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April 10, 2007 No. 27 Vol.
85
Today’s Program: Al Soto,
Center Director, Louise Graham Regeneration Center
Our
speaker today, Al Soto, is the Center Director for The Louise Graham
Regeneration Center. The Louise Graham Regeneration Center is a 501 C
(3) nonprofit paper recycling center that provides employability and
life skills training to developmentally disabled adults. LGRC has a
fascinating and inspiring history and has served the developmentally
disabled for over fifty years. The Center is located in the Midtown
redevelopment area of south St. Petersburg and employs community
residents in addition to the employment vocational training provided for
its developmentally disabled clients (consumers).
Born in Havana, Cuba, Mr. Soto
grew up in the Washington, DC area. He served in the United States Air
Force from 1967-1971, spending a year of that in Viet Nam. Soto
graduated from the University of Maryland and received a Master’s degree
in Social Work at Florida State University. In his thirty years as a
social worker, he has worked extensively with children, seniors and
developmentally disabled adults. About two years ago, Soto became the
director of the Louise Graham Regeneration Center responsible for all
aspects of the organization from selling recycled paper products to
overseeing employment training and enrichment services for the
developmentally disabled. The Center, which three years ago was in
danger of closing its doors, is thriving under his care.
Long a resource to the disabled and their
families, it is considered by some to be one of St. Petersburg’s best
kept secrets, something Al Soto is interested in changing. He will
speak to us about the Center, its mission and social entrepreneurship as
a means of creating a sustainable program.
Al lives in St. Petersburg and
is married with three children. When he’s not working, you can find him
at his children’s soccer games, sailing with friends or watching Most
Extreme Elimination Challenge, a comedic Japanese game show (“right you
are, Ken!”). Welcome, Al! We look forward to learning about how we can
help provide employment training through recycling.
Last Week at Kiwanis
Kiwanian-of-the-Day Dick Koch
introduced our Easter program speaker by saying that military chaplains
don’t receive the credit they deserve. He acknowledged their service,
which sometimes takes them into the worst war-torn areas and the
invaluable role they play in maintaining troop morale.
Chaplain (Major) Ken Stone is an
ordained Baptist minister serving in the USAF Reserves. He started his
talk by referencing the many discussions in the press about the body
armor worn by service personnel in Iraq and outfitted Cathy Swanson with
typical body armor weighing about 90 lbs. Coupled with high
temperatures, it’s excruciatingly hot and restrictive, but it is crucial
to the safety of soldiers in unstable areas.
The Chaplain Service is a
cooperative and pluralistic ministry. Chaplains adhere to the
requirements of their endorsing religious bodies. The Air Force trains
and deploys chaplain readiness teams, consisting of chaplains and
enlisted personnel. They provide religious ministries during war,
contingencies, national emergencies, and military exercises. Major Stone
told us of Family Dinners held for families of deploying troops as well
as Reunion Dinner Cruises for married couples who’ve been apart for long
periods, all programs of the chaplaincy to meet the needs of families
with members in service.
Major Stone spoke movingly of
his experiences in the Middle East, particularly regarding his
experience of the desert and the customs of the people, virtually
unchanged from Biblical times. He said the greatest sin in the desert is
finding water and keeping its whereabouts silent. He had a new
appreciation of the phrase “living water” in the Bible once he
experienced the harsh environment in which water is literally “life.” He
has an appreciation as well for Arab culture as distinct from the
beliefs of terrorists and spoke of the low crime rate because of the
severe penalties extracted from those who break the law.
Major Stone said he believes
that troop morale is very high and that the soldiers there want to
finish what they’ve started. He, too, wishes to go back to the Middle
East and serve where he feels he is most needed, even though he
acknowledged how hard it is to be away during holidays when time spent
with family is paramount in our minds. Major Stone sent greetings from
the troops and asked for our prayers for them.
Guests and Visitors
49 members and 12 visitors
attended our Easter program last Tuesday. Aaron Lukosavich attended with
Frank Ranieri, Maddy McNaughton came as Nick Gizzarelli’s
guest as he had a special presentation for her, Bobby Musengwa attended
with Ron Scoggins and Karen Butler, for whom a presentation was also
pending, was introduced by Bill Allard. Jane Baldwin brought her
main squeeze, Dave Millard, and the Sunshine City Club sent five members
for an InterClub lunch: Judy Nicholson, Ed and Chris Lillich, Imogene
Cordova and former Lt. Governor Ray Watson. We’re always glad to see
you!
