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BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2007-2008 President,
Gary Wieskamp
; President Elect; Directors: Karen Diercks; Dennis McDonald, Mary Wildermuth, Tim Nelson, John Schwandke. Past President:
Dale Lucht
, S; Treasurer: Randy Ludke, GS; Secretary
Ann Moody,G(2)S
www.muscatinerotary.org
Governor, District 6000: Diana Reed, Des Moines, Iowa.
Rotary International President: Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, Trenton, Ontario, Canada.
THE BIG STORY
No meeting on February 18th. It was my Dad's birthday (he would be 108), but the rest of the country is celebrating President's Day.
Tom Spread is Program Chair for February.
THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM
John Beckey, president of the Muscatine Welfare Association is going to give us an update on their projects.
LAST WEEK'S PROGRAM
Nancy and Bob Varner, who operate the bed and breakfast in the cabooose at Montpelier, told us about their infection by Pump Organs. Somehow or another, they became fascinated by them and wound up buying lots of them, repairing them, and then giving them to their children and selling them to others. They gave us a brief history of these "reed organs" or "parlor organs" - what they cost brand new and how they are restored. Nancy played our opening song on a child's reed organ.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Katrien Pairoux from Belgium told us about an upcoming performance by "Up With People," an organization of young performers who are coming to Muscatine, courtesy of HNI. They will perform on February 26 and need people to provide 110 beds for performers to sleep in while they are in town (Feb 24th - 27th) for their four-part program (international participation; global travel; community impact; and education). If you have a spare bedroom or two and would like to host some utterly charming young people, contact Katrien at 563-272-7222 or email her at kpairoux@upwithpeople.org - you can learn more a www.upwithpeople.org, which is their web site.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Success never rests. On your worst days be good. On your best days be great. And on every other day, get better.
UPCOMING ROTARY PROGRAMS
February 18 - No Meeting
February 25 - Dave Moritz - Muscatine Boat Show "That Was Then, This is Now."
Tom Williams is chair for March.
March 3 Two recipients of the Stanley Explorer Awards will provide information on their educational trips taken last summer. Rachelle Schneider, an ESL teacher at Madison Elementary School who visited Africa, and Kathy Haltmeyer, a special education teacher at MHS who studied in Italy.
March 10 Sal LaBianco will present an update from Muscatine Power and Water.
March 17 Mary Rose Peterschmidt will provide an update on the proposed "Zoo Garden" for Week Park.
March 24 Troy Dannen, Executive Director of the Iowa High School Girl's Athletic Union will provide an update on the role of the Union and an update on Girl's activities in the State of Iowa
March 31 Judy Jeffrey, Director of the Iowa Department of Education will provide an update on educational issues in the State of Iowa.
GUESTS
Brian Dollinger, Walter Conlon, and Jan Mltosz Zarzycki - Ryan Stacy
Bret Lewison and Katrien Pairoux - Gary Carlson
Amanda Lee - Gladys Reif
Students - Lum & Cheri Liu
SONG LEADERS
February - Carlin Lawhead
March - Ann Meeker
April - Diana Gradert
May - Norm Smith
June - Harvey Allbee, Jr.
NEW MEMBER INDUCTED
Craig Bode came to the front of the room to be inducted. Craig is a physical therapist from Algona and works at Rock Valley Physical Therapy. Craig looks forward to serving Muscatine through Rotary.
TODAY'S ROTARY MOMENT
February is designated World Understanding Month on the Rotary Calendar. The month also includes the anniversary of the first meeting of Rotary held on February 23, 1905, now designated as World Understanding and Peace Day.
HAPPY NEWS
Frank Kelly was happy to report a successful surgery at the Mayo Clinic.
Jim Stein was thrilled to report the birth of a new grandson: Saxby James Stein.
Mike Ruby cheated the orthopedic surgeons again. He went skiing with a bunch of Rotarians and came home without a cast or crutches.
Roger Lande was glad to talk about Eli Manning's mom.
BRIGHTENER
An old country preacher had a teenage son, and it was getting time the boy should give some thought to choosing a profession.
Like many young men, the boy didn't really know what he wanted to do, and he didn't seem to concerned about it.
One day, while the boy was away to school, his father decided to try an experiment. He went into the boy's room and placed on his study table four objects:
A bible
A silver dollar
A bottle of whisky
And a "Playboy" magazine
"I"ll just hide behind the door", the old preacher said to himself. "When he comes home from school this afternoon, I'll see which object he picks up. If it's the bible, he's going to be a preacher like me and what a blessing that would be! If he picks up the dollar, he's going to be a business man, and that would be okay, too. But if he picks up the bottle, he's going to be a no-good drunkard, and Lord, what a shame that would be. And worst of all if he picks up that magazine he's going to be a skirt-chasing bum."
The old man waited anxiously, and soon heard his son's foot-steps as he entered the house whistling and headed for his room.
The boy tossed his books on the bed, and as he turned to leave the room he spotted the objects on the table. With curiosity in his eye, he walked over to inspect them. Finally, he picked up the Bible and placed it under his arm. He picked up the silver dollar and dropped into his pocket. He uncorked the bottle and took a big drink while he admired this month's centerfold.
"Lord have mercy," the old preacher disgustedly whispered. "He's gonna run for Congress."
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The welfare of each, is bound up in the welfare of all.
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