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Tuesday, March 21, 2006 No. 25 Vol. 84 Newsletter
Archive
Today’s Speaker:
Linda D. Benware ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGIATE HIGH
SCHOOL
Our program today
will be presented by Linda D. Benware, Principal of the St.
Petersburg Collegiate High School at St. Petersburg College. She will
be introduced by our Kiwanian-of-the-day Paul Renker. In January
of 2004, our speaker became the first principal of the St. Petersburg
Collegiate High school at St. Petersburg College. The school opened
this past August with 150 students in grades 10-12. The program has
been well received by the community having received over 350 applicants
for the 150 student positions. As the professional positions were
advertised, the school had more than fifty applicants for each job.
Clearly, the concept
was needed and wanted by the students, parents, and professionals
seeking new and creative opportunities to teach and learn.
At the end of the
first year of operation, SPCHS was rated as an “A” school by the Florida
Department of Education. It is listed as one of the top ten high
schools in the state. SPCHS students, parents, staff, Pinellas County
Schools and St. Petersburg College are proud of these accomplishments.
Our speaker
certainly has an excellent work experience record which makes her more
than qualified for the job of launching, guiding and directing this new
Collegiate High School. She began her teaching profession as an
elementary classroom teacher in Hillsborough and Orange counties in
1967. In 1971, for five years, Linda decided to stay at home with her
two children and in her spare time completed a Masters program for
gifted students at USF. She also served as a substitute teacher during
this time. From 1976 to 1996, our speaker worked in many different
teaching situations including the gifted child program, a Gifted Program
Resource Teacher and Supervisor, and as a Magnet Program Supervisor. In
1996, she was assigned by the Superintendent to lead the district task
force for Controlled Choice. The next year she was promoted to
principal at Tarpon Springs Middle School. In 2000, she was promoted to
principal at St. Petersburg High School, a position she held until
accepting the position of Principal of the St. Petersburg Collegiate
High School at St. Petersburg College.
Let’s give our
speaker a very warm Kiwanis welcome!
TODAY’S QUIZ:
1. Who are the first twins mentioned in the Bible? 2. In the
1984 film “The Natural,” what sport did Robert Redford’s character
play? 3. What state is known as the “Land of Ahs”? 4. Who wrote
the first draft of the Declaration of Independence? 5. What former
U.S. president was known as The People’s President?
LAST WEEK AT
KIWANIS
Our program last week was ably presented by Ahmed Bedier,
Director of the Central Florida Council on American/Islamic Relations.
He was introduced by our Kiwanian-of-the-day Charles Stuart. Our
speaker began his presentation by stating the importance of
concentrating on children as we do in Kiwanis as children are our
future. Ahmed sees obstacles as opportunities to better clarify the
difference between what is being said and what is being done. We all
have to look for positive things in our relationships and we all must
denounce terrorism. All people have an agenda, whether it is our
security or our feelings about other people. Our society has the
problem of labeling people which makes it much more difficult to analyze
them as individuals.
Our speaker asked
our club members what they thought whenever Islam is mentioned.
Strangely, no one mentioned the degradation of women. He then asked the
club members to imagine what it is like to be a Moslem in America.
Stereotyping individuals has caused many Americans to harbor anti-Islam
feelings. Ahmed stated his purpose in his work is to try and advocate
on behalf of the American Islamic people. Certain groups of people
exploit things to help achieve their own ends. It tends to dehumanize
the minority group. Bin Laden, according to Ahmed, has nothing to do
with his faith. As a result, the community should not hold the Muslim
community responsible for the actions of the terrorists who have taken
the Koran out of context. As a result, our speaker claims that we have
more in common than we have in differences. On 9/11m Bin Laden launched
a war on the United States and the world is getting less and less safe.
Our speaker stressed that we all need to spread the positive message on
Islam, and that is that the majority of the Islamic community wants what
we all want, and that is world peace. Many thanks to Charles for
bringing this most interesting and informative speaker to our
attention.
ROB JOHNSON GIVES
3-MINUTE SPEECH
After securing his required fifty member signatures on his Kiwanis
Apron, Rob told about his twenty years in the Air Force as a Personnel
Officer. Obviously, a lot of his service time was spent oversees as he
married his wife from Finland and he ended his tour based in Germany.
He is in the real estate business with a ReMax office which serves
Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. He is please to be a
Kiwanian and we want to see that he gets active on one of our
committees.
HORSES FOR
HANDICAPPED RECEIVES DOLLARS
Boys and Girls Committeeman Lorin Bridge presented a Youth
Investment Shares check in the amount of $1500.00 to Gene Harris of the
Seminole Club. These dollars will be used to help support this on-going
Division project. This is another fine example of your YIS dollars at
work!
