|
  November
11, 2008
Today’s
Speaker: Irma C. Bridgeford Tampa/Hillsborough International Protocol
Office
Irma C.
Bridgeford is Director of the Tampa/Hillsborough International Protocol
Office “THIPO”, a partnership between the City of Tampa, Hillsborough
County, the Tampa International Airport, the Tampa Port Authority, the
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Bay & Company, the University
of South Florida and the University of Tampa.
From her
offices located at the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Bridgeford
facilitates intra-organizational coordination when hosting international
delegations, leveraging the collective resources of all of the entities
involved. The office serves as a primary point of contact for THIPO’s
principal organizations with regard to protocol for international
visitors and trade missions, both inbound and outbound.
Mr.
Bridgeford’s career has allowed her to work and live in other parts of
the world, with an emphasis in Latin America but always maintaining an
international focus.
Since
THIPO’s inception, Ms. Bridgeford:
·
Acts as
an official host to visiting international government dignitaries and
international visitors. To date, Ms. Bridgeford has organized
approximately 150 visits representing 49 different countries.
·
Organizes
and coordinates meetings for the Tampa Bay Consular Corps and
acts as the official liaison.
·
Has
founded the Florida International Protocol Association, a state
wide protocol association,
·
Is a
member of the National Protocol Association
·
Is a
member of the Organización Internacional de Ceremonial y Protocolo,
and international protocol association,
·
Served as
a member of the Board of Directors of Tampa’s, Hispanic Heritage,
Inc.
·
Is a
member of the International Sub-Committee, the Foreign Direct
Investment and the Trade and Transportation Task Force of the
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
·
Works in
close touch with the Office of Protocol of the U.S. Department of State
in Washington, D.C.
·
Works in
close contact with the Office of Foreign Missions of the U.S. Department
of State with regards to the consular matters,
·
Is a
member of the Tampa Bay Area Committee on Foreign Relations
Last Week
at Kiwanis
Kiwanian of the Day, Charles Stuart, introduced Tim Baker,
a board director of the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA). The
organization started with thirty members, and now has 175 members.
Mr. Baker outlined the goals of the DNA listed below:
-
·
A safe, walkable neighborhood (making cars less necessary)
-
·
Jobs nearby
-
·
Basic services including shopping and personal health care
-
·
Cultural diversity
-
·
Entertainment and restaurants
-
·
Educational opportunities
With these goals achieved and the infrastructure in place, more
residents have moved downtown, and younger ones at that. In 1980, the
average age of a downtown resident was 75 years. Now, the average is 55
years and falling.
Other factors have contributed to the downtown rebirth
including more owners than renters, aged structures removed, and the
median income rising. On a typical day in St. Petersburg downtown,
approximately 44,000 will live, work, go to school, and visit, reported
the enthusiastic Mr. Baker.
And more population is expected as the USF and St. Pete College campuses
continue to add students and faculty, the hospitals expand, museums add
space, and businesses relocate such as Progress Energy (In fact,
Progress Energy has promised money to improve Williams Park.).
Furthermore, several condominium projects have been completed recently
or are in planning or under construction.
With the cooperation of the planning and zoning department,
the DNA makes suggestions to improve the design of the new structures
for parking, traffic flow, and curb appeal. The DNA also tries to
influence city leaders to look at downtown as more than just a business
district, and for what the DNA believes in – that downtown is truly a
neighborhood.
For years the nerve center of downtown was Webb’s City
featuring their 9-cent ice cream cones, dollar haircuts, and chickens
doing tricks. And who can forget the retirement hotels and the
proverbial green benches for their guests to sit on? But the green
benches are long gone (did Ft. Myers get them?) replaced by fresh 21st
Century attitudes that St. Petersburg’s downtown is fast-growing,
active, vibrant, and the happening place to be.
Guests:
Paul Ulmark, guest of Harry Eisnaugle and Chip Jones, guest of Mark
Shames.
What’s Happening:
Community Service Committee Meeting
The Community Service Committee will hold their one and only meeting
this year to plan events for the upcoming year. Please plan to attend
Monday, November 17th at 5 p.m. at the SunTrust Bank (300 1st
Avenue South, St. Pete) in the 2nd floor conference room. Parking is
available in garage just south of main building, ground floor, customer
spaces.
