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Home , Jimmy Rushing

February 19, 2015

July 9, 2015

Our sponsor this month is SUNSET MEMORIAL GARDENS Thank you Rotarian Richard Kehrig Richard talked about the many ways that the surviving family of a loved one may benefit financially through programs ranging from forgiven credit card debt to access to various assets such as insurance and pensions. The list of opportunities was quite lengthy and Richard noted that many people are not aware of all the ways as surviving spouse may save money. These are all available via the internet or one may call on a specialist such as Richard. He would District Governor Craig Loughery acknowledges our Club’s be happy to talk with anyone who should be aware. achievements and plans and encourages us all to be a “Gift to the World” OUR FAMILY OF ROTARY IN THUNDER BAY President Volker’s theme for our Club this year… Celebrating birthdays this month “ “ Bill Butuk A beautiful summer morning with 18 Lakehead Rotarians on hand Olavi Jarvela for our official visit from District Governor Craig Loughery. We also Volker Kromm welcomed his wife Diane who is a visiting Rotarian [Ely Rotary Club] Georgina Voulgaris and our ADG Irene Sottile [FW Rotary Club]. President Volker was up in Dryden so President-Elect Chris stepped up to lead us today.

ON THE DOOR IN 2015/16:

Karl was on the door today and for the month of July and Mo Papich has signed on for the meetings in August. The sign-up sheet for our

2015/16 year is out now…so pick a month, help your Club, and welcome Rotarians and guests. Here is our 2015/16 line-up so far: JULY Karl Ratz JANUARY open AUGUST Mo Papich FEBRUARY open SEPTEMBER Graham Stewart MARCH open OCTOBER open APRIL Claudio Monteleone And celebrating anniversaries this month NOVEMBER open MAY open Donna & Don Yocom DECEMBER Mo Papich JUNE Clint Kuschak

SPONSORSHIP: If you can help your Club and wish to promote your business or community interests through a month sponsorship, please contact Sergeant Bill or Clint. Here is the sponsorship line-up for 15/16: CALENDAR – MEETINGS & EVENTS:

JULY Sunset Memorial Gardens JANUARY open JULY ROTARY’S NEW YEAR BEGINS AUGUST open FEBRUARY open JUL 16 BUSINESS MEETING SEPTEMBER open MARCH open JUL 23 PRESIDENT JIM MADDER – CONFED. COLLEGE OCTOBER open APRIL Great Expectations Mktg JUL 23 CANADA CLUB MEETING - SENCIA JUL 30 CARL GODWIN, ENGINEER NOVEMBER Investors Group MAY Salvation Army CITY OF THUNDER BAY ENVIRONMENT DIVISION DECEMBER RFDA JUNE 5 Star Rotarians

AUGUST ROTARY MEMBERSHIP MONTH Year for Rotary in Thunder Bay [Fort William and Port Arthur]. The AUG 3 CIVIC HOLIDAY decision was made to assemble in Bismarck and the 2016/17 AUG 4 BOARD MEETING Conference site has also been chosen. Our area Clubs should now AUG 6 OPEN AUG 13 OPEN consider applying for the Conference in Thunder Bay for 2017/18. AUG 20 BUSINESS MEETING AUG 27 DR. LEIGH FAIRBRIDGE, CHIROPODIST Governor Craig closed with some personal comments on our Rotary theme for this year – “Be a Gift to the Word” – and what that means PRESENTATION: to him. He invites us all to be a “gift to the world” through our actions and all the good work we do in our communities and throughout the world.

BILL’S STUFF… Welcome regular contributor to your weekly Club Chronicle – Bill Butuk with his “Bill’s Stuff” Column.

Jimmy

Rushing

Our special guest today was our District Governor Craig Loughery.

Craig Loughery, (pronounced LOK’- err-ee) District Governor 2015- 2016, is a member of the Ely Minnesota Rotary Club. He is originally from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, having relocated to Northern Minnesota about 18 years ago. He recently retired from 15 years in Radio Broadcasting, following 5 years as the CFO of an electronics engineering firm. Prior to that, he had a career in Insurance and Investment Sales. Craig is a Graduate of Wesley College in Dover Delaware, as well as holding Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations from the American College of Bryn Mawr. He served six years in the US Army reserves, has been a licensed auctioneer, and appraiser of collectible stamps and coins. In 13 years in Rotary, he has served all his clubs line offices, worked as an Assistant Governor for four years, District Trainer, and served on various District Committees. He is a Paul Harris Fellow. His wife Diane is a Rotarian, and during her year as President of the Ely club, she initiated a multi-club international project which grew into the Haiti National Water Project, engaging a Global Grant that swelled to fund to $93,000, and will provide clean water to over 1,000 families in rural Southern Haiti. Craig is a model railroading hobbyist, and was active in Hi- performance car racing and restorations.

