action.  These are smokeless, flame-less cooks stoves that are so necessary to prevent fires and burns in so many villages.  This project was done jointly with the Tegucigalpa Rotary Club, each with a donation of $1,000.  With matching funds from District and Rotary International we had a total grant of $22,000 with which to make these stoves a reality for these people.

Aside from the magic of hands-on help for others in need, Catarina stressed the magic of donating to Rotary.  A small contribution becomes a big grant and accomplishes so much more when it's done through the world of Rotary.  

Stay tuned for next year's humanitarian trip that will be set up by our International Service Committee.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:  Alberto Carvahlo, Superintendent of Dade County Schools.

Thought of the Week

by Ana Fournaris

"Action is the key foundation to success"

Pablo Cassals

Scene Scenes

See you next week.

Same time, same place,

Same great bunch of Rotarians.

Vol. 65 No. 48 Notes from the Podium

President's Time

You think you're having a bad day?  How about the people who were dying in intensive care every Sunday morning at 11 a.m. but only because the janitor was unplugging life support for the vacuum cleaner.  Or how about the two seals rescued from the Exxon Valdes oil spill in Alaska to the tune of $80,000 each that were eaten by a whale within minutes of being returned to the wild.  Or the lady who came home to find her husband plugged in and vibrating but she didn't find out until she broke his arm that he wasn't plugged into electricity, just his iPod.  Or the two animal rights defenders who were protesting the cruelty to pigs when they were trampled to death after a stampede from the slaughterhouse. Or, what about the terrorist who didn't put enough postage on a letter bomb and forgetting the bomb, when the letter was returned he opened it.  Bet you're feeling better now!!!

Back from the Rotary International Convention in New Orleans last week, Sally thanked Annette Alvarez (and Walter) for their excellent restaurant selection at Mandina's on Sunday night.  You can follow our exploits at the convention right here on this blog - scroll back to last week.  We got to see/hear Bill Gates tell us how pleased he is at Rotary's efforts to match his $355 million contribution to End Polio Now. For those who wondered, he is a geek.  Read his entire speech without a teleprompter, and the operative word is "read" from a folded piece of paper.  But who cares?  Because of him we are "this close" to ending Polio.  New cases are in the single digits.  Only one case in India since the beginning of the year.  Now is the time to Text to End Polio.  During the NBA Games.  Text either Dallas or Miami to 50555 and follow the prompts and $5 will be donated to End Polio Now and charged to your cell phone.

CORAL GABLES ONE OF 200 CLUBS 

SELECTED FOR RI PILOT PROGRAM.  

Rotary has all kinds of new things going on right now ... there's a Future Vision Program and a new Strategic Plan, all in an effort to change with the times and grow membership.  But they like to try things out first.  Our Club volunteered to participate in the Membership Pilot Program which starts on July 1st and runs for three years.  We will be trying out the Associate Member Program. More on this as we get the information from RI.  Thanks to Yoli Woodbridge for getting us involved and for taking responsibility for reporting requirements for this program for the Pilot period.

 THE NEW GENERATIONS AVENUE OF SERVICE

WE HAVE A NEW INTERACT CLUB!!!!

Several weeks ago we were contacted by the students from the Interact Club at Gulliver Academy.  Until now, their sponsoring club was the Rotary Club of Miami Sundown.  That club is no longer after June 30th and the 100+ member Interact Club wanted to have RCCG as their sponsor.  They are a large, active and hard working club and they fit right into our way of doing things ... lots of community service projects and they're good at raising money so they can do good things.  They're a good match for us and for the Coral Gables High Interactors too.  So now we have TWO, highly visible, hard working, active Interact Clubs under our wings.  Let's welcome them and use them wisely.  Think of all the scholarship money we're going to need next year!!!  With us today is the President-Elect, Dillon Patel, Nicole Tufts and their school advisor, Michelle Cooper.  Hank Langston will be the Rotary representative for the Gulliver Club (of course!).

