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November 13, 2007 No. 6 Vol. 86
This Week’s Program: Kimberly Davis, Big Brothers
Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Pinellas,
Hernando, and Citrus counties helps children reach their potential
through professionally supported one-to-one relationships. The agency
provides an opportunity for both volunteers and donors to have a real
and positive impact in a child’s life in a variety of ways.
Community-based mentoring allows volunteers to participate in fun
activities, on their on schedule, twice each month. Site-based mentoring
allows volunteers the opportunity to mentor at a child’s school for an
hour each week on a set schedule.
Proven results show that children who receive
friendship and mentoring from a Big Brother or Big Sister are:
·
52% less likely to
skip school
·
46% less likely to
begin using illegal drugs
·
27% less likely to
being using alcohol
·
More likely to get
along with their families and peers
There are currently 165 children in
Pinellas County waiting for a Big Brother, Big Sister, or Big Couple.
Since joining Big Brothers Big Sisters in June
2005, Kimberly Davis has held several positions in Pinellas and Hernando
counties. She currently serves as the Director of Corporate Partnerships
& Recruitment and volunteers as a Big Sister. With six years experience
in the non-profit and social service areas, Kimberly has held positions
as a Certified Child Protection Professional and Children’s Mental
Health Coordinator of Pinellas and Pasco counties. A native of St.
Petersburg, Kimberly graduated from Florida State University with an
undergraduate degree in Psychology and earned a graduate degree from
Argosy University in Business Administration.
Last Week’s Program:
Mayor Rick Baker – State of the City
Kiwanian-of-the-Day Bob Byelick introduced the Mayor and two of
his staff members, Suzi Fischer and Lori Matway, who heads up the school
initiatives. Bob talked about the Mayor’s Doorways program that provides
scholarships for students and our two year partnership with him in that
effort. He then presented a check to the Mayor for $33,000, from the
funds raised for this purpose through Jim Fischer’s law firm’s Golf
Tournament and our Club’s annual Birthday Bash. With our Club’s help, 73
students have been scholarshipped and the program is growing; 150
students are in the program this year. A child in the free lunch program
has only a 38% chance of graduating from high school. With Doorways,
that number jumps to 87%. Mayor Baker’s goal is to give away 1,000
college scholarships by 2009.
Mayor Baker
began his talk by saying that what’s happening today in St. Petersburg
is the greatest renaissance in the city’s history. He referred to it as
a “25 year old overnight success,” and went on to say that there is no
better quality of life anywhere in Florida than that we enjoy here. He
spoke to the progress being made in each of the areas he emphasized as
his platform issues when he ran for office seven years ago: Public
Safety, Economic Development/MidTown Initiative, Supporting All
Neighborhoods and Supporting All Schools. Mayor Baker started and has
recently expanded the Street Crimes unit to combat drug use and ensuing
neighborhood violence and juvenile crime. The emergency plan for St.
Pete has been completely revamped and a Homeland Security team is in
place. 110 neighborhood associations have been established to improve
neighborhoods and decrease crime. Efforts in MidTown have made amazing
progress under the leadership of Goliath Davis and businesses are moving
back into the MidTown area as part of a larger revitalization effort.
The Tyrone area is coming up and the Gateway area, too, with help from
Val-Pak Corporation. The Mayor cited the number of playgrounds, dog
parks and skateboard parks that have sprung up around the city in
response to resident requests and the upcoming expansion of bike
trails.
Mayor Baker
cited the job base, the construction going on and the expansion of arts
groups in new locations in downtown as positive indicators of good
progress in the city. The city’s partnership with the Green Building
Association has led to St. Pete being the first city in Florida to be
designated a Green City and there are now 30 cities behind us working
toward that designation.
He
acknowledged that there are challenges to be confronted as well. We’re
in the second worst drought in 100 years and facing very difficult
issues regarding water statewide. Desalinization plants are expensive
and not a long-term solution, but the Water Board and others continue to
look for answers. Overall, the Mayor’s outlook is upbeat and optimistic
as he looks forward to future progress in St. Petersburg.
Guests And Visitors
58 members and 10 guests joined us Tuesday to hear
Mayor Baker give his “State of the City” address. Harry Eisnagle
brought his wife, Peggy, and their friend Dorothy Longstaff. Doug
and Russ Lampe brought mother and wife, Audrey. Guy Van
Middlesworth hosted Lana Kefauver and Mike Humlicek welcomed
Jim Newman from Gregory, Sharer & Stuart. Bob Byelick invited
Suzi Fischer and Tom Nelson brought three K-Clubbers from St.
