Stories
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Spokesman September 3, 2026 |
Spokesman Aug 27, 2026 |
Spokesman Aug 20, 2026 |
Spokesman August 13 2026President Greg rang the meeting to order at 12:05 and Dave Hartman prayed for all our youth and for their education in our schools. Past Pres Cara then lead us in the pledge and a sing a long round of My Favorite Things. It should be noted that our new pianist (?) was present and provided some well received music both before and during lunch. It certainly adds to our meeting. Allen Donaldson introduced a couple of visitors who we hope find our fellowship worthy of coming back and as potential new members. Spin asked for help in finding a wheelchair for a friends spouse who needs a wheelchair for a few week possibly. I knew of one but it is in Houston. Brad broke out the brag bucket and collected on a few brags. Dr Lee announced the opening next Thursday of the newly remodeled McNeal elementary school. Will Goodner and president Greg both announced anniversaries yesterday. It should also be noted that our governor will be here 8/27. That would be our district governor, Angie Cox. Cara then introduced our program which was Nikki Davis the executive director of the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation. As a former teacher she along with a volunteer board coordinate with all our schools. It was established in 1989 and has become a great supporter of our schools. As a nonprofit organization it can receive tax deductible contributions which along with other sources provide several different services and benefits to all the students of our schools which might not be possible otherwise. It also utilizes various community partnerships as well. An example as the installation of book kiosks in all 14 elementary schools. Students earn tokens which are then used to “buy” books they pick out share and can keep for their personal library. Another example would be providing backpacks and supplies to students who might not have one otherwise to two schools. The foundation has provided $20,000 last year to teachers for special projects benefiting their students. There are also scholarships and teacher recognition awards which totaled $96,000. There is also a daughter dad dance coming up in October and a talent contest which started last year. Now we have a better understanding of how our weekly contribution to the foundation is used. Good to know. We then closed the meeting with the 4 way test. |
Spokesman July 30 2026July 23, 2026 President Greg rang the bell at 12:02 bringing our meeting to order. David Hartman delivered the invocation followed by the Pledge and song, America the Beautiful, lead by the golden voice of yours truly. President Greg continued with our guest introduction including Deanna Cupp and Rebecca Walton who came with Alan Donaldson. I could not catch all the brags in the Bucket, but Jeremy Woodward has a new daughter, Congratulations Pop! We had several announcements: Foundation Chair, Benay Ayers presented an award to Rod Tieken for his remarkable support of the Rotary Foundation totaling $10,000 given over the past several years. Our club’s yearly goal for foundation support is $12,000. Our club is one of the highest per capita supporters of the Foundation in our District. Also, our District is developing a New Member Welcome Kit and our President reminded us of the Club Runner app available for free download. Cara Sauceda then introduced our Speaker, Rachel Wolff, the Executive Director of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Wichita Falls. Rachel is a graduate of Wharton Business School and has an extensive international volunteer and work history. Our Boys and Girls Clubs were sponsored by our Rotary Club 97 years ago. Rachel continued with how the B&GCs help shape the lives of 8–10-year-old children. Club activities and goals help the kids manage stressful situations like generational poverty, natural disasters, and not keeping up with grade level in school. She emphasizes the risks of obesity in children, bullying and dealing with detrimental online media. Continuing, she addressed “an apathy for the future” that many young people develop because of a rapid grow up pace and use of cell phones rather than developing interpersonal relationships. Boys and Girls Club’s programs focus on school academics, physical games to avoid obesity, provide children with councilors when parents are absent and cyber safety training. B&GC partner with our local food bank as some children only get one meal daily and health department visits can be arranged. Over 4,000 children a year benefit from the Boys and Girls Clubs locally and partnerships are made with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. After a brief Q&A, President Greg announced a Donation to the WFISD Foundation in Rachel’s name and led us in the 4 Way Test.
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Spokesman July 23 2026July 16, 2026 President Greg brought the meeting to order at 12:02 PM and then handed the microphone to Rev. Hartman for the Invocation. The Pledge was led by Cara followed by yours truly with “I’ve been working on the Railroad”. After the meet and greet, President Greg introduced our visitors and guests. Judy Koetter followed with our Birthday Cake recipients, David Kelley being the only one in attendance. Cara purchased the remaining cakes with a generous donation to the club. There were many Brags to put in the Bucket and I just could not keep up with the excitement! President Brownfield continued with several announcements. The club’s new pianist will start in August and Shelter Box contribution cards are on the tables. Our Youth of the Month is Jackson Cohen, a 14 year old student from Memorial High School who wants to be an underwater welder. Cara Sauceda then introduced our speaker, Dale Dodson, (age 94) who is a retired engineer and became a published poet in the last 4 years. Dale discussed his life up to his arrival in Wichita Falls emphasizing his engineering skills to produce Levis blue jeans. For Dale, retirement was an “Occupational Transition” and a way to stay busy. Dale relayed the story of being “locked down” in Rolling Meadows during the covid years 2020-2021. Boredom was on the schedule each day with the only highpoint being the arrival of the US postman”! With little to do, Dale started writing short, spiritual poems publishing many of his 330 short poems. He read to our club, “Rumble Strips”, “The Voice” and “Death by Rust”. All are short poems with an interesting message. President Greg thanked Dale for his presentation and mentioned a club donation to the WFISD Foundation in Dale’s name. We finished the meeting with the Four Way Test and out the door we went. |
Academy 4July 9, 2026 President Greg rang the bell and club meeting started straight up at 12:00. The Blessing was given by David Hartman. The Pledge and song, Do Re Me, were led by Cara Sauceda. Club members were asked to check in with Andy at the back table to ensure accurate attendance. Monica Jones was a guest of Greg Brownfield and Matt Deason brought 2 guests, David Domy & Scott Callaway. David Spencer announced vacancies for notetaking on the Bulletin Committee and within seconds, our calendar was complete. Thank you Lisa Stephens-Musick, Casra Sauceda and David Adams. A request for New Club Member Sponsors has been made as well as contributions to purchase a Shelter Box for disaster victims in Venezuela. Our Polio Plus contribution goal of $1000 has already been reached. Cara then introduced our guest speaker, John Shearer with Academy 4. John has worked with several organizations that were aimed at child safety and development. He currently is the director of Academy 4, a mentoring program serving 4th grade students in 60 elementary schools, two in Wichita Falls. Not all parents can devote enough quality time for their children’s social development. 19% of Texas and 33% of Dallas 4th graders live in poverty causing higher rates of physical and emotional abuse as well as poorer social and economic outcomes. Academy 4 was designed to bridge the “child upbringing gap” through relationships with caring adult mentors and 4th grade kids had been shown to get more benefit than other aged kids because they are beginning to understand abstract thought, ethics and morals. The program uses a 90 minute child /mentor meeting one Friday afternoon each month. The 4 Families Program and Spark Clubs also add to this child development. John indicated the program has 6,000 adult mentors for 4,000 4th graders in 60 elementary schools. In Wichita Falls, Academy 4 has a goal of adding 2 more schools for service. Our state Governor has awarded Academy 4 with a state recognized volunteer award. |
Spokesman July 9 2026July 2, 2026 by David R. Spencer Our new Club President, Greg Brownfield, gonged the bell at 12:04 and our meeting began. David Hartman led us in a very patriotic 250th Anniversary prayer and our own concert tenor, David Spencer, led us in the Pledge and song, America the Beautiful. President Brownfield relayed a rather bright Sunshine Report: Jeff Spoeri has returned from North Carolina where he had been visiting his mother who is recovering from an illness. David Hartman mentioned a BBC news piece about his son, John, a woodworker in Kentucky, who made a lithographic image of the Boston Massacre that is on display in a WF museum. Rance Hogue announced the birth of his 5th grandchild. Several Announcements: Please check in at the back table when entering our meeting. District Governor, Angie Cox, will visit our club August 27 and we hope to have a new pianist for club music next week! Then it was down to business with our new Flag Team Coordinator, David Adams, who takes over for Andy Kocher & Steve Priester who have guided our Flag Program for several years. We have 1,225 flag subscribers allowing us to raise $50,000 for club projects and community activities. David emphasized “working together for the common good”. President Brownfield then outlined the Goals for his term as Club President: Boost membership of 78 members Raise $14,000 for the Annual Fund and $1,000 for Polio Plus Complete a new service project Maintain the Rotaract Club and start a new Interact Club Support the RYLA Leadership Program and Outbound Youth Exchange Fund one Shelter Box for world disaster relief Fund Paul Harris Fellowship with $14,000 and Polio Plus with $1,000 Without further ado, we recited the 4 Way Test and off we went. Happy 250th |
Spokesman July 2 2026June 25, 2026 By Bob Hampton What makes a grand event? Well, if you said fun, food and fellowship, then you just described Downtown Rotary’s change of command. Shellie Green was presented with her Red Badge and welcomed as a new member. Then Pres Cara gave a slide show of the past year, and we were all reminded of the very successful year we have had and the hard work and dedication of our leaders. With leaders in mind, we started with “Perfect Attendance,” and recognized Carla (12 Years); Past Pres Andy (21 Years); and Jackie (27 Years). Then the outgoing board members were asked to stand and be recognized which included Judy Koetter, Jackie Lebow, Josh Phillips, Roland Ramsey, Mike Saville, and Jeremy Woodward. The new board for 2026-27 includes: Carla Dowlen, Donald Hughes, Dr. Donny Lee, Sara Sorge, Mark Wise, Braden Wood, Past Pres Lisa Stephens-Musick, Jake Munholland, Lance Spruiell, Jeff Spoeri, Brycen Whitaker, and Brady Woolsey. Our new team of leaders for 2026-27 include President Greg Brownfield, Pres Elect Jon Dearolf, Vice Pres Will Goodner, Secretary Andy Kocher, Treasurer Alex Pappas, and Sgt at Arms Steve Preister/Glenn Tartar. We have a great new team, but a successful year comes in the combined efforts of direction and completion of the tasks which requires volunteers for every function. This club always responds to every event. President Cara thanked everyone for a very successful year especially in membership. Then Dr David presented a very informative history of our President Cara, and we were reminded of the many obstacles and challenges that life places on us. Thank the Lord, He places people in our lives people who encourage and strengthen us for each new day. Our retiring President has had a valuable and blessed life with many years remaining to pass those tenets on to young people she cares for at the Boys & Girls Club. Dr. David remarks were truly heartfelt represented by the standing ovation at the end. This is one time he told the truth. Following Dr. Hartman, we installed President Greg Brownfield and the new board. President Greg, who was there with his wife, gave a short acceptance speech and then we officially closed out the year of 2025- 26 with the Four Way Test by Past President Cara Sauceda. |
Spokesman June 25 2026ROTARY MINUTES June 18, 2026 By Bob Hampton Isn’t it great to be a Rotarian! To be a member of an organization that literally removed polio, and the fear of polio attacking our children from this planet, makes every Thursday a shining day. Today was no exception either, President Cara rang the bell smartly just after noon and got us standing on our feet. Dr. David then led us in a thanksgiving prayer for our many blessings. After this tremendous prayer, President Cara reminded us of our faithful member Ben Shelton by singing his favorite song, “Edelweiss.” You could hear Noros and Tommy harmonizing in the back of the room. Soon to be President Greg is traveling in Mexico and Pres Cara asked for prayer for his safe return, especially for next Thursday night. The “Brag Bucket” was passed and several stepped up to Past Pres Noros’ challenge. Those that caught the ear of an 80-year-old scribe were: Brad was bragging about his seven-month-old grandson, and Past Pres John bragging about our Air Force Squadron and their faithfulness for always being available on flag setting days. Past Pres Steve then introduced the “Youth of the Month.” This month’s awardee is, Miss Heaven Wilson. Miss Wilson is a 13-year-old student at Rider. She is an extremely active young lady, running track at school, her involvement with South West B & G Club, arts and crafts, and her church, New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Past Pres Steve pointed out she maintains a positive attitude in everything she does, and is an example setter at South West. Her well-groomed and classy appearance today, as she accepted her award, went hand in hand with her personal goal in life to be a fashion designer. Her Mother was then introduced and you could tell where Miss Wilson received a good deal of her guidance. Soon to be Past Pres Cara then introduced our program, OBI “Our Blood Institute.” OBI was represented by Ms. Jessica Hobert who did a wonderful job of presenting the importance of blood donating. “Hope Is the Vibe” is the new logo and it’s followed by “Give Hope---Give Blood.” Every two seconds blood is needed across our great country. Just think what would happen if there was no one in charge of collecting and qualifying it safe. Ms. Hobert covered all the new ways to get the word out and to have an active and financial rewarding program for collecting. She covered the “Donable Cares Gives Hope” program where non-profits can help their fund raising by getting involved with these new OBI programs for collecting blood and getting cash for donations. Sixteen years old is the minimum age for donating and types O- and B- are badly needed at this time. Ms. Hobert backed what she said by bringing a blood donating bus with her where many of us stopped by and donated. Great program, Jessica, and thank you for all that you do in this community! Pres Cara closed us as President for the last time with an usual smile on her face with the remarkable and challenging “Four Way Test.” |
Spokesman June 18 2026June 11, 2026 by Bob Hampton Welcome to Downtown Rotary! Future President Jon Dearolf opened the Thursday meeting right on time with a large crash of a bell. Rabbi Hartman led us to the Lord in grateful prayer followed by Past Pres Arnold Oliver leading us in the pledge to our flag and a song, “Smile.” If hearing that song did not put a smile on your face then your “smiler” is broken. Way to go, Arnold, and with a very important birthday coming up on the 30th. Lance announced that his Mother-In-Law, Chrys Stephenson, fell and hurt herself. The Club lifted her in prayer. The “Bragg Bucket” was passed but humility prevented large announcements. To add to a perfect day, Alan Donaldson introduced a new member, Angela Culley. Welcome Angela to Rotary! Don’t forget the “End Of Year Party” on June 25th. You have to get those RSVP’s in by the 18th. Also, don’t forget the Blood Drive on the 18th at the Forum from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Acting President Jon then introduced today’s program, the new data center and how it will impact all of us and this community. The man with all the information was really a neat guy by the name of Jack O’Neill. Mr. O’Neill is a Dallas man and graduate of SMU. (For orientation purposes that school is 47 miles east of another fairly well-known school TCU). Jack has a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter Grace. He brought with him an information loaded power point to show the company and all the particulars that will make this a worthwhile addition to this community. First, is the company itself “Skybox Data Center.” The main office is in Dallas with the CEO, Rob Morris; CFO and Co-Founder Travis Young; and Haynes Strader, Chief Developer. They have purchased close to 400 acres in WF Business Park which will eventually contain ten buildings covering 1.8 million square feet of computers and network equipment. They will be a major provider for daily commerce, communication, entertainment and emergency services. This facility will be right on the US 287 highway and will provide jobs for 2000 or more construction workers. When the company opens it will provide over 300 jobs. In his presentation, Jack emphasized that Skybox will become a major tax provider for Wichita Falls, and the company comes with a history of active community support. (I believe I heard him say that he would look forward to joining Rotary.) Water, electricity, and AI are all subjects of concern and Jack was very obliging by carefully going over each concern which seemed very workable. The work begins in November and the completion is expected in 2032 or early 2033. It was a great program with an outlook for a tremendous jump start to our future in north Texas. Thank you, Jack, and your assistant Barrett Bumgarner. Acting Pres Jon closed us with “The Four Way Test.” |
Spokesman June 11 2026ROTARY MINUTES June 4, 2026 Well, it was a beautiful day, June 4, 2026, with the semi-coolness of May still hanging on. President Cara cracked the bell sharply at noon, and we all rose to our feet to hear one of the most stirring prayers that Dr. Hartman has ever prayed. He reminded us that we are indeed stewards of our earthly blessings to include small animals that fly around and have the ability to manufacture honey. While we were standing Pres Cara led us in the pledge to our great country and the many blessings we receive each day, and also, she led us in singing “It’s A Grand Ole Flag.” Even Noros sounded good. Prayers were lifted up for Past Pres Lisa’s husband, Jim. There was a financial landslide in the “Bragg Bucket” today. Penelope, Cara’s daughter; Ryan got accepted into the doctoral program; Dr. Dave got folks graduating from North Texas Univ.; Ann reminded about the Art Walk at 5:30 PM; Past Pres Monica is a four-time Grandmother; and Past Pres Noros reminded us to sign the 2X4 for the new home that Will’s group is building for folks. President Elect Greg then brought forth a new piece of legislation for board meetings, and after a thorough exam of ideas the majority ruled to accept the new by-law amendment. Unlike California the votes were counted immediately. Pres Cara reminded us to get our reservations in for the “Change of Command” on June 18, 2026. There is a $30.00 fee for guests. After this, Pres Cara introduced Josh to introduce today’s program. Hasn’t Josh done a magnificent job in selecting programs this year, and the two previous, if I’m not mistaken? Today was no exception either. Today’s speaker was Judge Kerry Roach who was known by everyone in the room, but some may have not known of his exceptional ability to create honey to sell from bee-hives. Josh did a wonderful introduction, Judge Roach attended Stamford and Oklahoma for an economics degree, then went on to get his law degree at Texas. He’s practiced law in W.F. for 44 years and retired in 2016. Interestingly, on Christmas before his retirement Chris, his son, gave him a book, “Beekeeping for Dummies.” Chris lives in San Francisco and Clay, son #2, lives in Seattle. He and his wife, Sharon, have been married for 58 years and they have 5 grandchildren. To hear the genesis of his honey gathering was hilarious. Once he decided to try it out, he ordered bees in January and received them 3 months later. He picked them up in his Tahoe and was driving with his wife with 20,000 bees in the car. Here it is years later and his bee family is uncountable, and he is now one of the key spokesmen for beekeeping in this area. Judge took us all the way back in history, with bees being in Spain and Egypt in Pharoah times. The Pilgrims brought bees to this continent in the 17th Century. There is only one queen per hive, and the different duties for each kind of bees in the hive was very interesting. The Judge covered the topic thoroughly with his wonderful power-point presentation. He closed with the fact that in 1970, Africanized bees from Brazil invaded the United States and this is a bee problem. It was a great and educational presentation, and it made me go out and buy a bottle of honey. President Cara reminded us of the blood drive Thursday, June 18th at 10:30 AM, and then closed us with the Four Way Test. |
Spokesman June 4 2026 |
Spokesman May 28 2026Head Coach Michael Meachum spoke to the club. |
Spokesman May 21 2026May 14, 2026, By Jon Dearolf Vice President Jon Dearolf called the meeting to order at 12:05pm. Dave Hartman gave the invocation, offering prayers for students and educators as schools transition into summer break, for Youth of the Month Caleb, and for blessings over families, our military, and the country. David Spencer led the Pledge of Allegiance, and members sang “Home on the Range” a cappella. During Sunshine Report, members were happy to hear that Josh Phillips’ mother has fully recovered following an allergic reaction while traveling in Greece. The Brag Bucket included an update on the ongoing membership contest with the losing side agreeing to make a donation to the club. Members were reminded that May 31 is the final deadline for new applications to count toward the challenge. Information was also shared regarding an upcoming Scouting fundraiser featuring a guided painting event with wine and limited participation. Sheldon introduced Youth of the Month Caleb, recognizing him for his strong communication skills, academic success in math, and desire to become a veterinarian serving farm animals. Caleb was praised as an outstanding representative of the promise and potential of local youth. Several announcements were shared with the club. The Memorial Day flag program continues to see strong participation, with 975 flags already paid for and additional signups still coming in through the successful door hanger campaign. Members were reminded that next week’s meeting will take place in the Garden Room. New volunteers have joined the flag teams, and captains were encouraged to finalize assignments in preparation for the upcoming holiday displays. Members were also reminded of the end-of-year party scheduled for June 25 from 6:00–8:00 p.m. in the Garden Room. The day’s featured program was presented by Brian Glenn of ShelterBox USA. Glenn, a retired fire battalion chief from Denton and longtime Rotarian, shared his experiences serving in disaster response efforts across the world, including deployments in Haiti, Indonesia, Morocco, Fiji, and the Philippines. He explained that ShelterBox was founded in 2000 by a British Rotarian seeking practical ways to assist families displaced by disasters. Since then, the organization has provided shelter assistance to more than three million people in over 100 countries. Glenn described ShelterBox’s evolving disaster response model, which ranges from complete tent and supply packages to shelter repair kits and customized local solutions based on community needs. He emphasized that shelter means more than simply providing a roof — it also restores dignity, safety, and stability to families during crisis situations. He also highlighted the critical role Rotary clubs play worldwide by assisting with local logistics, transportation, translators, and identifying vulnerable families most in need of assistance. Members learned about ShelterBox’s growing domestic disaster response program, launched in late 2025, which now supports recovery efforts following wildfires, tornadoes, and flooding within the United States. Glenn also discussed the organization’s coordination with FEMA and other disaster relief agencies to avoid duplication of services and ensure resources are directed where unmet needs remain. Following a brief question-and-answer session, the club presented a donation in Brian Glenn’s honor to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation. The meeting concluded with the recitation of the Four-Way Test at 1:00pm and a reminder that next week’s meeting will be held in the Garden Room. |
Spokesman May 7 2026No meeting on April 30 2026 Flag workday
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Spokesman May 14 2026From May 7 2026 by Jackie Lebow, Jr. Invocation: President Cara Sauceda rang the bell at 12:12 pm. David Hartman provided an inspirational and thankful prayer for our first responders. Pledge and Song: President Cara acknowledged the pianist, Alyssa Ham, playing for the Club today. Alyssa has a bachelor’s degree in jazz piano and a Masters in collaborative piano. She has been with the MSU Theater Department for 7 years. President Cara led the pledge and song “You’re a Grand Old Flag” followed by our traditional Rotary greeting. Visitors and Guests: Angela Cully from Christ Academy was in attendance. Sunshine Report: Bill Miller is taking a break from Rotary and is in a care facility. Josh Phillip’s Mother is extremely sick and in the hospital. Please keep these two in your prayers. Brag Bucket: Noros Martin passed the brag bucket around. Carla Dowlen’s nephew received his CEC Engineering Certificate and is just a sophomore. She also thanked Tommy Richardson for all his work on flags. President Cara mentioned her daughter has enough credits to graduate one year early. Cara also thanked Lance Spruiell for his flag work. John Mayfield mentioned the Singing Men tonight at the First Baptist Church. Birthdays: None this week Announcements: President Cara recognized Jerry with the catering staff as today was his last day. Cara also mentioned she is preparing flyers to be used in place of door hangars (we are out of door hangars). Andy Kocher has flag sleeves. Last item was the NCO Academy Dedication Ceremony on Wednesday, May 27th, from 2:30 to 5:30 pm. Program: Annual Service Above Self Award Presentation Mike Saville started the presentation by celebrating the unwavering dedication, bravery, and selflessness of our first responders. The nominees represent the best of our community, and the committee’s decision was not an easy one. Mike thanked the selection committee members: Jeremy Woodward, Jackie Lebow, Dave Hartman, and Braden Wood. He also thanked President Cara for her involvement. Mike also recognized and thanked the supervisors who took the time to nominate and highlight the individuals for nomination. The first nominee was Paramedic Brett Ruth from American Medical Response (AMR) providing ambulance and EMS services in Wichita Falls. Paramedic Ruth is a dedicated first responder who exemplifies selfless service through leadership, mentorship, and community commitment with a deep-rooted desire to make a difference in the lives of those around him. Brett distinguished himself through leadership and excellence, earning a promotion to Field Training Officer. Brett volunteers his time locally with the Wichita West Volunteer Fire Department, The Arc of Wichita County, and Special Olympics. He was joined by his wife of 11 years, Chelsey, his mother Crystal, and his supervisor Scott Meadows. The second nominee was Deputy Fire Chief Juan Dominguez from the Sheppard Air Force Base Fire and Emergency Services. Deputy Dominguez is an approachable leader, and young firefighters seek his advice on a multitude of issues. He served as the Incident Commander during 50 emergencies during the year, each one ending with positive results and no injuries while he protected airmen from more than 30 allied countries. That protection also included 220 aircraft, 7.2 million square feet of real estate, 3 fire stations, 3,700 acres, 2 geographically separated areas, and a regional airport all valued in excess of $5.5 billion. Deputy Dominguez was joined by the Sheppard Air Force Base Fire Chief David Mounsey and the Civil Engineering Squadron Commander at Sheppard, Lt Col Brad Shields. Our third nominee was Lieutenant Richard “Donny” Johns, a law enforcement officer with the Wichita Falls ISD Police Department. With more than 30 years in law enforcement, he helped build the department from the ground up in 2019 when ISD Police Force had less than 10 officers serving 15,000 students and staff. He has been especially dependable during high stress situations and staffing challenges. He addressed every threat so the students and staff could return to a safe environment. He has been married to his wife Dana for 33 years, and together they have raised two children, Chase and Kylie. Lt Johns was joined by the WFISD Chief of Police, Anthony Smith. David Hartman announced the selection of the First Responder Service Above Self Award to Sheppard Air Force Base’s Deputy Fire Chief Juan Dominguez. David L. Mounsey, his supervisor at Sheppard’s Fire and Emergency Services, who nominated him wrote the following: “Deputy Fire Chief Juan Dominguez is the point man for the fire department. He refreshed the mutual aid program by establishing 11 new agreements with local municipalities and expanded five additional agreements with regional counties. There was immediate impact as Sheppard Fire and Emergency Services responded to 78 requests for help off the base in 2025. He ensured all response vehicles were staffed for daily operations. He humbled himself by personally staffing vehicles when required. He led the efforts to attain (Sheppard’s Fire and Emergency Services) third internationally Accredited Agency Status, one of only 300 accredited agencies across the world. He also serves on the Local Emergency Planning Committee, the District #3 Emergency Management Working Group, and the Wichita Country Fire Chiefs Group. Besides fire protection orientated programs, he oversees all vehicles in the squadron, is a member of the Wing Inspection Team, and oversaw the ambulance service on base.” Special thanks to Mike Saville and David Hartman for providing an excellent presentation. A donation to the WFISD Foundation in honor of today’s three finalists will be made. Four Way Test: President Cara concluded the meeting at 12:51 pm. |
Spokesman April 30 2026Notes from April 23 2026 by Jackie Lebow Jr Invocation: President Cara Sauceda rang the bell at 12:05 pm. She provided the opening prayer focusing on the youth and the Boys & Girls Club. Pledge and Song: Arnold Oliver lead the pledge followed by singing of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” followed by our traditional Rotary handshake. Visitors and Guests: Sarah Key with ServiceMaster was a guest of Alan Donaldson. Sunshine Report: Lance Spruiell mentioned that Kenny Weeks young daughter has been diagnosed with diabetes. He also mentioned that his wife is having her third eye operation. Judy Koetter’s 2nd son is in pain and has gone to the emergency room. Please keep these mentioned in your prayers. Brag Bucket: Carla Dowlen passed around the brag bucket. Her nephew pitched last week for the Memorial Mavericks JV baseball team. Josh Phillips noted that CycleRun had its grand opening last week. Noel Filer recently lost her dad, and the family is trying to sell his Lexus for $21.5K. If anyone is interested, give her a call. David Kelly said Sport Clips ordered eight trash cans and they were the wrong size. If interested, he will sell each for $20. Also, Sport Clips on Lawrence Road was just named #1 in stylist retention. Monica Horton thanked two Rotarians for their support in finding two recruits for Camp RYLA. David Adams thanked his flag team for their hard work. Lance Spruiell mentioned that his daughter in Seattle who in the glass blowing business is going to Switzerland to study for a week. Birthdays: Greg Brownfield, Rod Tieken, Bill Miller, and Richard Boyd were birthday honorees and received homemade cinnamon rolls from Judy. Member Spotlight: Brycen Whittaker sponsor was Lisa Stephens-Musick. He is from Iowa Park and part of the family that owns Whittaker Wild Game (familiar with local hunters). He attended Murry State College where he played baseball. He received his bachelor’s degree from Southeastern State in Oklahoma. He is married with three young children with one having special needs. His wife has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from MSU in nursing. He owns a State Farm Agency in Wichita Falls and has a strong Christian faith. Youth of the Month: Ariyane Rogers was introduced by Tori Smith from the B&G Club. Stacy from the B&G Club staff was also in attendance. Ariyane is active at home doing family chores. She attends First Baptist Church and is in the eighth grade at Rider Middle School. She is a B+ student and on the volleyball team. She hopes to attend the University of Florida and wants to be a veterinarian. She has been a member of B&G Club for 8 years. Announcements: There will be no regular meeting or meal next week. Instead, all flag teams will have a flag workday. Door hangers provided. Program: Josh Phillips introduced our program Orlando Flores, Pulitzer Prize Winner in Journalism. The program streamed live. Mr. Flores currently is the Managing Editor with Gulf States Newsroom in New Orleans, LA. He is originally from Burkburnett and received his degree in Communications and Journalism from MSU. He also worked with the Wichita Falls Times and Record News as well as the MSU newspaper where he covered everything and gained valuable experience. He is responsible for the daily operations at Gulf States Newsroom. In 2019 he received a Pulitzer Prize with his team for the “Tilting the Scales Series”. He discussed the changes today in digital content which is his primary focus. With the digital age, he currently works mostly from home. He noted that collaboration between team members is important. Anyone can be a reporter with a phone camera. Maintaining accuracy in reporting is extremely important. Bias and disinformation are real problems today. A donation will be made to the WFISD Foundation in honor of today’s speaker. Four Way Test: President Cara concluded the meeting at 12:54 pm. |
Spokesman April 23, 2026Notes from 4/16/26 by Jackie Lebow Invocation: President Cara Sauceda rang the bell at 12:06 pm. David Hartman provided another special prayer. Pledge and Song: President Cara lead the pledge followed by singing of “Edelweiss.” Club members greeted each other with a friendly Rotary handshake. Visitors and Guests: Angela Culley from Christ Academy in Wichita Falls and Pauli, our sponsored exchange student, were in attendance. Sunshine Report: Judy Koetter’s cousin recently passed away. Keep Judy and her family in our prayers. Brag Bucket: Carla Dowlen passed around the brag bucket. Her nephew plays on the Memorial Mavericks JV baseball team. They won two games against Abilene and split games against Munster last week. Monica Horton mentioned the Pauli is on the Legacy HS Royal Dance Team and they will have a show next Friday at Legacy HS. Monica reminded everyone about the upcoming Better Business Bureau Day to shred documents. Also, Monica’s son just passed his welding inspector test. Judy Koetter noted how busy the Beacon Lighthouse for the Blind has been with orders coming in fast and furious. Ann Arnold mentioned Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture is having a special event in May. Brycen Whitiker noted that his daughter is playing coach pitch softball and she made a triple play the other day. Andy Kocher noted that his granddaughter was on the other team! John Deason bragged about Carla Dowlen. They both went through school together from first grade through 12th at Petrolia ISD. John said he is celebrating his 50th graduation anniversary. Announcements: District Training will be April 19, 2026, at the First United Methodist Church in Arlington, TX. President Cara also mentioned Pauli and the Legacy HS Royal Dance Team show. Program: Hospice of Wichita Falls President Cara introduced our own Rotarian Ryan Pitchford who is the Community Liaison for Hospice of Wichita Falls. He introduced Darbi Glassburn who provided an overview of Hospice of WF. She has been with the organization for 12 years in a leadership position. Hospice of WF started in 1985 on Kemp Street with Jan Banta as the Director. As the program grew it moved to the current location in 1991 at 4909 Johnson Road. The Prothro Inpatient Care Center was completed in 2023 and in 2025 another major expansion was constructed. The Hospice of WF goal has always been to provide a family home environment for the patients. Palliative Care of North Texas started 10 years ago. This is a lower care health care level provider than Hospice where patients keep their own doctors. There are three specialized nurses and one doctor in the program currently. Ryan discussed Peach of Mind Planning. There is a meeting on April 23 at 5:30 at the faciality for this purpose. He noted the various programs currently in operation: Peace of Mind Planning, Dementia Live, and Children’s Programs which include building bridges and camps to help children cope with bereavement. Camps are in June and July each year with 107 campers participating last year. Shellie Green was the third speaker. She has been with Hospice of WF for 10 years. She mentioned three programs going on now: We Honor Veterans, Salute to Service, and Nurses Honor Guard where nurses from the surrounding area are honored. She noted that the staff had to go through 2 years of specialized training to collaborate with veterans. Viet Nam Veterans receive a special lapel pin for their service. A Wall of Service has been established with fifty-two plaques installed with two being added each year. Daria concluded by discussing the fundraising events held each year. The Annual Golf Tournament will be on May 4th at the Wichita Falls Country Club. The Ninety for Dad bicycle race occurs prior to the Hotter than Hell Race. The Nine at Night Golf Tournament (nine holes of night golf) has been highly successful each year. Lastly, the Tree of Lights event occurs each year at the top of the Chase Building Tower. A donation will be provided to the WFISD Foundation in honor of today’s speakers. Adjournment: President Cara adjourned the meeting at 1:00 pm with the 4 Way Test. |
Spokesman April 16, 2026April 9, 2026 Notes by Jackie Lebow Invocation: President Cara Sauceda opened the meeting by ringing the bell at 12:07 pm. David Hartman gave another timely prayer about peace and love. Pledge and Song: Arnold Oliver lead the pledge followed by singing of “Daisy, Daisy.” Club members greeted one another in Rotary fashion. Visitors and Guests: Dwight Thayer and Larry Stutte (both of Iowa Park Rotary Club), and Shelle Green were are guests. Sunshine Report: None Brag Bucket: Carla Dowlen provided the brag bucket. Her nephew did not play baseball this past week. Lisa Stephens-Musick mentioned that she has eight grandchildren and two of them played T ball against each other in Iowa Park. Jeff Sporei invited members to a concert by the MSU Singers tonight at 7:30 pm at the Akin Auditorium. He also noted that the MSU Maroon and Gold Giving Day concludes today at 4:00 pm. President Cara mentioned that her son is involved in the Homeschool 3 on 3 basketball tournament and was perfect in 3 pointers at the last game. Josh Phillips noted that his daughter played in the Dallas Club Soccer Tournament where there were 450 teams. Her team made it to the quarter finals for age 19 division. Congrats! Monica Horton had Pauli, our exchange student, as her guest today. Pauli recently achieved the highest score on record for the Star test. Monica also mentioned that the BBB is having a shred day on 4/18 for anyone wanting to shred documents. David Kelley mentioned that his parents just celebrated their 60th anniversary and he gave his parents a 2002 red T-Bird for their anniversary. Will Goodner reminded everyone about the stud donation program for the Habitat for Humanity at $100 each. David Spencer was pleased to announce that he now has turkeys on his ranch which he has not seen in several years. He is also going to his 50th reunion at the UT Southwest Medical School tomorrow. Blue Badge Presentation: CMSgt Wilfred Morgan who is the Commandant of the NCO Academy at Sheppard AFB received an Honorary Rotarian Award. Noros Martin and President Cara made the presentation. Announcements: District Training will be April 19, 2026, at the First United Methodist Church in Arlington, TX. If interested contact President Cara Sauceda. Program: Global Eye Project presented by Dr. Anshu Chandra Dr. Chandra gave a live video on-line presentation about the Global Eye Project in Haiti. Dr. Chandra is a fellow Rotarian and started her presentation by sharing how desperate eye care is in Haiti especially for children. She has been a doctor for 17 years and chose a life of service in her medical profession to help people see. She started her career in the Himalayas helping children to see for the first time. Giving sight to people became her priority. She turned down numerous jobs offers so she could provide volunteer work. Her organization, The Global Eye Project, now serves twelve countries on four continents. Her focus is on Haiti where there is devastation for those without eye care. People are going blind with eye conditions that are treatable if caught in time. In 2015, the eye clinic had one small room. Original goals were to provide rural access and make program sustainable. The Clinic grew rapidly and now has eleven exam rooms. By 2025, there have been 132,000 eye exams with 7,000 receiving special treatment. Community education consists of eleven audios as well as computer applications. 2019 Launched the treatment of premature babies with 1,500 served and 50+ receiving special treatment. In 2027 the existing facility will be closed, and plans are underway for the new home. In 2025 land was obtained for the project. Phase 1 for the clinic needs $755,000 funding of which $195,000 has been donated. Phase 2 will be a surgical center and Phase 3 will be an optical lab. The US team is 100% volunteer and no paid staff. Dr. Chandra is asking Rotarians to spread the word to clubs and districts throughout the U.S. to help fund the project and keep it going. The website is globaleyeproject.org. Adjournment: President Cara adjourned the meeting at 1:01 pm with the 4 Way Test. |
Spokesman April 9, 2026April 2, 2026 Notes by Jackie Lebow Invocation: President Cara Sauceda opened the meeting with the traditional ringing of the bell at 12:06 pm. David Hartman provided another inspirational prayer about the grace and blessings that God provides. Pledge and Song: President Cara lead the pledge followed by singing of “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.” Club members then greeted each other in Rotary fashion. Visitors and Guests: Jeff Sporei introduced his wife, Tanya. Sunshine Report: John Deason attended today. Glad to have him back! Brag Bucket: Carla Dowlen mentioned that her nephew playing for Memorial H.S. beat Legacy H.S. this week. David Hartman thanked Jeff Sporei for the work he has been doing on continuing education at MSU. Jeff Sporei mentioned the MSU Maroon and Gold Giving Day on April 8-9. Goal is to have five hundred doners to the University. Richard Boyd mentioned that his granddaughter is ranked #1 player in soccer in Louisiana and #9 nationally. She also achieved a perfect score on her ACT exam this year as a junior. Brad Rogers mentioned that he is going to see his three grandchildren this weekend including the newest granddaughter who is 3 months old. President Cara thanked six club members who stepped up to help Pauli, our exchange student, by providing her work. Will Goodner mentioned that the stud donation program is now in progress for Habitat for Humanity. Also, they have three new projects coming up. Red Badge Presentation: Rance Hogue received his Red Badge as a new club member. His sponsor is Matt Deason. Cake Auction: Noros Martin provided a chocolate vodka cake and bottle of chocolate port wine from California to help support Pauli for her trip to New York. Justin Bitz won the items with a bid of $200. Thank Justin for his support. Announcements: President Cara reminded everyone about the Rotary Burbon Tasting Event in Gainesville, TX. Cara also noted that Pauli is still wanting to work to earn money for her trip to New York. Cara provided a sign-up sheet at each table for anyone interested in helping her. Cara also mentioned the upcoming Rotary District Training Event on April 19th at the United Methodist Church in Arlington, TX. Program: Club Assembly by Cara Sauceda President Cara presented an overall view of Rotary as information for our newest Red Badge Members and as a refresher for our older members. She started with a history of Rotary founded in 1905 in Chicago by Paul Harris with three of his business partners. By 1912, Rotary had grown internationally with clubs in Scotland and London. Currently there are two hundred countries involved in Rotary. The Wichita Falls Rotary Club began in 1915 and is now 110 years old, making it one of the oldest clubs in Texas, the United States and Internationally. Cara mentioned recent accomplishments of the club which include the work at Rotary Park. The park now has unique features including the new handicapped assessable swing and the zip line. All sponsored by Rotary. Special thanks to Benay Ayers and John Deason for their hard work and efforts. President Cara mentioned special service programs we have had this year including “Stop the Bleed” where each club member received training and a certification on procedures to stop bleeding during an emergency to save a life. In 1929 the WF Rotary Club founded the Boys Club in Wichita Falls. In 1992 the name changed to the Boys and Girls Club. The organization is now a multi-million-dollar organization. Other programs that WF Rotary mentors include Scouting America, Campfire and Habitat for Humanity. WF Rotary fundraising is based on our flag program. We currently have seventeen flag teams. Serving on a flag team is a tradition in our club in raising money to give back to the community. “The 4 Way Test” that we say at the end of each meeting started in 1922 at the first international meeting. Today Rotarians use this pledge not just for our club meetings, but for living out our daily lives. There are currently nine areas of international service in Rotary which include Polio Plus to eradicate polio, water and sanitation in undeveloped areas, and women’s and girls’ rights around the world. In the old days of Rotary, 100% participation was mandatory, but today we are more focused on support for projects and flag team participation. In fact, the Red Badge Members of our Club are currently planning the next service project. Opportunities are available to serve in District 5790 whether being District Governor or officer or serving on one of the may committees. Cara mentioned that the Valentine Day Cruise to Mexico is always fun and a way to serve internationally as well. She also mentioned the wheelchair project in Cuba which has been going on for years. One last area President Cara noted is the opportunity to serve kids with Interact Club which is coming to Legacy High School or help with the Rotaract Club at MSU where Sheldon Wang is our Club leader. There is also Camp Ryla which promotes leadership for high school sophomores and juniors. Thanks to President Cara for doing an excellent job in providing information in a brief amount of time. Adjournment: Meeting concluded at 12:53 pm with the 4 Way Test |
Spokesman April 2, 2026March 26, 2026 Notes by Noros Martin Today’s meeting of The Rotary Club of Wichita Falls was called to order with a loud gong of the bell by President Cara at 12:02pm. We all rose from our chairs after having a wonderful lunch prepared by The Orchard. Thank you to The Orchard for all the great food and services they give to our club each and every Thursday. Our very own spiritual leader, David Hartman, led us in prayer on this beautiful Thursday afternoon. Thank you, David, for blessing today. David Spencer followed David with our Pledge and Song. It was observed, by this writer, that we pledged better than we sang today. We tried to sing or hum along to, “You are a Grand Old Flag.” We were glad to have several guests today at our meeting. Thank you to the guests for being a part of our Rotary meeting today. We hope they will come back again. They will always be welcome at our meetings. President Cara made some comments regarding last week’s program and the hard work the Program Committee does to bring good programs to our club. Cara also told us about an invitation to Bourbon Tasting fund raiser hosted by the Red River Rotary Club in Gainesville, TX. The date of this event is: April 9, 2026 at 5:30pm. Cara reminded us Pauli, our International Exchange student, would like to earn some money to help pay some of her expenses for the upcoming trip to Washington DC. In closing, Cara reminded us of the upcoming Rotary training meeting in Arlington, TX on April 19, 2026. Noros passed the brag bucket around the room for those who had brags, so they could let it be known. Thanks to all for sharing the great information about who is doing well. I hope they all keep up the great work. Benay Ayers came to the podium to introduce our program and speaker for our meeting today. She introduced Dr. Blake Avera, Ophthalmologist and Author, as our speaker. Dr. Avera told us about his book, “The End of Play.” It is about a 19yr old boy, Tom Harrison, who grew up in a west Texas town and served in the Vietnam war. Tom served in the Army as a Long Range Recon Officer. Dr. Avera’s book tells us about this young man that came back to the U.S. from Vietnam to a country he did not understand. The book expands on why many people could not understand why we were in Vietnam for many years. A war that could never be won. Over 58,000 troops died in this war and even today the rate of suicides for those who served has increased by 16.7% since 2010. Thank you, Dr. Avera, for telling us about your book, “The End of Play”, at today’s Rotary meeting. Our meeting ended today at 12:55pm with us standing and repeating the Rotary 4 way test. |
Spokesman March 26, 2026March 19, 2026 Notes by Noros Martin On the very last day of winter 2026, our Rotary Club of Wichita Falls was called to order at 12:03pm. President Cara struck our bell and we all stood after enjoying a wonderful lunch prepared and presented to us. Please, take time to thank all of the staff who prepares the excellent food each Thursday. Our very own pastor, Dave Hartman came forward to give words of wisdom and prayer. Thank you, Dave, for your great leadership and your prayers today. David Spencer came to the podium to lead us in the pledge and song. Aren’t we grateful to have such a “grand old flag” to repeat our Pledge of Allegiance? We then joined, somewhat in harmony, and sang “Home on the Range.” Wonderful job to all Rotarians for this sing along. I believe we Rotarians could give the New York Met Opera a good run for their money. We were very pleased that Monica Horton brought our Rotary Exchange Student, Pauli, from Slovakia. Welcome back to our Rotary Club for a visit, Pauli. We hope you are enjoying your time here in the United States and Texas. President Cara returned to the front with the Sunshine Report. She reported that John Deason was recovering from his recent surgery and is doing well. We hope to see him back at Rotary soon. Noros passed the “Brag Bucket” around so we could tell about our children, their sports and many others type of brags. Judy Koetter was next to the front to recognize those having Birthdays in March. Congratulations to those Rotarians celebrating getting another year older. Those folks are: Jackie Lebow (5th), Roland Ramsey (16th), Brycen Whitaker (20th), Kenny Weeks (25th), and last but not least Noros Martin (16th). I sure hope we all live to celebrate another year. We had a dessert auction to help place some more money in our coffers to give back to our community. Carla Dowlen brought a wonderful apple pie. The buyer of this masterpiece was our very own Dutch I P – “Spin”. Thank you, Spin. Judy Koetter had a birthday cinnamon roll left over that she included in the auction. Next we were honored to be introduced to, Londynn Byrd, Rotary Club City Wide Youth of the Month. Today Londynn was accompanied by her Mom, Delecia Byrd, and Claire Ball, the assistant director, of the North West Boys and Girls Clubs. This young lady is 15 years old and is in the 9th grade at City View Jr/Sr High School. She told us that her favorite subjects are English and Language Arts, and she maintains a “B’’ and above on her report cards. Londynn told us, “I believe school is important, because you need an education for anything important in life.” The N/W Club told us that Londynn has a lot of potential, and she is a very pleasant, young lady who will accomplish big things in the future. Congratulations, Londynn, on being selected for this great honor and good luck in your future. Cara announced the NCO Graduation would be held on Tuesday morning. If anyone needing more information about time, place and accessing SAFB please contact Cara. Her phone number is 940-882-0108. President Cara introduced our program for today. The program was information about the Lifewave X39 Stem Cell Activation Patch. I will not make comments regarding this presentation today in this article. President Cara dismissed our Rotary Club meeting at 12:51pm after we stood and repeated the Rotary 4 Way Test. Hope to see you all next week and enjoy the coming of spring 2026. |
Spokesman March 19, 2026March 12, 2026 Notes by Noros Martin On this beautiful North Central Texas afternoon at 12:05pm the weekly meeting of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls was called to order by President Cara as she struck our bell to get our attention. David Hartman came to the front to provide a wonderful invocation. Thank you, David, as always, for your inspiring words. David Spencer came forward as we all joined together repeating in unison the Pledge of Allegiance and then sang “You’re A Grand Old Flag”. Gosh, we all sounded great as we sang today! A couple guests were introduced today. President Cara introduced her son and John Mayfield’s wife. We are glad you all were our guest and hope you all will come back in the future. You all are always welcome to be our guest. During the Sunshine Report we were asked to remember John Deason in our prayers in his speedy, successful, recovery from recent surgery. President Cara auctioned off a wonderful, fresh baked, homemade cake and a nice size portion of homemade jelly. Thanks, Carla Dowlen, for the goodies you made and brought to our meeting. It helped put some more money into our Rotary coffers. John Mayfield presented his wife, Debbie, with a Paul Harris pin. Good job, John and congratulations, Debbie. Our program was quite different today. It was a zoom presentation about Melanoma. It was presented by Steve Fine, Founder of the Melanoma Education Foundation. Mr. Fine told us that the Foundation is a 501c3 and was started in 2000. While anyone can develop melanoma, some people have a higher risk than others. Your risk of melanoma goes up if you have:
Caucasians and men older than 50 have a higher risk of developing melanoma than the general population. He told us that we should learn how to check our own skin for the sign of changes in our skin. Preforming a skin self-exam means taking note of all the spots on your body, from moles to freckles to age spots. Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the skin and is one of the few cancers you can usually see on your body. Common areas of interest for females is their legs, and for males, the upper portion of their bodies. This was a very informative program for all of us and we all should have learned something from our presenter today. The program was adjourned at 1:00 and with all of us standing and reciting the Rotary 4 Way Test. |
Spokesman March 12, 2026March 5, 2026 Notes by Noros Martin President, Cara, gonged the bell that brought us to our feet, to start today’s meeting of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls at 12:05. David Hartman, lead us with a wonderful invocation – thank you Dave for your special words. David Spencer came to the podium to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and we then all joined together and to sing “America the Beautiful”. We were pleased to have several guest of Rotary today. Thanks for being a part of the meeting today, and hopefully you will return again soon. President Cara asked for any Sunshine Reports today. Several persons were mentioned. We hope those with health issues have a speedy recovery and continue to improve. Several Rotarians stepped forward to deposit money for the Brag Bucket. There were several Rotarians, Carla Dowlen and Will Goodner bragging about their family members in sporting events. It is always great to have winners. Keep up the great work ALL. We are proud to have so many Rotarians sharing with us about their friends, family and loved ones regarding special occasions in their lives. President Cara asks for afterschool transportation assistance for our exchange student – several Rotarians offered to help. President Cara ask that all NEW Blue Badge Rotary and current RED Badge members to please remain for a few minutes after the meeting to discuss future projects for our Clubs consideration. Our very own, Josh Phillips, then came to the podium to introduce todays program. Josh introduced Matthew “Matt” Bailey, Director of the MSU Museum of Art. Matt began his journey in higher education at Pittsburgh State in Kansas, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Kansas, as well as a doctorate and PhD in history from Washington University in St. Louis. Matt told us that the WFMA was established in 1965 by the Junior League of Wichita Falls and will be celebrating it 60 anniversary next year. They have a small staff of 6 persons; with some member’s doing 2 or 3 different jobs. Our speaker also brings more than 20 years of education experience to WFMA. As a curator he compares his work to the work he conducted as an educator, saying that his goal is to spark a curiosity for the arts. This philosophy extends outside the classroom as well. The functions of the Museum, in Matt’s words are to (1) Educate, (2) Preservation, (3) Collect Things and (4) Display. He told us that there are currently 3 Exhibits at the Museum for viewing by the public. One current exhibit is showing printings of the American Revolution. This exhibit is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Matt told us that one of his goals for the WFAM would be able to help educate more people in the North Central Texas area about the many services they have to offer. Matt, Thank you for your great and informative program regarding the Wichita Falls Art Museum this afternoon. The meeting ended at 1:00 PM, with members standing and reciting the 4 Way test |
Spokesman March 5, 2026February 26, 2026 Notes by Walter Coppage Former President John Mayfield rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:05 pm. Dave Hartman led the invocation with another, outstanding, heartfelt prayer in which he focused on young boys and girls like those who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs in Wichita Falls. Benay Ayers led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and Benay continued to provide music to have our voices sing “The Star-Spangled Banner”, our national anthem. The Brag Bucket with Colton Heinrich was busy today. Carla Dowlen is excited that baseball season is starting. Her nephew David is a sophomore at Memorial High School and plays on the Maverick baseball team. Their first game is today, and they will also play all weekend. Carla also mentioned that there is a book sale this weekend that will support the Wichita Adult Literacy Council. Matt Deason and David Kelley bragged about family. Matthew Bailey, the new director and curator of the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University said there was a come and go Thursday night and I know there are great exhibitions that will go on throughout the year. Noros Martin mentioned early voting was still going on and the primary election day is Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The Rotary Spotlight was on Mike Saville. Mike grew up in Cumberland, Maryland and attended West Virginia University and was in the Air Force ROTC. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree and commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force. His first assignment was Griffiss AFB where he met his future wife, Jan. Her first assignment after Technical School at Sheppard AFB was also Griffiss AFB. Next month they will celebrate their 46th anniversary. Mike has been an Aircraft Maintenance Officer. They moved 19 times before they settled in Wichita Falls in 2012. Mike had retired from the Air Force but was contacted by the civilian contractor in charge of Aircraft Maintenance, which Mike had done his entire Air Force career. They bought a business, Hello Again in 2014. Mike and Jan later bought the World’s Littlest Skyscraper which housed their business. If Mike’s journey to Wichita Falls isn’t dotted with enough twists and turns, Mike is also a Magician. Benay Ayers presented Steve Priester with a recognition of Paul Harris Fellow plus 4. John Mayfield was presented with a recognition of Paul Harris Fellow plus 5. Benay Ayers conducted the Vote on Bylaws Amendment, which passed unanimously. Tori Smith introduced Ka’Lecia Peterson as the 2026 Wichita Falls Youth of the Year Representative. She is a 17-year-old Junior at Legacy High School whose home club is the Northwest Branch of the Boys & Girls Club where she has been a member for eleven years. To see Ka’Lecia’s smile you would never suspect she has had to deal with problems in her young life. She has focused on sailing her own ship, making sure her life goes the way she wants it to go. She helps her brothers. She helps kids learn at the Boys & Girls Club by helping younger kids learn to play cards when some can’t count. She wants to go to college. Ka’Lecia is passionate about child hunger because she believes that everybody should be able to eat. Her talk brought a standing ovation from our Rotary Club. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
Spokesman February 26, 2026February 19, 2026 Notes by Walter Coppage President Cara Sauceda rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:03 pm. Dave Hartman led the invocation with another, outstanding, heartfelt prayer. Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and then helped us lift our voices with “America the Beautiful” in the spirit of honoring President’s Day this week. Leilani Barnett, a candidate for State Representative District 69, came as a guest of Walter Coppage. Darius Allen and his mom and dad were guests of Rotary as Darius is the Youth of the Month. The Brag Bucket was busy today and I may have left someone out, so please forgive me. Carla Dowlen is excited that baseball season is starting and she can watch relatives play games in which their team won a scrimmage by a score of 10-1. Cara Sauceda said that David Adams will head up the youth speech event on The Four-Way Test. Braden Wood introduced Darius Allen, our Youth of the Month. Darius is 14 years old and a student at Hirschi Middle School. Darius is a 3rd generation member of the Boys & Girls Club. He has an interest in starting a vending machine business. Someone can tell him that I know who he can talk to about that. He is an example for the younger members of the Boys & Girls Club. Benay Ayers presented Mike Seville with a recognition of Paul Harris Fellow plus 2. Carla Dowlen was presented with a recognition of Paul Harris Fellow plus 3. Alan Donaldson reminded us of a Membership Drive Social later today at 5:30 pm at Taco Darlin located at 4214 Kell West Blvd. Although I was unable to make it, from pictures on Facebook, I could see that there was a great turnout, and I understood that a great time was had by all. The Youth Service Committee met after the meeting. Josh Phillips then introduced Herb Krasner, CEO of Save Our Public Schools TX to look at where Texas stands with public schools and where we are headed and what we can do to help. Mr. Krasner started his presentation with the following information: “…unless a people are educated and enlightened, it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty, or the capacity for self government”. TX Declaration of Independence, March 2, 1836. “…it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools” - Texas Constitution, Feb. 15, 1876. During his presentation, Herb told us that Texas is underfunding public schools by $4,035 per student compared to the national average. He showed us where the local share of school funding is 68% and the State’s share is only 32%, a far cry from where it was ten years ago and where it needs to be (50/50). Herb had a very vivid slide showing that Private Schools have 5 pages of State Rules and Regulations. Texas Charter Schools have 233 pages of State Rules and Regulations. The Texas Education Code for Public Schools is 4,829 pages. So much for efficiency as set forth in the Texas Constitution. Texas has 5,544,255 students attending public schools on 9,084 campuses in 1,208 ISDs. There are 400,000 teachers and staff in public education. Public education in Texas can be better and there are multiple ways to get there. Other states are finding ways to improve public education and Herb discussed several, including bringing back Phonics. Time restraints kept Herb from completing his power point presentation regarding Texas Education Freedom Accounts (School Vouchers) and what that has done to several other state budgets. After finding out from Cara Sauceda that she had many Rotarians ask for Herb Krasner to come back to speak again, I think we will all look forward to Herb Krasner’s next program. On conclusion of the program, Cara said that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name Herb Krasner and Save Our Public Schools TX. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
Spokesman February 19, 2026February 12, 2026 Notes By Walter Coppage President Cara Sauceda rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:05 pm. Dave Hartman led the invocation with another, outstanding, heartfelt prayer. Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. She also continued the theme of the Valentine month by having the club sing “L – O – V – E” and our club came through with great music. Vicki Pratt was a guest of Kirk Peterson. Cheyenne Garcia was a guest of Rotary. The Brag Bucket was busy today and I may have left someone or more out, so please forgive me. Noros Martin let us know that Danny Steed and Tanya Ruff with Hirschi Realtors held a breakfast for everyone in their office that was great. Cara Sauceda coaches volleyball and the team is winning and will be travelling for the next three Fridays. Carla Dowlen is excited that baseball season is starting and she can watch relatives play games. Will Goodner bragged on Legacy Basketball teams and players. Lance Spruiell’s daughter won the opportunity to be one of four to climb to the top of Seattle’s Space Needle to retrieve a flag after the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl win! Today, February birthdays were recognized. Mark Wise on the second. Alan Donaldson on the fourteenth. Colton Heinrich on the eighteenth. Steve Priester on the nineteenth. Cheyenne Garcia with the Legacy High School Band came up to the podium and thanked us. Rotary helped her be able to go on the trip to London to march in the New Year’s Day Parade. Everyone on the trip wore Whataburger Beanies. Londoners were all talking about the Whataburger Beanies, everywhere the band members went. Then Cheyenne opened her heart and told us how this trip changed her. She lost her mother four years ago. She said she felt she had only been surviving these last years, not living. Then she got on the plane to London on December 28th for her first trip out of the country. Things started to change for her as the plane continued to London. Visiting St. Paul’s Cathedral, she said she felt peace. Although the cold weather for the parade was brutal, she said that it was worth it completely. Cheyenne was talking about resilience, the power of perspective, how to keep pushing forward, pushing forward when things are difficult, that circumstances do not restrict her, and that she is overwhelmed with gratitude. Everyone in the room gave her a standing ovation. We had one Blue Badge Presentation: Kirk Peterson sponsored by Alan Donaldson. Congratulations to Kirk! Alan Donaldson reminded us of a Membership Drive Social on February 19 at 5:30 pm at Taco Darlin located at 4214 Kell West Blvd. Josh Phillips then introduced Scott Reed with Rathgeber Hospitality House. Scott Reed is the Executor Director of Rathgeber Hospitality House which provides service above self and for others. When accident or serious illness happens, changes occur. Family must ask the question of where are we going to stay while family members are treated at a medical facility? Most families are on a tight budget. Rathgeber Hospitality House is an economical alternative. Most hotels are $125 per night or more. Rathgeber Hospitality House asks for a suggested donation of $40 per night. In 2024, the facility was used by guests for 4,501 guest days. Family can be better caregivers after a good night’s sleep. A father was able to be with his daughter in hospice before she passed. One couple was able to be close to their child in NICU for four weeks until they were able to take the child home. Rathgeber Hospitality House is more than lodging; it is a community within four walls. Their staff cares and shows it every day. Wichita Falls is lucky to have Rathgeber Hospitality House in our community. On conclusion of the program, Cara said that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name Scott Reed and Rathgeber Hospitality House. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
