Meeting Notes from August 27th

Dear Proud Sub-Westers,

Despite the rain, we had another great meeting! Ferd Salomon II got us started with a Groaner that increased our appreciation of attorneys. Mike Marshall led us in Prayer, followed by Mark Smith with the Pledge to our Flag, and Harry Tuttle with the 4-Way Test.

I passed on that PE John Stein, VP Ferd Salomon III and I had gone to the District Foundation training. We learned a lot and hopefully have giving to the Rotary International Foundation figured out.

Happy Dollars were rampant and I didn’t keep track of them this time (bad Rick, no cookie). Is there an app for that?

John Boivin introduced our Visitors and Guests. Our visitors included Honorary Rotarian Jinny Parks, wife of PDG Paul Parks; and Paul Sinor, friend of Bill Sheffield. Visiting Rotarians included Diane Mack and Rock Penfold from Five Flags; Dan Livingston and Chuck Hoskin from Pensacola North; and Melanie Furman and Jenny DeSeasre from Seville.

We celebrated Rotarian anniversaries for the week of August 23rd for Leorah Mims (2 years); and Bobbye Carroll (14 years).

Mac Parker came forward (again) and held up a sign showing the club was half-way to its goal of $2000 for Polio Plus in the Dress the Prez for Polio Challenge. He also presented a check given to him by James Marks for $500. I gave $20 that my wife Suki added to the cause. I’m sensing conspiracy. Other donors today brought the total to $580 making the total contributed now at $1581 leaving the club $419 from the goal. Additional bargaining occurred and Mac committed that if the club hits $4000 that he and the Dress the Prez Outfit Committee will also be dressed that day and I will wear “Whatever” the entire day. We will see…

The Woolly Booger was Ronnie Arnold who tested us on Football Stadium trivia. It raised a lot of money and several liars were exposed regarding their attendance at SEC stadiums.

Visiting Rotarian Rock Penfold had the winning raffle ticket and drew the Queen of Clubs from a deck with only 47 cards left to miss out on a $365 pot.

Dr. Judy Bense, President of the University of West Florida, gave us an update on her efforts to bring more attention to UWF and make it a place students want to come to.

Next week our speaker will be Mr. Brunie Emmanuel from the Coalition for the Homeless.

Thank you again for displaying your pride by wearing your symbols of Rotary. Be warned however, you will be asked to stand up if you do not have a symbol of Rotary on next week. And wearing one of the Rotary stickers does not count (Huntley). As a matter of fact, it will cost you $10 if you think wearing a paper Rotary sticker is a display of your Rotary pride.

You guys are the best!

Be blessed or be a blessing,

Rick

Meeting Notes from August 20th

Dear Proud Rotarians of Sub-West,

It was another great meeting! Bill Sheffield got us started with a Groaner. John Brick led us in Prayer, followed by Betty Wasson with the Pledge to our Flag, and Charlie Hass with the 4-Way Test.

I passed on that I had spoken to Jack Brown during the week and his business is tough, but they are going to make it. He hopes to be attending meetings again soon. I also thanked Ronnie Arnold and the Sub-West Grill Crew for serving dinner to the FAMU Marching Band Saturday night and Bill & Molly Cleary for hosting the Welcome event for our Long-term Exchange Student, Rodrigo.

Bill Cleary started the Happy Dollars with his jubilation over school starting. Harry Tuttle followed with how blessed he feels to be part of Sub-West. Wayne Etheredge was happy to see Britt Landrum at Sub-West because it was Britt who sponsored him as a Rotarian. And I was happy to have my son Alex at the club just before he heads back to his sophomore year at UF.

Braden Ball introduced our Visitors and Guests. Our visitors included my son Alex Lambert, Paul Sinor, friend of Bill Sheffield, and Christine Viets, from the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, guest of Bill Cleary. We had a ton of Visiting Rotarians to include most of the Pensacola North Club with Derek Ferebee, Dan Livingston, Eddie Hill, Jonathan Taylor & Frank Kay. We also had John Griffing from Five Flags; Roger Matthews from Milton; Britt Landrum from Downtown; and Patrick Quinn from New Orleans.