Governor Craig acknowledged our Club for its achievements last James Andrew “Jimmy” Rushing (born August 26 in Oklahoma City, year and for our plans this year. He noted in particular our success Oklahoma—died June 8, 1972 in New York City) was an American with membership recruitment and retention. He also commented on vocalist/pianist who sang contemporary , East Coast Blues and our success with respect to members’ donating to PolioPlus and the Kansas City , and was active from the 1920s to the Foundation Annual Fund. He is encouraging all Rotarians in our 1970s. He was born into a musical family-his father was a trumpeter District to continue their support of these signature Rotary programs and his mother and brother were singers. As a youngster he learned and hopes we will see a few more Paul Harris Fellows this year. He violin, piano and music theory. He sang and played in his church has set a challenge of 100 new 1st-time PHFs. We have at least two choir. He was unique among his musical contemporaries because members who will reach the PHF level and more that are closing on he attended Wilberforce University for 2 years. In1923 and 1924 he their next level as Multiple PHFs. had some success singing blues on Mid-West U.S. circuits. He later

moved to Los Angeles, California and began playing piano in clubs He commented on the decision to hold the 2015/16 District and singing with . In1926 he went back home to Conference in Bismarck. He received a submission from the Port Oklahoma City and worked in his father's restaurant. After 18 Arthur Club for the Conference to be held in Thunder Bay but the months he tired of the restaurant business and moved to Little Rock cost to hold it here was 30% higher than the cost in Bismarck. The Arkansas and joined 's Blue Devil Band in1927. In 1929, economics were compelling since the District works hard to keep Rushing and other members of the Blue Devils Band jumped to costs as low as possible so more Rotarians and their spouses and Bernie Moten's Band. Moten died in 1929 and took over guests can afford to attend. It was an even more difficult decision for the band. Rushing stayed on with Count Basie as Basie's featured DG Craig and the District’s Board since 2015/16 is the Centennial vocalist from 1935 to 1948. As a singer in Count Basie's band, he promoted the Kansas City Jump Blues tradition.

His songs “Sent for You Yesterday” and “Boogie Woogie” exemplified the tradition. It was during his time with Count Basie that he perfected his distinctive style of blending blues with , that he would be known for the rest of his life. He was a powerful singer with a range from baritone to tenor. He projected his voice so that it could be heard over the brass and reed sections of a . He was known as “Mr. Five by Five”, a reference to his short stature but wide girth. Count Basie claimed that Rushing ”never had an equal” as a blues singer. While with Basie, he appeared in several motion pictures in 1942. In 1957 he appeared in a TV special. In 1959 he toured the U.K. and in 1960 he recorded an album with the Quartet. His performing career ended in 1971 when he fell ill to leukemia. In 1972 he died in New York City and was buried in Queens, New York. Watch and listen to Jimmy Rushing at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKIVmWIKHOI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKIVmWIKHOI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjurLUoDg3I

FELLOWSHIP FINES: Graham enjoyed the opportunity to work the room today and he had some creative ways to “lighten our load”. He had to start with tribute from P-E Chris because it’s tradition and also because Chris did a perfect job as chair today filling in for President Volker on very short notice. Richard was recognized for taking much more than the sponsor’s usual 2 minutes but Graham did acknowledge that all the information he imparted was important and useful…but that did not save him from the cup. Bill acknowledged that his birthday is in July so he was naturally invited to pay tribute in exchange for a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday”. Testing our knowledge of our RI leadership, Graham offered a pass to anyone who knew our President-Elect Chris leads the way today with grace and charm President’s name and invited tribute from all those who did not know his classification. Roy recalled from the Rotarian magazine that Ravi Ravindran manufactures most of the tea bags used around the world. OUR 15/16 ROTARY THEME LOGO: Clint offered his happy dollar in praise of P-E Chris for handling the meeting today on notice of one minute – he literally walked in the room at 7:29 am and was directed to the podium. Fortunately, Clint had an agenda ready for him to use. Allan’s happy dollar was for Maya who will be heading off to Camp RYLA soon. Irene had a happy dollar to welcome our District Governor Craig and Diane to our four area Clubs. She had another to let us know that a Thunder Bay Sister City – Gifu City, Japan – will have representatives in town today for the ringing of the Peace Bell at City Hall at 12:00 noon. Rotarians will be present for this. Emily was happy to be visiting her daughter in Toronto soon and Graham is happy to be attending the Pan Am Games in Toronto soon for cycling events. DG Craig was most happy to have visited all four area Clubs this week. He referred Unveiling the Rotary theme for 2015-16 - Be a gift to the world - at to us as “1st Class Clubs” in District 5580. Richard wrapped things the RI Assembly in San Diego, Rotary International President Elect up with his news on the “hottest” item to buy in Toronto. That would K R Ravindran, urged 520 Governors-elect to use their leadership be mannequins for those seeking to fill their vehicles with the skills, passion and talent to bring about positive changes in the world. required quota to be able to drive in a preferred lane. Apparently, Each day of this one year they had been "gifted" should be used the authorities are wise to this and often pull people over who are optimally to give several gifts to the world. One of the best gifts they clearly travelling with “dummies”. Another fine haul for the could give the world was total eradication of polio. Rotary had dreamt Club…thank you Graham. of a polio-free world 25 years ago, and defeated the virus in most parts of the world. Today polio remains only in three countries - Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan. Rotary had promised children the 50/50: "gift of a polio-free world" and he reminded the Governors-elect attending this training conference that this should be one of their Our newest Member, Emily Bosma, was the lucky winner today and missions. - See more at: her $10 will go to the Rotary Foundation. http://rotarynewsonline.org/articles/Rotarythemefor201516#s NEXT MEETING: thash.zTFOh1lW.dpuf JULY 16th MONTHLY BUSINESS MEETING