Spokesman February 12, 2026February 5, 2026 Notes By Walter Coppage President Cara Sauceda rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:06 pm. Dave Hartman led the invocation. Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and Benay Ayers welcomed in Valentine month by having the club sing My Girl with the lyrics on the table, so singing was encouraged. The guest today were Dee Ann Martin, wife of Noros, and Shellie Green Director of Outreach of Hospice of Wichita Falls. Shellie was a guest of Ryan Pitchford. Noel filer lost her dad this week. Please keep Noel and the family in your prayers. John Deason wanted to recognize the joy coming from the kids at the playground at Ben Franklin school. Alan Donaldson mentioned that Deli Planet has a list of organizations on their Facebook page and the organization that receives the most likes will be recognized. Jeff Spoeri stated that the postponed MSU Championship Parade honoring the National Champion MSU Soccer team would be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026. Carla Sauceda and David Adams attended District Training and have returned with positive reviews of their training and ideas for projects for our Rotary Club. We had two Red Badge Presentations: Brad Rodgers is sponsored by Alan Donaldson. Brad is a Digital Account Executive with Cumulus Media. Debbie Bigot is sponsored by Noros Martin. Debbie is the owner of Annie Jewel & Charlies, a clothing store. Debbie’s dad, A.D. Hanna was a member of this Rotary Club with 27 years of perfect attendance. Alan Donaldson reminded us of a Membership Drive Social on February 19 at 5:30 pm at Taco Darlin located at 4214 Kell West Blvd. Josh Phillips then introduced Cassandra Shinpaugh with Grayline Research Center for our program, “What is Clinical Research & Benefits of Participating?” Nobody in this Rotary Club was expecting to have Cassandra begin her presentation by having everyone take a test. Nine questions, and I can only speak for myself, but I didn’t pass. Cassandra spoke of what clinical trials are and who conducts them, who can be a part of the study and what information can be gleaned from the studies. Grayline is an independently owned, woman owned, and nurse owned facility started in 1986. Each trial has between 60 and 150 participants and last between six and twelve months. Grayline applies for the job of participating in and conducting the trial. Everything is confidential in these trials. Grayline is currently recruiting participants for studies involving Anxiety and Alzheimer’s. A donation will be made to the WFISD Foundation in honor of Cassandra Shinpaugh and Grayline Research. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
Spokesman February 5, 2026Notes from January 29, 2026 by Jake Munholland President Cara started the meeting by ringing the bell at 12:04. She called on David Hartman to come up for the invocation, which he always does in a very thoughtful manner. Benay and Josh then teamed up to stream “Sweet Caroline” to get everyone ready for opening day at Fenway Park. After singing, we greeted Rotarians and guests with friendly handshakes. President Cara then recognized the visitors and guests for the day. Kenny McCollum is the GM at Bruckner and is Josh’s boss. Tad Gose was a guest of David Hartman. John Mayfield brought his wife Debbie and our Rotary exchange student Pauli. Thanks for joining us for Rotary! For the Sunshine report, President Cara acknowledged Andy Kocker, Carla Dowlen, and John Deason who were able to attend the meeting after their recent health issues. Please remember to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Noros then brought around the brag bucket. Brady bragged on the birth and health of his 2nd granddaughter. Carla bragged to say Thanks to Tommy for picking her up for the meeting. Noel then bragged on the Wichita Theater for their upcoming production of North Texas Rising. Tommy questioned the Citizen of the Year Committee’s selection of Noros Martin. David Adams bragged on the great Texas weather we have had this week. Noros had a brag on Andy Kocher and Monica who were both featured on news broadcasts for different reasons on the same day. It’s always nice to see our fellow Rotarians being acknowledged. Josh Phillips then came up for a check presentation to the NCO Academy in support of all the help they provide us on our flag days. President Cara reminded everyone about NCO Academy graduation on Tuesday February 10th at 9:00am. She plans to attend and if you would like details, please reach out to her. President Cara again reminded everyone about her challenge of 100% participation in donating to the Rotary Foundation as a birthday gift to the club. She also reminded everyone about the membership committee social meeting on Thursday, February 19th at 5:30pm at Taco Darlin. Please bring a guest to share the joy of Rotary. Steve announced to everyone that we would be meeting in the Garden Room next week on Thursday, February 5th. President Cara then called up her friend, Jenny Frederick, a Christian Comedian, who was our speaker for the week. She started off with several clean family friendly jokes with her dark sense of humor. She then took some time to talk about her troubled childhood as a member of a very strict cult, and how it helped shape her. She eventually became a teacher in Henrietta where she tried to be the kind of teacher that she needed when she was growing up. If you are interested in hearing some of her material or booking her for an event, you can visit her website at 23ministry.com. Thanks for sharing your comedy and experiences with us. After the presentation, President Cara closed the meeting at 12:40 with the Four Way Test and rang the bell. |
Spokesman January 29, 2026Notes from January 22, 2026 by Jake Munholland President Cara rang the meeting to order at 12:05. David Hartman then came to the podium and gave the invocation. Benay is getting good at playing DJ as she queued up the song of the day, “Let it Snow.” Following the song, we greeted our fellow Rotarians with handshakes. Once everyone returned to their seats, President Cara acknowledging our visitors for the day. Robbi Long is the owner of Nacol’s Jewelry and a potential new member. She was the guest of Alan Donaldson. Rance Hogue is the owner of Arrowhead Roofing. He has been a guest of Matt Deason a couple times and Matt is trying to convince him to join. Leilani Barnett is a former teacher and is running to serve as the representative for Texas House District 69. She attended the meeting with Walter Coppage. For the Sunshine report, President Cara said that she had spoken with Mark Wise who said that his daughter has been battling kidney stones and is having surgery. President Cara then acknowledged Carla Dowlen, who was able to attend the meeting after her health struggles. Please remember to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. President Cara then handled the brag bucket duties as well. Carla bragged to say thanks for all the prayers and mentioned that it is getting close to baseball season, so we should all be ready to hear the baseball brags. Braden shared that he has a 4x4 truck and is available if anyone needs anything due to the impending weather. David Adams bragged that he attended the Rotary Board meeting on Wednesday and is still excited to be a part of this club. Matt Deason shared that John is recovering well from his surgery and that everything went as well as possible. Cara then Venmo’d her brag to acknowledge the efforts of the City of Wichita Falls for preparing Warming Stations that will be available to the public during the expected winter storm. Josh Phillips then came up to handle two check presentations. The first check went to Esly Pimentel to support the Zavala Hispanic Cultural Initiative. He then brought up Jeff Spoeri to present a check to help sponsor MSU Soccer Team’s Nation Championship rings. Jeff let everyone know that the parade had been rescheduled to Saturday, February 7th at 2pm to avoid the winter storm. President Cara then brought up Doug Kunkle to present him with a Paul Harris Fellow medallion in recognition of his donation to the Rotary Foundation. President Cara then announced that there had been some questions about the multiple ways to pay Rotary invoices. The various ways include cash, check, Venmo, or credit card. She mentioned that when a credit card is used, there is a 4% that is added to total to cover the credit card processing fees. This fee is paid directly by the member to the credit card processing company. She then reminded everyone that they could also use any of the methods to make their birthday gift to the club as part of her 100% participation challenge. President Cara then discussed the membership committee meeting and posed the question “What does Rotary mean to you?” Alan Donaldson then announced that the membership committee is hosting a social meeting on Thursday, February 19th at 5:30pm at Taco Darlin. The goal is to make it a welcoming event and bring some guests that would enjoy the camaraderie of Rotary. Josh then came up and introduced our speaker for the week, the current representative for Texas House District 69, James Frank. He has spoken to our club several times over the years. He started off talking about last year’s legislative session and special sessions, which passed over 11,200 bills. The main areas that he discussed were government transparency, property taxes, public education, water, the energy grid, redistricting, and summer camps. He then went on to discuss the main current issue facing the legislature, which is the healthcare system. He was asked about the political divide at the state level, and his response was that the State of Texas still has cooperation by both sides to work together to pass the laws for the state. There are some issues that are more polarizing than others, but it is nowhere near as big of a divide as Washington D.C. President Cara then circled back to announce that NCO Academy at Sheppard is having their graduation on Tuesday February 10th at 9:00am. She plans on attending to show her support for the service members that help us with our flag program. If you would like details, please reach out to her. Carla then came up to recognize the January birthdays. Josh and Sheldon received their homemade cinnamon rolls, and the rest were auctioned off for $55. Happy Birthday everyone! President Cara then closed the meeting at 1:04 with the Four Way Test and rang the bell. |
Spokesman January 22, 2026Notes From January 15, 2026 by Jake Munholland President Cara rang the meeting to order at 12:05, then called up David Hartman for the invocation. Benay once again played DJ for the song of the day, which was “This Land is Your Land.” Following the song, we had a round of Rotary and greeted our fellow Rotarians. After that, we got a little bit out of order, as Noros jumped right into the brag bucket There were several brags for the week made by Jon Dearolf, Noros, Jeff Spoeri, Walter, and Ann. Jon’s brag was to the MSU men’s and women’s basketball team for their support of the Miracle League kids. Noros tried to piggyback off that and brag on the “Sheppard World Champion” soccer team, only to be corrected by Jeff Spoeri that it was the MSU Men’s soccer team that won the National Championship. Jeff mentioned the championship parade that is scheduled for Sunday, January 25th at 2pm. They are looking for sponsors for the parade to help cover the cost of the championship rings for the team. Sponsorship levels start out at $500. If you are interested, please contact Jeff Spoeri. Walter bragged on his PSA levels then Ann’s brag was for the art exhibit on display at the Boy & Girls Club. President Cara then tried to get us back on schedule by acknowledging our visitor for the day, Debbie Bigot, who is the owner of Annie Jewelry & Charlies in Wichita Falls. She was the guest of Noros and a potential new member. For the Sunshine report, President Cara mentioned John Deason, who is now home recovering from surgery. Please remember to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. President Cara then called on David Hartman for the Youth of the Month presentation. The club recognized Jade Causey as the January 2026 City-Wide Youth of the Month. She is very involved in school, church, and the Boys & Girl Club. Jade is a very bright and impressive young lady and an easy choice for the award. Next, President-Elect Greg made an announcement about the 2026/2027 club election ballots that were on everyone’s table. President Cara then announced that the Service Excellence Award committee was having a meeting at 5pm on Thursday, January 15th at Mike Saville’s house, and the Membership committee was having a meeting on Tuesday, January 20th at the Wichita Falls Brewery. She also reminded everyone about the challenge for 100% club participation in donating to the Rotary Foundation in the month of January to celebrate the club’s birthday. This week’s program was the presentation of the Outstanding Citizen Award and Dave Hartman was called on to start the presentation. Dave was trying to stall so that the PowerPoint presentation could be shared with the audience, however they were unable to show the presentation, so they emailed it the membership after the meeting. Dave called up Braden Wood and Sheldon Wang to help announce the winner as our very own, Noros Martin. The acknowledgement came as huge surprise to Noros, who was visibly moved by the recognition. Following the standing ovation, Noros was surprised again by the attendance of his family members who were there to celebrate the honor with him. The members of the Outstanding Citizen Committee were Braden Wood (Chair), Sheldon Wang, Chip Filer, Dave Hartman, and Roland Ramsey. They passed out pamphlets that were made to commemorate Noros and some of his outstanding contributions to our community. Dave Hartman then decided that he would take some time to roast Noros, since his accomplishments were already being recognized. He spoke about how Noros reminded him of the mighty David who was small but still stood up for his beliefs, even in the face of the mighty Goliath. After the roast and recognition, Braden presented Noros with the award and mentioned that Noros was nominated 4 different times by 4 different people. Congratulations Noros, you are an outstanding member of this community and club! President Cara then closed the meeting at 12:37 with the Four Way Test and rang the bell. |
Spokesman January 15, 2026Notes From January 8, 2026 by Jake Munholland It’s a Party!!!! The room was decorated with balloons and party favors to celebrate the 110th birthday of Rotary Wichita Falls. The dessert for the day was birthday cake. President Cara rang the meeting to order at 12:05. David Hartman then started the meeting off with a thoughtful invocation. Benay played DJ for the song of the day, which was “God Bless America.” We greeted our fellow Rotarians with “Happy Birthday” and a handshake. The guests for the week were Sarah Fidlar, James Cook, and Brad Rodgers. For the Sunshine report, President Cara let the group know that Carla Dowlen is out sick but wished she was healthy enough to attend. Please remember to keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Noros started off the brag bucket with a challenge to collect at least $110 for the club’s birthday. There were several brags. They helped raise $313 at today’s meeting! After the brag session, President Cara invited Lance to come up to start off the Paul Harris Fellow presentations. He led off by acknowledging Lisa’s recent retirement and presented her with a Paul Harris medallion. He also took a moment to recognize all the outstanding women in our club. Additional Paul Harris pins were presented to Lance, Stacie, Noros, John Deason, Bob Hampton, Dr. David Spencer, “Spin”, Doug Kunkle, and David Adams. Thanks to everyone for their contributions to the Rotary Foundation. President Cara then challenged the club to have 100% of the members make some form of donation to the Rotary Foundation in the month of January as a birthday present to the club. We had 2 red badge presentations by Jeff Spoeri as we welcomed Ann Arnold and Matthew Bailey into the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls. Our presentation this week was a slideshow and commentary by President Cara to help us celebrate the 110th birthday of the club. She started off by recognizing some historical context of the year 1915 and the history of how Rotary has helped the world. The Rotary Club of Wichita Falls is in the top 5 for the oldest Rotary clubs still in existence. The club participated in a round of Rotary Trivia with correct answers being rewarded with Rotary swag. As part of her preparation for the celebration, she reached out to several of members to help understand what being a member of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls has meant to them and what some of their favorite memories are from their time in the club. The overwhelming theme was the camaraderie and service opportunities that this club offers. The most recognized service was the flag program that our club operates. This fundraiser helps fund all of our donations to the other organizations that our club chooses to support. At the end of the celebration, President Cara had 10 members provide brief toasts and we all enjoyed some sparkling grape juice. Thanks to everyone who helped make the presentation possible. In a time when involvement in civic organizations is down across the globe, our club continues to hold strong because of our outstanding members! President Cara closed the meeting at 1:05 with the Four Way Test and rang the bell. Then, we all gathered for group picture to help memorialize the occasion. |
Spokesman December 25, 2025Notes from December 18, 2025, by Tommy Richardson President Cara opened our last meeting of 2025 at 12:04. She announced, this was our long-time pianist Susan Cusenbary’s last performance. Susan was presented with a beautiful bouquet, as David Hartman stepped up and led us in prayer. Arnold Oliver led the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of “Jingle Bells”. After a number of guests were introduced, Noros Martin started the Brag Bucket routine by bragging on MSU’s first D-2 National Championship accomplished last weekend by the Men’s Soccer team. Lisa Stephens-Musick announced her retirement at the end of this week. Noros was also able to extract several other Brag Bucket donations. Brycen Whittaker introduced Orlando Goodlow as our Youth of the Month. Orlando is a 12year old 7th grader at Rider Middle School. He is a member of the A-B Honor Role and performs numerous chores around the home. He participates in many activities at the Central Club and volunteers at his church. He has also attended Camp Graham Ball for several summers and he has been Youth of the Month several times previously. Josh introduced Corey Edmundson, CEO of United Regional Health Care System, as our program. Corey hails from Amarillo and has 30years experience in health care. URHCS is an independent, non-profit, community hospital. It came in to being in 1997 with the merger of Bethania Hospital and Wichita General Hospital. It is a trauma level 2 facility. Daily expenses are approx. $1.3M. There are 2,400 employees and it generates an annual payroll of $230M. URHCS is a big supporter of our community. They provide $30.M per year in charity care. Over 17,000 patients are served each year. They also provide over $800,000 per year in food and supplies assistance within the community. Their employees provide community support with volunteer efforts like Hotter “N Hell and working with the Boys and Girls Clubs. The Texas Hospital Association awarded URHCS the 2025 Excellence in Community Service Award. They are also recognized as a Top 2% hospital by the State of Texas. After a brief Q & A session, we dismissed with The Four Way Test. |
Spokesman December 18, 2025Notes from December 11, 2025 by Tommy Richardson Susan did an outstanding job serenading us with great Christmas tunes. In Cara’s absence, President-Elect Greg Brownfield brought us to order at 12:12. Trestan led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. We skipped our usual sing-along and greeting of our fellow Club members. Greg introduced our program for today, the Choirs from Legacy and Memorial High Schools. Legacy led off and their selections included “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree”, “The First Noel”, and “Sleigh Ride”. Next the Memorial Choir treated us to “Here We Come A-Caroling”, “What Stars Are Brightly Shining”, and “Merrily On We Go”. Each choir did an outstanding job of entertaining us. Next we were treated to the combined effort of the two choirs as they sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. After the choirs exited the stage, Greg returned to the mic and had our four guests introduced. As part of the Sunshine Report, we were asked to keep Walter Coppage and his family in our thoughts and prayers. Judy Koetter introduced today’s birthday celebrants, Sara Sorge and Jake Munholland, and presented them with birthday cinnamon rolls. Extra cinnamon rolls intended for absent birthday celebrants were auctioned for $25. Noros Martin toured the room with the Brag Bucket and was able to extract cash from at least four of our members. Greg reminded us of the election on Jan. 8 for new officers and board members. Brady also passed around a sheet for volunteers for interviewing candidates for our Youth of the Month program. We then dismissed with the Four Way Test at 12:51. |
Spokesman December 11, 2025Notes from December 4, 2025 by Tommy Richardson
T’was 12:04 when President Cara brought us to order. David Hartman`thoughtfully prayed for us and Cara led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the first verse of Silent Night. We then greeted one another as we thought of the words of ROTARY! There were no visitors or guests present today. David Hartman informed us that Noel Filer has broken her jaw in a recent fall. Let’s all keep her in our thoughts and prayers as she begins her healing process. Cara made a check presentation to Special Olympics Represented by Gretchen and Ryan. Our donation of $1500. Will help them continue their growth in our community. President-Elect Greg Brownfield brought our attention to Slate of proposed officers and new Board members to be voted on in January. Our Rotary Exchange Student, Pauli, announced that her Dance Team at Legacy H.S. Is selling Texas Roadhouse Gift Certificates as a fund raiser and asked for our consideration in helping with this cause. Cara introduced our program, Linda Green-Bennett and “When Love Overflows:Joy in the Journey”. Linda shared her life story and testimony with us. She was a teacher and her first husband was an Oklahoma Highway Patrolman who was killed in the line of duty by a meth dealer. They had three daughters and she continued raising them as a single parent. After his death, she worked with the Oklahoma Legislature in getting stronger laws passed that reduced the availability of meth and its use in the state. She then began lecturing as living testimony of what God can do in a life. He used her greatly. With the help of the North Texas Drug Task Force, she learned to work with youth. She eventually remarried. Her second husband was a Youth Pastor in Jacksboro. He was tragically killed in a car accident. She is living testimony of what God can do in life. He has used her greatly. God has provided for her thru her trials and tribulations. She is fully committed to the Lord and is always eager to share he love of Christ. After a brief question and answer session, we dismissed with the Four Way Test at 12:55. |
Spokesman November 20, 2025Notes from November 13, 2025 by Sara Sorge Shortly after noon, President Cara rang the bell and called the meeting to order. She then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a cheerful rendition of “Smile and Sing A Song,” led by Arnold Oliver. We welcomed 2 lovely guests – David Spencer’s wife, Carrie, and daughter, Tammy – and we had the pleasure of hearing from David for our Member Spotlight. David is approaching an impressive 40 years of Rotary membership and in this time has served as President (’95 – ’96), completed 3 terms on the Board of Directors, and had the pleasure of experiencing Rotary International in Nice, France. He studied and trained for many years in Dallas to become a Doctor of Diagnostic Radiology, and practiced for 35 years before retiring in Montague County. To sum things up, David said he is simply glad to be part of our club and I think it is safe to say we are equally glad - thank you for all that you do! We were pleased to hear there was no news for the Sunshine Report, and Noros was successful in collecting funds for our brag bucket with brags including: the government re-opening, Jeremy welcoming a new baby last month, David Spencer’s upcoming birthday and his fantastic presentation at the Life Long Learning Center at MSU earlier in the day, plus a reminder of Dave Hartman’s upcoming presentation at the LLC. Additionally, we celebrated many brags for children & grandchildren shining in sports, and the success of our final flag day of 2025 extending kudos to many fellow Rotarians who (quite literally for some!) drive the program. Cara announced that there were a few hiccups with the service project and therefore needed to postpone our Serve Instead meeting, to be rescheduled soon. Instead, we will meet at the Forum on November 20th at noon. There were no other announcements. Josh Phillips then introduced our program featuring a familiar face to Rotary – Kris Gossum with Interfaith Ministries. She was pleased to be speaking to our group again, and it was ideal timing as she had spent the morning preparing for Oh Christmas Tree, their annual fundraiser, which would also be held at The Forum. On that note, funding & food were the topics of the day. She explained that Interfaith does not rely on Federal or State funding – 75% of their donations come from donations, and the other 25% from other grants. This structure positions Interfaith to help immediately when needs arise without the red tape that often accompanies government aid. A moving donor story was shared about a woman of very meager means who had been praying about what to do with some money she had, and she felt called to donate to Interfaith. In this woman’s envelope was $1,000, a sum that could certainly be impactful for this modest woman herself, but these are the people who keep the doors open “that’s who Interfaith is”. On the topic of food, SNAP benefits should resume as the Government re-opens, but food scarcity is an ever-increasing need in our area. Interfaith’s food pantry was once more of an afterthought, but has quickly become the focus in recent years, serving over 1400 families last year and a growing number in 2025. Food is organized for families based on the family makeup, and individual dietary restrictions or needs. Interfaith also provides blessing bags with toiletries and hygiene items that unfortunately may not be accessible to those on an extremely limited budget. They have been blessed to receive some unexpected grants such as $20,000 from Howmet which purchased 10 pallets of food, however it is a continual struggle to keep the pantry full. Additionally, they are always seeking volunteers – they need about 15 volunteers daily to support operations and kids can even be found volunteering in the pantry & for some projects – don’t hesitate to inquire if you feel called to serve! Interfaith’s biggest ask was for continual prayer that they be able to meet needs in our community. Josh Phillips presented a $1,000 check to Interfaith Ministries, which Kris thankfully accepted, noting it will go toward feeding our local community. It was a heart-warming, timely reminder as to why we participate in flag days – even when it may be chilly on Veterans Day or we may be sunburning on 4th of July! The meeting concluded with the presentation of the speaker’s gift and the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman November 6, 2025Notes from October 30, 2025 by Colton Heinrich President Cara Sauceda rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:05 p.m. She then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song “Halloween Night,” led by David Spencer. We were honored to have Phillip from Web Fire join our meeting, and Andy Kocher will be getting a new member application for him to complete. As a reminder, we are currently holding a membership competition between Noros Martin and Alan Donaldson and the rest of the club — which the club is currently losing, as Alan brought in a new member this week. Everyone be sure to welcome Kirk Peterson when you see him at future meetings. Members were encouraged to bring guests to upcoming meetings and to take advantage of the guest assistance program. Our goal is to grow membership, and on a case-by-case basis, members may request reimbursement for guest lunch dues. We are also taking recommendations for corporate sponsorships. The brag bucket was lucrative this week, with brags from Noros Martin, David Hartman, Andy Kocher, Will Goodner, and Lance Spruiell. Noros and David both bragged about Noros and his company receiving the BBB honor. Andy donated in honor of his grandson and his football team. Lance announced that he will be welcoming a new grandchild within the next week. Will reminded the club about volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity and noted that his son would be playing that evening for the Legacy Freshman team. Josh Phillips also presented a check to the Boys & Girls Club of Wichita Falls. We had a few announcements this week. The Rotary Foundation Gala will be held on November 8 in Grapevine, celebrating 120 years of Rotary. Additionally, the club’s 110th birthday party will take place in January, with more details to come. Cara also held a brief meeting with the Flag Captains following the regular meeting. Today’s program was introduced by Josh Phillips and featured Amanda Moreno, Britney Williams, and Michelle Hanson, who spoke about the State of Texas CPS System. Their presentation focused on basic reporting and community engagement. Texas Child Protective Services (CPS), a division of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), works to protect children from abuse and neglect while supporting families in crisis. The CPS reporting system relies on community awareness and responsibility — every Texan is legally required to report suspected child abuse or neglect through the Texas Abuse Hotline or the online reporting system. Reports are received by the Statewide Intake (SWI) office, which screens each case and determines whether an investigation or referral for services is needed. Beyond investigation and response, DFPS emphasizes prevention through strong community partnerships. Through its Faith-Based and Community Engagement (FBCE) initiatives, CPS collaborates with local organizations, faith communities, and volunteers to provide resources, mentoring, and family support. Programs like Rainbow Rooms supply children and families with essential items in times of crisis. Texas is also implementing Community-Based Care (CBC), a model that shifts foster care and case management to regional community networks, allowing local partners to design services that best meet their area’s needs. Together, these efforts reflect a growing focus on prevention, collaboration, and accountability — ensuring that protecting children and strengthening families remains a shared community mission across Texas. The meeting concluded with the presentation of the speaker’s gift and the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman October 30, 2025Notes from October 23, 2025 by Colton Heinrich President Cara Sauceda rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:05 p.m. She then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song I’ve Been Working on the Railroad, led by David Spencer. We were honored to have Phillip from Web Fire join our meeting. As a reminder, we are currently holding a membership competition between Noros Martin and Alan Donaldson. Everyone was encouraged to bring guests to future meetings, and Cara reviewed the guest assistance program. Our goal is to grow membership, so on a case-by-case basis, members may request reimbursement for guest lunch dues. We are also taking recommendations for corporate sponsorships. I didn’t pass on the note-taking duties during the Brag Bucket, but I did collect a few dollars for some great brags this week! For the sunshine reports, Steve Prester informed the club that Richard Boyd had surgery, and Brayden Wood shared that his son recently had ACL surgery. Josh Phillips presented a check to Jon Dearolf for the Miracle League and the YMCA. We had a few announcements this week. Brayden Wood announced that this is the final day for nominations for the Outstanding Citizen Award. World Polio Day is October 24, and there are two district events:
The Rotary Foundation Gala will be held on November 8 in Grapevine. This year’s event will celebrate 120 years of Rotary. Additionally, the club’s 110th birthday party will be held in January, with more details to come. Our pianist, Susan, will be retiring and will no longer be playing for the club starting in January 2026. Andy Kocher announced that he has registration for one of the flag trailers; if you need tags, reach out to Andy. Finally, Flag Captains will meet following the meeting on October 30. Today’s program was introduced by Josh Phillips and featured Roger Ritchie, who spoke about Air Evac Lifeteam 34. Air Evac Lifeteam 34, based in Wichita Falls, Texas, is an emergency air medical transport program that provides rapid helicopter transportation for critically ill or injured patients. The base is part of the Air Evac Lifeteam network, which serves rural and underserved communities by delivering fast access to advanced medical care when ground transport would take too long. The Wichita Falls base operates 24/7 with a crew of trained flight nurses, paramedics, and pilots, responding to emergency scenes and interfacility transfers. Air Evac Lifeteam is also a member of the AirMedCare Network, offering an optional membership program that helps protect members from out-of-pocket air ambulance costs. For an annual household fee (typically around $99), members’ insurance payments are accepted as full payment if transported by an Air Evac aircraft during a life- or limb-threatening emergency. The meeting concluded with the presentation of the speaker’s gift and the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman October 23, 2025Notes from October 16, 2025 by Colton Heinrich President Cara Sauceda rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:05 p.m. She then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song America the Beautiful, led by David Spencer. This week, we were honored to have our exchange student, Paulina, in attendance. As a reminder, we are currently holding a membership competition between Noros Martin and Alan Donaldson. Everyone was encouraged to bring guests to future meetings, and Cara reviewed the guest assistance program. Our goal is to grow membership, so on a case-by-case basis, members may request reimbursement for guest lunch dues. We also honored Tamaya Douglas, the October 2025 City-Wide Youth of the Month from the Northwest Club. Tamaya is a 7th grader at City View. She is very active at home, church, and school. She hopes to attend MSU and become either a politician or engineer. I didn’t pass on the note-taking duties during the Brag Bucket, but I did collect a few dollars for some great brags this week! Josh Phillips presented a check to Jeff Spoeri and MSU for the Peter Pan display at the MSU Burns Fantasy of Lights. We had a few announcements this week. Braden Wood announced that this is the final week for nominations for the Outstanding Citizen Award. World Polio Day is October 24, and there are two district events: · Pedaling for Polio on October 26 in Grapevine · Ridin’ With Red on October 21 in Weatherford The Rotary Foundation Gala will be held on November 8 in Grapevine. This year will celebrate 120 years of Rotary. Additionally, the 110th birthday party for our club will be held in January, with more details to come. Today’s program was introduced by Josh Phillips and featured Ashley Davis, who spoke about Life Skills & Essential Development (LSED Life). LSED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening families and supporting children connected to the child welfare system. Guided by its mission of prevention, intervention, and connection, LSED empowers parents, youth, and caregivers with tools, education, and community resources to build safe, stable, and nurturing homes. LSED offers a range of evidence-informed programs focused on life skills training, parenting education, and foster care and adoption support. These services help families improve communication, decision-making, and self-sufficiency while deepening their understanding of positive parenting and healthy family dynamics. The organization also partners with local agencies and community providers to ensure families receive comprehensive wraparound support—from early prevention efforts that help keep children safely with their families to reunification and post-adoption assistance. By addressing the root causes of family instability and promoting long-term skill development, LSED Life plays a vital role in reducing child welfare involvement, supporting family reunification, and strengthening the overall well-being of children and communities. Ashley concluded her program by sharing information about YET Camp. This past year marked the first session of the three-day camp held at MSU. The camp is designed for foster youth ages 14–18 and offers a unique experience that simulates college life. They will be offering the camp again this year, and members are encouraged to reach out to Ashley if interested in volunteer opportunities. The meeting concluded with the speaker's gift presentation and the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman October 16, 2025Notes from October 9, 2025 by Tommy Richardson President Cara skillfully gonged us to order at 12:06pm. Dr. David Hartman gave the invocation, David Spencer led us in the pledge and singing of Home on the Range. Judy Koetter presented birthday celebrants Lisa Stephens-Musick and John Deason with homemade cinnamon rolls. Two remaining cinnamon rolls were auctioned and Spin won them with a bid of $40. Matt Deason, Alan Donaldson, Monica Horton, and John Deason introduced guests for today. Andy Kocher informed us his brother-in-law has passed away. Please keep Andy and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Noros Martin was up next with the brag bucket. Braggarts included Andy for Cara and her work in promoting Rotary, Arnold Oliver on his attendance at his 73rd High School reunion, Will’s mention of two new starts for Habitat for Humanity and his son’s exploits as QB for the Legacy Freshman team, Monica for the BBB, and Judy on the upcoming Gala for Beacon Lighthouse. Josh Phillips presented a check to our Rotary Paul Harris Fund (Benay Ayers & John Deason as representatives) to kick off the work with the City of Wichita Falls & Boys & Girls Club in the renovation of the dilapidated tennis court adjacent to Rotary Park. The renovation will include pickleball courts and tennis courts. Announcements included a reminder about our ongoing membership drive, World Polio Day on Oct. 24, and 120 years of Rotary in Grapevine on Nov. 8th. Josh Phillips introduced our program, Moriah Williams, with Chamber of Commerce. Moriah has been with the Chamber for three years. Her presentation primarily told us of the surge in activity in Wichita Falls in the last 34 months. She emphasized we have experienced a $1.7 billion investment in the area with $520 million currently under construction. Included in this are two new high schools, 568 primary jobs and 1144 secondary jobs. An Amazon Distribution Center is due to open next month. Panda Biotech is up and running, Vitro has $320 million expansion in the works. New construction completed in the last 34 months include $120 million at SAFB, North Texas State Hospital, Delta Hotel and Convention Center, Hampton Inn, and a new Boys and Girls Club on Rosewood. New retail includes United Supermarket, Home Goods, Beall’s, Win-Co and several restaurants. We have a new data center coming with 300 new centers in the near future. One Interesting side note. She indicated the Attebury Grain Elevator has been sold and will be torn down. HALLELUJAH!!!! We closed with the Four Way Test at 12:59pm. |
Spokesman October 9, 2025Notes from October 2, 2025 by Colton Heinrich President Cara Sauceda rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:05 p.m. She then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song America the Beautiful. There were no guests this week. That said, we are currently having a membership competition between Noros Martin and Alan Donaldson. During the meeting, everyone was encouraged to write down the names of two potential guests to invite in the coming weeks. Cara also introduced the guest assistance program. Our goal is to grow membership, so on a case-by-case basis, members can request reimbursement for guest lunch dues. During the Sunshine Report, Andy Kocher informed the club that his brother-in-law had broken his hip and is having a difficult time recovering. Please keep him in your prayers. Josh Phillips is also not feeling well. I didn’t pass on the note-taking duties during the Brag Bucket, but I did collect a few dollars for some brags this week! Braden Wood announced that nomination forms for the Outstanding Citizen Award are now available. The committee has also provided a list of nomination criteria. Be sure to grab a form at one of the upcoming meetings and submit your nominations. Today’s program was presented by President Cara Sauceda. She reviewed two programs that are very meaningful to Rotary: PolioPlus and the Paul Harris Fellow Program. Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under 5. It spreads through contaminated water or food and can cause paralysis, permanent disability, or even death in severe cases. While there is no cure, it is preventable through vaccination. PolioPlus is a program launched by Rotary International in 1985 to eradicate polio worldwide. It supports mass immunization campaigns, disease surveillance, and public awareness efforts in collaboration with global partners like the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Rotary has played a key role in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, helping reduce polio cases by over 99%. However, the fight is not yet over. The Paul Harris Fellow Program is a recognition from Rotary International that honors individuals who contribute—or have contributions made in their name—of $1,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation. It is named after Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary. The program acknowledges a commitment to Rotary’s mission of promoting peace, fighting disease (like polio), supporting education, and improving communities worldwide. Our club has a Paul Harris Fund that will match $500, so members only need to contribute $500 to become a Fellow within our club. The meeting ended with the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman October 2, 2025Notes from September 25, 2025 by Mike Saville President Cara called the membership to order with a strike of the bell shortly after noon and invited Dave Hartman to start us off with the invocation. Arnold Oliver then led us in the pledge to the flag which we followed by the singing of “This Land is Your Land”. We then greeted each other in rotary fashion. Sara Sorge and Judy Koetter came forward to recognize our September Birthdays; Dave Hartman, David Adams, Carla Dowlen, James Hughes, Noel Filer, Doug Kunkle and Jeremy Woodward. Those in attendance received a special baked goods treat from Sara and Judy. Several of the tasty treats remained which Cara auctioned off to the membership. Noros Martin then introduced his wife, Dee Ann who was visiting us today. Richard Boyd introduced his son, Weston who is visiting from Fort Collins, Colorado. We also found out it was a special day for Weston who was celebrating his 51st birthday today. Jeff Spoeri introduced two guests from MSU; Barry Macha, General Counsel and Chris Stovall, the VP of Administration and Finance. The Member Spotlight was next and Will Goodner introduced Jeff Spoeri to share some information about himself with the membership. Jeff serves as VP for Advancement at MSU and Executive Director of the MSU Foundation. Jeff explained that he’s had three careers; first starting out as a teacher then he decided to go to law school and practiced law for 2 years and then transitioned to Advancement Work which he said encompasses fund raising and alumni relations. He spent most of his career at schools in Florida before moving to Wichita Falls and starting at MSU in February of this year. And two interesting things we didn’t know about Jeff is that he’s a choral singer and has sung backup for Andrea Bocelli, Debbie Reynold and Doc Severinson and is a 5-time Jeopardy champion. Then it was time for the Brag Bucket with Noros again drumming up brags from the members. This week Judy Koetter highlighted the assistance she was given when she had vehicle issues, Braden Wood told the group his company is looking for a bookkeeper if anyone knows of someone; Brycen bragged on his brother for being named the Class 2A coach of the week and Will reminded the members of the upcoming Habitat for Humanity Golf Tournament on Oct 6t;h and that his son went into the end zone with a touchdown at last week’s game. Andy shared he went to the Dallas Stars pre-season game, and his 6-year-old grandchild was shown on the Jumbo-Tron. Norris’ wife DeeAnn announced their daughter-in-law was declared cancer-free this past week. For announcements, Cara reported she had taken our exchange student, Pauli, to New Braunfels on her birthday weekend. Pauli attended several classes on safety and youth protection to help her here in the U.S. and then Cara took her to the Texas Hill Country Drive Through Safari and Natural Bridge Caverns and then completed the day with some zip-lining and a ropes course. Cara also reported the high school band student we supported with donations is fully funded for the London Band Trip. After our donation, the school reached out to the Kiwanis Club to see if they would make up the difference and they did. Cara reminded everyone the Membership Drive / challenge against Noros and Alan Donaldson starts next week, 1 Oct 2025. Remember the challenge is to see who can bring in more members; Noros and Alan or the rest of the membership. Braden Wood told the membership it was time to start thinking about the Outstanding Citizen of the Year and he appealed to the members to nominate someone for the prestigious award. Nomination forms were scattered about on each table. Josh then introduced our speaker for the day, Dr Stacia Haynie, President of MSU, to give us an update on all things going on with the maroon and gold. Dr Haynie is from Henriette and graduated from MSU and then spent the next 33 years at LSU before having the opportunity to return to her alma mater in Wichita Falls. She started her presentation by giving a little background on MSU that was started in 1922 as a Junior College and grew for the next 99 years until it became a member of the Texas Tech University (TTU) System in 2021. Its mission is to empower students and the community through a commitment to academic excellence, personal growth and a culture of lifelong learning, inquiry and innovation. She said the Fall 2025 enrollment was encouraging as they have 973 first-time full-time students – a record for the institution; although she indicated the challenge will be to retain those first-time students. She described the demographics for the current year as 48% being first generation undergraduates, 83% Texas residents, and 46% receiving some type of financial assistance. Interestingly, over 40% of the students choose to major in Health Science and Human Services with the next highest category being Business at slightly over 16%. Dr Haynie indicated the University is building a partnership with Sheppard Air Force Base through a Military Education Center that will be a one-stop shop to support military-connected students and dependents. The center started construction in June of this year. She then went on to describe the economic impact of MSU to the local community with over 3,000 total jobs created and $329M+ in gross economic output which is a little over 6% of the Wichita Falls economy. For comparison, Sheppard AFB is responsible for over 34% of the local economy. Finally, she said the school is excited about the prospects of a new multi-use athletic facility to be constructed as part of the City’s revitalization of Sikes Mall. Cara thanked Dr Haynie for the presentation and told her that our speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would be made in her name. Before closing Cara brought Josh back to the podium for a check presentation to Ms Alexis McDonald, representing Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Wichita County. Alexis thanked the club for its support and then Cara closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman September 25, 2025Notes from September 18, 2025 - by Mike Saville President Cara rang the bell and called the membership to order a few minutes past noon and invited Vice President Jon Dearolf to come forward and offer the invocation. Arnold Oliver then led us in the pledge to the flag which we followed by the singing of a classic song, “The Band Played On” written in 1895 by John F. Palmer and Charles B. Ward. Although it’s a classic, I think we were all grateful that Arnold provided the words to the song at each table. After stretching our vocal cords, we all did our normal greeting with each other. Recognition of September Birthdays was pushed till next week, but Cara made a surprise Birthday cupcake presentation to Judy Koetter. Our exchange student Pauli joined us for this meeting and Cara announced that on Friday, Pauli would be celebrating her 18th birthday. To highlight her special day, the membership all joined in for the singing of “Happy Birthday” to her. Moving on to Visitors and Guests, Matt Deason introduced his guest Rance Hogue from Arrowhead Roofing and Noros Martin introduced his guests, Gail Natale and his bride, Dee Ann. For the Sunshine report, Cara spotlighted that Glenn Tole was back with us after a short hospital stay. Josh Phillips then came to the podium for a check presentation to Beacon Lighthouse that was accepted by Judy Koetter. Then it was time for the Brag Bucket as Noros circled the room collecting the highlights members shared from the past week. And there was an abundant number of brags again this week starting with Benay recognizing Treasurer Alex for registering the Peace Pole that was placed at Rotary Park; Andy highlighted his 11-year-old grandson playing football; and Jeff Spoeri urged the membership to support the concert at MSU that evening and the Mustang’s football team as they take on Eastern New Mexico. Mike recognized that the day was also the 78th Birthday of the United States Air Force and Will Goodner told the membership about Habitat for Humanity opportunities and bragged on his son who scored 3 touchdowns at last week’s football game. I’m sorry if I missed your brag; it wasn’t intentional, but rather my shortcoming. Tori Smith, from the Boys and Girls Club then introduced Caroline Wynne as our Youth of the Month for September. We learned that Caroline is an 11th grader at Memorial High where she’s in the band, plays soccer and has desires to enter into the field of Small Animal Management. She was accompanied by her parents, Kim and Eric and Ms Stacie O’Donley, the Director from the Southwest Boys and Girls Club. Noros and Alan Donaldson followed with a Membership Drive Challenge to the entire club membership. Currently our membership is at 70 members and Noros and Alan’s challenge is that they can bring in more new members than the rest of the club. To add some incentive, if the club members bring in more members, Noros and Alan will each donate $250 to the club and if they prevail, the membership will need to come up with the $500. So, the gauntlet’s been laid before us all to beat Noros and Alan starting 1 October. Josh then introduced our speaker for the day, Steve Garner, to give us an update on the Lake Wichita Revitalization effort. Steve presented a short video about the Lake Revitalization project followed by a slide show to highlight his talking points. He explained that Lake Wichita was completed in 1901 and is the third oldest lake in Texas. Lakes typically have a life span of 100 years, and our lake is 24 years past that now. He went on to explain that several events occurred including an algae event, a lengthy drought and invasive salt and mesquite in the watershed that killed all the fish life and waterfowl. This, plus years of sediment, caused the lake to now have an average depth of 4 ½ feet and just 8 ½ feet at the deepest point. With the habitat degraded to this point, a complete restoration was determined to be the only way to provide a sustainable solution. That had to start with addressing the salt cedar and mesquite in order to ensure adequate runoff. Once the sediment is removed and the storage capacity increased, the lake will be filled. He explained due to the efforts of the Kephart family, the wetlands and Holiday Creek are being reclaimed which will “feed” Lake Wichita with water. The Kephart family purchased the land and spent several months removing mesquite trees and an illegal dam that had been the cause of flooding of several of their neighbor’s properties. The mesquite and salt ceders suck hundreds of gallons of water out of the ground every day. The removal will help resupply the lake. As the restoration stages proceed, the hope is the Lake will once again be a hub of activity. The goal is to increase the average depth of the lake to 9 feet with it being 11 feet at the deepest level. This would support jet skis, boats, fishing, wildlife, and make the lake a recreational facility for residents and tourists. In closing, the work around the Veteran’s Memorial was highlighted and plans described to enlarge this area. Cara thanked Steve for the presentation and told him that our speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would be made in his name. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman September 18, 2025Notes from September 11, 2025 - by Mike Saville Vice-President Jon Dearolf, filling in for President Cara this week, rang the bell and called the membership to order at noon. Dave Hartman came forward and reflected on the week’s events with the 24th anniversary of 9/11 and the assassination of Turning Point’s founder, Charlie Kirk, before offering the invocation. Members of the Legacy High School Jr ROTC joined us this week and posted the colors in remembrance of the 9/11 anniversary. Arnold Oliver then led us in the pledge to the flag and we followed that up with two verses of the “R-O-T-A-R-Y” song. We then all greeted each other in our normal Rotary fashion. Jon explained that September birthdays would be recognized next week so we moved on to our visitors and guests. Alan Donaldson introduced his guest, Kirk Peterson from the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and Norris Martin introduced his wife Dee Ann, Ms Debbie Bigot, owner of Annie Jewel and Charlie’s clothing store and “SPINS” wife, Petra van Steijn. For the Sunshine report, it was great to see Richard Boyd back with us this week and then Steve Preister informed the membership that Glenn Tole was in the hospital but was expected to be released. Carla Dowlen then offered the Brag Bucket to the membership and Alan recognized that last Sunday was Grandparents Day and he had visited his granddaughter. As we moved on to announcements, Jon explained that we were all sitting with our flag teams as today was our next-to-last flag day of the year. He also spoke to Red Badge Members and reminded them that there is a Rotary Board Meeting next Wednesday and attending one of these is an item needed to earn the coveted Blue Badge. Any Red Badge member wanting to attend the Board Meeting was asked to contact President Cara to ensure there are enough meals and seats. Josh Phillips then came to the podium for a check presentation to John Deason, representing the Rotary Park. Josh explained that for several years there was a local effort to try and get a historical marker to document the 1979 Tornado that had devasted the city. To expedite the ‘red tape’ in getting approval for a marker, the Club, through the Grants Committee, donated $2500 to purchase the marker which will be placed at the park. Will Goodner then introduced David Adams from A1 Construction remodeling and Roofing to give a Member Spotlight. David explained he has years of experience as a general contractor and came to WF about 3 years ago from El Paso where he was a Rotary member there. Clearly it was El Paso’s loss and our gain when David joined our club. Josh then returned to introduce our own “SPIN” van Steijn for the day’s program. On this occasion of the anniversary of the 9/11, SPIN, who is the Senior National Representative from the Netherlands and a T-38 instructor pilot for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard Air Force Base spoke to us on the effects of the 9/11 attacks on the Netherlands. SPIN gave a brief geography lesson and showed the comparison of the size of the Netherlands compared to the U.S. In fact he showed a graphic that indicated Texas is 17 times the size of his home country. He used this comparison as a backdrop to illustrate the difference in the effects of the 9/11 attacks on each of the two countries. For the U.S. 9/11 was a “shock event” as the country asked how could this have happened? For the Netherlands, 9/11 was a “Focus Event”. It led to polarization and a critical attitude against Muslims. In essence, it was the start of Islamophobia; mosques were set on fire and Muslims were viewed differently. Then SPIN gave a timeline of events following the 9/11 attacks starting with the founding of Al Qaida by Osama bin Laden and how this organization detested the Western lie style. This was followed by the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 which gave bin Laden a safe haven. He explained that this invasion violated Article 5 of NATO and 19 countries including the Netherlands were involved in Operation Enduring Freedom. The 2003 invasion of Iraq following the capture of the dictator Saddam Hussein, left Iraq as a country without leadership. This resulted in chaos, civil war and even more terrorism. Then in the Arab Spring of 2010, North Africa and the Middle East were engaged in revolutions because the populace wanted to get rid of their corrupt governments. In Syria, the dictator Assad suppressed the revolutions which resulted in civil war that attracted terrorist organizations to join the fight in Syria. The goal at this time was to create an Islamic state in parts if Iraq and Syria. Then in 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve was launched by the U.S. against ISIS which the Netherlands continues to participate. Across Europe during this time there was fear of terrorist attacks although none occurred in the Netherlands. He said the precautionary measure the Netherlands took included barricades in streets and the front of buildings, anti-terror laws, camera surveillance, preventive frisking of citizens, identification requirements, and the tracking of phone calls and e-mails. As time passed, some of these items were considered invasions of privacy as the country’s fear of terrorism subsided from a 55% fear in 2005 to just a 2.3% fear in 2013. SPIN also indicated that the Netherlands was involved in the recent shootdown of Russian drones over Poland. SPIN concluded his presentation with a Q&A and answered the long sought after question of how he got his call sign “SPIN”. He said it came from his first single seat solo flight where he was performing a loop maneuver and went into the clouds and spun to get out of the clouds. His instructor, in a follow aircraft, bestowed the name on him and it’s stuck! Jon thanked SPIN for the presentation and told him that our speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would be made in his name. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman September 11, 2025Notes from September 4, 2025 by Mike Saville President Cara called the membership to order a few minutes past noon and Dave Hartman offered the invocation. Arnold Oliver then came forward and changed things up a bit by first paying respects to the flag by leading the membership in the singing of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” which we followed up by reciting the pledge. Another tune was in store for us as Arnold then had the membership sing, “Smile, Sing a Song”. After limbering our vocal cords up on two musical numbers we all greeted each other in our Rotary fashion. We had two visitors join us this week; Solomon Orr, from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at MSU was guest of Colton Heinrich and Andrew Sypula form Elite Leases and Property Management was the guest of our new member Dave. For the Sunshine report, Steve Preister gave an update on Richard Boyd and asked that be remembered in our thoughts and prayers as he was going to be having surgery in Ft Worth following his mishap. Next on the agenda was the Brag Bucket and this week the bucket was overflowing with boasts. This author does apologize upfront if I missed noting anyone’s brags but the ones I was able to capture were highlighting Dave Hartman’s Birthday, Carla’s Nephew, the 1st football game win for Legacy High School, a shout out to the Cowboys for their first game of the season (OK, that one didn’t work out so well), MSU’s 1st gridiron game of the year, John Mayfield tipped his hat to his daughter, Walter spoke about the FL decision to end vaccinations, Braden bragged on the programs we’ve had at our luncheon meetings and Cara bragged on Josh Phillips for being the 3rd Host Family for our exchange student, Paulina. Whew . . . . For announcements Cara gave a final report on the donations collected for the Memorial and Legacy Joint Band Trip to London. Individual Rotarians donated a total of $1300 which surpassed the amount to trigger a matching donation of $1000 from the Club’s Flag monies for a total of $2300 for the band trip. Cara also reminded the membership that our next flag day is next Thursday, 11 Sep and she encouraged the members to support their flag teams. Josh Phillips then came forward for a check presentation of $1000 from the Club to Habitat for Humanity which was received by our own Will Goodner. Josh then stayed at the podium to introduce the day’s presenter, Krystal Elmore from Operation Rescue Children (ORC). Krystal explained that ORC is an organization that focuses on training heroes who work on the front lines to dismantle human trafficking networks and protect children from exploitation. She said that following a trip she and her husband, Harley, took to Nepal in 2020 where they saw the effects of sex exploitation of women and children they conceptualized the idea of ORC. For 26 years they have operated Warrior’s Way, a Martial Arts studio in WF and Harley had trained military combat courses for the service’s elite warriors for many years. With this as their backdrop, they wanted to move the needle and become a force multiplier in the support of the brave heroes who risk their lives to rescue children from the horrors of trafficking saving lives and restoring hope to countless victims around the world with ORC. Besides physical training and combat skills they provide coping skills and mental resiliency training and education and awareness for parents of the dangers their children may be exposed to. Their goal is to make WF a hub for ORC and as a new non-profit organization she asked the members to join them in their Power of Prayer Project by lifting up these heroes in prayer. More information can be found at www.StandwithORC.org. President Cara thanked Krystal for the presentation and told her that our speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would be made in her name. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
Spokesman August 28, 2025Notes from August 21, 2025-By Glenn Tole At 12:05 on the dot president Cara rang us to our feet. Dave lead us in prayer followed by Cara leading us in the pledge and song. Everybody joined in to sing Sweet Caroline followed by a round of ROTARY and lots of hand shaking. James Hughes offered a big thanks on behalf of his dad Jim Hughes for the park bench inscribed with his name at Rotary Park. He followed that up by sharing the brag bucket. Cara recognized Cory Smith with the Boys and Girls Club for all of her support for the club. Brady announced that he was going to a granddad again not too long from now. It was very good to have Richard Boyd with us after his run in with some equipment while working out. Tommy Richardson was good enough to bring him as he has a cast on his right foot and leg. Tommy did say he was not offering any extra handicap adjustments on the golf course although it might be a while before Richard will be able to swing a club. But you never know, it’s hard to keep a good man down. Josh Phillips reported that the board received a special one time request from the Memorial HS band for an emergency need for a student. Both high schools will be making a joint trip to London for the first of the year. The board agreed to match up to $1,000 of individual contributions from flag funds. If inclined donations can be made electronically or by check to the rotary club which will then match them for a maximum of $2,000 to the band. They expect to have 10 different experiences while in London. The youth of the month was presented by Larry Tegtmeyer. Jonas Carroll is a 10th grader at Memorial HS. She plays various sports in addition to being in the ROTC program. She has been a member of the central club but now helps mentor the younger members at the new Eastside club. Larry added that she is very outgoing and was one of a very few who offered a few comments to us. Josh then introduced our program, game warden for Wichita County Dillan Conley. He focused mainly on the upcoming dove season which starts September 1. He reminded us that there is a 15 bird daily limit and a 45 possession limit. They are projecting up to 3000 hunters in our area this season. Dillan said hunters must have a license by 9/1 of course, must have a migratory bird stamp, and a limit of three rounds at a time per gun. He displayed a slide showing many different types of dove but we mainly have mourning dove and white wing dove. Additionally you must have permission to hunt on at least ten acres and baiting is not allowed which is different from deer hunting. A hunter must be at least 18 years old unless accompanied by an adult. There will be additional game wardens sent up here to help monitor north North Texas. Fines can vary from $25 to $500 if violations are determined. Dillan answered various questions from the group and passed out a pamphlet for Texas outdoors containing all the current regulations regarding hunting, fishing, and boating. Looks to available online as well. Meeting was concluded with the four way test and we all headed our way. |
Spokesman August 21, 2025Notes from August 14, 2025– By Glenn Tole President Cara rang us attention at 12:03 with Dave Hartman offering up the invocation for our meeting. Pres Cara also lead us in the pledge and our sing alongs. Judy Koetter announced this week’s birthdays who included Pres Cara and Tommy Richardson. Mike Seville, Jon Dearolf and Justin Bitz were not there to receive their birthday sweet rolls. The leftovers were quickly auctioned off, and won by former President John Mayfield. Thanks for your donation! There were no visitors today and no concerns announced for the sunshine report. Noros had a good day collecting donations to the brag bucket including another really good day on the golf course by Richard and Tommy recording scores below their ages. I still say they need an audit, any volunteers? For the Membership Spotlight, Will introduced Sheldon Wang who gave us a membership moment. He has been a professor at MSU for 16 years. Noros brought him into the club in 2017. For the last few years he has helped oversee our Rotaract club at MSU. Thanks Sheldon, for all you do to help mold future Rotarians! Cara announced that our exchange student from Slovenia is here and starting school. A couple of items on her list to do while in the Falls include going to a rodeo and shoot a gun. She may be in luck as there is a rodeo going on now and someone mentioned that John Deason might show her the gun range. Who knew. August 28 our district youth chair, Steve Trine, will be here to speak. Hopefully Paulina will be able to meet with us also then. Josh Phillips then introduced Scot Hafley, acting WFISD athletic director, who in turn introduced the head coaches of our two high schools. Greg Davis who comes to us from Fort Worth is the new head coach at Legacy spoke first. He said they are expecting a much improved year as the kids have more experience and are very fired up entering this football season. They have 47 varsity players and expect to play a more balanced style this year. Coach Davis fielded several more questions before Mark Bender gave us run down for Memorial. Of course he has been with the WFISD for 17 years including the head coach of Rider with a very strong winning record. He said their focus will be on mental discipline. He did say some kids have a little trouble keeping up with the time. Joe Castles is projected to the starting quarterback as he is one of the best he has had over the years. He added that the coaches will also be closely monitoring their grades as a high priority. They hope to make the playoffs again & another possible match up with Lubbock Cooper. Of course there is the hometown rivalry on November 7th and probably a bigger deal for the adults than the kids. President Cara ended our meeting by leading us in the 4-Way Test. |
