Author: Sertoma

  • Cuba Visit by Chris Kerr

    Our own Chris Kerr got his feet wet on public speaking and gave us a bit of a history lesson. Looking back, it’s hard to believe how we had our head in the sand and without leaders like President Kennedy we might all be speaking Russia now.  We practiced getting under our desk in the case of an attack and were told to stay there for at least a minute.  Don’t know about you but I’m glad we didn’t have to put that to the test. Chris had a film from 1957 he shared with us, talking about the dangers. He also had the dog tags he and his brother were issued when he went to Cuba with Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church. As he spoke Spanish he came in real handy to interpret.  Things has improved a great deal; the state wage is now $14 a month, citizens are allowed to have cell phones and they are allowed to feed tourist in their home and keep the money. They need toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc. Paul Harvey said several years ago on his show, no country can be a world power that can’t take care of its countries personal needs. Let’s face it folks, you may not agree with the last election but we have it good!

    Next Week: Allie Harmon is bringing us Mark Harmon of whom he says is no relation. Should be a lively meeting but leave your firearms at home.

    Housekeeping:  Mike Simpson read the prayer, Caroline Grimm led the pledge and Jillian from UT Speech and Hearing made a return visit.

  • Bill Johnson Presentation for Cars & Coffee

    Our own Jerry Winston introduced our speaker, Bill Johnson. They obviously know each other but I failed to find out how. Seems Bill was on the radio for 38 years and among other things did advertising for various products. He decided it was time to retire and set about doing just that – however, he was contacted by Harper Auto Square (you know that outfit on Kingston Pike that most of us just drive by and look at all the pretty cars) to come and work for them in their advertising department. He ended up being retired for three days.  Along with being a car buff he is also a Civil War historian – what a combination!  He dreamed up the idea of Cars & Coffee which has really turned into a “big deal” and this year will bring in 4-5,000 cars. Pilot has joined in with them for the coffee portion and has been a big help. They started out with 5 policemen to help with parking, crowd control, etc., and this year they have 14. It is held at West Town Mall from 8 to 11 on Sunday. Obviously, this is before the mall opens to the public.   It’s a lot of work and a lot of fun and according to Bill not to be missed.

    Next week:  We will have Kim Trent with Knox Heritage.

    Tuesday, April 18th Board Meeting at Chesapeake’s, 6 pm All are welcome and board members should be there.

    Bob Rentenbach read the prayer, Aubrey Cowan led the pledge, James Lewis represented UT Speech and Hearing and he is a professor (looked to be about 12 years old) teaches and does research.

    John Kerr our district Secretary/Treasurer reminded everyone our Don’t Walk in Silence is coming up on April 22nd. They will be set up by 8:30 in the morning, it’s about a mile walk with coffee and goodies to make it worth your while. You get a t-shirt and an atta boy from the other walkers. See you there!

  • David Montgomery Presentation

    David Montgomery teaches non-credit courses at UT on landscaping and basically tells you which plant should go where. My mother in law could have used him, she just found and empty spot and by the time she passed that was no mean trick. I don’t know how he is at that but I can tell you he’s a hoot. He says he gives a “farmer’s guide to plaints in East Tennessee and he’s a collector of interesting and totally useless information.” He said he really couldn’t pass on anything useful but he invited us to come and take the course so UT could get paid and therefore pay him.  Seems reasonable.

    Next Week:  Carol Evans with Legacy Parks will be our speaker.

    Sunday is our St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and along with the time change which screws some of us up, the weatherman is calling for snow. In the event, he knows what he’s talking about and it really happens and the roads are bad – stay home. Otherwise the party starts at 5 with green beer and lots of good food. We are also going to have an addition this year of a piano player from the Knoxville Opera. If they gave his name, I missed it but don’t you miss him.

    Housekeeping: I read the prayer, Audrey Cowan led the pledge. We had Patti Johnston a professor from UT Speech and Hearing as our guest.

  • Meeting 2-29-17

    We experienced another “no show” but someone came to the rescue with Lisa Skinner who took Joan Brown’s place at the Sertoma Center. For those not aware, Joan has retired. Lisa brought us up to date on what’s happening at the center and a picture of the duplex that is just one of many on the drawing board to house their clients. Seems the government doesn’t want people being put up in dormitory like housing, prefers them in separate homes. The building is a duplex and quite attractive. Don’t have a clue of the additional cost. Each house has 3 clients per side + a caregiver and they look nice; most neighborhoods wouldn’t have a problem with having one next door. The center is currently responsible for 125 people, 85 live in residential homes. Also, the powers that be, say all the clients must be “out in the community six hours a day. They attempt to get them employed with something they can do, the original win, win.

    P.S. We will need to forgive our “no show”. He was required to be at church to participate in the Ash Wednesday service.

