Category: Meeting Minutes

June 30, 2016 Minutes
Submitted by Tommy Fulton, Contributing Editor
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Les Greer. Norman Nicholson gave the invocation, followed by Larry Sindel, who led us in song and the Pledge. Tom Martenstein introduced our guests along with visiting Rotarians.
Student Guest: Saty Putcha introduced Sarah Jane Bruton from Davidson High School as our Student of the Week.
New Member: John Dukes introduced Bill Kleinschrodt as a new member.
Announcements: The Rotary Children’s Foundation distributed grants to MARC-$8,500.00, UCP-$7,500.00 and Mobile Infirmary’s Center for Women & Children-$8,000.00.
Sally Roberts and Tom Harris were honored as Paul Harris Fellow recipients.
Program: Win Hallett introduced our speaker, David Bagwell, who spoke regarding Louis LeClerc Milfort.
Mr. Bagwell established his credentials by stating that he would be from his own authority, “Bagwell’s B.S. of Mobile History!”
Milfort served in the French army from 1764-1774, before emigrating to Boston. Apparently, this was was a decision made after he had killed a servant of the king’s household in a duel. He then moved to Indian territory in what was to become Alabama.
During the Revolutionary war, Colonel Alexander McGillvray, chief of the Creek Indians relied on Milfort as his War Chief, or “Tustunneggee”, which meant “Top Warrior.” After the war, this area was mostly occupied by the Spanish, French and British, but was ruled by the Spaniards. However, the Creek Indians moved in and took over the area. They were son-named because of their daily habit of bathing in the creeks.
Mr. Bagwell described the two Creek factions, the Upper Creeks and the Lower Creeks as similar to the Tea Party and the Country-Club Republicans, respectively. The economy of the Creek Indians was mainly trade with Britain in deerskins, such as, buckskin pants, gloves and bookbindings.
When Milfort first came to America, he almost starved to death until being rescued by Alexander McGillivray of the Creek Indian nation. Milfort took Alexander’s sister as his wife. Bagwell then described Mobil in 1781, as a little Garden of Eden, where hunting and fishing were excellent, and everyone had loaded guns behind their front doors, “not unlike today.”
One peculiarity described by Mr. Bagwell dealt with the relationships between men and women. He said, “The sky was the limit with women, for men during harvest time. All other times, the women were known to be very chaste and loyal.”
Les Greer then thanked Mr. Bagwell for his presentation and presented a certificate to him, noting that a donation in his honor had been made to the Rotary International Foundation.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm.

Greeting: John T. Dukes instead of Les.
Song, Music, & Pledge: Tommy Blankenship and America the Beautiful.
Announcements: Bo Mattei spoke on the Rotary Fund and the Rotary Education Fund. Mr. Mattei highlighted and introduced representatives of the Goodwill Easter Seals and Camp ASCCA. Both of the aforementioned charitable organizations were recipients of Rotary Education Fund Grants. He directed members to envelops and enclosures provided by Mike Payne at Greer’s. He encouraged the membership to contribute to the Rotary Education Fund by way of the materials kindly provided.
John Peebles thanked Ms. Stevens for her introduction. He opened his presentation by saying that all assembled know Barton Academy for reason of the remarkable buildings prominent location, notable architecture, and pervasiveness in our shared culture. Mr. Peebles went on to tell the story Barton Academy, the people who created, and Barton Foundation which will help to preserve it. Providing context for Barton Academy’s founding, Mr. Peebles spoke on epoch which the school was founded. He noted how progressive Mobile was within the nation, region, and state its founding of the first institution of government funded education in the state of Alabama. He highlighted the actions and achievements of Willoughby Barton (creator of what became the Mobile County School Commission), Henry Hitchcock (politician, judge, financier, and civic booster who lead the campaign for realizing the creation of the school and building housing it), Gallier & Dakin (architects of the building), and others who created a landmark of educational and architectural excellence for our City. Mr. Peebles told those assembled that building cost an excess of $50,000 to construct. He asked the audience to contemplate what that same sum would be in today’s dollars, as well as the imitative set in its day, the achievement it represented, and how Mobilians of today should learn from the past. Mr. Peebles then turned attentions to Barton Academy Center for World Studies. He explained that 6-12 grade program will offer instruction to four hundred students baed on equitable access. The focus w ill be on critical thinking and languages. Mr. Peebles spoke of what a valuable tool the program will be for Mobile’ educational and recruitment toolkit. After speaking of the figures required to realize the school, he informed those assembled of considerable sums already received. Mr. Peebles gave four reasons why the school should be supported: 1.) architectural significance of the campus; 2.) prominent location of the campus; 3.) importance of eduction; and 4.) recognition of our pasts. He closed his presentation by saying that members of Rotary should expect a communication regarding their commitment to this important initiative. Mr. Peebles stated that he was happy to answer questions. Several questions ensued.

