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January 8, 2008  No. 12   Vol. 86 

This Week’s Program: Marc Topkin, Sports Writer for the Times

A product of public schools in New York and south Florida, Marc received a journalism degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and learned his craft with more than 20 years experience at the Times. 

Marc knew growing up that he wanted to be in journalism because he always liked telling people what was going on. He started his career while playing Little League baseball, submitting the results from his league to the local weekly paper. From there, he became editor of his high school and college newspapers. Marc joined the Times straight from college in June 1983. He turned baseball into a full-time beat, covering the game on and off the field as Tampa Bay tried, repeatedly, to land a team, dealing with politicians and team owners as much as pitchers and catchers. When Tampa Bay finally got the Devil Rays’ franchise, Marc was there from the start and has been there ever since, chronicling the highs and lows. He has also done in-depth stories on a number of Tampa Bay area sports personalities, such as Dwight Gooden and Wade Boggs, and covered World Series, All-Star Games, the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Super Bowls, and college football championships.  

Marc has won numerous state writing awards for his news coverage and a national award for investigative reporting. He is also involved in the St. Petersburg community, speaking to classes and coaching youth sports teams. Marc’s blog, The Heater, covers all things Devil Rays and can be accessed at www.tampabay.com/blogs/devilrays/. 

With all that’s been in the news about Tropicana Field and the possibility of a new waterfront ballpark, Marc’s visit to us promises to be most interesting! Welcome back, Marc. 

Last Week’s Program:  Christmas Program led by Reverend William Martin

Kiwanian-of-the-Day Skip Carr introduced our speaker, Reverend William Martin. Reverend Martin is pastor of Cornerstone Bible Church in St. Petersburg (no relation to Cornerstone Bank, of which Skip is president, or is there?).  

Reflecting on the story of the Magi, Reverend Martin asked us to think of what it means to come in second in a culture that thrives on competition and being “# 1.” Is there a value in taking second place? Drawing on characters in sports, movies and politics, Reverend Martin illustrated the lengths we’ll go to not to come in second.

The Three Wise Men, he continued, were philosophers, the highest positioned, most highly educated men in ancient Babylon, the most prominent and cultured nation at that time, the lands now known as Iran and Iraq. They were “number one in their game,” said Reverend Martin, at the top of their culture, but they traveled 1,000 miles of trackless desert to pay homage to a baby born a king, the King of the Jews. They came willing to concede the highest place and bend low in acknowledgement of the baby Jesus. 

Reverend Martin said the conclusion he draws from this is that when you give to Him his proper place, you’ll find yours. You never have to question your place, because when God is accorded his proper place, you will fall naturally into yours. Are you willing to come in second to God? he asked. Can you imagine a world in which people were content to come in second? No amassing wealth at the expense of others, no road rage, no senseless deaths. He asked us to consider the effect on marriage if both partners were willing to take second place to the other. And to divorced couples, each of whom no longer had a need to come first? No custody fights, no bitterness, he suggested. What if, instead of getting your way, you gave way?, he asked. What would the world be like if responsibilities became more important than rights? “Lay down your life so that others may live,” Jesus said. “If someone takes your coat, give him your tunic as well.” Reverend Martin quoted a passage from Phillippians 2: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”  

Reverend Martin said the shortest sermon there is is one you’ll see while driving. On a yellow sign, it says “Yield.” That is the best way to be Christlike. Reverend Martin said he hoped we’d find a way, in our families, at work, with friends, neighbors and enemies, to yield and finish second. Following that example, he said, life will never be the same again.

Guests And Visitors

Our Christmas program entertained 63 members and three guests. Skip Carr hosted Susan Alderson, Ed Lillich attended from the Gulf Beaches Club, and Mentha Thomas attended from the South Pinellas Foster Parents Association. Join us again – all our programs (and the company) are always lots of fun. 

Nothing Says Christmas Like Angels

Representatives from the South Pinellas Foster Parents’ Association attended our meeting to thank us for the presents we bought as part of the Christmas Angels program for the foster children in their care. By way of thanks, they brought a group of carolers – all foster children – who sang their way into our hearts. President Mentha Thomas said that in 27 years of marriage, she and her late husband took 202 children into their home. A recent widow, Ms. Thomas can no longer foster and told us she feels a void in her life since the death of her husband and the end of her fostering, but reminded us that foster children feel that void all the time as they struggle to grow up without their birth parents in living arrangements that may be temporary. About a dozen “Christmas Angels” sang “Thank You For Giving To The Lord,” “Away In A Manger” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The children’s singing and Reverend Martin’s presentation sent us out into the holidays in the right spirit!  See pictures.

And A Child Was Born

Congratulations to Dr. and Mrs. Ron O’Neal who welcomed baby Missouri Meredith on December 20th. Mother and Daughter are doing well.

Kiwanians Wrap It Up At Help A Child

Thanks go out to all our fellow Club members— Bruce McKelvey, Charles Stuart, Jane Baldwin, Mitch Cochran, Vicki Biebrooks, Guy Van Middlesworth and Kathy Condon -- who spent a Friday morning before Christmas assembling toys and wrapping presents. Thanks, guys, you’re the best!  

Erratum

Cyndi Mulligan informed us that it was the Willingham Family that participated so famously at the Sally house service event, not the Cunningham Family as previously reported. Thanks to all of you as well! 

What’s Happening? 

