Minutes of the Rotary Meeting – January 26, 2017
By: Henry R. Seawell, IV
Invocation, Song, Music and Pledge
The meeting was called to order by club president, Les Greer. Tommy Blankenship offered the invocation and led the Song and Pledge. Mr. Greer provided the club with a fantastical anecdote involving three frogs on a log, ostensibly, to encourage the members to remain active in the community and continue to further the interests of mankind.
Introduction of Guests and Visitors: Jeff Zoghby.
Announcements: The Rotary District cruise is scheduled to begin on April 27, 2017, while the Rotary of Mobile golf tournament will be held on April 18, 2017. A tour of the newly renovated Barton Academy was made available to members. The Board of Directors for Rotary Mobile has announced its intention to match all donations to the Rotary Foundation with the stated objective of increasing the number of Paul Harris fellows in our club.
Program
Speaker: Phil Savage, Executive Director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, was introduced by Ernest Ladd. Mr. Savage then, in turn, introduced our other special guest, Coach Hue Jackson of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.
Mr. Savage gave a brief presentation, wherein he highlighted some of the remarkable players in this year’s Senior Bowl, as well as offering commentary on his year as the University of Alabama Football color analyst with Eli Gold. He described the Senior Bowl week as the “curtain coming up on these players” professional lives. He then introduced Coach Jackson.
Hue Jackson is the Head Football Coach of the Cleveland Browns. Coach Jackson revealed that he has taken part in 17 Senior Bowls and has had the honor of working with some outstanding quarterbacks, including Carson Palmer and Joe Flacco during stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, respectively. Coach describes the Senior Bowl as the locale at which “great football players come to play and matriculate into the NFL.”
Jackson noted that Alabama players were performing particularly well, especially Tight End O.J. Howard. Coach described the Senior Bowl as a week-long interview during which players have the opportunity to meet with all thirty-two teams. Coach Jackson asserted his desire for guys who are dedicated and know how to play the game.
Student of the Week
The student of the week was Murphy High School’s Cameron Robinson, who provided the Club with a delightful message on public service and character. Mr. Robinson is the highest rated student-athlete at Murphy and the starting Center for the football team.
The meeting was adjourned.