Minutes of the November 10, 2016 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by club president Les Greet at 12:15 PM. Chip Hale offered the invocation and Tom Martenstein welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians. Larry Sindel led the club in song and the Pledge.
Student Guest: Jordan Blackmon, a senior at Alma Bryant High School, was given the Youth Merit Award.
New Member:
• Bob Chappelle introduced Cathy Pope, President and CEO of Feeding the Gulf Coast.
Announcements: Les Greer made the following announcements:
• The board will meet today following the regular lunch meeting.
• Please remember to donate to the Rotary Foundation.
Program: Christ Barraza: Mobile United
Katherine Pitman, Executive Director of Mobile United, introduced her organization’s Director of Programs: Chris Barraza. who serves as Director of Programs.
Ms. Barazza presented a power point program reviewing the work of Mobile United and discussed its latest program: Connect Mobile. Connect Mobile is designed to cultivate young leaders in the 21-35 age group much as Leadership Mobile has done for older local professionals.
A wide array of programs created by this group has included an infant clothing drive for the Ronald McDonald House, establishing a library for inmates in Mobile Metro Jail and most recently the Paint the Town Blue Family Fun Day which seeks to increase the early detection of autism among minorities.
Les thanked Ms. Barraza for speaking to the club and presented her with a certificate noting that in her honor a donation has been made to the Rotary International Foundation.
The meeting adjourned at 12:55 PM.
Tom McGehee

Nov. 3, 2016 Minutes
Submitted by Tommy Fulton, Contributing Editor
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Les Greer. Tommy Fulton gave the invocation, followed by Tommy Blandenship, who led us in song and the Pledge. Tom Martenstein introduced our guests along with visiting Rotarians.
Student Guest: Saty Putcha introduced Brian Wilson from Mattie T. Blount High School.
Announcements: There is a board meeting next week, November 10th. Past Presidents Advisory Council meeting is Tuesday, November 15th
Program: Peggy Buggs introduced our speaker, John Kilpatrick, Founder of Veteran’s Recovery Resources.
After seeing first-hand, the unmet need for help for our deployed veterans, Mr. Kilpatrick began searching for better solutions. The help was especially needed for those who had served in multiple deployments.
He stated that there were more than 22 million veterans in the United States. 1 in 4 of them have serious addiction and mental health issues. Also, our veterans are more than 3 times as likely to commit suicide as the general population. The Gulf Coast Region consists of more than 5 million veterans, which is the 2nd highest in the U. S.
The waiting period for veterans who need help is 5-6 months after they begin to seek help. This is the toughest time for them. Because of this, the Choice Act of 2014 was designed to allow veterans to get help outside of the VA. The new VA Hospital in Mobile won’t have in-patient service.
Mr. Kilpatrick mentioned that his group can be self-sufficient if they can collect at least 40% of the fees which will be due under existing laws.
He described his personal experiences with addiction and how much of a stigma it was to even admit that you had a problem. It was extremely difficult for him to find a group of peers, which is why he started a group at the Pentagon. There was a test program that helped self-reporters avoid the stigma which was so prevalent in the past.
His group, the Veteran’s Recovery Resources, will soon have its funding in place. Having been a Medical Surgical Officer for 18 years, Mr. Kilpatrick will use his years of connections to reach out to his constituents. Their services will also extend to the families of the veterans.
He wrapped up by answering questions from the audience.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm.