Mac Parker came forward with Heidi Blair and took some measurements of me for Dress the Prez for Polio. They seem to think the club will raise $2000 by October 21st, however they need $20/member to hit the goal. The club can choose what I will wear to conduct the October 22nd meeting if $2000 is raised. I think Mac and Heidi wasted their time, but they did raise another $100. I think this puts the total at $941. We will see…

The Woolly Booger was Angie Neumann who tested us on Wisconsin trivia. It was a lot of good information for those interested in the Cheesehead State.

John Brick had the winning raffle ticket and drew the Two of Hearts from a deck with only 48 cards left to miss out on a $341 pot.

Dee Dee Ritchie gave us an update on the Charter Commission’s efforts to date. There has been a lot of work and listening to testimonies accomplished by this group to date.

Thank you again for displaying your pride by wearing your symbols of Rotary. I am proud to be a Rotarian and I hope you are too.

Next week our speaker will be Dr. Judy Bense, President of the University of West Florida.

Have a great week!

Be blessed or be a blessing,

Rick

Meeting Notes from August 13th

Dear Rotarians of Sub-West,

Another great meeting! Johnny Fayard got us started with a Groaner (“big” Johnny with a “little” Johnny joke). Reed Eubanks led us in Prayer, followed by Mark McBride with the Pledge to our Flag, and Tom Johnson with the 4-Way Test.

I welcomed Rodrigo Lima, our Long-Term Exchange student, to Sub-West. He arrived Wednesday at the airport and was met by a nice cadre of Sub-Westers. (The rumors are not true – I wasn’t late, he arrived early). Thanks to Heidi Blair, Mike Marshall, and Bill Cleary for the work on getting him here. Thanks also to Charles and Nina Howard from Pensacola North Rotary for being Rodrigo’s first host family.

Ronnie Arnold started the Happy Dollars by sharing he and the Sub-West Grill Crew will be cooking for the FAMU Marching Band Saturday Evening. Bill Cleary was happy he survived his family vacation. Bill Spain was happy new Rotarian Harry Tuttle is looking to attend the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI). John Boivin was happy he got to go fishing in Canada. And Heidi Blair was happy all four Long-Term Youth Exchange students arrived safely.

Heidi Blair introduced our Visitors and Guests. Our visitors included Paul Bailey, friend of visiting Rotarian Charles Howard; Mike Hill, friend of Bill Cleary; and David Mendez, friend of visiting Rotarian Walk Jones from Cantonment. We had Visiting Rotarians Martin Harwood from Downtown, Beverly Livingston from Gulf Breeze, and Richard Peterson from Pensacola North.

I made the announcement that the Sub-West Board met and wanted to challenge the Club to contribute $20/member to help us meet our goal of $2000 to Polio Plus. If Sub-West can hit the target by October 21st, you can dress me up however you wish (keep it G-rated) and this is how I will conduct the October 22nd meeting. Mac Parker stood up and said he would get the money started with a $20.00. Others joined Mac and $340 was raised at the meeting. We will have a thermometer at the next meeting to measure progress toward the goal, but I doubt you’re going to get there. Nice try Mac.


Bill Cleary reminded everyone of the party at his house this Saturday, from 6-9pm. For this Rotary year, cell phone donations will go to the District to help keep dues from increasing.

The Woolly Booger was Bobbye Carroll who gave us a “quiz” on ancient TV comedy. Even Paul Parks was too young to remember this stuff. At any rate, I remembered Membership Retention is a goal this year and put $20.00 in the pot to end it (my penitence for being late to the airport). We love you Bobbye!

Huntley Johnson had the winning raffle ticket and drew the Nine of Spades from a deck with only 49 cards left to miss out on a $325 pot.

Haley Richards, from Bridges to Circles came and shared this poverty initiative and program of Catholic Charities. Bridges to Circles works in partnership with Unite Escambia’s Poverty Solutions Team to provide education and mentoring to low income families in the area.