Spokesman August 14, 2025Notes from August 7, 2025– By Glenn Tole After the board of directors adjourned a meeting with the District Governor, president Cara rang the meeting to order at 12:05. She followed that with an opening prayer and the pledge and song. After gently rowing our boat down the stream we greeted one and another. There were no birthdays celebrated this week and no sweet rolls up for auction. We did have a couple of guests which we hope make it back to break bread with us again. Andy gave us a report that his grand baby is now home and doing well, and thanked the group for their prayers. Noros made quite a haul for the brag bucket; as there were some anniversaries to celebrate, as well as president Cara’s two kids started high school today. It should be noted that you need to be careful who you might join for a round of golf, as Tommy Richardson announced that Richard Boyd shot another round below his age. AND that he also shot below his age, and he beat Richard to take a few dollars from him. Although, he did admit that he was the one keeping score. It was announced that you can now pay your dues using Venmo. You can also pay any other Rotary related charges such as brag bucket or auctions. Cara offered to help anyone wanting to try out the Venmo, you can see her after any meeting to learn. The Family of Rotary cards were handed out for handy reference of current officers. The Rotary exchange student Paulina arrives on the 10th. Paul Harris medallions were presented to Cameron Turnquist and to “Spin”. That was followed by the membership committee showing off their new shirts with various Rotary themes printed on them. Additionally “Spin” Ron Steijn turned in his red badge for a blue badge. Congrats for both achievements. Also noted that it was not to late to sign up for a Rotary leadership get together in Weatherford. Cara then introduced DG assistant Clint Wood and our program was presented by District Governor Jon Bullock who hails from the Colleyville Club. He is making the rounds to all 63 clubs in our district which runs from Burk out past Abilene to Stephenville back to the metroplex. As a Rotarians he has made various trips to other countries including delivering wheel chairs to Mexico and water projects elsewhere. Rather than delivering a talk he responded to various questions put to him. This was after he sang and played his guitar a song about Rotary with a country western beat to it. I believe it was an original. He was in the band at Texas A&M. After graduation he spent time in the Air Force before goiter work for Arthur Andersen. Later he was involved in two start up companies before retiring in 2021. He is now retired with 5 kids and 5 grandkids, and he is pretty much a “full time” Rotarian. He started his journey as this year’s DG nearly 2 years ago, and didn’t realize how much time it would take. But as soon as he became the new District Governor, he was immediately flooded with emails and phone calls. So much for being retired! He said initially that he planned to visit other service club when deciding which civic club he wanted to join, before joining the Rotary, but he never made it to any other clubs because he was so impressed with all that Rotary does locally and internationally. He said there were all kinds of help available for local clubs to use. His biggest goal is to focus on increasing membership , as it ahs fallen in North America and has risen in places like India and Asia. Everyone is in sales, as he put it, and must sell Rotary Club membership. And finally, Rotary is made up of people of action and I believe the best hope for world peace. President Cara ended our meeting by leading us in the 4-Way Test. |
Spokesman August 7, 2025Notes from July 31, 2025– By David Spencer The Club Bell was rung at 12:07 by President Cara, who welcomed everyone to today’s meeting. David Hartman gave our invocation, followed by David Spencer who led the Pledge of Allegiance. David also led our group in the song “America the Beautiful”, followed by Rotary! We had several interesting guests today, including Carla Dowlen’s nephew, David Janjgava, and Charlott Scott, a PhD candidate From U Penn and writing her dissertation on military affairs, who was invited to attend by Spin. Next up, Monica Horton presented Bradon Wood’s son, Parker, to the group. Parker spoke to us about his experience at the RYLA training camp. We had the privilege of asking young Parker questions about his RYLA experience. When asked about how he felt on Day 1 vs. the Last Day of RYLA, he caused a few chuckles by stating, “Well, I was mad at first because my Dad made me do it, but I ended up having a lot of fun anyway, and I didn’t want to leave my new friends”. Parker detailed things such as leadership projects, challenges to learn to public speak, and he expressed how impressed he was with his peers and their understanding and acceptance of one another at RYLA. Parker is also the soccer team Captain at the Legacy HS. During the Sunshine Report, prayers were asked for the granddaughter of Andy Kocher who had a recent appendectomy. Prayers for her healing, and prayers for safe travel were lifted up for Andy and his family. The “Brag Bucket” is getting a workout from Noros Martin. President Cara did our FIRST brag using the new Venmo QR Code on Spin, a Senior instructor pilot from Holland, has raised substantial funds for the Humane Society, in addition to his introducing a prospective new member. Wow, Spin was back in the spotlight when Benay Ayers bestowed him with his Paul Harris Medallion. David Janjgava, Karla Dowlen’s nephew, was back up, but this time to be honored with his first Paul Harris Fellow award, thanks to his Aunt. David is a star player on Memorial High School baseball team, and is an incoming Sophomore. What a blessing to witness! We had several announcements: President Cara announced about the Venmo Cards on each table. She will have them there at all meetings. The Venmo QR code is available for club payments. You can use if for your dues, brag bucket funds, to pay for Judy’s amazing cinnamon roll raffles, and more! What is Venmo, you ask? President Cara will stay late during August meetings to help you learn what Venmo is and how it works. One request about the Venmo, if you use it, please ALWAYS put in the notes what the payment is for that way we can properly allocate and account for funds received. The next announcement was that we will meet at the Kemp Center next week when District Governor, Jon Bullock. For that meeting, we are asking for everyone to please wear your Paul Harris Medallions. The Member Spotlight was given by Brady Woolsey. Brady was |
Spokesman July 31, 2025Notes from July 24, 2025– By David Spencer President Cara started the meeting shortly after noon by having David Harman give the Prayer. The Pledge was led by David Spencer who then tested the club’s musical ability with a robust singing of “Home on the Range”. That was followed by our traditional Rotary greeting song and everyone greeted one another. Club visitors were then introduced. Guy Bigot, a former SAFB fighter pilot and now long time Wichita Falls resident, as well as an American Airlines pilot, was introduced by Spin Van Steijn. Matt Deason brought his guest, Rance Hogue, and then Chip Filer introduced Sandy Flemming who works with HHH. Selah Ohman with the Boys & Girls Club’s Alumni & Friends Association was the guest of President Cara. Carla Dowlen then started a Brag Bucket Challenge and encouraged every table to stand up and brag! Because even if it is just the air in our lungs, we all have something to be thankful for! Several tables rose to the challenge and gave a brag. President Cara reminded us that last year, over $1,000 was raised from high-quality bragging, and we need to keep that going this year! President Cara has also challenged our club to boost membership to 80 members this year! And today we added two new members! Andy Kocher introduced David Adams, with A1 Constructions. Ryan Pitchford, community liaison for Hospice of Wichita Falls, was introduced by Rotarian, Alan Donaldson. That makes three new red badges for the month of July! Let’s keep up the good work, Rotarians! An announcement was made reminding our group that this Saturday at 10:00am, our Roary Club will be dedicating a park bench at our Rotary Park to none other than the esteemed and beloved Jim Hughes! We will also be revealing our new Peac Pole. We would love to see a great turn out of Rotarians to this ceremony. Finally, President Cara updated us on our blood drive from earlier in the week. Historically speaking, our Rotary Club has hosted 3 drives, and helped to save an accumulated total of 126 lives! In this past drive, we saved 45 of those lives with our donations! Josh Phillips then introduced our program. Chip Filer spoke to us this day about this year’s Hotter Than Hell Hundred Cycling Event. This is the 44th year for HHH and it is expected to have about 8,000 participants with riders from up to 10 foreign countries. The Steering Committee consists of 146 members that coordinate about 3,500 volunteers who serve in rest tops, medical tents, traffic safety, consumer shows and spaghetti dinners (to name just a few). First Bank and Corona Premier are valued sponsors of this event. There are Criterium Courses, gravel races, the Chupacabra race, off-road mountain bike race, and the Trip Threat race. The HHH has worldwide visibility with $5.5 million to $8.4 million in local economic impact including donations to local non profit organizations like the YMCA, Scouting America, and the Children’s Miracle Network. Also, about !1.1 million in taxes for Wichita Falls are raised through the HHH. Chip did explain the reasons behind the decrease in participation from earlier years as being related to increasing age of repeat riders, a general decrease in the cycling groups as a sport, and some residual effects of the COVID Pandemic. The HHH is promoted on social media and in magazines. Chip also mentioned that those who complete the 100 mile course on time would be receiving a special “wooden Medal” made here locally for their great accomplishment! President Cara led us in the 4-Way Test and out the door we went. |
Spokesman July 24, 2025The bell gonged and the meeting started shortly after 12:00. President Cara grabbed the microphone and invited David Spencer lead us in the Pledge. Cara then led us in an cappella version of “America the Beautiful”. After a robust handshake period, the meeting was in high gear. Judy Koetter recognized David Kelley for his recent birthday and followed up with an auction of remaining breakfast pastries to Noel Filer for $25! Thank you Noel for our first donation towards this year’s Rotary goals! Bon Appetite! For the Sunshine Report, President Cara reminded us that Stacie Cook needs our prayers as she hasn’t been feeling well. Noros Martin passed around the Brag Bucket and several club members were recognized for their blood donations. It’s nice to know that we can call Andy if we happen to run a quart low! During the announcements portion of the program, it was relayed that the District Governor, John Bullock, will be visiting our club August 7 and we hope to have a great turn out of Rotarians that day! Next, Cameron Turnquist took the podium to recognize our Youth of the Month, Madison Byrd, a 7th grader from Iowa Park. She helps around the house with various chores, attends church in Lakeview, and likes math. Madison is an active student who maintains status on the A/B Honor Roll, participates on UIL teams, and is active in choir and basketball. She is a member at the Central Branch where she has gone for 7 years and participated in many activities. Madison plans to join the Air Force and is “an all round great person”. President Cara then introduced our program. Jessica Hobert from the OBI (or Our Blood Institute) led a discussion about the OBI serving North Texas, Oklahoma and much of Arkansas. It is the 6th largest non-profit blood bank in the USA. OBI was among the first blood banks to test for HIV, hepatitis, and west Nile virus. They were also one of the firsts to begin collections of COVID Convalescent Plasma to treat patients suffering from the Coronavirus in 2020, as well as the COVID Antibody Testing. We learned that it takes over 1,200 units of blood each day to sustain our local blood supply, that every 2 seconds someone somewhere gets a blood transfusion and that 1 donation of blood can save 3 lives! Ms. Obert informed us that only 3% of the US Population donates blood each year, and of that percentage, people only donate an average of 1.8 times a year. That is not good because whole blood donations can be done every 52 days, meaning the average person can donate up to 6-7 times a year. Each unit can be processed for Red / White blood cells, Platelets and Plasma. We learned about red blood cells, power red donations, and platelet donations. Information on the types and prevalence of different types of blood were discussed, and then Jessica helped bust some commonly perceived myths about donating blood. In order to donate, one must be at least 16 years old, with minimum weight limits. The question was posed, why should we host a blood drive within our places of business, or within our circle of influence? Blood drives build morale and foster a sense of teamwork within the workplace. They give employees and members of groups a way to give back to the community without the requirement of financial contributions. Finally, blood drives serve as a mini health screening for any individual who chooses to donate. Finally, Ms. Hobert spoke to us about a program called Donable Cares where private organizations in our community may partner with OBI Blood Drives in a fundraising environment. In this program, nonprofits can raise $15 for each blood donation! Reach out to Jessica at OBI if interested. President Cara led us in the 4-Way Test and out the door we went. |
Spokesman July 17, 2025 |
July 10, 2025 SpokesmanToday was the inaugural meeting of President Cara Sauceda. She took off like a rocket and my ball point pen was about melt. Cara opened with the Pledge and the song, “If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands”. Noros Martin was determined to fill the Brag Bucket with dollars: Monica Horton gave a detailed report on the Flag Trailer customization made by David Kelley. Jakie Lebow, Cara Sauceda, Braden Wood, Andy Kocher and several others all participated in the Brag-a-thon and cash transfer. Past President, John Mayfield, boosted our club’s Flag Program subscription from 800 to over 1,100 by July 4. Other notable events: Arnold Oliver is recovering well from an arm injury. President Cara announced that Club Committee Lists are now available, and if there are any Rotarians with discrepancies or that are missing, please contact her so she can correct it. Thanks to Jeremy Woodward, the Venmo app and method of payment is now available to complete club purchases, pay dues, or to use for Brag Bucket purposes. Jackie Lebow received his 27 Year Perfect Attendance award during today's meeting. Please note, on July 26th at 10:00, there will be a presentation for our club’s newest contributions to Rotary Park. We will be presenting Rotarian, Jim Hughs with a dedication plaque on one of the park benches, and we will be presenting our new Peace Pole. President Cara began the program by introducing the Club Officers, Board of Directors, the Area Governor (Clint Wood), District Governor (John Bullock), and the Rotary International President, Francisco Arezzo. She read messages from our District and RI representatives, and then continued on with the goals she is bringing to our Club. With goals revolving around Club Membership, Polio and Peace as her focus. Cara’s Goals for our Club include increasing membership to 76 members, Polio Plus Contribution of $750, Foundation Contribution of $20,000 and the completion of three Service Projects. Other goals include promoting Rotary in our local media, sending 3 club members to District Training, creating a Family of Rotary Committee and widening the diversity of club membership. There are many opportunities coming up for training, the first being the Vibrant Club Workshop is August 16- so far President Cara and Board Member Sara Sorge are planning to attend. There is an open invitation for all members to attend this training in Weatherford, TX. Then, the date for the next District Cruise was announced: February 14-19, 2026. The cruise will depart from Galveston and dock in both Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico. Finally, the International Convention will be held this Rotary year in Taitei, Taiwan in June, 2026. President Cara then took a few questions and reminded all Committee Leaders that she would be available after the meeting to answer any questions. Finally, she ended the meeting by leading the group in the 4-Way test and rang the bell!
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July 3, 2025 Spokesman |
June 26, 2025 Spokesman
Do you know where the Four-Way Test came from? Herbert J. Taylor, RI President 1955-56. Created in 1932, Taylor, a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago was facing a significant challenge in business. He had recently become president of the Club Aluminum Products Company, which was struggling financially and on the brink of bankruptcy. Taylor believed that ethical behavior and high moral standards were key to turning the company around. Over $400,000 in debt in 1932, it would be an equivalent of 9.2 million in 2024. They borrowed $6,100 to stay afloat. Leaned on his Faith He believed himself to be the only person of 250 employees who had hope and believed a recovery plan had to start with changing the ethical climate of the company. As a devout Methodist he believed that the company needed policies that aligned with his ethical and moral views. Creation of the Test Taylor sought a simple yet powerful ethical guideline that his employees could easily remember and apply in their work. After much contemplation and prayer, he devised the Four-Way Test, which consisted of just 24 words: 1. Is it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will it build good will and better friendships? 4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Employees embraced the principles, leading to improved honesty, fairness, and cooperation. Over time, the company’s reputation improved, customer trust was restored, and profitability returned. In 1943, Rotary adopted the Four-Way Test as a part of its Code of Ethics, Rotary’s core values and commitment to high ethical standards. Today used as a guide, Rotarians around the world make decisions that align with Rotary’s principles of service, integrity, and leadership. |
June 19, 2025 Spokesan
President John Mayfield keeps pushing the boundaries and called the meeting to order at 12:06. David Hartman then led the prayer to get the meeting started. Next, Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance, and we sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth” in an effort to unite everyone with all that is going in the world lately. We then did a round of Rotary and shook hands. Our guests for the week included Makenzie Foster, Gene Kinkaid, and David Adams (Potential Member). They were all guest of John Deason, but Andy had to buy lunch for one of them since John was short on cash, lol. For the Sunshine report, James Hughes gave an update on Jim, who is doing much better. Steve Priester informed the club that Arnold Oliver had taken a pretty nasty fall and is recovering. Judy Koetter let the club know that her son, who has MS and Fibromyalgia, is having a procedure to help with some of the pain. Please remember to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. President John reminded everyone to RSVP to Annual Party coming up on the 26th. There was also an announcement that there would not be any help from the NCO Academy on Saturday, June 14th for Flag Day. Cara shared with the club that she will have a signup sheet at the next meeting for interviewers for the Youth of the Month interviews. We are looking for interviewers for June 25th through October. Please let her know if you are available. President John also announced that with the new caterer, there were more entrées served than guests at the last meeting. He reminded everyone to please limit their entrée to one choice, but they could get as much fixings and dessert as they wanted. There were a couple brags this week. David Kelley shared with everyone that he officiated his first wedding last weekend, and thanks to Clarke Eyecare, his new contacts saved him from having to break out his readers. Andy Kocher shared that his 6-year-old granddaughter lost a tooth while staying with them, and he had the privilege of playing the loudest Tooth Fairy possible. Josh stepped up and introduced our speaker for the week, Maria Manks, who is with Academy4. Academy4 is a non-profit organization that partners with school districts to identify campuses with high poverty levels that they then provide mentors to all 4th grade students at that campus. In 2024 they served 55 campuses in DFW area, including Fain Elementary in Wichita Falls. Their program also partners 5th graders with a 1st grader to serve as mentor to them as well. With about 4,500 4th grade students and 8,000 1st & 5th grade students, they served over 12,000 in 2024. Over 80% of the students they served live in poverty areas. The program expanding in 2025, with 60 campuses already signed up. They are also looking at adding an additional school in Wichita Falls, with the most likely candidate being Booker T. Washington. The students participate in Fun Fridays once a month, where they start off with 2 45-minute Spark Clubs participating in activities that involve topics like STEM, art, sports, music, and cooking. As Spark Clubs end, the mentors arrive and connect with their 4th graders. They attend a LEADERS Assembly that introduces the leadership topic for that month. They use LEADERS as an acronym for Listen, Encourage, Attitude, Develop, Example, Respect, and Serve. They focus on one of the topics each month. After the assembly, the students and mentors spend time hanging out and doing fun activities. The program specifically targets 4th grade students mainly because 4th graders are more receptive to mentoring than 5th graders and 4th grader students typically still like adults. Their evaluation of the program shows that the positive relationship formed with the mentors increases overall student engagement, gives the students a greater sense of self-worth, helps improve attendance on Fun Fridays, promotes the adoption of leadership traits, helps improve classroom behavior, and gives the students a more positive outlook on life. The program typically partners with other local organizations such as churches and civic groups to provide the mentors and volunteers for the monthly meetings. The time commitment for a mentor is around 90 minutes once a month. Additionally, the club relies on fundraisers to cover the cost of sessions and activities. The organization has an angel donor that covers most of the overhead so that around 90% of every dollar donated goes directly to the mission. The total cost per campus is around $25,000 annually, or about $40 per student per session. Volunteering as a mentor or donating funds are ways that Rotarians can support Academy4. After a few questions from the audience, we concluded our meeting with the Four Way Test and President John ringing the bell at 12:56, trying to make up for the late start. |
June 12, 2025 Spokesman
President John Mayfield eventually called the meeting to order at 12:05. David Hartman started the meeting off with a thoughtful invocation. Arnold Oliver then led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and decided we all needed to “Smile, Sing a Song”. Afterwards, we did a round of Rotary and greeted our fellow Rotarians. Our guests for the week included Steve Crate (David Hartman’s brother-in-law), Rachel and Madi Goodner (Will Goodner’s daughters), Mitchell Priddis (Web Fire, potential new member), and Ryan Pitchford (Hospice, potential new member). Mitchell and Ryan were both guests of Alan Donaldson, who has been working hard to promote Rotary at chamber events. For the Sunshine report, Stacie Cook informed the group that on Tuesday her son, Andrew, is having an oral procedure done that will include the removal of all 4 of his wisdom teeth. Please remember to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. President John reminded everyone to RSVP to Annual Party coming up on the 26th. There were several brags for the brag bucket this week. Alan bragged on his guest Mitchell, who helped put out flags on Memorial Day after visiting the club for the first time just days before. He also bragged on Will Goodner, who stepped up and promoted Rotary at the chamber event that morning. John bragged on the UT Softball team and UTSA Baseball team. Cara bragged on her son’s basketball team’s 2nd place finish. Noros bragged on his granddaughter's 250lb Marlin and 135lb Sailfish that were caught in the gulf. Lance bragged on his granddaughter's 1st grade softball team’s championship. Carla bragged about her nephew, who stepped into a baseball game with the bases loaded and struck the batter out to end the inning. Stacie bragged on her son Justin, who graduated high school and is starting a paid welding apprenticeship with F.G. Haggerty. Congrats to all for the efforts. Sara Sorge was then presented with her blue badge by Alan, which is certainly worth a brag as well! Josh stepped up and introduced our speaker for the week, Jennifer Spurgers, the principal of the CEC Center. Mrs. Spurgers main objective was to inform our group about the CEC Center and how it ties into the education offered at their main campuses. Mrs. Spurgers shared with the group that she often gets asked about whether it’s the CTE center or CEC center. She said that students receive CTE (Career Training Education) at the CEC (Career Education Center), however the CEC is not the only place in the district that teaches CTE. She said that every campus in the district teaches CTE at some level. She said that the elementary schools have STEM events that promote science, technology, engineering, and math. Middle schools offer courses that are part of the pathways towards the CEC. Every 8th grader in the district is taken on a tour of the CEC prior to picking their pathway as they go into their freshman year. She stressed that even though students pick pathways as 8th graders, they are not locked into their choice. Sometimes changing choices can be difficult, due to not having the prerequisites for higher level courses, such as moving from a trade to culinary arts. The CEC is a tool to help students feel more involved in their education pathway, even though they may not be planning on attending college, however roughly 71% of the 2025 graduating class had received some sort of IBC (Industry Based Certification). WFISD offers multiple career pathways including Agriculture, Architecture/Construction, Communication/AV, Business/Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing, Health Science, Hospitality/Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Law/Public Service, and Transportation. Within these pathways are many career choices including Animal Science, Construction Trades, Cosmetology, Engineering, Welding, Medical Assisting, Certified Nurse Aide, Culinary Arts, Computer Programming, Law Enforcement, and Automotive Tech. The education provided through the CEC allows students to earn IBCs in 32 different categories. Every day approximately 1,400 students attend classes at the CEC. For the 2024-2025 school year, students earned over 560 certifications. The CEC is helping WFISD students prepare for their future in whatever pathway they choose. Mrs. Spurgers shared with the group that there are multiple ways that Rotarians can help the CEC. Every year the center has community member advisory boards that help the center make sure they are training the workforce that our community needs, and they are always looking for community members to be a part of the discussion. They are also always looking for donations, whether they are monetary or goods. The floral design group loves rearranging donated flowers to create something new. They also welcome classroom speakers, since the kids sometimes get tired of hearing the same voices. Additionally, they host a Career Fair event in May and are always looking for vendors. After a few questions from the audience, we concluded our meeting with the Four Way Test and President John ringing the bell. |
June 5, 2025 Spokesman
Leaders Dave Hartman, Cara Sauceda, John Mayfield, Noros Martin, and Josh Phillips all got the meeting started off in true Rotary fashion with prayer, song, sunshine, and the brag bucket. Rotarian Donny Lee introduced guest, Matti Davis, the WFISD liaison to SAFB. It was announced that a plate will be added at Rotary Park to honor long-term Rotarian and friend to all, Jim Hughes. Glenn Barham, President and CEO of the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee (SMAC), shared an insightful program, outlaying the vital role Sheppard Air Force Base plays in our community. He explained that SMAC was founded in 2006 by local leaders including Kay Yeager, Danny Cremeens, and others. The purpose was to protect the future of SAFB, and politically advocate for SAFB, something that active duty personnel cannot do. SMAC has a board of directors that usually is between 16-18 members. Sheppard trains over 60,000 people a year, including engineers, HVAC, and aircrew chiefs. Glenn shared impressive facts about Sheppard’s impact on the community. Some of these include:
Glenn went on to explain how SMAC is funded. It operates with an annual budget of $220k and has 2 staff members. He further reminded all that SAFB is home to the Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT), which is the world’s only multi-nationally manned and managed flying training program chartered to produce combat pilots for NATO. It is unique in the world and we are blessed to have it in our community. |
May 29, 2025 Spokesman
From May 15th Meeting Our good buddy, Dave (Hartman), kick-started our meeting by slowing us down to turn to the Lord in prayer. Cara Sauceda followed with the pledge and song. We had a visitor from District 5790 - the Youth Services Chair. Monica Horton requested that another family step up to serve as a host for an exchange student coming this year. During announcements, it was noted that the NCO Club would have volunteers available to help with flags on Memorial Day and that RSVP’s for our annual Rotary evening party are due by June 12 for the June 26 celebration. During bragging time, it was mentioned that our Service Above Self Award was the lead story on KAUZ evening news on May 8. The feature story highlighted our club’s commitment to honoring our public servants. A young lady named Heaven Wilson was presented as Youth of the Month. She’s a 6th grader at McNeil who loves math. Heaven is active in many nonprofits in the community, as well as the Boyd & Girls Club, including summer camp. John Deason had the honor of giving Matt Deason his blue badge. He extended the honors by presenting Matt with a Paul Harris Fellow. Cara introduced the program, the LMLC - Larry McMurtry Literacy Center in Archer City, TX. Present were Kathy Floyd, Managing Director of the LMLC, and George Getchow, Director, who delivered the presentation. George, who was a personal friend of Larry McMurtry, has a passion for carrying on Larry’s literary legacy. George explained that several buildings in Archer City house over 250,000 books from McMurtry’s collection. He explained that their goal is to turn the McMurtry Literary Center into the “crown jewel of all literary centers.” It is quite a challenge as some of the buildings are in need of repairs, such as a new roof. Undaunted by the challenges, Getchow pushes on to carry out the mission of the LMLC, which is to resurrect the former Booked Up, Larry McMurtry’s internationally renowned bookstore in Arther City, and transform it into a thriving literary mecca that will showcase Larry’s life and legacy as a cowboy, novelist, screenwriter, rare book collector, and artist. We adjourned to carry out good to all in our midst with the guidance of the 4-Way Test. |
May 22, 2025 Spokesman |
May 15, 2025 Spokesman
Rotarians gathered to honor the recipient of the “Service Above Self” award. Before finding out who our distinguished winner was, we had the usual gonging of the bell and Rotarian business. During the Sunshine Report, Lance asked for prayers for his mother-in-law, who had a heart procedure, and David Kelley asked for prayers for his granddaughter. Brags were shared by:
The program was presented by Mike Saville. He began by saying, “Today’s program is where we celebrate the unwavering dedication, bravery, and selflessness of our first responders. Today, we gather under the banner of Rotary’s enduring motto, ‘Service Above Self,’ to recognize those who have exemplified this very principle in their daily lives.” Mike shared snippets of history about the evolution of Rotary’s service-above-self motto, noting that it originated at a Rotary convention in Chicago in 1910. Mike noted that today’s program is a testament to the spirit of selflessness and the impact of service. After recognizing the Service Above Self Committee (Jeremy Woodward, Josh Phillips, Jackie Lebow, Dave Hartman, Sheldon Wang, James Hughes, Glenn Tarter, and Braden Wood), Mike presented the three award nominees, who were all in attendance.
The 2025 Service Above Self Award was presented to Officer Jesse Bartow in recognition of his outstanding service in working tirelessly to help keep our community safer. His wife, Leeann, was present to savor the accolades alongside her husband. Officer Bartow humbly said, “I don’t do it for the recognition; I do it because it’s in my heart.” Thank you, Officer Bartow, and other distinguished nominees, for carrying out “Service Above Self” daily. |
May 8, 2025 Spokesman
A group of faithful Rotarians gathered at Rotary Park, undaunted by the previous week’s rain gathered at Rotary Park. The group enjoyed a box lunch at picnic tables under the pavilion. After the meeting was called to order, Cara led the pledge, after creatively pulling up a picture of the flag on her phone. Singing and greeting each other followed. We had several guests from the City of Wichita Falls Parks Board, including the new Director of Parks, Kaylee Robinson. We had a visiting Rotarian from the Netherlands, who had the honor of presenting new member, Ron Van Stein, with his red badge. Ron leads the Dutch contingent at Sheppard Air Force Base and is very grateful to be a new Rotarian. Noros presented Jeff Spoeri with his Red Badge. Jeff is the Vice President for University Advancement at MSU. John Deason and Benay Ayers shared updates on recent additions to Rotary Park, including the Peace Pole, and explained current needs. They noted that a couple of the shades were being repaired under warranty. John explained how Rotarians could help with yard work and cleaning. Rotarians responded by putting “service above self” into action by beautifying the park. |
May 1, 2025 Spokesman
President John Mayfield started the meeting with the traditional ringing of the bell at 12:06 pm. David Hartman provided another thoughtful prayer. Stacie Cook lead the pledge and song, “America the Beautiful”. The members proceeded to greet one another while Susan played “Rotary”. Birthdays: There were no birthdays. Visitors and Guests: There were no visitors or guests. LT. Colonel Ronald “Spin” Van Steijn, future member, was present today. Sunshine Report: No items. Announcements: Everyone will need to RSVP for the meeting next week, May 1, 2025, at Rotary Park. Head count needed for box lunches. In case on inclement weather, we will have a door hanger workday for the flag program. There will be a MSU Rotaract project to volunteer and assist the Salvation Army on 5/5/25 starting at 10:30 am. On May 8th the club will meet at the Kemp Center for the Arts. Our Annual Banquet will be on June 26th at the Kemp Center for the Arts. Cara Herr-Sauceda discussed the request from the district for hosting a Rotary exchange student. We need to let the district know by this coming Monday (4/28). We need one family to start plus two additional families. Each family will have the student for 3 months. If you are interested, call Cara ASAP. President Mayfield called a Board Meeting following today’s meeting. Brag Bucket: Lance Spruiell announced that his 3rd daughter is having her 1st baby. He will have a total of 9 grandchildren. Cara Herr-Sauceda is helping with a homeschool basketball league and her son is playing. His team won their first two games. Greg Brownfield announced that the Boy Scouts are having a raffle. Tickets are $20 each for some great prizes. Jeremy was appointed as Executive Director in May 2024. He is married with two daughters and is a member of the University Kiwanis Club. Jeremy has been around museums for 30 years and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2020. The mission of the Museum of North Texas History is to collect, preserve and exhibit the history of the North Texas area. The official start date of the museum was March 21, 2000. The museum is currently located on the first floor of the Lindemann Building in downtown Wichita Falls, 720 Indiana Avenue. There is a 50-year lease for the space which contains approximately 18,000 square feet. The museum originally started with a military collection going back to the Call Field and early Sheppard AFB days. With the focus on aviation history, there is an exhibit at the Wichita Falls Regional Airport featuring the “Jenny to Jet Exhibit”. The Jenny is one of five original flying aircraft of its model type from World War I. Since the start, the museum has added exhibits including the Nat Fleming Hat Collection and a children’s area featuring vintage toys. The museum is looking to expand with an exhibit section on automobile racing from the Wichita Falls including Eddie Hill. Jeremy is also looking to make the museum more user friendly with text labeling in English and Spanish to enhance the visitor experience. This approach has been very successful at other museums. As the museum is expands, a new Educational Specialist has been employed starting on June 1, 2025. Jeremy noted that volunteers and donations are always appreciated. The biggest fund raiser is the Annual Gala each year. There is an organization called Friends of the Museum you can join. You can also sign up for the newsletter at Director@MuseumOfNorthTexasHistory.org. This email will be changed soon, but you can visit the website for more information and for several scheduled summer events. Jeremy was presented with the gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation. The meeting adjourned at 12:45 pm by President Mayfield with the “Four Way Test.” |
April 24, 2025 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell to start our meeting at 12:06 pm. David Hartman provided a prayer of love and thanksgiving. Stacie Cook lead the pledge and song, “This Land is Your Land.” Susan played “Rotary” while the members greeted one another. John recognized Susan for her importance and service to the club. Birthdays: There were no birthdays. Visitors and Guests: LT. Colonel Ronald “Spin” Van Steijn from the Danish Air Force was a guest again. His application for membership is in the pipeline for approval. Bryan Burch with Credit Card Processing was a guest of Andy Kocher. David Kelley’s wife, Debra, was also a guest. Sunshine Report: No items. Announcements: Cara Herr-Sauceda mentioned a potential project for the club. She received an emergency call from the District Governor for the Youth Committee about sponsoring an exchange student. There was in issue with the intended host family. A request went out to our club and other clubs about the prospect of sponsoring a student. The cost is around $3,000. We will also need to provide a counselor. The student will be here from August 25, 2025 until June 2, 2026. Further discussion will be at the next meeting. David Kelley announced the club social at his home, 1 Joy Court, April 17 (today) from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Brag Bucket: Alan Donaldson said that his new grandbaby had arrived! David Hartman also mentioned that his second grandchild has arrived as well! David Kelley bragged that his son is getting close to obtaining his pilot’s license. Carla Dowlen’s nephew, David, playing for the Memorial Mavericks, had another victory this week beating her old school Petrolia. She mentioned that the Mavericks are playing Abilene in a double hitter this weekend in Wichita Falls. Lisa Stephens-Musick bragged that her grandson has been employed as a new head football coach and as an athletic director. Youth of the Month: Sara Sorge introduced Kamdyn Gallups as the Youth of the Month. Kamdyn is in the sixth grade at McNiel Middle School where he makes B grades on his report cards. His favorite subject is social studies. He participates in band and plays the clarinet. He recently placed sixth in the district in UIL Maps, Graphs and Charts. He has also received awards for perfect attendance. Kamdyn takes care of tasks and chores at home. He is an active member of City Hope of Compassion Church. Kamdyn plans to attend Texas A&M after graduation and wants to become an attorney. In the local community he has made flower beds for the elderly, provided 400 valentine cards for a nursing home, packed over 900 meals on wheels, and raised money for shoes for kids at a group home. He has developed as an active leader in the Southwest Boys and Girls Club where is participates in Club Tech, Power Hour, Triple Play Challenges, Reading Club, Arts and Crafts, Healthy Habits, Torch Club Officer, Jr. Staff, Career Launch and TEXSYN Program. Club Director, Stacie O’Donley, states that “he is the perfect example of the Youth of the Month.” Program: John Mayfield introduced our guest speaker, David Hartman, who brought an Easter Message. David began with a note that today is Maundy Thursday which is the day the Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples before his crucifixion. He noted the two commandments Jesus said were most important. One, “Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind” and two, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” David used a program that he provided seven years ago to the Club about the importance of the Apostles’ Creed. He emphasized how the Apostles’ Creed has influenced history including the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence of our country. The stated that the Apostles’ Creed is a useful shorthand for Christian Principles. There are 21 propositions to the Creed. David then went through each principle with an explanation and vivid photographs and paintings to illustrate the points. The program was very inspirational. The Apostles’ Creed: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy catholic church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen. David closed by showing with photographs of his two beautiful grand girls, the newest one taken on 4/12/2025! The meeting adjourned at 1:00 pm by President Mayfield with the “Four Way Test.” |
April 17, 2025 Spokesman
President Mayfield rang the bell to start our meeting at 12:06 pm. David Hartman provided another excellent prayer. The pledge and song “If You’re Happy and You Know It” was led Stacie Cook. The club then had the traditional greeting while Susan played “Rotary”. Judy Koetter introduced birthdays for the week which included Colonel Bill Miller’s birthday. There were four members not present, so their cinnamon rolls were auctioned off for $100.00 to Brayden Wood. Visitors and guests: Our Assistant District Governor, Clint Woods, was in attendance. Sunshine Report: No items. Announcements: President Mayfield noted that the Rotary District Training Conference will be held on April 26 in Ft. Worth. He also mentioned that Monica Horton is still looking for candidates for Camp RYLA for this summer. David Kelley announced that there will be a club social at his house 1 Joy Court next Thursday, April 17 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Brag Bucket: Assistant Governor, Clint Woods, bragged on our club for the new members that have recently been brought into the club. Josh Phillips mentioned that his son graduated last December with a 3.87 GPA and will be moving to California with a position at Price Waterhouse. Carla Dowlen’s nephew, David, playing for the Memorial Mavericks, had another great game as they defeated Iowa Park 6 to 2. Stacie Cook mentioned that her son had the fastest running time on his team. She also mentioned that her husband James and his band “James Cook Band” had a presale on their new album called “Texican Velvet”. Blue Badge Presentation: Noros Martin presented the Blue Badge to Dr. Donny Lee. Program: Josh Phillips introduced the program, the Wichita Theater, which was presented by Dwayne Jackson. Dwayne mentioned that he and his wife, Lisa, are celebrating 30 years with the Wichita Theater. Their original goal was to provide high quality entertainment for the Wichita Falls community and regionally. The Wichita Theater building is now 117 years old. The Jacksons also own the building next door which was constructed in 1927. Dwayne and Lisa became interested in the Wichita Theater after a trip to Branson, Missouri in 1995. Upon opening the Theater, they tried Country and Western Shows in the first 5 years. Since then, they have tried a lot of different venues and faced a lot of tough financial times. In 2003 they brought the production of the Peter Pan Musical which was very popular. Since that time, they have brought 230 productions. In 2017, they purchased the adjacent building which is now the Stage II Dinner Theater. It opened in April 2018. In 2019 during covid, the Jacksons started developing an exit strategy. They went back to their roots to make the theater a regional attraction. They were able to secure government funding via SBA and covid funds. In their 5-year plan, year one was to get back on the stage after covid. They will have 16 production this year with 5 full time employees. Although they incurred a loss last year, they are very optimistic about this year and the future. 52% of households attending events live outside of Wichita Falls with 40% living more than 40 miles away. They continue to ask for support from the downtown district along with support from the community, the City of Wichita Falls and other local Foundations. Dwayne also noted that the Wichita Theater has had a tremendous impact on children who participate in its programs. He gave two examples with one child having Down’s syndrome and the other one having Asperger syndrome. Kids’ participation in the various programs have had a tremendous impact on their self-image and self-esteem. Dwayne asked if anyone had attended an event at the Wichita Theater and most members raised their hands. He asked members to try and attend events this year to support the Theater. Meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm by President Mayfield with the “Four Way Test.” |
April 10, 2025 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell to start our meeting at 12:07 pm. David Hartman provided another heartfelt prayer in which he noted the “Mission of Rotary”. The pledge and song “Let There Be Peace on Earth” was led by Cara Herr-Sauceda. The Club then had the traditional greeting without “Rotary” since there was no piano. There were no birthdays this week. Visitors and guests: We had Jeremy Davis with the Museum of North Texas History, Ava Aritia guest of John Deason, and LT. Colonel Ronald “Spin” Van Steijn from the Danish Air Force guest of Noros Martin. No items from the Sunshine Report other than everyone was very thankful for the recent rain. Announcements: Monica Horton mentioned again about Ryla Camp this summer. She is looking for prospects to attend the camp and has sent information out to all members. Colton Henrich mentioned that the End of the Year Party will be held on the last Thursday in June at the Forum. He also noted we will probably have a social event in the next couple of weeks. Brag Bucket: Carla Dowlen’s nephew, David, is now playing baseball for the Memorial Mavericks and they beat Legacy High this past week in two games, 12-0 and 12- 1. He continues to excel in baseball. Alan Donaldson mentioned that his 4th Grandchild is on the way today. Blue Badge Presentation: John Mayfield presented the Blue Badge to Glenn Tarter. Paul Harris Presentation: Lisa Stephens-Musick presented Keaton Dolan as the latest Paul Harris Fellow in our club. Lisa also presented Andy Kocher as a Paul Harris Fellow for the 6th time. Congratulations to both Keaton and Andy. Program: Today’s program was our Club Assembly presented by President John Mayfield. John discussed several goals set at the beginning of his term. Two were donation goals to the General Fund and the Polio Plus Fund which have both been exceeded. Our goal for the General Fund was $18,000. We have now collected $23,263 with three months to go. Our polio plus goal was $500 and we have collected $661. To date we have raised $60,444 including the Flag Program. WAY TO GO ROTARIANS!! One goal is to have more social activities for the members. This is currently being addressed. See announcements above. Another goal was to have 5 members participate in Rotary leadership which we have met. John noted that the District 5790 Meeting is coming up soon and encouraged members to sign up. Information has been provided for the event. Providing more service projects was another goal. We had a Humane Society workday on 9/12/ 2024 and John even adopted a dog. Another event will occur on 5/1/25 at the Rotary Park where we plan to have a meeting. Other notable items: The Flag Program has collected $36,000+ this year about $2,000 more than last year. We maintained the goal of 100% Paul Harris Fellows. We are still working on membership at 68. Goal is 70 and we still have time to meet this goal. John Deason provided a presentation from the Membership Committee. The group meets every other Tuesday morning at Jimmy’s Egg to develop ideas for membership. One of the items developed is Corporate Membership. Forms are being updated for regular membership and corporate membership. Also, a flyer has been developed for the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls to share with prospective members. John asked if anyone had any ideas, please let he or any of the committee members know. Alan Donaldson, one of the committee members, discussed the Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours where he has been able to give a short speech about our Rotary Club. He encouraged each member to look for opportunities to promote our club. Alan acknowledged those who have brought new members into the Club. Noros Martin was recognized for bringing in more than 5 members. Alan also mentioned that one idea is to have the Foundation Committee share with the new members on what exactly what the Foundation does. Another idea is for individuals or firms within our club to sponsor certain activities. They would be recognized for their efforts and support. John Deason noted the Rotary Park Peace Pole will be installed by our meeting on May 1st and Rod Tieken noted that there is a movement to convert the tennis courts at the SW Boys and Girls Club at Rotary Park to 5 pickleball courts which will help to continue to recognize Rotary Park. In the spirit of Rotary, John Mayfield had members sitting at individual tables to come up with a quick 30 second presentation that one might share with a prospective member with the theme “I Am Rotary”. Each table provided a 30 second presentation and all did an excellent job! Meeting was adjourned at 1:02 by President Mayfield with the “Four Way Test.” |
April 3, 2025 Spokesman
At 12:05 on this beautiful sunshine day, President John pick up his mighty gavel and struck the Rotary Bell that brought all of us to our feet. This was a very nice day for all of us in North Central Texas to enjoy. David Hartman made his way to the podium for our invocation. Thank you, David, for your wonderful words and thoughtful prayer today. While we were still standing Arnold Oliver came to the front and lead us with the Pledge of Allegiances and singing several verses of “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover”. I guess the first time we sang was practice, because we sang the song 2 times. I am not sure we sound any better – maybe. Visitors and guests were next to be introduced today. I introduced Lt. Col. Ron van Steijn. Ron is the Senior National Representative (SNR) from the Netherlands. He has server with the Dutch Air Force for many years. He was first stationed here as a student where he learned to fly the T37 and the T38. He later returned as an Instructor Pilot where he instructed students from 13 countries, teaching them how to fly these aircraft. He has recently returned to assume command of the Dutch Detachment at the 80 FTW. Ron is very interest in becoming a Rotarian and was ready with his application this afternoon. Ron we look forward to having you as a Rotarian soon. Alan Donaldson brought two guests today, Jeremy Davis and Michael Caballos. Monica Horton told us about the upcoming RYLA meeting and conference scheduled for June 18 – 21. This conference is mainly for high school Junior/Seniors. It will be held in Denton, TX. at Texas Women’s University. Monica has been involved for many years with this program that introduces young students of high school age to what Rotary is about. Good job Monica. Stacie Cook circulated the “Brag Bucket”. Several Rotarians stepped forward with their money to brag about many things in their lives. Larry Tegtmeyer presented Jon Dearolf with his Rotary Blue badge this afternoon. Way to go Jon in getting everything done that is required for changing your red badge to the blue badge. It is nice to have you as a member of our Rotary Club. Josh Phillips had the privilege of introducing our program for today. Mr. Tommy Standefer is a lifelong resident of Axle, TX and a well-informed member of Texas Archeological Society. Tommy and Cyndi, his wife, purchased property in 2016 in Jack Co. They are both involved and know a lot of information about the native Wichita Indians, dating back to the mid-1850’s. His information about the Battle of Stone House in 1837 was very informative and interesting. There is a historical marker located on TX Hwy 16 that tells the story of this battle. Mr. Standefer also told us about the Butterfield Stagecoach line that ran through the area where his property is located in Jack Co. This stagecoach line carried both passengers and mail going both west and east. The stagecoach could cover about 100 miles a day. Sure glad we do not travel by stagecoaches these days. This was a very interesting program and thank you for this information. President John came back to the podium told our speaker that a donation would be made to a nonprofit organization. We Rotarians then rose to our feet and repeated the Rotary Four Way Test. We were dismissed a few minutes before 1:00 pm. |
March 27, 2025 Spokesman
Today at 12:05 President John stepped to the front, struck our Rotary Bell to call us Rotarians and guest to our feet to start todays Rotary Club meeting. David Hartman provided us with another outstanding prayer today. Thank you Dave, for your great words of inspiration with your prayer today. Arnold Oliver, without any jokes, was next to the podium to lead us in Pledge and Song. Today we sang verses 1 & 2 of R-O-T-A-R-Y. I did not know that this song had more than 1 verse – sure glad I was at Rotary Club today. Several visitors and guests were welcomed at our meeting today. We all hope you enjoyed today’s meeting and will come back soon. You are always welcome and hope you might even consider membership with our Club in the future. Brady Woolsey introduced James Hawkins as Boys & Girls Club City-Youth of the Month. James is the 14 year old son of Kara Taylor. This young man is very involved with chores around the house, supervising his younger brother and helping with the family pets. James is a 9th grader at Legacy High School, maintains a 3.0 GPA and his favorite subject is Science. He is a member of the JROTC at school. After he graduates for Legacy, he would like to go to college, receive his degree and become a Nuclear Engineer. We wish you good luck in your future James. Colton Heinrich introduced a new member to our Club today. Welcome Cameron Turnquist to our Club and we hope that you will enjoy being a part of this great organization. Membership Spotlight - Larry Tegtmeyer has had successful career with the Texas Highway Department for many years and was involved with the “high 5 fly over” in the Dallas area. In 2004 Larry moved to Wichita Falls and continued with TXDOT. Josh Phillis introduced our program presenter today, Jennica Lambert from River Bend Nature Center. This wonderful nature center, which was a joint venture between the City of Wichita Falls and the Junior League, will celebrate 30 years this summer as part of our community. They open their doors to over 44,000 visitors each year of which 51% are from outside Wichita Falls. Jennica told about many special events held at RBNC during the year such as: Dallas Zoo, Bug Fest, Electric Critters, Not-so-Scary. She explained and showed some of the current renovation that was underway at the Nature Center. Jennica brought two of her friends with her to Rotary today, but I do not think they will be considering as potential members for Rotary Club. She had with her 2 Madagascar hissing cockroaches. These roaches are native to the Madagascar Island in the Southern Hemisphere and off the east coast of Africa. I am very glad that we can see, at our very own RBNC, these “hissing” cockroaches. Thanks Jennica for this outstand information and the good news about the future for River Bend Nature Center. President John returned to the podium and announced the Jim Hughes; a 45 year member of our Rotary Club had resigned. We will all miss you Jim and we all hope you will still come visit soon. Woo-Woo. (train whistle). We all stood, repeated the Rotary Four Way Test, and adjourned to meet again next week. |
March 20, 2025 Spokesman
At 12:05 President John stepped forward to strike our Rotary Bell to call us to feet to start today’s Rotary Club program. It was both a beautiful day both indoors and outdoors. Great music indoors provided by pianist, Susan, and likewise great weather outdoors for all of us to enjoy. David Hartman provided us with a wonderful prayer today, as he always does. Arnold Oliver had a story to tell us about a boy, his bike and a man with a lawn mower. I was not sure what this had to do with the Pledge and Song today. Thanks anyway Oliver for the humor you provided. After the Pledge, Oliver led us in singing, “Smile, Sing A Song”. We did not celebrate any Rotarian's birthday today. President John was back to the podium to make a wonderful announcement our Club financial contribution had well surpassed it goal and that over $23,000.00 had been pledged. Way to go Rotary – giving back to others. John asks Cara Sauceda to come forward to make a Youth of the Year Presentation. Cara introduced Ke’lecia Peterson as this year’s Youth of the Year. Congratulation Ke’lecia for your hard work you have shown in the past. Benay made several Paul Harris presentations. Those that received this outstanding recognition were: Carrie Spencer, David Spencer’s wife was awarded a PHF +2 pin Scotty Coppage was made a Paul Harris Fellow by his dad, Walter Coppage Treston Teague was presented a Paul Harris Fellow. Thank to each one of you that have contributions to make these Paul Harris presentations possible. Josh Phillips introduced our program today – Solomon Orr, MSU Fellowship of Christian Athletes Director. Solomon has been involved with sports for many years playing football in high school, college and professional in both NFL and AFL. He told us that the vision of the CFA was “To see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes”. The Mission of CFA was “To lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church”. He introduced two MSU students, members of AFC, who spoke about their association with this organization on the MSU campus. One of the students was an athlete and the other was not. Both told that this was an outstanding Christian campus organization that has been very beneficial to them. Thank you, Solomon, for this very interesting program regarding the work that the CFA is doing with athletes at MSU and in our area. We then rose to adjourn today meeting at 12:47 and repeated the Rotary 4 Wat Test. |
March 13, 2025 Spokesman
President John gonged the bell at 12:05 that brought us to our feet to start today’s meeting of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls. David Hartman led us with a wonderful invocation – thank you Dave for your special words. Arnold Oliver came to the podium to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and sing “The Band Played On”. Can anyone remember this song? Maybe Arnold spent too many long days with the highway department. We were pleased to have several guests today: Cori, Glenn Tarter’s daughter; Dee Ann Martin, Noros Martin’s wife; and Cameron Turnquist, guest of Austin Green. Cameron will soon be a member of our Club. Thank you all for being at our meeting and we hope you will be asked to come back soon. President John asked if there were any Sunshine Reports today. Austin Green mentioned his cousin Walter, a resident in Presbyterian Manor recently fell and broke his hip and is hospitalized in Wichita Falls. He is doing well, but please remember this gentleman in your prayers for a speedy recovery. There were no announcements today. Several Rotarians stepped forward to deposit money for the Brag Bucket Colton Heinrich was carrying around. We are so proud to have so many Rotarians sharing with us about their friends, family and loved ones regarding special occasions in their lives. Colton remained at the front and asked Austin Green to join him. Austin has completed his “new member” tasks and was presented his Rotary Blue Badge. Congratulations to you Austin and it is nice to have you as a member of our Club. We hope you will continue to enjoy your association with our Club and with Rotary. Josh Phillips then came forward to introduce our program. We were pleased and honored to have our very own fellow Rotarian, Dr. Donny Lee, WFISD Superintendent as our speaker today. The interesting title of his presentation was “Honey We Shrunk the Kids”. This presentation was highly informative and shows where WFISD has been in the past and where it is now. The school population is not what it was in the past. Some reasons for that are: 1. Recent widespread illnesses like COVID 2. Students can be home schooled. 3. More private schools in the area Beginning in 1990, the WFISD population started declining in 2002, and enrollment was at its peak. Therefore, the school administration started looking for ways to help better balance the budget – less brick-and-mortar structures – less expense. Fewer buildings and classrooms were not the needed as attendance declined. Less students meant less teachers, administrative personnel, and support staff were needed. Thus, saving the taxpayers money! Yes, there have been some changes made (closing 2 high schools and several others) but this seems to be positive for our community and our young people attending WFISD. Dr. Lee showed several photos of the two newest high schools. They look wonderful and are a great educational facility for our community. I wonder if it is too late to go back and renew my education skills. WFISD Graduate of 1959. Thank you, Dr. Lee, for this exceptional, updated information about our Wichita Falls Independent School District! Thank you for being a valuable member of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls. We then closed the meeting at 1:00 with the 4 Way Test. |
March 6, 2025 Spokesman
President John brought the meeting to order on a bright and warm sunshiny day at 12:05. David Spencer then led us in the pledge and surprise his favorite song “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”. We had several guests of Rotarians today with the possibility of a future new member or two. Additionally, the mother and son of our speaker war also present. John reported that he had a root canal yesterday and was feeling some side effects. Carla Dowlen reminded us of the big book sale going on Thursday through Saturday. It is an annual fund raiser for the Adult Literacy Council of Wichita Falls. The brag bucket collected a few dollars for some of our Rotarians who been running races including Colton Heinrich who ran a marathon. I don’t know about you, but I get tried just thinking about it. Jake Munholland provided us with a Rotary minute. He was brought into the club by Randy Schaffner in 2019. His little-known fact is that he made a half-court shot back in the days when it was a halftime event at MSU basketball games. Benay filled in for Josh who was out of pocket today by introducing our program. MSU basketball coach Justin Leslie shared with us his move from California where he was coaching in a very successful program to our own MSU here in the falls. He uses Biblical principles as a source of his goals. Unfortunately, recruiting COVID hit not long after he got started in his new position. That turned things upside down with recruiting. But things did get better. With the help of good staff, he has now built up an experienced team who are now headed for the playoffs. There are two regular games left in season. Their current standings are 21 and 5 overall and 16 and 4 in conference play. Note, they won one more Thursday night. It was a good back and forth game against a good shooting team from Lubbock Christian University. Their last regular game is in Lubbock on Saturday against the same team. Hopefully they’ll make it all the way in the playoffs. He mentioned that they are at the top in the conference for three points made % and also top rated in defense. It showed Thursday night against LCU who had won one game than MSU. He also mentioned that he had eight players, all of which could be first team. Importantly he answered the question of how many go on to graduate that all but one over six years has and that one needs only one more class. Next week the transfer portal opens up and he may pick up a player or two with good experience. Asked how we could help he said by attending games and possibly joining the sixth man club. A final note was that one of his best players is going to graduate in May and has asked he and his wife to give them away when they wed in June. I know his mother and his son are proud of him. We then closed with the four way test. |
February 27, 2025 Spokesman
President John rang the meeting to order just past high noon. Arnold Oliver then gave the invocation followed by president elect Cara leading us in the pledge and sing along. The song of the day was “do re mi” and then a round of ROTARY. There were no visitors today but we did receive good news that Arnold’s wife was on the mend and getting around. That’s the kind of sunshine report we like to hear. There were no special announcements today but there were a few brags. Cara gave a report on her Rotary trip to Cozumel where she and 130 other Rotarians worked on various youth projects. David Kelley’s daughter was taking her real estate license test and Lisa said she was recognized at a recent meeting in Austin of appraisal district workers. Will’s daughter continues to be an outstanding athlete as she made the all district first team. The Boys and Girls Club youth of the month was presented by Tori Smith. Dixon Gamble is a 13 year old 7th grader at Kirby middle school and a club member for seven years. John then introduced the executive director of Patsy’s House as our program. There are about 70 such organizations in Texas/nationally and ours includes Wichita County as well as nine other surrounding counties. It has been around since the mid-eighties. It is a children’s advocacy organization which works to help children involved in sexual abuse or human trafficking. There are eight people who work in the office located at 1411 Tenth Street. They receive referrals from the CPS office and police departments. The individuals there are trained to interview children and strive to get all the facts in order to help the children involved and offer free counseling. The interviews are always recorded which are provided to law enforcement and they may be called upon to testify in court. They can also help with obtaining basic needs such as food and clothing. Funding is approximately 50 percent provided by state and federal sources with the balance coming from local foundations and donations. It is hard to believe we need such an organization but luckily to have people such as Denise to be there when needed. It takes a special person to fill those shoes. Thank you Denise. Meeting was closed with the four way test and a ringing of the bell. Patsy’s House Wish List Kitchen Area Bottled Water (small 8 oz size) Individually packaged snacks (snack crackers, fruit snack pouches, granola bars, etc.) Paper Towels (rolls) Paper Plates, Bowls (please, no Styrofoam) 16 oz “Solo” Cups 16 ox Styrofoam Cups Plastic Utensils Office Area Copy Machine Paper “Forever” Postage Stamps Post-It Notes (3x3) Black Oxford Twin-Pocket Folders, Textured, NO Prongs BLUE Smead 1/3 cut Tab Letter Size Folders Manilla File Folders (Letter 1/3 tab) Blank Discs DVD+R 32 GB USB Batteries (AA, AAA, C, 9 Volt) Craft Items & School Supplies Pens, Pencils, Crayons Markers, Glue, Scissors Notebook Paper Notebooks Backpacks Resource Room (new items only please) Non-Perishable Food Items Sleeping Bags Sleepers (Babies) Solid Colored Basic Sweatpants & Tops Light-Weight Jackets Receiving Blankets Other Items Toilet Paper Facial Tissue Light Bulbs (60 & 75 watts) Dish Soap Baby Wipes Clorox of Lysol Wipes Disinfectant Spray Hand Sanitizer New Fleece Blankets of Fleece to Make Blankets Gift Cards to Purchase Items Needed They also have an Amazon wish list: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/27AVM3GQUAO1F?ref_=wl_share |
February 20, 2025 Spokesman
