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May 1, 2007 No. 29 Vol. 85
Today’s Program:
Biff Baker and J. C. Russell AL MUTER
SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATIONS
Today’s program will feature the presentation of college
scholarships from our Club’s Al Muter Scholarship Fund. The Vocational
Guidance Committee, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors,
will increase the renewal awards given to the three previous Al Muter
recipients from $2,000 per year to the new approved amount of $2,500 per
year to coincide with the dollar amount being presented to this year’s
winner. The four runner-up winners will be presented a one-time award of
$1,250.
The 2007 Winner
Chelsea Odoms, Boca Ciega
High School
The 2007 Runners-up
Ian Markwood, Canterbury School of Florid
Metodi Natov, Northeast High School
Amber Robinson,St. Petersburg Collegiate High School
Katie Shinske, Northeast High School
Last Week at Kiwanis Eckerd
College President Dr. Donald Eastman III
Kiwanian-of-the-Day Cathy
Swanson introduced our speaker, Dr. Donald R. Eastman III, who was
appointed the fourth president of Eckerd College in July 2001. He spoke
to us about the importance of small liberal arts colleges and how Eckerd
distinguishes itself as a desirable college destination for high school
seniors. Most of his experience has been in large research institutions,
a very different experience from the six years he’s now spent at a
liberal arts college, years he describes as fascinating and interesting.
Liberal arts colleges are an
American tradition, so particularly for people from the Midwest and
Northeast, small colleges are commonplace. The large research
institutions largely came into being in Germany and were the models for
those here in the States. Most people in the southeast are more familiar
with the large research institutions with football teams. Dr. Eastman’s
goal is to increase their familiarity with the benefits of small
colleges and the campus life they offer.
At Eckerd, 80% of students live
on campus, which increases expense, but which is an important part of
the college experience. Only 20% are from Florida, the majority coming
from the Northeast. International students make up 8-10% of the total.
Eckerd boasts 36 majors, primary among them Marine Science and
Environmental programs. Eckerd College graduates about 530 students a
year, which includes a number of ‘experienced’ or adult learners who
participate in a PELL program designed for the working adult. Most small
liberal arts colleges don’t have graduate programs, although some add
them, like Rollins College, the oldest college in Florida. Schools make
a lot more money from graduate programs than undergraduate programs,
because they bring in research dollars and faculty members like them
because they generally prefer to teach grad students. Dr. Eastman said
that community colleges train people for their first job whereas liberal
arts colleges prepare students for entire careers and civic
responsibilities. Current predictions state that we will change jobs
8-10 times over our lifetimes and not just within our fields. Eckerd
College graduates students who know how to read and write, think for
themselves, have a specialty area and are participants in community
service. At Eckerd, 53,000 hours of community service was performed by
its students last year alone.
Asked about online education,
Dr. Eastman explained that it’s the best choice for people who have no
other options because of work and family obligations or because they
live in rural areas. People with options prefer classroom teachers and
peers with whom to discuss ideas. For 18-22 year olds, the social
experience of campus learning is very important. Eckerd offers a program
to help educate families on what the college is like, what courses
students will take and how to factor in their children’s personalities,
need to be close to home or not and other factors crucial to college
choice decision-making.
Regarding the recent killings in
Virginia, Dr. Eastman said they focus more on hurricanes than snipers.
The have policies regarding moving on-campus students to secure
facilities. They are zealous, however, about mental health guidance and
counseling and make every effort to spot and work with problems before
they become too big to handle. Every student has a mentor to help make
sure they can go where they want to go. Those faculty-student
relationships last a lifetime.
For more information about
Eckerd College, visit
www.eckerd.edu.
Guests and Visitors
64 members enjoyed lunch
together last Tuesday. In addition to our speaker, we had just one guest
last week – Carey Blaxberg attended at the invitation of Skip Carr.
Welcome, Carey!
Help A Child Bracelets
Blue bracelets were sold for $5
each to raise funds for Help A Child, a deserving charity we’ve assisted
many times. A total of $205 was raised through the sale of bracelets at
our Club Tuesday. Glad we could help.