The Latest From Lora In Ukraine

Lora wrote President Markus twice recently, once to update our Club on the Ukrainian Kiwanis programs for children at the holidays and more recently to confirm her trip to Tampa Bay in February. Lora and her family will visit our Club on Tuesday, February 12^th. Please plan to attend and show her how our Club welcomes fellow Kiwanians from around the world. Are you interested in hosting Lora and her family? They need a place to stay while in the area which offers Club members a great opportunity to introduce them to our great city. President Markus can give you specifics regarding length of stay and so on. Selections from Lora’s holiday update follows. In it, we learn a great deal about Christmas and New Year’s traditions in a former Soviet country. Not so different from ours, as it turns out, and full of the same spirit of rejoicing and renewal. 

Hello Markus Mittermayr 

The first New Year's tree was lighted in Russia three hundred years ago, when Peter I issued a special ukase (or edict) to the effect that the New Year celebrations will be held each year on the night of the first of January. During the decades of Soviet power, when Christmas was not observed, New Year's personified the Christmas holidays as well as the arrival of the New Year. In Russia, the New Year is marked once again--on the night of January 13-14. It is called "The Old New Year" and it is marked symbolically. New Year's is considered to be a family holiday and is celebrated at home with family members and near and dear friends..Obligatory to the holiday celebrations is the fir tree...The house or flat is immediately set in order, floors are washed, and carpets are cleaned. The day before, it is the rule to array the fir tree, to decorate apartment with fir or pine branches with cones, garlands, snowflakes, and the ribbons of paper streamers. Snowflakes, cut from white paper, are glued onto windows. The snow man, the fir tree, and winter hares are drawn with watercolors. Hanging from fir tree are toys cut from fine glass: many-colored balls, figurines of animals and fairy-tale personages, beads, "gold" and "silver" streamers. Under the fir tree are placed the toys delivered by Grandfather Frost and the Snow-Maiden. The kindly Grandfather Frost and his granddaughter Snow-Maiden, with her long light brown plait of hair, visit good little ukraine children at New Year's. Often during the festivities, with theatrical performances in schools, theatres, and circuses, one can meet Winter, Baby New Year, and many fairy-tale personages like the scary Baba Yaga (the witch in ukraine folk tales). On the evenings before New Year's, young children sing and dance in a ring around the tree, telling rhymes and singing. The elder children go to kolyadovat, that is, they go from house to house to perform the ancient Christmas rite of the glorification of the holiday through the singing of songs. They wish happiness, health, and good luck, and in return, they are given nuts, apples, cookies, sweetmeats, and a small coin. 

On New Year's Eve…supper usually begins at ten or eleven o'clock in the evening, and it will last for three hours. At exactly five minutes to midnight, the Ukraine President delivers his address to the ukraine people. And exactly at midnight, the chimes strike twelve times. People hold their breath and wish for what they most want to see happen during the approaching year. Then they fill their glasses with sparkling champagne and wish one another happiness throughout the New Year. Outside, on the street, many-colored fireworks are ignited. Shouts of "Hurrah-ah-ah!" and other joyful cries are heard…If the streets are full of snow…the people leave their houses and head for the nearest hill or square and there go tobogganing and behaving like little children. For the duration of the New Year's festivities, there is no school. School boys and girls build snow men and toboggan down icy slides. Level fields near the houses are flooded and a skating rink is made ready. At the town skating rinks, one can whirl on skates to the music and play hockey…In villages, children skate on the ice of frozen rivers or ponds. They also go skiing over the fields and across the glades. With fresh freezing air, deep silence, and chunky snow under one's feet---it is wonderful!

I love this holiday

Lora 

Sinawak Luncheon Raises Funds For Sallie House

Organized many years ago, “Sinawak” was originally the women’s auxiliary of Kiwanis and provided a way for wives and other female supporters to participate in support of Kiwanis’ programs. Since that time, Sinawak has continued to be a service group comprised of civic-minded women who, through their luncheon meetings at the Yacht Club, socialize, network and raise funds for our Club’s favorite charities. 

Evelyn Collins, president of Sinawak and wife of Kiwanian Jack Collins, recently led a fundraising appeal of Sinawak members at the December luncheon, raising $511 for Sallie House. Bernie Lodge accepted the donation on behalf of Sallie House and expressed his gratitude as well as that of the Salvation Army and Sallie House for the support it represented. We, too, thank the Sinawak group and congratulate them for their ongoing service to the community. If you are interested in joining Sinawak, please call Evelyn Collins at 894-7732. 

TODAY’S QUIZ:

1. Coretta Scott King established the King Museum in her late husband’s honor, dedicated to preserving the legacy and the work of championing nonviolent conflict resolution and tolerance worldwide. In what city did Mrs. King establish the Museum and why there?

2. Is there a website where you can go to get updates on the Rays’ plans to build a downtown baseball venue? If so, what is it?

3. Elvis Presley was born on today’s date in what year?

4. Who said “Marrying into money was not a good thing for me.”
 

LAST MEETING’S QUIZ:

1)  The 1979 Christmas song popularized by Elmo and Patsy which was widely protested by politicians, women’s groups and seniors’ organizations was “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.”

2)  Crayfish have more chromosomes (200) than humans (46) or peas (14).

3)  It was Mark Twain who said “Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.”

4) The Apollo 11 plaque left on the moon states: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." 

PRAYER OF THE DAY  (Prayer for Strength and Wisdom in the New Year) 

Grant me the strength from day to day
To bear what burdens come my way.
Grant me throughout this bright New Year
More to endure and less to fear.
Help me live that I may be
From spite and petty malice free.

Let me not bitterly complain
When cherished hopes of mine prove vain,
Or spoil with deeds of hate and rage
Some fair tomorrow's spotless page.
Lord, as the days shall come and go
In courage let me stronger grow.
...
Lord, as the New Year dawns today
Help me to put my faults away.
Let me be big in little things;
Grant me the joy which friendship brings.
Keep me from selfishness and spite;
Let me be wise in what is right.

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye.
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
--Edgar A. Guest

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