2008-09 Rotary International theme: Make Dreams Real

We are Rotary club #3931.
Visit our web site: www.memphiscentralrotaryclub.org

Today’s meeting
02/13/09 – 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club Program: Tim Bolding, executive director of United Housing Program coordinator: Ray Darby

United Housing works to support the revitalization of neighborhoods in Memphis and Shelby County by providing homebuyer and financial literacy education, affordable loan products and construction services to low-to-moderate income families. Since its inception in 1994, United Housing has provided homebuyer education and counseling to over 5,000 first-time home buyers, facilitating the sale of over 1,300 homes and lending over $6 million in down payment assistance and rehabilitation loans. In total, United Housing has had a $109 million impact on its service area.

Future meetings
02/20/09 – 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club Program: Tonya Crider Program coordinator: Karen Shea
02/27/09 – 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club Program: Janice Johnson Traywick – The Rotary Foundation’s End Polio Now campaign Program coordinator: Dick Wieland
03/06/09 - 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club Program: Joe Birch, news personality, WMC-TV 5 – “Taking Back Our Neighborhoods” Program coordinator: Laura House

Note: All meeting information is provided to the newsletter editor by the Program Committee. We believe our meetings listings are current and as accurate as we have been made aware. Please contact Jean Patterson, newsletter editor, if you have update/corrections for the future meetings section.

Club members celebrating February birthdays
02/20: Doyle Lemons (on leave of absence)
02/20: Mike Robbins (on leave of absence)
02/24: Henry Francis (retired – honorary member)

Last week’s meeting
President Jack Robinson welcomed us to the 1,583^rd meeting of the club. Leroy Dahler offered the invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. President Jack reminded everyone of the February board meeting that was to be held on Monday, February 9^th at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room at R. E. Linkous’ office.

Speaking of R. E. Linkous, if you didn’t see the business section of the Commercial Appeal on Friday, Feb. 6^th, you missed a wonderful article---and huge photograph---of R. E. The article was all about the founding of Linkous Construction Company approximately 25 years ago and the impact that R. E. and his company have had, not only in the Memphis and Shelby County area, but also nation-wide. Several club members brought the newspaper in case others at the meeting hadn’t had an opportunity to see it. We are very proud of R. E. and all that he represents. He is one of the “best of the best”.

Carlton Smith raised $44.00 for Floyd’s Fund. That’s $23.00 for the club and $21.00 for the person holding ticket #674041---.Leroy Dahler. Leroy generously donated his win back to the club, resulting in a $44.00 addition to the scholarship fund. Thank you, Leroy!

Dick Wieland substituted for the missing-in-action Sgt. at Arms, Daniel Augustine who was attending a “can’t miss” business meeting. Dick was unable to find more than two club members---one of them was R.E.---who made arrangements with Dick to pay for their misses before the start of Friday’s meeting. So although he didn’t get to spin the notorious Wheel, Dick did manage to collect a substantial sum from R. E. and his cohort in not being able to make-up missed meetings (I can’t remember who the other person was!)

Jerry Daws served as the program coordinator for the week. He introduced the executive director of one of the organizations he serves, the Memphis Heritage Foundation. June West, who had visited our club in the past when she was on the program with Jerry’s daughter, Bonnie Perkins, was the speaker. June is a dynamic person and true to her reputation, she made a wonderful presentation about Memphis – Past and Present.

Memphis Heritage, Inc. (MHI) was founded in 1975 as a non-profit educational and charitable organization. Since 1975 MHI has been the voice for the preservation of the Memphis area's architectural heritage. From MHI’s efforts to save the Napoleon Hill mansion on Union Avenue to its efforts today encompassing all of Shelby County, Memphis Heritage keeps working to preserve our area's rich history.

MHI’s mission is: To educate and coordinate individuals and groups to save, improve, reuse, and maintain architecturally and historically significant buildings, open spaces, streets, neighborhoods, parks, and cultural artifacts of Shelby County, Tennessee.

One of the most interesting segments of June’s presentation was the part where she showed us a group of photographs of Memphis landmark buildings as they appeared when they were first built in the late 1800s and early part of the 20^th century. We saw the Cossitt Library as it was originally and what it is today along with plans for its future. Also in the series of photographs was Beale Street then and now; Central Station, 1913 and now; the Lincoln American Tower, 1924 and now; Goldsmith’s department store, 1950’s and the building today.

June said that in the list of U.S. cities having the most landmark buildings and home on the National Register of Historic Places, Memphis comes in at #6 with more than 11,500 buildings on the Register from our area. That’s both amazing and wonderful! Only New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Washington DC are ahead of Memphis.

Club meetings in the surrounding area
For the convenience of our members we’ve provided a list of nearby club meeting sites where we can make up our misses. Please save this list for future reference.
MONDAY
No meetings close to the Memphis area.
TUESDAY
Collierville – Noon, Ridgeway Country Club
Memphis– Noon, University Club
Olive Branch – Noon, Olive Branch Country Club, Germantown Road
Oxford– Noon, Oxford University Club, 300 North Lamar
WEDNESDAY
Germantown-- Noon, Germantown Country Club, 1780 Kimbrough
Hernando – Noon, Windy City Grille (NW side of Square)
Holly Springs – Noon, Annie’s Restaurant, 198 N. Memphis Street. Phone 662-658-2825.
Memphis East – Noon, Racquet Club, 5111 Sanderlin Dr.
Robinsonville -- 8 am, Tunica National Golf & Tennis facility, Highway 61 & Casino Strip Blvd.
THURSDAY
Bartlett/Cordova – Noon, Colonial Country Club, 2736 Countrywood Pky, Cordova
Southaven – Noon, Boiling Point Restaurant, 55 Church Rd. (near Civic Center)
Tunica – Noon, Women's Club Building, corner of River and School Streets
FRIDAY
Senatobia – 12:15 p.m., Northwest Junior College campus, Haraway Center

Are you unable to make up in person at a nearby Rotary club location? Then you may wish to consider going on-line to make up your missed meeting(s) at Rotary’s e-club one. It’s very easy to do and the variety of program topics allows you to learn a lot about other Rotary club projects worldwide in addition to business subjects and critical needs.
Make-up meetings at your convenience, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Spending 30 minutes on the website constitutes an on-line Rotary meeting. It is mandatory that your visit MUST be 30 minutes or more. Visit www.rotaryeclubone.org today!

Our mailing address

Memphis Central Rotary Club
P.O. Box 772296
Memphis TN 38177

Your individual Rotary membership number is printed on your copy of the Rotarian magazine.
Or contact our club secretary to find out your number before corresponding with Rotary International.

Honorary members of the club*
John Bennett 853-3460 *
Henry Francis 754-3405 *
Floyd McDaniel 327-2013 *
Chester Perry 685-0972*
Tidwell Semmes 767-5752 *
Henry Springer 757-9005*
Jim Vandenburg 735-7003 *