Minutes of the February 23, 2017 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by club president Les Greer at 12:15 PM. Bill Kinnaird offered the invocation and Tommy Blankenship welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians.
Student Guest: Ella Johnson, a senior at St. Luke’s Episcopal School received the Youth Merit Award. Miss Johnson plans on attending Vassar College in the fall.
Announcements:
• No meeting next week (March 2) due to Mardi Gras.
• The first Rotary Golf Tournament will take place on April 18 and sponsorships are being actively sought. Please contact Jimmy Lyon for further details.
• There will be no luncheon meeting on April 20. Instead a dinner at the Battle House will take its place that evening at 5:30.
• A Caribbean cruise for the district meeting is scheduled for April 27.
Program: Rear Admiral Thomas E. Ishee
Rich Landolt introduced Thomas E. Ishee who serves as the Deputy Commander, Joint Functional Command for Global Strike. Admiral Ishee told the audience that he was glad to be in Mobile for Navy Week where he was born and has many relatives.
Admiral Ishee reminded the group of the importance of the U. S. Navy when 80% of the world’s population lives in proximity to an ocean, 90% of world trade occurs over water, and 95% of all international communications goes under water by cable for computers, telephone and cell phones. Mobile is an important part of this trade as it is the nation’s 10th busiest port, he added.
Whether it is the South China Sea, the Middle East or northern Europe, the Navy strives to deter aggression and keep trade routes open and safe, as well as offer humanitarian relief when needed.
After answering a number of questions, Admiral Ishee was thanked by Les Greer who presented him with a certificate noting that a donation in his honor was made to the Rotary International Foundation which is celebrating a century of service.
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 PM.
Tom McGehee