While we're on the subject of New Generations, we had a final visit today from our "shared" Rotary Youth Exchange Student Sebastian (Phillip) Rassfeld who is from Cologne, Germany.  You'll recall that we shared his expenses with the South Miami Club and shared some quality time with him as well.  That is when he could fit us into his busy travel schedule.  He's been here nine months.  He leaves in 18 days.  He's sad to be leaving and had a wonderful experience.  Maybe he'll come back again as an Ambassadorial Scholar.  But one thing's for sure, he'll be a Rotarian for the rest of his life.  Maybe we will have our own exchange students from among all the Interactors at Gulliver?  It would be great for our Club to once again be one of the top RYE Clubs in the District!  There were 200 RYE students at the RI Convention from one District in Central Philadelphia - they were the flag carriers for the opening ceremony of Rotary nation's flags. An amazing thing, these wonderful kids!

  CONGRATULATIONS FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE!

Bill Quesenberry for 3 Years

Terry Long for 9 Years

Thank you both for all your service!

Happy Rotary Anniversary this week to Greg Martini ... we're not sure exactly how many years but it's somewhere between 17 and - well - whatever!!  Thanks for all your hard work Greg. 

Happy $$$$

Dandy Randy returned today and found a few really happy Rotarians including Yoli Woodbridge who had lots of money and happiness for 1. the Gulliver Interact Club; 2. Sebastian our Exchange Student and 3. For the gift that Judy Pantoja brought her from England.  Bill Quesenberry was happy to have had a lovely time in vacation in France however, Melissa she woke up from a nap on the plane with radial nerve damage in her hand.  But it's not super serious and they still had a good time.  Sally B was happy for the dental services of Dr. Randy.  He works very slowly so it takes longer but when he's done it's perfect!  Dick Golden told us about the old lady who got a speeding ticket - she was driving fast because she might forget where she was going (!?!?!?!).  Jon Arthur said he was happy because last month he had a large prostate and now he has a small one.  Deena Bell had a great time last week playing golf with Special Olympics at the old Mel Reese Golf Course.  They got to teach some of the high school students how the drive balls.  Be sure to come out next year, you're bound to enjoy yourself helping these kids too.  Carlos Bolado was happy to return a favor.  Last week Abe Horowitz modeled he new Bolado Men's Wear wardrobe and so Carlos just wanted to say thanks to Abe for the good plug!  Terry Long was happy that because of Deena and her landscaping talents she now has a beautifully landscaped atrium with a water feature in her home.  Randy didn't do too bad ... he made scholarships Groh!  Happiness pays so keep on smiling!

Working Rotarians - June 2, 2011

Greeter - Rodney Langer

Registration - Aaron Glasser

Collections - Carlos Bolado & Abe Horowitz

Head Table - John Wallace

Special Needs - Chris Morrison

Open the Meeting - Dick Golden

Invocation - Lan Nghiem-Phu

Pledge - Bill Oates

Singers - Bill Quesenberry & Dan Scipione

DeWitt Law Silver Dollars - Debbie Swain

Given To - Dillion Patel & Sebastian Rassfeld

Pin Drawing Gift - Dan Scipione

Pin Drawing Winner - Paolo Possenti

50/50 Raffle - Gloria Burns

50/50 Winner - Rosendo Castillo

5 Way Test - Ed Morris

Today's Program

“Boot Camp”
Gregory Bennett, Captain
Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation

The Boot Camp program started in 1994, and was first accredited in 2004. Participants are young men and women between 14 and 24 years of age who have been adjudicated as adults. These young offenders have pled guilty and agreed to the sentence. Prior to admission, and complete physical and psychological evaluation is performed. Upon admission, the cadet must waive rights to certain privileges, such as visitation and phone calls, which may be earned.

Entry is limited to 38 cadets in each platoon, with a new platoon entering every 74 days. Cadets are transported from several facilities by bus at 3am. Once on the bus, they are treated to yelling and several stops where the get off and back on the bus. In intake, heads and faces are shaved. They now enter Phase 1, a 4-month basic training that includes basic education and evaluation for eligibility to take the GED. About 10 – 12 of the cadets will not complete this phase, and are returned to prison.

In Phase 2, participants are trained in employability and life skills, including communication and moral recognition. They are allowed unsupervised off-site work, which is closely monitored. Phase 3, which lasts 10 months, they are provided education and job placement assistance. After successful completion of this final phase, they are released from the program.

NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM:  Honduras, An Overview of our Humanitarian Trip by Catarina Jimenez and Bill Quesenberry.

Thought of the Week

by Ana Fournaris

"Do not go where the path may lead,

go instead where there is no path

and leave a trail."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Scene Scenes

Join us next week, 

Same time,

Same place, 

and the same group of terrific Rotarians!