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Home | Bulletin Who's Who Calendar | Projects Area Meetings | District 5130 Rotary International |
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Home | Bulletin Who's Who Calendar | Projects Area Meetings | District 5130 Rotary International |
Bulletin Derek Simmons & the King of PalauPLEDGE, ROTARY MOMENT, VISITING ROTARIANS Acting President, Past President Richie P.(ratt), called the meeting to order. The hall was small, with a good percentage of our members apparently still gone on the Fabulous Rotary District Cruise. A full report on the Conference was withheld until the masses could return next week. Our honor was upheld in the golf tourney, according to spies. Details to follow as the culprits return for their Fine Times Another PP, Scotty B.(artley) gave it his best shot, right after Chucky B.(aker) finally presented the colors. He found the flag and ran for it on stage left. (Had he been there, Marigo would have gasped) We all felt better. No way to get started, ya know… Ronny ST(reet) put down his Palm Pilot long enough to give us his Realtor Moment. A tender hearted, if not plagiarized bit of wisdom, from a woman. Of course. ANNOUNCEMENTS Our new Secretary Freddie Z. gave us a few tips on how to stay more connected. Like give us your CURRENT phone numbers and addresses. He promises he won’t turn you in, (except to R.I). And while you’re at it, watch those checks to Rotary Foundation. If it’s a Paul Harris thing you’re paying for, don’t make it out to the club. They’ll just cash it and turn it in to Crab Feed income or something. It’ll be your fault. Know who to pay or don’t be dismayed!
Johnny P.(almer) reminds us that he is getting desperate for Mothers Day volunteers for the SOS program. Call him if you can help out. Terry E.(vans) reminds us to always be on the prowl for new club fodder. We are nothing, if subversive in our efforts to recruit. Sieg Rotary! And zere vill be a New Members "Social" in June sometime. RECOGNITION A fine time was had by several for many different reasons: We had a Street Meet, when Ronny admitted going to Disneyland. And liking it. Solvang, too. Birthday to boot, and all for only $15 (such a deal, schmageggy!) We had another batch of Jamar grandchildren (future Paul Harris Fellows, no doubt) after a trip to P.V. Mehico. $20 passed to Best Buddy James Benoit Esq. We had combo Birthday / Anniversary recognition for Paula Wrenn. $50 to SOS. Way to go, Paula! We had a donation (by PP Pratt) of ancient ties for Johhny P. A charitable trust, I assume. Those PP from the 80's.......go figure. You had to be there. $15.
We had more fun than I can recollect. That Richie, those CPA’s are just a riot… Marbles: Speaker Derek Simmons reluctantly gave two tickets a pull. Tom Boylan lost. Oh Well. And the $20 was won by someone who gave it back to SOS. Thanks whoever you were. You did the right thing. Students of the Month: Bobby Z. (Zeni, for you FNG's) gave an inspirational into four particularly well qualified students from Piner who were most appreciative of their selection by the Club.
Hilary Fruiht, Aja Dabel, Jeffery Dardina and Christain Lawler presented themselves well. With interests from Choir, Musician, Runner and actor, they covered it all with their many interests. Bobby Z. delivered well-deserved plaques all around. Pres Pratt gave Bobby Z. kudos for his many years of service to the Club in his capacity as Student Award coordinator.
PROGRAM The Big Shoe Well, it was worn by our big guest. That was none other than the big ‘n tall Derek Simmons, past member of our own club. Brought in by PP Pratt just to politically irritate Bob Marigo oh-so-long-ago, about 1986. He learned his lesson after about 11 years, quit and went to Palau. To become the Great White solicitor for the King of Palau, no less! Everyone’s gotta have a gig, I suppose… Can you believe he spent two years in "one of the ten most beautiful places on the face of the earth"? Wearing sandals and Hawaiian shirts? In a Micronesian island nation of only 30,000 people on a handful of islands? Everything was fine until he tried to learn the language. Big mistake. But one that other Great White types had made before him. The locals cherish their isolation, verbally. Derek figured that out eventually. He stopped taking lessons. Everything got better. They minded their own business, and he made sure they did it legally. Which is not to say that just anyone couldn’t have also "solicited" any old time they felt like it. Law degrees really aren’t required, it seems. It’s a simpler kind of place. If you like fish, this is your land. Tons of species, one of the best dive spots on the face of the planet, but a mere 26 hours and $2000 away. They have 3500 years of history. Most of it unwritten. Us White Types came along, ready to set it straight. Starting with my brethren Spaniards. Left behind a couple of Monks who got done what they were best at. That started the whole Micronesian thing going downhill. It got worse from there, with Germans finally owning the place for its minerals (phosphates). The language really got convoluted at that point. Then the Japanese took a shot at the place, erected lots of antennas (yes!) and broadcast Tokyo Rose to the Yanks. Then we won, and they lost. The United Nations followed along and decided THEY knew what was best. A "Trust Administration" was formed, maybe the only one on the face of the planet. This must mean there was something in it for Uncle Sam. (Let's hear it for imperialism J ) And then we stuck our finger in the hole for a while, which really screwed up the place bureaucratically. Then Derek came along. Gave it his best shot. Saw lots of fish. Stayed two years, then left. Somewhere on that beautiful island they probably erected "big and tall" stone edifices......try not to acknowledge them if you visit, the first 3500 years were tough enough. Then we ran out of time and went home. Your Conquering Spaniard Type,
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