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Tuesday, December 12, 2006 No. 11 Vol. 85
Today’s Speaker: Ken Burke, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Pinellas
County
Many citizens have used or will use the offices of The Clerk of the
Circuit Court at some point in their life to pay a traffic ticket, file
a pleading, record a property deed, settle an estate, look up public
information, serve on a jury; pick up a child support check or obtain a
marriage license. The Clerk of the Circuit Court manages all courthouse
records, a local budget of approximately $12 million and about 600
employees.
The Florida Constitution established a
Clerk of the Circuit Court as an elected public trustee in 1838 and
established at the county level a system of checks and balances that has
served the public well. The Clerk’s Office has always been the “hub”
around which each County’s government operates.
Over the years the Clerk has assumed more than 1,000 individual
statutory duties as delegated by the Florida Legislature. These duties
affect the rights and property of all Pinellas County citizens.
Ken Burke, a native Floridian, was elected by Pinellas County voters
to serve as Clerk of the Circuit Court in November 2004 and was sworn in
on January 4, 2005.
Ken's credentials as a CPA, a law firm administrator and college
board president are well-matched to the duties of the Clerk's Office.
Since assuming office, Ken has been elected by his fellow clerks to the
statewide Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC), which is the
board created by the Legislature to approve the Clerks' court related
budget. Chief Justice Pariente invited Ken to participate in the Florida
Supreme Court's 'Access to Justice' to improve access to the courts by
pro se litigants; and to serve on a committee to review the Supreme
Court's judicial plan.
In 1999, Ken was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to serve on the Board
of Trustees of St. Petersburg College. Ken was elected to the
Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Board of Directors in
2001 and currently serves as Chair of the Association.
His long record of civic involvement includes serving as President of
the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, Vice President of Government Affairs for
the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, Government Chairman for the
All Children's Hospital Development Council, President of the Kiwanis
Club of Seminole and President of the St. Petersburg Jr. College Alumni
Association.
Active in the Republican Party, he is a member of the Pinellas County
Republican Party executive committee. He was a delegate to the National
Republican convention that nominated President George Bush in 1992.
Presently, Ken Burke serves as president of Catholic Charities
Housing Corporation for the diocese of St. Petersburg and on the Board
of Governors of Catholic Charities. His community named Ken "Mr.
Seminole" in 1999 in recognition of his civic contribution.
He and his wife, Cecilia Reese, have three children - Catherine,
Patrick and Brendan.
Welcome, Ken! We’re glad to hear from a fellow Kiwanian who has
exercised such leadership and done so much for our community.
What’s Happening?
Community Service Meeting Yields Leads and
Needs
Bob Piplitz reports that last week’s community service meeting was
productive and enjoyable, not just for the company, but for the
chocolate cake as well! Attended by Candice Nyarkoh, Kevin Kelso, Steve
Cunningham, Pat Biscotti, Angie Boswell, Cindy Mulligan and Bob Piplitz
and hosted by Jane Baldwin, the following decisions were made:
ü
Jane will continue to look for volunteers for St. Pete's First
Night event at our weekly meetings
ü
Pat and Kevin will collaborate to come up with a project
involving CASA for the first quarter 2007
ü
Cindy look into a Easter egg hunt/party for Sallie House on
4/7/07 (this is the day designated by Kiwanis International as "Kiwanis
One Day" where every Kiwanis club has a project on the same day)
ü
Bob will organize the Blue's Fest event on May 4th, 5th, & 6th
ü
Jane will enlist support for the All Children's telethon in the
summer and coordinate the Happy Workers Book Fair in the fall
ü
Pat will look into a joint event with the Beaches Kiwanis to
support Miracle Field
ü
Cindy will research event possibilities with the Pioneer
Settlement Camp.
ü
Lorin Bridge will wear his "Santa" costume to next week's lunch
meeting.
In addition, all members are encouraged to consider ways our Club can
participate in the Special Olympics and to find kids’ facilities that
may be in need of repairs or a coat of paint.
Help Create Happy Holiday Memories for a Foster Child
The Christmas Angels Program needs gifts to provide a happy
holiday for 100 foster children. Last week, Ron Scoggins,
co-chair of the Young Children Priority One Committee, displayed
information on children and young people in foster care for whom your
gift may be the only one they’ll get. If you were not present last
Tuesday and can make room in your heart and schedule to make a child’s
Christmas brighter, please choose a name or two at today’s meeting. Ron
asks that we buy one gift per child and bring it, wrapped, to the
December 21st meeting. If you chose last week and feel moved
to help again, select another card and spread the holiday cheer!
Program Committee Meeting Tonight
A meeting of the Program Committee will be held tonight at the home
of Kathy Condon, 160 Catalan Blvd NE. Please let her know if you will be
attending by emailing or calling her at
kcondon@smccscpa.com, 823-6500 (work) or 823-7331 (home).
Wrapping It Up
Have you volunteered Friday, December 16th to help
Help-A-Child with gift wrapping and toy assembly? Ask how you can
participate.
Kiwanis and Rotary Nose to Nose
Don’t forget
to make your year-end donation
to the Salvation Army at our December 19th meeting. J. C. Russell and
Skip Carr will be available to collect your check or cash for
placement in the kettle on the 21st. Give with a cheerful heart!
