View
222
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
1
THE
BETTENDORF
ROTARY
CLUB NEWS Bettendorf, Iowa, Rotary Club
Aug. 5, 2015, issue
Next meeting: Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015,
at Tanglewood Pavilion
Powerful book tells of
being Abandoned in Hell Bill “Hawk” Albracht, a native of Rock
Island, had two distinguished careers – as
an Army Special Forces officer and as a
Secret Service special agent – and he’s
scheduled to be the featured speaker at
our Aug. 12 meeting.
His book, Abandoned in Hell, relates his
most challenging incident during the
Vietnam War. In 1969 he commanded
150 soldiers at a firebase that came under
fire from an enemy force estimated at
6,000. “Cut off from supplies and
reinforcements,” he writes, they held out
for five days. They attempted an escape
under darkness…
Bill will bring copies of his book to the
meeting and will be available to sell and
autograph them after his presentation.
After his highly decorated Special Forces
career – 3 Silver Stars, 3 Purple Hearts, 5
Bronze Stars and other awards for
combat valor – he was graduated from
Augustana College and served 25 years
in the Secret Service, retiring as assistant
special-agent-in-charge of the
Washington, D.C. office.
Last meeting: Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015
Bagpipe tunes
and lots of facts
At the Aug. 5 meeting, our own Brad
Morrison and his daughter Maddy
presented a concert of traditional bagpipe
tunes – marches, dance tunes and
signaling tunes. Between numbers, Brad
taught us several things about bagpipes,
such as:
They have only one dynamic level:
really loud – because the Scots used them
to send signals across distances and
during battles.
Similar to bugle tunes, each bagpipe
tune carries a specific message, “Such as
‘go forward’ or ‘fall back’,” Brad said.
While their historic role often was in
battle, bagpipes today are mostly used at
2
celebrations, to accompany dancing, in
parades and at funerals to accompany the
singing of the hymn “Amazing Grace.”
In its essence, a bagpipe is “like an
oboe on steroids, but with four reeds,” he
explained. The player blows into a
mouthpiece, which fills a bag with air.
Using his or her elbow, the player
squeezes the bag sending air into the
“chanter,” which plays the tune, and the
three “drones,” which are all tuned to
play the same harmonizing background
tone. The player changes the tune by
covering holes in the chanter similar to
the way a whistle player or flutist plays a
tune.
Bagpipes are limited to nine notes –
not quite a true octave, Brad noted –
permitting them to play in the keys of A
or D.
Brad and Maddy wore traditional
Scottish clothing, from head to toe,
including kilts – “in the hunting-rose
tartan, not the Morrison family tartan,”
Brad said – and the sporran, a leather bag
suspended from a belt, “where the old
Scots kept their smart phone,” Brad
quipped.
S.K. Nanda inducts Matt Schmidt, Chris Carroll
New member inductions… S.K. Nanda inducted two new members
– as he did last week, and may do again
next week (we’re getting a lot of new
members; thank you, Jim Slavens – and
all members who are inviting their
friends to lunch on Wednesdays).
Before calling the new inductees forward,
S.K. noted that July 24 marked a full year
without a new case of polio on the
African continent, meaning Nigeria has
left the list of countries with endemic
polio. “Now there have just two to go,”
S.K. added: “Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
The newest members of BRC are:
Matt Schmidt, dean of operations for
the Eastern Iowa Community College
district. He and his wife are parents to
two children, ages 7 and 11, in the
Pleasant Valley school system. He joined
BRC because, he said, “I think it’s
important to give back to the
community.”
Chris Carroll, sales executive at
Galaxy One, the satellite TV company.
He and his wife are parents of two
3
daughters and a son. An avid basketball
fan, he played throughout his school and
college years.
Just before the inductions, Mayor Bob
Gallagher was given a special pin
signifying that one of his guests has
become a new member.
Presentation… Gene Miller 60-year Rotarian: Gene
Miller joined Rotary in 1955 and has
been a contributing member ever since.
In recognition of those 60 years of
service, Gene – accompanied by his wife
Doris – received a giant
“card” full of signatures and
notes of personal well-
wishes from his fellow
Bettendorf Rotarians and a
commemorative crystal. As
the members rose to give
him a standing ovation,
Gene said, with a familiar
twinkle in his eye, “What a
wonderful surprise for hanging around
for 60 years.” [Another photo, p. 6.]
