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April 8, 2008 No. 25 Vol. 86
This Week’s Program: Jeff Hollis, The
First Tee St. Petersburg
Jeff joins us today from The First Tee of St.
Petersburg, where he is Executive Director of the “leading youth
development program in the area using golf as a vehicle to help teach
life skills and nine core values.” Those values are Honesty, Integrity,
Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance,
Courtesy and Judgment, values that help young people from all
backgrounds excel in any life situation with which they’re presented.
Our own Dan Stone is a board member of First Tee. Jeff also serves as
Golf Courses Director for the City of St. Petersburg. A Pinellas County
resident for the past 44 years, he graduated from St. Petersburg Junior
College and Western Kentucky University, where he played on the college
men’s golf team on a golf scholarship. He is a PGA Master Professional,
and has been in his position with the City for almost 23 years. He
served as past president of the West Central Chapter of the PGA and as a
board member of the North Florida PGA section board. Currently, he is a
Trustee member of the Board of Regents and instructor for the National
Institute of Golf Management sponsored by the National Golf Foundation.
Jeff and wife Kathy have three children, two girls
and one boy. Welcome, Jeff, and thank you for taking time at of your
busy schedule to tell us about yourself and First Tee!
Last Week’s Program: History Committee Presents
Kiwanis History 1940-1970
Kiwanian-of-the-Day Al Karnavicius
introduced the second installment in our Kiwanis history by explaining
that the committee drew their information from the archives, meeting
minutes and past bulletins. They found many interesting stories, but
gaps, too, leaving the answers to some questions lost to history. We
were treated to a journey back to our Kiwanis roots by Al, Harry
Eisenaugle, Bruce McKelvey, and Todd Olson (Cynthia Mulligan
was not able to attend). Although all the stories taught us a lot about
St. Petersburg and how our Club has taken its present shape, space
permits only a few highlights here. Al began by reading a 1928 letter
from Secretary Robert E. Lea who made suggestions for every aspect of
the charter event for our Club. Members laughed at the tone and
particularity of Lea’s instructions, but our Club received its charter
and its work in St. Pete was begun. In the 1930s, every major bank in
St. Petersburg failed. It was an ugly time for Blacks and whites with
the KKK marching in the streets. It was the Depression, so Kiwanians met
sometimes over a cup of coffee, sometimes over a glass of water. Still,
they filled boxcars with food and clothes, and Christmas toys for kids
and started their first baseball team headed up by Weyman Willingham,
Sr.
Very little information from the ‘40s survives, but
we know that two Club members attended a Kiwanis conference in Key West.
We know from Harry that Kiwanis International declared a National Kids
Day in ’53 or ’54, but it was not until 1964 that our Club in
conjunction with the Boca Ciega Club declared a Kids Day to benefit the
Retarded Children’s Fund. Three parties were held which over 4,000 kids
attended and which raised $6,000, not an inconsiderable amount for that
time. Jumping back in time to ’59, we learned that our Club sent a
delegation to the International Convention. Our “Kiwanis Pony Express”
met with 27 Clubs in five days to fulfill InterClub requirements! Todd
took us to March 1966 when the United World Mission presented to our
Club the plight of half Korean children, abandoned by their American
soldier fathers and stigmatized in their own country. An estimated
10,000 children lived on the streets of Seoul. Our Club sponsored two of
the boys. In 1968, one of the boys, Keum Pai Lim, began a correspondence
with our Club about his success in tech school and his other activities.
Sadly, he was never heard from after 1970, but he was not forgotten as,
with Todd’s report, we paid tribute to him in the present.
In ’67, five Wallaces were members at the same
time, and in ’69, Ed Shamas, Weyman Willingham, Jr.,
Bruce McKelvey, Carl Collins and Jack Collins joined
our Club! Bruce picked up the story to tell us about the origins of Camp
Soule in the work of Kiwanians who built the buildings, mended fences
and hired a contractor to build the Conover Dining Hall. In ’74-’75,
Grant Wallin, then director of the Boy Scouts, and Bruce convinced a
man in Hernando County to donate his 1300 acre ranch to the Boy Scouts
which became Camp Sand Hill.
The stories continued, some accompanied by pictures
lent by Mayor Rick Baker, but as the presentation closed, we were left
with some nostalgia for the legacy left by our fore-leaders. History
from 1970 on will be the topic of a future meeting. We look forward to
it.