LAST WEEK AT KIWANIS
Ms. Kimberly Goddard, President of
Proper Protocol, Inc.
Kimberly Goddard, our speaker last week, is a certified and widely
recognized protocol/etiquette consultant. Demonstrating why she is a
popular classroom and convention speaker, Ms. Goddard entertained us
with stories of the serious and not-so-serious inquiries she receives
from Kiwanians and others about current-day etiquette. While stressing
the need to arm ourselves with common courtesy and manners so vitally
needed in today’s business community and society in general, she
answered the following questions.
Q. How do you tell a good friend (who, by the way, has been
single for quite a while) that his table manners have seriously
deteriorated?
A. When in doubt, use humor, try not to offend, but also (to
be a good friend), make
him aware of how he appears to those around him and point out that
this might be the very reason he's been single for so very long.
Q. How come people don't know what RSVP means?
A. Unfortunately, being responsive and gracious is no longer a
common courtesy in
our society. The correct thing to do is to respond as soon as you
receive an
invitation. Once again, always be gracious. (This is true of thank
you notes, as well: always handwritten in ink and mailed within 7 days
of receipt of the gift.)
Q. Is it proper attire to wear your sunglasses on top of your
head at a business luncheon?
A. Only if you are Dr. Ron O’Neal. (It is a matter of
style, not etiquette.)
Q. How do you handle running into someone who obviously
remembers you (and
your name) and you don’t recall them at all?
A. If you are with someone else, hope that they will introduce
themselves and that your mystery friend will reciprocate (which will get
you off the hook). In this case, honesty is the best policy. ‘Fess up
to having a horrible memory for names and ask them to remind you (so you
don’t get caught later when it may be more embarrassing.)
Q. What do you do when your much-loved mother sends you gift
that you don’t want, need or intend to ever use – like Yankee candles
and flannel pajamas?
A. Deal with it. Do not hurt her feelings. Donate the gifts to
charity after she leaves.
Q. What do you do when your spouse is always late?
A. Give “her” a start time of a half an hour earlier than you
actually need to be there.
Q. Isn’t it true that any shirt goes with khakis?
A. This is not really an etiquette question; it is more of a
“What Not To Wear” question, but…. using JC Russell, Tom
Nelson and Steve Cunningham as models, yes; virtually any
shirt will “go” with khakis.
Last but not least, we learned that when you are telling someone to
“shut up,” it is proper to hold your pinkie in the air as you do so!
Help-A-Child Receives Our Help
Ron Scoggins, on behalf of Boys & Girls and Young Children Priority
One Committees, presented a check for $2,000 to Help-A-Child
representatives Bobbi Gilgosh and Kathy Mize. These funds will be used
to defray the cost of the Christmas gifts we are volunteering to wrap on
December 15th.
Guests and Visitors
A number of guests joined us Tuesday, a bounty we enjoy having.
Guy Van Middlesworth brought his lovely wife, Pamela.
Harry Benjamin, from Birmingham, Alabama, attended as a guest.
Hunter Booth had as his guest Phillip Graham, who is moving
back to this area from Chicago. Mike Humlicek was joined by
Jim Newman and Mike’s fiancée, Melanie Cloran, and Nancy
Karnavicius accompanied Al Karnavicius. Dave Abbey’s
brother, Jeff Abbey, who was visiting from Illinois, also
attended.
TODAY’S QUIZ
- What were the names of the Three Musketeers?
- Which U.S. Presidents
never attended college?
- What was the first
ready-mix food to be sold commercially?
- Oscar Wilde, writer and
bon vivant, died on November 30, 1900. What were his famous last
words?
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Great and Eternal Mystery of Life, Creator of All Things, I give
thanks for the beauty You put in every single one of Your creations.
I am grateful that You did not fail in making every stone, plant,
creature, and human being a perfect and whole part of the Sacred Hoop.
I am grateful that You have allowed me to see the strength and beauty of
all my relations.
My humble request is that all of the Children of Earth will learn to see
the same perfection in themselves.
May none of Your human children doubt or question Your wisdom, grace,
and sense of wholeness in giving all of Creation a right to be living
extensions of Your perfect love.
– Native American
Prayer of Thanks for Creation
LAST
WEEK’S QUIZ:
1. The largest item on any menu in the world
is probably the roast camel, sometimes served at Bedouin wedding
feasts. The camel is stuffed with a sheep's carcass, which is stuffed
with chickens, which are stuffed with fish, which are stuffed with eggs.
Bon appetit!
2. From the Middle Ages up until the
end of the 19th century, barbers performed a number of medical duties
including bloodletting, wound treatment, dentistry, minor operations and
bone-setting. The barber's striped red pole originated in the Middle
Ages, when it was a staff the patient would grip while the barber bled
the patient.
3. The Miss America Contest was
created in Atlantic City in 1921 with the purpose of extending the
tourist season beyond Labor Day.
4. President George Washington
created the Order of the Purple Heart in 1782.
It's a decoration to recognize merit in enlisted men and
non-commissioned officers.
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