Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Marathon, Florida

Issue 1 What’s Happening… July 13,2005 RotaryWise N e w s l e t t e r f o r T h e R o t a r y C l u b o f M a r a t h o n , F l o r i d a

District Governor-elect Installs New Board

District Governor-elect Jack Martin joined us for lunch at our July 6, 2005 meeting to install our club officers for the 2005-06 Rotary year. Also present and representing Rotary District 6990 were Assistant Governor Laura L’Heureux and Past AG for Rotary year 2004-05 Donna Bosold. Allen Sells was installed as our 2005-06 Rotary Club President. Other officers are Charlotte Quinn, Club Secretary; Lisa Knetge, Treasurer; Borden Makepeace, Vice President; and Patrick McCullah, Jr., Sergeant-at-Arms. Immediate Past President Hal Schuhmacher remains as a board member, while the members chairing each of the Rotary Avenues of Service are directors. Our four Avenues of Service directors for 2005- 06 are Judy Greenman, International Service; Marcy Tangen, Vocational Service; “Kayak Dave” Kaplan, Community Service; and Sheila Cantler, Club Ser- District Governor-elect Jack Martin installed the vice (assisted by Past Club President, Earl Huneke.) Marathon Rotary Club’s 2005-06 officers and direc- Four non-voting members of the board of directors. tors for the club are Tom Operchal, Family of Ro- High School in August for incoming freshmen students. tary Chairman; John Jones, Rotary Foundation Chairman; and Jane Daniels, Elder Program Chair- President Allen asked that every club member par- man. ticipate in Rotary Foundation’s “Every Rotarian, Every Year” (EREY) program that suggests a $100 voluntary After the ceremonial passing of the gavel by donation by every Rotarian in the club to the Rotary past club presidents to President Allen, our new club Foundation sometime in the coming year, beyond the leader offered several remarks on where he saw the money collected by the club for dues and luncheons. club headed in the upcoming year. The club will also tithe 10% of its net proceeds from He began by saying that the first meeting of the fund raising during the year to the Rotary Foundation. board had occurred the evening before and several Other upcoming 2005-06 activities mentioned are items of business had been addressed. All bank ac- likely to include a humanitarian aid project with a club counts in the future will come under the signatory abroad, perhaps in Argentina, one social event each control of the club’s treasurer, and no Rotarian will quarter, a fund raiser involving attendance at a Miami be permitted to open an account hold club funds Dolphins game with the Denver Broncos, the Big Band without the prior specific authorization of the board. Concert, and a rerun of the Bridge Bash concert. The club is applying for a $2,000 District Sim- A final area of club focus is membership develop- plified Grant in support of its commitment to the ment and retention. The club had 62 members as of the Challenge Day Program conducted at the Marathon beginning of the 2005-06 year, up from a year earlier. July 4th Event A Resounding Success Rotarian Mike Kissner, chairman of the July Fourth Many floats deserve mention, and a few of the most celebration event, reported to the club that all of the memorable were the ones carrying the C.A.M.P. music gross proceeds from the event totaled more than $7,000. students and a float organized by Jimmy Schmidt, Parks Early estimates are that the club will have net earnings and Recreations supervisor for the city, hand constructed of between $4,000 and $5,000 once all bills are paid and by youth in various summer programs. sponsorship monies collected. July is Literacy Month District Governor-elect Jack Martin, present at the luncheon to install our new officers, observed that one of Rotary International has designated July as Literacy his first visits to Marathon had the club looking to find Month. While the Marathon club has no specific ongo- three people to man its dunking booth – with little club ing project related to literacy, club members are remind- member enthusiasm for doing so. He commented on the ed of the blessings we enjoy in our country due to the remarkable change in support and participation between large number of Americans who can read and write. then and now. There are also literacy problems all around this great The participation of Rotarians manning booths, country, including Monroe County, particularly for those cooking food, selling tickets and otherwise helping out who were raised in another culture where English is a was overwhelming. A very large percentage of club second language or not read, written or spoken at all. members worked before, during and after the event – If you can think of any works that our club can do to and we saw a huge effort being made by our newest club promote and encourage literacy, you are invited to bring members. these to the board or to Kayak Dave Kaplan, who is our Old timers like Jeff Pinkus and Tracy Holder were Director for Community Service. actively involved from the beginning, despite Tracy’s Bring A Prospective Member to Lunch need to be absent on the day of the event to attend his son’s wedding. Veteran club members on the scene Do you know someone in the local community who were Dottie Kirst, Bud Kreh, Theo Derleth, John Bartus, would make a good prospective member for the Pete Chapman, Don Roberts, Keith Douglass, Linda De- Marathon Rotary Club? If so, why not bring that person Gender, Ganine Derleth and Mike Puto, among others. to one of our luncheon meetings as a first step in learn- New Rotarians highly visible during the event were ing their possible interest in becoming a Rotarian. Charlotte Quinn, Ben Delmonico, Pat McCullah, John August is membership and retention month – a time Jones, Dave Kaplan and Lisa Knetge. when we make a special effort to draw into our club those friends an business acquaintances who we feel are We also had many non-Rotarian volunteers, among likely to share our club values concerning ethics, service them wives of Rotarians like Maria, Dave Kaplan’s and leadership. Some of our members who have been mate, and Beth Pinkus. The list goes on and on, and ev- around for many years may also recall past club mem- ery person who participated is appreciated and thanked bers who were previously good Rotarians and who for the energy they provided. would be welcomed back if they chose to rejoin. Independence Day Parade As president-elect, Theo Derleth holds the job of membership chairman in 2005-06. Talk to him if you Speaking of the club’s role as a partner with the city need membership material or want ideas on how to re- in celebrating the 4th of July, what would this holiday be cruit new people into the Marathon Rotary Club. without its perennial Independence Day parade? The parade chairman this year was Rotarian Skip Bowen, who commands the U.S. Coast Guard station in July Speakers Marathon. Chief Bowen did us all proud as he swung into action late in March – sending out first letters noti- July 7, 2005 - Jack Martin fying clubs and organizations in the area to begin think- ing of float entries for the parade. Many follow-up calls July 13, 2005 - Roland Fisch later, the parade stepped out without a hitch. July 20, 2005 - Gail Kenson Skip recruited the U.S. Coast Guard commander for July 27, 2005 - To be announced the area, Captain Phil Heyl, to be the Parade Marshall, while Fred Roth of Fred’s Beds was parade master at the starting line to get the floats and walking units properly lined up and on their way down the parade route. July Board Actions Recreational Fellowship Corner The board met on July 5, 2005 in the boardroom at The Real Estate Company on 79th Street and Overseas Highway. In the future, board meetings will take place on the first Wednesday of each month at the same location at 5:15 p.m. Any club member is wel- come to attend as an observer, and being present at a P.O. Box 144 meeting of the board is considered a make-up for a Fort McCoy, FL 32134 missed regular weekly Rotary luncheon. 352-236-4504 Much of the discussion and action taken by the www.fishrotary.org board at this meeting had to do with consolidating bank accounts and insuring prudent controls over money held in the club’s name for various purposes. I.F.F.R. It was decided that the club treasurer would be named Rotary's International Fellowship of Fishing a signatory on all accounts, and that no Rotarian can Rotarians (IFFR) promotes friendship between in the future open an account to hold club funds with- Rotarians who enjoy recreational fishing. Fur- out the prior approval of the board. ther, it encourages social activities among its President Allen explained the Every Rotarian, Every members and supports interaction between Year Program calling for each member in the club to Rotarians and the youth of their respective make a $100 voluntary donation to the Rotary Foun- communities so that young men and women dation above and beyond dues and lunch costs. He may learn more about Rotary, sport fishing, also asked that the club tithe ten percent of its net and the value of protecting and conserving the earnings on fund raising events in 2005-06 to the Ro- fisheries of the world. tary Foundation. A motion to do so was offered and Rotarian Dave Whitney from the Rotary passed by the board unanimously. Club of Key Largo is the 2005-07 internation- A motion was made and passed to seek a District al president of the Fishing Fellowship. Dave 6990 Simplified Grant in the amount of $2,000 to be is owner of The Florida Keys Independent. directed toward the support of the August Challenge Membership dues for the fellowship are $30 Day conducted at the high school. Club members will for two years if you elect to receive its quar- also be asked to serve as adult volunteers on the day terly newsletter, The Mullet Wrapper, and free of the event. if you choose to read it on the Internet. Vinson Fox, as part of his Eagle Scout project, has Like all Rotary Fellowships, the IFFR en- suggested that the club consider supporting the cre- courages open camaraderie and shared experi- ation of an exercise circuit comprised of a number of ence among Rotarians with fellowship at the exercise stations for use by runners and walkers to get core. Its goal is to unite Rotary fishermen in better physical shape. Vinson is being invited to from around the world in their common love the August board meeting to present his idea further. of inshore, offshore, fresh water, saltwater, Rotarian Harry Thomas requested and was granted a fly, and bass fishing leave of absence until January, 2006.