Announcements… Future meetings: We’ll continue our
August meetings at Tanglewood
Pavilion. President Kevin Kraft said
the results of the member survey on our
permanent home had been tabulated and
will be forwarded to the Board at its
meeting next Tuesday. The decision will
be announced at next week’s meeting.
New member recruitment: Jim
Slavens complimented the membership
for continuing to fill out and hand in the
shocking-pink new-member lead slips.
“Keep inviting more people to lunch,” he
urged.
Golf Outing: Tim Lane announced
that the annual event is scheduled to
replace the meeting of Wednesday, Sept.
9, with golfers teeing off at Palmer Hills
Gold Club about noon and diners –
golfers, other members, spouses and
guests – queuing up for grilled steak,
chicken and salmon that evening. Tim
thanked past event co-chairs Ken
Vandersnick and John Rabine for their
years of excellent leadership. Tim said a
search is on for volunteers to form a new
Golf Outing Committee.
History with Harry…
(Harry Coin
searches BRC
Archives and
interviews veteran
members to
discover fun things
about our past…)
The mystery Rotarian is…(?) Who’s this Rotarian? Three clues:
1) The first Bettendorf airport was
parallel to State Street. In fact, it was one
of the first airports anywhere. One of the
4
planes made here during testing sort of
broke in two, landing in Duck Creek.
2) The second Bettendorf airport ran
parallel to 18th Street. Its hangar was
directly across
18th from the
Bettendorf Middle
school. In the
1970s the hangar
remained after the
runway was long
gone, and it
became the band
rehearsal room for
grades 6, 7 and 8.
(Kids would walk
across 18th after
gym in the “bubble.” In the winter, after
showering post-gym, our wet hair would
freeze. We could “snap” hairs into pieces
as they froze by the time we made it to
the hangar.)
3) On the city’s behalf, our Rotarian put
out bids, asking a landscaping company
to lay sod where today’s 18th street runs,
between Grant Street and Central
Avenue. The landscaping firm declined
the bid, referring our Rotarian to a
wallpaper-hanging firm.
Who was it? Details to follow!
Jon Ryan
Happy $$...
(Named in honor of
the late Bettendorf
Rotarian, punster,
jokester and all-
around good guy)
President Kevin collected $356 – with
extra amounts coming from: Jeff
Boomer Hill – happy Mayor Bob
Gallagher is running for reelection…
Bill Daley – “nothing to do” during his
impending visit to family in Kansas…
Steve Sorensen – 61st birthday, so a $60
check, “because at 60 you’re supposed to
start subtracting years, right?”… Jerry
Felsing – 45th birthday + another
grandbaby due at the end of August…
Ken Vandersnick – vacationing in
Colorado last week + two questions for
Decker Ploehn about 18th Street
construction (to which Decker replied,
“It’s a sewer project – ask them”)…
Larry Thein – son’s 11th birthday – he
was invited to try out for Barnstormers
baseball league – and made it… Mayor
Bob – $$ for last month’s birthday +
thanks to Boomer for his support… Greg
Blaske – daughter Hannah, on PVHS
softball team, was the only MAC player
to make the state academic team… Ryan
Bell – vacationed in North Carolina – and
didn’t get a shark bite… Dick Schillig –
Boomer Hill has his RWC yard sign
32 days to Run with Carl + “take a
postcard and a yard sign” to promote
signups… Jim Slavens – happy Bob
5
Gallagher is running again for mayor –
“and here’s $100 for his campaign…
Linda Miller – not running again for the
Iowa Senate in 2016 (prompting mention
of the rumor that BRC member-to-be
Gary Mohr will run for the seat)… Dave
Deuth – had an 11 a.m. funeral and still
made it before the end of the meeting…
Sharon Sarver – happy about Gene
Miller’s honor for 60 year in Rotary.
The meeting opened…
We returned to Tanglewood. After
striking the bell, President Kevin Kraft
welcomed everyone, thanked the
Tanglewood’s Julie and Donna for
baking cookies and brownies for the
August birthday bunch and led the
recitation of The 4-Way Test.
With a keyboard available, pianist Gail
Baldwin accompanied song leader Tom
Frank Schwab kept our flag after our weeks at
Crust – and returned it to Tanglewood.