Co-chairs, Dr. Ron O’Neal and Jane Baldwin would like to
acknowledge the members of this hard-working committee: Pat
Biscotti, Angie Boswell, Steve Cunningham, Debbie Deeb, Terry Dowling,
Harry Eisenaugle, Jeffrey Francis, Peter Hamilton, Ron Holehouse, Bill
Holloway, Mike Humlicek, Bret Jahn, Rob Kapusta, Maryanne Lynch, Wayne
McKay, Paul Misiewicz, Tom Nelson, Candice Nyarkoh, David Oliver, Bob
Piplitz, Buddy Sauter, Craig Shore, Click Slocumb, Dan Stone, Jim
Turner, Karen Van DePutte,Guy Van Middlesworth, Hal Wells, and
Weyman Willingham
Program Committee Meeting:
Tuesday, November 11, 7:00 p.m. at Cathy Swanson’s home.
Save a
Smile Day:
Member Dr. Ron O’Neal is hosting the 4th annual
Save a Smile Day at his office at 7401 Dr. MLK Jr. Street North, St.
Petersburg, Saturday, November 15. Please call Ron to volunteer for this
notable event. Cindy Mulligan has asked for 20-30 Kiwanians to
volunteer. Watch for the signup sheet at future meetings.
Kiwanis
members please read a recap of last year’s Save-A-Smile Day
Dr. Ron
O’Neal Hosts the 3rd Annual “Project Save-A-Smile”
By D.
Brandimore
Children’s smiling faces everywhere. Clowns gliding around painting
faces and turning balloons into animals. Inflatable slides and bouncy
chambers filled with children’s laughter. The Chik-fil-A cow handing
out tasty chicken biscuits and sandwiches. Harley Davidson’s Bikes
spraying airbrushed tattoos on children’s arms. Local fishing expert
guide giving casting lessons- all the while music is jamming in the
background as everyone is enjoying a Saturday of fun.
Sound
like a trip to your local dentists office? Unless you are at Dr.
O’Neal’s then probably not. Well for the third year in a row this was
exactly the case for a group of foster care children in the St.
Petersburg area.
For the third year in a row, in October, St. Petersburg
Kiwanian, Dr. Ron O’Neal hosted the annual Project Save-A-Smile at his
St. Petersburg office. For one day in October a dental office was
transformed into a Halloween festival of sorts. Dr. O’Neal and his
entire team provided comprehensive care of the local foster care
children consisting of digital x-rays, medical history reviews, oral
examinations, cleanings dental extractions and the placement of dental
restorations to approximately
Dr. Michael Hess and his staff from Hess Orthodontics
reviewed x-rays and determined the need for braces. Dr. Hess
subsequently selected four children to receive comprehensive orthodontic
care.
Sullivan Schein, a dental supply company represented by Kirk
Yauger and James Kinney supplied the dental products for the day’s
event, which provided dental treatment for the foster children
identified as needy by several community foster organizations.
While waiting for their treatment, the foster children has
an opportunity to play with clowns and jump on an inflatable bouncy
slide and moonwalk provided by “A Funny Business” and “Sweet Pea.”
Another pair of clowns looked suspiciously familiar- it turned out to be
St. Petersburg Kiwanis Clubs own Harry Eisnaugle and his wife Peggy.
Even the rain couldn’t dampen their spirits with these happy
characters. Bikers Against Child Abuse of St. Petersburg provided
children with an opportunity to sit on Harley Davidson motorcycles and
receive an airbrushed tattoo. Breakfast and lunch was provided for all
of the children, parents and volunteers by Chik-fil-A and Gateway
Publix.
Each child, parent and volunteer received a complimentary
2007 Project Save-A-Smile t-shirt provided by the St. Petersburg Kiwanis
with special donations from members Weyman Willingham, Lorn Bridge, Ron
O’Neal, Cornerstone Community Bank, Administrative Partners Inc. and
Bond Thomas Chiropractic.
Ed and Cher Stillo of Venturi Productions once again MC’d
the day’s events pumping out music to keep everyone on their feet.
