October 7, 2013
After the flag was rushed into the room, the vivacious Stacy Lane was
called on to give the pledge. Then Tom
McMurray Jr. did the invocation asking for prayers for Ziggy’s wife Ruth, among
others.
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| Mike Cunningham brought his father, who was in town for a visit. |
Announcements
Two girls from Rotaract came to the podium to remind us of
their annual Spirits and Spirits fundraiser on October 24th.
President Ziggy mentioned that next week there will be no
meeting in honor of Columbus Day, when Italian Christopher Columbus sailed the
Nina, the Pinto and the Santa Anita (named after the Race Track) to the
Caribbean and then claimed the “new world” for Spain. The queen of Spain promptly named their prize
after cartographer Amerigo Vespucci.
That’s why we don’t live in the United States of Columbia.
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| Chuck Ellsworth and his guest from the DA's office. |
Gregg Gardiner announced that it was nearing time for Toys
For Tots. Last Christmas TFT provided
over 5,000 toys to needy children in Humboldt Del Norte and Mendocino
counties.
Ziggy complained that none of this month’s birthday boys
were sitting at the head table – and then located one of them, John
Fullerton. After fining him $5 he
recognized him for having signs all over Eureka
promoting his candidacy for the school board.
That cost him an additional $50.
Sally Arnot was also singled out for having her picture in the
paper in connection with HAC.
Then Ziggy asked if there were any hunters in the room. Dennis Hunter immediately stood up. “No, deer hunters” Ziggy
exclaimed. Greg Pierson and Hank Pierson
then stood up. Neither had bagged a
buck. Greg said what he did could more
properly be described as “camping with guns”.
$25 fine.
Murl Harpham was recognized for EPD’s new “Rescue Protection
Vehicle” so named because they couldn’t call it an assault vehicle. He noted that it used less gas than some
police cars.
Student Guests
Exchange student report:
They all went on a trip to San
Francisco, saw the sights, and attended an Oakland
Raiders NFL game. They are back now, but
a little bit tired and very confused about how the fans dressed for the
game.
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| Student guests from Eureka High School |
Raffle
Raffle winners: Jay Bahner and John Winzler.
Program
Our scheduled program was a no-show, so Gregg Gardiner
filled in with information about our “Honor Flight” program for Veterans. On October 25th the Rotary Club
will take its fifth group of WWII , Korean and Vietnam
veterans to Washington D.C. to tour the memorials built to honor
them. So far Rotarians have raised over
$300,000 to fund the program. The
itinerary is as follows: The first day they all stay overnight in Sacramento and have dinner
at the Elks Lodge. They next day the group
of 52 vets and their guardians fly to Chicago
and take a short walk to the USO club, receiving applause along the way. Then they get back on the plane and fly to Washington DC,
where fire trucks meet them and escort them to the gate. That evening they attend a banquet in their
honor at the hotel.
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| Ken Stodder & Al Crnich, two of our own WWII heroes! |
The next day at 8:30am they take two buses to the Air Force
Memorial. They are escorted by Capitol
Police. Next they go to the Navy
Memorial, then the Iwo Jima Memorial, and lastly the Women’s’ Service Memorial
at Arlington Cemetery. They break for lunch at Fort Meyers,
serenaded by the “Singing Sergeants”.
Next is the Navy Memorial, Korean Memorial, a walk through the Lincoln
Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and finally the World War II Memorial. There, accompanied by bag pipers, they hold a
memorial service and talk about their fallen comrades. The President’s own bugler plays taps. One final bus ride brings them back to Arlington Cemetery where they lay a wreath on the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
On the plane ride home, they get a “mail call”, where their
names are called out and they are given letters from their friends and
relatives. There isn’t a dry eye in the
house. Those interested in supporting
Honor Flight can call Gregg or Steve Justus.
Meeting adjourned at 1:15pm.
Written by former Army Sergeant, Hank Ingham
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