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September 25, 2007
St. Petersburg, Florida
Last Tuesday night’s Installation
Banquet was a bittersweet success, punctuated with
moments of laughter and the camaraderie among Club
members and their significant others that comes from
gatherings of people with a common purpose and shared
memories. It’s always a pleasure to see or meet Club
members’ families and friends whom we don’t see often
enough outside of occasions like this one.
The evening was well-organized and
the program as a result moved quickly and smoothly. The
food and service from wait staff at the St. Petersburg
Yacht Club were both first rate.
 After
a pleasant cocktail hour, then-President Mitch
Cochran called the assembly to order and the song
and pledge were led by Bernie Lodge as is
customary. Bernie was my date for the evening and he
fell for me. Literally. After the invocation by Cathy
Swanson, Bernie took a tumble as he returned to his
seat resulting in a collective gasp from the crowd and
many gestures of caring and concern. After a short
interval, Bernie demonstrated the courage and resolve
that has made him a member of Kiwanis for over 60 years
– he returned to his seat and finished out the evening
as the great representative of our Club he is.
President Mitch welcomed everyone
and led us through a recap of the year in which he
recognized the heads of committees and their
achievements in which, as a Club, we all took part:
o Boys & Girls Committee
led by Susan Doll donated $20,000.00 to 15 separate
charities benefiting over 1,000 kids, the most ever.
o Young Children Priority 1
led by Kathy Condon & Ron Scoggins had over 100 members
spend 485 hours serving 500+ kids by supplying
volunteers to six different projects.
o Community Services led
by Jane Baldwin & Bob Piplitz had 125 members spend 255
hours serving 445+ kids by supplying volunteers for five
different projects.
o Vocational Guidance
led by Biff Baker & J.C. Russell received over 30
applications and awarded $15,000.00 in scholarships,
both the most ever.
o Jim Fischer Scholarship
led by Bob Byelick whose committee raised over
$30,000.00 to give 25 students free college tuition.
Charles Stuart then
presented the Legion of Honor Award, which is bestowed
to those whose membership reaches or exceeds 25 years in
five year increments. This year’s recipients are Ray
Baker (30 years), Bill Rhodes (35 years),
Bud Risser (40 years), Weyman Willingham
(also 40 years) and Connie Keltner (55 years!).
Skip Carr presented the
Bernie Lodge Layperson of the Year Award to Frank
Ranieri for his contributions to the Club and his
church. There have been 41 recipients since the award’s
inception in 1967; 11 current members are recipients.
 Bob
Byelick won the Committee Chairperson of the Year
Award. Cathy Swanson also presented him with the
award plaque she received last year on our behalf from
Mayor Baker in recognition of our efforts regarding the
Jim Fischer Scholarship Fund. Cathy passed the plaque
along to Bob who noted that we had awarded scholarships
to at least 25 students.
 Lt.
Governor Terry Carr took the podium to formally
recognize the officers standing down and to install the
new officers of our Club. Formally inducted were the new
Directors: Ron Braun, Cyndi Mulligan, Dr. Ron O’Neal
and Judge Mark Shames. Charles Stuart agreed
to serve another year as Secretary/Treasurer and so Lt.
Governor Carr installed him.
 Our
new Vice Presidents were asked to come forward.
Unfortunately, none of them knew who they were,
resulting in non-VPs coming up and being turned away and
the actual VPs lagging till it could have been no one
else but them. Lorin Bridge and Bob Piplitz,
in matching “Miami Vice” casual suit wear (no collars or
ties for these men-about-town!) and too-many-martinis
grins, were formally installed as our new Vice
Presidents, much to the chagrin of the assembled members
of our Club.
 Biff
Baker was formally installed as President Elect and
Markus Mittermayr was installed and pinned as our
new President.
Lt. Governor Carr congratulated
everyone and promised support from Division 13, Florida
Kiwanis and Kiwanis International. Mitch turned the
gavel over to Markus who gave a moving speech about a
bike ride and a phone call from Cathy Swanson that
brought him to this post. He thanked Charles Stuart
and his wife, Susan Mittermayr for putting our
lovely banquet together, he presented Mitch with a Past
President plaque, all of last year’s Bulletins and a
special gift – a framed picture of Past Lt. Governor
Eddie Lee. Finally he thanked Lt. Governor Carr and his
wife for coming and adjourned the meeting.
Thank you all who were able to
attend. Your presence gave meaning and significance to
the occasion in which we witnessed together the changing
of the old guard and installation of the new. Our
collective memories of past leaders and shared
aspiration to make every year better than the last
brings to the Club a sense of purpose, goodwill and
optimism that broadens and deepens what it means to be a
Kiwanian.
Guests And Visitors
Many members brought their spouses,
other relatives and friends to our Installation Banquet,
and we were pleased to welcome our new Lt. Governor
Terry Carr and his wife.
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