THE SPARK'S Shadow
Of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park, MD
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May 10, 2010 Vol. 282
Available on the web at: www.rotarylp.org .
50 Years of "Taking Time to Serve" through "Service Above Self" 1960 -2010
Chartered May 7, 1960
Meetings held every Monday at noon at The J.T. Daugherty Conference Center, Lexington Park, MD
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The May 3, 2010, meeting was opened by President George Hurlburt. The invocation was given by Tom Daugherty. Bill Wagoner led the Pledge and Bob Goldsmi8th led the group in the singing of “Wait till the Sun Shines, Nelly”.
Attendance: Karen Everett
Cashier: Bob Merritts and Curtis Ayers
Songleader Bob Goldsmith Bill Wagoner
Today’s Program: John Grimm, Patuxent Habitat for Humanity
Guests: We were pleased to welcome the following guest to the May 3rd meeting:
Corrie Howe Guest of Bob Merritts
C. Jack Pappas Guest of George Hurlburt
Phil Rooney Guest of Visiting Rotarian C.J.Pappas
Visiting Rotarians
C.J. Pappas of the Elkins, West Virginia Club
Howie Brown of the Val Verde, Green Valley Club in Arizona
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Happy Birthday to the following Rotarians who celebrate in May:
Jim Alvey Carl Franzen Gabe Gabrelcik
Buddy Owens Neil Jubeck Kirk MacKinnon
Jackie Raley-Meiser
(Please contact Bill Rymer or Bob Goldsmith if your birthday has been overlooked. This will enable us to correct our records.)
Lyrics for Today’s Song: “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” - The music was written by Leo Friedman, the lyrics by Beth Slater Whitson. The song was published in 1910. The girl who modeled for the original sheet music is alleged to have been Virginia Rappe, the subject of the 1921 Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle scandal. A version of the song has recently been used in a British advert for mobile phone operator and internet service provider Orange SA, involving a wind-up toy of two figures hugging. The version used is sung by Oliver Hardy from the 1938 film Swiss Miss (film), made with his comic partner Stan Laurel.
“Let me call you "Sweetheart,"
I'm in love with you.
Let me hear you whisper
that you love me too.
Keep the love-light glowing
in your eyes so true.
Let me call you "Sweetheart,"
I'm in love with you.”
A Rotary Moment in Print: Just a reminder that for a limited time, and while “supplies” last, District 7620 is sponsoring a Foundation Matching program. District 7620 will match all donations to the Annual Programs Fund, (minimum donation of $100, maximum match of $500) up to $500, with an equal number of recognition points. So, every dollar you give will get matched with one point. If you give $500, you will get 500 points and receive a Paul Harris Fellow certificate or the next recognition level pin. It’s that easy! If you are “close” to getting your Paul Harris Fellow recognition, or if you are close to moving up to the next recognition level, now is the time to take advantage of some assistance. But act fast. We will offer this special program on a first come first served basis. Just mail a check payable to “The Rotary Foundation” along with your name, address and Rotary Club Name to Claude Morrisette, 4015 Montpelier Road, Rockville Maryland 20853. If a Rotary Club sends one check with different members’ contributions, it should also contain the names of each individual Rotarian, and the amount included in their name.
Yours in Rotary,
DG Paul Frey
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Cruise Raffle: We will be permitted to sell the cruise tickets at our Wine and Beer Booth at the St. Mary’s River Concert Series this summer. Tickets are $20 each or six for $100. Individuals and business owners are encouraged to support the Rotary Club of Lexington Park through support of this project. It will require an all hands effort to sell all the available tickets. See Danny Parker. The Raffle drawing will occur on Aug.2nd.
The Group Study Exchange The incoming team from the Czech Republic/Slovakia arrived in the DC area Sunday evening, April 25 at BWI
Past President Danny Parker airport. Although a week late, they finally escaped from under the Ash Cloud that blanketed Heathrow airport from the Icelandic volcano eruption. The District website has the team’s itinerary posted for those folks wishing to know their schedule. Unfortuantely the events scheduled for the Southern Maryland area had to be cancelled as a result of the time delay in arrival. They will depart on Sunday, May 16. (Barbara Bellick, District 7620 May Newsletter) A Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Robin Finnacom for her work the Group Study Exchange Program.
