President Phil Seipp called the meeting to order. He shared some thoughts on last week’s horrific shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School up in Parkland. The school’s namesake was the daughter of Frank Stoneman who founded the Miami Evening Record in 1903 (becoming the Miami Herald in 1910). Mr. Stoneman was the 5th President of the Rotary Club of Miami, serving in 1921-1922. A moment of silence was held in remembrance of 14 year old Gina Montalto, an Interact student & the 16 others lost in this tragedy.
To also honor those affected last week, Diane Landsberg gave a special invocation. Oliver Ruiz then led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag.
Happy $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ were collected by Tina Moore:
Diane Landsberg was happy to have celebrated her first year date anniversary with Maria and Norby Rudel. They were in sync since both exchanged cards and plants. She also presented a birthday cake to the aging Jay Almeida;
Marcia Brod shared information on the District Theater outing on March 21 at Actor’s Playhouse in Coral Gables. Tickets are discounted to $40 with no service charges (use the coupon code ROTARY to get the discount). She also was glad to be with everyone after a very eventful trip back on the bus from visiting her daughter in Gainesville. The bus blew a tire and caught on fire. Everyone and their belongings were saved, however the bus was totally consumed by the fire. Marcia was just reminded that every day is truly a gift;
Renel Noel shared that his son had been in a funk for a weeks and eventually shared that he does not feel safe at school and had a feeling that something was going to happen. He sadly had a feeling that came true not for himself, but for others. Unfortunately, so many folks are suffering and Renel reminded everyone that we have to love one another;
Jay Almeida congratulated the students from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas H.S. for their advocacy efforts. He was also happy that his daughter Stephanie will be passing her Miss Miami crown after a year of service and public appearances;
Phil Seipp was happy about the wonderful Valentine’s Day party that was held. He thanked all involved;
Noreen Timoney was sorry she couldn’t make the Valentine’s Day event because of traffic but was happy to be at today’s meeting;
Tina Moore enjoyed the party and was proud that her granddaughter will be attending NYU.
Announcements:
Virgilie Aliu reported that the event at the Chapman Partnership was fantastic and thanked all those who participated. She also asked that we keep in our prayers her uncle, Charles, who is dealing with serious medical issues;
The Valentine’s Day event also included, besides fun and fellowship, the induction of Angela Deggs and Amelia Bonilla as our 55th and 56th members. Karla Richey was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow award;
TBM pinning ceremony will be held at FIU on Friday, February 23 at 4:30. Everyone is encouraged to attend;
The next RLI will be April 21. Please save the date and register;
Diane Landsberg will be hosting brunch on Sunday February 25 at her home for visiting Rotarians from Nova Scotia. If you wish to attend, please let her know.
Today’s Program – the TBM Scholarship Interview Process:
The Thomas Brown McClelland scholarship program is a signature project of the club. We are honored to be its Trustee and work hard to be true to its mission. Over 80 students have applied for scholarships this year;
Interviews with this amazing young people will be held on Saturdays March 10, 17 and 24. The sessions start at 8:00 and volunteers are needed;
Interviewers are placed on 3-4 member teams and speak to 3-4 applicants. Each panelist receives a packet of information with the applicant’s narrative and supporting documentation for review prior to the interview;
Students are asked questions and encouraged to share their thoughts, ideas and hopes for the future;
Scoring is done on the overall impression that is given and this is factored on the computer with financial need information. New members are paired with experienced members to provide consistency with the process;
Every member is encouraged to be part of this extraordinary opportunity to be part of this important program. Sign up as soon as possible, you will not regret it. Complete instruction will be provided on the morning of the interviews.
Brian Tschirhart led everyone in the 4-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say or Do.
