6/9/25 Meeting Minutes

Carroll Rotary Meeting 6/9/25
Attendees: Catti, Adam, Deb, Bob F., Lynn, Hubert, John, Cindy, Dave, Rich, Chris, Ron
 
Brag Bucks:
Bob F. – 76th birthday on 6/11
Chris – 38th birthday 6/9
Lynn – grand-daughter got National 1st place at dance competition
Rich – granddaughter playing basketball at Grandview; granddaughter joined ROTC and doing a week at Annapolis this week
 
Updates:
  •  Jim Feauto asking for Alzheimer’s Association $250
    • Bob motion; Dave 2nd; pass
  • RSVP Golf Tournament
    •  Chris motion; Bob 2nd; pass
Speaker Update:
  • Next week lunch social; bring a guest
  • Working on some upcoming speakers to fill the calendar
Speaker: Mike – Panama Canal
#1 agricultural customer is soybean transportation
Soybean Transportation Coalition – established in 2007; comprised of 14 state soybean organizations; the United Soybean Board and American Soybean Association; farmer funded, and farmer led
Panama: indigenous word meaning “abundance of fish”
1848 – James Marshall found gold
1869 – Completion of transcontinental railroad
French effort: 1881-1888 (bankruptcy) 1889 (liquidation)
  • Mid-December through April is dry season
  • Difficult conditions: rain/flooding; humidity; snakes, etc.
  • Failed for 2 reasons: stubborn insistence on sea level canal (mudslides); massive fatality from diseases (malaria)
American Effort: national military and commercial greatness: dominant Navy; Theodore Roosevelt was a strong proponent
  • Resurgence of interest in center American canal after Spanish-American war (1898)
    • People watched the progress of the USS Oregon around world to Philippines
    • John Frank Stevens (2nd Chief Engineer): retired after 20 months
      • Improved worker conditions
      • Significantly upgraded the Panama railroad
      • Persuaded Roosevelt to approve a canal with locks
      • Supported Dr. William Gorgas
    • George Washington Goethals (3rd Chief Engineer):
      • Military engineer
      • Completed the project ahead of schedule and under budget
    • Dr. William Crawford Gorgas
      • Chief Sanitation Officer
        • Trained under Walter Reed
        • Malaria and yellow fever are spread by mosquitos; instituted spraying and netting to keep mosquitoes out
  • Gatun Lake – largest manmade lake in the world at the time
  • Panama Canal must be operated in a neutral fashion or US military can intervene.
  • 36-40 vessels go through per day; 40,000 vessels per year; takes 8-10 hours per trip
  • 70% of freight that goes through the Panama Canal is destined to the US or going from the US.
  • There are 2 canals: the original and the newer canal (updated to hold larger ships)
  • Canal makes its money by charging the vessels money to pass through the canal – very expensive
  • 600 million bushels of soybeans annually goes through the canal
Chinese influence at Panama Canal: China does not own; it is owned by the people of Panama; there are 5 ports of Panama that are owned by the states; 2 of the 5 ports are operated by companies in Hong Kong; 4th bridge is being built by a Chinese company