Upcoming Dates 8/31/05 District Governor’s Visit District Conference Date Set 8/?/05 Challenge Day for students and The district conference will be held in Orlando on adults at Marathon High School September 8-11, 2005. The Walt Disney World Hilton is the venue, and registration, including a room, 9/08/05 District Conference, Walt Disney is $339 per person for two nights and three days. Ap- Hilton Hotel, Orlando, FL (3 days) plications and housing registration forms are available 9/11/05 Trip to see Miami Dolphins vs. from President Allen or Charlotte. Denver Broncos. Check w/Tracy. Week of 7/6/05: Rotary Club of Marathon Club Attendance: (Chartered in 1961) Total members 61 Allen Sells, President Members present 24 Charlotte Quinn, Secretary Lisa Knetge, Treasurer Attendance percentage 40% Borden Makepeace, Vice President Guests: Kelly Carter Patrick McCullah, Sergeant-at-Arms Oscar Ortiz Theo Derleth Dave Kaplan David Grejo Bert O’Neal Hal Schuhmacher Sheila Cantler Marian Luther Judy Greenman Marcy Tangen Visiting Rotarians: Bill Biggert Tom Operchal, Family of Rotary Chair Jack Martin Jane Daniels, Elder Program Chair Donna Bosold John Jones, Rotary Foundation Chair Laura L’Heureux Make-ups: WEEKLY MEETING Health Challenges: 12:10 p.m. Sombrero Country Club 4000 Sombrero Boulevard Marathon, Florida

Rotary Club of Marathon P.O. Box 522666 Marathon Shores, FL 33052