Howard in the day’s patriotic song,
“God Bless America.”
President Kevin returned to lead the
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and
Moments of Silence. After introductions
by Secretary Johanna Smith, Tom and
Gail returned with a Rotary-song fest:
“Sing, Everyone, Sing,” “Get Together
Song” and “Happy Birthday, Dear
Rotarians” – who in August are: 04,
Steve Sorensen; 05, Gary Felton; 09,
Penny McGimpsey; 12, Jerry Felsing; 14,
Diane Ricketts-McCool, Jay Willsher;
22, Dawn Saul; 27, Linda Miller
Secretary Johanna Smith
introduced… Visiting Rotarians:
Tom Torrey, Rock Island Rotary Guests:
Doris Miller, guest of Gene Miller
Gail Baldwin, pianist
Julie Funk, Bettendorf Schools Foundation,
guest of Ami Wells
Beth Marsoun Pleasant Valley Schools
Foundation, guest of Ami Wells
Brittany Hopkins, Knilans’ Furniture, guest
of Sharon Sarver
Hannah Blaske, guest of Greg Blaske
Maddie Morrison, speaker
Mecca Morrison, guest of Brad Morrison
Mary Jo Morrison, guest of Brad Morrison
In all, 54 attending Bettendorf Rotarians
were joined by 9 guests and 1 visiting
Rotarian.
And at the end… … of the meeting, Greg Blaske won a
Happy to Have a Make-up in the drawing
from among all those members who
participated in Jon Ryan Happy $$.
Missing today… Bibik, Boeye, Bush, Chambers, Daugherty,
DeDoncker, Dickson, Duda, Eikenberry,
Elledge, Featherstone, Fee, Felton, Franks,
Gause, Geisewite, Habenicht, Hartsock,
Hassel, Hinman, Hintermeister, Hinton,
Hipple, James, Kappeler, Lizak, Lokenvitz,
McGimpsey, Martinez, Mitvalsky, Mohr,
Naeve, Nelson, Olson, Oswald, Powers,
Ricketts-McCool, Ross, Rutherford, Saul,
Schuler, Schutte, Scranton, Spelhaug,
Stopulos, Webster, Werner, Willsher,
Windmiller
6
Make-ups… Davenport Rotary: Chuck Geisewite (2)
Iowa QC Rotary: Dick Schillig
Make up at another QC club… Monday, noon: Davenport – The Outing Club
Monday, noon: Moline –Trinity Lutheran Church,
Moline
Monday, 6 p.m.: QC Illinois – Club Rm., HyVee,
7th Street & John Deere Road, Moline
Tuesday, 7:15 a.m.: River Cities – Brothers
Restaurant, Rapids City
Tuesday, noon: Rock Island – QC Botanical
Center
Wednesday, noon: Bettendorf – Tanglewood
Pavilion
Wednesday, 5 p.m.: Mini Meet – Lunardi’s
Restaurant, Davenport
Thursday, 7 a.m.: Iowa Quad Cities – J-Bar,
Elmore Avenue, Davenport
Thursday, noon: East Moline – Christ United
Methodist Church
Thursday, noon: Milan – Pinnacle Country Club
2nd and 4th Thursdays, 5:30 p.m.: Twin Rivers
Rotary After Hours – Bierstube, Moline
Friday, noon: North Scott – Steeplegate Inn,
Davenport
Upcoming meetings... … Thanks to program
chair Scott Naumann,
scottn@midlandcom.
com, 445-4260: Aug. 12: Bill
Albracht, author and
retired U.S. Army
Special Forces and
Secret Service officer Aug. 19: Vocational
Service Programs
Aug. 26: Club Assembly
Sept. 9: Golf Outing and steak fry, Palmer
Hills Golf Course
Sept. 16: Kelly Thompson, Teens for
Tomorrow (Community Foundation Youth
Driven Philanthropy)
BRC News staff… Editor, reporter, photographer: Fred
Anderson
Correspondent, Web-site host: Johanna
Smith
For more on Bettendorf Rotary: http://www.bettendorfrotary.com/
For more on Rotary District 6000: www.rotary6000.org/
For more on Rotary International: https://www.rotary.org/
Gene Miller accepts his congratulatory “card” from President Kevin – with scores of comments from BRC members.
Recommended