    Next Week:  Caroline Grimm is bringing our speaker. Don’t have any information on who that will be but I’m sure he/she will be great!

    Coming Up:  Board Meeting March 14th.

    Don’t walk in silence April 22nd.

    Friendship Dinner, Butch Jones speaker, May 4th.

    Kenny Withers Golf Challenge May 19th

    Annual Gala, Nights in Havana August 19t

  • Meeting 2-22-17

    Bert West brought us Kristopher Goddard who goes by Chris. He is currently attending UT but came to us with stories of what It’s like to be a medic in the service.  He received the “Angel on the Battlefield” Award for 2015 and they only award one. He began his military career at Sheppard Air Force base on his 21st birthday and spent the next 8 years of his life in the military, with 3 tours in Afghanistan. He pointed out that along with the soldiers they also treat the enemy and in one case this was a nine-year-old boy who had blown off the front half of his foot planting a bomb. He cursed and spit on him and tried to get his weapon (they are now allowed to carry weapons to defend themselves if it becomes necessary); he says they are taught from the cradle to hate us and never believe anything we say. Hard to win a war under those circumstances. After 8 years and 3 tours he returned home and was diagnosed with PTSD. He is recovering and is certainly one American we can be proud of.

    Report on the board meeting:  Finalized plans for St. Patrick’s Day, talked about plans for Don’t Walk in Silence and discussed whether we wanted to participate in the Biscuit Festival. In other words – same ole, same ole.

    Chris Hoosier gave us an update on the Veterans Memorial at Sharps Ridge. One of the persons responsible will be a speaker next month and hopefully will bring pictures. In the meantime, Chris says they have built both hiking trails and bicycle trails.

    Next Week: We will have Doug Bitzer, a deacon with the Immaculate Conception Church who will discuss Lent.

    Attendance has been down of late, however, this week we had a return of Janet Bigelow, John Cogdill, and Rick Murphree was in town and came by and had lunch with us.  Now if we could get some of the other “slackers” to join us we would be back to normal.

  • Meeting 2-8-17

    Lila Honaker with the Tennessee Theatre gave us a history lesson with
    pictures. The theatre first opened on October 1, 1928 with 2,000 seats and
    air conditioning! It was designed by Chicago architects Graven & Mayger
    in the Spanish-Moorish style. It also featured a Wurlitzer Organ of which
    we are proud of today. After a refurbishment in 1966, the seating capacity
    was reduced to 1,545. The theater changed owners several times over its
    life, and eventually closed for the first time in 1977. Thereafter it was
    open and closed intermittently for the remainder of the late ‘70s. It was
    purchased by Dick Broadcasting in 1981, (Mr. Dick was a former member of
    Sertoma). He started a renovation effort to prepare it for the 1982 World’s
    Fair. On April 1, 1982, the theater was placed in the National Register of
    Historic Places. It is now home to the Knoxville Opera and the Knoxville
    Symphony Orchestra. The Wurlitzer was installed at the time of the opening
    in 1928. It was built by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company in New York and cost
    about $50,000 at the time. In October 2000, virtually the entire organ was
    shipped to Reno, Nevada to be restored. It was returned in August 2001.

    Next Week:
    Jerry Faerber is bringing us Micky Dearstone.

    Housekeeping:
    Jacob Tippens did the prayer and Ron Grimm led the pledge. Mike Burnett and
    another gentleman from the University Club came by to get flyers for the
    St. Patrick’s Day Gala and would you believe we didn’t have any! Is that
    Murphy’s Law or what? He indicated he is planning to attend and hopes to
    generate some interest at his club.

    Rusty
    is back with us but is still having to take life easy. He did bring copies
    of an article written by our own Al Gill and published in
    the Friends Journal in the fall of 2016. Nice to have heroes with us.

  • Meeting 2-1-17

    Our speaker, Rodney Norvell, is with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry that  and caters to all faiths of students attending the University. Their main objective is to give students a place to come, meet other students, make friends and hopefully in the end lead them to Christ. They actually own their property, which is on Melrose Avenue and is the childhood home of Victor Ashe. As such they do  not have to “get approval” but the object of the game is to be a part of the program not a problem.  They work in the community to help out where needed and last year traveled to Baton Rough to help in disaster relief and most recently in Gatlinburg. They are getting on the job training on how to be good citizens.

    Lots of good stuff coming up soon so get ready to roll up

    your sleeves and join in:

    February 16-18: Annual Convention in Kansas City.  Gives you an opportunity to check out the Headquarters where it all started.

    March 12th  – St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Concert

    April 22nd – Celebrate Sound walk @ the Maryville Greenway

    May 20th  – Biscuit Festival (It’s not written in stone that we will participate but just in case, get ready.)

    June 25th – Return to Jerry’s lake house for the annual picnic and awards. The date is not written in stone but you’ll hear it from me if it gets changed.

