Kiwanis Club of Historic St. Augustine

Newsletter –5 January 2006

President’s Message:

First off, let me report that the meeting will continue to be held at Capt. Jack’s for another week or two, possibly a whole month. We need to look for new digs, but this week we will meet back with Debbie.

As you can see, I am not presiding at the meeting, but am in Boston, having been forced to go there by my employer. I protested about the expense paid trip to Celtics-land, but to no avail. I will return next week to ring the gong, after going to at least one Celtics game.

My team, Notre Dame, did not win their bowl game. They looked good in the beginning, but couldn’t hold on for the entire game. One thing I marvel at is the poor showing that ND has made in bowl games for the last decade or two. Oh well, even the losers take home a wad of cash for their school. I hope that your team did better in their respective bowl games.

I trust that everyone had a safe and sober New Years celebration or at least that you didn’t drink and drive.

Coming Events: [Advise the editor of events of interest at 797-4332]

9 January 2006: Regular monthly board meeting to be held at The Allegro. The meeting will start at 1700 hours. There is much to discuss, so be prompt and be prepared to share some ideas.

Programs: (Check the website for your speaker assignment date.)

LAST WEEK: Art Runk had a good program with MikeYeager, of URS, whatever that stands for, but turns out to be the engineering firm in charge of the Bridge of Lions rehab; Laurie Sanderson, the PR person for the project; and Bill Craig, the FDOT person in charge of building the temporary bridge and then “refurbishing” the old bridge. It was pretty clear that this was not a real happy audience, and I thought that we handled ourselves well, and we did not kill the messenger.

THIS WEEK: Judi Robinson has speaker.

NEXT WEEK: Human & Spiritual Values meeting.

Guests: Art Runk re-introduced Art May, a newly promoted Major with the Sheriff’s Department, who came with app completed. Showing up again was Mark Shelly, a guest of Dave Thompson, and they announced that he too would be joining the club. Ned Ross, a guest and prospective member presented by Doug Hernandez, and Bob, who is recuperating, had his bride, Vera Braden, to make sure he didn’t drive too much.. Art Liepold’s only friends, Marty & Joan Stulp, were here to visit from the Windy City. Last, but not least, fellow Kiwanian, Bob Cressy, graced us with his presence from the Bethesda, MD club. Bob has been here often, and to him and all of our guests we offer a big St. Augustine, welcome.

⅓-⅓-⅓ DRAWING WINNERS: The winners this week were the aforementioned Joan Stulp (she’ll want to be come back), and Jim Dale. Congrats, and mix those tickets up better next time. Buy your tickets early and often.

Late Breaking News:

Here are just a few things to keep in mind, so that our projects will go smoothly this year. We are planning a garage sale, and need some of you to donate a garage that you don’t mind selling. Actually, we need for you guys to get together your “junque” (that’s classy junk) so that we can make it someone else’s “treasure.” The date is still not set, but get your items to Tim so that we know how much we have to sell. Tim requests that you mark your price on the item so that no one can come back later and gripe that we sold it too low. If you could care less, then don’t bother marking a price on it. Be sure and attend the Board meeting next Monday to find out more.

Our basketball tourney is coming up in January, and we will need to sell the sponsorships again, and we need to get that done ASAP. We have to get the shirts printed.

It was announced at the meeting and when I got home I say the article on the death of our former member, Jay Weimer.

As far as Bowl games, Florida looked good; Virginia Tech held off the Louisville Cardinals (did you know that Johnny Unitas played college ball there?); I’m writing this late Tuesday afternoon, so I don’t know about the Orange Bowl, but that should be a good one. You know where my heart is, and we often do well in Bowl games when we are underdogs. As for the Rose Bowl, I’m pulling for Texas. To hell with the land of fruit and nuts!!

Quote(s) of the Week:

“The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale." —Thomas Jefferson

"I find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and the duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit... The friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow citizens in misfortune. This has been repeatedly and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character, while it prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct which strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood." —President Grover Cleveland

"A State, I cheerfully admit, is the noblest work of Man: But Man, himself, free and honest, is, I speak as to this world, the noblest work of God..." —James Wilson

"Freedom is indivisible—there is no 's' on the end of it. You can erode freedom, diminish it, but you cannot divide it and choose to keep 'some freedoms' while giving up others." —Ronald Reagan

"The Constitution of the United States is to receive a reasonable interpretation of its language, and its powers, keeping in view the objects and purposes, for which those powers were conferred." —Joseph Story