The Rotater

Our program today was the team from the Texas Rangers. Joe Alcorta’s outstanding summary of each of our meetings appears on our club website. Thanks, Joe.

Program for Jan. 26: Rotary District Governor Elect Dave Mason and Rotarian Jim Griffith will tell about their recent Rotary trip to La Mosquitia.

We were all saddened to learn of the death of Rotarian Burl Harris. Funeral services were yesterday. Burl was an active member of our club and worked on many of our projects. He will be sincerely missed. Flowers were sent on behalf of the club and we all send our heartfelt condolences to Patsy and the rest of his family.

Past president Bill Waddill is retiring from his post at the Abilene State School. A reception will be held for him on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the Chapel of the State School from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Formal presentations will begin at 2 p.m. Bill and his wife, Diann, will be moving to Granbury.

Dues statements have been mailed out for Jan.-June club dues. Thanks to those of you who have already sent a payment check to the club office.

ROTARIAN OF THE WEEK: BILL WADDILL. Bill graduated from Gatesville High School and ACU. He joined our club in 1983 and is a past president of our club. He has been with Abilene State School forever. I am not sure the school can operate without him. We all wish Bill a wonderful retirement and we want him to know that he will be greatly missed.

"THE WEAK CAN NEVER FORGIVE. FOREGIVENESS IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF THE STRONG."—Mahatma Gandhi

Congratulations to SPIKE HARRIS. He was recently recognized by the Abilene Downtown Association with the first ever "Downtown Pick-up Award."

Our club is in excellent financial shape. At the Board of Directors meeting last week, it was reported that, from July 1 to Dec. 31.2006, our Operating Account had income of $20,771.74, and expenses of $17,674.00. The Community Service Account, on Dec. 31, 2006, had a balance of $8,793.44. If you want more details, come to the next board meeting. All members are invited to attend any board of directors meeting.

Webster’s Dictionary defines Rotarian as "a member of a major national and international service club."

On National Immunization Days in India, more than 350,000 volunteers from the family of Rotary help administer the polio vaccine to 150 MILLION children (6,000 children every second).

The following members are asked to stand in the greeting line with President Mike next Friday: Dennis Bill, Frank Dlugas, Bob Hunter, Bruce Lampert, Marty Pothier, and Ron Smith.

MAKE-UPS: Bob Hunter at Capitol of Texas Rotary in Austin; Marty Pothier, Tom Boecking, Bob Hunter, and Ed Brokaw at Abilene Southwest Rotary. Abilene Wednesday Rotary cancelled its meeting on Jan. 17 due to the weather.

Club Officers: Mike Weber, President; Bob Test, President Elect; Mary Beth Kilgore, Secretary-Treasurer; Directors: Frank Dlugas, Kim Bosher, Jay Hobbs, Erik Johnson, Bruce Lampert, Randy Piersall; Sergeant at Arms, Marty Pothier; Assistant Sergeant at Arms, Will Dix, and Peter Fox (immediate past president)