At 12:05 John brought us to order to start the meeting. Dave Hartman offered a heartfelt invocation. Stacie Cook lead us in the pledge followed by the club singing of America and round of ROTARY. There were no birthdays but there were several visitors. John Mayfield’s son Joseph, Will Goodner’s wife Michelle, Sam PAC guest of Dave Kelley, and Sue Harrington guest of none other than Dave Hartman. The Sunshine report was good news and not so good news, Noros was back with us but his knee replacement did not make him any taller and Arnold Oliver’s wife was having a knee or hip replacement. We were reminded that the Shepard NCO Academy which we support as a club was to hold their graduation this evening. It is a formal dinner and ceremony. Also they assist with the flags on flag days. Brag time recognized David Kelley for his young grandson as he is becoming very mobile per David and John mentioned that his son received a special recognition. Pres John then introduced the program as our very own past president Stacie Cook and her husband James. He sang with Stacie accompanying him several songs with a Valentine theme most which he wrote. If you look on line you will see that he has a webpage showing many different locations and venues including April 11 (parents 50th anniversary) in Wichita Falls. It should be noted that he does it all as he writes many of the songs as well as singing them. He is releasing a single called “Is That All You Got “ ahead of a new album (Texas Velvet) in the near future. His most recent album called “inside out” was released in December. Most of his music can be found on most streaming services. With his original band he traveled all over the world. More recently he travels mostly in and around Texas. Could Stacie have something to do with that? Thanks for a great program James and Stacie. With that we closed with the four way test. |
February 13, 2025 Spokesman
President John brought us to our feet right on time and Dave Hartman offered up a heartfelt prayer. Pres elect Cara lead us in the pledge and our sing along and ROTARY. Then several birthdays were recognized. It was announced that Noros Martin was making good progress on his rehab from knee replacement. Also Jim Hughes was not with us as he was having circulation issues with his legs. Thoughts and prayers for both of them. Hope to see both back with us in the near future. Speaking of the future, our meeting next week (2/13) will not be at the Forum but at the KEMP. There were several brags with Colton collecting the appropriate donation for each one. Will Goodner then introduced Arnold Oliver for our Rotary member spotlight. We learned that he was born in Byers and graduated from Burk high school and then graduated from the University of Texas with a civil engineering degree. Soon after he found himself working for the Texas Highway Department which resulted in moving around several Texas cities before ending his career here in the falls. Thanks Arnold for joining and being a part of our club. Cara then introduced our program, the recognition of the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year. To qualify one must be between 14 and 18 years old and a club member for at least two years. A committee of three including our own John Mayfield then reviewed four finalists to arrive at their pick as the best. That person was 16 year old Ka’Lacia Peterson who has been a member of the Nothwest club for ten years and attends Memorial High School. She was accompanied by her grandparents as her parents are incarcerated. As you would imagine she has had major challenges growing up. According to John she stood out from the other very good candidates. She gave her 6 or 7 minute talk which she had just finished a few days ago. When she goes to Austin for the state competition she must give her presentation verbatim, no notes allowed. Her final score will be based on four equal areas, essays, personal interview, speech and overall quality. Club members then asked her various questions that she responded to and finally offered her a few critiques to work on. She was a very mature and impressive young lady. I’m sure she will represent the BG Club and Wichita Falls well. She is due back with our club later in March. We closed out our meeting with four way test followed by a short board meeting. |
February 6, 2025 Spokesman
Vice President Greg Brownfield rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:01 PM. He then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song The More We Get Together, led by Arnold Oliver. We had a few guests present at this week’s meeting. Lynn Perkins, owner of Falls IT, was a guest of Cara Sauceda. Cameron Turnquist, owner of Arrowhead Builders, was a guest of Austin Green. During the Sunshine Report, Steve Priester informed the club that Arnold Oliver’s wife, Tomi, is ill and has been in the hospital since Tuesday. Judy Koetter announced that both of her sons have recently been in the hospital and are recovering. We had a lot to celebrate this week, as we inducted a new member and recognized multiple Paul Harris Fellow recipients. John Deason inducted his brother, Matt Deason. Now, let’s get to work on changing his red badge to a blue badge! Dr. Donny Lee received his Paul Harris Fellow. Richard Boyd and Lance Spruiell are Paul Harris Fellow +1 recipients, and Benay Ayers was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow +4. As a reminder, we are a Rotary Club with 100% Paul Harris Fellows. The Brag Bucket was very lucrative this week. David Hartman is no longer in debt to Lisa Stephens-Musick for her loan from last week. Cara Sauceda bragged on her daughter playing volleyball. Carol Murray and Danny Steed both put money in the bucket to celebrate the sale of Hirschi Realtors to Tanya Ruff after 42 years. Tommy Richardson bragged on his granddaughter, who earned Academic All-American honors and was selected to the water polo Olympic Development Team. Josh Phillips bragged on his daughter for her goal in soccer and his son for his new position at an accounting firm in LA. Josh Phillips then introduced Alicia Deges and Fouad Fakhouri. They visited the club to discuss the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra. The mission of the WFSO is to promote symphonic music in order to enrich, educate, and entertain a diverse audience in the Texoma community. The orchestra has been active for over 75 years, consists of around 75 professional musicians, and attracts over 3,000 concertgoers each season. Approximately one-third of the musicians are from the area, while the rest commute from the DFW area. Historically, the programs have been located in Memorial Auditorium, but due to renovations, they have held performances at FBC, FUMC, and MSU. They will not return to Memorial until the 2026-2027 season. To meet their mission on the education side of things, the WFSO partners with WFISD, sending professionals into schools to work with students. They also offer a Young People’s Concert that is free for all local 5th-grade classes. The offices for the WFSO are located at the Kemp Center for the Arts, so feel free to reach out to them with any questions. Conductor Fouad Fakhouri concluded the program with some insight on the upcoming concerts. At the time of reading this, there will be two remaining concerts: Romantic Journey on March 8 at MSU and Timeless Passage on April 26 at FBC. He also shared the news that next year, the WFSO will be commissioning three pieces from some of the top female composers in America. These works will be premiered in Wichita Falls next season. As a community, we are fortunate to have a Symphony Orchestra, so make sure to take advantage of attending a concert soon! The meeting concluded with Vice President Greg presenting the speaker’s gift and leading the club in the Four-Way Test. |
January 30, 2025 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:04 PM. He then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song Grand Ol’ Flag, led by Arnold Oliver. During the meeting, we had the pleasure of wishing Monica Horton, Josh Phillips, and Sheldon Wang a Happy Birthday. All three were fortunate to receive a cinnamon roll from Judy Koetter. Judy had three remaining cinnamon rolls, which were auctioned off to Cara Sauceda. We were saddened to hear of the passing of Jake Munholland’s mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Munholland family during this difficult time. Tommy Richardson announced that Noros Martin is recovering well from knee surgery. As a reminder, if you still have a red badge, please check with Tina Williams or John Deason to see what is necessary to obtain your blue badge. John, the Red Badge Sheriff, is in town and is eager to help make our club 100% blue badge as soon as possible. Greg Brownfield has discount cards for the Boy Scouts—see him if you’re interested in getting one. During the brag bucket, money was collected from John Mayfield, Cara Sauceda, Josh Phillips, and Dave Hartman. John bragged on Colton for helping him find the right surgeon for his eyelid. Cara bragged on the Leadership Wichita Falls Program. Josh shared that his daughter is second all-time in scoring at Legacy High. Dave conveniently forgot his wallet and had to take a loan from Lisa Stephens-Musick to brag on Benay Ayers and John Deason for their work on Rotary Park. Josh Phillips then introduced our program, “Zavala Dancing,” which was presented by Esly Pimentel. Esly is the Executive Director of Zavala Wichita Falls. The Zavala organization was founded in 2001 when Chuck Neale and Carroll Wilson recognized the growing Hispanic population in Wichita Falls and the need for greater Hispanic involvement in leadership. They held a community meeting in 2002 to identify barriers and ways to engage the Hispanic population, which led to the formation of a steering committee later that year. This group, which included various community leaders, adopted the name Zavala Hispanic Cultural Initiative, honoring Lorenzo de Zavala, a significant Texan figure. Zavala became a project fund of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation in 2003, received official recognition from the Texas Secretary of State in 2003, and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2006. Over the years, Zavala has been actively involved in the community through various collaborations, including with Vernon College, Midwestern State University, and the Wichita Falls Public Library. It has hosted cultural events like the Zavala Latin Festival and the Hispanic Leadership Banquet, which celebrates achievements and provides scholarships. Taco Fest, originally created in response to a racist comment, is now an anti-racism fundraiser for the Zavala Hispanic Initiative. The event features local taco vendors, with proceeds supporting scholarships and educational programs for youth in Wichita Falls. Additionally, Zavala offers programs like Zavala International Dance and works with local organizations to promote bilingual literacy, arts, and education, including helping students with FAFSA and post-secondary preparation. Esly then focused on the Zavala International Dance program. The goal is to provide an extracurricular activity without additional costs to families. The program costs about $500 per participant. Currently, there are 30-40 dancers involved. The program supports physical and mental development, stress relief, and self-expression. It also teaches teamwork, communication, and aids in social interaction. The Zavala Dancers can be found at events hosted by Zavala throughout the year. The meeting concluded with President John presenting the speaker's gift and leading the club in the Four-Way Test. |
January 23, 2025 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:03 PM. He then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the song Edelweiss, led by Cara Sauceda. We had several guests attending the meeting for the wonderful program: Randy Cooper and Joyce Hill were guests of Cara Sauceda, Matt Deason was a guest of John Deason, and Kyle Phillips was a guest of Sheldon Wang. John Mayfield informed the club that Carla Dowlen was absent due to an illness in her family, and Judy Koetter was also absent due to her own illness. During the announcements, President Mayfield updated the club that both the End Polio and Rotary Foundation have exceeded their fundraising goals for the year. However, he reminded everyone that this does not mean we should stop giving. John Deason also announced the soft opening of the swing at Rotary Park at 4:00 PM. The news report is available on the Texoma Homepage website so be sure to check it out if you missed the event. The board of directors for 2025-2026 was also announced. Stacie Cook had the pleasure of presenting Treston Teague with his Blue Badge. If you have not yet received your Blue Badge, continue working on completing the necessary tasks. We also honored Macie Stouard, the January 2025 City Wide Youth of the Month. Macie is an 8th grader at McNeil Middle School. She is very active in school, at the club, and at home. She is a member of the 4H Club and holds the title of Rodeo Queen. Macie plans to attend college and become a mental health counselor. Today, the Brag Bucket was especially lucrative. Andy Kocher bragged on his grandchildren, who were showing rabbits. Monica announced the birth of her new grandson and also praised the care she receives from Larry Filer at OSTC. Stacie bragged on her son Andrew, who scored the first soccer goal in the history of Memorial High School, and shared that he has a soccer tournament this weekend. Cara bragged on her 15-year-old daughter, who is on a traveling volleyball team and enrolled in driver's ed, as well as her 14-year-old son, who is part of a homeschool basketball league. Will bragged on his daughter for hitting the game-winning shot for Legacy against Abilene. Chip Filer then took the podium for the program, where he announced the 2024 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. Chip began by acknowledging the committee and the work they put into the selection process. The committee was chaired by Carol Murray and consisted of Chip Filer, Dave Hartman, Roland Ramsey, Sheldon Wang, and Braden Wood. Chip explained the application and selection process to the club before introducing Diann Taylor as the 2024-2025 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. Diann is a retired educator and community leader who devoted over 40 years to positively impacting the lives of students, colleagues, and the Wichita Falls community. Her career in the WFISD included key leadership positions that influenced student success, curriculum advancements, and school improvements. Beyond her career in education, Diann was actively involved in numerous community organizations, working to make a difference in Wichita Falls. She remains a respected figure in our community, and there is not enough space in these notes to capture all that Diann Taylor has meant to Wichita Falls. If you missed the meeting, I encourage you to obtain the program to learn more about why Diann Taylor is more than deserving of being named the 2024-2025 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. The meeting came to an end with John Mayfield leading the club in the Four-Way Test |
January 16, 2025 Spokesman |
January 9, 2024 Spokesman |
January 2, 2025 Spokesman
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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December 26, 2024 Spokesman
President John rang the bell at 12:05 to bring us to order. David Hartman prayed for us and Cara Sauceda led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and “Silent Night” before we greeted each other as mumbled ROTARY. David Hartman introduced Sue Harrington as his guest. There were no birthdays recognized today nor was there anything for the Sunshine Report. John again asked for Board Nominations for next year’s Rotary Board and for committee Preference Sheets to be filled out. Cara asked for volunteers to serve as judges for our Youth of the Month program. We were also reminded that we will not meet the next two weeks and that our next meeting will be Jan. 9, 2025. John Mayfield introduced his choice for December’s Youth of the Month, Haylee. Haylee is a 7th grader at McNeil Middle School where she is an A-B student. She is very active at her school as well as at the Southwest Branch. She hopes to attend Texas Tech and become a Veterinarian. Noros passed the Brag Bucket and then auctioned a pecan pie baked and donated by Carla Dowlen. Josh Phillips presented a check for 495.00 to Judy Koetter on behalf of Beacon Lighthouse. Again, our Flag Program work. John introduced Sara Fidlar who is Director of MSU Lifelong Learning Center as our program. The Learning Center provides educational classes and social opportunities for seniors. It is for those 50 and older, with most of the 240 members between 70-90 years of age. The program began in 2018 under Dr. Suzanne Shipley, when she was President of MSU. Instructors include MSU faculty and staff and several Wichita Falls community members. The program offers approximately 50 courses per semesters. After a brief question and answer session, we dismissed with the Four Way Test at 12:45. |
December 19, 2024 Spokesman
Our illustrious president, John Mayfield, brought the meeting to order @ 12:07. In the absence of David Hartman and David Spencer, President John called on Cara Sauceda to do the invocation and leading us in the pledge and the greeting of one another. Guests today included Past District Governor Larry Petrash and Noros Martin’s far better half, Dee Ann. Judy Koetter recognized today’s birthday celebrants Jake Munholland, Walter Coppage, and Tina Williams. The Sunshine Report reminded us David Spencer’s illness and that David Kelly’s father’s recent triple bypass surgery went well and he is recovering well. David Kelley was out today with strep throat. Please keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers. John announced that we are $11,000 into our goal of raising $18,000 for The Rotary Foundation. He also asked for Board Nominations for our next Rotary year and that Committee Preference sheets to be filled out. Next up was Colton Heinrich with the Brag Bucket. He was successful in getting donations from Judy Koetter, John Mayfield, and Will Goodner. Two more members were presented with Paul Harris Fellowships today. Steve Priester presented to Judy Koetter and Noros Martin presented to Jeremy Woodward. Josh Phillips made a check presentation to the Wichita Falls Youth Symphony Orchestra for $600. Josh then introduced our program. First up was the Memorial High School Acapella Choir for three Christmas numbers, followed by the Legacy High School Acapella Choir for three more tunes and then the choirs combined for a final presentation. While each choir did a great job, maybe the best part from my vantage point was the ear to ear grin coming from a proud Dr. Donny Lee. He had a genuine reason for his reaction. We closed with the Four Way Test at 12:55. |
December 12, 2024 Spokesman
President John gonged us to order at 12:02. David Hartman prayed for us, Cara Sauceda led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and a weak version of ROTARY as we greeted one another. Guests were introduced by Austin Green and Cara Sauceda. The Sunshine Report included John Deason’s bout with pneumonia, David Spencer’s illness and David Kelly’s father’s recent heart surgery. Please keep these folks in your prayers. Check presentations were made to Straight Street ( $3000. ) and to Rotary Park ($5038. ). This is our Flag Program at its finest. Tori with the Boys and Girls Club, was up next and presented Annalee Ciuba as our Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Month. Annalee attends the Central Club where she is quite active. She attends Barwise, where she is an eighth grader and is an A-B student and plays basketball and volleyball. Our program today revolved around presentations of numerous Paul Harris Fellows, bringing our Club to a 100% Paul Harris Fellowship Club. This is third time in our history that our Club has achieved this distinction. The following Paul Harris Certificate, Medallion and Pin presentations were made: Richard Boyd Alan Donaldson Will Goodner Austin Green Donald Hughes Josh Phillips Cara Sauceda Sara Sorge Glenn Tarter Kenny Weeks Mark Wise Braden Wood David Kelly – PHF +2 Pin John Mayfield – PHF +4 Pin Larry Tegtmeyer – PHF +2 Pin Presentations of Paul Harris Certificate, Medallion and Pin still to come are: Scotty Coppage (Walter’s son) Keaton Dolan Kyle Kocher Judy Koetter Donny Lee Treston Teague Tin Tran Jeremy Woodward Carrie Spencer (David’s wife) – PHF +2 Pin We dismissed with the Four Way Test at 12:50. |
December 5, 2024 Spokesman
This Lost Photo Helped Heal Their Wounds How a missing picture of her late father reunited her family. I was sorting through old photos with my mother, looking for a specific picture of my father. I’d recently gotten a scanner and was in the process of digitizing our family pictures. “Where on earth is that picture of Mumpsy and Dad?” I asked. I’d seen the picture in a frame at my grandma Virgie’s house when I was a child. It showed my father as a boy, in a suit, holding his beloved Boston terrier, Mumpsy. It was one of my favorite pictures of him, and the only one I hadn’t found yet. “Maybe Jean has it,” said Mom. “We could ask her.” I looked at Mom as if she had three eyes. She could not be serious! Grandma Virgie had had two sons, Dad and Uncle Ralph, who was married to Jean. Mom and Jean had always had a difficult relationship. Jean would say snide and disparaging things to Mom. While Mom tried to rise above it, Grandma Virgie hadn’t helped. She’d encouraged the antagonism between her daughters-in-law by spreading gossip. It made it difficult for everyone to get along. Then, after Grandma Virgie passed, Uncle Ralph announced that he had helped Grandma to remove Dad’s name from her bank account, essentially keeping Dad from receiving any inheritance. With that, any connection we’d tried to keep up with Uncle Ralph and Aunt Jean disintegrated, and our family forever split in two. Both my dad and my uncle were dead now. Mom and I had no contact with Jean. Yet here was Mom, proposing to reach out to Jean after nearly 30 years. “I’m in my eighties,” Mom said with a shrug. “Jean’s just a little younger. Neither of us has many years left. Why not give it a try?” I couldn’t argue with that. Mom looked up Jean in the Whitepages and called her. Jean had inherited boxes and boxes of Grandma Virgie’s old photos, but they weren’t organized or labeled, so Jean invited Mom over to help her look for the picture of Dad and Mumpsy. Mom agreed. They set a date for a few days later. “If she acts the way she used to, I’ll turn right around and leave,” she promised me right before she left for Jean’s house. I thought she’d be back in an hour or so, but she didn’t return until close to dinner. She explained what had happened. Mom and Jean had sat down at the kitchen table to sift through photos. After a bit, Jean had apologized for the way she’d behaved years before. She insisted she’d changed since then. “And you know what? I could see that she meant it,” said Mom. “She seemed more relaxed, more self-assured. She seems to have a greater sense of purpose now. She’s earned a college degree since we’ve lost touch, and she’s become an artist. She has even sold a few of her paintings!” “Wow, that’s quite the transformation!” I said. Mom said that for the next couple of hours, they caught up. They got through all the boxes without finding the photo and went out to lunch. Then, when Mom was dropping Jean off back home, she invited Mom in for coffee. “Jean and I spent another hour just chatting,” Mom said. “We were really enjoying spending time together. Then Jean took out a photo album of Virgie’s that had pictures of Uncle Ralph in the Navy during World War II, just to show me.” “I guess y’all didn’t come across the Mumpsy photo,” I said. “Oh, I almost forgot. Guess what was tucked into the back cover of the album and fell out when she opened it up?” Mom held up the picture of Dad and Mumpsy. Lost until Jean and Mom had healed their old wounds. After Mom’s visit, Aunt Jean, Mom and I started getting together regularly. We all have framed copies of that picture of Dad and Mumpsy. I keep mine displayed on my mantel. A reminder of how we were drawn back together as a family. Guideposts Mysterious Ways by Connie E. Connely |
November 28, 2024 Spokesman
We are back at the Woman’s Forum and it was a beautiful day outside. President John got us on our feet smartly as he asked our own Brother David to guide us to the Lord on this Thanksgiving Season. After a moving prayer President Elect Cara led us in song as we remembered Ben with a rendition of “Eidelweiss.” Pres John then introduced visitors and guests, and then called on Judy to recognize birthdays. She must have called on 20 people as she closed out the month of November and gave each of us a homemade cinnamon roll. I think she must have given away an entire bakery. Sunshine Report was very positive as we congratulated Brady on becoming a grandfather! Then out of nowhere Pres John brought up a cake baked by the “Carla Kitchen.” Carla had baked this triple layer, everything in it cake, for the purpose of auctioning it for a perfect Thanksgiving meal. That cake raised $350.00, thanks to John D. and Past Pres Benay. Following that we had an extensive “Brag Bucket” rendition which proved how blessed we are going into the last month of the year. Our wonderful program coordinator, Josh, then came to the mic and presented a check to Ms. Elaine Harris who leads the “Back to School Project.” Once again, a perfect example of the importance of our flag program. This year we have given $35,000.00 to non-profits who really needed help. Josh then stayed at the mic and introduced today’s program. He began by quoting, “Service to others is the dues you pay for rent on earth.” When it came to service there is nothing more important than our children, and especially special needs children. Today’s program was from Master Sergeant Kyle Thompson, USMC, Retired. Kyle just recently took over the Area 9 Special Olympics and he is just the man for the job. Born in Ballinger, Texas, Runnels County, Kyle joined the Marine Corps and served as military police. He later became a recruiter and eventually transitioned into a Career Recruiter. After 25 years in the Corps he retired and in May moved to Wichita Falls to take on the roll of Program Director for Special Olympics. Kyle began by giving us the history of Special Olympics. It began in June, 1963, in a backyard in Maryland. Down through the years it has gone nationwide with thousands served and recognized as athletes. You could tell by Kyle’s passion for these folks that they are in good hands. He reminded us of the statistics of life expectancy and the increase of that expectancy when people feel cared about and provided with opportunities to get outside and interact with others. He went on to layout plans to involve Wichita County in the future Special Olympics schedule. Kyle explained that volunteers are needed, but the payback for serving is immeasurable. There is currently an 8-year-old involved in Special Olympics and an 81-year-old by the name Debbie, who rode in the Hotter N Hell this year. I hope each of you experience a special Thanksgiving Day as you gather with family and friends! We are so blessed to live in this great country, and I am blessed to be associated with people who care enough about their community to take time to gather every Thursday. We closed the month of November by quoting the Four Way Test. |
November 21, 2024 Spokesman
As Earl Sargent use to say every morning on KWFT, 1290AM, back in the 60’s and 70’s, “It’s a pretty good kinda day in the great Southwest,” and it sure was today at Rotary! Pres Elect Cara opened the meeting at the Downtown Boys & Girls Club in a beautiful meeting room that she and her staff had gone to great lengths in setting up to make us feel comfortable. She went on to welcome us, pray for us and then she led the music by singing “If You’re Happy,” and I believe we are all happy, especially if you didn’t have Past Pres Noros singing at your table. Visitors were introduced and Pres Elect Cara presented a check from Rotary to Kris Gossom, Executive Director of Interfaith Outreach. Ms. Gossom informed us that the check would help a great deal since Interfaith had helped 3000 families since January. This included 74,000 pounds of food. Past Pres Benay brought us up to date on Rotary Park. She told us that Stage 4 was almost completed and she was looking forward to Stage 5. She also passed on a good deal of the credit for the park to Rotarian John Deason. The club was made aware of the death of a long-time Rotary member Frank Tate. Our prayers went out to his family. After a wonderful meal set up by Bistro Express we headed out to the new Boys & Girls Club being built behind the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. Of course, the purpose of the meeting today was to be the first group to tour the new facility serving young people. As Cara reminded us, our Rotary Club has been involved with B&G Club since the early 1920’s and then when Dr. O. T. Kimbrough became president of Rotary in 1928-29, we opened our first facility on Sixth Street, where we met today. It doesn’t look like an almost 100-year-old facility, does it? The first club is still the shining example, but the new facility is magnificent. Designed by former Rotarian Dick Bundy and his company, this twenty thousand square feet facility is the dream come true for many in this community who have worked so hard to see its completion. Former Executive Director, now retired, Randy Cooper met us at the door and led us on a tour of the entire facility. With workmen still on the premise we could still envision what this would provide for young minds with a desire to learn. Extra high ceilings, large windows to allow plenty of light, a computer room with twenty laptops for study and homework, and large rooms for each age group beautifully painted which added to a feeling of comfort and peacefulness will go far to build a positive foundation for future citizens. Randy talked about the hard work and vision that Mr. and Mrs. Bob Gunn had for the building, and he expressed his gratitude to two ladies with us today, Nancy Marks and Gayle Richardson, for their hard work. Randy also informed us about the contract with Wichita Housing Commission that would help B&G Club over the next 75 years. Randy closed his tour by leading us into the new basketball court with all new maplewood flooring, it was very impressive. He went on to say that Meals On Wheels and the Food Bank will help with feeding these youngsters and that there will be dance classes as well as art training provided. He estimated that about 100 kids a day would participate in this new facility which he hoped would open in January. This project did not happen overnight and it came with a sizable price tag, which Past Pres Benay reminded us that our Rotary Club contributed $5,000. It was a beautiful day, shared with friends who take the time to participate in their community and work so hard to make positive things happen, especially for young people who are our future. |
November 14, 2024 Spokesman
President John got us going in a timely manner on this beautiful fall day. Thursday was the quiet before the storm that brought much needed rain to our area. A friend of mine in Jacksboro got eleven inches in two days and filled all his tanks. We can thank the Lord for that, and that is what President John did this Thursday as our own Rabbi Dave was visiting family in Virginia. This was our annual “Veterans Day” program and to honor the day a very impressive JROTC color guard from Legacy High School, led by Lt. Col. Darbelyn Woodruff presented the colors in full uniform. Cadet Col. Woodruff was assisted by five other colleagues and their sponsor Major David Jensen, U.S.Army retired. After a perfect flag ceremony, they remained and broke bread with us. Afterwards they retired the colors that ended a very impressive day at Rotary. Mrs. Mineasa Nesbit, a school teacher at Burkburnett ISD, stirred our patriotic blood by singing the National Anthem. It was in my mind the best I have ever heard it sang. President John then brought us back to the daily business and announced flag day Monday at 0630. He also reminded us that we would vote on new Corporate Membership Bylaws in two weeks. Finally, he reminded us that next Thursday we would meet at the DOWNTOWN BOYS & GIRLS CLUB. Be sure to call Tina and let her know you’re coming. Pres John then turned the mic over to Rotarian Josh who presented a check from the Rotary Club to Rotarian Will, CEO of Habitat For Humanity, to help in the much-needed work to create a safe environment for folks in need of a helping hand. Prior to Josh introducing our program today, Past President Noros (our most senior past president) took over and asked all veterans to please stand. In a quick count there seem to be about 10% of our club who served in uniform. That percentage is actually more than is serving in Congress at this time. More Air Force than anything else. Josh introduced today’s program, Brigadier General Paul G. Filcek, Commander of Sheppard Air Force Base. He seemed very comfortable around our club and started with a funny story about a lost civilian pilot around Area 51. Obviously, he has been around some of our members before Thursday. He went on to remind us that in 50 days this Rotary Club would celebrate our 109th birthday. Organizations that last a long time usually display an example of integrity, generosity and most assuredly excellence. He went on to say that is what the Air Force strives each day to achieve. We are the greatest Air Force in the world and having said that he went on to say all military members want peace. A strong military though discourages our enemies from breaking that peace. Sheppard trained 1500 pilots last year and they became a member of an organization that they could take pride in. Veterans take pride in their service within their respective branch and come into civilian life to serve with that same dedication. Gen. Filcek stated that 1% of our population are veterans. Gen. Filcek is not your ordinary General. His biography stated that he was a former master sergeant who went to officer’s training and went from a captain to a full colonel in 15 years. He also holds a master’s degree and top graduate of all the Command Colleges that I’m aware of. It was a good program to complete a Veterans Day celebration that began following the end of World War I. In 1918, the armistice was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In 1919, President Wilson proposed a remembrance of those that fought and suggested November 11. In 1926, President Coolidge made the decision to call this day “Armistice Day” and this lasted until after World War II when President Eisenhower renamed it “Veterans Day” (no apostrophe), and declared it a federal holiday. We are blessed to live in this great country. Thank all of you for your unselfish participation in your community by serving in this wonderful Rotary Club. We closed with the Four Way Test. |
November 7, 2024 Spokesman
Our meeting started with the striking of the bell by President John Mayfield. Brother Dave Hartman was called upon to give the prayer followed by Cara Sauceda to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and song. Monica Horton brought guest Stephany Alexander, who works in her BBB office. The Sunshine Report welcomed back long-time member Jim Hughes. President John reminded the club about Veteran’s Day Meeting next week featuring the SAFB commander and to bring a Veteran guest. Rod Tieken asked for clarification about a point in our revised Corporate Membership Bylaws. Three commendable brags were captured by Cara Sauceda carrying the Brag Bucket. Will Goodner’s son scored 3 touchdowns for his high school team last week and one more that was called back. David Kelley’s grandson, Charlie, was captured on video taking his first six steps. Our newest member Sara Sorge and Jule Day from Rotary North would like donations for their competitive food drive. President John then presented a $4,000 check to Erica Mundt, director of Camp Fire. This contribution will help with Camp Fire’s ongoing projects and increasing costs of operation. Our weekly Member Spotlight featured Jackie Lebow who has been a member since 1998. He is retired from his architectural firm which specialized in federal and state projects. Jackie has been married for fifty years to his high school sweetheart, a schoolteacher with thirty years of service. They have two sons and four granddaughters. Jackie is a fine choice to shine the Spotlight. Pam Morgan, Professor of History at MSU and VP of the Museum of North Texas, provided a very interesting program about Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, two of the baddest, gun shooting outlaws in American history. Wichita Falls was one of their home bases, along with several other guys of negative repute, because it was a wild country town and its location close to the Oklahoma state line. Now, Bonnie Parker came to Wichita Falls in the early thirties to meet her boyfriend, Clyde Barrow. Bonnie excelled in music and liked to write poetry. She told her parents she was going to the Falls for employment. Clyde Barrow was a high school dropout and nothing but trouble. They had met in Dallas while Clyde was already married. Clyde’s wife had left him because of his life of crime but she was well known by Dallas PD for drug use and prostitution. In Wichita Falls, B&C stayed in the area of today’s MPEC, hiding out in the Bungalow Tourist Park and a grocery store apartment on North Burnett St. They robbed people for money, stole cars to get away and looted armories so they actually had better firearms than the police. Clyde, being a smaller person, did not do well in his first prison term which was filled with “bad experiences”. Clyde was “not going back to prison”. Modern day Robin Hoods they were not. Rather they were violent killers. The Louisiana Law finally caught them in a hail of gunfire in1934. Rod Tieken, with a matching challenge, completed our club’s Polio Plus Campaign, raising over $250. Now to work on our club’s Rotary Foundation Program. We ended with the 4 Way Test. |
October 31, 2024 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:05 pm. Dave Hartman led the invocation. Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing several verses of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall”. We had more visitors and guests than I can ever remember. Alan Donaldson’s guest was Tonya Robinson. Carla Dowlen’s guest was Lotto Janjgava. Chip Filer’s guest was Sandy Flemming who is with Hotter than Hell Bike Race. Dave Hartman’s guests were Solomon Orr and Titus. Steve Priester’s guest was John Wellsfry. Cara Sauceda brought her husband, Dallas Sauceda. Our newest member, Sara Sorge had Luke Finnell as her guest. Larry Tegtmeyer brought his wife, Kathy Tegtmeyer. Kenny Weeks’ guest was Justin Cardwell. The Legacy High School honor guard was in attendance. Benay Ayers is back with us today as is Josh Phillips, who is feeling much better. For the Brag Bucket: John Mayfield’s son won an award at his base in Florida. On Friday, Benay Ayers would be celebrating 34 years since getting the call to come to Fort Worth to adopt her son, Kellen. Josh Phillips presented a Rotary check to F.L.A.G. Program. Our program, seeing as how we were meeting at the Wichita Falls Brewing Company, was The Art of Brewing, with our speaker, Matt Bitsche. Matt discussed the four ingredients in beer: water, malted barley, yeast, and hops. The water is filtered via reverse osmosis with minerals added back in. Water activates the malted barley into simple and complex carbohydrates. This was a hands-on demonstration. It takes 45 minutes to brew a batch of beer, depending on what type of beer. I now know that IPA stands for Inda Pale Ale, developed because of the long trip by ship from Great Britain to India during the colonization of India by the British. This is a craft brewery and brews in small batches which enables a multitude of flavors and styles of beer. I looked at the tap behind the bar and was astonished by seeing 18 identified taps, some with non-alcoholic beverages. This was a great program. On conclusion of the program, John stated that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name of those speaking with us today. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned at 1:03 pm. |
October 17, 2024 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:05 pm. Stacie Cook led the invocation. Stacie Cook also led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing He’s Got the Whole World, In His Hands. Alan Donaldson introduced his guest today, Sara Sorge, who will become a new member very soon. For announcements, Lisa Stephens-Musick announced that John Mayfield has set a goal for us to raise $500 to End Polio Now. To further that, Lisa donated her age on her birthday, $65 and challenged the rest of us to follow her lead. In two weeks, we are meeting at the Wichita Falls Brewing Company at 701 Indiana for our noon meeting. Matt Bitsche will give us a tour and explain how they make beer and how it is flavored. Walter Coppage offered to be a designated driver for anyone who loves to sample beer. For the Brag Bucket: Stacie Cook’s 16-year-old has his driver’s license. Both Jon Dearolf and Treston Teague participated in cross country track events and represented themselves very well. Jon Dearolf was named President of the YMCA of Wichita Falls. Josh Phillips presented a Rotary check to Rotary’s own Noel Filer with the United Regional Foundation in the amount of $1,500.00 which is going to the Community Care Fund. Josh Phillips introduced Noel Filer with our program. Noel is the Foundation Director at United Regional Foundation. The United Regional Health Care System serves a ten-county area and serves the needs of the people and strives to improve family living and have residents have a better quality of life in our area.. Wichita County has a higher % than the rate in Texas in: families living below the poverty level, residents who are “food insecure”, Diabetes, Smoking, Obesity, Heart disease, Cancer, Chronic lower respiratory diseases, Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis and Suicide. United Regional has been a Level II Trauma Center since 2011. That involves Trauma Surgeons, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, Facial Trauma, Cardiac, Urology, Radiology, Neurology, and Pediatric specialties. It is also the primary stroke center for our region. On a personal note, Noel explained that United Regional saved Chip Filer’s life by putting in two stents. United Regional will become a Level III NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) in 2026. On a personal note, I know how important that NICU is since my son, Scotty, was in a NICU after he was born prematurely almost forty-four years ago. Paula Parks came into the program as a tag team partner of Noel’s and spoke of The Transition Clinic which helps patients learn how to control their ailments or habits to be controlled without having to visit an emergency room. The goals are being met and presently 540 patients are getting better and maintaining with help and guidance from The Transition Clinic. Both Noel and Paula received applause for presenting this program. On conclusion of the program, John stated that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name of Noel Filer and Paula Parks for speaking with us today. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned at 12:52 pm. |
October 10, 2024 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:06 pm. Dave Hartman led the invocation. Treston Teague led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing If You’re Happy and You Know It. Alan Donaldson introduced his guest Sara Sorge today. For those having birthdays, Judy Koetter brought homemade cinnamon rolls that her husband baked. The following had birthdays: Dave Hartman, James Hughes, Carla Dowlen, Carol Murray, Lisa Musick, John Deason, Doug Kunkle, Noel Filer, Judy Koetter, Jeremy Woodward, and Austin Green. We had several who were not in attendance so Josh Phillips started the bidding on cinnamon rolls that were for absent birthday members. Everyone got in on the bidding and the money went into the brag bucket. Thanks Josh for getting the money rolling in. Thanks Judy for homemade cinnamon rolls! For announcements, please remember that we will not meet at the Forum next week. We sill meet at The Kemp, Downtown Arts Center. For the Brag Bucket: ¨ Josh Phillips’s daughter was in the Legacy High School homecoming parade. ¨ John Mayfield is moving warehouses for his business. ¨ Noel Filer’s father had a successful one-year follow-up from heart valve replacement surgery. ¨ Lisa Stephen-Musick welcomed her 7th great granddaughter. Josh Phillips presented a Rotary check to Fantasy of Lights in the amount of $750. Our Rotary Club has been a sponsor of the Peter Pan exhibit since 1994, making 26 years of support. Wichita Falls is privileged to have the MSU – Fantasy of Lights continue year after year. Our Area Governor, Clint Wood of the Wichita Falls North Rotary Club introduced our District Governor, Andy Eads of the Cross Timbers Rotary Club for today’s program of an update on District 5790. Andy started on a strong note, saying that we have a lovely venue for our meetings and giving a shout-out to Benay Ayers who is our do everything member. Andy started his talk by saying that ours is the oldest Rotary club he has spoken out. Our charter date is 1/1/1916. We are 108 years old. We presently have 65 members, and he would like for us to have 70 members by the end of our year, next June. There are 25 counties in our district and 64 Rotary Clubs with 2,500 members. Andy married Ginger 31 years ago. Ginger’s mother and father were enthusiastic Rotarians. Through Nana, Ginger’s mother, Andy was exposed to Rotary. Andy suggested that his wife Ginger join a new Rotary Club Andy was helping to start and Ginger became a Charter Member of the Cross Timbers Rotary Club. Andy believes that Rotary does good work around the world. Andy believes that Rotary does more work of the Lord than anyone. Time. Talent. Treasure. That is how we share through Rotary. On conclusion of the program, John stated that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name of Andy Eads for speaking with us today. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned at 12:58 pm. |
October 3, 2024 Spokesman
President John called the membership to order and asked Cara Sauceda to present the invocation. Cara actually did a “hat trick” by following the invocation up with the pledge and song. Because we were not meeting in the Forum’s ballroom we had no piano, so she completed the “hat trick” with leading us in the a cappella singing of “Do Re Mi” from the “Sound of Music“. Afterward we did the Rotary “meet and greet” with our fellow members. We had no visitors joining us this week nor any birthdays to recognize. For the Sunshine report, Tina reported she had received a text from James Hughes that his dad, Jim, was in the hospital with double pneumonia. Please pray for a speedy recovery for Jim. For announcements, Carol Murray told the membership that nomination submissions for the outstanding citizen award were extended another week. Nomination forms were provided at each table. President John reminded the membership that District Governor, Andy Eads, will be visiting next week and be our speaker. All Paul Harris Fellows were reminded to wear their medallion to the meeting next week. Announcements were followed up with Colton coming around with the brag bucket and President John started things off by telling us his son was 1 of just 9 that had been selected by his Air Force organization for a special duty. Will Goodner then bragged on his 8th grade 13-year-old son who scored 3 touchdowns in his last game and the last one was a 96-yard run into the end zone. Cara then boasted about her daughter, Penelope, who had just found out she made the travel Volleyball Team for her school. President John then had Steve Preister come to the podium and presented Richard Boyd with his long-time coming coveted Blue Badge. Congrats Richard!! At this point in the program, Josh Philips, representing the Grants Committee, came to the podium to present a $5000 donation to Rod Tieken, representing the Boys and Girls Club of Wichita Falls. In expressing appreciation for the gift, Rod told the membership that Rotary has had a long association with the Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club that started in 1929. But many may not know that even before the Boys and Girls Club started here, Rotary was assisting a group of young boys called the Knot Hole Gang back in 1922. These were a group of boys who would watch local baseball games through knot holes in the wooden fence and this group was the start of the Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club. Josh then introduced Chris De La Garza from Base Camp Lindsey (BCL) for our program. Chris is the founder of Base Camp Lindsey which will be a living facility in Wichita Falls for homeless veterans. She explained that right here in Wichita Falls, we have 50 -75 veterans who spend the night on our streets because they have nowhere else to go. Statistically 20% of all veterans suffer from some degree of PTSD and alcohol related dementia is becoming a huge concern among this group. The goal of Base Camop Lindsey is to take a holistic approach to homelessness where each person is assigned a case manager who will work with that veteran to develop a plan of action to help them regain their independence. Each veteran will have a room ,access to a kitchen and living facilities, laundry and a computer room for online job searches. BCL acquired a 14,000 sq ft former nursing home at 1908 6th Street in the city that had been vacant since 2007. That facility is undergoing renovations that will house 25 veterans when complete and is just 1 step of Base Camp Lindsey’s long-term solution. Their next step would be the development of a “tiny home” community. The final step would be then to re-use the old nursing home facility as convert it into a permanent living solution for veterans who cannot live independently. Currently BCL assists local veterans by providing homeless veterans with food and hygiene products through their street outreach program. Their passion is fueled by the words, “We wouldn’t leave a soldier on the battlefield – why would we leave a veteran on the street”. One of the questions Chris answered from the members was what did the name Base Camp Lindsey mean. Chris explained that in Army lingo “Base Camp” stands for a place of safety, reinforcements, provisions, and rest and “Lindsey” comes from a Veteran from right here in Wichita Falls. Sgt Felix Lindsey was posted at Fort Sill and fought in the Indian Wars and was a buffalo soldier. He was wounded over a dozen times and had to be forced to retire from the Army. He personified honor, bravery, determination and a “never say die” attitude that Base Camp Lindsey intends to carry on. Following Chris’ presentation, President John and Josh told her that the Rotary Club Grants Committee had voted to make a special presentation to Base Camp Lindsey with a donation of $500 to help them get back on their feet following a recent break-in at their facility where many of their supplies for the veterans were stolen. President John thanked Chris for the presentation and told her that our speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would also be made in her name. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
September 26, 2024 Spokesman
President John called the membership to order at 12:05 and asked Dr Dave Hartman to present the invocation. Arnold Oliver then led us in the pledge and since Susan wasn’t able join us today on the piano, Arnold led us in the singing of “Home on the Range” – a cappella style. Afterward we greeted each other in the usual fashion and introduced the visiting guests for the week. Cara Sauceda introduced her guest, Kevin Seager, who was visiting from the Burkburnett Rotary Club and then Alexis McDonald and her baby were introduced from the Big Brother and Big Sisters organization. We had no birthdays for the week and for the Sunshine Report Cara gave an update on her husband and asked for prayers that he does not require surgery. For announcements, Carol Murray reminded the membership that this coming week is the last week to submit nominations for the outstanding citizen award. Nomination forms and criteria were provided at each table. President John then gave an update on last week’s In-Service event at the Wichita County Humane Society and reminded everyone that the animal shelters are full of 4-legged friends who are seeking adoption. Colton then came around with the brag bucket and Cara picked up on President John’s announcement and thanked the members who came out to the Humane Society last week and/or made donations of food for the animals making the In-Service Day a successful event. Steve Priester highlighted a former Rotary member, Barbara Lyne, who still shows up with Steve’s Flag Team and volunteers to help put out flags. Jackie Lebow thanked the membership for putting flags out in commemoration of 9/11 and apologized that he missed the flag day but bragged that he had done well fishing and had a “magic” lure that caught a surprising number of fish. Andy also acknowledged that he had missed the last flag day but bragged that he got to enjoy the wonderment in the eyes of his 3 grandkids as they visited Disney World this past week. He said he was amazed at the kids’ stamina because they were able to keep up with the adults all day in the park. Kenny Weeks bragged on his 2 daughters that each play softball – on different teams -- and as luck would have it this past week, they played each other and of course the girls were talking smack all week. But big sis ended up getting the brunt when younger sis dumped a bucket full of ice on her after their team won the game . . . “to the victor belong the spoils”. And with that, the brag bucket was retired for the week. President John then had Steve come to the podium and presented Judy Koetter with her Blue Badge. Congrats Judy! Braden Wood then came to the podium for the Youth of the Month presentation. Braden introduced us to this month’s s recipient of the Youth of the Month Award, Jaylen Cooley. In a bit of a twist, Braden had Jaylen speak about himself and his future goals. The well-spoken Jaylen told us he is an 8th grade student at Hirschi and aspires to get an MBA in the future. He also thanked the Rotary Club for this award and explained how he strives to exemplify service before self in his life. Congratulation Jaylen! Josh Phillips then came forward to present a check to our guest, Alexis from Big Brother Big Sisters. This was one of the organizations the Grants Committee recommended receive a contribution from our club. Alexis thanked the club for the $1,000 and explained it will be used to conduct the background checks required for their Big Brother and Big Sisters volunteers. Josh followed this up by introducing Mr Scott Evans from Panda Bio Tech for our program today. Most of us had heard about a new company that had started in Wichita Falls called Panda Biotech and Scott’s presentation was to educate us and clear up some of the misconceptions about the company. Panda Bio Tech is an Industrial Hemp company that feeds the textile market. Panda is headquartered in Dallas but their hep gin in Wichita Falls is largest in the world to process U.S. grown hemp straw into mechanically produced fiber and hurd. Scott explained that currently their biggest market for the fiber they produce from the hemp stalk is the spinning mills in Mexico. About 20-25% of their hemp fiber produced here goes to these mills and is mixed with cotton fiber to make denim. Another by-product of their manufacturing process is a product called “hurd.” Hurd is the woody core of the hemp plant that is used to make a variety of products including insulation, animal bedding, and even concrete-like building material. The third product the plant is exploring is hemp pellets which can be used for biofuel and animal feed. The plant is committed to using only hemp grown by American farmers. This past year the company planted 12 thousand acres of hemp and next year they have plans to plant 25 thousand acres. Scott said the hemp plant is drought resistant and puts nitrogen back in the soil so for farmers it’s a good crop to work into their rotation. At full capacity, the plant works four shifts and can process approximately 10 tons of industrial hemp per hour. Scott explained the controversy about the plant comes from a 1938 ban in the U.S. on growing any plant in the cannabis family (of which hemp is) because of the rise in the recreational use of marijuana. However, the door was open for industrial hemp in the U.S. with the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill that was signed in to law by President Trump. The Bill legalized industrial hemp as an ordinary agricultural commodity, like cotton, allowing it to be grown in all 50 states. President John thanked Scott for today’s presentation and told him a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would be made in his name. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
September 19, 2024 Spokesman
Humane Society of Wichita County Locally owned and operated, and are not affiliated with any national animal welfare organization. They do not receive any funding from local or state governmental agencies. 100% of their operating expenses come from the generosity of individuals, businesses, and foundations in our community. Average monthly operating expense is $35,000 to provide shelter, food, medication, spaying/neutering, chipping, grooming, and other services to prepare animals for adoption. During the past seven years they have achieved the designation of a “No Kill” shelter. Shelters that have a greater than 90% save rate are classified as “no kill”. Since 2016, their save rate has been over 96%. The Humane Society offers boarding services for dogs at $25 per night. Owners provide the dog’s favorite food and bedding. The dogs are boarded in a separate facility from dogs waiting to be adopted. There is an attached yard so dogs can get exercise throughout the day. Some of the services offered are: Dogs Spay or Neuter - $55 (must be under 60 lbs and under 7 years old) Female Cats - $35 (must be under 7 years old) Male Cats - $35 (must be under 7 years old) Heartworm test for dogs - $20 Feline leukemia test - $20 Supplies are always needed. Below is a list of things you can donate. Dog Supplies: Kong toys and treats, leashes, harnesses, soccer balls and other size balls, Frisbees, squeaky toys, milk bones (medium and large size) and other treats, peanut butter and Velveeta cheese. Also needed are metal food and water bowls, crates (all sizes), washable pet beds and dry dog food. Cat Supplies: Toys, cat litter, litter boxes, litter box scoopers, metal food and water bowls, and cat food. Office Supplies: Copy paper, tape, envelopes, stamps, pens, and pencils. Cleaning Supplies: Large and small trash bags, bleach, rubber cleaning gloves, dishwashing liquid, liquid laundry detergent, liquid hand soap, hand sanitizer, and cleaning products such as Fabuloso. Brief History 1963: Toni, Lela Porter and Billie Pearce purchased a business on Peterson Road for $300 from an elderly man who traded and sold stray animals. Within a week, 10 people were working to feed the animals, clean and patch up the building, etc. 1968: Filed for state tax exemption as a nonprofit and was approved. 1970: Land was purchased at present location. 1972: Moved from the old house from Peterson Road. 1973: Built a new shelter consisting of 24 do runs, cattery, cat receiving room, grooming room, kitchen, food storage room, office and lobby. 1977: Received education building from SAFB, due to efforts of City and General Cecil Fox, base commander. Volunteers from SAFB included skilled craftsmen of all kinds completed the facility. 1978: Met with city manager and reached an agreement about housing all city animals from A/C. 1979: Animal Reclaim Center was completed April 1, 1979 just in time for Terrible Tuesday. 1985: Filed with IRS as nonprofit. 1986: Lela Porter Waterfowl pond was built. 1989: Added 10 new dog runs and expanded lobby. 1990: Added enclosed garage and 2nd quarantine area to ARC. 2020: Break ground on new adoption center and renovations to current facilities. You can send donations to: Humane Society of Wichita County PO Box 3648 Wichita Falls, TX 76301-0648 Please designate that the donation is for facility upkeep. |
September 12, 2024 Spokesman
President John called the membership to order a few minutes past noon. In recognition of the upcoming 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, Army Junior ROTC cadets presented the colors followed by the invocation by Dr Dave Hartman. Stacie Cook then led us in the pledge and singing of “America” (also known as “My Country, 'Tis of Thee”). Afterward we greeted our fellow members in our usual fashion and introduced the visiting guests for the week. Dave Hartman introduced Wichita Falls Chief of Police, Manuel Borrego, as his guest and Norris Martin introduced Wichita Falls ISD Superintendent, Dr Donny Lee. We had no birthdays for the week and for the Sunshine Report President John reflected on the Georgia school shooting earlier in the week and asked the membership to keep those affected families in their thoughts and prayers. For announcements, John reminded us that the club will be putting out flags next Wednesday in remembrance of 9/11. He also announced that next week we will have an In-Service Meeting instead of our usual luncheon meeting. The club will meet at the Wichita Falls Humane Society at 4360 Old Iowa Park Road to help with the shelter animals. Members were also reminded that if they wanted to bring donations of food for the animals that the shelter uses the Pedigree brand of pet food. Finally, John announced the Military Affairs Committee would have a short meeting following today’s membership meeting. Stacie then came around with the Brag Bucket and garnered several boasts from the members. Will reminded everyone that today is Texoma Give’s Day and announced that Habitat For Humanity had received the Saddle-Up Prize for the most donors during a single hour, Carla highlighted nephew, David’s dog who she loves to spoil, and Lisa then bragged on Bryson Whitaker’s son, Cody, who won the “Mutton Busting Contest” during the city’s recent rodeo events. Then before retiring the brag bucket for the day, Stacie highlighted the continued improvement her son, Andrew, has made in his Cross-Country events. President John then had Noros Martin come forward with his guest Dr Donny Lee, to induct him as a new member into the club. Welcome Donny! Josh Phillips then to the podium to present a donation to Jon Dearolf for the YMCA Miracle League. Jon thanked the club for the donation and indicated it will continue to help fund programs such as “I Can Bike”. Will Goodner then had Josh stay at the podium as todays Member Spotlight. Josh was brought into the club by David Kelley in 2021 and within a few weeks had caught COVID and was hospitalized for 2 months. He reflected on his recovery and credits much of it to the nurses who cared for him while in the hospital at a time where so many did not recover. He also warned us that while he may not do it now, he used to do a mean “worm” across the dance floor in his earlier days. Josh then asked Jon Dearolf to return to the podium to present todays program, “War on Terror”. Jon served in the Marines as a non-commissioned officer and later as an officer in the Army National Guard. He started his presentation timeline on 12 Oct 2000 with the attack on the USS Cole. At that time he was in the Marines and serving in an Air/Naval Gunfire Liaison Company. Marines assigned to these units coordinate and call in air strikes, artillery fires and naval gunfire for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. He deployed in the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) during this time and as OIF ramped up he related a quote by then-Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, “ You go to war with the army you have—not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.” While in the Army Guard he participated in Operation Freedom Sentinel in 2016 which was the name given the mission that succeeded Operation Enduring Freedom in continuation of the war in Afghanistan. His last deployment was as part of CJTF-HOA (Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa) where he served at Camp Lemonnier, Republic of Djibouti. The mission of the CJTF-HOA is to conduct operations in the Combined Joint Operations Area to enhance partner nation capacity, promote regional security and stability, dissuade conflict, and protect U.S. and coalition interests. While there he worked with the French and Uganda militaries. Jon’s presentation included numerous photographs of his overseas service but his final photograph was that of the American Flag with three simple words, “Remember the Fallen”. It was a touching conclusion to the presentation in honor of those who’ve paid for the freedoms we often take for granted. President John thanked Jon for his presentation and told him our usual speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation would be made in his name. Stacie then reminded the membership that Rotary Club is one of the organizations in the Texoma Gives campaign today and encouraged members to make donations to help Rotary Park. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
September 5, 2024 Spokesman
Invocation:
Pledge & Song:
Visitors & Guests:
Birthdays:
Sunshine Report:
Announcements:
Youth of the Month:
Brag Bucket:
The brag bucket had a mixture of celebrations and information about supporting various non-profits on the upcoming Texoma Gives Day! Member Spotlight:
Program Introduction:
Program:
Four-Way Test: President John concluded our meeting with the four-way test at 12:55. |
August 29, 2024 Spokesman
President John Mayfield rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:05PM. He then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the pledge and song, “Sweet Caroline,” led by Cara Sauceda. We had two guests attending the meeting: Sara Sorge and Sam Park. Sara was a guest of her uncle Alan Donaldson and Sam was a guest of David Kelley. At the meeting we had the pleasure of wishing Mike Saville a Happy Birthday and since it was actually the date of his birth, we sang Happy Birthday to him. President John let us know that the Board had voted to donate around $28,000 to various organizations and that the club will be distributing checks over the next few meetings. The Board also approved a new corporate membership and there will be more details in the near future in regards on how the membership will work. Carol Murray also announced that it is that time for Outstanding Citizen applications. She left a list of the previous winners as well as the applications on the table. If you have any questions seek out Carol. Today the Brag Bucket was very lucrative. We collected money from Dave Hartman, Steve Priester, Josh Phillips, Stacie Cook, John Mayfield, and Noel Filer. Dave bragged on Tina and the new High Schools. Steve shared that his grandson had given him an authentic signed photo of Ted Williams. Josh as bragged on the new schools and reminded the club of the Legacy Ribbon cutting later that evening. Stacie bragged on her son Andrew and his cross country skills. John bragged that his daughter Savanna will be the youngest DG store manager opening a new store in town. Noel bragged that it is Hotter N Hell weekend, that her granddaughter Lucy can count to 10, and that our guest Sara was engaged to her nephew. The member spotlight featured Monica Horton. She gave us a history of her life and how she ended up with the BBB. Josh Phillips then introduced our program titled “Stop the Bleed,” which was presented by Laura Pressler. Laura is a RN and United Regional and she provides certifications in the community that we were able to participate in today. Uncontrolled bleeding can result in death but should be preventable with the correct steps. In Wichita Falls, the average 911 response time is approximately 9 minutes. It only takes 3 minutes to bleed out resulting in death. In an emergency situation your safety is priority, make sure the scene is safe, move the victim to safety, and wear gloves. When it comes to stopping the bleed pressure is key and it is important to follow the ABCs. A-alert 911, B-find the source of bleeding, C-Compress. When alerting 911, stay calm and stay on the phone until help arrives. As for instructions as needed. When looking for the source of the blood is it continuous, is there a large volume, or are the multiple injuries. When applying pressure direct pressure at the source is important. Pack with gaze if deep and use a tourniquet on the peripheral limbs and tighten until the bleeding stops. Laura will be providing certificates to everyone in the audience today for completing the Stop the Bleed Course. The meeting ended with President John presenting the speaker's gift and leading the club in the Four-Way Test. |
August 22, 2024 Spokesman
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. Turtles, being naturally slow about things, took two years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Four years … five years … then on the sixth year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, “See! I knew you wouldn’t wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.” Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don’t do anything ourselves. Feel Positive Word Press |
August 15, 2024 Spokesman
The meeting began promptly at 12:05 PM with an invocation. Unfortunately, there was a brief technical issue with the microphone, but it was quickly resolved by Josh turning on the speakers. The group then recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang "Edelweiss” led by Cara, setting a positive tone for the meeting. Visitors & Guests: Kevin, who serves as a program chair, was introduced as a guest visitor from the Burkburnett Club. He is also a nuclear engineer! Quite impressive. Birthdays: The meeting recognized several members' birthdays, including Cara, who turned 29, Tommy Richardson, Mike Saville and Jon Dearolf. Additionally, Judy was acknowledged for her homemade bread gifts! The Sunshine Report brought updates on members and their families. Highlights included:
John Mayfield took the floor to provide updates:
Program The program for the day focused on the excitement surrounding the upcoming Year 1 of football, with a look ahead at what to expect from WFISD High School Football. Coaches and the Athletic Director were in attendance. There are two upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremonies scheduled for August 14th at Memorial and August 22nd at Legacy. The anticipated population for each school is around 1,650 and 1,790 people, respectively. Head coaches of each football team, Lawrence Johnson and Marc Bindel held (essentially) a press conference, with Grant Freeman, the Athletic Director, providing highlights of the year to come! Conclusion The meeting concluded with President John expressing gratitude towards the coaches and the Athletic Director. He also led the group in the Four-Way Test. The meeting adjourned at 12:50 PM with the ringing of the bell.
