Larry Levine Shared his Semper Paratus and Why last Tuesday.
In honor of the Coast Guards 230th birthday, our own Larry Levine, gave an informative report on his years with the often-overlooked military operation. A graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, Larry served several years on North Atlantic weather patrol and a year as Commanding Officer of an isolated electronic transmitting station in the South Pacific. After 5 years of active duty, Larry spent 19 years in active reserve and is a Captain. The Coast Guard is the most grueling boot camp there is. The Coast Guard is harder than the Marines and even BUDS. He continues to recruit new cadets at local 'college fairs.'
Most people are not aware that it is a military organization, and think of the Coast Guard as the folks watching boaters near the shore, until 9/11 when the Coast Guard’s presence was amplified: “The U.S. Coast Guard cobbled together a makeshift fleet that evacuated nearly half a million people from Battery Park and its environs. That’s at the extreme southern tip of Manhattan Island, where sightseers catch tour boats out to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and other scenic spots. Getting people out was a mammoth undertaking.” According to a 2014, James Holmes article in The Diplomat.
“Comprised of nearly 42,000 extraordinary men and women, the Coast Guard is a unique branch of the military responsible for saving lives, protecting the environment, and defending America’s coastlines and waterways. All of this is done through our 11 official missions, which include Port and Waterway Security, Drug Interdiction, Aids to Navigation, Search and Rescue, Living Marine Resources, Marine Safety, Defense Readiness, Migrant Interdiction, Marine Environmental Protection, Ice Operations, and Law Enforcement.”
According to Larry, “Why the hell am I doing this?” comes to mind when you are spending Christmas at sea, or spend a year in the South Pacific on the tip of a mile long island that is 100 yards wide, or watching 15 feet high waves crashing, or in freezing wind of 60 knots, in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight. Why? Then you rescue a seaman sinking or pull 40 frightened people escaping from Cuba on a boat made for 12, or rescue a capsized boat. There is the rush of intercepting a drug boat. It is then you know why.
When fellow Rotarians posed questions, Larry responded! Sam Harris: “which medal was most meaningful” Larry could not say (he has so many!) but he never thought about it before. We want him to get back to us on this one.
Then Ned Schechter asked, “What was the classification of the Tall Ship Model he shared?” Larry said it was called a barque, (pronounced bark) it is a type of sailing vessel with “three or more masts.” Barque’s are known having the fore- and mainmasts rigged square and only the mizzen (the aftmost mast) rigged fore and aft. Sometimes, the mizzen is only partly fore-and-aft rigged, bearing a square-rigged sail above. The model wasn’t an exact replica but gave an idea of the ships he cruised on. When Dave Masters asked if his cruise (4 times) on that barque were ceremonial, Larry responded, “HELL, no!! that was a working cruise! Semper Paratus means Always Ready and it’s not only the Coast Guards motto, it’s their practice. Larry was always ready.
Interesting Coast Guard factoids: The Coast Guard Reserve was established in 1939. Women have been permitted to serve in the regular Coast Guard since 1973. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is located in New London, Connecticut. Besides Larry and Ron Bernardi - did you know Lloyd Bridges, Beau Bridges, and Jeff Bridges (The Dude!) all served in the Coast Guard, as did “The King,” Arnold Palmer? The Joker’s shipmates probably got a few laughs in—Cesar Romero was a guardian. Maybe the most famous member of them all, though: Popeye!!
More on Larry: He is a retired President of Onsrud Machine Company, Inc. a manufacturer of precision machine tools and industrial woodworking machinery to the aircraft, submarine, and furniture industries. Current operations consist mostly of supplying custom repair parts manufactured to order by others for customers worldwide.
Larry holds an MBA degree from Northeastern University of Boston, MA, and is married to Beth Levine since 1956. They are parents of three and grandparents to nine. Larry has been a member of Rotary Club of Northbrook since 2002.
Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary. “My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very different to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to a changing world,” said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in 2000-01. The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings. The response to the decision was overwhelming: By June 1990, the number of female Rotarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000. By July 2016, the number of women worldwide had surpassed 250,000.
Jones will officially become president-nominee on October 1st if no other candidates challenge her. Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact.
“As we reflect upon our new strategic priorities, we could have never envisioned that our ability to adapt would become our North Star during what is inarguably the most profound time in recent history,” Jones said in her vision statement. “Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. Using metric-driven goals, I will harness this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”
As the first woman to be nominated to be president, Jones understands how important it is to follow through on Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement. “I believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion … begins at the top and for us to realize growth in female membership and members under the age of forty — these demographics need to see their own reflection in leadership,” Jones said. “I will champion double-digit growth in both categories while never losing sight of our entire family.”
Jones is founder and president of Media Street Productions Inc., an award-winning media company in Windsor. She was chair of the board of governors of the University of Windsor and chair of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has been recognized for her service with the YMCA Peace Medallion, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Wayne State University’s Peacemaker of the Year Award, a first for a Canadian. Jones holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.).
A current Rotary Foundation trustee, Jones has been a Rotary member since 1997 and has served Rotary as RI vice president, director, training leader, committee chair, moderator, and district governor. She played a lead role in Rotary’s rebranding effort by serving as chair of the Strengthening Rotary’s Advisory Group. She is the co-chair of the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee, which aims to raise $150 million for polio eradication efforts.
Jones recently led the successful #RotaryResponds telethon, which raised critical funds for COVID-19 relief and was viewed by more than 65,000. Jones has also received Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. She and her husband, Nick Krayacich, are members of The Rotary Foundation’s Arch Klumph Society, Paul Harris Society, and the Bequest Society.
The members of the Nominating Committee for the 2022-23 President of Rotary International are: Robert L. Hall, Dunwoody, Metro Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Bradford R. Howard Oakland Uptown, California, USA; Per Høyen, Aarup, Gelsted, Denmark; Peter Iblher, Nürnberg-Reichswald, Zirndorf, Germany; Ashok Mahajan, Mulund, Mah., India; Sam Okudzeto, Accra, Accra, Ghana; Eduardo San Martín Carreño, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Takeshi Matsumiya, Chigasaki-Shonan, Chigasaki Kanagawa, Japan; Michael K. McGovern (secretary), Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA; José Alfredo Pretoni, São Paulo-Sul, São Paulo, Brazil; Saowalak Rattanavich, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand; Hendreen Dean Rohrs, Langley Central, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada; Kenneth M. Schuppert, Jr (chair)., Decatur, Alabama, USA; Ravindra P. Sehgal, Belur, West Bengal, India; Noel Trevaskis, Merimbula, Tura Beach, Australia; Giuseppe Viale, Genova, Genova, Italy; and Chang-Gon Yim, Daegu-West, Daegu, Korea.