Rotary Club of Mobile
Invocation: Tommy Blankenship led the song and pledge with Bill Openheimer accompanying at the piano.
Announcements: Sam Adams of the Rotary Club of Montgomery spoke on the behalf of the District Governor. Mr. Adams thanked the membership of the Rotary Club of Mobile for all their hard work, especially efforts and contributions toward the annual fund. Before leaving the podium, he gave jokes for the amusement of those assembled.
Program: Mr. Hoffman spoke on the subject of inspiration. He opened by allowing that he would be channeling the broad topic into the revitalizing landscape of downtown Mobile. Mr. Hoffman thanked all assembled for their diverse efforts toward fueling the downtown renaissance. He proceeded to a reference to and a quote by musician and Nobel Prize winner Bob Dillon as vehicle showing that inspiration comes from many places and takes many forms. Mr. Hoffman stated that his family and the Mobile region have served him as a source for inspiration. Recalling a visit earlier in life with writer and Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel, he recalled asking Mr. Weisel how he could write if he had not suffered to the extent of other great writers such as Weisel himself. Mr. Hoffman recounted that Mr. Weisel that being grateful for what you is inspiration. The speaker proceeded to read provide the background behind some his published works. Several selections were read, notably from Come Landfall, Chicken Counting Corn, and Almost Family. Mr. Hoffman recited and paraphrased on inspiration from such noted literary figures as Maya Angelou and Truman Capote. He concluded his talk by way of an amusing account of his meeting with author Harper Lee.

Minutes of the October 27, 2016 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by club president Les Greet at 12:05 PM. Claire McCarron offered the invocation and Tom Martenstein welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians. Tommy Blankenship led the club in song and the Pledge.
Student Guest: Lauryn Rawlins, a senior at Baker High School, was given the Youth Merit Award.
New Members:
• Claire McCarron introduced Ginger Bedsole, an attorney with Phelps Dunbar.
• Skip Brown then introduced Briley Shirah, a CPA and his partner in the firm of Russell, Thompson, Butler & Houston.
Program: Russell Ladd: ”The Mobile Tensaw River Delta.”
Cart Blackwell introduced fellow Rotarian Russell Ladd who presented a power point program discussing his many decades of experiences in and around the Mobile Tensaw River Delta.
Russell discussed the area’s growth and recalled the days when it was very secluded adding “if you saw another boat you knew who the owner was and where they were going.” There were only 25 or 30 boats plying those waters in years past – boats like the Lysistrata owned by Waterman Steamship and the Yes Sir owned by the Mobile Paint Company.
Boats were run on gasoline engines (not diesel) he said, and there were no generators. Lights were run on batteries and when the batteries ran out, so did the lights. Russell juxtaposed those boats with the one he purchased in 1977, The Delta Dream equipped with every convenience including air conditioning. He added that the air conditioning had put an end to hearing the noisy sounds of nature at night.
Today the Delta is far more crowded he said, as he showed an image of a two mile stretch of houseboats. Despite the newcomers and the occasional high powered bass boat roaring through, the area remains tranquil and one which three generations of Ladds are still thoroughly enjoying, he said.
Les thanked Russell for speaking to the club and presented him with a certificate noting that in his honor a donation has been made to the Rotary International Foundation.
Tom McGehee

