THE EASTSIDE ROTARY TRADITION
June 6, 2012
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AROUND THE TABLES….
We were back in that noisy Barclay room Wednesday because
our usual eating area had air conditioning lapses. Can we really
blame the room for the noisy atmosphere or is it just Eastsiders at
their mealtime revelry? Clear answer—blame the room. Josh
Middendorf was present, his last meeting as a prospective member. A
mystery guest was seated at the head of the room, to the puzzlement
of many at the back table. It was Julie Campbell, having entered into
her teen maturity. She was expecting to get irked at members saying
“My how you’ve grown” but no one did that because they weren’t
sure who she was because of how she’d grown. Barb Read was the
birthday girl, but no picture! Do the words “bargain camera batteries
from the internet” explain why? A kudo or two to Jess for bringing
the orphan shoes project to a successful conclusion. Now it’s on to
the Crocs and New Sneakers for the camp kids.
Jack Steury passed along a thank-you letter from our
scholarship student, Laura Ulmer which Susie read to the group. The
style and sophisticated syntax lead me to conclude she’s studying to
be an English teacher, but I think it’s some even higher calling as Jack
explained.
Sherri Hahn sang her swan song as Meals-on-Wheels
coordinator, after a full year of service. Erik Maguire takes over next
tour. Concluding a busy lunch, Sherri served with Shelly as cosergeant. They were reasonably merciful. The pride of Penny’s shirt
department, a/k/a Ed Gorsky, again was selected as best-dressed fella,
and Amy Wilson was recognized for the ladies’ award.
Josh Middendort was inducted by Jeannie and his sponsor,
Jerry Yurth and is our newest Eastsider.
By-laws notice #2 Amy Wilson, guest of Lee Ann Smiley, has been
approved for membership.
OUR BIGGEST SERVICE EVENT IS IMMINENT:
We will hold our weekly meeting at the camp on Tuesday, June 26,
buying shoes in the morning and getting the kids shod with new
sneakers after lunch. A smaller Eastside group will serve a meatball
dinner that night. The Jeannie and Bill Show must reorganize, since
Jeannie will be out of town. If you want to help cook and serve that
old spagoo from 4:00 – 7:00 PM, see Bill Roberts. Thursday night
the club will organize a wiener roast and after-dinner Carnival
program. Watch for sign-up sheet.
Here are driving directions to the Camp for those who haven’t
been there before. RFKC uses the Latter Day Saints’ “Camp
Farwesta” on the north side of US Hwy.36 about 13 miles east of
Saint Joe. Go out Hwy.36 about 12 miles to the Stewartsville Corner
where there is a traffic light hanging over the road. A short distance
east and you can see Camp Farwesta across the highway, but there is
no direct turn off. Slow down and get in the left lane with your
blinker on. Watch out for fast-moving traffic coming up behind you..
Farther east about ¼ mile you will see a sign on the right side of the
highway that says Camp Farwesta. Make a left turn across the median
at the next turn off past the sign. This is not a cross-roads—just a
median crossing, so enter west-bound 36 with caution. (If you miss
that first left turn, you can go on a bit farther east and there is another
turnoff you can take.) Go back west (in the right-hand lane) to the
north-bound turn-off leading into Camp Farwesta and make a right
turn into the camp. The first large camp building on the west side of
the camp drive is the dining hall where all our activity starts. Parking
is on the right side of the camp drive. (If I need to apologize for
making these directions in such idiotic detail, consider it done. I’d
rather over-explain the route than have you end up in Cameron while
your lunch gets cold.)
A Watch on the Rheins
Tom and
Tonya Rhein are a couple of whom it may be said---everything about
them is noteworthy. Let’s start with what they do. Their vocation is
to produce catalogs in scholarly detail for high dollar stamp
collectors’ auctions held around the world. Their work is distributed
to prospective bidders who participate in high-dollar purchases of rare
stamps. Their biggest customer is an auction house in Zurich,
Switzerland and they also serve auctioneers in Germany, Amsterdam,
and Burbank, California. Typically the catalogs are issued when a
large collector decides to sell out---and the total may be in the
millions. Their catalogs first identify and validate the collectors and
their acquisition history. Then the individual stamps are illustrated
with detailed explanations of style and condition. They didn’t explain
how they got started but it’s apparent that they are very successful and
rival auction houses besiege them to take on their business. The work
on a given catalog involves intense study and long hours, but when
they are done, they have time off for their second vocation--restoration of a landmark house. They could live anywhere, but chose
to come to Saint Joe because it was here that they lost their hearts to
an old structure that called out to them irresistibly. It’s located at 17 th
and Locust Streets. Because my camera gave out during the meeting,
I got new batteries and went by the Rhein place and attach a couple of
photos. You can see the colorful trim on the front porch gingerbread
and also the scaffold of two-by-fours Tom has erected on the porch so
he can re-do the slate roof. Yes, the brick work seems to come across
in a funny pattern on the left side of the pictures; no explanation, so
just ignore that and look at the paint and the scaffold.
Tom and Tonya profess to love every working moment on both of
their vocations and who can doubt that indeed they do.
COMING PROGRAMS JUNE 13 SANDY HAMLIN—PREP FOR
ROYAL FAMILY KIDS’CAMP; JUNE 20 INDUCTION OF NEW
OFFICERS AND BOARD; JUNE 26 (TUESDAY) LUNCH AT
RFKC; JULY 4 NO MEETING-NATIONAL HOLIDAY
The Tradition is the weekly news bulletin of The Rotary Club of Saint Joseph,
East. Eastside meets every Wednesday at noon, at the Albrecht Gallery,
St.Joseph, Missouri. Officers for the 2012-2013 Rotary year are: President;
Heather Shearin, President-elect; Susan Campbell Past- President; Ryan
Horsman, President Elect; Sherri Hahn Vice-President; Shelly Hulet, Sergeant at
arms; Dave Richmond, Treasurer; Jeanne Chavez, Secretary; Director, Club
Service, Lynette Saxton; Director, International Service, Sjoert Zuidhof;
Membership Chairman, Jane Graves; Rotary Foundation Chairman, Jim
Fitzgerald; Public Relations Chairman Alan VanZant; Senior Advisors: ..