    November 9-12- The Regional Convention in Florida which is being coordinated with the return of the Blue Angels to home base.

    During July, August, September and October your on your own to find something to do, we have done all we can!

    Housekeeping:  Jerry Winston prayed, Bob Rentenbach led the pledge. Next week Marianne is getting the speaker and had a good one on the hook but was waiting for confirmation. Come Wednesday and see if she was successful.

     

  • Meeting 1-25-17

    President Maryville CollegeThe good news is Rusty is out of the hospital and home. The bad news is he
    is still not able to attend meetings. I think he’s milking it for all it’s
    worth and wants flowers! Let us hope he’s back with us soon.

    Dr. William “Tom”” Bogart was a hoot! He was very personable and had lots
    of information about the college and what they are there for. We all knew
    the college was there, but most could have cared less when compared to UT.
    Seems they don’t compete, they actually swap students and what one can’t do
    hopefully the other will be able too. All of the classes are taught by
    professors and each student is expected to pass a comprehensive test their
    senior year covering everything they have studies all year. They are
    teaching students to perform jobs that have not been created yet.

    Tom is the 11th. President and he says they are teaching
    students to serve and improve lives of others when they leave college.
    Students are expected to both attend classes and participate when in class.

    There were no earth shattering announcements, Terrell Kerr prayed, Bob
    Rentenbach led the pledge, Chris Kerr is getting his feet wet on leading
    the meeting and doing a great job. We had a whopping total of 23
    attendance. Fortunately, we had the Kawanis come in and join us for our
    speaker.

    Next Tuesday, January 31 is the board meeting @ 6 p.m.

    January:
    (who were left out because I forget to mention them), Allie Harmon,
    Marianne Greene, Mike Simpson, Janet Bigelow, Ron Grimm & Becky Massey.

    February:
    David Kerr Sr. and I believe our newest member Mr. West.

  • Meeting 1-18-17

    Tremont PresidentJennifer Jones, President and CEO of Tremont was our very enthusiastic speaker
    for the day. Listening to her talk you want to put on your hiking boots and
    go clinb a mountain. She said she deals with 6,000 people each year and
    there is something for everyone from adult hiking & backpacking to
    naturalist classes and certification. They even host photography workshops
    and family events. If you have a desire to get up close and personal with
    nature, this is the place. They have what looks like a nice facility with
    running water and an indoor potty.

    Next week:
    We will have the president of Maryville College. Dr. William “Tom” Bogart.

    -Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:-

    Monday, January 30th
    the first of two Naturalization Ceremonies to be held at the Federal
    Court House.

    Sunday, March 12
    @ 5:30 pm. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Concert.

    This is a fun evening and not to be missed. Cost remains at $30.00 each and
    it’s hard to find a dinner with entertainment for that price.

    November 9–12
    in Pensacola Beach, Florida for the Regional Convention. This coincides
    with the return of the Navy’s Blue Angles to home base after the completion
    of their 2017 Air Shows. Their final two shows will be Nov 11 & 12 at
    Pensacola.

    Housekeeping:
    Bob Rentenbach prayed, Al Gill led the pledge. We had so few people I hate
    to quote a number but where is everybody? Christmas is over, most people
    are back to work or celebrating that they don’t have to work, we need you!

  • Meeting 11-30-16

    We literally went to the dogs this week with a program from Smoky Mountain Service Dogs. Mike Kitchens the Volunteer Chair and Laurie Birt the Community Events Coordinator brought “Hooligan” one of their canine ambassadors. He demonstrated his ability to pick up items, go find and retrieve things like a telephone, pick up a credit card that has been dropped, assist in getting up and down.  After completing training, each dog in their program is specifically matched with a recipient based on the person’s needs and the ability of the dog to serve those needs. All of the work that goes into making a service dog is done with volunteers only from raising puppies to the final stage of placing the dog. Occasionally they have a dog that is just not “suited” to be a service dog and they “assist” him to another career.

    Next Week:  The South Doyle Madrigal Singers. Good time to bring a friend or a perspective new member.  Be kind to Marianne and let her know if you are bringing several people.

    On a sad note:  Nancy Biddle, Allie Harmon’s friend, passed away. Her service is Saturday @ Sequoia Presbyterian.

    Also, our long time Sertoma member, Jim Key passed away.  I understand he had moved out of state to be close to a relative. Don’t have any information on his service.

    We conducted a drawing for those persons who had bought/sold a lot of tickets for Oktoberfest and the results were: Rusty Farrell got the UT tickets (which he had donated) Caroline Grimm won a UT picture and Jacob Tippens won a bottle of liquor.  Not to be outdone, Al Gill won the grid pick.

    Record keeping: Andy Schoerner read the prayer, Alan Stuckey led the pledge, we had Tricia Hatenger from UT and our Sertoman in Training Michelle Simpson.

    We will not meet December 21 and 28.