Minutes of the October 13, 2016 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by club president Les Greet at 12:15 PM. Henry Seawell offered the invocation and Tom Martenstein welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians.
Student Guest: Alex White, a senior at the Alabama School of Math and Science was introduced as the Student of the Week by Rotarian Monica Motley, President of the school.
Paul Harris Fellow: Sarah Teague was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow “plus one.”
Announcements: Les Greer made the following announcements:
• The Rotary Children’s Foundation will meet following today’s meeting.
• The Board of the Rotary Club of Mobile will meet following the October 20 meeting.
Program: Elyse Goonan: “One Mobile”
Cart Blackwell introduced Elyse Goonan, executive director of One Mobile. Mrs. Goonan explained that One Mobile is a local privately-funded, non-profit organization which seeks to improve the quality of life in Mobile via the sharing of ideas through their website, onemobile.org. The site offers a way to share ideas regarding at least 10 different areas of concern ranging from the environment to the arts.
As a 501 C3 organization, One Mobile can also assist local organizations in their raising of tax deductible contributions. Some of the programs the group has assisted include the Midtown Mobile Movement, Mobile Streets Alive and Food Fight – a program where competing teams aid food banks by creating sculptures from canned goods.
Mrs. Goonan said that as a result of an idea sent in a “safe drop off” had been established at four local police precincts. Anyone buying or selling an item on Craigslist or some other site can meet at one of those precincts and have a safe location for the transaction. She said that if the other party does not want to meet at a police station you might want to reconsider doing business with him.
A new program which many Mobilians will soon take note of is a program creating artistic murals around town. She said the program is called “Create Change” and will partner apprentices with professional artists as they create scenic murals around Mobile.
Les Greer thanked Mrs. Goonan for being our speaker and said that in her honor a donation has been made to the Rotary International Foundation. The meeting adjourned at 1:00 PM.
Tom McGehee

September 29, 2016 Minutes
Submitted by Tommy Fulton, Contributing Editor
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by John Dukes. Kate Carver gave the invocation, followed by Gordon Korb, who led us in song. Jeff Zoghby introduced our guests along with visiting Rotarians.
Announcements: *** New member orientation will be October 11th.
***Rotary Gala will be October 5th @ Dauphins…Please RSVP.
***The Mobile West event on Oct. 4th has been moved to the Bluegill.
Program: Rick Harvey introduced our speaker, Dr. Tony Waldrop, President of University of South Alabama.
Dr. Waldrop announced the new theme for USA as “Upward & Onward.” This is the kickoff of a $150 million dollar campaign. USA has enrolled 16,700 students and is proud to announce that it has just achieved a record year in academic performance. They have put together a strategic plan which accentuates five major priorities.
1. Athletics. USA won the prestigious Vic Burns Cup, which is given to the best overall sports program in the Sunbelt Conference. The Jaguars also achieved the best academic record in their conference.
2. Excellence in Healthcare. South Alabama is working toward a new facility in Fairhope, which will double their space. They are also building the Strada Patient Care Center, near the Mitchell Cancer Institute.
3. Enhancement of Research and Graduate Education. USA is expanding their focus on the Center of Real Estate and Economic Development. Another example is the partnership with Galapagos Island.
4. Global Engagement. Dr. Waldrop announced a record number of international students at South. They also have developed a Global Certificate Program. South has more than 100 students now studying abroad.
5. University Community Engagement. USA sponsors the Community Engagement Focus Sessions, the Mayor’s Luncheon for all of the mayor’s in Mobile and Baldwin Counties, and an expansion of their volunteer emphasis programs.
Finally, during a question and answer session, Dr. Waldrop expressed interest in a 20,000 seat, on-campus football stadium. They estimate the cost of the facility will be somewhere between $85 million and $115 million to build.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm.

