Today's program  
 11:45 a.m. at Chickasaw Country Club.  Sally Shy will speak on “Corporate Etiquette”.  Laura House is program coordinator.

Future programs    
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.
03/24/06:       11:45 a.m. at Chickasaw Country Club.  Jodie Vance, publisher of theDowntowner magazine is the speaker.  Laura House 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 askedto host the team.   GSE team members represent several professions:  pharmacist, banker, lawyer, software developer and a general manager for a city construction company.  ContactDick Wielandif 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’sJean Patterson has been asked by District Governor Vijay to serve again as chair of the silent auction.


News from Wesley Tomlinson
It’s difficult to believe, but it was just a year ago that our friend and club member,WesleyTomlinson, took an extended leave of absence from our club in order to follow God’s plan for her life to be a missionary in Costa Rica.  Several of us are on Wesley’s e-mail list to receive periodic updates about the work in Central America.  The following is an excerpt from Wesley’s latest mission letter.  If you would like to be included in future mailings, please contact Wesley at:  wesleycostarica@msn.com

        I hope this message finds you all doing well and enjoying the possibilities of the New Year!  I was able to spend some additional time at home during the holidays due to a change in team scheduling here.  This was such a blessing because I was able to be home for my dad’s surgery at the end of January.  He is home and doing well, and very impatient to be back to “normal”, whatever that may be.  I was able to spend lots of quality time with my family, especially my precious nephews.  While I was home, I also had the opportunity to talk to Mrs. Johnson’s 3rd grade class at Christ United Methodist Day School.  They have been studying about Costa Rica which will be the honored country during Memphis in May this year.  The kids were already very knowledgeable about the country and asked great questions.  Now I am gearing up for a busy spring season of hosting teams and traveling.  I will be hosting a team from my home church, Germantown United Methodist, February 24-March 6.  We will work with a local church in an inner-city area called Pavas.  Look for pictures and stories in my next newsletter!   Stay tuned for news about the exciting things God is doing here in Costa Rica!  

Last week’s meeting
The meeting was called to order by PresidentJohn May.  Bert Canfield gave the invocation and led us in the pledge of allegiance.

Rod Ashley introduced several guests and visitors includingMartha Rutherford, guest of husband and club memberGary; Charlotte Neal, guest of husband and club memberBob;Rosemary Ballinger, also a guest ofBob Neal;Lisa Roberts (a member of the Memphis East Rotary Club), guest ofJay Hudson;Ray Darby, new president of Junior Achievement and former Rotarian in Ohio, guest of Rick James:also visiting were University of Memphis staffStephanie Beasley, Jeremy Dennisand Rosemary Mansik.  

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 (again!) that he is looking for several more volunteers in addition toJeff 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.
       
        Carlton Smith reported on the committee meeting at Sheffield High School, our club’s adopted school.  Carlton is excited and enthusiastic about the possibilities for the continued success of our partnership with the school.  The Wal-Mart Corporation remains a vital co-adopter with our club.  

Sgt. at Arms Rick James,back on the job and in fine fettle was able to work out secret deals with a couple of our members before the meeting started.  When his turn came during the meeting to spin the wheel, he worked hard to get an “X” to double the fine, but unfortunately the Wheel did not cooperate.  He did manage to get the marker to land on a “$4.00” fine.  Several members includingLaura House,Al Hollingsworth, Randolph Reeves, Jay Hudson and the sergeant himself,Rick, visited the treasurer’s table to pay their fines.
 


Gordon Wilson conducted the Floyd’s Fund drawing.  There was $72.00 in the pot---$36.00 for the Scholarship Fund and $36.00 for the person holding the lucky ticket.  For the second week in a row, that person wasCarlton Smith who (again) promptly donated his winnings back to the club.  Thanks, Carlton, for your generosity!

We welcomedDr. Shirley Raines, president, the Universityof Memphis.  Chris McDermott introduced Dr. Raines and recalled that after she spoke to our group on her first visit to the club, she received a standing ovation!  Dr. Raines is one of only several speakers to generate such a response.  Her second visit to our club garnered another standing ovation for Dr. Raines at the conclusion of the program.

  We learned from Chris’ opening remarks that 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

        Dr. Raines shared the University of Memphis vision:  to be recognized as one of America’s great metropolitan research universities.  The university hopes to make its vision a reality by 2012, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the school.

        Fast facts:  current enrollment is 20,465.  The budget is $326 million.  Economic impact to the Memphis metropolitan area:  $1.43 billion annually.  5,836 scholarships were awarded in 2005 totaling $16,512,106!
                 
        On the horizon:  the new Millington Center will facilitate 4,600 students.  $5 million must be raised to obtain a $46 million grant from the U.S. government to renovate the University Law School which is slated to be moved to the beautiful building downtown that formerly housed the Memphis post office headquarters and prior to that, the customs house.

        Dr. Raines concluded her remarks by reminding us that the President’s mission at the University of Memphis is to generate resources, manage expenditures and maintain the reserves.  

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               Jay Hudson  529-3632                          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     
 Laura House 323-6216            *Chester Perry 685-0972  
                                                      Andy Peters 821-4145      
                                                      Marty Petrusek 755-5945   
    * Honorary member          
**On leave of absence