The Rote – August 5, 2021
Via Zoom
Scribe: Linda Singer

President Noreen Timoney called the meeting to order. Phil Seipp gave an invocation. Steve Dutton
led us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

 

Noreen Timoney shared information about this day in history, members’ upcoming birthdays, the
upcoming 25th wedding anniversary of two of our members, and members’ Rotary Club of Miami
anniversaries.

Peter Verbeeck, past District Governor, spoke about the 2020-2021 District 6990 Conference September
9th through September 12th in Naples, FL at the Grande Resort and Spa. Rotarians who have been
members for 30 years or more will be acknowledged. Friday and Saturday afternoons will be free.
There is a Western theme for the Saturday night dinner. Rotary Means Business will be held as well.
There will be tables for the clubs to promote their projects. The first female Rotary International
president-elect, Jennifer Jones, will be speaking on Saturday. John Smarge, a past district governor (and
fantastic speaker) will also be there.
Guests and Visiting Rotarians

Announcements

Cathy Cahill is gathering back packs for children going back to school. These will be donated to
several local charities from our club.
Each of our service projects will be directed towards one or more of our seven Rotary areas of focus.

 

The Speaker, Dr. Paul S. George, was introduced by Noreen Timoney. Dr. Paul S. George, the noted Resident Historian of HistoryMiami Museum, has toured his way into local, national and international acclaim.

A Miami native, he has been studying Miami
history since college. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on Miami history. Miami just celebrated its 125th anniversary last week. In 1895, there were 9 people in what would shortly become the City of Miami. The real estate boom in the mid-1920’s brought a population explosion to Miami.
Miami became an aviation center before WWII (which our club’s first president, James Jackson,
foresaw happening in 1918 in his outgoing speech to our club’s members). Soldiers were trained on Miami Beach for WWII, which eventually caused an increase in the population when they fell in love with our community.

Recognizing our club president, Noreen Timoney, and her accomplishments, he thanked her and also cited those of her late husband in service for our community. He also stated that The Miami Women’s Club
(our Club President was the President of that organization for a number of years).