Meeting |
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Report |
Meeting |
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Report |
February 27, 2001 |
| Click here for photos of this Meeting | |
| Rotarians from across Mecklenburg
County enjoyed a delightful and inspiration program during the 24th Annual
Rotary Joint Luncheon at the Adams Mark Hotel.
Rotarian Sharon Simpson, this year’s Charlotte
Area Rotary Council president, welcomed the group’s twelve clubs that comprise the
council and called on our own President, Don Steger, to lead the
invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. President Sharon introduced a distinguished group of guests for the luncheon representing our past and future leadership. The six past District Governors included Butch Martin and his wife Beverly, Bob Miller, Jim Stump, Norm Schul, Whit Whitney, Fred Culbreth, and Mark Markanda with his wife Uma. District Governor-elect for 2001-2002 Bobby Smith along with 2002-2003 nominee Charles Dixon rounded out the group. Susan Burgess, President of the Charlotte South Rotary Club, shared information concerning plans for a new breakfast club to be launched in the Southpark area later this year. President Susan encouraged the luncheon group to think about 25 potential Rotarians as charter members for the club. The Northwest School of the Arts Chorus, under the direction of Linda Howard, brought smiles and approving nods throughout the room as they joyfully serenaded the crowd. The District’s current president, Doris M. “Dot” Greene, welcomed the important guest of the day, Rotary International President for 2001-2002 Richard King – Rotarian Rick to all. A Rotarian since 1968 he is a member of the Rotary Club of Niles-Freemont in California. His Rotary resume is extensive; he has served as a club president, a District Governor, and as an official representative to the president of Rotary International. He has worked on many, many committees such as World Community Service, Constitution and Bylaws, and Preserve Plant Earth. He has represented us as Trustee of our Rotary Foundation and as a Director of Rotary International where he chaired the executive committee. He has been World Chairman of the Rotary International Membership Task Force and is a two-term member of the Tenth Decade Committee. He will be exercising his creative thumbprint on the 2005 Centennial Planning Committee. President Rick was appointed by two Rotary International presidents as an International Assembly Instructor and has address assemblies, conventions, institutes, foundations, seminars, and district conferences in more than 64 nations. All of his dedication and hard work has not gone unnoticed and he has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Rotary Citation for Meritorious Service and the Distinguished Service Award for his support of humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation. He has also received the PolioPlus Pioneer Award. President Rick and his wife, Cherie, are recipients of the two-diamond-major donor Paul Harris Fellow and they have two sons Rob and Ty. President Rick instructed us on Rotary’s rich history and posited his definition of “The Real Rotarian.” Rotary’s history began 96 years ago on Feb. 23 when Paul Harris invited a few friends to organize what became the world’s first service club. Harris and his friends had come to Chicago from small communities in New England and they missed the camaraderie of small town life. The first objective of Harris’s club was friendship. The second objective of that first Rotary club was to help each other in business. To best achieve the second goal they decided their club would have one or two or three of the best men from different occupations found in throughout their community. Thus, the classification system began as an effort to get the best. Today owners, managers, executives – all decision makers in a business are part of Rotary and clubs still strive to get the best. The world’s first service club decided to meet every week in the different homes or offices of their members. In 1905 there were just 12 men in the club. As they had established the habit of rotating the meeting among each other’s homes they decided to name their club Rotary. Then came the Kiwanis, the Lions, the Optimists, and the Exchange clubs – all germinating from that cold night when the first Rotary Club, Chicago No. 1, was formed. Rotary is the oldest service club in the world and the most international. Rotary flags fly in 30,000 towns and cities in many countries. More Rotary flags fly in different locations than United Nations flags and more than 1,200,000 men and women today continue to meet weekly and break bread together. All wear the Rotary International pen. For the last decade a new rotary club has been formed somewhere every eight hours. In the next century Rotary will play an even more important role in solving the world’s problems. No government, religions, or non-profit group works as well as Rotary with networking and manpower. From digging wells to immunizing against polio, Rotary accomplished