Vol. 31, No.  31       March 3, 2006       Meeting 1456              Editor: Jean Patterson    

Today's program  
03/03/06:        11:45 a.m. at Chickasaw Country Club.  Dr. Shirley C. Raines, president, the University
                                of Memphis.  Laura House is program coordinator.
        We welcome Dr. Raines as she returns to visit and speak to our Rotary club.  Dr. Raines is the 11th president of the University of Memphis and is the first woman to hold the office.  
        Dr. Raines earned her doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville.  Major themes of her higher education leadership have been interdisciplinary research, improving teaching, retention and graduation rates and building partnerships on and off the campus.  We look forward to Dr. Raines' message!

Future programs    
03/10/06:        11:45 a.m. at Chickasaw Country Club.  Sally Shy will speak on “Corporate Etiquette”.  Laura House is program coordinator.
03/17/06:        11:45 a.m. at Chickasaw Country Club.  Dr. Harvey Cook of Merrill Lynch is the speaker.  Bill Eddings is program coordinator.

Important dates to keep in mind
04/13-04/14-04/15:        GSE team from southern Germany will visit Memphis.  Our club has been asked to host the team.   GSE team members represent several professions:  pharmacist, banker, lawyer, software developer and a general manager for a city construction company.  Contact Dick Wieland if you would like to serve as a host or help coordinate the GSE team visit.  (Alternate dates for the GSE visit are April 27-28-29.)

04/21-04/22:        District Conference.   Memphis Hilton.  The sponsoring organization is the Germantown Rotary Club.  Our club’s Jean Patterson has been asked by District Governor Vijay to serve again as chair of the silent auction.

Last week’s meeting
The meeting was called to order by President John May.  Jack Robinson gave the invocation and led us in the pledge of allegiance.

Lee Whipple introduced several guests and visitors including Homer Bunker of the Memphis East Rotary club, Ricky Clark, guest of Laura House and Yvonne Siemmer, also one of Laura’s guests.  

Several announcements were made including a reminder about the upcoming Rotary District Conference. Our regularly-scheduled meeting will not be held at Chickasaw on Friday, April 21.  Instead, our members will meet that day at the Memphis Hilton to join other Rotarians at the District conference luncheon.

Dick Wieland reported that he is looking for several more volunteers in addition to Jeff Jones and himself to serve as hosts for the GSE team from Germany who will be visiting our District on April 13 and 14.  If you feel led to help with this project, please contact Dick at 322-8630.

David Luiken announced a possible new fund-raiser for our club.  This would be a project in addition to the annual golf tournament and Christmas party and silent auction.  It has been proposed that the club sell an ice cream novelty item at one or more existing local festivals.  David has volunteered to provide technical assistance drawing on his expertise in the ice cream market.  We need several newer club members to volunteer to work with a couple of long-term members to develop a recommendation pertaining to project cost, administration and projected revenues.  We encourage you to contact President John if you are interested in serving on the new committee.

Tom Michael had his day in the sun when he was asked to substitute for the absent Rick James as the club’s sergeant-at-arms.  You really missed a scene to behold if you weren’t at the meeting.  Tom gleefully rolled up his sleeves and got to work as the sergeant-at-arms.  He found several members to pay the $5.00 fine that he spun on the Wheel.  As Tom said, “I’ve waited 23 years for this opportunity.  I’ve served in many capacities in this club but no one ever let me be the sergeant-at-arms until now!”  Harvey Marcom, Bill Matthews. Mike Robbins, Jack Robinson and Dick Wieland made their way to the treasurer’s table to pay their fines after Tom did his best to “beat the bushes” for more wheel infractions.      

President John invited Jean Patterson to the head table to share with the club her whereabouts for the past two weeks.  First, Jean reported that her husband, Jim, had taken his varsity girls’ basketball team to the Mississippi state basketball tournament in Jackson, MS for the 25th consecutive year.  Jim is coach and athletic director at Magnolia Heights School, a private school of approximately 1000 students located in Senatobia, MS.  Jim’s team compiled an excellent record this year---37-3---and advanced to the MPSA (Mississippi Private School Association) state championships.  The team beat several opponents at the tournament before finally losing in double overtime when a girl on the other team made good a 3-point shot at the buzzer.

