Rotations April 1, 2014

ROTATIONS: APRIL 1, 2014 MEETING

LAST WEEK’S MEETING

President-Elect Sigur Whitaker opened the meeting.  Eleanor Schoonover led us in song: “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” was followed by not “All Hail to Rotary” but rather “Hail, Rotary.”  The “Grand Old Flag” provided its usual bridge to the Pledge.  John Chittick delivered a thoughtful invocation focusing on the difficulties faced by today’s teens.

Jordan Fanney read the week’s Centennial Moment, which highlighted three of the club’s past service projects: 1) The Rotary Charity Horse Shows between 1968 and 1975 raised $50,000 for the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters; 2) Run for the Children raised additional funds for CHKD between 1980 and 1995; and 3) In an impromptu project in 1991, we repaired 1,646 donated toys to donate to needy children.

Matt Shriver reported on our ailing members: Tom Richards was suffering from abdominal pains.  Ken Weeks was sounding good, but having back problems.  Bill Jonak had been to the previous week’s meeting and written “Rotations.”  His blood work was good, but he was still feeling tired.  Morgan Trimyer was doing well.  In fact, he had gone to Richmond for the birth of his first grandchild. 

Al Carmichael introduced our guests.   There was Assistant District Governor Nancy Joslin visiting from the Northside club.  Joanne Batson, Ted Baker, Wayne Shank and Dave Brandt each brought along a guest. 

The Rotarian of the Week was Richard (“Dick”) Lammers – formerly of CPA National Tax.  Chuck Spence reported that Dick was a native Minnesotan, and had graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1961.    His wife Carolyn is a retired teacher.  They have one son, one daughter and five grandchildren. Dick has been a member since 1985, during which time he has served on the board numerous times, and been involved in membership and classification. In addition to our club, Dick has been active in SCORE, the finance committee of the Cavalier Golf Club and the Norfolk Senior Center.  He is also a passionately mediocre golfer, a so-so bridge player and an avid reader of history.

Announcements:                                                                           

·        Marty Raiss reminded us of the deadline for the Gala Program Sponsor forms.  We are aiming for $100K for our 100^th birthday.

·        We were to be at the Ted Constant Center Next Tuesday.

·        Bob Preston’s 50^th anniversary in Rotary was March 25.

·        Group pictures are available either matted ($40.00) or un-matted ($25.00) in 2 sizes.

·        Rotary Leadership Institute registration had been extended to a date which has already passed as you read this.  The event will be at Virginia Wesleyan College on April 12.

·         “Flea-rey” – Lisa Chandler reminded us - was set for June 13 & 14 at ODU’s Foreman Field.  The event is to feature, among many things, one hundred antique autos.

·        Dean Thomasson reminded us that the annual Rotary Foundation campaign ends June 30. EREY!

Birthday Rotarians were feted with cake and song.  Unfairly, we got most of the cake, and they had to hear the song.  These unfortunates were George Compo (2^nd), Tom Richards (4^th), Ray Moses (9^th), Winston Whitehurst (13^th), Bernie Cohen (17^th), Mark Shaw (17^th), Joe New (18^th), Mark Johnson (22th), Carin Schneller-Carr (22th) and Susan Donn (26^th). 

New Rotarian Adam Kahrl was then introduced by John Padgett.  Adam, a native of Ohio, graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1996.   You know, home of mascots Freddie and Frieda Falcon.   (According to John’s calculations Adam will reduce the average age of our members by 4.3 years.)  Adam started with the YMCA career in 1998 in Kansas – where he was in a Rotary Club.  He is currently working with three local YMCA’s.  Red Badge, pin and so forth were dispensed.

Congratulations & Fines:

·        Joanne Batson called our attention to an article in the current Rotarian magazine about Howard Buffet’s efforts to feed the needy.

·        Don Buma was featured in a news article concerning preparations for the upcoming Christmas Light Show.  Diane Wallach was also recognized for her contributions to the recent club workday at the Botanical Gardens.

·        Sally Hartman had something to report regarding her husband and potholes.  (But I did not quite get what it was.)

·        Ray Moses’ University of Kentucky team was going to be playing that weekend - evidently in something called the “final four.”  Ray refused repeated calls for him to sing “My Old Kentucky Home.”

·        Mark Johnson was in the Oyster Pointer, and his daughter was going to Iowa with Tallwood Academy.

·        Julie Keesling had found an old photo of our speaker Kay Kemper back when she had been our president.

·        Jim O’Brien anted up for being on the cover of The Virginian-Pilot concerning Project Healing Waters - which had purchased fly fishing gear with money from our club.

·        Sharon Laderberg’s daughter was going to Thailand to teach English.

·        Jim Clary, responding to Adam Kahrl’s celebrated youth, noted that he had been in high school in 1996.

·        Marty Raiss paid to honor Lynne Berg and Prime Plus’s recent fundraiser: Men Who Cook.

·        Irv Wells paid $4.00 to honor our speaker because it gave his table a chance at the coveted 100%.

LAST WEEK’S PROGRAM

Kay Kemper, the consummate veteran, performed ably in the dual role of Rotarian of the Week and one of two speakers.  Ross Grogg, her associate at Kemper Consulting, rounded out the team.  The Dynamic Duo tag-teamed us with the inside scoop on the antics of 2014 General Assembly.  There will be no power sharing.  Partisanship reigns supreme.  The budget process is stalled.  Medicaid reform is at an impasse.  Round One extended session is history; Round Two is imminent. 

Things Actually Done: The late unpleasantness has prompted further ethics reform.  The Hampton Roads Accountability Commission has been established to deal with monies previously designated for regional transportation.  SOL’s are still being tinkered with.  And there was a bi-partisan resolution for a VIMS study on flooding.

In the “rest of the story,” important issues including Sunday hunting laws, the fox pen ban, celebratory gunfire and pet burial have been resolved (the last two being unrelated).  Get out your laundry markers and globes: the Sea of Japan is now the East Sea.

The book for the School of the Week, Suburban Park Elementary, was presented.  Tables 5, 6, 8 and 10 all hit 100% (congrats to Irv Wells’ table).  The pots stood at $19.00 and $422.00.  Collins Gooch drew the seven of hearts.