in three years with it took the United Nations over 50 years to do. In Africa where 25% of the population will die of AIDS and other diseases the only hope for the continent is for more and more Rotary clubs because governments trust Rotary. The United States has given over $130 million to Rotary work throughout the world. President Rick stated that last year he met with the President of the United States, Bill Clinton. President Clinton told him he wanted to give the Russians $70 for healthcare for children – but he did not want to give the money to the Russian government, but he would give it to Rotary for Russia because he know Rotary would get the job done. In the 21st century, President Rick reiterated that there is more need for Rotary today than in all our 96 years. What is our depth of commitment: that we be “not just in Rotary but that Rotary be in us.” President Rick said he was often asked how he could leave the demanding work of his law practice and travel around the world to see what Rotary does. He answered that question with his closing story. "A dozen years ago while serving on the International Board I was finishing lunch in the World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois and an old man, close to 90 came in escorted by a younger man who works there. I finished lunch and told the man he must be getting a tour. The elderly gentleman answered ‘I have waited all my life to come to this place. I am from Prague, Czechoslovakia.’ “I asked him if he was a Rotarian. ‘I hope so,’ he answered. I joined in the spring, in the springtime of my life. We met in Prague at a hotel each week. I said someday I am going to America to see where Rotary began. In 1939 the Nazis came with the war, some members of my club were shot, we could not wear the pin, fly the flag – there was no Rotary because of the Nazis. A few of us decided to meet in secret anyway, and we met for six years. In 1945, after the war, we could wear the pins, fly the flags and meet once more. But in 1948 the communist came and again we could not have Rotary. The club shut down and for the second time we began to meet in secret. But this time we met for 42 years that way and I knew I would never come to America and I gave up hope. Then last year a miracle happened and the wall came down. I said, next spring in May, I’m going to America, I’m going to be a real Rotarian.’” President Rick looked at the man and he answered, “somehow I think you’ve always been a real Rotarian.” President Rick concluded with a reminder that Rotary changes the lives of those who are served and the lives of those who do the serving. He encouraged all Rotarians to invite someone to join Rotary because we need them and they need us. He encouraged us to seek out those who make commitments and those who keep them as those of us who wear the Rotary wheel are obligated to do both. * * * |
New Member
SUZANNE LOUSE FETSCHER 2001 Contemporary Art Center Tryon Center for Visual Art
Suzanne received her undergraduate college education at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where she received her bachelor of fine arts degree in studio art in 1979. She continued at the University of Florida, Gainesville, where she earned a master of fine arts degree in studio art. For the next five years, Suzanne taught as an adjunct instructor of design, drawing, painting, and printmaking at several Central Florida institutions, including the University of Central Florida, Rollins College, and Stetson University. In 1988, Suzanne was given the opportunity to work at one of the U.S.'s premiere fine art presses, Graphicstudio at the University of South Florida, Tampa. While there, Suzanne worked as assistant curator on projects of Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Nancy Graves, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jim Dine. As a former participant in its artist-in-residence program, Suzanne was recruited in May 1990 to work as program assistant at Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. In January 1992, she was promoted to program director and in December 1993, she was promoted to executive director where she remained until May 1998 when she was recruited for the position of founding president of Tryon Center for Visual Art in Charlotte. Suzanne has recently been appointed to the board of trustees of Res Artis, an international consortium of artists-in-residence programs. She served three terms as chair of the board of directors of the Alliance of Artists' Communities, a national consortium of organizations and individuals established to improve the environment in which artists' communities support artists in the creative process. She serves on the national council of Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida, the international advisory board of Akiyoshidai International Art Village in Japan and the advisory board for the Trust for Public Land in National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. Welcome to Charlotte Rotary, Suzanne. * * * |
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Revised: January 24, 2008.