InterClub Opportunities
Abound
If you are new to the Club, you
may not realize that InterClub visits are fun and an important part of
our membership. By attending another Kiwanis Club during the week from
time to time, you make new friends, experience the scope of Club
interests and activities and are able to share ideas with other
civic-minded business people. Kiwanians are expected to attend at least
one InterClub a year. When you do, you’ll receive a sticker for your
Kiwanis name badge. Ron Braun announced an InterClub opportunity
for last Friday, but if you couldn’t attend, there will be other
invitations throughout the year.
What’s Happening?
Blues Fest Just Three Days
Away
Bob Piplitz reminded us
that Blues Fest is May 4, 5, & 6. He commended the hefty number of
volunteers from our Club who’ve signed up, but there’s still room for
more. Blues Fest supports PARC whose mission
is to provide opportunities for
individuals with disabilities to exercise their independence, enjoy an
enhanced quality of life and experience life to the fullest.
Please let Bob know if you’d like to help out.
Jim Fischer Scholarship
Birthday Bash – Silent Auction Items Still Needed!
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.
Does Golf Have Cheerleaders?
Lorin Bridge reported
that the field is filling up, but he will still take golfers through
this week. The golf tournament is May 31st at the Vinoy. Tee
time is 1 p.m. It’s a four-man scramble and costs $60 per golfer. If it
fills up before you sign up, the only way to enjoy the drinks at the
Vinoy following golf will be on your own membership or because you shook
your pom-poms on the links!
The Month of May is…
Better Sleep Month, National
Good Car Care Month, National Photo Month, National Salad Month,
National Egg Month, National Barbecue Month, Revise Your Work Schedule
Month, Date Your Mate Month, National Hamburger Month, and Fungal
Infection Awareness Month. How to celebrate? Revise your work schedule
and you’ll have time to wash the car, barbecue hamburgers and eat egg
salad with your spouse, hang that Ansel Adams print and take care of
that nasty foot odor!
TODAY’S QUIZ:
1. Which is older – England’s
Stonehenge or Rome’s Colosseum?
2. You are more likely to be a
target of mosquitoes if you eat what?
3. About how many people choke
to death on ballpoint pens every year?
4. If the sun stopped shining
suddenly, how long would it take for people on earth to be aware of it?
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:
1. There are many discontinued
Olympic sports. Some of the more unusual include: Steeplechase,
walking, discus, freestyle javelin, pentathlon, tug-of-war, calesthenics,
obstacle race, yachting, various archery and canoeing events, cricket,
croquet, fencing with a sword and saber, golf (men’s and women’s),
lacrosse, motor boating, jeu de Paume, racquets, polo, rogue, rugby and
live pigeon shooting.
2. The cat is the only
domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible.
3. The most abundant metal in
the earth’s crust is aluminum
4. No one knows the precise
origin of today’s military salute. From earliest times, the right hand
(or "weapon hand") has been raised as a greeting of friendship and to
indicate that no weapon was being threatened. The following explanation
is perhaps closest to the truth: It was a long-established military
custom for juniors to remove their headgear in the presence of superiors.
In the British Army as late as the American Revolution a soldier saluted
by removing his hat. But with the advent of more cumbersome headgear
in the 18th and 19th centuries, the act of
removing one’s hat was gradually converted into the simpler gesture of
grasping the visor, and issuing a courteous salutation. From there
it finally became conventionalized into something resembling our modern
hand salute.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Blessed God, you have created
life to begin with childhood, a time of innocence, laughter, and
exploration. Bless, we beseech you, the children of this world. Grant
unto them the nurture they need for strong physical growth, keen minds,
balanced emotions, and a holy spiritual life. Send unto them teachers to
inspire an inquiring and discerning heart, to enable curiosity toward
their surroundings, and knowledge of this global village. Bless them
with love, hope, and vision, and keep them ever in your unfailing
compassion and protection. Amen.
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