INTERCLUB NEWS
Charles Kaniss, Jack Collins, Jim Lyle, Ed Lillich and Bruce
McKelvey all attended an interclub with the Seminole Breakfast club last
Tuesday morning. They have earned their stars for an interclub
attendance. Have you earned YOURS yet?
YIS PLEDGES GROW
President Cathy announced that as a result of Bob Byelick’s great
promotion of increasing YIS pledges, the total has grown by over $3,000
in one week. If you have not turned in your pledge card, please do so
as soon as possible so a final tally can be made.
RONALD MCDONALD
SUPPERS WELL RECEIVED
President Cathy announced that the suppers put on by the Community
Service Committee at two McDonald houses last week were well received.
She thanked all of the members who provided the necessary support to
make this project such a huge success. This is what Kiwanis is all
about!
VISITORS AND GUESTS
We had a large number of visitors to our meeting last week. Ken
Feck was the guest of Cathy Swanson and Hunter Booth was the guest of
Worth Blackwell. Former member Dexter McCree was the guest of Candace
DeSam and Bob Byelick brought Courtnay Marshall. Angie Boswell was the
guest of Debbie Deeb and Rich Carpenter was the guest of Doug Lampe.
Lt. Governor Ray Watson, Gene Harris and his wife Pat from the Seminole
Club, and Lee Walters from the Seminole Breakfast Club were all in
attendance. Also, Rod Scharber walked in as a result of surfing on the
web and he saw our Kiwanis website and was interested in what we were
doing. Welcome one and all. Please visit with us again!
COMMUNITY SERVICE
COMMITTEE PROJECT ANNOUNCED
Bill Holloway, a member of the Community Service Committee
announced a fix up work day at Mt. Zion school which will involve
drywall, some carpentry and painting. This is scheduled for Saturday,
March 25th. A sign-up sheet is being passed around. Get out
your old clothes and you will have a ball. You will see Kiwanis at
work!
MIRACLE FIELD
DEDICATION SET
The dedication of Miracle Field will be held on Saturday, March 25th.
All Kiwanians from Division 13 are urged to attend this most auspicious
occasion. Matt Silverman has been invited by the Gulf Beaches
club to throw out the first pitch in the dedication of the baseball
field for handicapped children. All Kiwanians from Division 13 are
invited to participate in this gala event. Plan now to attend.
“MARCH MADNESS”
SOCIAL ANNOUNCED
Social Committee member Doug Lampe announced a big “March Madness”
event will be held at Billy’s Restaurant on Tierra Verde on April 1st,
beginning at 5:30 p.m. Cost will be $20.00 per person which will
provide two drinks and an appetizer. In addition, meals can be ordered
if desired. Also, the Final Four basketball tournament will be underway
and should add excitement to the evening’s activities. A sign-up sheet
is being passed around. Plan now on taking your significant other.
They won’t be mad.
AUCTION ITEMS NEEDED FOR JIM FISCHER BASH
A Silent Auction will be held in conjunction with the
annual Jim Fischer Birthday Bash which is scheduled for June 10th
at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Members are being asked to secure
donated items from baskets to any large ticket items to help raise
additional dollars for the Jim Fischer Scholarships. Contact either
John or big Al for details. Here is another way you can help make this
year’s bash an even bigger success!
INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTION SET FOR MONTREAL
The upcoming Kiwanis International Convention is scheduled for
Montreal on June 28 to July 2, 2006. Members who go on the junket do
not have to attend any of the scheduled meetings at the convention
unless they want to as the club has two designated representatives in
the form of President Cathy and President-elect Mitch. A good time for
all attendees is assured. President-elect Mitch will take the entire
group from our club to dinner at least one time during the convention.
So, start making your plans to attend NOW. June 28 is not far off.
SAVE THE DATE
Our Guest Speaker from January, Dr. Ginger Baber has invited our members
to the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African
American Museum on April 7th at 6 p.m. The ceremony will be at 2240 9th
Ave. So. in Historic Jordan Park
PRAYER OF THE
DAY:
O Eternal God, through whose mighty power our fathers won their
liberties of old, grant, we beseech thee, that we, the people of this
land, may have grace to maintain those liberties in righteousness and
peace. Through obedience of thy law may we show forth thy praise among
the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity, fill our hearts with
thankfulness, and in the day of trouble suffer not our trust in thee to
fail Amen.
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:
1. The liver is the largest internal organ of the human
body. 2. Martha Jane Cannary’s nickname was Calamity Jane.
3. The first adhesive U.S. postage stamp went on sale in 1847.
4. Richard Nixon was Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vice president.
5. New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment.
SIGN ON A COMPUTER
STORE – Out for a quick byte
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