A great meeting first, with State Representative Todd Hunter as our guest speaker. It was good to hear that so many positive developments are taking place in and around Corpus Christi. So much potential! Hopefully one day Corpus Christi will rise to the status it so deserves...
This week-end was the RYLA Camp week-end. How amazing to see what RYLA brings in so little time to so many kids.The weather was dreary as I drove Roslyn to Zephyr Camp on Friday, but bautiful as I picked her up on Sunday.Joy and energy were filling up the air! A huge thank you was given byall to our own Bridget Markwood for all she did to make this camp happen and be so successful!
And Friday night, it was my honor to attend the Volunteer Recognition Dinner set up for the first time in Corpus Cristi, to thank close to a hundred dedicated volunteers. Our Club provided some of the "Legendary Bell Ringers..
Gerene Beckley, Debbie's mom, Guest of Debbie High
Karla Baum, Guest of Nancy Foster
Angie Flores, Guest of Todd Hunter
Gaye White, Guest of Todd Hunter
Four Way Test: Joe High
Bragging Bucks:
Greeter: Scott Sutherland
Invocation: John Seaman
Pledge: Rod Vaughn
Introduction of Guests: Debbie High
Visiting Rotarians:
George Dawson, Corpus Christi
Todd Hunter, Corpus Christi
Guest of Rotarian:
Gerene Beckley, Debbie's mom, Guest of Debbie High
Karla Baum, Guest of Nancy Foster
Angie Flores, Guest of Todd Hunter
Gaye White, Guest of Todd Hunter
Four Way Test: Joe High
Bragging Bucks:
Suzanne Guggenheim bragged about the wonderful vocational visit give by Sheriff Jim Kaelin. And how he is living vy the Four Wy Test in the way he trats his staff, his prisonners, and his constitutents tax money.
Marilyn Spencer bragged about her husband's first day of retirement.
Debbie High bragged about Joe High's living out the 4-Way Test in the workplace, even as he lost his job.
Dyke Henderson bragged about Rod Vaughn's work in acquiring wheelchair ramp projects for people in the community.
Rodney Eve bragged about his wife, Margaret, who returned safely from her travels in the Middle East.
Announcements:
Reminder: The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is coming this week. Our club is sponsoring 4 students to attend February 7-9. We are still in need of transportation for the 4 students to Camp Zephyr in Sandia including: 2 cars, 2 adults in each car, and 2 trips. We will leave Friday, February 7 at 2:30pm and we will pick up the students Sunday, February 9 at 2:30pm. Students check-in to Camp Zephr at 4pm and check-out at 2:45pm.
Dyke Henderson and Rod Vaughn will be leading a ramp reinforcement project in Sandia and a new ramp project in Robstown on February 22nd. A sign-up sheet will be available at today's meeting.
Bridget Markwood is actively involved with all aspects of Rotary New Generation Avenue of Servoce, including RYLA.
One of the students our club sponsored won one of the 3 District's scholarships to go and volunteer in Costa Rica this summer.
Anita Spreen has also been involved with the youth and is recruiting students to participate in the 4-Way Test speech competition. Contact Bridget or Anita if you are interested in working with the youth.
50/50 Raffle: The card drawn by Suzanne Guggenheim was not a winner. The pot of $186 rolls over to next week.
Today's speaker, State Representative Todd Hunter, spoke to Rotarians about the future plans for the Coastal Bend Area. Mr. Hunter is optimistic about the future of the Coastal Bend economy because there are industrial plants moving to the area, increases in tourist attractions such as the Schlitterbahn Water Park, increases to the hotel industry such as the La Quinta expansion, increased activity in the Corpus Christi Port, water de-salination task forces in progress, and an interest in using the Coastal Bend as a cruise ship port. All of these growth opportunities will require the remodeling of the current transportation infrastructure, including the development of the Corpus Christi Airport. Real estate values are expected to increase as well. The one concern Mr. Hunter mentioned was the unfair taxation requirements about to be placed on our auto insurance to pay for windstorm costs. The Coastal Bend brings a lot of money into the State of Texas, but Mr. Hunter mentioned that we are being unfairly taxed and not receiving our share of state funding. He will continue to fight for more fair treatment of our area. Thank you, State Representative Todd Hunter, for visiting us today and representing us in the Coastal Bend Area!
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