The Rote – December 7, 2017
City of Miami Police Benevolent Association Hall
Returning to the PBA Hall after successful events last December and June, President Phil Seipp opened the evening meeting with a short tribute to Past President & Past District Governor Owen Freed who died suddenly on December 4th while attending a meeting in Bogota, Columbia. Following the traditional moment of silence, Past President Oliver Ruiz delivered a touching invocation. In lieu of our usual Pledge of Allegiance, high school senior Kelly Woodson sang our National Anthem beautifully.
President Phil recognized the following special attendees:
- Rotary Club of Miami Past Presidents Robin Shelley, Norm Kassoff, Jay Almeida, Cory Gittner, Linda Singer, Dave Anderson, Diane Landsberg, Tim Ryan & Oliver Ruiz;
- Newly elected City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez;
- City of Miami Assistant Chief of Police Ronald Papier and Lt. Eldys Diaz;
- Mrs. Jessica Dean, the granddaughter of Dr. Jack Griffitts, just in from Milwaukee;
- Edna Buchanan, award winning Miami Herald reporter & acclaimed writer, a guest of our Griffitts Award Chair Norman Kassoff;
Oliver Ruiz was brought to the podium to make a special presentation of Honorary Membership to Miami’s new mayor, Francis Suarez. The mayor spoke briefly in appreciation of Miami Rotary & our accomplishments.
Following a break for the buffet dinner catered by We’re Having a Party, Dave Anderson was called to the podium to officiate the induction of 3 new members, bringing us up to 54. Clora Nelson, wife of our member Dr. Percy Nelson, Leonard Pardon, husband of member Shirley Pardon, and Jaime Tobin, a former Rotarian from Las Cruces, NM took the oath of Rotary membership to become our newest Rotarians and were presented with pins and their red membership badges.
To begin the central focus of the evening, President Phil introduced Norm Kassoff to share some of the history that began with a $50,000 grant to our Foundation in 1968. Police Chief Walter Headley and Dr. Jack Griffitts, both Miami Rotarians, wanted to recognize the City of Miami Police Officer of the Year. Dr. Griffitts, a successful hematologist who had developed new techniques with blood plasma, agreed to donate the funds to each year award $1000 to the Officer of the Year, selected from the department’s monthly winners. Norm then brought to the podium Jessica Dean to relate her family’s gratitude for our stewardship of this award these past 50 years. Police Major Farmer then read the report of how our winner won this year’s award. Lt. Lazaro Alfonso was then presented with his plaque & check, and pictures were taken with the “big check”. Kelly Woodson closed the award ceremony with the singing of “Hero”, by Mariah Carey.
Special thanks were expressed to:
- Diane Landsberg for planning and executing this wonderful evening;
- Maria Rudel, Norby Rudel, Linda Singer, Dave Skinner, Cory Gittner and Angel Rodriguez for the venue set up and clean up;
- Jay Almeida for recording the evening on video;
- All Star Event Photography for their professional photos;
- We’re Having a Party for the excellent catering.
It was only fitting that our special guest, Jessica Dean, led everyone in the Four-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say or Do to close the meeting. Everyone departed feeling proud to be a member of the Rotary Club of Miami.
