Memphis Central Rotarian

Vol. 31, No.  44      Meeting No. 1468        June 16, 2006         Editor: Jean Patterson    

Today’s meeting
11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club.   Ronald Baldridge, motivational speaker, will head the program.  Bob Neal is the coordinator.

RONALD BALDRIDGE was a member of the Gangster Disciples at the age of 14. He wanted quick money and power. He lived fast and hard, selling weed and coke. Skipping school. Stealing. Then it happened. When he was 17, he was shot during a robbery and became a paraplegic. This just made him mad at the world. Even then, he continued his gang activities. He was shot five more times, endured 21 operations and attempted suicide three times.

Through all of his arrests and hospital stays, there was a cop, a Memphis Police Officer, who wouldn’t go away. He was the first officer on the scene when he was shot the first time. He testified against him. A few months went by and the officer headed into an alley where a kid had been shot. Yes, it was the same kid. About a year later, the police officer responded to a call of a dice game gone bad.  Someone was shot. It was the same kid. This time the officer gave the kid his card.

And a funny thing happened. The kid kept the card and then used it. This was the beginning of a life changed. It didn’t change overnight, but it was a beginning.  Baldridge started going to church with the officer and was baptized.

In 1998, Baldridge became an Auxiliary Probation Officer with Juvenile Court. He supervises juveniles on court-ordered probation. From the onset, he was nothing short of remarkable. He actively supervises at least two probationers at all times. He takes on the most difficult and troubled young people and will not turn any case down. He is passionate about diverting any young person from making the poor choices he did.

He uses himself as an example of what a life of violence and drugs can do to a man. Baldridge’s performance is incredible due to the fact that he is in a wheelchair and is in constant pain. He says that God has been very good to him by allowing him to live and he feels very lucky to be able to give something back.

Future programs
06/23/06:  NO MEETING!  (Chickasaw Country Club will be closed today.)  The excursion to the Memphis Zoo that was originally planned for this date will be rescheduled later in September or October (cooler weather).
06/30/06:  11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club.  NO MEETING!  Fourth of July weekend.
07/07/06: 11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club.   Tony Kelly & David Sharek talk about investing in Asia.  Laura House is the coordinator.
07/14/06:  11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club.  John May passes the gavel to Jim Crone.
07/21/06:  11:45 a.m. Chickasaw Country Club.  Shelby County Mayor A. C. Wharton.  Laura House and Chris McDermott, coordinators.

 July Board meeting

The board of directors meeting in July will be held on Monday, July 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the conference room at R. E. Linkous’ office (1715 Aaron Brenner Drive, Suite 312).  All board members and officers from the 2005-2006 Rotary year and the new slate of board members and officers for the new Rotary year, 2006-2007 should plan to attend this transitional meeting.  All club members are invited to attend as well.  This is a great opportunity to make up any missed meetings you may have.  

From inside the vault  

        Thirty years ago:  July 23, 1976:  Ed Hermann reminded us of the importance of attending Whitehaven Rotary (editor’s note: this was our club’s original name) meetings or, if unable to do so, “making up”.  Ed suggested that we all take a good look at our present Rotary Wheel, where the range of fines for non-attendance runs from 25 cents to $2.00.  “Don’t be surprised,” said Ed, “when in the near future you see that inflation has hit the wheel!”

        August 6, 1976:  James Fri, Rotarian and president of River City Oil Company in Memphis, addressed the club regarding the energy problems we face today.  Jim pointed out how the energy situation affects our lifestyle; the drastic shortage of natural gas is beginning to affect even those process industries dependent upon it.  We may have to change---the West Germans use only about one-half as much per capita and have a good life.  Causes of the problem are more people, more uses and a policy which stimulates use and inhibits search.  Oil imports are rising---up to 40% today.  

        . . . .As an example of free enterprise at work, Jim told us about the Alaska pipeline, eventually expected to supply 2,000,000 barrels a day.  Great problems face this project:  the fragile environment, extreme weather, earthquakes, often-frozen supply routes and chill factors down to 115 degrees below zero.  But the wells are ready to go and next year should see the flow begin from the estimated 10 billion-barrel field.  

(editor’s note, 2006: Built in the 1970s after oil was discovered at Prudhoe Bay (1968), the 48-inch diameter, 800-mile pipeline links Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean with the terminal at Valdez, the northernmost ice-free port in the Western Hemisphere. As of 2005, the flow from this pipeline accounts for roughly 20 percent of U.S. oil production annually.)

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
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                                Jack Robinson  213-3993                                  
L.D. Beard  369-9642                                        Gary Rutherford  753-7957                    
John Bennett 853-3460                                                      Mabel Rutherford  755-3815    
Yves Calvert 767-8776                                      Tidwell Semmes  767-5752 *    
Bert Canfield 634-2730                                                  John Shepherd  850-1061  
Jim Crone 754-0777                                                  Carlton Smith  690-1203    
Leroy Dahler 362-9700                                                Henry Springer  757-9005*
Ray Darby  366-7800                                 Jack Springer  681-0025        
Fred Davis  761-9486                                                      Jim Vandenburg  735-7003 *        
Jerry Daws 757-8578                                                         Lee Whipple  755-8350  
Bill Eddings 386-3182                                                     Dick Wieland  322-8630
Pedro Fernandez  568-1575                                Gordon Wilson  678-4101  
DeeDee Fowler  485-1678
Henry Francis 754-3405 *                                                      
Doc Harris 662-429-4551**                          
Al Hollingsworth 767-3600          
Laura House 323-6216            
Jay Hudson  529-3632                                                                                        
Rick James  362-3492 X27            
Jeff Jones  853-8109                                                                                                    
Doyle Lemons 756-6536                            
R.E. Linkous 754-0700
David Luiken  382-3823
Harvey Marcom 761-2016
Bill Matthews  345-5650
John May 259-3631
Floyd McDaniel  327-2013  
Chris McDermott   377-1000
Tom Michael  759-2143                        
Bob Neal  685-7772
Don Palmer 662-429-1542**
Jean  Patterson 332-5586, Ext. 1295      
Chester Perry 685-0972*  
Marty Petrusek 755-5945
Andy Peters 821-4145  
Mike Robbins  363-5880
Randolph Reeves  681-0507  


* Honorary member        ** On leave of absence