The Club’s 50th Anniversary will be celebrated on Thursday, May 27th, at Greenwell State Park in Hollywood, MD, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. The District Governor plans to attend. Other local Rotary Clubs, organizations, and community leaders will be invited. The cost is $35.00 per person. Molly Chen is chairing this event. Note that the time has changed from that published originally. (Details appear below under Rotary Events).
Birthday Chair Molly Chen
Golf Tournament: The Annual Golf Tournament will be held July 22nd at The Breton Bay Country Club. Sponsors, golfers, workers, and prizes are needed. The committee met briefly following Monday’s meeting. See Tournament Chairman, Ed Forsman to volunteer. Many hands make the tasks easier.
Golf Chair Ed Forsman
Paul Harris Fellowships: Two Club members were named as Paul Harris Fellows by Dan Parker, Chairman of the Foundation Committee. John Levay and Pierre Thuot now wear the Paul Harris Fellow recognition pin. (John levay depicted below) Danny Parker and Pierre Thuot
CLUB SPONSORSHIPS NEED MEMBER SUPPORT
The Board of Directors has voted to launch the drive for “Club Sponsorship” next year as the deadline for decisions on fiscal planning has long passed for most companies. The sale of Club Sponsorships will require service from our members, but “With many hands the work gets less”. We need money to support our club and RI’s initiatives.
Dave Taylor, Oyster Festival Chairman, reported that sponsorships have become an essential part of the Oyster Festival. With the inclement weather during the 2009 Festival, the sponsorships are what allowed us to show a profit. Corporate Sponsorships provide benefits to businesses which include color ads in the ‘County Guide’, recognition on signs and in the media, year-long recognition at all Rotary events, and a Paul Harris Fellowship. Sponsorships can vary from Primary, $10,000 or above, to $500. The level of sponsorship determines the benefits. Dave and Robin Finnacom are working up the necessary marketing materials which will be available before the 4th Quarter of this year, in time for the corporate budget process.
Pres. Elect Bill Moody suggested that perspective sponsors need to be informed of where the money will be spent and how it will help the community through scholarships, charity, support of community projects such as the Dictionary Project, Christmas in April, Meals on Wheels, the Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner, Greenwell State Park, Vets’ Weekend Vacations at Greenwell, Fuel for heat, Hospice, and more. An added benefit is the networking within the organization.
Carol VanWyk, ‘County Guide’ editor, would like to move the Guide’s publication date up to August. This would enable use of the Guide as advertisement for the Festival. We need to ‘recapture‘ those ads that have been dropped and increase participation by restaurants and hotels. We will also need to promote the 2010-2011 sponsorship program as we sell ads.
CLASSIFICATION TALK BY JOHN LEVAY
John Levay was born in St. Mary’s County and attended the old Great Mills Elementary School, Park Hall Elementary, Esperanza Middle, and Great Mills High. He loved sports and was involved in baseball, football, and all water sports, especially water skiing. He earned a BS from Towson State University in Mass Communications and worked many years in live radio and TV at several DC and Maryland stations, including WPGC, Q107, OC104, WKYS, -Channel 4, KISSFM, and Channel 2 FM. He served in program management and as musical director for some of this time, during which he was named ‘Small Market Program Director of the Year‘, and the station was designated ‘The National Station of the Year’. He eventually went into sales for the Salisbury station and was recognized for ‘Excellence in Sales’ and as Employee of the Year. He moved to St. Mary’s, Georgia, where he lived for several years, employed by a subsidiary of SAIC. It was there that he first joined Rotary in 1998. After being ‘away from home (St. Mary’s County)’ for twenty-nine years, he returned to St. Mary’s County about five years ago. He is currently employed by MetroCast in Sales and was named ‘Associate of the Year for 2009’.
John has one son, Michael, who is in eighth grade. He works with the Boy Scouts and recently hosted local troops at a campout on the family farm in Park Hall. John’s Mother taught Home Economics in SMCPS for 45 years, primarily at GMHS. His Dad taught at GMHS, was principal at Chopticon and GMHS, and served as Director of Special Projects for the public schools. They were cited for “Service Above Self” at the 2009 Charter Night by the Rotary Club of Lexington Park. As a result of the special needs of his nephews, he is pursuing ways to help children with developmental issues and hopes to find avenues to work with local handicapped students.
