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May 15, 2007 No. 31 Vol. 85
This Week’s Program: Allison Jolly USF Sailing Olympic Gold
Our
speaker today has a long history of athletic leadership and victories in
women’s sailing. Born in St. Petersburg, Allison was raised on the
water, spending the majority of her youth at the beach, on a swim team,
and most often sailing small dinghies.
Allison describes her sport like this: “Sailboat racing, especially in
high performance planing hulls, requires a unique blend of mental and
physical skills. The tactics and strategies of sailboat racing are well
known, and appeal to those with strong math and science orientations.
The physical side is equally important, though, requiring stamina,
endurance, strength, and flexibility. With a proclivity for math,
science, and sports, I had discovered the perfect activity for a
lifetime of enjoyment.
This
led to two Collegiate Women’s National Championship titles, two US
Women’s Sailing Championship titles, runner-up in the European Women’s
Championships, and the US Yachtswoman of the Year designation, all
before graduating from college.
After receiving a B.S. degree in Chemistry, I worked as a chemist and
later as a computer programmer in California, found time to earn my
airplane pilot’s license, but was never far from the world of sailing,
racing on Catalina 36 and Morgan 45 sailboats.
When
the International Olympic Committee announced a first-ever women’s
sailing event for the 1988 Olympics, I was encouraged by family and
friends to campaign for the team. Success came in the form of a Gold
Medal in Korea with my partner in the 470 class boat.
Shortly thereafter, my daughter was born, and I became involved in all
aspects of raising children, including earning numerous Girl Scout
leader certifications. When she took an interest in sailing, I was
introduced to the world of junior sailing coaches, something that did
not exist when I was her age. Excited at the prospect of being paid to
do two things I dearly love, teaching and sailing, I accepted positions
as a high school sailing coach, a summer sailing director, and
eventually my current title of University of South Florida varsity
women’s sailing coach.
My
personal goal for the future is to prepare for graduate school, with
plans to combine my interest in science and the sea by earning a degree
in physical oceanography.”
Welcome, Allison! You’re an inspiration to women and men alike.
Last Week’s Program: Skip Mahaffey 103.5 Tampa Bay’s Best Country
Kiwanian-Of-The-Day
Frank Ranieri introduced his friend (Mitch’s, too) and former colleague
at WQYK Skip Mahaffey of the Skip Mahaffey Morning Show to talk with us
about the place of radio in today’s media world.
Skip described the impact
of various mediums as follows: print media, like newspapers and
magazines have a long-lasting impact, but are slow in getting out the
news. Television is faster than print media, but impersonal and can’t
follow you throughout your day. Radio has a shorter-term impact, but has
the benefit of immediacy, intimacy and is readily accessible. A radio
can follow you into the shower, is on during your commute and oftentimes
at work. It is radio that keeps you informed of traffic tie-ups and
fast-developing weather changes, and radio can stop any programming to
bring information to you at once. Skip recalled that during the
Challenger disaster and as events unfolded on 9/11, information was
coming in so fast that he and his team threw out their notes and began
reporting everything that was coming in. His station was one of only
five radio stations in the country to have more listeners tuned in than
television.
Skip spoke about the
loyalty radio listeners in general and country music fans in particular
demonstrate to their radio stations. They call in and talk to the radio
hosts like close friends and share feelings in a way that would be
unthinkable and impossible on TV news. Skip says little is sacrosanct in
radio, but for 103.5 and his show in particular, kids, dogs and our men
and women in the service are revered and above frivolous comment.
Skip has won numerous
broadcasting awards throughout his career, but his record of community
involvement is one of the most impressive things about him. He is
responsible for a number of programs and fundraising efforts on behalf
of children. A partial list follows.
"Skip's Kids" - A group that provides VIP trips for underprivileged
children of Tampa Bay to places like Sea World, Disney World, Adventure
Island, Busch Gardens and more.
"Good Kid of the Week" - A weekly on air feature where local children
are acknowledged and awarded for good deeds, heroic actions, positive
behavior or outstanding accomplishments.
