Jonesboro Rotary Club Bulletin - November 17, 2005

 

Filling in for President Yvonne, Vice President Ralph Upton called the meeting to order. Billy Bryant gave the invocation. As there was a fairly sparse crowd, there were no visiting Interact members, no bragging bucks, nor a stock report. Hope all the missing members were attending the club golf tournament, which was being held at Carolina Trace this day. We did have a visiting Rotarian - Jim Cole of the San-Lee club.

 

Vice President Ralph passed around a sign up sheet for the Christmas Party to be held on December 8^th. If you have not signed up, but want to attend, make sure you sign the sheet at an upcoming meeting. It was also announced that the inducting of new member Brian Smith will be held during the December 1^st meeting.

 

Cliff Peake gave the Vocational Rotary Minute, outlining his career as a “professional” Chamber of Commerce director. Cliff indicated he had worked as a executive director for 6 chambers of commerce, scattered across the country. Each chamber had different and specific concerns to be addressed, as was determined by the economy of that particular area. As Gene Rogers refers to Cliff as the club’s “oldest Rotarian”, it seems that Cliff has been involved with the chamber as long as he has been a Rotarian.

 

David Taylor held the 50-50 raffle, which was won by Jim Cole.

 

Cliff Peake then introduced our guest speaker, Rev. Dick Leaptrott, pastor of the Emmanuel United Church of Christ here in Sanford . In a bold move, it seems that Cliff had arranged for his own pastor to be the speaker. The reverend went very easy on Cliff, so there were no juicy tidbits of information made known about Cliff. He didn’t even discuss Cliff’s sleeping habits in Church.

 

Rev. Leaptrott is a graduate of the University of South Carolina , and of Erskine Theological Seminary. He is married to Nan Elizabeth and they have three sons and seven grandchildren. Rev. Leaptrott’s talk was a mini-sermon in keeping with the Thanksgiving season and centered around gratitude. He opened and closed his talk with the following thought, “ all the machinery of life would run more smoothly if it were oiled with the fine lubricant called gratitude”. We could not however, get the reverend to predict the score of the upcoming South Carolina - Clemson football game.

 

Jim Cole led the Four Way Test and the Pledge of Allegiance.  Vice President Ralph adjourned the meeting. Remember there will be no meeting this Thursday, instead enjoy the day with your family, and count your many blessings.

 

Tim Sherman

 

We Missed You!

There is just too many of you to list this time.

 

                                                                                                      

 

 

 

                                                                                                      

 

  Jonesboro Rotary Bulletin – October 27, 2005

 

            A couple of things caught my attention before today’s meeting of the Jonesboro Rotary Club.  First, there was an uncomfortable moment at the middle table when John Ramsperger was asked about giving his balls to Tom Whorton.  Fearing I had stumbled into a meeting of “Rotary After Hours”, I gazed towards the front table, where the presence of both Cliff Peake and Sam Sillaman guaranteed that somebody was going to get hit up for money before the meeting was over.

 

            President Yvonne Bullard, first noting that everyone seemed to be having a good time, decided to put a stop to that by calling the meeting to order.  Billy Bryant gave the invocation.

 

            Visiting with Al Rushatz was prospective member Kris Miller, head of sales & marketing for Factory Carpeting.  Visiting with Barry Butzer were Interact members Brittany Tuck, Brittany Smith, and Jackie Judd.  Barry, apparently reliving his H.S. jock days, made sure we knew all three young ladies were cheerleaders.

 

            Tom Whorton finally let us know why he needed John’s balls – for the 11/17/05 Jonesboro Rotary Golf Tournament.  Tiger Tom also let us know that he was selling raffle tickets for the Edwards Elementary Golf Bonanza.

 

            Bragging Bucks!  John Daniels bragged on the occasion of Kate Rumley’s “31^st” birthday.  David Smitherman bragged on the occasion of his daughter’s 2^nd birthday.  And, Cliff Peake bragged that we’d collected over $2,000 during the recent hunger walk.

 

            In news from the President’s desk, Yvonne reminded us about the District Rotary Foundation Banquet on 11/3/05 at the High Point Country Club.  She informed us that Chamber After Hours was tonight at the Holiday Inn Express, with food catered by Sagebrush and Mike Stone furnishing free wine.  Finally, she also invited everyone to pickup a copy of the new Jonesboro Rotary membership directory, containing all-new career codes for 2005-6 – now, everyone is simply going to be classified as either animal, vegetable, or mineral.

 

            President Yvonne then brought up a new fundraising activity, compliments of some grifters over at the Sanford Rotary Club.  As best I could tell (and I’ll admit I was getting most of my explanations from Tom Whorton and cheerleader Brittany T.), it appears to be some pyramid scheme involving the buying of miniature cars, illegal street drag racing, and selling vehicular ad space.  I can hear it now: “Well, the number 21 Prudential Sanford Real Estate Chevy was runnin’ real good out there today before we blew a tire and spun out in that inside turn over at Horner & Weatherspoon.”  While entertaining suggestions from the floor, Kim Bullard tried to insert a pork-barrel amendment abolishing the annual Rotary raffle.  Ex-secretary Randy Mann was recruited to become the commissioner of our new NASCAR-lite league.  No offense Randy, but where’s Sammy Hatley when you need him!

 

            Vern Van Bruggen won the weekly raffle.

 

            Sam Sillaman began this week’s program by noting that he enjoys visiting Jonesboro Rotary because we’re “different” from his home club, Sanford Rotary.  Note he didn’t say “better.”

 

            Sam’s program was a Dickens-style revue of the ghosts of Rotary Foundation past, present, and future.  First, he relayed the financial history of the Foundation.  Then, he passed around a flow chart that either detailed the District’s current financial involvement with the Foundation or tried to clear-up that whole car-racing fundraising thing.  Finally, he informed us that it is the goal for the District to contribute an average of $120 per member towards the Foundation.  Currently, we’re averaging around $135 per member, so you know what that means?  Refund!!

 

            Vern led us in the Four-way test and the Pledge of Allegiance, overcoming President Yvonne’s attempt to “gong” him in the process.  The meeting was then adjourned.

 

-         Neil Morris

 

We Missed You!

 

Dale Armstrong, Hubert Garner, Jimmy Keen, Richard Carlson, Howard Bokhoven, John Shontz, Richard Littiken, Susan Bailey, Bud Palmer, David Spivey, Bill LeLiever, Rob Patterson, Clint Bryan, Jay Childress, Tim Sherman, and Hal Evans