He joined the Rotary Club of Lexington Park three years ago and was elected to the 2010 -2011 Board as Club Service Lane Director. He is Program Chairman and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Mothers - Service above self
CLUB RELATED CALENDAR EVENTS
MAY Signature Project (When
Done)
JUNE River Concert Series,
Service Above
SelfAwards
Dues (Jun 30)
JULYRotary New Year
River Concert Series
AUGUST Rotary Membership Month
Month
SEPTEMBER Literacy Day
OCTOBER Oyster Festival
County Guide Published
Teacher of the Year Dinner
NOVEMBER RYLA Nominations
DECEMBER Choral Group
Presentations
Board Election
JANUARY Dictionary Day
Financial Literacy
FEBRUARY Scholarship Applications,
RYLA Event
MARCH Rotary Leadership
Institute I, II and III
Ambassadorial
Scholarship Application
President Elect Training
APRIL Christmas in April
MPT Save the Bay Campaign
John Levay being awarded his Paul Harris Fellowship
THIS AND THAT
Long range Events Calendar
May 10 John Grimm, Patuxent Habitat for Humanity
May 17 Juan L. Garcia-Tunon, Havanna – Gone With The Wind
May 24 Laschelle McKay & Mary Wood, Leonardtown Winery
May 26 May Board Meeting, JTDCC at 5 PM
May 27 Rotary Club Of Lexington Park, 50th Birthday Wine Celebration, Greenwell Park, 5:30 to 8 PM
May 31 5th Monday and a Holiday – NO MEETING
June 7 Club Service
June 14 Scholarship Luncheon
June 21 Norma Pipken, Commission on Women, Jane Hale Sypher Scholarship
June 24 Rotary Club of Lexington Park, Charter Night (Same for Leonardtown)
June 28 Capt. Schmeiser, Commanding Officer, NAS Patuxent River
June 28 Induction of new District Governor – Howard University, 6 PM
July 5 Holiday – NO MEETING
July 12 Christine Bergmark, Buy Local Campaign
July 19 Joe Anderson, St Mary’s River Watershed
July 22 Annual Rotary Golf Tournament at Breton Bay Country Club
Aug. 25 Zone 33 - Polio Plus event at Nationals Game
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
St. Maries Musica Choral Singers of So. MD 2010 Spring concerts: One more concert will be presented. Tonight, May 10th at 7:30 PM at The Patuxent Presbyterian Church in California, MD. Come and enjoy singing at its best, featuring our own Ed Forsman. Go to www.smmusica.org for further information.
The Boy Scouts of America will hold a 100th Birthday Celebration at the JTDCC on May 19, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. The cost is $45 per person. The guest speaker will be Dexter Manley of the Washington Redskins. Learn what is new in scouting and what remains the same. Find out the relevance of Scouting in Southern Maryland. Mike DeManss can supply further information, or contact Don Durbin at 240-298-8328 or at .
May 22, Hope for Hunter: At the St. Leonard Fire Dept. 1-4 PM. This lad has been battling brain cancer for the past three years. He is currently 8 years old. Parents are local and this effort is to help offset some of the medical treatment expenses, including three surgeries in past two years.
Please join us for entertainment, shopping, food, 50/50 raffle, silent auction and fun with friends and family! Music by Keith Hicks. Contact Kara or Jessica @ 443-975-2260 for questions.
UPCOMING ROTARY EVENTS
The Rotary Club of Bladensburg is hosting what should be a great event. They are hosting their 33rd Annual Golf Tournament on May 23 at Renditions Grand Slam of Golf in Davidsonville, MD. Come out and support the Bladensburg Foundation projects. Winning club gets bragging rights and the trophy for the year.
The Waldorf Rotary Club cordially invites you to participate in the First Annual “Cowchips for Charity” spring fundraising event*
WhereHong Kong Buffet: 3331 Plaza Way in Waldorf
When:The drawing will be held on during the regularly-scheduled weekly meeting of the
Waldorf Rotary Club on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at noon.
Details:The winner (and a representative of the recipient charitable organization) will
be notified and invited to attend a Dedication Ceremony to be held during the
regularly scheduled weekly meeting of the Waldorf Rotary Club on Tuesday,
June 1, 2010 at noon.
RSVP: The Official Entry Form (along with your $25.00 check made payable to
“The Waldorf Rotary Club”) must be received by the Waldorf Rotary Club
no later than May 24th to be entered into the random drawing.
The Waldorf Rotary Club will make a $500.00 donation from the proceeds of this event to the named charitable organization identified on the RSVP card drawn at random. (Such as the Rotary Club of Lexington Park Foundation)