Last weeks program was provided by Rotarian Jon Poppell. Jon’s guest speaker was Kenneth Parker, Executive Director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association.Kenneth, a Plant City native, he’s the perfect fit for the job, having lifelong relationships with many of the growers and helping them maximize their yields as a certified crop adviser in his previous position with Chemical Dynamics. Kenneth also oversees two related organizations: The Florida Strawberry Patent Service Corp., which licenses the use of new varieties of Florida strawberries, and the Florida Strawberry Research and Education Foundation, which supports the development of new varieties and other grower-related research at the University of Florida. As Executive Director, Kenneth focuses on “the many moving parts” that make up the state’s strawberry industry, including the patenting and licensing of new strawberry varieties, channeling royalties to ensure continued research and enhancing marketing efforts of the unique crop that is Florida winter strawberries.The Plant City-Dover area is a mecca for the sweetest, most luscious strawberries around. Moreover, strawberries remain the commodity that made this community a family. In 1982, the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) was officially formed. This organization became a voice for Florida strawberry growers. The mission for the handful of farmers was to become “partners in research, promotion and member/community service”. Competition with Mexico has made growing strawberries in the Plant City area challenging. 50% of the cost of growing strawberries in Mexico is subsidized by the Mexican government. Presently there is an international investigation and Kenneth is advocating to put a mechanism in place to bring a case to international inquiry. Kenneth is working hard in Washington to ensure Florida remains the Winter Strawberry Capital of the world. The Strawberry industry has a $1billion impact to the Plant City area and Plant City relies heavily on the Strawberry industry. There is approximately 11,000 acres of strawberry’s in the area with 65 independent strawberry growers. New varieties of strawberries, with higher yields, continue to be discovered in a cooperative effort with the University of Florida. Labor is a challenge in the industry. Trying to find quality, reliable and legal labor is difficult. The “H2A”, guest worker program is a continuous struggle for the FSGA in order to keep labor costs down and produce a quality crop. For more information and facts on the Strawberry industry in our backyard check out the FSGA website: www.floridastrawberry.org. - provided by Mike Arndt
The 11th annual Dancing With The Locals was held this past Friday night. Attendees enjoyed a night of entertainment while helping us raise money for our community. Thanks to the Dancers, Sponsors and all those that helped make this event a success.
Kayla Drawdy is the new Program Chair! Please notify Kayla of you upcoming speakers at 763-1821 or kayla@htitle.com
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From Our Members
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Have any news you would like to share? Do you have a new position at work? Family news? Any news you would like to share with club members and bulletin subscribers? E-mail to Bill Wicker
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ONLY TIME WILL TELL You’ve never heard of the three most influential people to have graced the planet: A gifted artist whose creativity and skill enthralled thousands. A physician whose
discoveries may well lead to the eradication of cancer. A talented athlete whose exploits
will inspire an entire generation to dream, work hard and do their best.
But I have no idea who they are. They never pursued their dream. For some, because they had no confidence in their abilities or lacked the optimism to experiment. For others, it might have been because they possessed the confidence, but lacked essential resources. After all, would Thomas Edison have transformed the world with his inventions had he grown up on an impoverished island lacking electricity? Perhaps, but unlikely. Self-motivation to focus and devote countless hours to mastering a skill has to come from within. But when required resources are lacking, they can come only from the outside. Rotarians are the link between resources and those who need them. We are people of action who transform environments that transform lives.
Just ask Julissa. Julissa was malnourished and even as a toddler, was already scarred by abuse and neglect. She never knew her father, and spent her early childhood wandering the streets at night with her mentally disabled mother. Who knows what horrors she endured at an age when her life should have been filled with happiness.
Such was her plight when she was taken to a shelter in Honduras for young girls rescued from the sex-trade. Six years later, this tall and beautiful young lady is an accomplished violinist, is at the top of her class, and the recipient of the prestigious Medallion Scholar Award. Upon graduation from high school, she will embark upon her premedical training and then attend medical school. None of this could have happened were it not for Rotarians. The shelter that rescued Julissa was established and is supported by multiple clubs in our district, under the leadership of Jim Weaver and the Lake Wales Breakfast Club. This is one of but many efforts funded in part by the Rotary Foundation. We’ll never know how many people have been able to realize their dream because of the kindness and generosity of others. But without that generosity and kindness, there would be none.
At tomorrow night’s Gala, I look forward to thanking you personally for your generous
support of the Rotary Foundation. Will Julissa become the physician who makes a landmark discovery? Only time will tell.
