|
May 13,
2008 No. 30 Vol. 86
This
Week’s Program: Paul Dellegatto, Meteorologist for Fox 13
Paul
Dellegatto is the Chief Meteorologist for FOX 13. Paul can be seen
weekdays on FOX 13 News at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm, 6:30pm, 10:00pm and
10:30pm. He joined the FOX 13 team in January of 1990.
A native
of Natick, Massachusetts, Paul graduated from the University of Rhode
Island. His studies included Meteorology, Geography and Marine Affairs.
Paul
began his career in Meteorology preparing weather forecasts for clients
of a private weather company in Ithaca, New York. Later, he took a
similar position outside of Boston with one of the nation’s top private
forecasting companies - Weather Services Corporation. In 1984, he
became a Meteorologist for WGME-TV in Portland, Maine. He then went on
to become the Chief Meteorologist at WXII-TV in Winston Salem, North
Carolina where he remained for four years. His popularity soon grew
because he took a novel approach to weather forecasting, such as
covering Hurricane Hugo live from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Paul
holds the American Meteorological Seal of Approval and is part of the
largest weather staff in the country. "I really consider myself lucky to
be doing this," Dellegatto said in an interview about his alma mater.
"I've been fascinated with the weather probably from the time I was 3
years old. I replaced a legend (at Fox 13 in Tampa), Ray Leep, who was
here for 40 years. He was so popular that the station responded by
investing in the most powerful Doppler radar available and lots of other
technology."
Paul, his
wife, Mary Ann, and three lovely daughters live in Tampa.
Welcome,
Paul. We look forward to learning which way the wind blows, especially
with hurricane season right around the corner!
Last
Week’s Program: Al Muter Memorial Scholarship Fund Awardees
J.C.
Russell, Dan Stone and the Reverend Louis Murphy presented our
scholarship program last week. J. C. presented the winners of this
year’s Al Muter Memorial Scholarship Fund and explained the process for
recruiting students and evaluating applications. The committee received
20 applications from St. Petersburg resident students, their submissions
were evaluated in early April and potential winners were called for
interviews. The committee was very impressed with the quality of
candidates this year and said that all the students have overcome unique
personal hardships. The winner and two of the runners-up were presented:
Lana Parker from St. Petersburg High, Violetta Trenkova from Northeast
High School and Crishuana Williams from Shorecrest Prep. Zachary
Hungate, who attends St. Petersburg High School International
Baccalaureate Program, could not be present due to exams and will
receive his award today.
Dan Stone
gave us an update on past winners Louisa Powell (’04), Z’Kera Sims
(’05), Jalisa Foster (’06) and Chelsea Odoms (’07). Their current
activities and accomplishments, which are impressive, will be presented
in these pages over the next two weeks.
Reverend
Louis Murphy delivered an inspiring talk, commending all the students,
remarking that they “blew the committee away” with their knowledge,
poise and determination. Each student spoke of his/her own journey
through tough times. As a result, Louis chose to talk about overcoming
adversity. The key is to have the right attitude, he said, one that
allows us to face adversity, look for the opportunities it presents and
persevere, becoming better, not bitter. Whatever doesn’t kill us makes
us stronger, said Louis, and these students demonstrated that with the
right attitude, tenacity and resolve they can make their dreams for
their lives a reality. Those qualities will stand them in good stead in
all situations and allow them to soar like eagles through their lives.
We thank the committee for their excellent work and the students (and
their families) for their dreams and the resolve to realize them that
will shape their future as leaders in our community.
Guests
and Visitors
Fifty
nine members attended our program and luncheon last week. Guests
included Charles Stuart’s wife, Judy, and our Al Muter Scholarship
winners and their families.
What’s
Happening?
It’s
Election Day – Vote Early and Often!
Today is
our election of officers for the upcoming year for the Downtown St.
Petersburg Kiwanis Club. Voting strategies: Consider what you know about
each of the candidates, especially if they have been singled out for
ridicule by finemasters along the way. Approach each candidate and ask
if they have the passion the position requires and what your vote is
worth to them. Tally all bribes collected and vote your conscience!
For
President-Elect-Designate: (President for 2009-2010)
Cyndi
Mulligan
Bob
Piplitz
For Vice
President:
Steve Cunningham
Tom
Nelson
Frank
Ranieri
and
the person who does not win the President-Elect race
For
Director: (Vote for two)
Hunter Booth
Cynthia McGowan
Dan
Stone
Guy Van
Middlesworth
Good
luck, candidates and good work, voters! There’ll be no recounts, so be
sure the first time around.