I am proud of Sub-Wet for wearing its Team Colors (although I did see Moses Atwood wear the Rotary sticker he got at last week’s meeting – very innovative, but don’t count on it working next week). Only six Rotary Pins were sold. I saw Rotary ties, polos, District Conference pins, and Sub-West Club pins. We are Rotarians and we should be proud of what we represent in our community.

Next week our speaker will be Dee Dee Ritchie from the Pensacola Charter Review Commission.

Have a great week!

Be blessed or be a blessing,

Rick

Meeting Notes from August 6th

Dear Honorable Rotarians of Sub-West,

If you missed the meeting today, you missed ice cream! I’m not sure how it got there, but I’ll go ahead and take credit for it. I told Memory this could go on happening every week and she said she would let the chef know. Keep your fingers crossed.

What a great meeting! Al Swann got us started with a Groaner (I wonder if Harry came out of the closet?). Courtney Peterson led us in Prayer, followed by Johnny Fayard with the Pledge to our Flag, and Ferd Salomon III with the 4-Way Test.

I started the Happy Dollars by recognizing some of our club members’ years in Rotary. Andy Hinton-45 years; Bill Spain-40 years; Tom Johnson-23 years; Gil Bennett-15 years; Bill Cleary-12 years; Robert Waddell-11 years; & Bill Hooper-1 year. I should have recognized these great Rotarians last month because their anniversaries were in July. I got caught up today for August by recognizing Huntley Johnson’s 52 years in Rotary. Huntley, you got a standing ovation that lasted for over 5 minutes. Too bad you were off somewhere else goofing around and missed it.

Bill Sheffield added to the Happy Dollars (again) being thankful for the opportunity to work with Visiting Rotarian Peit Hudson. Bill Cleary had a dollar to give because his family is going on vacation together. Mark Smith is happy his youngest child turned one year old.

Sandi Starr introduced our Visitors and Guests. Our visitors included Claire Kirchharr, daughter of AG Ted Kirchharr (clap) and Jeff Chavers, co-worker of Tim Couch. We had Visiting Rotarians Charles Howard of Pensacola North, Peit Hudson from Downtown, and Sam Foreman from Gulf Breeze.

I paid a fine for not having Rotary Pins available at the meeting for those who do not have a symbol of Rotary and need one. I was pleased to announce that Johnny the Hun only gave out seven “I am a Rotarian” stickers. If the pins are here next week, the fines begin. Jim Lent gave a Birthday Check. Jim has been out a while because of his wife Jo’s health, but reports she is better and hopes to be back at the club soon.

The Woolly Booger was Buck Hall who went around the room badgering people about this and that and called it an “Orientation for Newer Rotarians.” He even slammed me for something or another. He raised $90.00 for the Foundation with his rants, so maybe he’ll be invited back.

Brett Parra had the winning raffle ticket. I turned the deck over and put the Ace of Spades on top hoping he would draw it again and give the money to Polio Plus. But I think his wife may have had a talk with him and I could see in his eyes a desire to redeem himself. So I shuffled the deck and turned it back over. He drew the Queen of Hearts from a deck with only 50 cards left to miss out on a $302 pot. Sorry Rocky.

Jenny Campbell, Assistant Curator, from the Pensacola Museum of Art came and shared the many and varied programs and exhibits currently available at the museum. Just another one of the great jewels in our city.

I gave a late reminder that on Wednesday, August 12th at 10:00am our Long-Term Youth Exchange student, Rodrigo, will be arriving at the Pensacola Airport. If you are available, please come out and welcome him to Pensacola. It would be nice to have a big crowd to greet him.

Next week our speaker will be Haley Richards from VISTA Bridges to Circles. She will be sharing a Catholic Charities Poverty Initiative. She is not looking for donations, but will share the opportunity to get involved.

I can’t wait to see you next week.

Be blessed or be a blessing,

Rick