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August 8, 2024 Spokesman
President John rang the bell at 12:05 and our meeting began. This was a joint meeting with the University Kiwanis Club who were also in attendance today. David Hartman gave a heartfelt invocation and David Spencer led us in the Pledge to the Flag followed by singing “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and the Rotary greeting. In addition to the Kiwanis Club, we welcomed the Mexican American Veteran’s Association and all others who have served in our military. For the Sunshine Report, Dave Hartman reported that Walter Coppage is recovering from surgery. Triangular shades for Rotary’s playground project have been ordered. President John reminded the club of our $18,000 Foundation goal fueled by member participation in the “Every Rotarian-Every Year” donation program. The Brag Bucket was carried by Colton Heinrich with Carla Dowlen and her nephew baseball star and Larry Petrash with the Iowa Park Rotary Club’s Iowa Park HS Interact Club being repeat customers. Josh Phillips introduced our program, “Flag: Fly, Lower and Gather” given by Jim Rodriquez, a member of the Gainesville Rotary Club as well as The American Legion, Kiwanis Club and Lion’s Club. Jim has an amazing history of service. During his freshman college year, 1972, Jim received a draft letter and chose to join the Air Force becoming a master sergeant over his 21-year military career. He is now an executive with Taco Casa having100 restaurants in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. He also worked with Taco Cabana and was a top salesperson for VW Porsche Audi. Jim is an expert in corporate organization and motivation. While visiting Waxahachie, Texas HS, he noticed the janitor lay the American flag on the ground before it was raised. As a dedicated military man, allowing our flag, the symbol of freedom and all who died for our country, to touch the ground was not acceptable. Jim arranged a meeting with the HS principal and explained this task required more than one person and the FLAG program was born. Years later, over 200 schools in 17 states have FLAG programs that teach students the proper way to raise, lower and fold the American flag. President John thanked Sgt. Rodriquez for his program and informed him that a donation to the WFISD Foundation would be made in his name. The Four Way Test was then recited and then it was out the door. |
August 1, 2024 Spokesman
The bell was wacked at 12:06 by pinch hitting Vice-President Greg Brownfield. Brother Dave Hartman led us in prayer and yours truly led the Pledge and singing of “America the Beautiful” followed by our Rotary greeting song. Tommy Richardson brought guest Dr. Lowell Harvey to the meeting. Lowell’s visit to our club adds a special meaning and importance to today’s program, “D-Day’s Bloody Omaha” as his father died in battle on the beach only months before Lowell was born. Lowell’s father is buried in the American Cemetery in Normandy, France. Other club visitors were July Day, North Club and Larry Petrash, Iowa Park. Walter Coppage will be having surgery next Monday. Noros Martin grabbed the Brag Bucket collected a dollar from Larry Petrash but mercifully cut him off as Larry stated he is right at home in our club. You’re welcome here anytime Larrry. Andy Kocher stated his son, Sam an IT expert at United Regional, was helpful in restoring computer services at the hospital after the recent CrowdStrick disaster. Carla Dowlen reported her nephew was a champion at baseball camp. Lisa Stephens-Musick announced President John’s $18,000 Rotary Foundation challenge and urged all members to participate in the “Every Rotarian, Every Year” program. Member Spotlight feature Rod Tieken, a club member for 37 years and PHFx9. Rod has been married 46 years, has 3 daughters and 4 grandchildren. He is a professional insurance adjustor and prior door to door Bible salesman. D-Day’s “Bloody Omaha” was the program given by Dwayne Lee, from the Arlington Sunrise Rotary Club. Omaha Beach was the most heavily defended beach in the Day campaign. At low tide, the 6-mile-long beach was 300 yards wide and laced with land mines, barbed wire and mechanical obstacles. Above the 100-foot cliffs were 75mm and 88mm guns that covered the beach below. Allied bombers tried to clear the path on the beach but missed their targets. The morning battle was horrific and bloody. German gun batteries were moved and hidden causing even higher casualty rates. 9,389 American soldiers are buried in the American Cemetery, nest to the battlefield. The cemetery is American land with US military maintenance. There are ceremonies at sunrise and sunset with taps and 21 gun salute every day. This was a very interesting and informative presentation. We should all remember young Mr. Harvey and all the other soldiers who lost their lives at Omaha Beach keeping us safe. We recited the Four Way Test, we were out the door. |
July 18, 2024 Spokesman
New President John Mayfield started our meeting with a solid gong to the bell at 12:12. The invocation was given by David Hartman with the Pledge and song by Cara Sauceda. Arnold Oliver and David Kelley had recent birthday celebrations and several Perfect Attendance Awards were made: Andy Kocher - 18 Years David Kelly - 10 years Bill Miller - 17 years Jackie Lebow - 25 years Noros Martin choreographed the Brag Bucket starting with a Thank You to John for being this year’s Club President. Jackie Lebow stuffed the bucket with a generous gift to our club by a subscriber on their Flag Route. The Sheppard AFB paper recognized the scope of our club’s Fund Raiser Flag Program which is supported by many airmen at the base. Noros Martin announced his daughter’s award as a top realtor in Fort Worth and President John recognized Josh Phillips for continuing as Program Director. We had a brief and very informative presentation on the Straight Street Program by JJ Schweiger and Angela Stahler. This group helps create a motivating Christian environment and programs for at risk youth, 11-18 years. The rates of crime, suicide and other deleterious issues for this group is surprisingly high. JJ said there are over 100,000 gang members and 10,000 gangs in Texas alone. Over 79,000 children are sex trafficked. Programs to help these young people are funded by a number of programs. President John then listed several Club Goals for 2024-2025: · Increase membership from 65 to 70 · Reach a contribution goal of $18,000 for the Rotary Foundation · Complete 3 Service Projects with at least 50 club members participating · Start an Interact Rotary Club at the new Memorial High School · Plan at least 6 social events for our club · Develop a New Member Sponsorship Program · Have 5 club members participate in Rotary Leadership Development · Encourage more participation in “Every Rotarian Every Year” Program · Remind club members of the matching Polio Plus / Rotary Fellow opportunity in our club. The 2025 Rotary International Convention will be held in Calgary, Alberta, a convenient 4-hour flight from DFW. Calgary is a beautiful city and Banff NP is only 90 minutes west on Hwy 1. Plus, Yoho NP is just across the provincial border in British Columbia. Numerous nice golf courses in the area to make the trip even better. Western Canada is quite pretty country. John rang the bell at 1:05 and that completed the meeting. |
July 11, 2024 Spokesman
A Story of Hope! Once upon a time, there was a small bird named Hope. Hope lived in a beautiful forest filled with tall trees and chirping birds. One day, a huge storm hit the forest, and all the trees were destroyed, leaving Hope without a place to call home. Hope flew from tree to tree, searching for shelter but found nothing. Despair began to set in, but then Hope remembered its mother’s words, “where there’s life, there’s hope.” Hope realized that even though its home was destroyed, it was still alive and could create a new home. Hope began to search for materials to build a nest. It found sticks, twigs, and leaves and worked tirelessly, weaving them together to make a cozy and safe home. As Hope worked, other birds in the forest saw its determination and came to help. Soon, a beautiful new community was formed, filled with hope and love. The sun shone brightly, and the flowers bloomed, filling the air with their sweet fragrance. Hope’s hard work and determination had paid off, and it was now living in a place that was even more beautiful than its old home. From that day on, Hope served as an inspiration to all the other birds in the forest. Whenever they faced a challenge, they thought of Hope and its unwavering hope and belief that things would get better. The forest became a place of peace, love, and happiness, all because of one little bird’s hope. Medium.com One fine day, a bus driver was driving his bus along the normal route. No problems for the first few stops, a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. But at the next stop, a big guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, “Big John doesn’t need to pay!” He then sat down at the back. The driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek. Naturally, he didn’t argue with Big John, but he wasn’t happy about it. The next day the same thing happened – Big John got on again and made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the one after that and so forth. This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could no longer stand it. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, “Big John doesn’t pay”, the driver stood up, glared back and screamed, “Why not?” With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, “Big John has a bus pass.” Be sure that there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one. Feel Positive Word Press |
July 4, 2024 Spokesman
If you missed the program on Thursday, June 20th, you missed a great program!! Leland Wetzel Founder and CEO of Xylo Bats was our speaker. Here is what I was able to find on his website: www.xylobats.com. It All Started with a Love for Baseball and A Prayer Founder and Owner, Leland Wetzel, grew up playing and loving the sport of baseball. The dream at a very young age was to play college ball, and possibly pro ball. After suffering shoulder injuries through his junior high years and eventually going through 2 shoulder surgeries, one during his sophomore year of high school, and the other during his freshman year of college, any baseball after high school was out of the question. Leland also grew up with a love for wood working, following in his grandpa and dad's footsteps, so he decided to put the love of baseball and woodworking together. In July of 2012, Leland thought of the idea to make a wood bat for his nephew who would be turning one year old in August of that year. After talking to his grandpa, they went and met up with a wood-turner who let Leland borrow his lathe to make the bat. When Leland pulled up to the man's house to make that first bat he sat in his car and prayed. The prayer was simple, but Leland had no idea what the Lord had planned for the future. Leland prayed, "Lord, if you want this to be a hobby for me or maybe something even more than a hobby, give me a passion for it". And He did just that. After making that first bat, he had to make more. The next few months involved extensive hours of learning about wood, best practices of wood-turning and testing bats. And Xylo Bats, LLC was created. The first batch of bat were created in his parent's garage, but he then moved into a small shed next to his house in Dean, TX for better convenience. This shed produced over 100 wood bats for the next couple of years and it created, what Leland believes, the most important part of Xylo Bats - The hardening process. Fast forward to October of 2016. Some great friends of Leland and his wife, Rachel, are from Minnesota, but stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX. After finding out about Xylo Bats, they mentioned that they had a connection with Minnesota Twins first baseman, Joe Mauer and asked if Leland could make a bat for them to take up to Joe. Of course, he jumped on the opportunity (especially because Leland grew up as a big fan of Joe's) made him a bat, as well as wrote him a letter explaining the company and asking Joe to give it a try if he was able to. Months went by before one day Leland received a text from his friend saying Joe loved the bat and is interested in talking about more for the season. Leland quickly made three bats to Joe's specs and got the opportunity to take the bats down to the Texas Rangers ballpark and hand deliver them to Joe in April of 2017. After hearing feedback from Joe and other players, we knew we had something special and needed to pursue this opportunity of growing Xylo. With quality being at the core of everything we did, we quickly began producing more bats and ended 2017 with producing 275 baseball bats. Growth did not slow down from there, in 2018 we became an approved wood bat company for professional play and produced 683 baseball bats within that year. In 2019 we doubled our production and produced 1,300 bats that shipped to all 50 states, as well as Canada, Germany and Australia. Xylo also was given the incredible opportunity in 2020 to become the official wood bat of the Miracle League. This gives us the opportunity to play a part in allowing people with special needs across the nation to play the great game of baseball. We couldn't be more excited to be a part of this awesome organization! We thank the Lord every day for allowing us to run a business that creates products for the great game of baseball and we can't wait to see what the future is going to hold for us. |
June 27, 2024 Spokesman
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June 20, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to start the meeting at 12:05 PM. She then invited Dave Hartman to lead the invocation, followed by the pledge and the song, "Smile, Sing a Song," led by Arnold Oliver. We had two guests attending the meeting: Mary Teague and Karen Hughes. Treston Teague and Jim Hughes introduced them. Karen is the lovely wife of our speaker today. During the meeting, David Hartman informed us that Shirley Craft was in hospice. Her husband Ken has appreciated the visitors, but at this time they ask to keep it to close family only. Please continue to keep Shirley in your prayers. Judy Koetter also requested prayers for her youngest son, Billy, who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. A few reminders: By the time you read this, we will have already had a successful Flag Day and the RSVP date for the Annual Party will have passed. Additionally, we will not be meeting on Thursday, July 4th. If you haven't filled out a committee preference sheet for the upcoming year, please contact Tina Williams or John Mayfield. During the Brag Bucket segment, Carol Murray collected money from Noel Filer, Cara Sauceda, and Rod Tieken. Noel announced the birth of her new granddaughter, Lily; Cara announced that her kids were attending church camp next week; and Rod bragged about his 6-year-old grandson's West Side All-Star Baseball team winning the city championship. The member spotlight featured Danny Steed. Danny gave a history of his upbringing, sharing stories about the many positions he held, his education, his marriage, and how he ended up in real estate for the last 48 years. Josh Phillips then introduced our program titled "The History of the WF Fire Department." Our fellow member, Donald Hughes, Chief of the Wichita Falls Fire Department, presented the program. The WF Fire Department (WFFD) initially started in 1891, based on Benjamin Franklin's Fire Department template. The department consisted of Captain John Zeigler and 36 volunteers. Chief Hughes informed the club about the early department's operations and location. It wasn't until 1907 that the city had its first paid fire department. Back then, firefighters would often demolish burning buildings to save surrounding structures. A burning building was practically considered a lost cause. This practice is entirely different from how fires are fought today. The oil boom of 1918 led to a rapid increase in construction, often bypassing building codes, which resulted in many fires. In 1920, the fire department became fully paid. Chief Hughes concluded his talk by discussing the department's current state. It has a budget of $21,602,550, with personnel being the largest expense. There are 52 rostered firefighters, with 41 on duty at any given time. He then discussed the new 2023 fleet, special operations, safety and training, the Fire Marshal, and Emergency Management. He ended the program by inviting questions. The meeting ended with Stacie presenting the speaker's gift and leading the club in the Four-Way Test. |
June 13, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie rang the bell calling the membership to order a few minutes past noon. Jon Dearolf than came to the podium and offered the invocation. Following Jon’s prayer, Arnold Oliver led us in the pledge to the flag and then had us step back in time a little with the singing of “The Band Played On”. Written in 1895 this song became a pop standard with many artists covering the song. One of the most famous recordings was by Guy Lombardo’s orchestra in 1941 where it reached Billboard magazine’s best seller list. Afterward we greeted our fellow members and then our visitors for the week were announced. Noros introduced his bride, Dee Ann and Shonette Adams-Harris was visiting as the guest of Bill Miller. Stacie then recognized several members who celebrated birthdays this past week; Danny Steed, Andy Kocher and Braden Wood. When each was asked what they hoped to accomplish in the coming year they all settled on “making it around the sun another time” would be the best gift. Happy Birthday Gents! For the Sunshine Report Cara shared that Shirley Craft remains in Hospice in Wichita Falls for pain management and the warmth and friendship of visitors might be welcome. Stacie then reminded us that our next flag day is next Friday, June 14th. She also said if you haven’t yet RSVP’ed for the annual Membership Dinner/Party please be sure to do so by June 13th so the committee will have a headcount for meal planning. Also, if you did not complete a committee preference sheet for the upcoming Rotary year, please contact Tina or John Mayfield. Lastly, Stacie announced that since July 4th falls on a Thursday this year, we will not have a regular membership meeting that day. Following the announcements Carol circled the membership seeking brags for the week. Alan Donaldson shared that his granddaughter was now 4 ½ years old and had just participated in her first dance recital. Jon Dearolf stood and thanked the Club for its support of the “I Can Bike” program that had just completed. He said each participant had received a new Trek bicycle and helmet and that was possible through the generosity of caring organizations and people. Josh Phillips bragged on the young men and women of the Wichita Falls Youth Symphony who joined us today and were going to later share their musical talents with us for the program this week. Walter Coppage then told us about the publication of a new book titled, The Day Nadine Thompson Sat Down, by Peggy Browning. He indicated the book was available on Amazon and according to that website, the book is about the fictional character, Nadine Thompson, and her reaction to the 2022 tragedy in Uvaldi, TX. Glenn Tarter then came to the podium as this week’s Member Spotlight. Before its sale, Glenn was a founder of Pinnacle Network Solutions and shared that he had started Pinnacle to provide fast, reliable internet services to rural areas that weren’t being served by larger companies. He said he and his wife, Beth, have five children and are blessed with 16 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Something we may not have known about Glenn is that he is quite the runner; logging over 2000 miles a year! He’s also run in 10 marathons and competed in the Boston Marathon twice! Josh then introduced Janelle Olson, the Executive Director of the Wichita Falls Youth Symphony for our program for the day. Janelle gave us a brief update on the Youth Symphony indicating it had started in Wichita Falls in 1992. She said that her own love of music grew because she had the opportunity to participate in a youth symphony when she was growing up. She believes strongly that music is the international language and shared a story that she had gone with an orchestra on a trip to South Africa where they had played in a small village where most of the people had never even seen the type of instruments such as violins and cellos that the orchestra played. After they finished playing the villagers, ranging in ages from a 5 to 95, all gathered and started singing a cappella songs from their home land. Janelle said there was not a dry eye from any of the orchestra members and it just proved her point that music is a fabulous way to communicate. She explained that a benefit to the local Youth Symphony is the apprenticeship program it offers. Under this program, students receive five free lessons with a symphony orchestra mentor and then they get to sit with their mentor during an actual Wichita Falls symphony performance. Following her opening remarks, Janelle introduce the Youth Symphony String Ensemble who then came on stage to perform several selections for us. They started with a folk song from the American South, entitled, “All the Pretty Little Horses”, followed by two excepts from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” concerto. The group concluded with a selection by Mendelssohn which translates to “Lord Grant us Peace”. All were beautifully performed. Stacie thanked Janelle and the members of the ensemble who shared their talents with us and told them that a donation to the WFISD Foundation would be made in their name. With no other business to come before the membership, we recited the Four-Way Test and adjourned. |
June 6, 2024 Spokesman
Vice President Cara Sauceda filled-in for President Stacie this week calling the membership to order at noon. Dr Dave Hartman than came to the podium and before offering the invocation, he informed everyone that bad weather had forced Stacie and her family to be delayed in Denver today and that he also had spoken with Shirley Craft and she allowed him to share that she is in hospice for pain management. Following Dave’s prayer, Cara led us in the pledge to the flag. Since we had just completed our first flag day of the year, we followed the pledge by singing George M Cohen’s patriotic march, “You’re a Grand Old Flag”. For you history buffs, Cohen wrote the song in 1906 for his stage musical, George Washington, Jr., and it quickly became the first song from a musical to sell over a million copies of sheet music. Afterward we greeted our fellow members in our usual fashion and introduced the visiting guests for the week. Bill Miller brought Shonette Adams-Harris as his guest and Cara had her son, Lenox, and daughter, Penelope, visiting today. We had no birthdays for the week and for the Sunshine Report Cara thanked the membership for their thoughts and prayers as she embraces some lifestyle changes associated with her recent diabetes diagnosis. For announcements, Cara reminded us that we only have two weeks until our next flag day where we will be honoring that “Grand Old Flag” on Flag Day, June 14th. The membership was also reminded to RSVP for the annual year-end Membership Dinner/Party by June 13th. Following the announcements Carol came around with the Brag Bucket. Noros Martin started things off this week by highlighting that Colton and his family were highlighted in the June edition of the Falls Town Neighbors publication. Lance Spruiell bragged that his wife is now a “retired” school teacher – Congrats! Andy told us about his 10-year-old grandson and how their baseball team had fought their way to the championship game in their league’s division and finished second in the league’s overall standings. Dave Hartman then took the opportunity to brag on all city public servants by sharing a recent situation where a road crew had responded to a fallen tree branch that had blocked a roadway and how the crew made short work of clearing the branch and re-opening the roadway. Finally, Glenn Tole bragged on his granddaughter who will be attending Texas A&M and was the recipient of a $20K scholarship! – Well done! Cara then introduced Ms Jeanette Charos and Alisha Hagler from Downtown Wichita Falls Development to present our program for the afternoon, an update on “What’s Happening in Downtown”. Jeanette is the Marketing Director and Alisha, the Program Director for Downtown Development. Jeanette jumped right in and told us that downtown with its two historic districts will have a brighter future thanks to new street lights being installed from 5th to 9th street. She said the downtown street lights haven’t been updated in 30 years and these will overhang the street and the sidewalk for safety. She then went on to explain that Downtown Development is a 501C3 organization; i.e, a non-profit organization, and they promote economic development using 4A tax funds. She also indicated that the Alamo School Lofts are now open, and that downtown apartment living has become very popular with MSU students. Jeanette said the average fully furnished apartments downtown rent for about $650 per month. She then explained more about Downtown Development’s charter and said they provide marketing services to downtown businesses through photography, website, social media and special events. She also added they sponsor programs to teach new skills to downtown business owners and outreach to the community. Jeanette went on to describe some of the projects where Downtown Development has been involved. These included the historical preservation of the Zales building and the current restoration of the Keller building. They also added benches and trash receptacles along downtown sidewalks and created additional green space with fun seating areas around the WFTX sculpture and added additional lighting. Besides projects, Downtown Development also has several programs they sponsor for downtown businesses and the community. Among these program offerings are the Downtown Wichita Falls Farmers Market on Ohio Street; “Take it Outside”, a picnic series in Park Central; and “Movies at the Market.” One of the most successful programs has been the monthly Artwalks, which brings about 6 – 8 thousand people to the downtown area on the first Thursday evening of each month from April through October. Jeanette, whose life motto is to leave things better than you found it, challenged us that if we don’t like something … get involved and change it. She said downtown is not just abandoned buildings anymore and her desire is to bring Civic Pride back to Downtown Wichita Falls. She then took questions from our members and closed by inviting members to a fundraiser for Downtown Development this Saturday, June 8th at 6 p.m. called “Pianos in Paradise” at the Farmer’s Market. The highlight of the event will be a dueling pianos performance by Fun Pianos!. Check them out on their website: https://duelingpiano.com Cara thanked Jeanette and Alisha for their presentation and presented them with our usual speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation and then she led us in the Four-Way Test followed by our adjournment. |
May 30, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie called the meeting to order and asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. Dave very appropriately used this time to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many that enable us to enjoy a Memorial Day holiday. Following the prayer, Stacie led us in the pledge and then we sang “Thank You for Being a Friend” in the style from the Golden Girls sitcom theme song. Afterward we greeted our fellow members in our usual fashion and introduced the visiting guests for the week. Bill Miller’s son, Bill Miller was visiting along with Ms Mary Helmick, the guest of Alex Pappas and Carol Murray introduced Nancy Brown. We had no birthdays for the week and for the Sunshine Report Stacie reported that John Deason’ mother-in-law had passed away. President Elect John Mayfield informed the membership that a memorial service for the young pilot that was fatally injured in an aircraft mishap on May 13th at Sheppard Air Force Base will be held the day after Memorial Day, May 28th at First Baptist Church. There will be a 21-gun salute and a 4-aircraft flyover performing the missing man formation following the service. For announcements, we were all reminded that Memorial Day is our first flag day and Andy asked that Flag Captains review the number of flags they have on their trailers for any extra flags as some teams will need more flags this year. John Mayfield then took a few moments to let the membership know that committee preference sheets had been distributed and he encouraged the members to sign-up for committees they would be interested in serving on for the coming year. The Brag Bucket came out next with Carol at the helm. Walter Coppage shared that he had the honor of riding in the Santa Rosa Roundup Parade in Vernon and reminded everyone that he is a candidate for State Representative District 69 and spoke briefly about school vouchers. Benay gave an update on the Liberty Swing for Rotary Park indicating that the final payment had been made and the swing was being shipped from Australia. The Liberty Swing allows children in wheelchairs to experience the joy of swinging in the park. Unlike traditional swings, it is specifically designed for wheelchair users. James Hughes bragged that he had two daughters that each celebrated graduations and Lance Spruiell bragged on Kenny Weeks for coaching his granddaughter’s softball team, the Holiday “Red Hots” to a championship this year. Lance also indicated his grandson’s baseball team, the Holiday “Bombers” also were on top in their league. Stacie then introduced Mr Tim Short, Mayor of Wichita Falls as our speaker for the day. Elected in 2023, Short is the 42nd Mayor to serve the city. He spoke about the several topics where his focus resides beginning with the relationship between the community and Sheppard Air Force Base. The mayor indicated that half of all Air Force personnel come through Sheppard. He highlighted the SMAC (Sheppard Military Affairs Committee) as the link between the city and the base which provides an annual $3.2 billion in economic impact to the community. Sheppard was established in 1941 and has grown into the most diverse training installation for the Air Force. They provide technically trained airmen and combat pilots for the NATO alliance. The mayor reported that a group of city leaders just recently returned from a trip to the Nation’s capital where they met with Texas representatives. He indicated the trip was long overdue he will push to restore these annual trips to D.C. The leaders who recently visited returned with news of the potential that Sheppard will pick up five more Air Force school houses that would also benefit the local community as the base flourishes. He then went on to say the Chamber of Commerce is in great shape and he briefly discussed the economic development sales tax funds that are designated for specific types of projects to promote the city’s growth that are known as 4A and 4B monies. The mayor then switched to the downtown area of the city which he said continues to grow fueled with the addition of numerous affordable apartments. The mayor indicated these are quite popular with MSU students. He also highlighted the two new high schools and said these are the type of things that attracts new businesses to the area. He also pointed out that the gauge that businesses use when relocating is commuting time and in Wichita Falls you can be most anywhere in about 12 minutes – and that’s even during rush hour! Mayor Short wrapped up his remarks indicating the city would be re-looking at lake levels and the Stage 1 drought restrictions. He indicated that the day that the lakes rose to a level that would have taken the city out of the watering restrictions it was also 95 degrees so he hopes that continued rainfall and runoff will increase the lake levels. He then spoke about the Lake Ringgold project saying that numerous water alternatives were explored for the city but the lake is the only viable option. He said the city is going through the permitting process now with the Army Corps of Engineers who are next in the approval chain. These approvals, if issued, will give the City the authority to start construction of the lake reservoir. This entire process could take 15 to 20 years to complete. Even with this timeline, the Mayor indicated that we are building this lake for our grandchildren and he does not want to say years from now that we should have taken action when we have a plan in front of us now. After responding to several questions from the members, Stacie presented the Mayor with our usual speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation and then she led us in the Four-Way Test followed by our adjournment. |
May 23, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie called the meeting to order and asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. Cara Sauceda then led us in the pledge to the flag and because we were not in the ballroom this week for our meeting we had no piano accompaniment for our song. Nonetheless, we ventured onward with Cara leading us in an a capella rendition of “My Favorite Things”, written by Rodgers and Hammerstein and made famous in their production of “The Sound of Music”. Afterward we greeted our fellow members and guests. Judy Koetter introduced her granddaughter Adyson and Cara introduced her son, Lenox and daughter, Penelope, who joined her today. For the Sunshine Report Stacie reported that her sister, Sheila, was “on the mend” following her recent surgery. She then reminded everyone that our first flag day is Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th which is quickly approaching -- only 11 days away. She indicated that at next week’s meeting we’ll all sit with our respective flag teams. Colton Heinrich than announced that our Annual Membership Dinner will be held June 27th at the Kemp Center for the Arts. Colton teased us with a hint that the event will have a musical theme in recognition of our Madam President Stacie. Reservations are due by 13 June and there is a $30 cost for each guest. Tori Smith, the Director of Programs for the Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club then introduced the Youth of the Month, Dawade Anderson. Dawade is an Honor Roll student in 7th grade and was runner-up for valedictorian in his class. His favorite subject is English and he aspires to be a political lawyer. Cara presented Dawade with a certificate and monetary gift recognizing his achievement. Carol Murray then offered the membership the opportunity to donate to the “brag” bucket and share their boasts for the week. Noros told us that he and Dee Ann were blessed with the birth of their 3rd Great Granddaughter and Judy Koetter bragged on her grandson, Steven’s graduation from high school. Dave Hartman then came to podium and offered the Member Spotlight. David spoke about a couple of his friends during the years that he benefitted from having known. He started with David Martin who had brought him into the club and reflected on how he had recently performed the service for his friend’s passing. He also remembered another good friend and fellow Rotarian, Rick Orr who we lost on December 10, 2021. He spoke of the Goodness, Graciousness and Love that he had benefited from knowing both of these individuals and how grateful he was to have called them friends. He spoke of the journey he has taken and the encouragement from the Persian poet, Rumi, that went like this, “Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come.” Definitely a thought-provoking spotlight – thank you David. Josh then introduced Mr Scott McGee, Wichita Falls Recreation Service Administrator. Scott’s presentation focused on the Wichita Falls Parks Master Plan. He explained that there is an effort now underway to re-do the master plan for the city’s Parks and Recreation. The purpose of the master plan is to create a roadmap to guide short and long-term priorities for the parks and recreation system. As part of the planning process, an assessment of existing conditions and future needs will be conducted to identify opportunities for improvements to existing amenities and the need for new or additional amenities and facilities. The current plan is from 2010 and in that plan, there were 31 priorities but only 4 have been completed in the past nearly 15 years. Scott explained that the Master Plan process is a 12-month effort that started in November 2023. There are 6 phases to the process and the effort is in phase 3 now which is “Community Engagement”. Community input opportunities will be available throughout the process and will be publicized through various advertising efforts as well as on the project website. To get things started there is a public survey going on now through May 31st and is available at: Scott went on to explain that it is recommended that an update to a master plan be completed every five years and a new plan adopted every 10 years to keep up with community growth, development/redevelopment, shifting demographics, and emerging trends. He explained that in comparison to other cities the size of Wichita Falls, our city lags. For instance, he pointed out that we do not have a Recreation Center or an Aquatic Center. He pointed to the pool in Lucy Park as reaching it’s golden anniversary this year; i.e, it’s 50 years old. There are several bright spots in the city though. The Rotary Park Playground was cited as an example as was the Sports Complex with artificial turf that allowed for sporting events to be held there. Due to the usage of the complex, the cost of the turf was paid for in just a year and a half. Tennis and Pickleball courts are also producing more revenue now than they have in the past 30 years. And the city’s 50-Plus Zone has been named one of the best in Texas. Scott concluded his presentation by again asking for participation in the Master Plan survey saying it is the intent of the Master Plan to be based on the community’s needs instead of what the city can afford and to provide a better quality of life regardless of economic standing. Stacie presented Scott with our usual speaker’s gift of a donation to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation and then led us in the Four-Way Test followed by our adjournment till next week. At the conclusion Stacie thanked Scott and indicated a donation would be made in his name to the Wichita Falls ISD Foundation. Before we closed, Carla told us she was going to be out next week so she took a few minutes before we adjourned to highlight Brady Woolsey and Lance Spruiell’s Birthdays. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
May 16, 2024 SpokesmanPresident nominee Cara Sauceda called the membership to order shortly after 12 and asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. Cara then led us in the pledge to the flag and reflecting on the beautiful day, chose the very fitting, “This Land is Your Land” as the vocal selection. Afterward we greeted we greeted our fellow members and guests. We had several guests with us today. Andy Kocher introduced two fellow Rotarians visiting from the Southwest Rotary Club, Mr Jacob Fields and Mr Mike Mitchell, president elect of the club. Alan Donaldson introduced his guest, Mr Jerry Faught, visiting from Wayland Baptist and Alex Pappas introduced a prospective new member, Ms Mary Helmick. James Hughes then recognized Richard Boyd’s birthday that had been postponed from the previous week. For the Sunshine Report Dave Hartman passed along that President Stacie’s sister, Sheila, was recovering well from her scheduled surgery earlier in the week and that Stacie was spending some time helping her during the recovery. Cara then returned to the podium with a few announcements for the membership beginning with we are only 18 days away from our first Flag Day (Monday, May 27th). On that note, John Deason, demonstrated how he uses an auger drill bit that is used for planting to clean out the flag sleeves that have become filled with dirt during the winter. Cara also informed the members that we would meet in a different room other than the ballroom in the Forum next week. Flag co-chairs, Andy and Steve Priester asked to meet with all flag captains following the meeting and the Service Excellence Committee also met afterwards for a quick after-action meeting. Carol Murray then stepped into action with the brag bucket offering the members the opportunity to share their boasts for the week. Norris used his brag donation to start some good-natured ribbing with an observation about Dave Hartman’s hair stylist. Then Cara offered that the Boys and Girls Club would be hosting their “Friends of Youth Golf Tournament” on May 20th at the Wichita Falls Country Club. Carol told us that Crime Stoppers was having their 28th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament on May 24th at Champions Course at Weeks Park. Carol also shared that she was going to be donning a hat and gown as she is conferred a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. Lastly, Austin Green returned last week’s brag about him by Colton, bragging that Colton is an avid runner and is actually in training to run a marathon. Our presenter for the program scheduled for today was unable to appear so David Spencer “pinch hit” with another outstanding presentation of his photographic memories of a recent trip he took. David shared with us some of the most beautiful images he observed during a 13 day sailing trip he took with his son exploring the fjords of Scoresby Sund, Greenland. From the opening of David’s presentation, it quickly reminded us of that Iceland is “green” and Greenland is “ice”. David’s stunning photography of icebergs, mountainous terrain with polar bears, muskox and images of the aurora borealis gave us a glimpse into the beauty of this harsh terrain. Transportation for this Arctic trek was a 22-meter steel hulled ketch named the “Tilvera”. The sailing vessel had a cruising speed of 8 knots (that’s a little more than 9 miles per hour) and carried 10 passengers and a crew of 3. David said it got to be quite “cozy” on-board and everyone had to share in the sailing duties. David himself got to steer the vessel and indicated it takes some practice to keep the sails full of air to maximize the sailing efficiency of the vessel. When sailing through the fjords, David indicated the waters were mostly calm but as they returned to their debarkation port the seas swelled and seasickness became the call of the day for most the passengers – David likened the experience to a “state fair ride” that lasted for hours! The sailing excursion took them to Northeast Greenland National Park which is the world's largest national park. My research indicates the park is bigger than 166 of the world's 195 countries!! Their trip also took them to the Husavik Whale Museum where David showed photos of the skeletal size of some of the world’s largest marine mammals. David’s photography brought to life the barren beauty of this region that most of us may only get to experience through the lens of a skilled photographer. Thank you David – great presentation. At the conclusion of the slide show, Cara thanked David and indicated a donation would be made in his name to the Wichita Falls ISD. We then closed the meeting with the Four-Way Test. |
May 9, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie called the membership to order and asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. Then Treston Teague stepped in as the “guest” leader of the pledge and song. Following our promise of allegiance to the stars and stripes, Treston chose, “You Are My Sunshine” as the day’s musical number. This was followed by our usual meeting and greeting of fellow members and guests. We had two guests with us today. Andy Kocher introduced Tammy Hughes from Union Square Mortgage Department and Dave Hartman introduced his guest, Ms. Sue Harrington. Richard Boyd had a birthday this past week, but he’ll be recognized at next week’s meeting. For the Sunshine Report President Stacie informed us that her sister, Sheila Owen, will be undergoing surgery this week and asked that we lift her sister up in our thoughts and prayers during this time. Then it was “Brag Bucket” time with Carol Murray. Before starting the brags, the “mystery” of the missing brag bucket was solved after it was revealed that the bucket was undergoing a face lift; i.e, being redecorated. But bucket or no bucket, Carol managed to encourage several brags this week. If I missed your brag, my apologies – here’s the ones I captured; Dave Kelley started off the brags, then Treston had a brag for each of his four kids, Stacie bragged on her son starting his first day of work and Colton bragged on Austin Green for competing in and finishing the Ironman Texas challenge. The Ironman consisted of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike race, and a 26.2 mile run – very impressive Austin! Our program for today was the presentation of our club’s first “Service Above Self” Award. Stacie had co-chairman of the Service Excellence Committee, Jeremy Woodward, come forward and explain the award. Jeremy indicated this award highlights a single first responder in our community who embodies the idea of “service before self”. Community law enforcement agencies, fire departments and ambulance services were invited to submit candidates for the award. Before turning the podium over to Dave Hartman for a biographical sketch of the winner, Jeremy announced that this year’s recipient of the Service Excellence award was Officer James Lindeman of the Wichita Falls City Police Department. After a standing ovation for Officer Lindemann, Dave Hartman highlighted our honoree and his guests, Ms Kaylee Choate and his mother, Ms Rebecca Lindeman. Officer Lindeman hails from Windthorst, Texas and grew up with his parents instilling in him a strong work ethic at an early age. After high school he joined the U.S. Army where his service took him to Central America where his mission was to assist those who had been devastatingly affected by natural disasters. One of his most impactful jobs was turning salt water into drinking water for people in that area. As he was nearing the end of his service commitment he was promoted to Sergeant and his superiors tried to convince him to stay in the Army. However, James aspired to become a law enforcement officer, although he did continue his service by joining the Army National Guard as a recruiter for the North Central Texas region. Like his other pursuits, James excelled as a recruiter and in 2020 was named the National Guard Recruiter of the Year for the region. When the opportunity to attend the Police Academy happened, he jumped at the chance and was accepted as a cadet. Upon becoming a police officer he found himself serving those who were afflicted with addiction and those affiliated with gang activity. Drawing on his faith and his belief in humanity, James displayed a real talent in helping those in desperate situations and helping them turn their lives around and acting as a “big brother”. He cites the fable of the wolf and the sheepdog that guards the helpless sheep. The wolf is dangerous and cunning, but the sheepdog is vigilant in its duty to serve and protect its flock. The sheepdog is outnumbered by the pack of wolves, but he stands in the way -- ever watchful of the danger. After receiving the award, Officer Lindeman, thanked his family for setting the example of having good ethics and morals. Several members of the Wichita Falls Police Department were also in attendance to support Officer Lindeman. His sergeant appreciated the club for recognizing James and said this type of recognition early in his career will benefit him as he continues his police service. Alan Donaldson took just a moment following the program to highlight the programs for the next three weeks as being good opportunities to showcase the club to guests who might be interested in becoming members. Then Stacie led us in the Four-Way Test followed by the adjournment. |
May 2, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 12:08 PM, followed by an invocation by Dave Hartman. Stacie led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and the song, "Edelweiss." During "R-O-T-A-R-Y," members mingled and greeted one another. During the Sunshine Report, Dave Hartman reported that the service for past member David Martin went well. It was announced that a contribution was made to his memorial on behalf of the Rotary Club. Stacie also mentioned her sister was having emergency back surgery. We wish her well. A couple of quick announcements: The end-of-year party will be on Thursday, June 27th, the last Thursday in June. There will be no lunch meeting that day. Additionally, the club is seeking students between their junior and senior year to attend RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). During the Brag Bucket segment, Carol Murray collected money from Jason Stewart and Will Goodner. Jason bragged on Colton Heinrich for running the OKC Marathon and Austin Green for participating in Ironman Texas this upcoming weekend. Will bragged about the Rider High School Students and the STUDs for building the new Habitat House on 1803 Britton Street. This week's program, titled "Wichita Falls Miracle League," was introduced by Josh Phillips. Our guest speaker was Jason Stewart. Jason began by sharing his story of involvement with the Miracle League. His son, Judson, was born with a rare condition, the first diagnosed case in the United States and the third in the world. After Judson's birth, they were rushed to Cook's Children's Hospital. After 46 days, they received the news that Judson would live. He has 13 formal diagnoses and requires care from 16 specialists. Jason described the challenges Judson faced as an infant, including difficulty breathing and eating. The Miracle League provides Judson with the opportunity to be a boy and play a sport, something that means everything to him. Jason then continued by outlining the history of the Miracle League. It originated with the Rockdale Youth Baseball Association in Metro Atlanta, starting with 120 athletes. The program quickly spread across the world, now serving over 450,000 athletes worldwide. The Miracle League typically operates under the umbrella of another non-profit organization. In April 2009, the WF Junior League brought the Miracle League to Wichita Falls. It is now part of the YMCA and boasts 8 teams and 125 athletes. Jason began volunteering for the Miracle League in 2019. They were in the midst of a capital campaign when COVID hit. Despite the challenges, they were able to raise $80,000 and update the field by the stadium. The Miracle League season consists of six weeks. Consider attending a game to cheer on the athletes! They offer free admissions and concessions, they have special guests, and "buddies" who assist the athletes on the field. In 2023, the program rebranded as the Adaptive Sports League, expanding opportunities for athletes to participate in year-round activities. These include baseball, gymnastics, bowling, kickball, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, and bike riding. Jason concluded the program by discussing their new initiative, iCan Bike. This week-long camp offers daily 1-hour, 15-minute sessions that teach individuals of all ages with special needs how to ride a bike. The program boasts an 80% success rate, and all campers get to keep their bike and helmet at the end. This program equips participants with valuable transportation skills for the present and future. The meeting concluded with the speaker's gift presentation and the Four-Way Test. |
April 25, 2024 Spokesman
April 14, 2014 In a small village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.
They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag. Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. If you had to advise the girl, what would you have told her?
What would you recommend to the girl to do? The girl’s dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses one of the above logical answers. Well, here is what she did … The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. “Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.” Since the remaining pebble was black, it was assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one. Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think. Feel Positive Word Press
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April 11, 2024 Spokesman
March 23, 2016 The notice was posted next to the mailboxes in the apartment building Linda’d just moved into. It read: “A Mitzvah for Mrs. Green. Sign up to drive Mrs. G in #3B home from her chemotherapy treatments twice a month.” Mitzvah was a Hebrew word that means “to do a good deed”. As Linda wasn’t a driver, she couldn’t add her name. Linda’s grandma was always pointing out to her regarding how shy Linda was about letting people do things for her. “Linda, it’s a blessing to do a mitzvah for someone else, but sometimes it’s blessing to let someone do something for you.” Grandma would be shaking her head right now. Linda’s friends had offered to help her settle in after the moving men left, but Linda’d said she could manage. Letting them help would have interfered with her image of herself as a capable and independent girl of 21. Three weeks later, on the night of her final exam, the snow was falling steadily. Linda slogged through ocean of slush to the bus stop. For an hour, she craned her neck, praying desperately that a bus would come. Then she gave up. The wind at her back pushed her toward home. As Linda pulled grandma’s scarf more tightly around her neck, she seemed to hear the whisper: “Ask someone for a lift! It could be a mitzvah.” The idea had never really made sense to her. And even if she wanted to ask someone for a good deed, there wasn’t anyone on the street. As Linda shoved the door of her apartment building open, she found herself face to face with a woman at the mailbox. She was wearing a brown coat and had a set of keys in her hand. Obviously she had a car and she was going out. In that split second, desperation overcame pride, and with her breath coming out in white puffs in the freezing hallway, Linda blurted, “Could you possibly give me a lift?” She hurriedly explained, ending with, “I never ask anybody for a lift, but …” An odd look crossed the woman’s face, and Linda added, “Oh! I live in 4R, I moved in recently.” “I know,” the woman said. “I’ve seen you through the window.” Then after an almost imperceptible hesitation, the woman said, “Of course, I’ll give you a lift. Let me get my car key.” “Your car key?” Linda repeated. “Isn’t that it in your hand?” The woman looked down. “No, no, I was just going to get my mail. I’ll be right back.” And she disappeared upstairs. Linda was terribly embarrassed. But when the woman came back, she spoke so warmly as they plodded their way to a garage across the street that Linda stopped feeling uncomfortable. “You know the way better than I,” the woman said. “Why don’t you drive?” “I can’t” Linda said. Now she felt uneasy again. The woman just laughed and patted her on the hand, saying, “It’s not so important,” and then Linda laughed, too. “You remind me of my grandma,” Linda said. A slight smile crossed the woman’s lips. “Just call me Grandma Alice. My grandchildren do. And you are …?” As she maneuvered her car down the slushy street, Linda introduced herself. When Grandma Alice dropped Linda off, Linda thanked her profusely and stood there waving as she drove away. The final exam was a breeze. Asking Grandma Alice for help had loosened Linda so that after exam she was able to ask easily, “Is anyone going my way?” It turned out that while she’d been waiting for the bus every night, three of her classmates passed her apartment. “Why didn’t you say something before?” they chorused. Back home as Linda walked up the stairs, she passed Grandma Alice leaving a neighbor’s apartment. “Good night, Mrs. Green. See you tomorrow,” the neighbor was saying. Linda nodded to them and was four steps up the staircase before the name registered in her mind. Mrs. Green. The woman with cancer in 3B. “Grandma Alice” was Mrs. Green. Linda stood on the stairs, her hand covering her mouth. She had asked a person struggling with cancer to go out in a snowstorm to give her a lift to school. “Oh Mrs. Green,” she stammered, “I didn’t realize who you were. Please forgive me.” She turned back and Mrs. Green was looking at me. “May I tell you something?” Mrs. Green asked. Linda nodded slowly. “I used to be so strong,” she said, “I used to be able to do things for other people. Now everybody keeps doing for me, giving me things, cooking my meals and taking me places. It’s not that I don’t appreciate it because I do. But tonight before I went out to get my mail, I prayed to let me feel like part of the human race again. Then you came along …” |
April 4, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:06 pm. Jon Dearolf led the invocation. Arnold Oliver led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing God Bless America. Carla Dowlen introduced Vanda Keel and Donna Majewski as her guests today. Carla Dowlen presented Roland Ramsey with a book for his birthday. His birthday was the 16th of March. For the Sunshine Report, Stacie Cook’s grandmother is recovering after a stroke and will recover with no surgery, only medication. Yeah! For announcements, please remember that we will not meet at the Forum next week as our flag teams will be distributing door hangers. Dr. Dave Hartman presented an Easter Message to our club, The Six Loves of Scripture.
