Thanks to one and all of you who attended the memorial services for Carla Hedges, wife of a past president, Richard Hedges. It was a very moving service, especially when The Chief got up and spoke of his life with her. The looping pictures gave us a much better feel for him and his family. There were even a few pictures of him that made him look like Grizzly Adams’ stunt double. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers, as this is a long process of grieving.

Time is drawing nigh, and we need to remember to get out and help with the Children’s Triathlon. See Skeeter for details on when and where to show up.

30 May 2009: Children’s Triathlon is being held to benefit the Children’s Museum, which is in its infancy. Skeeter’s committee is leading our charge on this, and he indicates that in order for us to help we must fill out background paperwork in advance. Check with Skeeter for more details. According to Skeeter, they could use more hands in this mix.

30 May 2009: Uptown Saturday Night, check out the local galleries uptown on the last Saturday of each month, and taste their food and wine.

5 June 2009: First Friday Art Walk, check out the local galleries downtown and taste their food and wine.

LAST WEEK: We honored our last student of the month for this school year. This month it was Ashley Marie Boder, a student at Pedro Menendez H.S. As usual, she was doing everything and keeping up her grades. I truly enjoy these meeting where we honor a student from a high school. Seeing what they are doing lets me hope for the future, as there are some kids who aren’t dopey as so many that get on the news and in the paper. In addition, Steve Fricke introduced the city attorney for the City of St. Augustine, Ron Brown. In a short time he gave us a very good overview of the latest lawsuit with the “artists” in our fair city. To hear him tell it, this was completely opposite from the report in the newspaper.

THIS WEEK: According to the schedule, Rhett Davis has the program. He has indicated that he will introduce Derek May, who just happens to be the publisher of said newspaper. Come with your questions and suggestions. For example, which editorial columnist do you want removed?

NEXT WEEK: We will have our monthly Board of Directors meeting.

50/50 DRAWING WINNERS: The big winner last week was Carla Hedges’ sister, Sandy. Mix those tickets real good, and make sure mine is on top.

A reminder, so that we don’t forget and let this important event slip by us, I will remind our hard working Prez and his minions that we still have not voted to accept the new changes to our By-Laws..

Another reminder for anyone that wants to attend, the winner of our Geography Bee, Eric S. Terrell, an eighth grade student from Switzerland Middle School, will be presented with the balance of his prizes at the School Board meeting next Tuesday morning (2 June). Generally this is early on the agenda so that everyone who comes just for that can leave.

Our hard working Prez has indicated that the club may be asked to support a Habitat for Humanity project. Some are already volunteering, and there will be more news on this in the near future. What’s the latest on that please, sir.

Lou Nester is still lining up the equipment that will be required for us to get back to the business of highway beautification. Give us a good heads up on that so we can plan to attend, and try to get some Key Clubbers to do the lion’s share of the work.

We need to get busy on membership. Who have .invited to attend our meetings?

Basketball playoffs are moving right along. All I know is that the Celtics lost in the first round. Don’t ask me anything more.

Who’s going to run in the Preakness, or is it Belmont Stakes next? You can tell I’m really into that too.

“[A]bortion is not a harmless medical procedure but the taking of the life of a living human being. This tragic and terrible toll continues... Our national commitment to the dignity of all human life must begin with the respect for our most basic civil right: the right to life... America will never be whole as long as the right to life, granted by our Creator, is denied to the unborn. Together we can overturn Roe v. Wade, and end this national tragedy... Each woman who chooses life for her child affirms our reverence for human life and ennobles our society. Each child is a unique, unrepeatable gift, and every child who escapes the violence of abortion is an immeasurable victory for life... Together, with God’s help, we will finish the task and heal our wounded nation.” —Ronald Reagan

“It’s not that I dislike government... I just don’t trust government. Which brings us to the Democrats. Democrats love government. They think government and good intentions can solve all the woes of the world. And now that they’re running Congress, they’re going to try to do just that. They’ll promise to ‘fix’ our health care troubles by having the government take over, which will increase our troubles and limit our health care. They’ll ‘fix’ Social Security by raising taxes and growing the program, only to hurt the economy and damage the program. They’ll ‘fix’ the gap between rich and poor by raising taxes on the rich, which will slow the economy and make all of us poorer—especially the poor. The Democrats will unwittingly unleash a legion of federal meter maids who will regulate, monitor and punish—and unwittingly accomplish the opposite of whatever they set out to accomplish.” —Tom Purcell