Silent
Auction Items Needed For The 4th Annual Jim Fischer Birthday
Bash
You’re
coming to our annual Jim Fischer Birthday Bash on June 14th,
right? Your participation helps us raise critical college scholarship
money for high performing grade-schoolers and middle-schoolers from
low-income families. And what do you bring to a birthday party? Gifts!
No, you don’t have to bring something Jim Fischer would have liked, but
you can add to the fun and help raise more scholarship dollars by
contributing items, goods or services to the silent auction and by
encouraging others to bid. You don’t have to buy the gift, either.
Dining out? Ask the restaurant manager to contribute a gift certificate
for inclusion in an auction basket. Having your nails done? Have a
friend who skydives? Ask every business you frequent and people you know
to help Kiwanis raise money for deserving kids and market their business
at the same time! Offer to place brochures or business cards next to
their donated item(s) on the auction table to ensure the value of
corporate participation beyond the philanthropic. Think creatively!
There are lots of people who’d like a half-day fishing trip, Harley
Davidson fashionwear or a cooking class for two. Bring your donations to
Al Karnavicius or John Beisinger at an upcoming meeting (by June 3rd
at the latest) and help us give a gift of scholarship – and a future –
to deserving students in our community.
How Do
You Spell “InterClub?”
This
month, it’s G-U-L-F B-E-A-C-H-E-S K-I-W-A-N-I-S on Thursday, May 15th
at 7:00 p.m. Join Governor Mark Taylor and the Gulf Beaches gang for an
observance of the Wall of Prayer at Madeira Beach City Hall.
It’s For
You
Kiwanians
are needed to staff the phones and facilitate parking for the All
Children’s Telethon May 31 and June 1st. Details available at
today’s meeting. ”Elect” to help out!
A Shout
Out to Frank Ranieri, CyberWizard
Thank
you, Frank, for our Club’s new email announcements in full color. Pretty
spiffy. You make us look smarter and classier than we are!
Boys and
Girls Committee “Set The Stage” for American Stage Grant
Julie
Rowe, Director of Education for American Stage Theatre Company, was
presented with a check for $1,000 to support one of its many programs
serving young people. American Stage offers a full curriculum of
creative learning classes for young people of all ages through its
Summer Camp, School Tour, playwriting and theatrical arts activities and
much more. The award from our Club will buy supplies and support
creative expression with incarcerated youth in the juvenile justice
system, a key component of a larger diversion process aimed at expanding
possibilities and increasing literacy for young people struggling with
problems and addictions. Fellow member Todd Olson is Producing Artistic
Director of American Stage.
Polly
Wanna Candidate?
Overheard
at Everest University...
Admissions Rep: “My parrot, Paquita, has taken quite an interest in
politics.”
Surprised
Co-worker: “Really?”
Admissions Rep: Yes. Why, just the other day I asked Paquita who she
planned to vote for in the fall and she answered ‘BAARAACKKK!”
TODAY’S
QUIZ:
1.
The Ohio
River borders which states: Kentucky, Michigan, Wisconsin or
Pennsylvania?
2.
How many
groups of muscles will you find in the neck?
3.
What is
moissanite and where does it come from?
4.
In the
2000 presidential election, George W. Bush accused Al Gore of what kind
of math?
PRAYER OF
THE DAY (Prayer
for before the election)
Spirit of
Justice and Peace, please inform the hearts and minds of those running
for office and those who vote.
Guide all
the candidates to campaign fairly and present their viewpoints honestly.
Guide all our members as they listen and assess the strengths of the
different candidates.
Empower
us to take into account the diversity of our membership and encourage
our members to turn out so that our leadership represents all aspects of
our Club.
Help us
be good citizens, workers, friends, family members and community
servants and guide us into making good decisions with wisdom,
compassion, humor and grace. Amen.
LAST
WEEK’S QUIZ:
1.
You would
find your pollex on your hand. It’s your thumb. The name comes
from a Latin word for “strength.”
2.
Actor
Anthony LaPaglia stars in the TV crime drama “Without A Trace.”
3.
The Great Dark Spot was a spot on
Neptune
similar in appearance to
Jupiter's
Great Red Spot.
It was detected in 1989 by
NASA's
Voyager 2
probe. The spot was relatively the same size as Earth and was thought to
be a hole in the
methane
cloud deck of
Neptune,
similar to the holes in the
ozone layer
on Earth. The spot disappeared completely in 1994 or 1995.
4.
The male
duckbilled
platypus has sharp spurs on its ankles which are
poisonous. The poison can kill small animals and apparently cause a lot
of pain in humans, but is not deadly to people. The males use the spurs
to fight one another during the mating season. The females don't have
spurs. No platypus has been observed singing “I’ve got spurs that
jingle, jangle, jingle,” but we don’t rule it out.
|