This is holy week. On Thursday, Maundy Thursday, Jesus was betrayed by Judas. On Friday, Good Friday, Jesus was crucified. On Saturday, Jesus body was laid in the tomb. On Sunday, Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead as he had said he would. Dr. Hartman mentioned Gloria Patri. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” I am. Ego. Such as, John 14:6, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. Every message from Dr. Hartman can turn out to be individualized to the one hearing it. What I heard may not be what the person next to me heard or understood. I thank God that Dr. Hartman is in our Rotary club, and I can hear him pray and speak. On conclusion of the program, Staci stated that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name of Dr. Dave Hartman for speaking with us today. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
March 28, 2024 Spokesman
Vice-President Cara Sauceda rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:04 pm. David Hartman led the invocation in the way that only he can. Arnold Oliver led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing ROTARY, that spells “Rotary”. There were no visitors or guests today and no birthdays. Nothing was reported for the Sunshine Report this week. Rotary’s storage container will be gone through, and some things will not be saved. Check with Andy if you think would like to help look and see if we need to save any items of our history. The Brag Bucket had Shirley Craft bragging on Cara Sauceda’s promotion at the Boys and Girls Club and Monica Horton bragged on Noros Martin being forward thinking and bringing the Better Business Bureau to Wichita Falls so many years ago, and for hiring Monica. Thanks Cara and thanks Noros. Today’s member spotlight is on John Deason. John and I are friends and are on the same flag team and I learned much more about John today. John was born in Olney and raised in Petrolia. In high school, John ran a backhoe working in the oil fields that paid enough that he drove an El Camino. John has 3 brothers and 1 sister and a close family. John is married to Laurie, and they have two grown children and 2 grandchildren. John has retired from the trucking business after 42 years. Hal Strother brought John into our Rotary Club in 2002. Thanks John. Lance Spruiell introduced our Youth of the Month, Haylee Maxwell. Haylee is 13 years old and is in the 8th grade at McNeil Middle School. She attends the Southwest Boys & Girls Club. Congratulations to Haylee. Benay Ayers then joined with John Deason to present a check for $5,000 to Terry Points, Parks Director for the City of Wichita Falls to add more improvements to Rotary Park. John and Benay have worked with Terry and the City of Wichita Falls to bring Rotary Park to where it is now and where it will be when the next swing is added, soon. When people like Terry, John and Benay decide to make a difference to Rotary Park, it happens. Josh Phillips introduced Becky Trammell with her program, Making Wichita County History. The Texas State Library and Historical Commission was created by the Legislature in 1909. In the middle of the Great Depression in 1936, the Texas Centennial Commission placed more than 1,100 markers and monuments around the state to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Texas Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of Texas. During the 1950’s and 1960's, pink granite monuments and grave markers were placed across Texas. The current Official Texas Historical Marker program dates to 1962. Becky referred to these as “History on a stick”. There are more than 16,000 state historical markers in Texas, Becky Trammell then displayed a slide with images of important people and events in Wichita County. John Hardin was a pioneer settler financier and philanthropist. He came to Texas in 1876 and to this area in 1879. Operating a store and owning extensive lands, he amassed a fortune and with his second wife, Mary, gave money for Hardin Junior College, Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene Christian College, Mary Hardin-Baylor College, and many others. Charley Lee Coe was an oil field driller in Burkburnett in 1923 when a neighbor’s house caught fire. Charley worked his way through the smoke-filled home and found Arnold and David, ages 3 and 1) trapped in a bedroom. Arnold was saved, but David and Charley died in the fire. Charley was awarded the Carnegie Gold Medal and a pension for his family for his brave actions. Charlye Ola Farris graduated from Booker T. Washington High School at age 15 as valedictorian and from Prairie View A&M College in 1948 at the age of 18. After a year of teaching, Charlye pursued her interest in becoming an attorney. Charlye received her law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and returned to Wichita Falls to practice law, becoming the first black to actively practice law in Wichita Couty. At Howard University, her class worked on the landmark racial desegregation case, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Joseph Sterling Bridwell moved to Wichita Falls in 1909 and went into the real estate business. By 1915, Bridwell began buying, selling, and trading oil leases. Bridwell also had a passion for ranching. In 1940, he sold the government 300 acres for one dollar which helped locate Sheppard Field here in Wichita County. He founded the Bridwell Foundation in 1949 which funds many charities and universities. On conclusion of the program, Cara explained that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in the name of Becky Trammell for speaking with us today. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
March 21, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:08 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with another outstanding, heartfelt prayer. Arnold Oliver led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing You’re a Grand Old Flag. Richard Boyd introduced his granddaughter Ada as a guest and David Kelley introduced his wife Debra. Norris Martin had a birthday and Carl Dowlen presented Pumpkin Bread to him and guests. Under the Sunshine Report, Dale Nelson, a 101-year-old veteran, fell and had two surgeries and is expected to go back to Presbyterian Manor. The Flag Program billing has gone out via email. Remember that on April 4th, there will be no Rotary meeting, but flag teams will spend that time putting out “Door Hangers”. Will Goodner brought a 2 x 4 (stud) to sign that will be part of a new Habitat for Humanity Home. The Brag Bucket was busy today and I know that I have left out someone and I apologize. Benay Ayers’ son, Kellen, celebrated his business, Cards & Culture, being open one year. Marvin Groves’s business, Marvin Groves Electric Co., Inc. celebrates 50 years in business and Marvin put in a one-hundred-dollar bill into the Brag Bucket. Jake Munholland and his wife Anne celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary on a low-key day. See their Facebook page for details. Both of Stacie Cook’s sons have learners permits to drive. Andy Kocher’s granddaughter is riding without training wheels. I am sure Carla’s nephew threw a lot of pitches in the games this past week and I figure he struck quite a few out. I think I heard that Richard Boyd’s granddaughter runs track and their track team won state. Today’s member spotlight is on Noel Filer. Noel joined Rotary in 1996. I first met Noel when she was with Red River Electronics, Inc., selling me Sharp calculators and typewriters. That was a few years ago. In 2011 Noel joined the YMCA as the staff lead on a capital project. In 2020, Noel joined United Regional as Foundation Director at United Regional Foundation. Noel has been married to Chip Filer for 33 years. She and Chip have two sons, a granddaughter and another granddaughter on the way. They met while in Leadership Wichita Falls. Noel leaves next month to walk the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) in Spain and Portugal. Josh Phillips tried to introduce our program, but the program wouldn’t have it. Steven Ulrick is with the Texas Ramp Project and Steven said that he will give his own introduction in the talk. The Kiwanis Club of Richardson, Texas in 1985 formed the Dallas Ramp Project as a 501(c)(3) and that has led to a statewide network of groups and individuals that keep the Texas Ramp Project going all around the state of Texas. The Texas Ramp Project builds wheelchair ramps using volunteer labor for anyone that needs one. Age, gender, religion, race, and ethnicity are never a concern. Their ramps are for anyone that needs one. Steven Ulrick gets help from SAFB, churches, civic groups, and others. Each ramp is ADA approved. The ramps are built with 2 x 6 lumber and decked with waterproof plywood decking. Handrails are also built into each ramp unless the individual doesn’t want or need the handrails. Steven builds ramps in Wichita Falls and surrounding areas. If you know of someone needing a wheelchair ramp, contact Steven Ulrick. The website is: www.texasramps.org. On conclusion of the program, Stacie explained that there will be a donation made to the WFISD Foundation in Steven’s name. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
March 14, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:06 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with another outstanding, heartfelt prayer. Arnold Oliver led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and in singing Daisy, Daisy. Daniel Fitzwater and Brad Rodgers were introduced as a guests of Alan Donaldson There were no birthdays this week. There was nothing reported for the Sunshine Report this week. Cara Sauceda attended PETS and has come back charged up after a great learning experience. Will Goodner brought a 2 x 4 (stud) to sign that will be part of a new Habitat for Humanity Home. Carla Dowlen bragged that her nephew pitched three strikeouts in the first five minutes of the season’s first game. Other members, Lance and Kenny bragged about children’s and grandchildren’s sports programs. Bob Hampton spoke of Camp Fire and the positive things that the organization has accomplished and is accomplishing today. Greg Brownfield was in the Member Spotlight. Gregg has been a Rotarian since 2016 when he bought a house from Norris Martin and was required to join Rotary. Greg is with the Boy Scouts of America and has four adult children. Scouting has been a way of life for Greg for 50 years. Gregg spoke of his family history coming from Ireland and finally starting the community of Brownfield, TX. Stacie Cook introduced our speaker, Fabian Medellin with the City of Wichita Falls Planning Department. He spoke about “Wichita Falls, A Review of Growth”. Fabian is a Wichita Falls native, graduating from Wichita Falls High School in 2004. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2011 and a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Southern California in 2021. He has six years of experience in the planning department of the City of Wichita Falls. He spoke of the 1979 tornado and that afterwards, the City of Wichita Falls implemented zoning laws. I remember that before that, the two largest cities in Texas without zoning laws were Houston and Wichita Falls. During his talk, he presented multiple slides: “The goal of Planning is to maximize the health, safety, and economic well-being for all people living in our communities.” The measures of growth are population, new home permits, commercial permits and traffic. The largest employers are Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls Independent School District and United Regional Health Care System. One Trick Pony is that straight line graphs equal stability, which is what we have in Wichita Falls. We need more college graduates to come back to Wichita Falls. We need more diversity in jobs. One thing that is positive is that planners talk to other planners in other cities and find out what works and what doesn’t work. The city planners can advocate for positive changes that will improve the quality of life in Wichita Falls. After the Four Way Test, we adjourned. |
March 7, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie masterfully gonged us to order at 12:05 PM. Jon Dearolf gave the invocation and David Spencer led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and an animated presentation as we tried to sing the theme from “Rawhide”. Our efforts were pretty embarrassing. We then greeted one another in our usual manner. Renee Hoke was our only visitor of the day. Renee was a guest of Shirley Craft. Next up Carla Dowlen recognized Jackie Lebow as this week’s birthday celebrant. Stacie reported that her son is finally out of his am cast. The only announcement presented was that the Service Excellence Committee needed to have a brief meeting at the conclusion of our regular meeting. Josh Phillips was next up and he presented a check from our club in the amount of $4831.44 to the Boys and Girls Club. Randy Cooper, the Executive Director accepted the check and reminded us that our Club’s involvement with the Boys and Girls Club dates to the founding of the club a mere 95 years ago. Carol Murray was next up with the Brag Bucket. She was successful in getting into the pockets of braggarts Monica Horton, Cara Herr-Sauceda, David Kelly, and Shirley Craft. Cara then stepped up to introduce the Boys and Girls Club 2024 “Youth of the Year”, Abigail Childers. Abbey has been a member of the Central Club for 8 years. She has participated in virtually all available activities at the Club and has become quite a leader. She assists the staff in many ways, including working behind the front desk and mentoring younger club members. Her leadership skills are evidenced by her numerous activities at Camp Graham Ball each summer and by the fact that she has been recognized as Youth of the Month on 8 occasions. She is a freshman at Petrolia High School where she participates in Marching Band. In preparation for her participation in the National Youth of the Year competition, Abbey used us a sounding board for her oral presentation. Like any of us would have been, she was a bit nervous, but she did a commendable job for the first time in making her speech. She told us of her desire to be a positive impact on the youth of America. She emphasized the confidence she has built in herself thanks to her Boys and Girls Club training and experiences. After a period of comments, followed by questions and answers, we adjourned with the Four Way Test. Rest assured that the Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club will well represented at the National Competition!!! CONGRATULATIONS ABIGAIL! |
February 29, 2024 Spokesman
A man was lost in the desert and dying of thirst. He stumbled on until he came to an abandoned house. Outside the deserted shack was a pump. He stumbled forward and began pumping furiously, but no water came from the well. Then he noticed a small jug with a cork at the top and a note written on the side: “You have to prime the pump with water. P.S. And fill the jug again before you leave.” He pulled out a cork and saw that the jug was full of water. “Should I pour the water down the pump? What if it doesn’t work? All the water will be gone. If I drink the water from the jug, I’m sure I will not die of thirst. But to follow the flimsy instruction and pour it down the rusty pump?” the man thought. He finally made up his mind. He proceeded to pour the whole jug of water down the rusty old pump and furiously pumped up and down. And … the water gushed out! He had all the water he needed to drink. He filled the jug again, corked it and added his own words beneath the instructions on the jug: “Believe me, it really works.” Sometimes we have to give it all away before we can get anything back. The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. – Pablo Picasso Feel Positive Word Press MIRACLE AT THE FRONT DOOR Her husband was away, the furnace was broken, and the front door was open. Did someone break in? Here in the Midwest, we’re used to frigid winters, but that morning seemed colder than usual. Maybe it was because my husband wasn’t sleeping next to me. He had gone out of town on a long trip. It was just me looking after our three daughters. We lived out in the country—no neighbors within shouting distance, and I felt vulnerable. At night I made sure to lock the doors and I prayed God would watch over us. I’d woken up shivering, with a pounding headache. It was really cold, even for our 170-year-old house. Did our furnace break down? I went downstairs to check. That’s when I saw that the front door was wide open! I shut it and cranked up the thermostat. I’m positive I locked that door last night. Did someone break in? I dashed upstairs. The girls were safe in their beds. I looked around. Nothing was missing. My teeth chattering, I waited for the furnace to kick in. It didn’t. The draft from the door must have blown the pilot light out. I didn’t know how to relight it. My husband usually took care of things like that. Why did he have to be gone for so long? I called the girls down to breakfast, turning on the oven and shoving the kitchen table near it for warmth. Once I got the kids off to school and I got to work, I phoned a furnace repairman. “I’ll take a look as soon as I can and call you,” he said. I got a call back a few hours later. “Your furnace has a leak,” the repairman said, in a tone that seemed to imply more than just a minor problem. “How soon can you fix it?” I asked, dreading another freezing night. “Ma’am, you don’t understand,” he said. “Your furnace is leaking carbon monoxide. That’s the type of thing you see on the news, where an entire family dies in their sleep. I’ll install a new furnace tomorrow. Until then, you’ll need to stay somewhere else.” Immediately I thought of the front door. If it hadn’t somehow gotten open to let the fresh air in… That breath of fresh air saved our lives—and it made an impression on my husband too. When he got home, he promised never to leave us for so long again. Feel Positive Word Press |
February 22, 2024 Spokesman
Our fearless presidential leader was back in the house!!! Ms. Stacie gonged the bell with the mallet at 12:06. Dr. Hartman lead one of his flocks of sheep to the Lord in Prayer once again. By the way, do you know why the angels told the shepherds about the birth of Jesus? If you think about it, the shepherds were the informing highway of it time because of the travels from one location to another. Dr. David Spencer lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and more verses of Working on the Railroad than most could remember. I did look around to some the Texas A and M fans to see if they were singing to the tune of the UT fight song. Carla Dowlen presented the birthday attendees with some swag. Colton Heinrich and Steve Priester both lapped the sun one more time. Shirley Craft was back in the room and welcomed us with her warm smiles and gratitude of the sent prayers. We were informed that Glenn Tole was sentenced to “time out” and had another directive from covid. A check was presented by Josh Phillips to Interfaith outreach services for $1,000.00 from our fund to provide services within the community and accepted by Chris Gossom. Carol Murray passed the brag bucket and Mr. Jon Dearolf received a check from the club presented to the YMCA for the Bicycle program to provide bikes and helmets to the organization. Benay Ayers reminded us that her” Mahomies” and “Swifties” once again made history with back to back “Super Bowl” wins. Josh Phillips introduced the program and Mr. Gonzalo Robles to speak about the “Café Con Leche” a training program that teaches the art of oral and communications skills. Mr. Robles is well qualified having served this country in many ways and has brought his skills to students in need of future entrepreneurs and wage earning opportunities in the adult world when the next generation is ready to make a difference. There were many statistics to back the information given and the most important one was a telltale sign that the program is working and making very many positive results among the students of the program. 5th grade and up top college students are making the greatest adjustment and producing great results. One thing that is prevalent, push the students to do better, make them reach out and accomplish something that they do not think is attainable; push the limit. A “C” in and advanced subject is better that an “A” in a regular subject. English seem to be the most important class. This must be known and understood to accomplish the other subjects. The average student spends 40 hours per week on social media; imagine if this time was spent learning and studying…..Todays teachers are overwhelmed with teaching and discipline of students, they must learn to hunt for more knowledge on their own time. I saw a presentation from a seminar while attending a Corps of Engineers meeting. “Did you Know” this is available on YouTube. If you are 1 in a million in China; there are 1,300 just like you. China will soon be the number one English speaking country in the world. 25% of India’s population in the highest IQ is greater than the entire population of the USA. Of the 2010 best paying jobs in the USA did not even exist in 2004. https://youtu.be/TwtS6Jy3ll8?si=bKDHDPYUkivkL1Lg Very informative, scary and old information about 2008. The meeting ended with the four way test and adjourned at 12:53. ** We need two more volunteers to take notes this Rotary year. April and June are currently open. If you would like to or be willing to take notes, please contact Mike Saville. ** |
February 15, 2024 Spokesman
Vice-President Cara Sauceda brought the meeting to order at 12:10. David Hartman announced that President Stacie is still under the weather and that Shirley Craft is healing slowly and is facing surgery. Please, let’s all keep these two ladies in our prayers. Dr. Hartman then led us in prayer and David Spencer led us in the Pledge and the singing of “God Bless America”. Colton Heinrich introduced his guest Matt Hoover and Alan Donaldson was the only birthday celebrant recognized. Next up was John Deason, who had the privilege of presenting Kenny Weeks with his Blue Badge. Cara put in a plug for the upcoming Boys and Girls Club Golf Tournament, to be held at the Wichita Falls Country Club on May 24,2024. Josh Phillips presented a check from our Club to Jason Stewart representing the YMCA Hike and Bike program. Josh Phillips then introduced our Valentine’s Day program, Dwight Ham. Dwight is a classical guitarist, who moonlights in a Country Band and also plays in a Jazz Band. Sounds pretty versatile to me. Dwight treated us to 7-8 Classical love songs that were quite relaxing. After a brief Question and Answer session, we closed with the Four Way Test at 1:00. |
February 8, 2024 Spokesman
In the absence of President Stacie, President-Elect John Mayfield brought us to order at 12:09. Before delivering his thoughtful prayer, David Hartman reminded us that Shirley Craft is still in need of our prayers and that President Stacie was on her way to the doctor seeking treatment. David Spencer led us in The Pledge and singing of “Home on the Range” . We then circled the room greeting each other. There were no guests or visitors today. Alex Pappas recognized birthday boys Josh Phillips and Dr. Sheldon Wang. There were several other celebrants who were not in attendance. Greg Brownfield had registration forms on each table for the Boy Scouts of America Golf Classic to be held at the Wichita Falls Country Club on April 8, 2024. Entry fee is $150.00 per person. Our Board presented a $1000.00 check to Will Goodner and Habitat for Humanity. Carol Murray passed the Brag Bucket. Today’s braggarts included Scott Manley, Lisa Stephens-Musick, and John Mayfield. Alan Donaldson was our spotlighted member today. He grew up in Knox City, then came to MSU and found that that was not his calling. He went to work for Wal-Mart. After a career of managing stores in numerous locations, including Ft. Worth, Cleburne, and the store here on Lawrence Rd., he retired from Wal-Mart and started his own State Farm Agency in 2017. Josh Phillips introduced the program “Success on the Spectrum” featuring Connie Jennings. Connie earned her Bachelor’s from MSU and her Master’s in Special Education from North Texas. SOS is considered the top ABA franchise in the country. They give specialized instruction to children who are not learning like their peers. They teach children how to learn. They work with children one on one to achieve their goals. Their long-term goal is to teach functional skills that help kids become fulfilled, confident adults in mainstream society. Our speakers gift this week goes to the WFISD Foundation. We dismissed with the Four Way Test at 1:00 Story of the turtles A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. Turtles, being naturally slow about things, took two years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Four years … five years … then on the sixth year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, “See! I knew you wouldn’t wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.” Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don’t do anything ourselves. FEEL POSITIVE WORD PRESS |
February 1, 2024 Spokesman
President Stacie gonged us to order at 12:08. David Hartman delivered the invocation and Cara Sauceda led us in song (My Country ‘tis of Thee). We then greeted one another as some of us sang ROTARY under our breath. Our guests included Angel and Jack, two Boys and Girls Club Interns, guests of Cara, Allen Glenn, guest of Brady Woolsey, and Dr. Sheldon Wang’s nephew who just graduated from Arizona State. Carla recognized birthday boys from November and December. Bob Hampton, November 30th and Walter Coppage, December 18th. In the Sunshine Report, we were told that Shirley Craft is back in the hospital and needs to be kept in our thoughts and prayers. Stacie informed us that her grandmother has recently had a stroke and has also battled COVID. Stacie also mentioned that she has sons with a broken hand and a broken face that seem somehow connected. Brady Woolsey announced that they are seeking participants for a golf tournament that is scheduled for February 8-10, 2024 at Next Level Golf on Wayne St. The tournament will benefit the WFISD Foundation. Alan Donaldson made mention of our Club’s push for new members and that future programs are now listed in the bulletin. Carol Murray then passed the brag bucket and was able to extract money from the pockets of Austin Green, Stacie Cook, and Benay Ayers. Cara returned to the front to introduce today’s program which featured the Dexter Interact Club. Representing the club were President Marie Pajoga and Vice-President Damian Nickel. These two, as well as most of the students at Dexter are kids of Air Force or foreign military personnel at Sheppard. They told us of a number of the Club’s projects. These included participating in our Rotary Club’s Food Bank drive, a boat race project that they did as part of a park clean up, a Halloween dress up week, Spirit Week and a Field Day Tye Dye event. They also participated in a Toy Drive-and wrapped the toys. An upcoming event planned is Humane Society field trip. The club currently consists of sixteen members. They meet weekly at 3:00 p.m. on Thursdays. Cara encouraged our members to get involved. They would also appreciate any donations to their snack fund that can be brought to our meetings and given to Cara. Our weekly donation will go directly to the Dexter Interact Club. We closed with the Four Way Test at 12:50. |
January 25, 2024 Spokesman
Sometime around noon Thursday 18 January, 2024 (failed to look at my time keeping devices) the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls came to attention with Vice President, Cara Sauceda taking command in the absence of President Stacie Cook who was absent due to caring for her Grandmother. Cara brought Dr. David Hartman came to the front for our invocation. Cara then led us in the pledge and a singing of the ever so popular Edelweiss. The following visitors were introduced: Dee Ann Martin, wife and guest of Noros; Kathy Tegtmeyer, wife and guest of Larry; Brian Darland, guest of Alan Donaldson; and Sam Pak, guest of David Kelley. We did not have any birthdays celebrated today. Dave Hartman informed us that Shirley Craft was in the hospital, and we are wishing her well. Walter Coppage was in the house after a stint with covid and his wife is getting better as well. Alex Pappas has been researching fundraising ideas. An announcement was made the local blood supplies are reaching a critically low level and we were asked to investigate visiting the blood center for a donation. Carol Murray passed the brag bucket and was able to pull a few dollars out of the members pockets. The youth of the month was present before the club by Kenny Weeks, Ms. Kalecia Peterson, who is attending Hirschi High School. She was present with her grandparents and Rick Taylor. She would like to attend the University of Texas and pursue Pediatrics Psychology and provide help in navigating through the trials of life that we have all been presented. Josh Phillips introduced our speaker, Wichita Falls own, Representative James Frank, who has proudly represented us and about 200,000 of our closest friends for the past 11 years. He represents 14 counties and leads us through the maze of government legislation and laws that affect us all. He went through Texas A and M system of higher education. James and his wife have 6 sons and 2 granddaughters. One of his present jobs is part time yet very demanding. 140 days every two years and has the monthly legal tender of $600.00 per month. You all have a of gaining the privilege of attaining this wage and duties. Mr. Drew Springer has decided not to represent his area again and leaving a vacant slot that Is being chased by at least 4 candidates at this time. Representative Frank brought us up to speed on a few items that started out in the few of thousands that were considered in the 140 day work sessions. Property taxes which have gone down due to some money shifting, of which the oil and gas industry which we all in Texas love pays about 14 to 15 % of the budget. The attempt to explain the education funding which requires an abacus, a slide rule, and an AI NASA computer was needed to figure the numbers was needed to split up the dollars that are generated partly by the popular gambling monies generated by this ever so popular Texas Lottery System. Buy your tickets early and often!!!. The North Texas State Hospital Wichita Falls Campus is going to receive funding for a new 200 bed facility to replace and upgrade the facility and bring it closer to a more tenant friendly usable building. Bringing a boost to the local economy. The State Franchise Tax is to be eliminated for small companies that range in sales from 1 to 2.5 million dollars. And the ever so controversial subject of Lake Ringgold, which a judge has ruled as “shown as not needed”. There were a few items that were presented that added to the side of not needed, we spent about 20 Million on a RO (Reverse Osmosis plant) for Lake Kemp which is larger than Lake Arrowhead. We received funding for the world-famous wastewater recovery system. This process has been studies by many other parts of the world, and they have visited Wichita Falls to see this process some from the middle east. Texas Tech is also teaching this process in engineering classes, and water recovery which is becoming and ever so important process of sustainable importance. Representative Frank also welcomed each of you to join his newsletter that is emailed out and is attainable by visiting his web page: www.house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=69 The Club Meeting ended with the Four Way Test |
January 18, 2024 Spokesman
Exactly 12:03 according to the internet time on my phone, the bell was rung by our illustrious president Stacie Cook, who has made partner and COO at Crossvine Financial. CONGRATULATIONS to Stacie!!! This also is to CONGRATULATE Treston Teague as also made partner in the Crossvine Financial world. CONGRATULATIONS Treston!!!! Our own ever so reverent Dr. David Hartman once again delivered a timely prayer for all of us members and all of our many guests. We enjoyed the music by Ms. Susan Cusenbary. Stacie and her beautiful voice lead us in “America the Beautiful”. Mr. David Hartman also introduced his guest. The meeting was also attended by some of the past recipients of the great honor of Outstanding Citizen of the Year. Such as; Roby “HHH” Christie, Mr. Glenn “Top Cop, ex officio Mayor, SMAC” Barham, Ms. Nancy “ever so gorgeous” Brown, Mr. Howard “MSU/LSU” Farrell, and Mr. Jim “Retired Train Engineer” Hughes. The Sunshine report was Mr. Bob “Civil War General” Hampton has returned from his knee surgery, Walter and his wife is having about with COVID time out. Stacie “the Voice” Cook’s son suffered a concussion in a soccer game is on the mend. Stacie introduces the committee chairman, Carol “Mrs. Coffee” Murray, and her committee, who is in charge of finding the fabulous citizens for the “Citizen of the Year” nominees which was evident today. Carol introduced Mr. David “sore knees” Hartman, giving one more chance at the podium. Dr. Hartman read a story of a man who many of us has known over many years in Wichita Falls. This man is a hero to us all. His story began in Ranger Texas. His deep roots for helping, and serving others was instilled in him by his grandmother at a young age. Then by his brothers and sisters and his athletic capabilities in his teen years by playing team and individual sports as baseball, basketball, football, and boxing. Then in 1968 he was asked to serve his country and did so very proudly and reverently. After returning home and bringing the memories of the dirty deeds of wartime, the body trying to forget the nightmares turning to different substances and then finding the truth in the way of the loving Lord was able to turn his life around and has helped many returning home soldiers to be welcomed back in the community and home life for awaiting families. He is known for being an advocate for veterans and their rights. He is the epitome of those who have served this great nation with pride and honor. It was a heart-felt honor to recognize the Rotary Club Outstanding Citizen of the Year. Mr. Joel Jimenez. Mr. Joel “Hero” Jimenez, of which I personally have know for well over 20 years is a well-deserved recipient of this award showing the criteria of sincere conduct, impact sustainability, honest goodness tendencies, and love of county. Joel definitely holds these traits in his heart. A vase was presented along with a plaque for him to proudly display at his choosing. The meeting ended with the four-way test. |
January 11, 2024 Spokesman
At Precisely close to lunch time president Stacie Cook once again brought the unruly crowd to order. With the ever so reverent Dr. Hartman delivered a well-received prayer for the New Year and hopefully brings new beginnings for us all. A new member was well received, Mr. Austin Green who was proposed by Mr. Colton Heinrich. Please welcome Austin. Introduce yourself and help him attain the sought after Blue Badge. Carla Dowlen tried to catch up on the December birthdays we missed. Alex Pappas was the only one present today. Carla then turned the January birthdays over to Alex to help celebrate. Alex wished Sheldon Wang a happy birthday and awarded him a Sports Clips gift certificate. There were a few more dollars entered the brag bucket. The day’s events was the Club Assembly and reports were given of goals and accomplishments that the club wishes to attain and try and get membership up to more members. Jeremy Woodward gave a report to recognize first responders that will start happening soon. Jeremy asked us to mark our calendars for Thursday, May 2nd for our first Service Excellence recipient for this Rotary year. Alan Donaldson reported on membership. He let everyone know that the plan is to hold a membership drive in February. The Membership Committee’s motto is “More Rotarians in the Door in 2024”. Alan informed us of a meeting at Jimmy’s egg that everyone is welcome to attend and bring new ideas to attain more members. You can contact Alan Donaldson, Jake Munholland or anyone else on the Membership Committee if you’d like to get more involved. There is now a very large box at The Forum that contained available swag for potential new members. Benay Ayers gave a very positive report on the Rotary Foundation that this club has delivered over the last 5 years. We currently have 23 of our 69 members who participate in the Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) each quarter. A portion of our contributions comes back to us in the form of District Matching Grant money in three years. If you have any questions about donating to the Rotary Foundation or would like to become a Paul Harris Fellow, you can contact Benay or let Tina know you would like the EREY added to your quarterly invoice with your dues and meals. Phase 1 of the Rotary Park Playground raised $63,000 in the first year (2020 – 2021). $16,000 was raised by individual Rotarians, each of the local Rotary Clubs gave $5,000, $11,557 came from our Club, $2,300 from a District Matching Grant and other generous donors made up the rest. Some other special donors that have risen above and beyond the call of benevolence to help the playground to become more presentable and used for the community. With Phase 2 came $2,500 from each Rotary Club, $2,381 from a District Matching Grant, $12,845 from 3 sponsors for the benches at the playground, a donation of $25,000 towards the Zip Line for the playground and other major donors donated. Benay has put forth great efforts to make all of this happen. Stay tuned to see what Phase 3 brings! The Outstanding Citizen will be announced next week at the meeting and if you want to bring guest, please let Tina know of attendees so a head count can be forwarded to the meal preparation team so we do not run short of food that will be served. After the updates, we all had the opportunity to make homemade cards thanking veterans for their service. |
January 4, 2024 Spokesman
The Little Thief in the Pantry by Anonymous AmericanLiterature.com A Little Thief in the Pantry is in the collection A Christmas Hamper: A Volume of Pictures and Stories for Little Folks, published in 1889 by T. Nelson and Sons by various unattributed authors. It's a lesson about perspective, and a little girl's compassion for a mouse who learns the difference between stealing and giving. Most importantly, obey your mother! "MOTHER dear,” said a little mouse one day, “I think the people in our house must be very kind; don’t you? They leave such nice things for us in the larder.” There was a twinkle in the mother’s eye as she replied,— “Well, my child, no doubt they are very well in their way, but I don’t think they are quite as fond of us as you seem to think. Now remember, Greywhiskers, I have absolutely forbidden you to put your nose above the ground unless I am with you, for kind as the people are, I shouldn’t be at all surprised if they tried to catch you.” Greywhiskers twitched his tail with scorn; he was quite sure he knew how to take care of himself, and he didn’t mean to trot meekly after his mother’s tail all his life. So as soon as she had curled herself up for an afternoon nap he stole away, and scampered across the pantry shelves. Ah! here was something particularly good to-day. A large iced cake stood far back upon the shelf, and Greywhiskers licked his lips as he sniffed it. Across the top of the cake there were words written in pink sugar; but as Greywhiskers could not read, he did not know that he was nibbling at little Miss Ethel’s birthday cake. But he did feel a little guilty when he heard his mother calling. Off he ran, and was back in the nest again by the time his mother had finished rubbing her eyes after her nap. She took Greywhiskers up to the pantry then, and when she saw the hole in the cake she seemed a little annoyed. “Some mouse has evidently been here before us,” she said, but of course she never guessed that it was her own little son. The next day the naughty little mouse again popped up to the pantry when his mother was asleep; but at first he could find nothing at all to eat, though there was a most delicious smell of toasted cheese. Presently he found a dear little wooden house, and there hung the cheese, just inside it. In ran Greywhiskers, but, oh! “click” went the little wooden house, and mousie was caught fast in a trap. When the morning came, the cook, who had set the trap, lifted it from the shelf, and then called a pretty little girl to come and see the thief who had eaten her cake. “What are you going to do with him?” asked Ethel. “Why, drown him, my dear, to be sure.” The tears came into the little girl’s pretty blue eyes. “You didn’t know it was stealing, did you, mousie dear?” she said. “No,” squeaked Greywhiskers sadly; “indeed I didn’t.” Cook’s back was turned for a moment, and in that moment tender-hearted little Ethel lifted the lid of the trap, and out popped mousie. Oh! how quickly he ran home to his mother, and how she comforted and petted him until he began to forget his fright; and then she made him promise never to disobey her again, and you may be sure he never did. |
December 28, 2023 Spokesman
A man was asked to paint a boat. He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him. While painting, he noticed that there was a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it. When finished painting, he received his money and left. The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice cheque, much higher than the payment for painting. The painter was surprised and said "You've already paid me for painting the boat Sir!" "But this is not for the paint job. It's for having repaired the hole in the boat." "Ah! But it was such a small service... certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant." "My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened. When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention about the hole. When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip. They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time. When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole. Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing. Then, I examined the boat and found that the boat and found that hole! You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your 'small' good deed." You may have repaired numerous 'boat holes' along the way... of several people without realizing how many lives you've saved. Keep up Good work … So, no matter who, when or how. Just continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively and carefully repair all the 'leaks' you find, because you never know when one is in need of us or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone. Let’s thank Everyone who Repaired our boat till now in every way like Good Wishes, thoughts, Guidance, care & prayers. quora.com Sheetal Ragunathan |
December 21, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie called the meeting to order at 12:04 on the mark. The Pledge was led by Cara Sauceda followed by a Christmas carol, (I sang it, but forgot which one) followed by an unsung Rotary greeting. Mike Eriksen brought two guests to our club. They are the owners of Seasons Eatings. New members hopefully. There were no Birthday celebrations due to none of them being present, and we did not have anything new for the Sunshine Report. Our next meeting will be January 4, 2024 so have an enjoyable Christmas, New Year or other holiday or your choice. Alan Donaldson has made attractive “Service above Self” posters for Rotarians to display in their place of business. Grab one and display it! Cara returned to introduce our December Rotary Youth of the Month, Cameron Gill. Young Cameron is a 12-year-old 6th grader who was a “slam dunk” choice for this honor. He is involved with too many activities and interests to list on one page, but highlights are appearances in the Wichita Theater and playing saxophone in the school band. Lance Spruiell then presented his “fox hole buddy”, Brady Woolsey with a Paul Harris Fellow certificate and medal. Congratulations Brady! Next up, Carol Murray then cruised the room with the Brag Bucket and there was a lot of bragging to be bragged about. Cara Sauceda announced our club’s food drive added 374 pounds of canned goods to Interfaith Mission. Carla Dowlen has a baseball championship nephew, Tommy Richardson’s niece on a national championship water polo team from La Jolla, California, James Hughes’ daughter took 2nd place in a Dallas soccer tournament, and Carol Murray announced the opening of a third Frank and Joe’s coffee shop location on SW Parkway. President Stacie recognized executive secretary, Tina Williams, for her outstanding help in running the club this year. I’m not finished yet….Carla Dowlen made it back to the podium with a gorgeous Pecan Pie and sold it Norris Martin for a generous club donation, which will help to buy some Rotary Swag. Whew! Josh Phillips then introduced Sergeant Charlie Eipper, a 30-year veteran of the Wichita Falls Police Department and its Public Communications officer. Officer Eipper spoke about post-traumatic stress disorder or more accurately, stress injury. He explained that stress injury can occur to anyone who experiences an incident that is life threatening or one that might cause serious injury. In the military, this issue was called being shell shocked or battle fatigue. Such an event can create a chemical imbalance in the brain, a brain injury, that results in physical or emotional pain, bad dreams, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Eipper continued by mentioning his book, “Jesus Christ on Killing” (available on Amazon), helps individuals resolve the moral injury that can result from the conflict of being involved in a person’s death while maintaining one’s religious beliefs. Peer groups and counseling are used to help those who experience this moral injury dilemma. More recently, peace officer training includes sessions dealing with moral injury and programs available if it were to occur. After a lengthy Q&A period, President Stacie announced a donation to the WFISD Foundation will be made in Officer Eipper’s name following his presentation. The Rotary Spotlight was on Pam Leonardi, a local realtor who moved here with her Air Force husband and loves the community and being a Rotarian. Glad you’re with us, Pam! After the 4 Way Test we skedaddled! See you on January 4, 2024. |
December 14, 2023 Spokesman
Our meeting started promptly a few minutes after noon when President Stacie wacked the bell calling the meeting to order. In his wonderful style, Brother Dave Hartman led us in prayer. The Pledge and the song, Silent Night, using sign language, was directed by Cara Sauceda. We had two guests, Jake Munholland’s brother Joe and Colton Heinrich’s friend, Austin Green, who will soon be a new club member. Carla Dowlen announced birthdays for Larry Tegtmeyer and Jake Munholland. For the sunshine report, David Kelley announced he has a new grandson, Charlie. Congratulations Gramps! Braden Wood’s father is doing well after a recent hospitalization. Danny Steed, Andy Kocher, and Noris Martin relayed the heartwarming stories for the Brag Bucket. Josh Phillips then introduced Kris Gossom, the 9-year Director of Interfaith Ministries, a coalition of church groups that address community needs not fulfilled by other programs or agencies. Formed after the 1979 tornado disaster, several church groups met and formed Interfaith Disaster Services to help rebuild our community. Interfaith Disaster Services continued by responding to other community issues and in 1982 was renamed Interfaith Ministries, Inc. The program expanded with new services including distributing diapers, medical supplies, and medical equipment. Their number one service request is help with rent because of inflation and a shortage of low-cost housing. Utility bill assistance is also available. Atmos gas has made grants available for natural gas services. The Food Pantry has supplied 83,000 pounds of food given to over 7,000 people in 2,684 households through November of this year. This is almost double over last year. Personal care products, detergent, all purpose paper are also supplied. For several years, an anonymous donor has paid the expenses for the handling costs at the Food Pantry. There is also some assistance with prescriptions for those with chronic illness. Basically, Interfaith Ministries helps people whose needs are not met by other programs or agencies. Interfaith Ministries has four employees and uses volunteers. 70% of their operating funds are from individual donations. There is no state or federal aid. President Stacie then informed our speaker that a donation to the WFISD Foundation was made for her presentation. The Rotary Minute was given by David Spencer who spoke about a new program, the Rotary Friendship Exchange. This international exchange program is organized around one or more themes: culture, service and vocation. Participants take turns hosting one another in their homes. We then recited the Four Way Test and out the door we went. |
December 7, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to start our meeting at 12:06 pm. David Hartman provided another wonderful prayer. The pledge and song “Home on the Range” was led by David Spencer. The Club then had the traditional greeting while “Rotary” was played. Cara Sauceda introduced 4 visitors who are the new officers of the Interact Club from the Dexter School. The officers brought a donation for the current food drive. Colton Heinrich introduced his guest, Austin Green with Merrill Lynch. Austin is a potential new member. Stacie Cook introduced her son Justin. There were no birthdays this week. On the Sunshine Report, Josh Phillips noted that his Uncle had been admitted to the hospital. Also, David Gately’s funeral is Saturday, December 2, 10:00 am at the First Christian Church. Regarding announcements, President Cook mentioned the food drive next week, Thursday, December 7. Rotarians are asked to bring dry/canned foods to the meeting. Larry Tegtmeyer requested a Service Excellence committee meeting after the regular meeting. For the Brag Bucket, David Hartman ran the 5K at the age of 72 for the YMCA Gobble Wobble. Will Goodner mentioned that his daughter had been honored as player of the year for Rider Volleyball. Cara Sauceda noted that the Interact Club is having a toy drive with all toys to be given to First Step in Wichita Falls. Josh Phillips introduced the program, the history of the Wichita Falls Zoo, presented by Dr. Whitney Snow of Midwestern State University. The original Wichita Falls Zoo began on November 21, 1927. Discussions started and donations were made by the public and various organizations (i.e. the Lions Club). The zoo was temporarily located at Scotland Park. Many people started donating animals which were first housed in a hanger at Call Field. Then Scotland Park became the permanent home. Many items were donated in-kind such a lighting and other construction materials. After opening, the City Council made every Friday “African American Friday” to help generate more income and interest. This was later discontinued for lack of interest. Along the way, an elephant named “Miss Sugar” was donated. In-kind donations continued to pour in for the physical zoo along with a variety animals. Harry Williams became the first “Chief Animal Trainer.” Cars were parked off site and people had to walk on trials to enter the zoo. A separate petting zoo was started for children. One of the most popular events occurred when a 7’ alligator escaped into the Wichita Falls River. The alligator was later captured. Winter quarters were donated by Voelcker & Dixon Architects as donations continued to pour in from both large and small givers. The zoo continued to grow daily and Jack Dempsey from the Dallas Zoo became the new manager. By the second season, 1929, there was an estimated 5,000 visitors on a typical Sunday. In June of that of that year, a boy was bitten by a coyote which caused some alarm. On October 19, 1929, the stock market crashed which drastically hurt the zoo’s fundraising efforts. By 1930, steel poles, wire fences, and restrooms were installed. From 1931-1932 there were several births of new animals in the zoo. However, in 1932, the City Council deemed the zoo unprofitable and the city started selling and donating the animals. Also, a city truck hit a lady and she sued the City for $25,000. This put an end to the zoo. Animals were returned to owners or sold, and as time passed, the zoo faded into memory. In November 1939 there was an article in the WF Times about the zoo. In July 1940, “Miss Sugar” trampled an employee in the Fort Worth Zoo and was shot 4 times to put her down. In 1948 there was another article about the zoo and discussions started up again about bringing the zoo back. In 1957 there was a article about “Miss Sugar” but there were very few mentions of the zoo after this. There was another WF Times article about two black bears that escaped and were captured. In 1963 there was an article published about why Wichita Falls didn’t have a zoo. A State historical marker is now located in Scotland Park in remembrance of the zoo. For her presentation, Dr. Snow was presented a donation to the WFISD Foundation in her honor. Benay Ayers presented the Rotary Minute. She found an interesting article in the Rotary Magazine and shared it with the Club. In 1995 a Rotarian in North Carolina started a program of donating coins for Alzheimer’s Research. He later retired in May 2022. During this time, his charity raised over 11.2 million dollars and provided 64 grants for research. President Cook closed the meeting at 12:55 pm with the Four Way Test. |
November 30, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to start our meeting at 12:07 pm. David Hartman provided a prayer of thanksgiving. The pledge and song “America the Beautiful” was led by David Spencer. There were no visitors. Birthdays were announced by David Kelley. Jim Hughes, Benay Ayers and David Spencer all had Birthdays this week. On the Sunshine Report, Glenn Tole noted that former member David Martin had passed away. Regarding announcements, President Cook stated that there will be no club meeting next week (11/23/2023) due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Cara Sauceda announced the Interfaith Ministries Food Drive. Rotarians are asked to bring dry/canned foods to any meeting or contact Cara (CHSauceda@bgcwf.org) for pick up. Call (940) 882-0108 or (940) 631-4842. Kris Gossom with Interfaith Ministries will attend our 12/7 meeting. Cara also announced the Interact Club Toy Drive through 12/4. Cara will accept toys for those who donate. For the Brag Bucket, Cara Sauceda put in money for her son who, with her husband, came in 2nd place for the Chili Cookoff by the Trail Life group at her church. Shirley Craft thanked the committee members who put on the Veterans Day Celebration meeting last week. Benay Ayers’s grandson’s football team made it to the finals of the Toy Bowl. Carla Dowlen’s nephew, David, helped in putting out the flags for Veterans Day. Jon Dearolf’s son helped with flags on Veterans Day, and enjoyed it so much, wanted to put them out again. Carol Murray thanked members who voted for her in the last mayoral election. She also noted the passing of Pat Norris who served as a Wichita County Commissioner for many years. Cara Sauceda announced the Youth of the Month for November, Angel Hernandez. He was accompanied by Troy Turner, Director of the SE Branch of the Boys and Girls Club. Angel is the 13-year-old son of Francisca Hernandez and a member of the SE Branch. At home, he helps with numerous chores including supervising his younger sibling. Angel is a 7th grader at City View Middle School, maintaining A’s and B’s and his favorite subject is science. He is very active in his school activities and recently made 4th chair baritone in the All District Band. He hopes to become a technician or engineer in the future. Angel is among the top leaders of his Club and participates in Arts & Crafts, Club Tech, Triple Play Challenges, Healthy Habits, and TEXSYN Leadership Program. Troy Turner stated that Angel has special leadership qualities with the potential to be Youth of the Year in the future. Josh Phillips was presented his Blue Badge by David Kelley. Congratulations to Josh, a valuable member of our club. Jon Dearolf introduced our program, AJ Hernandez, President and CEO of the YMCA Wichita Falls. AJ has been in Wichita Falls for 3 years. His wife teaches at Cunningham Elementary School and they have one 7 yr. old son and one 4 yr. old daughter. He was raised in Tennessee and graduated from the University of Tennessee. AJ was raised by a single parent and he shared how the YMCA with its scholarship program allowed him to attend programs since he was 8 years old. AJ discussed the strategic plan that the YMCA Wichita Falls. The focus is on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. He noted the YMCA supports surrounding communities as well as Wichita Falls. There has been a real need in the community for an aquatic facility for many years. Currently, there are 32 kids in Wichita Falls in competitive swimming. AJ noted that in the 60’s Wichita Falls won state championships. There is also a need for an accredited swim program. The YMCA Board recognized these needs and decided to move forward. One goal of the Board is to provide all 3rd graders with a certified swimming program. Another goal is to fill the needs of seniors through water fitness. The YMCA will work with all local agencies including Boys & Girls Club, Campfire, etc. “Soft swimming” will be provided for the entire family. The proposed facility will house 23,000 s.f. with a 10 lane competition pool and a separate pool for general uses. Currently, the proposed 11 million dollar project is in the fund raising phase with groundbreaking scheduled for early January 2024 and completion early 2025. 50% of the funds have been raised to date. AJ invited everyone to the Gobble Wobble 5K Run for our local food drive. A donation was presented to the WFISD Foundation in AJ’s honor. President Cook closed the meeting at 1:00 pm with the Four Way Test. |
November 23, 2023 Spokesman
WHY HE CARRIED THE TURKEY By James Baldwin (this short story is from his book Fifty Famous People - A Book of Short Stories, 1912 and is in the Public Domain) In Richmond, Virginia, one Saturday morning, an old man went into the market to buy something. He was dressed plainly, his coat was worn, and his hat was dingy. On his arm he carried a small basket. "I wish to get a fowl for to-morrow's dinner," he said. The market man showed him a fat turkey, plump and white and ready for roasting. "Ah! that is just what I want," said the old man. "My wife will be delighted with it." He asked the price and paid for it. The market man wrapped a paper round it and put it in the basket. Just then a young man stepped up. "I will take one of those turkeys," he said. He was dressed in fine style and carried a small cane. "Shall I wrap it up for you?" asked the market man. "Yes, here is your money," answered the young gentleman; "and send it to my house at once." "I cannot do that," said the market man. "My errand boy is sick to- day, and there is no one else to send. Besides, it is not our custom to deliver goods." "Then how am I to get it home?" asked the young gentleman. "I suppose you will have to carry it yourself," said the market man. "It is not heavy." "Carry it myself! Who do you think I am? Fancy me carrying a turkey along the street!" said the young gentleman; and he began to grow very angry. The old man who had bought the first turkey was standing quite near. He had heard all that was said. "Excuse me, sir," he said; "but may I ask where you live?" "I live at Number 39, Blank Street," answered the young gentleman; "and my name is Johnson." "Well, that is lucky," said the old man, smiling. "I happen to be going that way, and I will carry your turkey, if you will allow me." "Oh, certainly!" said Mr. Johnson. "Here it is. You may follow me." When they reached Mr. Johnson's house, the old man politely handed him the turkey and turned to go. "Here, my friend, what shall I pay you?" said the young gentleman. "Oh, nothing, sir, nothing," answered the old man. "It was no trouble to me, and you are welcome." He bowed and went on. Young Mr. Johnson looked after him and wondered. Then he turned and walked briskly back to the market. "Who is that polite old gentleman who carried my turkey for me?" he asked of the market man. "That is John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States. He is one of the greatest men in our country," was the answer. The young gentleman was surprised and ashamed. "Why did he offer to carry my turkey?" he asked. "He wished to teach you a lesson," answered the market man. "What sort of lesson?" "He wished to teach you that no man should feel himself too fine to carry his own packages." "Oh, no!" said another man who had seen and heard it all. "Judge Marshall carried the turkey simply because he wished to be kind and obliging. That is his way." |
November 16, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell at 12:07 pm to start the meeting. She then gave special recognition to all the veterans in attendance. Bob Hampton offered a very heartfelt and timely prayer. He also noted the Friday, November 10th is the 248th Anniversary of the Marines. Josh Phillips introduced the Wichita Falls High School ROTC Team who provided the Presentation of the Flags. The pledge was lead by the ROTC Team Leader. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was sung by Minesa Nesbit, Music Teacher at Burkburnett Middle School. Minesa gave an outstanding performance appreciated by all. Shirley Craft introduced the Key Note Speaker, Colonel Brad Orgeron, Commander of the 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base. Colonel Orgeron is also in charge of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT) located at Sheppard AFB that trains pilots from 14 countries. Colonel Orgeron graduated in 1999 for the Air Force Academy and has over 3,000 flying hours with over half in the F-15 C/D including 89 hours in combat. He has served in several combat areas including Iraq as well as other assignments around the world. He noted that Veterans Day initially started on Armistice Day at the close of World War I, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. His family has served in the military for many generations including is great grandfather in World War I, both of his grandfathers in WWII and his father who is an Air Force Officer. Colonel Orgeron noted that there is currently a shortage of Air Force recruits for the first time in history. 70% of recruits come from military families. Less than 1% of the US citizens have served in the military. One task that Colonel Orgeron has been assigned is to be more engaging with the local community. This has been problematic since 9/11 which resulted in bases being more closed to the public than in previous years. The Air Force is trying to be more engaging in spite of these obstacles. He pointed out that the US has the most educated military force in the world. Colonel Orgeron introduced our Special Guest Speaker, Dale Nelson, who is a WWII veteran and will celebrate is 100th year birthday next month. Dale served on a Naval LST ship during the war serving in Africa to Sicily to Burma. He is involved locally in our Strait Street program and wants kids in the program to have the opportunity to serve their country and be productive citizens in our society. He currently resides at the Presbyterian Manor. His close friend Joe White who served in the Marines during the Korean War was also in attendance. Dale had only 4 months of training before being charged into action. His flat bottom LST ship (Landing Ship, Tank) was designed to deliver soldiers and equipment to and from the shore. He has always strongly believed in the power of prayer and shared the following story. His ship was stationed in Burma unloading British troops when they received orders to go to Scotland some 8,000 miles away. While in route through the Suez Canal, one soldier named Al was hit in the head by a hatch and was in serious condition. The ship landed in Suez City and Dale wanted to get the wounded soldier off the ship for medical help, but the Captain and the Executive Officer would not allow it. Dale planned to get their attention by writing a narrative describing the events that had occurred and planned on having the Captain and the Executive Officer sign the document. One night, Al was semi-conscious and Dale prayed for him. The next day Dale was able to talk to the Engineering Officer, Mr. Pool, who went to take a look at Al. Mr. Pool told Dale they would get Al off the ship. The Mr. Pool pumped the fresh water off the ship so they would have to dock to take on fresh water. Once docked, Al was taken off the ship and taken to a hospital. About 2 two months later, Dale received a letter from Al from the Charleston Naval Hospital. He had undergone surgery and survived. Al and Dale became best friends for over 40 years and Al was even the best man at Dale’s wedding. A happy ending based on the power of prayer. All of the veterans in the room were asked to stand and state their branch of service and years served. Major branches (Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy) were represented. Each veteran was provided a special flag pin in honor of their service. President Cook closed the meeting at 1:00 pm with the Four Way Test. |
November 9, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook started the meeting with the ringing of the bell at 12:02 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with another heartfelt and timely prayer. David Spencer led the pledge and song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in honor of the Texas Rangers Winning the World Series. We had one guest, Dave Lilley of Trinity Hughes Construction, who was introduced by Norris Martin. We had one birthday, our own President Stacie Cook. On the Sunshine Report, Shirley Craft announced that her last CAT scan showed that she was all clear. Also, we need to continue to keep John Deason in our prayers. On announcements, we will have our annual Veterans Day Program on November 9th (next week) and members are encouraged to wear their Paul Harris Medallions. Please let Tina know no later than Tuesday next week if you are bringing a guest. Also, Veterans Day Flags will be put out the weekend of November 11. For the Brag Bucket, Walter Coppage put in money for Benay Ayers in honor of the Rangers winning the World Series. Benay is in New York and last seen wearing Rangers attire. Cara Sauceda noted that her nephew just turned 5 and he is so smart, he may skip a year in school. Will Goodner bragged that his 7th grade son made a touchdown at his last game. Carla Dowlen’s nephew continues to shine in baseball as his team came in second in a recent tournament. Monica Horton wanted to make everyone aware of the BBB Fall Toast. David Kelley also put in money in honor of the Rangers. Judge Jeff McKnight put in money in honor of his two daughters for their success in the Holliday Band at the State Contest. Will Goodner introduced our member spotlight, Judy Koetter. Judy is the President/CEO of the Beacon Lighthouse, Inc. in Wichita Falls. Fun fact, her husband has the secret recipe for the Windhorst Sausage Feed. Josh Phillips introduced our program, Senator Drew Springer who has served 4 terms as a member of the Texas State House before becoming our current State Senator. He was raised in Weatherford where he attended Weatherford H.S. and Weatherford College before graduating from the University of North Texas. He currently resides in Munster. Senator Springer discussed many of the 14 Propositions on the current ballot for election on November 5th. After finishing the regular session this year, there have been 3 special sessions and a 4th to be called primarily focusing on education. Some of the points Senator Springer mentioned: Proposition 4 increases homestead property tax exemptions from 40K to 100K. New State Hospital to be funded in Wichita Falls. Prop. 5 will help Texas Tech University and other schools with state funding to become Tier 1 schools. This should help MSU. Cost of living adjustment to be provided to retired teachers. One proposition being proposed would be provide $500K addition support to law enforcement in counties less than 300K as well as additional support for prosecutors. Prop. 9 will be support broad ban for rural areas. $600M to be provided for community colleges in support for those who do not attend universities. A bill was passed about gender in athletics at the NCAA level. A bill was passed called the Death Star Bill to keep municipalities from over regulating businesses. $5 billion is being provided for Border Security. Biggest issues are fentanyl, human and sex trafficking that the State is having to deal with. Melonie Berry was introduced as Senator Springer’s Assistant. For Rotary Minute, President Cook suggested that the members read an article in the current Rotary Magazine on page 54 about mental health. Also, Norris Martin mentioned that there is also an excellent article on youth and suicide. President Cook closed the meeting at 1:00 pm with the Four Way Test. |
