Kiwanis Club of Historic St. Augustine

Newsletter – 18 January 2007

President’s Message:

I don’t think the Peanut Day broke any fund raising records, but then the peanuts were borderline stale. A full report once the money is counted, and my thanks to all Kiwanians who came out and put in their time. At least we have a pleasant place to stand. You meet the nicest people at that Publix.

As reported last week, our super treasurer, Jim Dale, is recuperating from heart surgery at home. We hope that he will be back with us very soon, like today.

Our condolences go out to Mark Shelley, on the passing of his father, Dr. Joseph Shelley. From the story in the paper he had a full life, but that doesn’t mean you don’t miss them. Our prayers are with you Mark.

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

2 February 2007: First Friday Art Walk, check out the local galleries downtown and taste their food and wine.

3 February 2007: Uptown Saturday Night, check out the local galleries uptown on the first Saturday of each month, and taste their food and wine.

16 February 2007: Division Council Meeting at Westside Club. This will also be the official Governor's visit to our division. Let’s at least have an interclub. I’ll bet this new governor isn’t as long winded as last year’s, and we probably won’t have to learn a new song either.

22 March 2007: Our annual Geography Bee. Again this year it will be held at Sebastian Middle School. Always a great time had by all. Plan to spend the early evening with your fellow members, and Bob will be getting us to fill jobs too.

March 30 - April 1, 2007: The North Midyear Conference for divisions 1-15 to be held in Lake City in conjunction with the Hog Wild Pig Crazy Barbeque festival. See attached flier and our website for details.

Guests: None introduced.

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

LAST WEEK: Student of the Month award went to Trushi Agasi who, among other things, is the Senior Class Treasurer at Bartram Trail H.S. She was accompanied by her mother and was introduced by the principal, Brennan Asplane. Once again, this kid does more than God could accomplish.

In addition, Steve Fricke, introduced Robin Upchurch, who is an assistant City Attorney. Evidently she is very innovative lawyer (which comes very close to being an oxymoron). She spoke about the panhandling ordinance that the City was enacting and gave us some of the nuances involved with passing such a law.

THIS WEEK: Mark Shelley e-mailed me to advise that was bringing Wink Cherry, with the Coaches Honor Ministry in Jacksonville. If Mark is absent, one of us can fill in and introduce the speaker.

NEXT WEEK: Dave Thompson has lined up the director of Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs to come give us a presentation.

⅓-⅓-⅓ DRAWING WINNERS: The winning tickets were drawn and the winners were Skeeter Key and Doug Hernandez. Buy your tickets early and often.

Late Breaking News:

Are you beginning to feel the withdrawal symptoms? I mean, college football is over and we are getting down to the last three games of the NFL season. We are about to enter the long drought season; but have heart baseball fans, it is about to take center stage. My comments on the last few games:

I was amazed at how well the Colts defense played the last two games. They finally found the door to the field. Their running back, Rhodes, was impressive to me too, and, of course, there is Manning. They really have to do a number on the Patriots this week to prove that they can win the big one. The team that wins that game is the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl. It should be a great game.

Personally, I would have preferred that San Diego would have won last week. Brady and the Patriots have been there several times, and you do have to give them that. Belicheck is one hell of a coach. He gets average players to rise to the next level and look like stars. Shula could always do that too. However, I like Phillip Rivers and L. T. is super. It was another great game, and it came down to the wire.

As far as the NFC is concerned, I only hope that New Orleans loses this week, because I am sick of hearing about Katrina. Super Bowl coming on the Fourth.

Quote(s) of the Week:
“Failure is only postponed success as long as courage ‘coaches’ ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory.” —Herbert Kaufman

“Why is it that many, if not all, of us think twice before we say what we really think or believe? Have we been silenced by the popular hecklers? Are we afraid? Is there a cultural inquisitor who stalks us all? Then, why is it that so many of us who know better about so much that we see around us cower and speak in hushed, mousy voices?” —Justice Clarence Thomas

“Now it appears that voters are willing to turn over Congress to a party most of whose representatives voted against allowing the National Security Agency to surveil without a court order al-Qaida suspects when they place calls to persons in the United States and against allowing terrorist interrogations under rules supported by John McCain. We are weary, it seems, and ready to go back on holiday.” —Michael Barone

“Sometimes it seems [the news media] are less interested in legitimate news than they are in proving their knowledge and wisdom is superior to ours. The most frustrating thing is when I have the facts to prove them wrong but cannot reveal those facts without endangering security or wrecking some plan we’re engaged in.” —Ronald Reagan

“It isn’t actually our ‘system’ of government that is broken. The Constitution established an excellent system from which contemporary leaders regularly seem to depart. The Founders gave us the parchment equivalent of a GPS system that, if followed, gets us where we ought to go, but if ignored, causes us to become lost.” —Cal Thomas