Minutes of the Rotary Meeting – September 22, 2016
By: Henry R. Seawell, IV
Invocation, Song, Music and Pledge
John Dukes called the meeting to order. Paul Giardina gave the invocation. Tommy Blankenship led the Song and Pledge.
Introduction of Guests and Visitors: Tom Martenstein. Claire McCarron introduced Ginger Bedsole, attorney at Phelps Dunbar, and Bob Chappelle introduced Cathy Pope.
Announcements: The Rotary Children’s Foundation Meeting was held the afternoon of September 22, 2016 in the Ashland Suite. Invitations for the Rotary Club Gala to be held on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, at Dauphin’s restaurant have been sent out and members were asked to RSVP. Finally, the most junior members of the organization – of which I am one – were asked to attend a New Member Orientation on October 11, 2016 at 6:55 a.m. in the Rotary Room at Mobile Infirmary. This is the first such orientation since 2013 and all members inducted since that time are encouraged to attend.
Program
Speaker: Dr. Tim Smith, President of the University of Mobile was introduced by Tom McGehee.
Dr. Tim Smith was introduced as the 4th President of the University of Mobile. Dr. Smith, hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, possesses an impressive educational background, which includes two Ph.D.’s and two Master’s Degrees in Christian and Healthcare Education, as well as a career in Anesthesiology.
Upon its inception in 1961, the University of Mobile (the “University”) was first led by Dr. William K. Weaver, Jr. The University is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention, which agreed to build and operate the college if the Mobile community would raise $1.5 million in two years – a goal that was met and exceeded in only one year. Its motto is “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose.” The school has received accolades for its outstanding residence halls and campus beautification. Furthermore, a testament to the continued success of the school is the dedication of its faculty and staff, many of whom have served under all four university presidents.
The University of Mobile has made a concerted effort to partner with the Mobile community to develop programs that will serve the local economy and build a talented workforce for the City of Mobile and beyond through the implementation of quality education and Christian principles. Most recently, sixty teams participated in Project Serve, the University’s annual service project, providing services ranging from visits to local nursing homes to landscaping. A full 1,300 participants, including students, faculty and staff, were involved, which is impressive given a total student body of approximately 1,500 students. Dr. Smith advised that the University is transitioning into a four day academic week beginning in the Spring of 2017, a move designed to encourage students to use their Fridays wisely and engage in service projects, mission work and internships. Dr. Smith invited local businesses to make recommendations for internship opportunities and suggestions as to the manner in which to better involve University of Mobile students in local workforce and economic development. The University of Mobile seems primed for a tremendous amount of academic and spiritual growth under the leadership of Dr. Tim Smith.
The meeting was adjourned.

Minutes of the September 15, 2016
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by club president Les Greer at 12:15PM. Matt Head offered the invocation and afterwards Tommy Blankenship led the club in song and the pledge. Tom Martenstein welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians.
Announcements: Les Greer made the following announcements:
• The board will meet today after the meeting.
• A meeting of the Children’s Foundation Board will take place on Sept. 22.
• A $4,500 District Grant Award has been received and will go towards the refurbishment of an inner city park.
• Mark your calendars for the Rotary Gala to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Dauphins.
Program: Chief James Barber, MPD.
Rick Harvey introduced Chief Barber who brought the club up to date on his department’s efforts at offering first time offenders a second chance. He explained that careful surveillance pinpoints a site with rampant illegal drug sales and his department works to identify the participants. Those with criminal records will be prosecuted but those who have never been in trouble are offered a space in a SCORE Program which offers them a second chance.
Working with community leaders and educators, these individuals are encouraged to complete their educations and learn job skills and basic responisbilty for themselves and their children. Chief Barber shared videos of several participants who have done just that. Crime in the neighborhood has dropped dramatically, he added.
Chief Barber told his audience that it is vital that his officers be trained to see themselves from the average citizen’s perspective living within a high crime area. He said it is this type of training that can prevent misunderstandings which can escalate to some of the horrific rioting that has taken place in major cities of late.
After answering a number of questions, Les Greer thanked Chief Barber for speaking to the club and said that in his honor a donation has been made to Rotary International Foundation.
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 PM
Tom McGehee