November 2, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie called the membership to order just a few minutes past noon and asked Dr. Dave to offer the invocation. The gift of rain was one of the many blessings Dr Dave offered up in thanks to our creator and Cara followed that blessing through with two verses of “Singing in the Rain” after she had led us in the pledge to the stars and stripes. The only guest this week was Shirley Craft’s better half, Kenn Hill. And the only birthday to be celebrated was John Deason’s who we’ll recognize when he returns. For the Sunshine Report several members raised up others for us to keep in our thoughts and prayers until they return to us. It was good to hear that John Deason was home and now recuperating. We hope he’ll be joining us again soon. Others who were remembered were Steve Priester who was having knee surgery the very day of our meeting and Stacie asked for prayers for her sister who is having surgery on November 6th. Judy Koetter asked us to remember her grandson and his classmates from Windthorst as they dealt with the tragic loss of one of their classmates and she also asked for prayers for her cousin who lives in Haifa, Israel. For announcements, Shirley reminded everyone we are just two weeks away from our Veteran’s Day program on November 9th and not many members have indicated they are bringing guests that day. Please let Tina know if you plan to bring a guest for this program. Andy made an announcement concerning flags for Veterans Day. With Veteran’s Day falling on a Saturday this year, flags will be put out on Friday, 10 Nov and picked up on Saturday, the 11th. Carol Murray had a lot of braggers this week making donations to the brag bucket. Pam Leonardi, Shirley, Alan and Tommy all made brags and donations. President-elect John Mayfield offered a brag for his “boss”, Debbie Mayfield who won the Women’s Tennis Single title for the city. It was Debbie’s 12th straight year winning the women’s single title – Congratulations!! Stacie then called on Larry Tegtmeyer to induct new member, Brady Woolsey into the club and present him with his red membership badge. Andy then made an offer to all red badge holders that he was going to attend a make-up Rotary Meeting on Friday, November 3 at the Northwest Club and this would be an opportunity for red badge holders to attend a meeting at another Rotary Club. After the member induction, Stacie stayed at the podium and introduced our very own Lisa Stephens-Musick to present the program for the day. Lisa is the Chief Appraiser for the Wichita Appraisal District and she educated us on Texas Proposition 4 -- Property Tax Relief which will be on the ballot in Texas as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on Nov 7, 2023. Lisa began her presentation by discussing how Prop 4 came to be. After the Texas state legislature did not pass a property tax amendment during the 2023 regular legislative session Gov. Abbott called for a special session to address property taxes. Nine amendments were proposed but none were passed. Gov. Abbot then called for a second special legislative session where Proposition 4 was introduced. After the resolution passed the House and Senate Gov. Abbott said, "The Texas House and Senate fulfilled our promise with an agreement that delivers a comprehensive, long-lasting solution to increasingly burdensome property tax bills. Lisa then explained Senate Bill 2 included the language on the property tax cuts that goes before voters this year. The five-part package and the implications with each are: (1). A 20% circuit breaker on appraised values for non-homestead real properties valued at $5 million or less This would become effective January 1, 2024 and would be a 3-year pilot program. It allows the market value to increase to what the market indicates but the assessed value can only increase 20%. (2.) Increased the residence homestead exemption from $40K to $100K This would be effective for 2023 taxes. Appraisal Districts are required to provide values for the $40K and the $100K exemption and tax statements will be marked as “provisional” reflecting the $100K exemption with caveat. (3.) Recalculation of tax ceilings for property owners who qualified for over-65 disables exemption for 2022/2023 This allows tax ceilings for these property owners to be recalculated utilizing the $40K and $100K exemption effective for the 2023 tax year (4.) Added over $12 billion in state funding to reduce school property taxes This allows the use of the state’s budget surplus to pay for the property tax relief (5.) Created 3 county-wide elected positions on local appraisal district boards In May 2024 an election would be held for 3 members who would take office in July 2024. This would increase the size of the Board of Directors to 9 members. What actually goes before the voters this year will be a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to enact the cuts in the bill. Clearly this will be landmark legislation for taxpayers in the state and as Lisa pointed out, with every piece of legislation that goes before the voters there are pros and cons. It is incumbent on each voter to educate themselves on the issues to make an informed decision and remember – Your VOTE counts. As time was short following Lisa’s presentation, President Stacie thanked her for educating us on this important topic and closed the meeting a few minutes past 1 with the Four-Way Test. |
October 26, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie bought the meeting to order promptly at 11:59 followed with David Hartman offering a prayer. He advised us that our former member and friend David Gately has been moved to Hospice. We need to keep him and his family in our prayers. David Spencer then led us in the pledge and a sing along round of Row Row Your Boat. That was followed by the third verse of ROTRY and a shaking of many hands. Noros brought the boss of his house DeeAnn with him. I guess he paid for her lunch. Carol Murray introduced Sam Pak as her guest and Bob Hampton introduced Dr Lee, superintendent of WFISD and a potential new member. Maybe Sam could be encouraged to join as well Carol. Josh reported that John Deason is showing substantial progress but has hit a bump in the road as he now has pneumonia. Get well soon John. Shirley Craft reminded us that November 9 we will host a special Veterans Day program. If you plan to bring a guest or guests, please let Tina know. Cara Sauceda then introduced Alice Grisham as our youth of the month. She is an eighth-grade student and a fifth-year member of the central club. Lance presented her with the award as he was the interviewer. She was accompanied by her father, sister, and Barbara Green the unit director of the central club. She is interested in becoming a nurse and should be a good candidate for MSU’s nursing program. Cara bragged of participating in white cane day to support Lighthouse for the Blind. Noros thanked MSU for hosting the Fantasy of Lights which is beginning to be set up. Will had to brag again about his son who made another touchdown after intercepting a pass by the opposing team again. Josh introduced Dr. Stacia Haynie the new president of MSU (#13). She has two degrees from MSU and her PHD from North Texas in Denton. Before that Dr. Haynie attended school in Henrietta and worked on her grandfather’s farm in Charlie. She then found her way to LSU and spent most of her professional life there as a professor and in administration, including traveling all over the world. She was in the process of retiring when the search committee for MSU contacted her and ended up offering the job as president over three others. She says she feels like she has come full circle a has come home. She then gave an overview of the enrollment which totals 4,439 currently with the retention rate of 63% which is below the state average. The good news is the number of grad students is up, but undergraduate numbers are down. Projections for Texas are for enrollment to be flat to down for the foreseeable future. In addition, state funding has gone down, forcing tuition and fees to go up. Dr Haynie and her husband have created a scholarship fund honoring her parents. Additionally, she and her staff have set several goals to help with the enrollment and with the experience as well as working with various community organizations including SAFB to help all involved. In closing she said she is extremely excited to be here and is very much looking forward to the future. MSU is a true hidden gem for those who are not familiar with it. It does offer an excellent education for anyone wanting one. Noros then led us in loud Go Mustangs yell before we adjourned with the four-way test. |
October 19, 2023 Spokesman
Susan settled us down as always with her great piano playing. At 12:05 president Stacie rang the bell and brought us to order. Cara Sauceda then led us in the pledge followed by a rendition of This Land is Your Land — and ROTARY. A moving prayer was then offered up by Dave Hartman. Very hard to comprehend what has gone on and is going on in Israel. It is a dangerous world we live in now. There was no guest of Rotarians today but we did celebrate a couple of birthdays. James Hughes presented Shirley Craft and Lisa Stephens-Musick as our birthday honorees for this week. Josh gave us a very encouraging report on John Deason. He has had a really tough time but seems to be turning the corner. Keep your prayers going for our good friend and fellow Rotarian. Looking forward to seeing him back soon. He missed out celebrating his birthday with us this week. We will catch him on the flip side. Shirley Craft reminded us that our Veterans Day program is scheduled for November 10 and to let Tina know if you will be bringing a guest or guests. Carla bragged on her nephew again. He just keeps hitting those home runs. There was no member spotlight today. Josh then introduced Kyle Gillette with the Helen Farabee Center. He informed us that although they cover 19 counties they are based in Wichita Falls and most of their work is centered in and around Wichita Falls and Wichita County. Their services cover a wide range of people from young children to senior citizens. Their crisis hotline is available 24 hours a day with someone always on standby. Referrals might come from schools churches or even someone spotting someone else on the side of the road. They work with almost all the nonprofits and law agencies in the area. They try to determine the type of help needed and level of risk. Sometimes a person requires inpatient care or a bed. They do have 10 beds with a 24 hour monitor. In addition they provide scheduling to see other professionals as needed as well as transitioning services. That may include counseling as well as housing. Some may have insurance that covers part but many don’t. The state of Texas who oversees the program also provides funding. As with most organizations they have a staffing shortage which currently is 8. There is also a shortage of inpatient services for child and adolescents. Currently there is a waiting list for them. The Farabee Center is one of 39 in the state. Kyle was given the usual thanks with a donation to the WFISD foundation. Stacie then reminded us that our current RI president focus this year is on mental health and that October 10 was mental health day. Ask how are you really and create hope in the world. We finished up with the four way test and adjourned till next week. |
October 12, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie bought us to our feet promptly at 12:04. A skinny Dave Hartman offered up a prayer with a special request for healing for John Deason and family. We all are hoping and praying for our good friend and fellow Rotarian. Get well cards were on each table for everyone to sign. Past President Arnold then led us in the pledge and a round of God Bless America followed by Rotary and handshakes all around. There were no birthdays to celebrate for this week. Shirley Craft did report that her husband Kenn Hill was back home from his time in rehab. They was no announced program as it was a club assembly day. Stacie did report that the board had formed a couple of new committees to help the club moving forward. We could use some more community exposure over and above the flags. We do a lot that many people in the community are not aware of. One possible new (formerly used) program might be a Service Excellence Award which would recognize a fireman or policeman for their service to our community. Carol Murray had a busy day collecting for the brag bucket. Will, Stacie, Dave and Noel all made brags and donations. It was a good day for the bucket. She also called a meeting of her citizen of the year committee to go over some possible names following our meeting. We did have several guests including one out of town special guest. Dave Hartman introduced his two guests Dick Crislic and Miguel Lecheuda. Lance Spruiell then introduced his wife Pam, mother-in-law Chrys Stephenson and Arno Jueke from Germany. Arno’s father was a NATO commander at SAFB in the late 70’s when their families got to know each other. He is 61 it has been 40 years since his last trip here. He gave an interesting overview of how many Germans came to settle in Texes. They seem to have started in central Texas after a political uprising in 1831 in Germany and starred spreading from there even to north Texas. As a side note Arno just finished his year as president of his Rotary club. He said their focus was on education, clean water in Moldova, and helping the Ukraine with hospital needs. Lance said he just found out that they both were Rotarians so Lance invited him to our meeting. Thanks Lance. We finished up with a group picture with Arno and the four way test. |
October 5, 2023 Spokesman
President Elect John made his debut today as leader, and did an outstanding job of herding the cats or otherwise referred to as the Downtown Rotary Club. He rang the bell sharply at the appropriate time and turned to Father Dave for spiritual guidance and thanks for our beautifully laid out meal. PP Arnold then led us in the pledge to our great flag and a wonderful song accompanied by our pianist, Susan Cusenbary, who has been so faithful these many years and is such an accomplished musician. We are indeed lucky to have her on a weekly basis!! We love having guests and today we were especially proud to welcome Pam Leonardi’s sister all the way from Lima, Peru. Birthdays were celebrated and these special individuals included PP Noel, Doug, Carol, and Jeremy. I’m sure they would be glad to tell you what time it is. Brother Dave gave us a report on our friend, John Deason, and we all agreed to put him on the top of our prayer list. At last report doctors are working to get that lung back in working order, and we are looking forward to a full recovery. Cara introduced the “Youth of the Month,” Miss Penelope Sauceda. Penelope is a member of Southwest Branch where she does it all according to the leaders there. She’s active in school and home, speaks German and Latin, helps in the Food Bank, and is active in her church. With this foundation how could she turn out anyway but something extraordinary and probably even President someday. The “Brag Bucket” was then passed around by our own Carol Murray. Whoever thought of this bucket business needs a standing ovation. (Alex Pappas!) This has turned into a financial homerun. {Expression used for you Texas Ranger Fans.} We even got money from PP Noros because he could hear what was being said. President Elect John continued on the microphone by being the “Member Spotlight,” and he is an interesting member! John was born in Las Vegas while his father served in the Air Force. He came to Wichita Falls in 2018 and runs the local Mayfield Company. He and his wife have two children, a son in the Air Force and a daughter at MSU. He will be President of Rotary next year and is extremely active and loyal to his flag team. Josh then introduced today’s program, and it was a very unique program! In my 51 years as a Rotarian I don’t recall anything like it. It was a musical presentation, but just saying that leaves out the overall impact of sitting and listening to such gifted talent. The presenters were Dr. Ruth Morrow on the piano providing music for the vocalist, Dr. Darla Diltz. Everyone knows Dr. Morrow, as she holds the Bolin Distinguished Chair of Piano at MSU Texas, and teaches and judges piano throughout Texas for various organizations. Dr. Diltz on the other hand is a former Wichitan who has been gone for 22 years. During that time, she earned her doctorate degree at the University of Kentucky, she taught and sang in New York for 15 years, and recently returned from an international performance as a soloist with the Kiev Philharmonic in Ukraine. She is the daughter of Judy and Bobby Diltz, and I know they are extremely proud! Together these ladies presented two musical pieces each with a history. One was about a cowboy and his suspenders as Dr. Diltz referred to as “Red River Opera.” The other was about a pilot shot down in Vietnam. The background to this song Dr. Diltz referred to a book entitled Glory Denied by Tom Philpott. It is hard for an old country boy to describe the music heard last Thursday, but let me tell you that it was electrifying and everyone’s attention was on the soloist. Unique is my choice of words and congratulations Josh for your broad array of programs! Pres Elect John encouraged the Red Badge members to have the people at their table sign the Spokesman as one task towards their Blue Badge. PE John then with closed with the 4-Way Test. |
September 28, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie got us going in style this Thursday with a great opening prayer by Brother Dave. Then she turned it over to Cara for the pledge to our great flag and then Cara led us in song, “This Land is My Land,” and boy do we need to remember that! Guests were then introduced and we were proud to recognize Dee Ann Martin as a special guest. Then we recognized our Birthday Rotarians, Pam, Carla, and Judge James, PP. WE ALL wished them a wonderful birthday. Following that the “Sunshine Report” was given and we all need to put Shirley’s husband, Ken, on our prayer list after suffering a fall. President Stacie made an announcement about dues going up. The Board decided to increase dues after ten years from $64.00 to $70.00 per quarter. The “Brag Bucket” was passed around, and the one striking event about bragging was that Cara was contacted by Ben Franklin School, next door from Woman’s Forum, to provide 12 flags for their “Celebrate Freedom Day.” Cara, as always, made us look good by providing 12 of our best flags. What really made Thursday special though was we brought in a new member, Braden Wood. Braden is with the Wood Group and he is kin to his sponsor, Josh Phillips. Josh not only increased our membership, but he turned around and introduced our program for the day. I hope you were there to hear Ms. Christy Koski’s remarks about our local real estate market. Ms. Koski is President of the Wichita Falls Association of Realtors. She is a realtor herself working with Hirschi Realtors and she has been here since 2001. She did a magnificent job of leading us through the real estate market. She indicated that W.F. is a “very steady market.” The three questions she is always asked is how’s the market, is it time to sell, when’s a good time to buy? What was really interesting was that prior to COVID in 2019 the median home buy was $142,700, which ended up in 2022 with the median home being $185,000, 17 days on the market, with almost 2 months in inventory. Ms. Koski led us through all the questions that leave most of us confused. For example, when is a good time to sell, do you look at current inventory, who are the buyers, does price matter, where are prices headed, what about mortgage rates, explain to me about home equity and so forth. She handled all this in record time with the final suggestion to contact your own real estate professional for a professional guide. The Texas Realtor Association began in 1920, Wichita Falls Association of Realtors began in 1921, and they now have 412 members (several being members of Rotary) and they are committed to the highest ethics in dealing with their clients. Ms. Koski’s husband was a member of the United States Air Force which brought them to W.F. Thank you for spending your lunch hour with us and for the valuable information! Once again good job, Josh, for a great program! President Stacie closed us with the 4-Way Test. |
September 21, 2023 Spokesman
September has started out with a blast and certainly with a heavy gong on our gonger delivered by President Stacie. Of course, our own Rabbi Brother Dave has got us not only closer to the Lord, but certainly thankful for the respite from dry and hot temps. The song leading by Cara has been exceptional too, especially with DoReMi last Thursday following “My Favorite Things” on Sept. 7. I’m just not sure what key Lance was singing that in though. We’ve been busy this first part of September too. Flags for Patriot Day, Texhoma Gives, PP Noel invited us to meet the new President of MSU Texas, and Walter talked about InterFaith Outreach, and Cara reminded us of the importance of participating at the Boys & Girls Club with the upcoming interviews. It was great seeing PP Arnold back in the groove again. Treston Teague gave us a biographical sketch last Thursday, and it was interesting. He was born in California, moved to Dallas for 5 years and then he had an opportunity in Wichita Falls with Crossvine Financial. He has 2 children 9 and 7 so you can imagine his day is full. He also participates with Big Brothers & Big Sisters. He came into Rotary last year and has made a hand! As a matter of fact, Treston was the program on the 7th when he and Abigail Craig, also from Crossvine, came and talked about the advantages of planning your charitable contributions to take full advantage of possible deductions from income tax. That program on the 7th was excellent and I hope you took notes even though they both reported a Forbes Survey indicated that only 59% of you knuckleheads plan intentionally with a “Mission Statement.” Then last Thursday, Josh introduced still another Rotary member, Will Goodner, who gave us an excellent report on Habitat For Humanity. Two members giving great and useful information brought to us by Josh Phillips, and if you think arranging programs is so easy volunteer for the job next year and find out for yourself. Anyway, you talk about challenging, Will went through his daily chores and reminded us that this has not been an easy last 3 years. Usually only one family per year up until now with 10 families looking to own their new home this year. It’s a challenge every day to qualify deserving families, process the paperwork, find the property, follow up with their “sweat equity,” arrange for down payment, find material, and especially find the workmen qualified to build the homes as directed by Will himself along with the family involved. One item caught my attention was 4 years ago the average cost to build was $46M and now the average 4 years later is $89M. There are opportunities for two or three bedroom homes depending on the size of the family, and Will did a wonderful job explaining the psychological reasons for the homes. He also encouraged all of us at Rotary to come out and help drive nails, besides he added there is a construction manager on site that runs the show. Congratulations to Treston, Abigail, Will and especially Josh for getting started on the right path in September and showcasing the great members that we break bread with every Thursday. Speaking of the bread the meals have been outstanding for September as well. Pres Stacie closed us both Thursdays with the Four Way Test, brought to us by Rotarian Herbert Taylor in 1932. This information was provided by Glenn Tole Jr., who voted for Brother Taylor for President of Rotary International in 1943. |
September 14, 2023 Spokesman
This story was written on the 15th Anniversary of 9/11. The Lesson of Patriots’ Day It’s now been fifteen years since the attack on 9/11. Yet for those of us who lived through those dark days it seems more recent. Now it’s commemorated by the holiday designated as Patriots’ Day. To me it will forever be simply 9/11. I remember sitting on my bed that morning, crying as I watched the tragedy unfold on television. Later I went to one of our son’s school where I was a regular volunteer. I stood and cried with the people in the office as we watched the towers fall. But I had no idea how the world would change that day. Scores of young people—my son included—mark that day as the guiding force that led them to service in the military. Because of that day, I sent a son off to war. For the most part, my generation had eluded the specter of war. I didn’t have any friends who joined the military or were called to serve during battle. There had been skirmishes in the world, but nothing like we face now. After that day, we faced the worst aspect of war, sending our children to fight. And the very face of war has changed. Those who wish us harm hide in plain sight. There’s no longer a front line. Civilian casualties aren’t something to be avoided. Instead, our enemies seem to delight in attacking the defenseless. Our sense of safety has narrowed. The only thing I know for sure is that God is still in control. He promises that He’s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In these ever-changing times, that’s the only foundation that can deliver the peace we so desperately need. Guideposts Mysterious Ways by Edie Melson BALLOT The following named people have been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls and approved for balloting by the Board of Directors. BRADEN WOOD VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT THE WOOD GROUP PROPOSED BY: JOSH PHILLIPS Any comment regarding the proposed members should be given in writing or by email to the Executive Secretary no later than Wednesday September 20, 2023. SHARE ROTARY WITH A FRIEND |
September 7, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 12:03 p.m., followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and the song, "When You're Smiling." During the tune of "R-O-T-A-R-Y," we mingled and greeted one another. Bruce Shultes, our program, introduced his brother Jeff, who was in attendance at the meeting today. Bob Hampton had Dave Hartman come up to the front so we could celebrate his birthday on September 4. Bob gave a very informative history of Dave Hartman's life. During the Sunshine Report, Steve Priester let the club know that Arnold Oliver was up and around and recovering from COVID-19. We had a couple of announcements from Alan Donaldson and Carol Murray. Alan informed the club that we have Rotary stickers/emblems available for all of us to take to place on our business windows or vehicles. Carol reminded the club of Outstanding Citizen Award Nomination applications. They are available but are not due for a few weeks. If you have a nominee, please fill out the form and return it to Carol or any of her committee members. We had the honor of welcoming a new member today. John Mayfield introduced Dr. Thien “Tin” Tran. He is an OBGYN at United Regional Physicians Group, and we are excited to have him join the club. This week's program was introduced by Josh Phillips. We had the pleasure of welcoming Bruce Shultes. The program was titled "District 5790 Disaster Relief." Bruce wanted to inform the club of the opportunities available through our Rotary District to aid in disaster relief. Disaster Aid USA was a club project that started in 2010. It is similar to ShelterBox, with the goal of providing aid in the USA. The vision statement of the program is to create a world where everyone has the resources to overcome disasters. The mission statement is to very quickly respond to disasters to provide aid. At this time, the program is in full swing in Florida with the recent hurricane. District 5790 has a 20-foot trailer with the necessary supplies to aid people in need during a disaster. Bruce is working with all of the clubs in the district to make an annual donation to fund the program. If the club donates to the program, they can advertise on the trailer and use it as advertising for city events. Bruce then described the process to deploy to a disaster. Initially, there is a needs assessment where they contact the area District Governor, Local Government Authorities, and they coordinate with other disaster relief organizations. Following the assessment, if deployment is confirmed, they contact the volunteers and make sure everyone is trained and ready to go. There are many ways to volunteer. Behind the scenes, there is a need for board members, club chairs to connect the local clubs with the district, communications, IT, and logistics. Then, there is the option to be on the ground as part of the response team. There is a need for team leaders, day workers, skid steer operators, tractor operators, cooks, drivers, and mental health services. Bruce hopes to have 100 volunteers by the end of 2023 and 250 volunteers by the end of 2024. He hopes to have funding of $20,000 by the end of 2023. Following the program, Stacie Cook presented the speaker's gift. Following the program, Carol Murray took some money for the Brag Bucket. Noel Filer bragged on all of the volunteers for HHH this last week and also bragged on Colton for completing the Triple Threat. Monica Horton bragged on her son for competing the Series 7 test. Cara Sauceda bragged on the Dexter Interact club. Dave Hartman also bragged on the HHH volunteers and the community for a great weekend. Carol Murray delivered the Rotary Minute following the brag bucket. She reminded the club of the Rotary Foundation and the good it provides for preventing polio, providing clean water, launching an anti-bullying campaign. It is easy to donate. Let Tina know or simply submit donations on your quarterly statement. The meeting ended with the Four-Way Test. |
August 31, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 12:03 p.m., followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. Cara Sauceda led the club in the pledge of allegiance and the song, “Edelweiss." During the tune of "R-O-T-A-R-Y," we mingled and greeted one another. During the Sunshine Report, Stacie Cook informed the club that former member and Past President of our Club Tim Powers passed away Monday, August 21st. Steve Priester announced that Arnold Oliver had fallen and had to go to the hospital. He is at home now, but he is recovering from COVID at this time. We were all excited to see that Glenn Tole was present at the meeting today. We had a profitable Brag Bucket this week. Carol Murray took some money from Noros Martin for giving away tickets to the Old High Rider game. Will Goodner was excited to announce that his oldest was off at UTA and is doing well. He also reminded the club of the new Habitat for Humanity build. Cara Sauceda announced the start of the new Interact Club at Dexter and that that kids are doing well. Meetings are at 3:45pm on Thursdays. Jake Munholland bragged about his two sons winning their indoor soccer championships. Kenny Weeks congratulated all the parents getting their kids back to school for the new school year. Will Goodner then introduced Lisa Stephens-Musick for the Members Spotlight. Lisa gave a brief history of her life and how she ended up in the position she is in today. She started working at age 15 and learned many skills that she uses today. She spent some time in Houston, TX before moving back to Wichita Falls and starting at the Appraisal District. Today she is the Chief Appraiser at the Wichita Appraisal District. We had the pleasure of honoring the August Youth of the Month this week. Cara Sauceda introduced Elijah Berry. Elijah is the 13 year old son of Samuel Berry. He attends City View Middle School where he maintains A’s and B’s. He is very active in school and at City Hope Church. He helps out with chores around the house. He as been described as one of the best members of the Boys and Girls Club. His plans are to work hard in school, earn scholarships, and become an Architect. We were honored to have him join the meeting. For this week’s program, we had the pleasure of welcoming District Governor Pat Peters. She started the program explaining her history with Rotary and how she ultimately became the District Governor. She grew up in Austin, TX and while she was in High School she won a scholarship from the Austin Rotary Club. Her perception of Rotary was that it was just a bunch of businessmen in suites. Fast forward about 30 years her daughter participated in a 4 Way Test Contest. However, it was not until she moved to Decatur to run the public library were she became active in Rotary. She was invited to the local club in Decatur, joined the club, and very quickly she was elected as the club Secretary and President. One event that she was very passionate about is RYLA. She participates in this program regularly. Through all of her training and being active in her club she learned so much about Rotary. All of this led to her becoming the District Governor for the 2023-2024 year. She is very excited to be DG this year with the current President’s focus for “Creating Hope in the World.” The service projects focus on promoting peace and can be found on the Rotary International Website. There is also a lot of focus on the youth with programs including RYLA, Interact, and the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. She ended the program with a few announcements for upcoming events. The District 5790 events can be found on the events calendar on your phone app. Following the program Lisa Stephens-Musick delivered the Rotary Minute. She reminded the club that the Rotary Motto is “Service Able Self.” There has been a decline in volunteerism over the last few years but as Rotarians we need to continue to step up and volunteer. The meeting ended with the four way test. |
August 17, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 12:05 p.m., followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. David Spencer led the club in the pledge of allegiance and the song, "America." During the tune of "R-O-T-A-R-Y," we mingled and greeted one another. We had a few guests at this meeting. John Deason introduced Terry Points, who is with the City of Wichita Falls. Terry has played a major role in the development of Rotary Park. Sheldon Wang introduced Raul Hazel, who is an engineer. Dave Hartman introduced Solomon Moore with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Treston Teague introduced his wife Mary, who works for United Regional. During the Sunshine Report, we learned that Shirley Crafts' latest scans were clean, but she is still on maintenance chemotherapy. David Spencer announced the passing of Willard Townsed, a previous member. John Deason announced that his kidney is cancer free, but they found some in his bladder. He will be starting a course of treatments over the next six weeks. For the Brag Bucket, Carol Murray took some money from John Deason for bragging on Terry Points. Carla Dowlen had a brag on her nephew who was selected to play in a higher age group. Judy Koetter had a brag on her grandson, who is about to start his football season. This week's Member Spotlight was brought to you by Will Goodner. Will works for Habitat for Humanity. He has three children who are all doing well and is married to his high school sweetheart Michelle. The Habitat for Humanity will be starting a build soon, so if you are interested in volunteering, give him a call. He also wanted to let us know that he is the chair of the Member Spotlight and will be calling on us to share in the near future! This week's program was introduced by Josh Phillips. We had the pleasure of welcoming the President of the Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation, Leslie Schaffner. She started the program with a video explaining what a community foundation does and how it benefits the community. Community foundations offer many opportunities to give money back to the community, with the opportunity to continue to give after you are gone. They monitor the funds to make sure that the money/endowments continue to make an impact. She stated that the goal is to make giving easier. There are many tax advantages, they provide a flexible planning tool, and not only does the money go to non-profits, but there are also many scholarships given out by the Community Foundation. They have a really solid team that works at the Community Foundation, they are monitored by a board of directors, as well as a scholarship committee. As a reminder, Texoma Gives will be happening on August 24. The meeting was brought to an end with the presentation of the speaker's gift, a book that will be placed at Hirschi High School, followed by the Rotary Minute by David Spencer, and finally the Four-Way Test. |
August 10, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie Cook rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 12:02 p.m., followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. Cara Saucedo led the club in the pledge and song, "America the Beautiful.” Following the friendly greetings of one another, Carla Dowlen introduced her nephew David, and Josh Phillips introduced a prospective member, Brayden Wood. This is a good time to put in a plug to continue to invite prospective members. Carla Dowen then had Cara Saucedo come up to the front so we could celebrate her birthday, which was August 4. During the sunshine report, we learned that past member David Gately was doing well. Since Thursday’s meeting, David has fallen and broken a few bones in his ankle and is currently in the hospital. Please continue to keep David Gately in your prayers. Andy Kocher let us know that his mother-in-law was doing well and is home. We had the pleasure of honoring our July Youth of the Month this week. Cara Saucedo introduced Michael O'Neal. Michael is the son of Clay and Stacey O'Neal, and he will be an 8th grader at Burkburnett Middle School. He is the oldest of five and he helps around the house with various chores. He does very well in school, is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, and plays tennis and football. He plans to join the military once he is done with school. We were honored to have him join the meeting. Carol Murray took some money from Andy Kocher for selling his Star Brite Cleaners after 40 years in the business. She then took money from David Hartman for the plug about Stacie and James Cook performing at OG Cellars over the weekend. This week's program was introduced by Josh Phillips. We had the pleasure of welcoming the WFISD Athletic Director and the three head football coaches from the three high schools. Scot Hafley started the program by reminding the club of the great year WFISD athletics had in 2022. He then introduced the head coach of Hirschi High School, Lawrence Johnson. Coach Johnson stated that his focus is on the development of the young men on and off the field. Many of the players who graduated last year went to college, but not all of them are playing football. They will have 3 home games this year and 2 off weeks. He wants to make sure his team is healthy to make a big run in the postseason. He is very excited for this season and the team. There will be 18 seniors on the team, and one player to watch out for is Kendrick Jones, wide receiver. He feels that being a coach to these young men gives him the opportunity to develop them and assist them in any struggles they may be having in their personal lives. Scot Hafley then introduced the Rider head coach, Marc Bindel. Coach Bindel is starting his 15th year with Rider and his 10th year as head coach. He said that when the bond passed three years ago, the student athletes and coaches decided they were going to close the school down right. Their motto for the year is "LOBO," which stands for Last One Best One. This year they will be reloading and rebuilding. They will have a new look offense due to the talent that they have now. They will have 6 returning starters on defense. He said they tend to put their speed and talent on defense to keep them in the games and give them a chance to win. Coach Bindel also noted that Rider will be celebrating decades of past players at each of Rider’s home football games this year. Finally, Scot Hafley introduced the head coach of Wichita Falls High School, Grant Freeman. Coach Freeman is starting his 7th year as head coach at WFHS. Last year they lost in the state quarterfinals, but felt they had a top 4 team. They lost their best player, QB Cameron Gould, but will return a lot of great players. One player returning is the first player in WFHS history to earn All-State recognition. He feels that this team will be able to compete and make some noise in the playoffs. This year will be the final Rider vs. WFHS game. Tickets will go on sale this next week. If you cannot make this one, both Rider and WFHS will play 6 games at home. The meeting was brought to an end with the presentation of the speakers' gift, a book that will be placed at Kirby Middle School, followed by the Four-Way Test. |
August 3, 2023 Spokesman
With President Stacie Cook away, President Elect John Mayfield rang the bell and started the meeting. David Hartman led the invocation with a heartfelt prayer. After The Pledge of Allegiance, David Spencer led the club in A Bicycle Built for Two. After singing we greeted each other with warmth and enthusiasm. There were no guests or visitors today. We had no birthdays to celebrate this week. Reported for our Sunshine Report, Andy Kocher’s mother-in-law is recovering from open-heart surgery at Encompass and David Gately is at Encompass to build his strength. Please keep them in your prayers. Benay Ayers was recognized by the chair and presented a Paul Harris pin with 2 Sapphires to Barbara Lyne and a Paul Harris pin with 3 Rubys to Rod Tieken. Congratulations to Barbara and Rod. For our brag bucket we continue to celebrate. Dave Hartman bragged on Josh Phillips continuing to knock it out of the park as program chairman. Carla Dowlen’s nephew continues his baseball season with another great game. Josh Phillips introduced one of our own, Chip Filer, to present a program on Hotter ’N Hell Hundred. This year will be the 42nd event that has come to define our city in more ways than we can count. It started out as a way to celebrate our WF centennial in 1982. Luckily a proposal from a New York firm to have a Rocking Chair Marathon wasn’t chosen. Also, the name of the event was put in stone by an offhand remark by Mark Davis when he said that in late August, it will be hotter than hell. This event gives Wichita Falls four days to put its best foot forward. There is the HHH Bicycle Endurance Ride, USA Cycling Bicycle Criterium Races, Off Road Mountain Bike Race, Off Road Trail Run 10k and Half Marathon and Gravel Grinding Ride. We can expect about 10,000 participants and they will impact our local economy to the tune of up to $8 million dollars. The number one thing that is remembered by visitors and participants are the rest stops. Twenty rest stops are manned by groups that are very serious about ensuring that the event goes well. Money raised by Hotter’N Hell is donated back into Wichita Falls and the organizations that help put on a great reminder for everyone of the great times that can happen in Wichita Falls. As Chip said, people make it happen. The speaker’s gift will be a book donated to the library at City View High School. There was no Rotary Minute. After the Rotary 4 Way Test, President Elect John Mayfield adjourned the meeting. It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. Herman Melville |
July 27, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie called the membership to order at high noon asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. Before Dave gave the invocation, he paused to remind us that today would have been our good friend and fellow Rotarian Rick Orr’s 70th birthday. In Dave’s prayer he remembered all our friends and loved ones who have gone before. David Spencer then came forward and led us in the pledge and as we were not in the Forum’s Ballroom today, Susan had no piano, so we tackled our song a cappella. David explained that he wanted our song selections to have a patriotic or Texas ethnic vibe to them so today he led us in the singing of “America the Beautiful.” By the way, does anyone know the original name of the poem that became “America the Beautiful”? Answer at the end of the article. There were no visitors or guests to introduce today and for birthdays, Carol Murray recognized Judge Jeff McKnight as the lone birthday boy this week. The judge was presented his hat and stickers and all the other birthday accouterments that Carol came up with. Then the Judge reach into the zip lock baggie of questions and drew his question to answer, “What make you weird?” His answer was simply that he liked different kinds of music especially the non-lawyer type. Happy Birthday Jeff! For the Sunshine Report Andy Kocher thanked the membership for their prayers and reported that his mother-in-law did well with her open-heart surgery, and we got an update on John Deason that his treatments were successful, and he was cancer-free. Benay Ayers was then recognized by the chair to present a Paul Harris Fellow Certificate to immediate past president Arnold Oliver. Noros Martin was up next to induct a new member, MSU Associate Professor, Dr Scott Manley. And then it was “Brag Bucket” time with Carol Murray. We had several brags this week. Tommy Richardson highlighted he played golf earlier in the day and Richard Boyd shot a one under par – well done! Treston Teague bragged on his 9-year-old daughter and Noel Filer let everyone know that a new business, Next Level Golf had opened in Wichita Falls and encouraged folks to pay them a visit. Benay then bragged on the Texas Rangers for the season they’re having and as of today’s meeting they were on a 6-game winning streak! Josh Phillips then introduced Mr John Burrus to discuss the City of Wichita Falls 10-year plan. Mr Burrus is the Director of Aviation, Traffic and Transportation. By the time Mr Burrus had completed his presentation it was easy to see that during the next decade there were numerous capital improvement projects slated for the city. John explained that he had acquired grant funding and was looking for projects. He indicated that part of the City’s future is to work with Sheppard Air Force Base to procure a snow removal system because in recent years snowstorms have shut down the base for days because roadways have been impassable. He also reported the City’s Master Plan had been updated and it included $50 million worth of improvements for the Wichita Falls Regional Airport. He indicated there are projects for new aircraft hangars construction and an updated fuel farm. He also said 3 new hangars were slated for Kickapoo Airport and the terminal building will be rebuilt next, followed by a new maintenance facility. John did indicate that since the City acquired Kickapoo not a single general fund tax dollar has been spent on any improvements to the area. Leaving the airports, John reported that Bus Shelters are part of the City’s plan for the next ten years. He said the goal is to build 100 bus shelters within the next decade. He also said there is a Bus Transfer Project being discussed around the Maplewood Avenue / Sikes Center Mall area. Upon leaving the bus station, John turned to traffic situations within the city. He said the City is studying what the new traffic patterns will be with the addition of the new high schools. He also said there was a large project planned that will involve striping the roadways for separate bicycle lanes. He further added that traffic signals in the downtown section will be revamped. He said the traffic signals in the downtown area are over 80 years old and in desperate need of an overhaul. To go along with this, he indicated the City had received a $2 million COVID grant that was going to be used over the next several years to upgrade and provide street lights for the downtown area. Before taking questions John closed his presentation by adding that bicyclists will see improvements made to the Circle Trail and along Lake Shore Drive. One concern was voiced by a member about the number of manhole covers along Taft Boulevard and the fact that all are below grade which causes everything but a smooth ride along that busy thoroughfare. John indicated he would refer that issue to the Director of Public Works. Another member inquired about the future of Castaway Cove and John indicated the waterpark makes a profit for the City and new features are planned to be added to the park. President Stacie thanked John for his presentation and said the speaker’s book this week would be going to Christ Academy School. To close the meeting, Stacie asked Noros to come forward with the “Rotary Minute” for the week. Noros reminded the membership that the club needs new members in order to thrive and he encouraged everyone to bring a friend or co-worker and introduce them to Rotary. Stacie then led us in the Four-Way Test and adjourned the meeting at 1p.m. “Pikes Peak” was the original name of the poem written by Katharine Lee Bates in 1895 that became what we now know as “America the Beautiful” ---- now you know! BALLOT The following named people have been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls and approved for balloting by the Board of Directors. DONALD HUGHES CITY OF WICHITA FALLS FIRE CHIEF PROPOSED BY: NOROS MARTIN |
July 20, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie called the membership to order just a few minutes past noon and asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. David Spencer then came forward and led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. In his inaugural role as a song leader, David then led us in the singing of the American folk song, “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” Well done David! Noros Martin introduced Wichita City Fire Chief Donald Hughes as his guest and prospective new member today. There were no birthdays to be announced this week. For the Sunshine Report Andy Kocher asked the membership for prayers for his mother-in-law, Barabara, who was scheduled for open heart surgery the following day. President Stacie then distributed Committee Assignments to the membership and asked everyone to review their assignments and to let her know if there were other committees you would like to serve. Then it was “Brag Bucket” time with Carol Murray. We had several brags this week; to include, Alan Donaldson giving an update on his youngest granddaughter and recognizing his oldest granddaughter’s birthday. John Mayfield spotlighted his son who had passed a military PT (physical) test earlier in the week and Benay Ayers bragged that the Zip Line was now installed at Rotary Park. James Hughes bragged on AT&T for how quickly they repaired his router issue and restored his internet which restored peace and tranquility to his household full of girls. Andy then bragged how well he and David Kelley worked together building David’s fence – that was just a mere 450 feet long! Josh Phillips then introduced Ms. Samantha Blair from the Wichita County Public Health District, Environmental Health Division to present our program for the day. Samantha is the Environmental Administrator for Wichita County in charge of all Health Inspectors. The charter of the Environmental Division is to protect and enhance the environmental quality of life for residents, communities, workers, and visitors of Wichita and surrounding counties by developing and implementing consumer health education, surveillance, and enforcement programs in our jurisdiction. Samantha indicated they accomplish this mission with 10 full-time and 10 part-time inspectors. The Environmental Health Division is responsible for inspections of food establishments, aquatic facilities, lodging establishments, body art establishments and on-site sewage facilities. In addition, they are also responsible for mosquito control which they accomplish through night-time spraying. Samantha did say that the spraying efforts are the least effective in controlling the mosquito population and the most costly. She said this year they are particularly searching out storm drains as sources of mosquitoes. Ms. Blair also added that the most effective thing people can do to ward off mosquitoes is the use of insect repellant. Fortunately, with over 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world, over 200 species in the United States, and 85 species in Texas, there are only about 40 species found in Wichita County, and only a handful of them transmit diseases. Following her presentation, Samantha responded to numerous questions from the members. Several questions centered around the food establishment inspections. Samantha explained that food establishments such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and coffee shops, are usually inspected 2 or 3 times a year with fast food restaurants being inspected every 4 months and restaurants inspected every 3 months but she reminded everyone that the inspectors can only enforce the minimal standards. She did indicate that restaurant inspection results are available on-line for the public. The Website for inspection results is: https://tx.phims.org/wichitafalls/Result.aspx. She also explained that Texas has Cottage Food Laws which allows individuals to sell food items for public consumption that were made by the individuals in their homes. She said you usually find these type of vendors at trade shows or farmer’s markets. There was a questions concerning soft serve ice cream and Samantha confirmed that establishments with soft serve offerings are required to have a special soft serve certification. In closing her presentation, Samantha reminded the membership of the Live Well Wichita County program and the offerings available from chronic pain management to healthy cooking. Information for all is available at Live Well | Wichita Falls, TX - Official Website (wichitafallstx.gov). President Stacie thanked Samantha for today’s presentation and told her the speaker’s book this week was going to Barwise Middle School. To close the meeting, Stacie presented the “Rotary Minute” for the week which highlighted the joint work between Rotary International and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist communities and governments to plan, finance and deliver safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services, while sustainably managing water resources. Stacie led us in the Four-Way Test and adjourned the meeting at 1p.m. |
July 13, 2023 Spokesman
President Stacie began her Rotary year with the gavel by calling the membership to order a few minutes past twelve and asked Dr Dave Hartman to offer the invocation. Stacie then shared that only one person had volunteered to serve on the music committee for the coming year so she asked the membership for three volunteers to join her at the podium so she could “demonstrate” how simple it is to lead the membership in the pledge to the flag and the song. Lisa Stephens-Musick, David Kelley and David Spencer were the volunteers that came forward. Stacie then led the membership in the pledge to the flag followed by the singing of two verses of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. We clapped hands and stomped feet to the a cappella version of the song since our pianist, Susan, wasn’t with us today. No guests joined us today and we had no updates for the Sunshine Report. Carol Murray recognized two members who had birthdays to celebrate: David Kelley and John Mayfield. Carol added a new dimension to the birthday recognition by having each celebrant don birthday hats, wristbands, birthday pins and stickers and then each had to select a question from a jar and openly respond to it. Each did have the opportunity to select a second question if they didn’t like their first pick. Each question was designed to have the birthday recipient share something about themselves to the membership. Stacie then asked Andy Kocher to come to the podium and present perfect attendance certificates to two members who were not able to attend the annual dinner meeting. Certificates were presented to Bill Miller for 17 years of perfect attendance and to Jackie Lebow for 24 years of perfect attendance. Stacie then paused to recognize all the Board Members for the last year with President Arnold and the new members that were joining the Board this year. Afterward, Carol Murray returned to the podium with the Brag Bucket. Shirley Craft, Noel Filer and Josh Phillips shared brags for the week. During the brags it was disclosed that our club had attained the requisite requirements to be labeled a “Vibrant Club”. Stacie then addressed the membership and explained that the “program” for the day was going to be a “Club Assembly”. The “Club Assembly” is a meeting of all members that is typically held 4 to 6 times a year to discuss the overall operation of the club. For this first Club Assembly, it was an opportunity for Stacie to present her vision for the coming year and introduce some different formats. Notably, there will be a new structure to weekly programs. Stacie explained that programs would fluctuate with focuses on non-profit organizations, programs that educate for knowledge, programs that educate for skill, and programs that educate the membership on some aspect of a Rotary project. Something new that Stacie introduced was the idea of once per quarter to hold a “Serve Instead” meeting. The idea behind this would be for the membership to participate in some type of service event in place of our normal luncheon meeting. In order to promote engagement with the membership, we were all given the opportunity to respond to a “Let Us Hear From You” survey. Stacie then transitioned to discuss the need for the club to have a better on-line presence and she encouraged everyone to go to the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls Facebook App and “like” the page. The app is a great method to highlight the work the club is doing in the community. Stacie also indicated that each week she would like to have a Member Spotlighted and she asked for members who would be willing to serve on that committee. Lisa Stephen-Musick, John Mayfield, Treston Teague and Will Goodner volunteered to serve on this initiative. To close the inaugural Club Assembly, Stacie presented a “Rotary Minute”. The Rotary Minute is a quick one-minute story that features the work and impact of Rotary in our community and world! For this week the Rotary-led initiative 'United to End Cervical Cancer in Egypt' was highlighted. This initiative aims to reduce cervical cancer cases and enhance women's health in Egypt through targeted awareness-raising and improved access to preventative care. Because of the Club Assembly meeting this week there was no speaker’s book presented. We then recited the Four-Way Test and President Stacie adjourned the meeting at 1p.m. |
July 6, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 11:59am followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. President Arnold then led the Club in the pledge and song, Grand Ol’ Flag. During the tune of R-O-T-A-R-Y we mingled and greeted one another. Lisa Stephens-Musick invited Arnold Oliver, Will Gardner, Glenn Tarter, and Glen Tole to the front to celebrate their birthdays. Durning the Sunshine Report, we celebrated that John Deason and Walter Coppage were in attendance for the meeting. We also celebrated that Shirley Craft is in remission, but will start chemo treatments in the coming weeks. John Deason shared the news that the construction for the zip-line began this week at Rotary Park. The brag bucket this week featured brags on the club from both John Deason and Shirley Craft for all the prayers and support during their treatments. Carla Dowling bragged on her nephew who is an All-Star Baseball Player. (For how much money he is making for the club someone should invite him to the meeting and buy his lunch!) We had the pleasure of honoring the youth of the month this week. Jon Dearolf introduced Isaiah Maldonado. Isaiah is going to be a sophomore at Old High this year. He is on the football team and his favorite subject in school is Spanish. He is very active helping out in his household, in school, at the Boys and Girls Clubs, and at church. After high school he plans to join the military or attend Vernon College for welding. We were honored to have him join the meeting. Dave Hartman then introduced the program, Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce. The program was given by the CEO of the Chamber, Ron Kitchens. Mr. Kitchens has been with the Chamber for six months. He started off the program with his personal history. He attended college to play football, but in the first week he had a career ending knee injury. After one semester of college he started a successful convenient store business, he ran for city council 3 times and become Mayor by age 23. He learned at an early age the importance of people to a community and that communities need more and better jobs to flourish. In Wichita Falls with the Chamber Mr. Kitchens is committed to bringing in more and better jobs. This will spread the tax burden, provide a stronger economy, and improve the schools, police, and fire departments. He described that companies were always seeking out the best options for growth and that it is important for the Chamber and City to brag and tell our story. These companies need to understand the why they should grow in Wichita Falls. This includes companies looking to move to Wichita Falls as well as the companies that already exist here and can develop more jobs in our area. He ended the program discussing the new newsletter that is starting this week that is released every Thursday with all the great local news in the community. If you have any questions in regards to the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce Mr. Kitchens would be happy to for you to reach out at any time. The meeting was brought to an end with the presentation of the speakers gift, a book that will be placed at Barwise Middle School followed by the Four Way Test. |
June 29, 2023 Spokesman
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June 22, 2023 Spokesman
The always on-time President Arnold rang the bell to start the meeting at exactly 12:00! David Hartman led the club in the invocation. He was followed by Stacie Cook who was called upon to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. She then shared with the club that our song of the day was chosen by random draw. Susan opened the song book to the classic tragedy of the miner 49er and his daughter “Clementine”. After singing the first verse, we sang a verse of Rotary and greeted our friends. We were fortunate enough to have a couple of visitors join us at meeting. David Hartman introduced his guest, Catherine Early from MSU. Then, Rod Tieken said that his guest needed no introduction as he was joined by Glen Spadin. I forced my son, Jax Munholland, to join us for lunch, and Josh Phillips introduced his guest, Kenny McCollum, the GM for Bruckner in Wichita Falls. For the Sunshine report, Benay Ayers shared that John Deason is doing well and was on his way to the 5th of his 6 chemotherapy treatments. She also shared that Walter Coppage has been released to drive after his hip surgery and is doing therapy at OSTC. Please remember to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. President Arnold took to the podium to make a couple of announcements. First, he reminded everyone that the deadline to RSVP for the Annual Party is June 15th. The event will be Thursday night June 29th from 6-8pm at the Kemp Center. Please join us in celebrating President Arnold! His second announcement was to remind everyone that our next flag day will be on Wednesday June 14th in observance of Flag Day. Steve Priester reminded everyone to print out a new list, as the new flag system keeps tabs on new flag subscriptions. As usual, we will have military support at the Forum and Tanglewood at 6:30 am to put out flags. President Arnold called on Carol Murray to do one our favorite things as Rotarians, induct a new member! Carol brought up Pam Leonardi, who was accompanied by her husband Stephen. Pam is a realtor with Paramount and specializes in military relocation. President Arnold swore her into the club and Carol presented her with her red badge and Rotary packet. Stacie Cook brought out the brag bucket and the only brag of the day was from Andy Kocher. His 9-year-old grandson won the baseball championship and hit a double in the game. Andy said that he was impressed with the team and thinks they may have even turned a double play! After the induction, Norris Martin took the opportunity to share with the club that we were challenged by the district governor to participate in a membership drive that runs until the end of June. His hope is that we can get 5-6 new membership applications in that time. He concluded by giving a membership information package to our guest speaker, Dr. Donnie Lee, Superintendent of WFISD. Following Norris, Dave Hartman was called on to introduce Dr. Lee as our guest speaker. He previously spoke with our club at the beginning of the school year and felt that it would be nice to come full circle and visit with us again after the end of the school year. Dr. Lee’s technology failed him, and he couldn’t use the presentation that he had prepared, so he decided to just share with the group the information from his presentation. He started off by talking about the status of the 2 new schools. Both Memorial and Legacy are on time, on budget, and on schedule. He shared that Memorial is a little bit ahead of Legacy because there was a little less foundation dirt work that needed to be done at the site for Memorial. He said that the current estimated completion time for Memorial is February 2024 and for Legacy is April 2024. He said that this time frame will allow plenty of time to get the buildings ready for students by August 2024. Dr. Lee followed up the good news about the status of the schools, with the bad news about the status of the athletic facilities that were approved under proposition B. He said that the original request was for $13.5 million from taxpayers and the district would pitch in an additional $4 million to cover the total cost of $17.5 million. However, he said that the budget was blown out of the water almost at the same time the proposal was approved. The final bids they received to complete the project after approval were double what the initial request was. The current estimated cost for the project is $27 million. The funds from the approved proposition will be enough to cover all the expenses for the items that are at ground level, such as the practice fields, however, it is not enough to cover any of the expenses for the above ground items, such as bleachers, rest rooms, and concession stands. He said that they are working with donors to cover some of the additional costs, but they do not currently have a plan in place to fund all the items that were originally in the request. He then shifted his focus to the budget for the 2023-2024 school year. He said that it was no secret that the budget for previous year had a $7 million deficit that was the result of the district missing the projection on the number of students by around 600 students. However, he said that the proposed budget for the upcoming school year is balanced. He said that it was not an easy task and required saying no to a lot of principals. He said that the state has established recommendations for districts on how many staff members they are allowed to have for many of the support positions based on the number of students at a facility. This helped guide the budget discussions and helped support Dr. Lee as he was denying requests for additional support staff as staffing is about 85% of the budget for school districts annually. The next piece of the budget cuts, which has become a hot button item, is the closing of some of the schools. Dr. Lee shared that at the start of last year WFISD had the highest number of buildings used by any school district in the state. He stated that the 26 facilities maintained by WFISD were the by far the most for any similar district, with most other school districts being under 20 facilities. Just the utilities and maintenance on the upkeep of the facilities is a significant portion of the district’s expenses. He stated that they have begun the process of closing some of the elementary schools and have plans in place to close some of the others. The focus is in getting the students to the best buildings for them, not necessarily the closest building to them. The next item that Dr. Lee touched on was status of Kirby since it received a warning due to its performance on the previous year’s STAAR test. He stated that it is too early to know how it performed on this year’s test, but the early indication is that it is going to be very close. He is not sure how the state is going to handle the situation, but there could be very serious measures taken. Dr. Lee stated that his focus is in making sure the students of our district have the great teachers at all schools in the district and not just at the preferred school with the preferred principal. The principals for the Memorial and Legacy have been announced, but they were only allowed to bring 2 of their existing assistant principals. All the other teachers will be assigned to the schools to make sure both schools have great teachers! When asked about the staffing levels, Dr. Lee stated that they only have 38 openings for teachers or principals at this time, which is down significantly from this time last year. After Dr. Lee answered a couple of questions, President Arnold presented him with the speaker’s gift, which will be sent to Rider High School. The meeting ended with the Four Way Test and ringing of the bell at 12:47. |
June 15, 2023 Spokesman
