President Ben rang the bell at 8:00am
Kevin Courtney offered the prayer and pledge
Committee Reports:
Ray reported on Rotary Reader. which is ready to kick off. There have been 15 children identified and we have 8 volunteers so far. More volunteers are needed
Photos are from the recent meeting which was held at the HHI School for the Creative Arts with Assistant Principal Nikki Lucas.
Tim announced that Founder's Night will be Saturday June 23 at the Shipyard Pavillion. More information to follow.
Social for February will be at Porter and Pig on Thursday February 22.
Membership chair, John Carroll announced the first posting of John Prange. Another potential new member, Dennis Breitholtz will be posted in the near future.
Auction - will be going live soon. Posters will be printed today or tomorrow. So far item total is $122,000 which doesn't include the raffle nor all the items. Tuesday was the last except for the second chance auction. There are still spots available for the 30 second ads. Any member can donate $200 for a spot to be shown twice. South End Reilly's will be the location to watch the auction 12 - 3.
District Conference is coming up March 9-11. It will be a unique experience with great speakers, a hang-out friendly House of Friendship and plenty of opportunities to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones.
President Ben performed the Sergeant at Arms duties, welcoming visitors and collecting Happy $$.
Visiting Rotarians: Don McClure , Damariscotta, ME; Ken Nykiel, IL; Richard Rorschad, TX; Ray Enstine, Southampton, NY; Jean Mahayfer, Anderson, SC; Dick Cohen, NJ; David Ruckno, HHI RC (lunch). Visitors: Dennis Breitholtz, guest of Ray Makalous; John Prange, guest of Ray Makalous; Rudhie Edwards and Nancy Perry guest of the speaker.
Speaker:
Kathryn Smith, author of The Gatekeeper
photo - Barry Davis
In character, as Missy LeHand we were treated to much information about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Marguerite "Missy" LeHand was the right hand woman to FDR and was widely considered the first and only female presidential chief of staff. She brought greetings from President Roosevelt and thanks for South Carolina giving him 98% of the vote. She told how she, the grandchild of Irish Immigrants, who came over during the potato famine, met FDR and became his personal secretary for more than twenty years. She spoke of Warm Springs GA and the mineral springs that polio patients often received benefits from. President Roosevelt bought the facility and spent much time there. The March of Dimes was founded by FDR. Missy lived on the third floor of the White House as did many of the people who worked for the Roosevelts. FDR died of a Cerebral hemorage at Warm Springs on April 12, 1945. Missy who worked very hard died of a stroke at the age of 47. The biography of Marguerite LeHand, "The Gatekeeper", is so named because she was the one that anyone who wanted access to the President had to get through.