Guests and Visitors
Al K. brought his lovely wife, Nancy,
Dick Koch hosted his granddaughter, Marissa, Frank Ranieri
brought his employee and frequent guest, Aaron Lukosavich and Doug
Lampe announced that his guest, Gary Keller, had submitted a
membership application! Thank you all for coming. I hope the Kiwanis’
rich history of service inspired all of you to become members of this
great Club!
What’s Happening?
Join Piplitz and Sing The Blues
Volunteers are still
needed for Bluesfest this weekend, April 11-13. Sign up sheets are
circulating. For more information on or to help out please speak with
Bob Piplitz.
Our Own Nominee
This Friday, April 11th, our own
President Markus Mittermayr will be nominated as a candidate for Lt.
Governor at the Division 13 Council Meeting hosted by the Sunshine City
Kiwanis Club at noon at Piccadilly. Please try to attend to show your
support for Markus!
And More Nominations
Paul Renker alerted us to the two forms on
the tables for our use in nominating members for offices. A list of the
members eligible for office appears there. Return your forms to Charles
by April 15. Elections will be held May 15th.
Scholarship Recipients Plan Their Futures
Bob Byelick read a number of letters to us
again from recipients of our scholarship funds. Although the students
who write to us are young, typically 13-14 years old, each writes of
their achievements and their career plans as though they were entering
college next year. When Bob shares their letters with us, we think of
the activities we undertake to raise funds less in terms of dollars than
as young people on a path with hope.
April Brings Not Only Showers But InterClubs
In addition to the Division 13 Council Meeting
referenced above, Harvey Ford informed us that April is National
Kiwanis InterClub Month. Kiwanian Madonna Jones has scheduled an
InterClub for us on Tuesday, April 22 at 7:15 a.m. at the Seminole Club.
Golf is Funny
A man of the cloth had earned a vacation from his
flock and he decided to make it a golfing holiday. He went to a golfing
resort, and on his first day out on the course he learned that Arnold
Palmer played the course frequently.
The toughest hole was the 17th, and as the clergyman approached the
tee his caddie said, "When Arnold Palmer plays this hole he uses a
number 3 iron and says a little prayer."
"I'll give it a try," said the clergyman. But the ball landed in a
sand trap. "Ah, well," he said, "I guess the good Lord didn't hear me."
"He probably heard you," said the caddie, "but when Mr. Palmer says
his prayer, he keeps his head down."
TODAY’S QUIZ:
1.
Today is Ponce de Leon Day. In what century was he born? If you
know the century, in what year was he born?
2.
To what state of matter does Avogadro’s Law apply – solid, liquid
or gas?
3.
Only what kind of crickets can chirp?
4.
Name three movies directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Bonus question:
“April is the cruelest month” according to poet T. S. Eliot. Why?
LAST WEEK’S QUIZ:
1. No women joined the St. Petersburg
Kiwanis Club between 1964-1969 because Kiwanis didn’t allow women into
its ranks until 1987!
2. The average infantryman in the South
Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four
years. The average infantryman in Vietnam saw about 240 days of
combat in one year thanks to the mobility of the helicopter.
3. Though he had a mediocre career record,
Don Larsen was immortalized by his World Series perfect game of
October 8, 1956, something that had never before been done.
4. Chicago had two hits in the Top 100 in
1970 – 25 or 6 to 4 and Make Me Smile.
Bonus Question: In 1961, at the Kiwanis
International Convention in Toronto, Ontario, the delegates were asked
to vote on whether or not to make Kiwanis an international
organization, allowing countries other than the United States and Canada
to have Kiwanis Clubs.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Golfer's Prayer
by Jeff Hiatt
Lord, as I walk down the
fairways of life,
help me to realize that my
greatest opportunities to learn
are actually when I am in the
rough,
where I discover things I
never knew were there,
and when I'm in the deepest
sand,
where I learn that there is a
time to walk softly,
and clean-up after myself,
and when I'm playing scramble,
where I learn that I have
friends
to make up for what I lack,
and when I find the water,
where I learn that some things
are better left alone.
And when the ball rolls into
the hole
for that wonderful par,
help me to realize that
all good things come from you.
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