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July 3, 2007 No. 39 Vol. 85
This Week’s Program: Kiwanian Ron
Scoggins on American History – Stealing Florida
We have come to think of covert operations, secret
agents, unwritten Presidential orders, sneaky tricks, and the like, as
being manifestations of our modern age, things that originated in the
political turmoil of the twentieth century. It might surprise you to
know that even the founding fathers dabbled a bit in such operations,
many of which backfired and caused them no end of political (not to
mention diplomatic) embarrassment.
James Madison,
considered to be the father of the Constitution, became involved in at
least one such operation, an 1811 plot to seize Florida from the Spanish
government. Of course, like many such operations (think Bay of Pigs,
Contras, etc.) it didn’t go quite according to plan, partisan newspapers
grabbed onto it and operatives were officially disavowed. Madison’s
aspirations for a second term in office were almost derailed. Of
course, Spain eventually realized that it couldn’t hold onto such a
remote province right next door to a powerful neighbor and eventually
ceded Florida to the United States by an 1819 treaty. It officially
became a U.S. territory in 1821 under Madison’s successor, James Monroe,
but that didn’t prevent him from trying to acquire it on the cheap a few
years earlier.
Ron, active in
Kiwanis since 1986 and co-chair of Young Children – Priority One, takes
us through an amusing episode in U.S. history that is alternately
comical and tragic, but, like Ron, always instructive.
Last Week’s Program: Jim
Leavitt,
Head Coach USF
Bulls
Football Team
Jim Leavitt, a
St. Petersburg, Florida native and
head coach for the USF Bulls football team, entertained us with stories
of the Bulls’ wins, losses and dreams. A dynamic speaker, Leavitt
exhorted us to surround ourselves with people who share our vision, a
lesson he learned when well-meaning friends and colleagues told him his
aspirations for the team – to be at the highest level in the State –
would never come true. He said that while he recognizes that “Life is
but a vapor,” his recognition of that fact doesn’t stop him from
pursuing earthly goals, he just understands they’re not all that’s
important in life.
He reflected on the past eleven
years as coach and feels fortunate to be where he is. Since the
inaugural season in 1997, Leavitt has guided the team through the I-AA
ranks into
Division I-A, into
Conference USA and finally into the
Big East Conference. In December of
2005 the team played its 100th game and first
bowl game in
Charlotte, North Carolina at the
Meineke Car Care Bowl. One year
later, Leavitt led the team to its first ever bowl win in the
PapaJohns.com Bowl against
East Carolina University in
Birmingham, Alabama on
December 23,
2006.
The Big Three have always been
Florida, Florida State and Miami. Early on, he chose not to play those
schools, knowing the Bulls would lose. He chose instead to have his team
play other schools, like San Diego, and set up a record of wins that
moved the Bulls ever closer to “entering the room” that the Big Three
occupied. Three or four years ago, with wins under their belts, the
Bulls would play Miami, Leavitt decided, and play them here. After five
wins, he signed a six-year deal with Miami; he knows they can beat Miami
and that they’ve got a shot at taking a place at the table.
Eleven years ago, no one would’ve
thought the Bulls could beat Louisville even once, let alone twice. Now,
after 11 years of work, they’re part of the BCS Conference and Leavitt
wants them to be part of the Big East Conference, but there’s a tough
year ahead. If they don’t beat Elam, he said, it’s going to be a
difficult hump to overcome with Virginia. Leavitt said he’s very excited
about this team, though. They work four days a week and they’ve got four
strength coaches out there. When he was a player, said Leavitt, they
didn’t have to work as hard as the guys he coaches today. Last year he
had the youngest team he’d ever had and the season didn’t go too well.
Some of them didn’t come back. But the ones who did are more seasoned
now, and the newcomers were chosen for specific talents, so he feels
with work, they’ll be a team to be reckoned with. They can move into
that room of the Big Three. “As long as you’re in the room, even if
you’re in the back of the room, you’ve got a shot,” he said. And with
his energy, confidence and enthusiasm, the Bulls are bound to succeed.
Boys and Girls Committee
Supports R’Club
Art O’Hara, executive director of
R’Club Child Care, thanked the members of Kiwanis for the $2,000 check
awarded him by Boys and Girls Committee member Cynthia McGowan.
The funds will be used to stock the Reading Train Library Literacy
program and to order toys and learning tools for special needs children
in R’Club’s care.
Guests and Visitors
Orange Blossom fed 90 people at Tuesday’s
luncheon – 57 members and 33 guests! We were pleased to welcome recent
grads and alums of Leadership St. Pete Bullitt McCoun, Isaac McKinney,
Man Le, Gil Livingstone, Pamela Hobbs, Lydia Bennet and Art O’Hara as
well as a host of others. Harry Eisnaugle introduced guest Brett
Jahn, Stan Shaver brought Sally Rood, Charles Stuart
brought his better half, Judy, Steve Cunningham hosted Mark Gomez
and Pat Kraujalis dined with Debbie Kraujalis and Tim Mann.
Madonna Jones brought Ron Hellinger and Mitch Cochran hosted
Bill Blue. Bill Allard’s lovely wife Chris accompanied him,
Ron Holehouse introduced son Jake, MaryAnne Lynch brought
sister Christina, and Ron Braun guested Fred Ruhol. Paul Renker
introduced Lynn Richard and today’s speaker Ron Scoggins hosted
four visitors: Chuck Peterman, Rick Robertson, Kathy Turner and John
Martin. Kevin Kelso Brought son Kyle, and John Jalapio and Adam
Condon. Welcome, it was great meeting all of you, though we’ll never
remember all your names!
What’s Happening?
Kiwanis International Convention
The International Convention is this week, July
3-7, in San Antonio, TX. Delegates from our club are president Mitch
Cochran and president-elect Markus Mittermayr. Also attending will be
Markus' wife Susan, Harry and Peggy Eisnaugle and Charles and Judy
Stuart. In addition to attending the business sessions and workshops,
the group will travel to a ranch in Boerne, TX on Wednesday for an
evening BBQ with all the fix'ns, and a variety of western
entertainment. Thursday night they will attend the Clint Black concert
and enjoy local refreshments along the RiverWalk.
July Fast Fact
This
Friday, July 6th, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists locally,
nationally and around the world offer prayers for the long life of His
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Born Tenzin Gyatso in Tibet in
1935, the revered spiritual leader celebrates his 72nd
birthday in Dharamsala, India, home to tens of thousands of Tibetans who
escaped the Chinese takeover of Tibet.
TODAY’S QUIZ:
- Which animal is immune to every known disease
including cancer?
- In what year was cigarette advertising on TV
and radio banned?
- How many people signed the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776 and who were they?
- Where is the “Fireworks Capital of America?”
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:
1. An ear of corn averages 800 kernels in 16
rows.
2. Ancient Chinese
artists would never paint pictures of women’s feet.
3. Sea water,
loaded with mineral salts, weighs about a pound and a half more per
cubit foot than fresh water at the
same temperature.
4. The USF Bulls’ mascot is Rocky the Bull.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Dear God,
Open my eyes to the beauty of this day.
The yellow of an egg yolk in a blue bowl.
The scent of bacon frying in the pan.
The soft caress of the morning breeze.
The sound of children at play.
Awaken my senses.
Let me see, hear, and feel the beauty around me.
And be aware of the presence of the Great Artist in my everyday world.
Amen.
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