1/9/07

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January 9, 2007   No. 14    Vol. 85

Today’s Speaker:  Marcia K. Crawley      Penny for Pinellas

Marcia K. Crawley, Pinellas County’s Director of Communications since August of 2004, is a graduate (with honors) of the University of South Florida.  While there, she earned the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Journalism, Girot Drum Award for Excellence in Broadcasting and two awards for her work from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Prior to joining the staff of Pinellas County, Marcia spent eighteen years in broadcasting, producing, writing and hosting on local NBC and CBS television stations.  Early in her career she became involved in planning, researching and developing story ideas, increasing their editorial value.  This served as a solid foundation for the investigative, in-depth pieces for which she was ultimately responsible when presenting her live reports and special event coverage on Tampa’s WFLA-TV.

Marcia is currently responsible for a staff of 43 in Pinellas County Communications, a department providing high-quality information to its citizens about issues, programs and services through print, video, web and community outreach programs.  Their Access Pinellas Channel 96, Pinellas 18 County Television Channel, Speakers Bureau, Volunteer Services Program and Citizen University are examples of the services supported by this award-winning team of writers, media, and art and graphic designers.

Marcia and her husband Steve DiGregorio, a producer with Channel 8 News, reside in St. Petersburg with their three children.

Welcome Marcia!  Penny for your thoughts!

Last Week at Kiwanis

Like the Roman god Janus, for which January is named, Kiwanians-of-the-Day Bob Byelick and Cathy Swanson looked both backward and forward last week, providing us with a look back at the accomplishments of 2006 and a view of our Club goals for 2007.  Some highlights are:

1. Our Club grew a net 20 members in ’06.

2. Last December, we came in second in fundraising for the Salvation Army, raising $2,063.

3. Three of our members – Mike Hess, Ron O’Neal and Tom Nelson - were presented with the Governor’s Outstanding Kiwanian Award.

4. Our Club helped 36 foster children get treated during Save A Smile last year.

5. The Mayor presented us with the inaugural award for our fundraising through the Jim Fischer Scholarship Fund for the Doorways program.

6. Grant Wallin retired as Bulletin Editor after 8 ½ years and Bruce McKelvey retired as Secretary after 20 years!

7. Frank Ranieri put up our very professional and user-friendly website.

8. We mourned the passing of two Past Presidents, Charles Caniss and Don Grant.

9. Past President Cathy Swanson represented our Club in Montreal at the International Kiwanis Convention.

10. Cathy lauded the contributions of our Community Service, YCP1, Social and Program Committees for their excellent work in accomplishing our mission and goals.

11. Bob Byelick read a number of letters to us from 6^th and 7^th graders thanking us for believing in them by making them our latest recipients of Doorways scholarships through the auspices of our Club’s Jim Fischer Scholarship Fund.

12. Both Bob and Cathy encouraged us to keep up the good work in this new year and raise our sights as to numbers served.

13. President Mitch Cochran encouraged each of us to recommit to bringing a minimum of two guests to our meetings this year to boost membership.

Thank you all for the opportunity to reflect on the outcome of our efforts and for inspiring us to make an even greater impact this year!

Guests and Visitors

Guests Harry Benjamin and Lt. Governor Eddie Lee joined us for our lunch and recap of 2006.  Always glad to see you both!

St. Petersburg Kiwanis Club Wins Coveted “Best Club Bulletin” Award

Out of a field of 290 Kiwanis Clubs, our Club won “Best Club Bulletin” for 2005-06.  Kudos to Grant Wallin and Frank Ranieri of Communicasting for their fine partnership as Editor and Layout Specialist, Dick Koch for his guiding role as Chair of the Communications Committee and Al Karnavicius of BayPrint Printing and Imaging for the printing. Way to go, gentlemen!

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.            - - - Martin Luther King, Jr.

What’s Happening?

Tonight

The Program Committee will meet tonight at Scott Boyle’s house at 7:00 p.m. at 2055 Hawaii Ave NE.  Please let Scott know if you are attending, either at today’s meeting or by contacting him at one of the following: sboyle@efirstcommbank.com, 520-8837 (office) or 521-4772 (home).

January 20^th is Division 13 Kiwanis Education Day at Eckerd College

We need members to attend and represent our Club at this informative information day, much of which will focus on membership retention.  Those participating on the Membership Committee and members interested in serving on that committee in the near future may find this a particularly helpful presentation.  Of course, any interested member may attend.  Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., program at 8:30 a.m. till 1:30 p.m.  Fee is $15.  For more information, ask President Mitch, Guy Van Middlesworth or Mike Humlicek, co-chairs of the Membership Committee.

January Trivia

The Anglo-Saxons didn’t have a month named January.  They called the first month of the new year Wolf Monath because that was when the wolves came into the villages to hunt for food.

TODAY’S QUIZ

1. Who lives longer, right-handed people or left-handed people?
2. Name two types of penguins.
3. How long did the Hundred Year War last?
4. When was the first US federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.?

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, source of creation, be present with your people who cry to you for help. As we embark on this new year, empower us with vision and strength to enable the peoples of this earth to acquire the skills and resources necessary to thrive in a growing world. Enable those from countries with plenty to share their lives, funds, and resources with those in need. Embolden those with vision to proclaim new ways of creating communities of responsibility. Engage us in learning from one another and in valuing the unique gifts that you have given to the people of every land. Amen.

LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:

1.  The Tournament of Roses Parade is the most popular New Year’s Day parade.

2.  More than 1 billion people watch the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square on television.

3. The tradition of dropping the New Year's Ball in New York's Time Square began in 1907.

4.  The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashana and is celebrated in the month of Tishri (September or October in the Gregorian calendar.)

Bonus Questions:

5.  The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC representing the annual rebirth of Dionysus as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth. Initially denounced as a pagan symbol, the Christian Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus. The use of an image of a baby with a New Years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the effigy since the fourteenth century.

6.  The four most popular resolutions for the new year are:

1. To lose weight

2. To stop smoking

3. To find a better job and

4. To save more money.

If you got either or both of the bonus questions right, have a second Orange Blossom dessert, our treat!

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