Kiwanis Club of Historic St. Augustine

Newsletter – 8 February 2007

President’s Message:

Doug Hernandez took my place and presided last week. Thanks Doug. As part of his committee, he announced the new faculty adviser for our Key Club, and her name is Diane Albano. Diane will receive our newsletter when published, and we welcome her to attend our meetings and to contribute info about the Club’s activities that can be included in the newsletter. Welcome aboard Diane, and we look forward to working closely with you in the future.

Don’t forget the Governor’s Visit to our Division will be on Friday, 16 February. We should have a good contingent to attend and let the Governor know we appreciate his efforts. We need to know how many are going so that we can give the Westside Club a head count. We know how much we appreciate that when we are in charge. Let me know today.

Don’t forget too, the Mid-Year Conference in Lake City in March. The club will pay the registration fee for those members that wish to attend.

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

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.

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

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

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 our website for details.

Guests: Dave Thompson had his son, Jesse, as a guest. We’ll look for him in a Key Club before too long.

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

LAST WEEK: Committee meetings and Board Meeting. The Treasurer reported $11,877 in the bank. One member, Tom Pace, has decided to tender his resignation, which we accepted with regret, since Tom was very active in the club and served on the Board for several years. We now have a total of 39 members. Let’s get moving on some new members. New Key Club advisor was announced, see comments above. Finally, any and all persons that wish to attend the International Convention in San Antonio should get their name in the hat. Tell Bob Braden, ASAP, as the decision must be made soon.

THIS WEEK: Human and Spiritual Values meeting along with our Student of the Month. Dave Thompson has the speaker

NEXT WEEK: One of the official visits by our Lt. Gov., Rande Le Fevre

⅓-⅓-⅓ DRAWING WINNERS: The winning tickets were drawn and the winners were Art Liepold and Doug Hernandez. Congrats you guys. Remember to mix those tickets well, and to buy your tickets early and often.

Late Breaking News:

The Super Bowl is now history, and the AFC did win, as I predicted, or at least hoped. Manning looked as methodical as ever, and the defense did a great job. They sure made Rex look bad, although he didn’t help himself too much with his mishandling of the ball and stumbling over his own feet. That return of the opening kickoff raised the Bears’ fans hopes to their highest, and it was downhill the rest of the way. We also saw two class act coaches in the game. Both are examples of what the sport is about.

So what is next on the sports agenda? First, of course, is March Madness. Florida is still ranked #1, and hoping to carry that into the tournament. FSU is showing some strength, especially with the defeat of Duke in their house. Always enjoy watching that tournament.

Secondly, you baseball fans, the spring training schedule is beginning soon, and that means the regular season is not too far behind. Is this the year for the Cubs to win the series? We shall see soon enough.

But don’t forget, there is one more football game, this one in Hawaii (All Pro Bowl). I for one have never watched it. If you do, it is Saturday and not Sunday or Monday night.

Quote(s) of the Week:
Aliens Among Us -- July 8, 1947

Many will recall that on July 8, 1947, witnesses claim an unidentified object with five aliens aboard crashed on a sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico. This is a well-known incident that many say has long been covered up by the US Air Force and the federal government.

However, you are probably not aware that in the month of March 1948, exactly nine months after that historic day, Albert Arnold Gore, Jr.; Hillary Rodham; John F. Kerry; William Jefferson Clinton; Howard Dean; Nancy Pelosi; Dianne Feinstein; Charles E. Schumer; and Barbara Boxer were born.

That piece of information has now cleared up a lot of things.

“John Kerry apologized and some political analysts are now saying that Senator John Kerry’s botched joke about the troops hurt his chances at becoming president in 2008. Yeah, apparently, Kerry’s chances at becoming president went from zero to less than zero.” —Conan O’Brien

“To be sure, the progressives deserve credit for having refined their view of the military: not murderers and rapists, just impoverished suckers too stupid for anything other than soldiering.” —Mark Steyn