Clarion
Publication Date: September 6, 2005
Volume 56, Issue 12
Administrative Year Nears End
With the publication of this–the 12th and final issue of the 56th Volume of the Clarion, it’s a good time to reflect on this Administrative Year, which will be concluded on September 30.
Under the leadership of President Tom Shields and his staff of officers and directors, we are concluding another productive year in striving to meet the goals of Kiwanis. We have enjoyed unusually good fellowship among our active members, we have enlisted several (not as many as we should have) contributing new members, we have been successful in meeting our financial goals (through which we have funded numerous community service projects) and we have been entertained and stimulated through unusually good programs (thanks to Helen Devlin for her single-handed efforts). We have been saddened, however, to have lost several members through attrition and one stalwart member–George Hemphill–through death.
Won’t you take a moment to thank those who have made this an outstanding year?
Special Reminders
Joint Annual Family Picnic on Tuesday, September 13, at Kiwanis Park, 6:00 pm. [Desperately need food prep volunteers!]
Officers and Directors Installation Banquet on Wednesday, October 5, at Lake Hickory Country Club. Buffet banquet will commence at 6:30 pm. Spouses and guests are included–make reservations!
Recent Programs
August 9–Jeffrey Triplett, a leading NFL Referee based in Charlotte, shared with us a typical in-season work week leading up to a major league game on Sunday. With the Monday/Tuesday post-game reviews and evaluations, planning and travel arrangements for the next game in mid-week, Friday family-night activities and all of the pre-game preparations prior to the Sunday officiating, it sounds more like a full-time job. Actually, our speaker also holds a responsible position in management with Duke Energy –VP for Continuity, Insurance and Security Services. Ironically, Triplett also holds office in his officiating union.
Introduced by Helen Devlin, this veteran official shared a number of high-lights and low-lights in his career, including his coldest game– a minus 56 degrees in Chicago. Typically, he reported that rookie officials make about $40,000 annually ranging up to $120,000 for veterans officiating in 24 weekend games. All NFL officials are now subject to random drug and alcohol tests.
August 16–Introduced by Dr. Tom Warren, Maria Reese, is Coordinator for the Catawba County Health Department’s Healthy Carolinians and Member-at-Large of the recently organized Catawba County Health Partners. She spoke about the latter organization and its focus on Access to Adequate Health Care for all citizens and the growing problems of Obesity and Substance Abuse.
August 23–Frye Regional Medical Center’s Chaplain Robert Ford gave an overview of one of the hospital’s volunteer patient-help programs–the theology of clowning. The program doesn’t deny pain, he said, but hopefully relieves some of the patients’ stress. Ford recently returned from a tour of duty with the Army Chaplain Corps in Germany.
August 30–John Schading, a native of Geneva, NY, and now Director of Human Resources for Corning Cable, is in his third year as volunteer coach for the Hickory Youth Lacrosse organization. The speaker traced the history of the sport and gave us a broad overview of the game details. He also cited the traditional love for the game as the motivating factor among players, parents, recreation departments and business interests to support the growing local Lacrosse movement.
Our speaker, introduced by former collegiate Lacrosse Goalie Harrison Jahn, was accompanied by three middle school players, who demonstrated Lacrosse equipment–various type sticks, balls, helmets and gloves.
September 6–Our Club’s favorite international traveler/speaker/photographer Dr. Russell Benton, Professor of History at LRC, added another outstanding program to his string of annual presentations.
This year’s excursion included a number of French Polynesian Islands which Dr. Benton visited by traveling on a modern, but small (500-passenger) luxury cruise ship. His return trip took him by way of New Zealand and Honolulu, HI.
The trip was plagued by a number of disconcerting events including the malfunction of his treasured Pentax camera. However, he was able to cope and turned in an excellent report.
Byerly, Cramer and Lee Attend District Convention
Dr. Grimes Byerly, Lt. Governor-Designate (for his fourth term) representing Division 4 and Wendell Cramer and Albert Lee representing our club, attended the Carolinas District Convention in Charlotte on August 19/21.
Harold Garner of Garner, NC, was elected Governor for 2005/06, and Bill Yarborough of Clinton, SC, was elected Governor-Elect. Other significant business included passage of Amendment 3 favoring the District’s tax status change from a 501(C)4 to a 501(C)3 organization and the passage of Proposal 7 calling for a one-time every-member assessment to protect the District Reserve Fund during the first half of the new year. The assessment will cover an expected deficit due to KI’s new annual dues payment plan.
Adopt-A-Highway Scheduled for Sept. 24
Mark Vollinger, Project Leader announced the club’s fall highway cleanup project for Saturday, September 24. Sign up now for this worthwhile community service project. We will commence at 9:00 am from the south parking lot (accessible from 3rd Avenue NE) of the Arts and Science Center. It is expected that a number Key Clubbers and Circle K Members will assist us.
Banquet Entertainment
The Stradavarian Quartet, a local string instrument group of talented young teenagers, will provide a variety of professional-type music prior to and during the course of the banquet as well as for the evening’s entertainment. Members of the quartet are: Michael Patrone, Andrew McCallum, Lyndsay Watson and Philip Kukla.
Be sure to make your and your guest’s reservations for this outstanding event.
Announcements
We regret to learn that David Taylor, club Director and Editor of the directory, has resigned due to time restraints and his need to spend more time with his active family. Thank you, David, for your contributions. The club has elected Tom Devlin to fill David’s unexpired term on the board.
Wedding anniversary announcements: Judy and Wendell Cramer, 41 years, on 8/22 and Kathleen and Bill Parks, 53 years, on 9/6.
Natosha Denny, former secretary of CVCC’s Circle K Club, gave a report on her District’s convention on August 13/16 in Greensboro.
Co-chairmen Les Bird and Frank Willis gave reports on and urged participation in the upcoming Greater Hickory Classic Golf Tournament duties, starting October 7.
NC Appellate Court Judge Sanford Steelman was a recent guest of his father Dr. Sanford Steelman, Sr.
Wendell Cramer announced the cancellation of his firm’s annual open house barbeque and fall festival (to which Kiwanians and their spouses are traditionally invited) and the contribution of these funds to the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Cause. The club indicated overwhelming approval by its applause.
Rick Foster was the recipient of Dr. Harrison Jahn’s reverse birthday gift, his 75th.
Dr. Tom Warren and wife Dee have returned from a successful medical missionary trip to Guatemala, their second trip.
Dr. Bill Shuford and Les Bird participated in a high-level structured Bridge Tournament in Charlotte where Bill won sufficient Gold Points to qualify for the New Life Master Bridge Player Award. Congratulations!
Upcoming Programs and Other Events
September 13–Joint Kiwanis Picnic at Kiwanis Park, meal begins at 6:00 pm
September 20–Annual Clergy Night (Invite your pastor or rabbi as your guest)
September 27–Jennifer Griffin, Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center
October 5 (Wednesday)–Annual Officers and Directors Installation Banquet, LHCC, buffet dinner begins at 6:30 pm
October 11–Tim Dieke, Director, Hickory Regional Airport
October 18–Bob Connelly speaking on the Victory Junction Project