Our Most Distinguished
Members
Speaking of Ray…Ray Watson
reports that Division 13 received top honors at the Mid-Year Conference
in Lake City. He presented former President Cathy Swanson with
the Distinguished Club of the Year award and she was recognized for her
award as Distinguished President of the Year. The Distinguished
Secretary of the Year went to Bruce McKelvey. We are honored to have our
fellow members/leaders recognized as the winners they are!
Boys and Girls Committee
Presents Awards To Two Recipients
The new Executive Director of
the Science Center, Maddy McNaughton, received a $500 check from Nick
Gizzarelli to help fund science programs for kids. Bill Allard
presented a check as well to Karen Butler, the executive director of
ASAP Homeless Services. The Boys and Girls Committee of our Kiwanis Club
awards funds to local charities who serve children in the Tampa Bay
area.
What’s Happening?
Jim Fischer Scholarship
Birthday Bash
The annual Kiwanis birthday bash
to raise funds for scholarships is coming up on June 16th.
Mark your calendar and plan to attend. Many silent auction items are
needed so ask your vendors and the restaurants, hair salons, golf clubs
and florists you frequent to donate an item or gift certificate to help
us help children.
Nominations Due Today
The annual election of officers
and directors will be held on Tuesday, May 1 at the Club’s Annual
Meeting. Please indicate your nominations and return your ballot to
Charles Stuart today. Forms will be available at your table
if you have not already received one.
Top Five Suggestions For
Leftover Easter Eggs
A quick search of the internet
turns up recipe after recipe for egg salad and meatloaf for those
after-Easter eggs, but Kiwanians can be more inventive than that!
Consider these possibilities:
1. Easter Egg-lympics –
let family members continue to enjoy Easter fun by holding an egg-lympics
in the backyard. Games can include egg-carrying races with an egg
balanced in a tablespoon, the handle of which is held between one’s
teeth, egg-juggling or a competition to see who can get the most eggs in
one’s mouth. Winners receive leftover chocolate eggs.
2. Got leftover Easter
egg dye? Add water and vinegar and dye yarn for later craft projects.
3. Leftover eggshells
are full of calcium. Throw them in your compost pile or grind them for
use in the soil of houseplants.
4. Kids getting sick
from too much Easter candy? Store it for a week and then chop it up and
mix into regular cake batter mix. Bake for a crazy candy cake!
5. Finally, if you feel
you must eat leftover eggs (the hardboiled kind) AND they have been
washed and refrigerated, make something truly gourmet like Stuffed Eggs
with Caviar. Go to
www.gourmetsleuth.com for some
out-of-the-ordinary recipes.
Today in History
The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded on April 10, 1866
by Henry Bergh with the mission of alleviating pain, fear and suffering
in animals. Source
www.aspca.org.
TODAY’S QUIZ:
1. About what
percentage of our garbage is paper?
2. Who was the first
U.S. president to speak on TV and in what year?
3.
Since Hindus don't eat beef, the McDonald's
in New Delhi makes its burgers with what?
4.
What were bagpipes originally made from?
LAST WEEK’S
QUIZ:
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The word “Easter” is named after
the Teutonic Goddess Eostre,
the Goddess of Spring who gave fertility to the earth. Both words
are related to the word “estrogen.”
-
The earliest public egg-rolling
celebrations for Easter were held not at the White House, but
on the grounds of the Capitol.
Press accounts from as early as 1872 recount stories of Washington
children of all ages joining together to roll eggs on the
congressional grounds.The children of Washington apparently caused
such a ruckus on the Capitol grounds in 1876 that Congress passed
the Turf Protection Law to prohibit the area from being used as a
playground in future years. The first White House Easter Egg Roll
was held in 1878.
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In its entire lifetime, the worker
bee produces about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey.
- Comedian and actor
George Burns said,
“When I was a boy the Dead Sea was only sick.”
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Dear Father, we thank
you for this lovely world which you have given us to look after. Teach
us how to conserve your handiwork. Help us to devote our time and
resources to restoring what has gone amiss. Show us how to fill our
surroundings with noble deeds and to make them the kind of places that
bring you honour and glory. Amen.
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