2009-10 Rotary International theme: The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

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

The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair. All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom and leadership — the American worker.

Future meetings
09/11/09: 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club – Program: Judge Kay Robilio talks about our changing times
Program coordinator: Laura House
09/18/09: 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club – Program: Club assembly
Program coordinator: President Ray Darby
09/25/09: 11:45 a.m. – Chickasaw Country Club – Program: Arthur Oliver, senior vice-president, Sun Trust Bank. Topic: tour in Afghanistan Program coordinator: John May

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.

Memphis Central Rotary Archive Project
Do you have a part of our club's history? After 35 years, our club has accumulated a lot of history and most of it is spread around among various members. Jerry Daws recently started an effort to convert our historical records, pictures and memorabilia into digital format. If you have a part of our club's history stored away, will you share it with the club? We'd like to borrow your pictures and documents to scan so that our history can be preserved and shared. Please see Jerry Daws or Ray Darby for more information.

Since we are not holding a meeting this week, coverage of last week's meeting will be included in the next issue of the Rotarian. Be sure to read this section next week because it will contain important and informative information!

September is designated as Literacy Month by the Rotary Club of Memphis Central.

We ask that each club member be responsible for donating a minimum of $25.00 for this project. We understand that the country is in the midst of an economic downturn (recession) but hope that everyone will be able to “go the extra Rotary mile” to help us with this extremely important project.

Checks (or cash) will be collected at each meeting in September and into October. Please make your check payable to “the Rotary Club of Memphis Central Foundation” and give your donation to club treasurer Bill Eddings who is also a member of the Literacy Committee.

Literacy Chair Jean Patterson and committee members Bill Eddings, Tom Michael, Randolph Reeves and Gordon Wilson encourage you to participate in this important fund-raising project! Remember, if someone had not taught you how to read, the messages in the newsletter would look something like this: XVUWPOEN XUEOP WAMP97A

Donations collected during Literacy Month in September will be given to the Memphis Literacy Foundation and toward our Rotary District 6800 Dictionary project..

Club members celebrating September birthdays
09/13: Larry Conn (CVM Law Group)
09/17: Tom Michael (Financial Federal)
09/17: Jean Patterson (American Contract Bridge League)
09/27: Randolph Reeves (Memphis Gemology Lab)
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
Rotary Club of Memphis Sunrise – 7:30 a.m., Crescent Club, 6075 Poplar
West Memphis, Noon, Southland Greyhound Park
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, First Regional Library (NW side adjacent to the Square) – catered lunch
Holly Springs – Noon, Annie's Restaurant, 198 N. Memphis Street. Phone 662-658-2825.
Marion, Arkansas – Noon, The Cedars, 200 Washington Ave.
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 *