Additional volunteer support was provided by family members of Dr.
O’Neal’s team, members of the St. Petersburg Kiwanis Club, the St.
Petersburg High School Key Club and Darrell Brandimore the best looking
man there.
“Project
Save-A-Smile” was conceived by Dr. O’Neal, who serves as co-chairperson
of the St. Petersburg Kiwanis Club’s Community Services Committee. It is
a non-profit dental treatment organization funded by him, club members
and local businesses. Dr. O’Neal saw a great need for children to
receive dental care, which, because of family circumstances, is not
ordinarily available to them. The St. Petersburg Chapter has adopted the
project and enabled him to make his concept a reality. Dr. O’Neal and
his team take great pride in creating an environment that is sure to
excite the youth about their oral health and continue to encourage them
to continue good habits in the future.
“I truly
enjoy being part of helping someone redefine their smile. Having the
opportunity to help a child potentially realize the importance of oral
health is paramount. I’d personally like to thank the St. Petersburg
Kiwanis Chapter for embracing this event and giving it the chance to
grow larger with each passing year,” Dr. O’Neal said.
When
deserving kids get the dental care they so desperately need it does more
than save their smiles, it shines up their self esteem, too. Upon
exiting Dr. O’Neal’s office one young fellow who was extremely quiet on
arrival, flashed his pearly whites and proclaimed, “I have beautiful
teeth.” That sums it up nicely - what a day well spent!
Scholarship Fund Name Change:
By unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, the Jim Fischer
Memorial Scholarship Fund has been changed to the Jim Fischer/Skip Carr
Memorial Scholarship Fund. This year’s golf tournament and birthday bash
netted the Fund $60,000.00. Congratulations to all Kiwanians that helped
in this project. We now have 145 students that are beneficiaries of the
scholarship money.
In conjunction with the Scholarship Fund, last month five
Kiwanians attended Mayor Rick Baker’s signing ceremony for the Doorways
Scholarship Program that awarded 37 students four-year scholarships to a
college of their choice. St. Petersburg, along with our club, a private
benefactor, and the Pinellas Education Foundation participate in this
joint venture.
Donation:
Weyman Willingham donated a round golf to the club, which Stan Shaver
purchased for $40.00 earmarked for the 2009 Scholarship Fund. Thank you,
Stan and Weyman.
Districts
12, 13, and 14 welcome Kiwanis District Governor David Liddell.
Let’s shower Governor Dave with all the “Hats and Hugs” we can give.
Please bring as many hats and stuffed bears as we can carry so we can
present to Dave that evening.
Where:
Feather Sound Country Club
2201 Feather Sound Drive
Clearwater, FL 33762
When:
November 21, 2008
President’s Council Meeting at 5:30 p.m.
Cocktail/Social Hour from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Program/Dinner begins at 7:00 p.m.
Cost:
$37.00 per person, which includes salad, rolls, butter, entrée, coffee,
tea and dessert. Choice of Entrée of Roast Prime Rib of Beef, Foccacia
Red Snapper (Vegetarian Meals are available, if reserved by November 13,
2008). Make checks payable to Division 13 Kiwanis.
RSVP to
your Lt. Governor by November 13, 2008
Division
13 Lt. Governor Judy Nicholson (caringjudith@aol.com)
Today’s Quiz
-
1.
Who invented the helicopter?
-
2.
Name the provinces of Canada.
-
3.
How many inches of snow are equivalent to one inch of water?
-
4.
Who said, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.”?
Nov. 4
Quiz
-
1.
The Electoral College for Presidential Elections was first used
in
1804 when the Twelfth Amendment established the Electoral College,
and it was used that year with Thomas Jefferson winning the
Presidential race.
-
2.
Women were first allowed to vote when the
Nineteenth Amendment was ratified August 26, 1920, and gave women
the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment was ratified Feb 3,
1870, giving the black person the right to vote.
-
3.
John
Kennedy
was the last time a U.S. Senator was voted in as President.
-
4.
The Presidents who lost their bid for a second full term in the
twentieth century were
Taft
who served 1909-1913, Hoover served 1929-1933, Carter served
1977-1981 and George H. W. Bush served 1989-1993
|
