President Ronnie called the meeting to order at 12:42 following an extended time of lunch and fellowship, and asked that Kitty Stutts introduce visiting Rotarians and guests.
     President Ronnie introduced David Hodgkins, Lt. Governor of our District 7680 for a special presentation of the RI Presidential Citation to President Ronnie. Our club joins the other 41 clubs in our district in winning this award for 100% district accomplishment in the avenues of service for this Rotary year. We are one of 23 districts of the 530 districts throughout Rotary International to be honored with this citation.
     Colonel Pete Larson, Jr., son of our own Pete Larson, visiting us from his home in Bangkok, Thailand, gave due praise to our club website.
     Don Steger provided us with the Health and Happiness report noting the passing of our long time perfect attendance member, Paul Buck, who died earlier this week.
     President Ronnie led us in the pledge and Bill Wood offered our prayer, seeking God's blessing on our club and its leadership for the coming year.
     Chuck Lineberry introduced our special music presentation by the Thomas Sisters, for a stirring and inspirational program of patriotic songs anticipating our upcoming Independence Day celebrations. The Thomas Sisters are Charlotte natives and graduates of Tech High School. They have been singing together since before they were born based on their youthful appearances. Combined descendants of the sisters are 12 children, 21 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren. Besides the patriotic songs Sue amused us with an over the rainbow modification called "Somewhere Overweight People." If you can eat that pie, why oh why can't I? Peggy closed the program with a powerful God Bless America. The program certainly made us proud to be Americans. The Sisters could not resist a plug for their business, wheelchair transport service, by noting they saw lots of prospects for the coming years in our audience.
     President Ronnie introduced the very special head table, people who have been especially helpful to him and his administration this year. Bill Loftin, Sr., who continues his long service as publisher of our Rotary Reporter; Tom Burgess, who served a vital function this year as secretary-treasurer; Bill Wood, who chaired the nominating committee which chose Ronnie to become our future president.
     Mike Hawley, who was praised for his foundation work supporting our Rotary projects; Harold Hoak for his long time encouragement to Ronnie throughout his membership in our club; and Phil Van Hoy for his chairmanship of the Vocational Service avenue this year.
     President Ronnie left us with a short list of three things to remember about our association together:

1. Enjoy Rotary by forming friendships and working on our committees. Lifelong friendships have been formed within our club.
2. Look beyond yourself in service through participation in the many opportunities provided by Rotary.
3. Make a difference by going beyond the lunch and the meetings to accomplish something worthwhile in our community and our world.

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     By now you should have received the 1999-2000 Committee Assignments. Be sure to note your assignments for next year. Your Committee Chair should be contacting you soon.

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OBJECT OF ROTARY

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

ACT WITH CONSISTENCY
CREDIBILITY CONTINUITY
R.I. President Carlo Ravizza Theme for 1999-2000

DID YOU KNOW?

     Due to an increase in the food contract with Four Points, there will be an increase in meals to $13.00, effective July 1 for members and guests. Members will see the increase in their next quarterly billing that will be sent within the week. Also, please look for renewed membership cards in your bill.

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PAUL  F.  BUCK
September 7, 1914     June 28, 1999

     Rotarian Paul F. Buck died on Monday, June 28, 1999. He was 84. Paul joined our Club in 1957 and maintained a perfect attendance record for 35 of his 42 years as a member. It was in his nature not to stint on any responsibility. He loved the good fellowship of Rotary. A member of our "Glad to Be Alive" club, Paul became a Paul Harris Fellow supporting the Rotary Foundation and its humanitarian efforts.
     An anecdote from one of our Club's weekly bulletins more than 30 years back told how his granddaughter very appropriately called him "Big Daddy." He became Charlotte's "Daddy Warbucks," who took us on his broad shoulders to the big time of the entertainment world.
     Paul was an uncommon man: his father died when he was nine; he commenced working (part-time in a silent movie theater with live vaudeville) at nine; the Great Depression came about when he was 15; he followed his instincts for the entertainment world and reached the top.
     At retirement in 1988, he had served as director of the Auditorium-Coliseum-Convention Center Authority for 33 years. The Observer has editorialized: "He has left a huge legacy to this community."
     Charlotte Rotary has lost a giant oak. Our love and sympathy is extended to Paul's three daughters and his six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. A memorial to our student educational fund will be made by the Club.

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FORTHCOMING PROGRAMS

July 13 Mark Erwin, President, Erwin
Capital; Ambassadorial Appointment.

July 20 Jeff Beaver, New President,
Charlotte Sports Commission.

     Over the last 10 years, the number of reported polio cases has declined by 90 percent and it has been more than two years since a case of polio was reported in the Western Pacific region. But WHO warns that the final years of the polio eradication drive will be the most difficult, with nations affected by years of war and civil unrest requiring substantial financial support to rebuild damaged infrastructures and conduct NIDs .

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