Second, and more importantly, Jean reported the arrival of her first grandchild, a little boy named Max Caldwell King, on February 7.  Max is the first child for Jean’s daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Jon.  Max was due on March 19 but he evidently didn’t want to wait until then to make his debut into the world.  He arrived on February 7 at 5:25 a.m. and weighed 5 pounds 6 ounces and was 18 inches in length.  Max and parents left the hospital several days later and the family is now happy at their home in Columbia, TN.  (Please note:  Jean paid our treasurer dearly for these “bragging rights” at Friday’s meeting!)
       
Finally, Gordon Wilson conducted the Floyd’s Fund drawing.  There was $68.00 in the pot---$34.00 for the Scholarship Fund and $34.00 for the person holding the lucky ticket.  That was Carlton Smith who promptly donated his winnings back to the club.  Thanks, Carlton, for your generosity!

E. Winslow "Buddy" Chapman, the new director of Crime Stoppers was the speaker.  He said that  Crime Stoppers of Memphis and Shelby County, Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, non-discriminatory public service project that rewards citizens for helping the police stop or solve crimes.  The Memphis organization is part of an international network of similar programs in hundreds of cities all over the world.

Crime Stoppers of Memphis has a 24-hour-a-day hotline in a special room in the Criminal Justice Center to receive anonymous tips about crimes and criminals.  A reward fund has been built from tax-deductible gifts that are solicited and collected from public-spirited individuals, companies, clubs and associations.

Chapman said that $90,000 in funds from the City/County government has been eliminated from the program.  It is important for private citizens and companies to consider including Crime Stoppers in their charitable giving.

Chapman said that if we took only two concepts away from Friday’s program, it would be these:  First,  think about the racial division in the city of Memphis and what we can do to eliminate it.  And, second, consider that “we will not accept crime”.
                   
Club meetings in the surrounding area    
For the convenience of our members we’re providing an updated list of nearby club meetings 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 **note:  this is a new location    
Memphis– Noon, Cook Convention Center  
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,  the Magnolia Restaurant, 131 Commerce  
Holly Springs – Noon, Christopher’s  Personal Care Home, 885 Highway 178E    
Memphis East – Noon, Racquet Club,  5111 Sanderlin Dr.  
Robinsonville -- 8 am, Hollywood Diner, Old Highway 61      
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      

Club roster    
Rod Ashley 363-6000                     Laura House 323-6216                           Mike Robbins  363-5880
L.D. Beard  369-9642                       Rick James  362-3492 X27                       Randolph Reeves  681-0507  
John Bennett 853-3460                   Jeff Jones  853-8109                                     Jack Robinson  213-3993          
Yves Calvert 767-8776                      Doyle Lemons 756-6536                               Gary Rutherford  753-7957  
Bert Canfield 634-2730                     R.E. Linkous 754-0700                             Mabel Rutherford  755-3815  
Larry  Conn 682-1800                            David Luiken  382-3823                         *Tidwell Semmes  767-5752    
Jim Crone 754-0777                         Harvey Marcom 761-2016                       John Shepherd  850-1061  
Leroy Dahler 362-9700                          Bill Matthews  345-5650                         Carlton Smith  690-1203    
Fred Davis  761-9486                             John May 259-3631                             *Henry Springer  757-9005    
 Jerry Daws 757-8578                              Floyd McDaniel  327-2013                          Jack Springer  681-0025        
Bill Eddings 386-3182                              Chris McDermott   377-1000                 *Jim Vandenburg  735-7003  
Pedro Fernandez  568-1575                   Tom Michael  759-2143                           Lee Whipple  755-8350  
*Henry Francis 754-3405                       Bob Neal  685-7772                           Dick Wieland  322-8630            
**Doc Harris 662-429-4551                   **Don Palmer 662-429-1542                     Gordon Wilson  678-4101  
 Al Hollingsworth 767-3600                  Jean  Patterson 332-5586, Ext. 1295      
Jay Hudson 529-3632                    *Chester Perry 685-0972  
                                Andy Peters 821-4145      
                                Marty Petrusek 755-5945    
* Honorary member          
** On leave of absence