Pete High: Tyler Payne, Kiana Gilmour, and Victoria Smith. Karen Van de
Putte joined us for the last time as a non-member (yay!) and Louis
Murphy brought Pat Fried from the Eckerd Foundation.
What’s Happening?
Dues Are Due
See Charles or just send in your check.
Non-responders after this second reminder will not be allowed any more
Orange Blossom desserts. Non-responders after a third notice will be
excommunicated and excoriated.
Boys And Girls Committee Wants Your Input
Chair Worth Blackwell hosted the first
meeting this year of the Boys and Girls Committee. Requests for
proposals will go out to all the nonprofits who’ve applied or been
awarded funding in the past, but the committee would like to extend its
reach and impact. Do you have a favorite children’s charity or other
nonprofit that offers programs to serve children? Please let Worth or
any committee member know and an invitation and application will be sent
to the contact person there as well. The committee has $20,000 to award
this year. Typical grants range from $500 to $2,000.
New Date For Holiday Party
Because we in Kiwanis lead such busy social lives,
the date of the Holiday Party has been changed. Lorin Bridge
announced last week that the annual Kiwanis Holiday Party Progressive
Dinner will take place on Sunday, December 16th at 5:00 p.m.
at Harbor Isle. A sign-up sheet will be circulating today. This is a
great holiday mixer you won’t want to miss.
For Valentine’s Day, The Play’s The Thing
Tom Nelson announced another great social
outing, an evening at American Stage on Valentine’s Day. Tom will
circulate a sign-up sheet for Kiwanians and their sweethearts to enjoy
hors d’oeuvres and drinks before seeing “Moonlight and Magnolias” at the
Theatre. “Moonlight and Magnolias” is a hilarious homage to the men
behind an American movie classic. The comedy follows Hollywood legend
David O. Selznick and the “real” story behind the making of “Gone With
The Wind.”
InterClub Opportunity
Guy and Harvey announced an upcoming
InterClub for interested members. This Thursday, the 15th,
you can join the Kiwanians at Madeira Beach for their evening meeting.
Get more details today!
Get Well Soon!
Much-beloved Kiwanian Bernie Lodge was
hospitalized at Palms Pasadena last week with pneumonia. We hope he’ll
be able to join us again soon. In the meantime, we’re sure Bernie would
appreciate your calls and cards.
Kiwanian Of The Week
We’re including a new feature to help members new
and old get to know each other better. A short biographical “portrait”
and a picture of a fellow Kiwanian will appear in each issue as we
receive them. New members can cut them out and use them as flash cards
until they’re familiar with everyone!
Click here to add your profile.
Name: Jim Beach
Company and Title: James D. Beach, P.A.
Joined Kiwanis because? I wanted to get
involved in community service.
Your single favorite Kiwanis experience/event?
Working with the kids at the health screenings with Dr. Vicki.
Tell us about your family, including pets.
Wife Pokey, daughter Kerrie, her husband Joe, son Jake, his wife Sharon
and 4 grandkids. Over the years have had two pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits,
ferret, snakes, rats, mice, fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, cockatiel,
tarantula, squirrel, and after the dogs left, fleas, but we got rid of
those.
Perfect day away from work? Going to a
baseball game, or being out on the water fishing.
Best vacation ever? Went to Italy for our 25th
wedding anniversary – Milan, lake country, Venice, Florence, Pisa and
Rome.
Last book you read or favorite movie? Am
reading Flags Of Our Fathers – favorite movie, Blues Brothers,
which I’ve seen about 30 times.
Sports or art walks? Sports.
Beach or mountains? Beach.
One thing most people don’t know about you?
That I can bench press 400 lbs.
Quote to live by? Anything you ardently
desire, conscientiously prepare for and enthusiastically act upon, must
inevitably come to pass.
If you were on Kiwanis Survivor, who would you
vote off the island? Lou Averbeck.
Click here to add
your profile.
TODAY’S QUIZ:
- Who was the first
Negro-League player elected to Baseball Hall of Fame? (Hint: the
year was 1971)
- The Communist
Party's 75-year controlling regime of the Soviet Union ended in what
year?
- The shortest verse
in the Bible consists of just two words. What are they? Extra points
if you know in which book of the Bible they appear.
- The wristwatch was
invented in 1904 by whom?
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:
1.
November begins on the same day of the week
as March every year.
2. Uncas was the name of the last of the
Mohicans in James Fenimore Cooper's novel published in 1826.
3. Americans spend
approximately $25 billion each year on beer.
4. The Anglo-Saxons
included carrots as an ingredient in a medicinal drink against
the devil and insanity.
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 spiritual life. Send unto them teachers to
inspire an inquiring and discerning heart, to enable curiosity toward
their surroundings, and a 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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