"St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital" - Helped raise over $1,000,000
in four years. Served as organizer and host of the Second Chance Prom, a
one evening event that raised over $12,500.
"Pennies For St. Jude" - As part of the Radio-thon, collected 1.4
million pennies in 8 days.
"The Angelus" - 1999-2003. As emcee of the annual Charlie Daniels
concert, raised over $500,000 for a local home for severely handicapped
children and adults.
"Postcards From Home” – In the past 6 years, sent over 75,000 holiday
postcards from listeners to troops overseas
"Pinellas County S.P.C.A." - Weekly on air feature devoted to adoption
of pets and pet issues.
"Adventures for Wish Kids" – Helped raise over $750,000 in one year to
provide family activities to children with life threatening illness' in
three states.
We’re glad to know you, Skip. Your efforts on behalf of children touch
our Kiwanian hearts!
Guests and Visitors
58
members attended Tuesday and three visitors for a total of 61 attendees.
In
addition to our speaker, we had two guests last week. Harry Eisnaugle
brought his older or younger (depending on which one of them you
believe!) brother, David and Al Karnavicius introduced us to Vicky
Viebrooks. Come see us again.
Results of Election of Officers
Our
Club’s annual elections were held last week. Our new President Elect
is Biff Baker, our two Vice Presidents are Lorin
Bridge and Bob Piplitz, and incoming Directors are Cyndi
Mulligan, Ron O’Neal and Mark Shames. Congratulations!
If aliens visit and demand we take them to our leaders, we’ll know where
to direct them!
Jim Fischer
Scholarship Fund
Bob Byelick
reported that our Club received $12,015 in proceeds from the
8th Annual Englander and Fischer, P.A. Charity Golf Tournament for
our Jim Fischer Scholarship Fund. We are deeply grateful as will
be the future scholarship recipients of that largesse.
What’s Happening?
Silent Auction Items Still Needed!
The
annual Kiwanis Jim Fischer Scholarship Birthday Bash to raise
funds for scholarships is coming up on June 16th. Many silent
auction items are needed so, please, ask restaurants and retailers you
frequent to give a gift certificate or contribute goods or services
yourself. A sign-up list will go around again today. If for some reason,
you can’t contribute an auction item, please attend the Bash and bid!
Golfers Herald New Leadership
Weyman Willingham assured prospective golfers for the Vinoy golf
tournament on May 31st that as he is now in charge of the
tournament Lorin Bridge’s foursome will not win this year. That
being the case, it’s time to sign up; you may have a real chance of
winning now. Tee time is 1 p.m. It’s a four-man scramble and costs $60
per golfer. Go if only to make sure that Weyman doesn’t cheat now, too!
May 15th Police Holiday
May
15 has been National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week
containing May 15 has been National Police Week, since President John F.
Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726 on October 1, 1962.
(Page 7)
(Page 8)
TODAY’S QUIZ:
1.
What do you call a cross between a cow and a buffalo?
2.
What is a neap tide? Clue: Allison Jolly will know this one!
3.
What is the origin of the phrase “Mayday?”
4.
In the painting “American Gothic,” who are the two figures in relation
to the artist, Grant Wood?
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:
1.
Unique among the state flags of the union, the Ohio State Flag
was designed by John Eisemann. Described as a pennant, the Ohio burgee
is properly a swallowtail design. It was adopted in 1902.
2.
Ohio has 33 Kiwanis Clubs not counting Key Clubs and Circle Ks.
3.
“Mother McCree” is the fabled
mother so often invoked in times of
crisis.
In actual fact, the
phrase has its
origins in
Ireland, where a unique mix of
Irish (Gaelic)
and
English languages produces this
phrase. 'McCree' is a derivative of the Irish "mo chroí", literally, "my
heart": this results in the whole phrase meaning "Mother of my
heart".
4.
Women were allowed to join Kiwanis for the first time in 1987,
just 20 years ago!
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Dear
God, watch out for me.
The
sea is so large and my boat is so small.
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