The always on-time President Arnold rang the bell to start the meeting at exactly 12:00! David Hartman led the club in the invocation. He was followed by Stacie Cook who was called upon to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. She then shared with the club that our song of the day was chosen by random draw. Susan opened the song book to the classic tragedy of the miner 49er and his daughter “Clementine”. After singing the first verse, we sang a verse of Rotary and greeted our friends. We were fortunate enough to have a couple of visitors join us at meeting. David Hartman introduced his guest, Catherine Early from MSU. Then, Rod Tieken said that his guest needed no introduction as he was joined by Glen Spadin. I forced my son, Jax Munholland, to join us for lunch, and Josh Phillips introduced his guest, Kenny McCollum, the GM for Bruckner in Wichita Falls. For the Sunshine report, Benay Ayers shared that John Deason is doing well and was on his way to the 5th of his 6 chemotherapy treatments. She also shared that Walter Coppage has been released to drive after his hip surgery and is doing therapy at OSTC. Please remember to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. President Arnold took to the podium to make a couple of announcements. First, he reminded everyone that the deadline to RSVP for the Annual Party is June 15th. The event will be Thursday night June 29th from 6-8pm at the Kemp Center. Please join us in celebrating President Arnold! His second announcement was to remind everyone that our next flag day will be on Wednesday June 14th in observance of Flag Day. Steve Priester reminded everyone to print out a new list, as the new flag system keeps tabs on new flag subscriptions. As usual, we will have military support at the Forum and Tanglewood at 6:30 am to put out flags. Stacie Cook brought out the brag bucket and the only brag of the day was from Andy Kocher. His 9-year-old grandson won the baseball championship and hit a double in the game. Andy said that he was impressed with the team and thinks they may have even turned a double play! President Arnold called on Carol Murray to do one our favorite things as Rotarians, induct a new member! Carol brought up Pam Leonardi, who was accompanied by her husband Stephen. Pam is a realtor with Paramount and specializes in military relocation. President Arnold swore her into the club and Carol presented her with her red badge and Rotary packet. After the induction, Norris Martin took the opportunity to share with the club that we were challenged by the district to participate in a membership drive that runs until the end of June. His hope is that we can get 5-6 new membership applications in that time. He concluded by giving a membership information package to our guest speaker, Dr. Donnie Lee, Superintendent of WFISD. Following Norris, Dave Hartman was called on to introduce Dr. Lee as our guest speaker. He previously spoke with our club at the beginning of the school year and felt that it would be nice to come full circle and visit with us again after the end of the school year. Dr. Lee’s technology failed him, and he couldn’t use the presentation that he had prepared, so he decided to just share with the group the information from his presentation. He started off by talking about the status of the 2 new schools. Both Memorial and Legacy are on time, on budget, and on schedule. He shared that Memorial is a little bit ahead of Legacy because there was a little less foundation dirt work that needed to be done at the site for Memorial. He said that the current estimated completion time for Memorial is February 2024 and for Legacy is April 2024. He said that this time frame will allow plenty of time to get the buildings ready for students by August 2024. He followed up the good news about the status of the schools, with the bad news about the status of the athletic facilities that were approved under proposition B. He said that the original request was for $13.5 million from taxpayers and the district would pitch in an additional $4 million to cover the total cost of $17.5 million. However, he said that the budget was blown out of the water almost at the same time the proposal was approved. The final bids they received to complete the project after approval were double what the initial request was. The current estimated cost for the project is $27 million. The funds from the approved proposition will be enough to cover all the expenses for the items that are at ground level, such as the practice fields, however, it is not enough to cover any of the expenses for the above ground items, such as bleachers, rest rooms, and concession stands. He said that they are working with donors to cover some of the additional costs, but they do not currently have a plan in place to fund all the items that were originally in the request. He then shifted his focus to the budget for the 2023-2024 school year. He said that it was no secret that the budget for previous year had a $7 million deficit that was the result of the district missing the projection on the number of students by around 600 students. However, he said that the proposed budget for the upcoming school year is balanced. He said that it was not an easy task and required saying no to a lot of principals. He said that the state has established recommendations for districts on how many staff members they are allowed to have for many of the support positions based on the number of students at a facility. This helped guide the budget discussions and helped support Dr. Lee as he was denying requests for additional support staff as staffing is about 85% of the budget for school districts annually. The next piece of the budget cuts, which has become a hot button item, is the closing of some of the schools. Dr. Lee shared that at the start of last year WFISD had the highest number of buildings used by any school district in the state. He stated that the 26 facilities maintained by WFISD were the by far the most for any similar district, with most other school districts being under 20 facilities. Just the utilities and maintenance on the upkeep of the facilities is a significant portion of the district’s expenses. He stated that they have begun the process of closing some of the elementary schools and have plans in place to close some of the others. The focus is in getting the students to the best buildings for them, not necessarily the closest building to them. The next item that Dr. Lee touched on was status of Kirby since it received a warning due to its performance on the previous year’s STAAR test. He stated that it is too early to know how it performed on this year’s test, but the early indication is that it is going to be very close. He is not sure how the state is going to handle the situation, but there could be very serious measures taken. Dr. Lee stated that his focus is in making sure the students of our district have the great teachers at all schools in the district and not just at the preferred school with the preferred principal. The principals for the Memorial and Legacy have been announced, but they were only allowed to bring 2 of their existing assistant principals. All the other teachers will be assigned to the schools to make sure both schools have great teachers! When asked about the staffing levels, Dr. Lee stated that they only have 38 openings for teachers or principals at this time, which is down significantly from this time last year. After Dr. Lee answered a couple of questions, President Arnold presented him with the speaker’s gift, which will be sent to Rider High School. The meeting ended with the Four Way Test and ringing of the bell at 12:47. |
June 8, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold called the meeting to order promptly at 12:00. David Hartman started the meeting off with his usual thoughtful invocation. Cara Sauceda led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance and continued the theme of the week, honoring our country by singing “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”. Afterwards, we walked around and said “hello” to our fellow Rotarians. David Kelley introduced his guest, Joe Schaffer, who is the co-owner of Next Level Golf… and a potential new member! President Arnold introduced his wife, Tomi Oliver as his lunch date. For birthdays this week we celebrated Danny Steed (6/1) and Andy Kocher (6/2). Danny chose the gift from Star Bright Cleaners and Andy chose Sports Clips… even though he is already helping David build a fence to celebrate Andy’s birthday. For the Sunshine report, David Hartman shared a message from Benay that Walter Coppage is recovering well from his hip surgery and John Deason is doing well and undergoing his 4th of 6 chemotherapy treatments. Please remember to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Prior to the official brag bucket, President Arnold called on visiting Rotarian, Larry Petrash, to allow him to finish his announcement from the previous week. Larry’s announcement was a big brag and high praises for our own Stacie Cook, who sang The Star-Spangled Banner at a veteran’s dinner in Mineral Wells an did an amazing job. For the other brags, we had 3 members who threw down some cash for their shout outs. Cara Sauceda bragged on her son’s basketball team that she and Dallas coached. They were a player pool team that lost their first game by a mercy rule but ended up making the playoffs and winning their first playoff game. Jake Munholland bragged that both of his sons were recognized for multiple awards at their end of year award ceremonies, his oldest son, Jax, tried out for a new competitive team with coaches from MSU, and was one of the 16 selected out of the 31 kids that tried out, and Jax also was the only 6th grade clarinet player for the Barwise band that was selected to skip 7th grade band and play in the 8th grade “Honors” band, which is the top band at Barwise. James Hughes gave a shout out to all the effort that everyone put in working the flags for Memorial Day. He told a story of one of the residents on his route, Mr. Patel, coming out of his house to take a video of his flag. When James asked him what he was doing, he said that this was his first ever American flag, and he was incredibly proud to have it on display. This is just one of the many reasons that make those early mornings worth it. David Hartman introduced our speaker for the week, Dr. Robert Parkey, who he originally met through his work with Hospice of Wichita Falls, when he was wearing suits and bow ties. Over time, he noticed Dr. Parkey starting to dress in dress more and more in traditional western attire. He knew that he enjoyed the music and poems of old cowboys, but figured he was just dressing the part for his performances. However, after Dr. Parkey left Hospice, David realized the suit and ties were Dr. Parkey’s avatar and the western wear were who Dr. Parkey really was. Dr. Parkey started out his program by stating that his fascination for western wear and cowboy culture stims from his family history. Both of his parents’ families moved to Texas in the 1880’s from Tennessee. He said that it was the Chisolm Trail and Western Trail that drew his families to the area. His mother’s family settled on the Avis Ranch, which was out towards Jolly and Henrietta and his father’s family started the Parkey Ranch, which was in Archer County. He said that his family still owns parts of the original ranches to this day. He shared one of his favorite quotes from T.S. Eliot “We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.” This quote resonated with him as he continued to look back on his family history. He picked up his guitar as he continued with his history lesson. The first song that he played for the group was titled “Cows Around” and the lyrics were an homage to all the wonderful JOYS that come with having cows around. He then performed a song that he had written about his own family history, titled Mankins, TX 1888. The song describes what he imagined life was like for his family as they settled into life on the ranch and started branding and selling their own cattle. He sang that his family was thankful for their cowboy way of life and Texas Beef! He continued the history lesson by teaching us about how Texas cowboy heritage grew from the influences from the Spanish vaqueros and Anglo-Saxon herders. Then he performed a “Night Herding Song” about the efforts of the herders to keep the “little dogies” moving slow to avoid a stampede while on a cattle drive. Throughout the performance, Dr. Parkey continued to share cowboy history mixed in with his songs and poems. He continued with performances of “Chisolm Trail”, “Prairie Light Show”, “Still Here”, “Purt Near Perkins” and several others. When Dr. Parkey laid down his guitar, President Arnold presented him with the speaker’s gift, which was a book that will be sent in McNeil Middle School. We concluded the meeting with the Four Way Test and President Arnold rang the bell to close the meeting at 12:58. |
June 1, 2023 Spokesman |
May 25, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:03 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with a heartfelt prayer. After The Pledge of Allegiance, Stacie Cook led the club in Edelweiss. I can’t hear Edelweiss without thinking of Rotarian Ben Shelton. After singing a favorite song of Ben’s, we greeted each other with warmth and enthusiasm. Carol Murray introduced her guest, Pamela Leonardi, a realtor in Wichita Falls and David Kelley introduced his guest, Debra Kelley, his wife. We had no birthdays to celebrate this week. John Deason continues his chemotherapy on Thursdays. This writer, Walter Coppage, is getting a hip replacement on Monday morning. If you know of any others in need of prayers, please let Tina know. Our Annual Party is Thursday, June 29, 2023. Details to come. Flag Team captains will meet after the meeting today with Benay Ayers to discuss the new computer flag program. For our brag bucket we continue to celebrate. Will Goodner’s son and daughters continue to either score a hat trick in soccer or graduate in the top 10% of high school graduates. Greg Brownfield’s son is graduating from WFHS and is on the baseball team that is still in the playoffs. The Coyotes have gone further this year in the playoffs than any team since 1957. Shirley Craft talked of making 2023’s Veterans Day even more special than last year. Mike Saville introduced the Youth of the Month, Macie Stouard. Mike compared talking to the finalists for Youth of the Month as an experience that is better than the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. Macie has been a member of the Southeast Branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs for six years. She takes care of four horses and 2 dogs among her “chores” at home. She has perfect attendance at school and hopes to go into veterinary medicine or cosmetology. Macie has a contagious laugh. She is an excellent example of the youth of today. Dave Hartman introduced Dr. Keith Lamb, Acting President of Midwestern State University. Dr. Lamb, a native of Vernon, Texas discussed Midwestern State University and spoke about so many things that it was hard to keep up. It was asked if he had applied for the position that he is holding on an interim basis, but that was not to be discussed. In this writer’s opinion, holding a BBA and MBA from Texas Tech University and a PH.D. from the University of North Texas combined with 23 years of service to Midwestern State University will be hard for someone else to top, but I’m not on the search committee. Dr. Lamb said that “To grow is to change”, and Midwestern State University has done that since its founding in 1922 as Wichita Falls Junior College. MSU has about 5,800 students, with 1/3 coming from Region 9, 1/3 coming from the DFW metroplex and the last 1/3 coming from 44 different states and 55 different countries. 9% of MSU’s students are international. He spoke of The Priddy Foundation Scholars program in which 53% of the students are first generation college students. Dr. Lamb spoke of MSU’s Core Values. Leaders Drive Values. Values Drive Behavior. Behavior Drives Culture. Culture Drives Performance. Wichita Falls is lucky to have Midwestern State University. MSU and Sheppard Air Force Base work together to bring students from both MSU and SAFB together to build up not only MSU, but Wichita Falls and SAFB. Midwestern State University contributes $320 million to the local economy. The possibility of MSU having an Electrical Engineering department to add to the McCoy School of Engineering would be a tremendous plus for MSU and SAFB and Wichita Falls. MSU sports is also possibly expanding by adding baseball. As an alumnus of Midwestern State University, I am proud of the impact that MSU makes to students, our city, our state, our country, and the world. Thanks to Dr. Keith Lamb for his talk today. The speaker’s gift will be a book donated to the library at City View High School. After the Rotary 4 Way Test, President Arnold adjourned the meeting at 1:00 pm. |
May 18, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:00 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with a very solemn, heartfelt prayer. Stacie Cook led the club in a selection from the Rotary Song Book, The Battle Hymn of The Republic. After a great experience singing, we greeted each other with enthusiasm. Larry Petrash was our only guest / visiting Rotarian today, but as a former member of our club, I just think he never really left. We recognized Marvin Groves’ birthday a couple weeks late, but he enjoyed it. John Deason started chemotherapy today and will have treatments on Thursdays for a bit. Please remember John when you hit your knees to pray. For our brag bucket we continue to celebrate. James Hughes’ daughter has won two college scholarships. Josh Phillips’ son, Gavin, graduates from Abilene Christian University this Saturday. President Arnold Oliver’s grandson, Seth, is a teacher and coach at Holliday High School and the baseball team is in the playoffs. Jake Munholland’s sons, Jax and Jett, participated last weekend in a chess tournament for the first time and did well. Dave Hartman introduced Mark Bullitt, Landscape Architect, with his program, The Beauty of Landscaping. Mark Bullitt spoke while presenting 123 slides to us. Some of the slides were from when Mark was with the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Mark spoke of The Principles of Design (the rules). They are Unity, Emphasis / Focal Point, Scale / Proportion, Balance, and Rhythm. Unity is when everything comes together. A focal point is where your eyes go when you see the design. Water is a great way to have focal points, using falling water or spraying water. Lighting also helps to emphasis a focal point. Scale and proportion are about balance and balance is about distribution. Rhythm in landscaping is like rhythm in music, it’s repeating the same thing many times. One important thing that Mark mentioned was that good form enables the brain not to work as hard. If the brain is being overworked and you can’t figure it out easily when seeing a landscape design, there may be something that needs to be corrected. One way might be curving the paths so you are forced to slow down. That enables you to absorb the beauty. On the tables were handouts that included lists of trees, shrubs, succulents, perennials, grasses, groundcover, plants for containers and favorite combinations that may improve your landscaping. We enjoyed the program and learned a great deal, at least this writer did. The speaker’s gift will be a book donated to the library at City View High School. After the Rotary 4 Way Test, President Arnold adjourned the meeting at 1:01 pm. MARK YOUR CALENDARS ANNUAL PARTY Thursday, June 29 2023 MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW SOON |
May 11, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell and started the meeting at 11:59 am. David Hartman led the invocation with another outstanding, heartfelt prayer. Stacie Cook led the club in singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat. After the fabulous singing, we greeted each other as only Rotarians can. David Spencer introduced two of his golfing buddies, Don Badgwell, and Glen Thorman. Carol Murray introduced her guest Kim Weideman. There were no birthdays this week and next week we will make up for Marvin Groves being gone last week and thinking he might avoid celebrating his birthday with us. Shirley Craft’s CATSCAN came back clear and Stacie Cook and her family are well. Please remember Cara Sauceda’s husband, Dallas, as he continues to battle for better health. Keep them in your thoughts. Benay Ayers presented a $2,000 check to the Boy Scouts and Greg Brownfield. This is an example of where the money raised by our flag program goes. For our brag bucket we had more than I could keep up with. Andy Kocher’s Star Brite Cleaners won Partners in Education’s Partner of the Year award during the PIE Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday. Kenny Weeks spoke of an employee who delivered a premature baby in March and now, both mom and baby are home. Lance Spruiell’s brother was honored, and Lance said he taught his brother all he knows. Carla’s nephew scored two soccer goals. Dave Hartman introduced our own David Spencer with his presentation of The Photography of Water. In writing this, there are a couple ways to go. I can describe the photographs, but I can’t, I can only enjoy seeing them. I can describe how David took the pictures and talk about exposure, time of day and the environment when he took the pictures, but again, I can’t. I can only enjoy the photographs. I can only relate what I learned and felt during David’s presentation and talk about his travels. David started out with a Kodak Brownie Box camera. He graduated to Nikon cameras and then to Canon cameras. David said something that will stay with me. David said the phrase “How to make a photograph special”. David strives to make a photograph special, not like everyone else taking photographs from the same spot. And speaking of the same spot, David has been to more spots than I could even imagine. From Uncertain, Texas, population 85, on Caddo Lake, to photograph hanging moss to Page, Arizona to photograph Horseshoe Bend. David has traveled to the Pacific coast at Newport, Oregon to photograph where sand and water meet on the beaches, to Stoney Creek Bridge in British Columbia, Canada because David loves trains. To complete locations in the Western Hemisphere, David has traveled to Southern Patagonia at the tip of South America to photograph not only the ice field and the Amalia Glacier, but other forests and natural treasures. When David starts talking about Iceland, he beams, because he has spent time in Iceland traveling to its furthest boundaries to photograph the water and ice in this country which has volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and lava fields. David showed pictures throughout his presentation. From Western New Zealand to Viet Nam to Majorca, Spain and Sweden and Norway in Europe to Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in Africa. One thing David did for me was bring back memories when he said that he and Raoul Ashby traveled by train in Canada. Raoul’s son Frank and I were friends along with Larry Iverson. We all watched Superbowl III on January 12, 1969, together when Joe Namath and the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts, Raoul was rooting for the Baltimore Colts. Larry, Frank and I were Jets fans. David’s presentation is different for everyone seeing it. The one picture that I will remember for a long time is of a black and white picture of a famous tree in Iceland. Thanks, David. The speaker’s gift to David Spencer will be a book donated to Barwise Middle School. After the Rotary 4 Way Test, President Arnold adjourned the meeting at 12:59 pm. |
May 4, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:01 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with another outstanding, heartfelt prayer. Both Cara Sauceda and Stacie Cook were absent, so Arnold Oliver led the club in singing You’re a Grand Old Flag. Kenn Hill came as a guest of his wife, Shirley Craft. Dr. Keith Lamb, interim President of Midwestern State University came as a guest of Dave Hartman. Larry Tegtmeyer brought his son, Andrew Tegtmeyer as a guest. Richard Boyd and Marvin Groves had birthdays this week. Although Marvin was absent, Richard Boyd was present and was recognized for his birthday. Please keep Stacie Cook and Cara Sauceda in your thoughts as they battle illnesses for themselves or family members. For our brag bucket, Shirley Craft bragged on Dave Hartman for providing such great programs. Dr. David Spencer rejoiced because family members moved from Oregon to Arkansas, thus cutting travel time for visits greatly. Dave Harman introduced Steve Sosland, Vice Chancellor Texas Tech University System. I believe Dave might have introduced Steve as a “Professional Disruptor”. Steve Sosland is a West Point graduate. Steve started his talk by having a picture of a twelve-year-old girl on the screen. He explained that she was sick, and her mother gave her medicine and when she went to check on her, she was dead. This was September of 1982 and was the start of the Chicago Tylenol Murders. The scene then moved to New Jersey where the board of directors of Johnson & Johnson, manufacturers of Tylenol capsules, were deciding what steps to take. The Tylenol had been tampered with and had been laced with potassium cyanide which poisoned anyone who took the tampered drug. This was the moment when Johnson & Johnson made a dramatic decision to recall all Tylenol. Not some, not just lot numbers, not just in Illinois, but all. That decision spoke volumes about values. Johnson & Johnson then began work on tamper proof packaging. Steve Sosland continued his talk about values and how he first began recruiting junior military officers for positions and then was asked to be Chief Operating Officer at Hill Country Medical when they needed help. Steve then helped the University of North Texas develop stated values and then took on a similar task with the Texas Tech University System. The number of people mentioned as influential in the topic of values was amazing. From Ann Rhoades of Southwest Airlines fame to Jim Collins, American author, to James E. Burke of Johnson & Johnson, Steve gave us a view of how important stating and then living your values is. Then he presented the Values Journey for MSU Texas and ended by talking about the Rotary 4 Way Test. The speaker’s gift to Steve Sosland was a book donated to Wichita Falls High School. After the Rotary 4 Way Test, President Arnold adjourned the meeting at 12:56 pm. |
April 27, 2023 Spokesman
IT ALL ADDS UP We often look for signs after a loved one dies. Here’s a cool story about movies, loose change and girls’ day out. Written by Judy Dill of Blanchester, Ohio, it appeared in the April 2010 issue of Guideposts. Tom, my second husband, had a deep appreciation for the bond I had with my grown daughter from my first marriage. He loved treating Kris and me to a girls’ day out and got a kick out of the giggle fits we got into when we recounted our day for him. He’d have to join us one day, we said. Shortly after we were married, he was diagnosed with melanoma. The treatments left him too weak to go out with us, but he never stopped exhorting us to have a good time. Two days shy of our second anniversary, he passed away. I felt a part of me had died too, that joy had gone from my life. A few weeks after the funeral I tried to clean out Tom’s dresser drawers. I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong. These were his favorite shirts, sweaters. Even a drawer full of change he’d emptied from his pockets made my heart ache. I sorted the coins, my eyes blurred with tears. Kris knew I needed a break. “Let’s get out of the house, Mom,” she urged. “We’ll spend the day together. A girls’ day out.” A movie, dinner, something to get my mind off my grief. We went to the bank to exchange the coins from Tom’s drawer, then headed over to the theater. We bought two tickets, some snacks and drinks. “Twenty eight dollars,” the cashier announced. Wow! “When did a trip to the movies get so expensive?” I exclaimed. Kris giggled. “It’s not five cents for a double feature anymore, Mom.” The movie helped push my thoughts elsewhere for a while. Afterward, we took Kris’s dogs to the park and later we ate dinner at a casual restaurant. Spending the day with Kris was exactly what I needed. I just wished Tom could have been a part of it. I got the check and tacked on a nice tip for our waiter. It came to thirty-eight dollars and thirty cents in total. As we walked to the car, a thought stopped me in my tracks. No, it can’t be… “What is it, Mom?” Kris asked. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the receipt from the bank. The coins in Tom’s drawer added up to sixty-six dollars…and thirty cents. For the first time since the funeral, I felt joy. I looked up toward the darkening sky, filling up slowly with stars. “Thanks, Tom,” I said, “for treating us one more time.” BALLOT The following named people have been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls and approved for balloting by the Board of Directors. SCOTT MANLEY PROFESSOR MSU TEXAS PROPOSED BY: NOROS MARTIN Any comment regarding the proposed members should be given in writing or by email to the Executive Secretary no later than Wednesday May 3, 2023. |
April 20, 2023 Spokesman
A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little kid loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little kid had grown up. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. Boy: “I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees anymore. I want toys. I need money to buy them.” Tree: “Sorry, I do not have any money. But you can pick my apples, then sell them to get the money.” The boy was excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back. The tree was sad. One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the man. Man: “I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter.” Tree: “Sorry, I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the man who now at his middle age returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” the tree asked. Man: “I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. I want a boat.” Tree: “Sorry, I do not have any boat. But you can use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, I do not have anything for you anymore. The only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said. “I do not need anything now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad. Then they both smiled with tears. We take our family, friends and loved ones for granted, we don’t appreciate all they do for us … until it’s too late. Treat them with loving care today. Learn to appreciate what you have. Before time makes you appreciate what you’d lost. |
April 13, 2023 Spokesman
Once again, we all enjoyed the lovely music provided by the pianist Ms. Susan Cusenbary. This is a relaxing, enjoyable meal that makes the week more delightful. President Arnold gonged the bell at exactly 12:00 noon by my world clock and Dr. Dave Hartman gave the invocation and always include a word of thanks for our loving and forgiving God. The pledge and song was led by our fearless song leader Cara Sauceda and she had selected a song that was sung to the tune of “Amazing Grace”. Noros did the best he could but he sounded like the Willie Nelson version. Visitors were presented by Sheldon Wang for the MSU Rotaract Club: President Raissa Henderson, Vice President Tiarra Georges, Treasurer Wiltany Rolle, Senator Krishna Winston. They made a gracious addition to the Rotary Club and I am sure the future is in good hands. Dr, Hartman introduced our well known former MSU president, Dr. Jessie Rodgers Sue Harrington and Deanna Watson. Birthdays were presented by Colton Heinrich and the ones that made the round trip one more time around the sun were: Greg Brownfield, Brycen Whitaker and Kenny Weeks. There was not a sunshine report, and all is well. Shirley Craft made an announcement regarding Vibrant Club Initiative and to have a more active participation to bring this Club to the Forefront. To make this club once again the primier club in Wichita Falls. If you want to be a member of the premier club, you have to make it the club that all want to join. Walter Coppage made a splash in the brag bucket and asked to contact your congressmen and get behind the schools’ safety program and protect our most important resources; all of our children. The member spotlight was taken by the comments of Stacie Cook about the Vibrant Club and we all need to bring our “A” game to make this club to what it needs to be. Dr. David Hartman made an excellent presentation titled “Faith and Science” I cannot make this near as eloquent as our very own member presented to the attendees. Dr. Hartman always speaks so wisely and descriptive it makes this written dissertation look like a primer. We are all multiple things such as children, parents, teachers, leaders, mentors, and followers. We all need to follow faith and science to try and reach the truth. Socrates, Aristotle, Galileo, Newton, Einstein, all were looking for the truth and trying to attain it by proving the science. Today’s surgeons and doctors try and attain the truth thru Science and are looking for “why are things like they are” Faith Presented by jovial Dr. Hartman who attended Oxford by way of the “Eagle and Child Pub” where most of his studies were done with a Shandy probably where truth was found. I think there are a couple of side stories for future programs. Faith was discussed in a book titled” A Severe Mercy” that made an impression on the presenter for its authors, that he personally knows, its content and message for our leader of the flock. Another quote “I believe in the end, truth will concur”. Dr. Dave brough many instances together for Faith and Science was seeking truth. I know I was looking for faith every time I took a test looking truth in my high school years. One of the best question I have ever heard was when Mr. Hartman brought a conversation with Dr. Rodgers while sitting next to a Nobel Prize winner and asked him a question “ What have you been thinking about lately” and I think the answer was “electromagnetism and the earth” Faith and Science have more in common that we realize, until we sit down and actually think about the different language of faith, the different language of science, of life’s unanswered questions and the laws that govern the universe and its miracles. We all search for the “light” of which God gave us as his first gift. We hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend! A book will be presented to Kirby Middle School on behalf of Dr. Hartman fantastic presentation. And we parted with the Four-way test. I have to apologize for the poor written report for an eloquently, profound delivery of a Nobel Prize winning quality presentation but was trying to keep it under 5,000 words. Forgive me I do not know what I am doing, I’m still learning to be human. Until next week my friends |
April 6, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver started the meeting with the ringing of the bell at 12:01 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with a heartfelt prayer for the safety and protection of our children. Stacie Cook led the pledge and song “He’s Got the Whole Word in His Hands”, followed by our usual “Rotary” with greetings. We had two guests. Carol Murry introduced Pam Leonardi with Paramount Real Estate. Jake Munholland introduced his brother Joe who currently serves in the military. There were no birthdays today. On Sunshine Report, Shirly Craft just had her 11th chemo treatment with one more to go. John Deason will have chemo treatment next Thursday and will not be attending the meeting. Keep both of these in your prayers. On announcements, Shirley Craft reported on the Vibrant Club Committee. They are putting together a strategic plan for the Club. Tina will email the plan to the club members. A few of the highlights are: 90% attendance at meetings, 100% follow up with visitors, survey members each year, 50 hrs. of service each year for 80-90% of the members, and one meeting just on the Foundation. A survey was provided to each member about potential service projects next year. Stacie Cook mentioned that if anyone would like to serve on the Board or interested in becoming an officer, please contact her. For the Brag Bucket, Cara Sauceda commented on the survey forms for future community service ideas and encouraged members to fill them out. Carla Dowlen’s nephew did really well in track and baseball again. He’s quite an athlete. Lisa Stephens-Musick bragged on the service that our own Colton Henrich provided recently. Will Goodner bragged that his oldest daughter has been nominated for Prom Queen at Rider High School, his 15 year-old daughter just started driving and his son is doing really well in soccer. Stacie Cook was recognized for being a speaker at the Leadership Academy. David Hartman introduced our guest speakers J.J. Schweigner, Angela Stahler and Shana Jackson on Straight Street. The program started in Wichita Falls years ago after a young girl was stabbed to death at a school bus stop. The Strait Street mission is to create a safe Christian environment for 11 to 18 year old kids and to transform their lives. Several individuals in the room were introduced who serve on the Straight Street Board. Also, J.J. acknowledged Jake Munholland and his brother Joe for their help in the program. J.J. also mentioned that David Hartman had been very instrumental to her personally getting her through 16 suicides in 4 months. She showed a short video about the program which provided an overall view. Board Members Angela Stahler and Shana Jackson discussed the upcoming Straight Street 3rd Annual 52 Card Draw to be held on April 27, 2023 at the Straight Street location (11th and Indiana). Tickets are $150 for the drawings and there are three Packages each worth around $3,000. They mentioned that the program always needs support through mentors, donations and prayers. J.J. concluded with a story about a local young girl who was involved in sex trafficing by her mother and a gang member. Fortunately, these two have been convicted and are serving 10-year sentences. The young girl is now safe, has her GED and is about to attend Vernon College. Straight Street is definitely making a difference in our community. The speaker’s gift went to Hirschi High School with their names inscribed. President Arnold concluded the meeting at 12:58 pm with the 4 Way Test and ringing of the bell. |
March 30, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver started the meeting at 12:01 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with a prayer for peace. Cara Sauceda and Stacie Cook led the pledge and song “Let There Be Peace on Earth”, followed by our usual “Rotary” greeting. We had three guests. Carol Murray introduced Dr. Sandra Vergara who is a local oral surgeon. Bob Hampton introduced Dr. Mark Bender who is the Pastor at First Christian Church and David Hartman introduced Dr. Bill Smythe who is a retired pastor. We also had Larry Petrash visiting from the Iowa Park Club. There were no birthdays for the week. Nothing new to report on the Sunshine report. John Deason mentioned that he is making progress with his health concerns. Please keep John in your prayers. On announcements, Cara Sauceda is needing volunteers for the Youth of the Month Program. If you are interested, please contact Cara. She is lining up volunteers for the next six months. Judy Koetter was inducted into the Club as our newest member. Steve Priester is her sponsor. Judy is the President and CEO of the Beacon Lighthouse for the Blind in Wichita Falls. Welcome Judy to our club. For the Brag Bucket, Stacie Cook bragged about our guest Dr. Sandra Vergara and how she is a big proponent for alternate pain management in lieu of using opioids. Shirley Craft mentioned that the Committee for a Vibrant Club has been working and will want input from the members next week. Cara Sauceda mentioned that our sponsored Youth of the Year did very well at the State Competition. Although he didn’t win, he did get to meet the Governor and two State Senators. David Kelly made a donation in recognition of the Youth of the Year program. David Hartman introduced our own Colonel Bill Miller as program speaker. His topic was on the history of Russia and Ukraine. Bill provided a very informative view of how the Russian Government thinks and acts. Russia has never had a responsible government and has never been able to run the country efficiently. For hundreds of years, Russia was ruled as a kingdom. When Russia was taken over in the early 1900’s by the revolutionists, the government killed all the family members of the ruling class. The government’s goal from the beginning was to make Russia the strongest country in the world. Since World War I and II, Russia has always wanted to seize land from its adjoining countries. The people of Russia became afraid of the Government who killed those who resisted. The Russian Government still has this same type of control philosophy today and is only concerned about its power. After securing freedom from the Soviet Union, Ukraine started doing much better than Russia under Western ideology. Today, Russia wants what Ukraine has, so their method is to conquer Ukraine and take the wealth from the country. Through all these years, Russia has not learned any lessons and will probably not stop its aggression. Bill has made multiple trips to Russia and teaches Russian History. The program was very insightful. The speaker’s gift went to City View School with Bill Miller’s name inscribed. President Arnold adjourned the meeting at 12:58 pm with the 4 Way Test and ringing of the bell. |
March 23, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell and started the meeting at 12:01 pm. David Hartman led the invocation with another exceptional prayer. Cara Sauceda led the pledge and song “America the Beautiful”, followed by our usual “Rotary” greeting. We had three guests. John Mayfield introduced his son, Joseph. David Hartman introduced Sue Harrington and Norris Martin introduced his wife Dee Ann. There were two birthdays for the week: Norris Martin and Jackie Lebow, Jr. Both have been members of the club for about 25 years. Nothing to report on the Sunshine Report. Lance Spruiell did mention that he had obtained the blue badges of Dr. Phil Stephenson as well as Dr. Stephenson’s Father who were both long time members of the club before their passing. Then Norris Martin auctioned off three cakes for the club that he and Dee Ann had made. The first Southern Comfort cake went for $60.00 to Cara Sauceda, the second Chocolate Vodka Cake went to Sheldon Wang for $60.00 and the third Southern Comfort Cake went for $105.00 to Joseph Mayfield, our guest. Thanks to Norris and Dee Ann for their efforts in raising money for the Club. For the Brag Bucket, Noel Filer bragged on the Cath Lab at United Regional Hospital for the work they performed last week concerning her father. They determined very quickly that he needed stints in his heart arteries. He had two put in and went home the same day. Lance Spruiell mentioned that his daughter in Seattle made 30 large bowls which were auctioned off for charity at around $900 each. Her group raised $200,000 for the event. Jim Hughes bragged that he now has a new Daughter-In-Law. On announcements, President Oliver mentioned that the Rotary District Conference will be held May 19-20 in Mineral Wells. Registration is now open for those who wish to attend. David Hartman introduced the program “The Valentines Day Murder” which occurred in Wichita Falls on February 14, 1925. Dr. Pam Morgan Davis, Academic Outreach & Distance Education at Midwestern State University, brought an exceptional historical program about a tragic love story concerning a young couple in Wichita Falls. Mary Frances Collier was the daughter of a prominent family in Wichita Falls in the early 1900’s. She was born in 1906. Her father Frank Collier had been mayor of Wichita Falls and her mother Dorothy Collier was from a prominent local family as well. Mary fell in love with Elzie Buster Robertson who was a good athlete but dropped out of high school to seek his fortune. Buster was from a lower-class family and was raised by his mother Mattie Mae Robinson who did what she could to make ends meet. Mary’s parents disapproved of the relationship, but the two eloped and were married in Walters Oklahoma on June 15, 1924. They kept the marriage a secret for about seven months until finally the facts came out. Dorothy found the two together and shots were fired, although Buster was not hit. Frank Collier then filed to have the marriage annulled. On the night of February 14, 1925, Mary and her parents were at their friends’ home, The Duke Family. Mary left the party to meet up with Buster and his mother. When Frank and Dorothy found out, they immediately went to find their daughter and met up with Buster and his mother. Frank shot Buster 4 or 5 times in the chest and was arrested and charged with murder. Afterwards, Frank reached out to his friends, Joseph Kemp and Frank Kell for help. The case went to trial and the defense was led by W.F. Weeks (a prominent Wichita Falls attorney) and the prosecution was led by James Allread (the future 33rd Governor of the State). Frank was convicted and sentenced to 3 years. His wife Dorothy was also later sentenced for the crime and sentenced to 10 years. Both were soon pardoned by Governor Miriam A. “Ma” Ferguson after only serving a few months. Mary went off to college after tragic event and later married Robert Schultz. Mary became a known artist and painter. She and Robert had one daughter who they named Dorothy after her mother. Later daughter Dorothy graduated from Wichita Falls High School and was an artist as well. The speaker’s gift to Dr. Pam Morgan Davis was a book donated to Christ Academy. President Arnold the adjourned the meeting at 12:58 pm with the 4 Way Test and ringing of the bell. |
March 16, 2023 SpokesmanThe meeting started precisely at 12:00 noon with President Arnold Oliver ringing the bell. David Hartman led the invocation with a very heartfelt and thankful prayer. Stacie Cook led the pledge and the song “You’re a Grand Old Flag” followed by the usual “Rotary” greeting. We had two guests. Bill Miller introduced his son, Andy, and Sheldon Wang introduced Dr. Dalong Gao from the GM Manufacturing Research Center from Warren, MI. There were no birthdays for the week. On the Sunshine Report, John Deason mentioned that he would start his treatment on 3/24. Also, Noel Filer is with her father today at the United Regional Hospital. On announcements, Benay Ayers gave an update on the Rotary Playground which now has the benches installed. Also, a check has been written for the new zip line to be installed in the next few months. Norris Martin and his wife Dee Ann will auction off a Southern Comfort Cake and a Chocolate Vodka Cake at the next meeting to raise money for the Club. Steve Priester mentioned that the new Flag Program Door Hangers are ready. Use the new hangers and discard the old ones which are out of date. For the Brag Bucket, Shirley Craft acknowledged our special guest, Youth of the Year, and also noted that she is now cancer free. Cara Sauceda mentioned that the Groundbreaking Ceremony occurred last week for the Rosewood Center for the Boys and Girls Club and that the new Interact Club has started for the Dexter School. Benay Ayers noted that her son’s new store has opened “Cards & Culture”. Josh Phillips mentioned that his son, Gavin, was graduating from college in May and already has a job lined up. Carla Dowlen’s nephew recently came in first in 800 meter run and his basketball team came in 2nd in their tournament. Jim Hughes mentioned that our Past President, James Hughes, was married last Saturday. Member spotlight was brought by new member Kenny Weeks, who is originally from Amarillo. He is married with two daughters. Kenny attended and graduated from Midwestern State University and decided to stay in Wichita Falls. He is a Partner and General Manager of My Staff. A Blue badge was presented to Lance Spruiell by Andy Kocher. Lance was originally brought into the Club by Dr. Phil Stephenson. Congratulations to Lance. Cara Sauceda introduced the program, Youth of the Year for 2023. Cara gave a brief presentation about the history of the Youth of the Year Program which originated in 1947. There were 4 competitors in our area this year with Nathaniel Dyches being selected. Nathaniel is a Senior at S.H. Rider High School and already has an athletic football scholarship to Thomas Moore University in Kentucky. Nathaniel is a very confident, well spoken, and well educated young man. He has been involved in the Boys and Girls Clubs for several years. He is involved in Theater, Principal of I.T, and Athletics at Rider with numerous accolades. Nathaniel has had to overcome many obstacles in his life including being raised in a single parent home, dealing with his mother’s cancer at an early age, and having to deal with dyslexia in his own life. He would like to continue to be a role model as a coach someday since as he has such a passion for sports. Nathaniel gave a practice speech in preparation for the competition which begins in about two weeks. Members of the club made suggestions to assist him in his presentation. Nathaniel is a fine young man and will do well in the competition but more importantly in life. The speaker’s gift donated by the Club to Nathanial was a book to S.H. Rider High School. President Arnold the adjourned the meeting at 12:55 pm with the 4 Way Test and ringing of the bell. |
March 9, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell and opened the meeting precisely at 12:00 noon. The invocation was led by David Hartman with another exceptional prayer. Stacie Cook led the pledge and song “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”. This was followed by the usual “Rotary”. We had one guest introduced, Tommy Richardson’s wife Gale. There were no birthdays for the week and nothing to report for the Sunshine Report. Norris Martin let us all know he had a couple of announcements. First, he suggested that the members give Flag Subscriptions as gifts this year (i.e. to welcome new neighbors, etc.). Secondly, he and his wife Dee Ann are going to make samples of Southern Comfort Cake and Chocolate Vodka Cake for the members at the next meeting. Then the following meeting they will auction off one of each cake to raise money for the club. Next up was the Brag Bucket. Shirley Craft acknowledged the work of the Boys and Girls Club for the new Rosewood Community Center Project, Carol Murray announced a new Frank & Joe’s Coffee House location at SW Pkwy and Bridge Creek, and Lisa Stephens-Musick bragged about the City Staff response to a recent bomb scare at the tax office. The program was introduced by Cara Sauceda which was an update on the Boys and Girls Club Capital Campaign and the Rosewood Community Center Project. Randy Cooper, The Executive Director, started the program with a history of the Boys and Girls Club. Downtown Rotary has been involved throughout the 94 yearhistory of the organization starting in 1929. Randy acknowledged Shirley Craft, Rod Tieken and Glenn Tole for their service through the years with the Boys and Girls Club. Before the current capital campaign began, a task force was created to study the existing facilities, look at data on 4.400 kids, identify attendance zones, look at the cost of ongoing maintenance and develop a plan forward. A budget of 11.5 million was developed for facilities. Gale Richardson and Nancy Marks were put in charge along with support of Bob and Carol Gunn for raising the funds. The Rosewood site was chosen for a new project based on the needs of the whole community. Dick Bundy, local Architect for the project, provided a power point illustrating the design of the new Rosewood Community Project. The facility will be approximately 20,000 s.f. at a cost of 6.78 million. Construction time is estimated to take 15-16 months with an opening in 7/24. Next Tuesday 3/7/2023 is the official ground breaking ceremony. The project will be a state-of-the-art facility for the area served and be a tremendous asset for the East Side Community. The speaker’s gift donated by the Club was a book to the Barwise Middle School. President Arnold the adjourned the meeting at 1:00 pm with the 4 Way Test and ringing of the bell. Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats. |
March 2, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell to kick off the meeting followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. Cara Sauceda then led the Club in the pledge and song. We had the pleasure of honoring the February youth of the month this week. Steve Priester introduced Nathaniel Dyches. Nathaniel is graduating this year and is headed to college to play college football. Following college, he plans to continue his career in football through coaching. He has accomplished a lot while in Wichita Falls and we were honored to have him join the meeting. This week we were very fortunate to welcome a new member, Kenny Weeks. He was brought into the club by John Deason. Continue to make Kenny feel welcome over the new few weeks. Dave Hartman then introduced the program, The History of Engineering at MSU Texas. The program was given by our fellow club member Dr. Sheldon Wang. Dr. Wang started the program discussing the history of Engineering and the founding fathers of the Engineering/ Industrial Revolution. He then provided images of the MSU Engineering trip to London recounting their experiences when he was able to take the students overseas. In 2009, the Mechanical Engineering program at MSU obtained accreditation, it has to go through evaluation every 6 years. Interestingly, the MSU program obtained its accreditation prior to larger schools in Texas including the University of North Texas. Dr. Wang recognized James McCoy, Charlie Engelman, Jesse Rogers, and Howard Ferrell and their importance to the success of Engineering at MSU. He ended the program discussing what the Engineering program has to offer. He provided examples of the labs that are offered in the program and gave a list of the jobs that graduates of the MSU Engineering program have taken, showing that the graduates are in high demand. The program and enrollment is continuing to grow and if you have any interest in activities offered by the department or interest in getting involved get in touch with Dr. Wang. The meeting was brought to an end with the presentation of the speakers gift, a book that will be placed at Wichita Falls High School followed by the Four Way Test. Knowledge has to be improved, challenged, and increased constantly, or it vanishes.  |
February 23, 2023 Spokesman
President Arnold Oliver rang the bell to kick off the meeting at 12:04pm followed by the invocation by Dave Hartman. Cara Sauceda led the Club in the pledge and song, Sweet Caroline. We had the pleasure of welcoming Deshaun Delgado and Sandy Fleming, who were guests of Andy Kocher and Chip Filer respectively. Deshaun is an Engineer at Howmet and Sandy is the Executive Director of Wichita Falls Streams and Valleys. During the Sunshine Report Cara reported that her husband Dallas is back to normal and is doing well. Stacie Cook informed the club about her 14 year old son, Andrew, who had an appointment that afternoon to address his severe asthma issues. Cara passed around the brag bucket where Noros Martin bragged on the recent increase in membership of the club and Jake Munholland bragged on yet another Chiefs Super Bowl Victory (with hopefully more to come). The member spotlight was brought to you by Marvin Groves. Dave Hartman then introduced the program focused on the expansion of the United Regional Transition Clinic. The program was given by our own Noel Filer and good friend and colleague, Dr. Brian Hull. Noel began the talk providing us the County Health Rankings, population statistics, and household income. She tied the statistics into the importance of the Transition Clinic to our community. Although the health is improving in our County, we rank very low and have a high poverty rate. Noel then discussed the history of the Transition Clinic from the original idea back in 2014 to seeing the first patient in 2016. The clinic was designed to aid patients following their discharge from the Hospital and assist them in the next steps necessary to the road of recovery. Dr. Brian Hull became the Medical Director in 2018. In 2022, the Transition Clinic served 3,700 patients with 8,000 completed appointments, which means they had outgrown the space of the original clinic. Noel ended with a virtual tour of the new updated clinic that will allow the Transition Clinic to grow and to continue to serve Wichita Falls. Dr. Brian Hull ended the program giving a little background of his career and how end became the Medical Director of the clinic. He provided details of a few cases that he had managed recently to give examples of the great service the Transition Clinic provides to the community of Wichita Falls. The meeting was brought to an end with the presentation of the speakers gift, a book that will be placed at Rider High School followed by the Four Way Test. "Aging is not 'lost youth' but a new stage of opportunity and strength." Betty Friedan |
February 9, 2023 Spokesman
Intruder A stranger had broken into her new home, taking beloved family heirlooms and leaving her feeling violated. Would she ever feel safe there again? I opened the door to our house tentatively, as had become my habit. As if some barrier were keeping me from crossing the threshold. My eight-week-old German shepherd puppy, Sascha, trotted inside ahead of me, his nails clicking on the tiles. “Jeremy?” No answer. Empty. I dropped my keys in my purse and checked the hallway. Hung up my coat. Checked out the kitchen. I crept up the stairs to the darkened landing and stopped, listening. What was that creak? A footstep? Or just the house settling? My heart sped up. I pushed open the door to the bedroom. The curtains cast long black shadows across the floor. What was I so scared of in my own home? It was frustrating that I had to live this way! Something brushed my leg and made me jump. Only Sascha, wagging his tail. “Good boy,” I said. “You’re a great guard dog.” Well, guard puppy. I went downstairs, turning on lights as I went. I sat at the kitchen table, Sascha at my feet. The two of us waited for my husband, Jeremy, to get home from work. “You okay?” he asked when he got in, an hour later. “Sure,” I said. How could I tell him the truth—our dream home had become a nightmare? For most of our marriage, Jeremy and I were apartment-dwellers. But the Cape-style house with white pine cabinets in the kitchen and marble tile in the bathroom was exactly what we’d been saving for. The yard was beautiful. We were excited to move in. Our first few days there, I’d just walked from room to room, barely able to believe all this was ours. It felt as much a miracle as a house. Two weeks after we’d moved in, on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, everything changed. I was at a friend’s house when Jeremy called. “Come home quick,” he said. “We’ve been robbed.” The police were waiting when I got there. Together we searched the place. Jeremy pointed to a shelf of DVDs. They were falling over, turned every which way. I pictured the thief rifling through them, picking out his favorites, and shuddered. On the kitchen counter was a half-empty can of soda. He just helped himself! Jeremy opened the fridge. “All the soda’s gone,” he said. I flushed with anger and revulsion. I didn’t care about stolen soda, but the idea of someone going through the fridge, touching everything, making himself at home, in my home... I was shaking by the time we headed up to the bedroom. I opened the dresser drawers. “Oh no.” All my delicates had been rifled through. It made my skin crawl. Then I saw the open space in the middle. My jewelry box—gone. Numbly, I told the police what was inside it: My great-grandmother’s locket. A pair of amethyst earrings Jeremy had given me for Valentine’s Day. A silver bird pendant from my mother. The ring I wore on my wedding day for “something blue,” with an unusual topaz stone. Some of the pieces were worth money, like my mother’s diamond ring—the one she gave me when I graduated from college—but even the costume jewelry held sentimental value. As the only granddaughter I’d inherited things passed down for generations. Now they were all in the hands of some awful stranger. Some...intruder. The officers weren’t optimistic about solving the crime. “It’d help if you had some idea who might have done it,” one said. “Sometimes jobs like this are local. Someone who knows the house can watch to see when it’s empty.” I glanced nervously at the window. Was someone watching now? Planning another invasion? “We’ve only lived here a few weeks,” Jeremy said. “We have no idea who’d do something like this.” The cops said they would do their best, that something like this could happen anywhere. I knew we’d never find the perpetrator. From then on I compulsively checked for security risks. Neighbors seemed sinister. I dreaded being home alone but also dreaded leaving, knowing anyone could bust in while I was out. I lay in bed at night thinking of confronting strangers in the hallway or defending myself in the kitchen. Would I ever trust again? We changed the locks. I wanted to install an expensive state-of-the-art security system. But Jeremy had other ideas. “Let’s get a dog. You don’t like being alone here. Dogs bark.” I’d never had a dog. I was a little nervous around them. But I agreed to give it a try. A puppy wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind, though. Someday, maybe, Sascha might grow up to be intimidating. It was hard to imagine now; he was such a cuddly comfort dog. Not that I didn’t need that. He was a sweetheart. In a few days he’d converted me to a true dog lover. One afternoon, I came home with Sascha in the car. He bounded out and darted for the sidewalk. I chased after him. “You got a puppy!” someone squealed. The daughter of one of our neighbors came running up. “He’s so cute. Can I pet him?” Sascha wagged his tail furiously as the girl buried her fingers in his fur. I saw something sparkle. A ring. My ring, the diamond ring my mother gave me. I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to do. Not until Jeremy got home. We called the police. A few hours later, two officers were at our front door with the girl, still wearing my ring. “My brother gave it to me,” she said, sniffling. “He said he found it on the street, I swear!” Her teenage brother soon confessed. An older man had enticed him to watch nearby houses and steal jewelry when their owners were out. The older man had a record so didn’t want to risk getting caught himself. But he was going back to jail now. Hopefully the teenage boy would make better choices. He got off with probation. As for me, my dream home feels like a dream again—an even better one, thanks to Sascha. Jeremy and I have since adopted two more German shepherds—not for protection, but because we love them. What I got back was more than just some stolen jewelry. I got back my sense of trust, and my home. Katie White, Guideposts Mysterious Ways |
February 2, 2023 Spokesman
Dave Hartman lead us in our invocation today, followed by Pledge and song (Row, Row, Row Your Boat and R-O-T-A-R-Y) orchestrated by Stacie Cook. No visitors or guests joined us today and interestingly, no Rotary birthdays were celebrated this week. Our sunshine report brought us information about Cara Sauceda’s husband, Dallas, who has been sick for several days and has become progressively worse. Cara and Dallas went to the hospital this morning seeking answers. Special prayers were extended for Cara, Dallas and their family. An announcement was made by Carol Murray who let the cat out of the bag that she is running for Mayor of Wichita Falls. We all wish you the best of luck, Carol! Stacie Cook then circulated our Brag Bucket among members Benay Ayers, Larry Tegtmeyer and Shirley Craft who all had very positive things to brag about. Jody Brannon was then called upon to tell us about himself in our Member Spotlight. Carol Murray was happy to announce the new member induction of Keaton Dolan, who was installed into our Club by President Arnold. Keaton is an Edward Jones Investment Advisor and just happens to be Carol’s grandson’s (ages 5, 8 & 9) financial investment advisor. Welcome to the Club, Keaton! Dave Hartman introduced today’s program, our speaker, Dr. Steve Garrison, who is Professor of Political Science at MSU. Dr. Garrison gave us an interesting program about Political Violence – Why Rebel? Dr. Garrison is originally from Topeka, Kansas, and is a PHD graduate of Kansas University. He is also the Director of the Redwine Honors Program at MSU. Other identifiers of Dr. Garrison include being a local Political Media Analyst (you have probably seen him on the local news analyzing political races and election results), as well as being the sponsor of the Royal Saudi Arabian AF, and is even a Kansas state barbeque judge! Dr. Garrison gave us an interesting and in depth look at riots and political violence, the psychology involved and the parameters that define them. A riot is defined as public violence, tumult or disorder which is created by three or more persons. Riots are spontaneous in nature and no leaders are required. Also, the participants know the good guys from the bad guys by sight (i.e. militant activists vs. uniformed law enforcement). Riots start with cues that are based on common values in the community, and looters believe they are being rational. Riots typically relate to protest and rebellion. They are usually unplanned and the coercive capacity (law enforcement or military force) are usually lower than can reasonably handle them. As a rule, revolutionary leaders always hope for a riot in order to give credence and strength to their positions. Again, a very deep and analytical presentation of a topic that has been around for centuries, but very insightful and interesting. Our speaker’s gift book in honor of Dr. Garrison will be given to Hirschi High School. We closed out our meeting as always with the Four Way Test. BALLOT The following named people have been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls and approved for balloting by the Board of Directors. BRYCEN WHITAKER OWNER / AGENT BRYCEN WHITAKER STATE FARM PROPOSED BY: LISA STEPHENS-MUSICK |
January 26, 2023 Spokesman
The bell was rung by President Arnold and Dave Hartman gave his usual amazing invocation. Stacie Cook lead us in the Pledge to our Flag as well as in the singing of God Bless America and R-O-T-A-R-Y. Our sole guest was Jason Johnson with Johnson’s Furniture, brought to us by John Deason, and hopefully will become a new member of our club. Jack Browne from the Southwest Rotary Club was also a visitor. President Arnold introduced our own Benay Ayers for an important announcement about our improvements to Rotary Park. Our Rotary benches have now been installed next to the play area on the south side of the park (which is adjacent to the Southwest Boys & Girls Club on Hughes Street). A really cool “zip line” ride is in the works to be installed, and it is NOT too late to contribute to this project. Stacie Cook enthusiastically promoted our Brag Bucket receiving several brags and donations. Speaking of donations, Stacie informed us that this relatively new part of our meetings has already accumulated $172 (primarily from $1.00 “brags”) which will go towards our community projects. John Deason thoughtfully introduced our Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Month, Jaden Prince. Jaden represents the Northwest Branch and is in the 8th grade at Kirby Middle School. Bright and impressive, Jaden takes on leadership roles at home, at school and at the Club and is proving to be an amazing young man! Congratulations Jaden! Dave Hartman was called on to introduce our program on “What’s Happening at the Y” which was given by our own member, John Dearolf. John is the VP of Mission Advancement for the YMCA and moved here with his family from Florida, having grown up in Tampa. John is also in the National Guard, and his military background made him a perfect fit for his new role at the Y. The YMCA’s primary functions are youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, and John touched on each of these areas. There are currently 7,000 kids being served through the Y’s youth sports efforts, which is outstanding! The Dillard Early Learning & Youth Development Program, offered through the Bill Bartley Branch is also an amazing outreach effort. The Y offers after-school programming with a focus on academics. Under the guise of healthy living, the YMCA’s “Live Strong” program was created for supporting the needs of cancer survivors. In the area of social responsibility, the Y implemented and supports the Miracle League Baseball Program for those kids who ordinarily would not be able to participate in traditional area sports programs. This program brings together many mentally and physically challenged children with lots of volunteers for exercise, fun and inclusion in American’s National Pastime. The Y also provides opportunities for kids, through their Safety Around Water program, to learn how to swim and form long-lasting life skills regarding water safety. John is obviously passionate about his role at the Y and continues to carry out the strategic plan of strengthening long-term sustainability, expanding the reach of the YMCA and creating growth leaders. Our speaker’s gift this week in John’s name went to City View School Library and our meeting concluded with the Rotary Four Way Test. |
January 19, 2023 Spokesman
A large and dignified crowd coupled with a very special program brought about an early meeting start by President Arnold and a beautiful invocation by Dave Hartman. Cara Sauceda then lead us in singing Edelweiss and R-O-T-A-R-Y. Next, we had members introduce a treasure trove of special visitors and guests who were too numerous for me to name – what a great problem to have! A positive sunshine report was brought by our own John Deason favorably reporting on himself and his successful surgery this past Monday. So happy to see you up and around, John! No birthdays were reported for the week, but Norris Martin did introduce our newest Rotary member, Mike Eriksen. Mike and his family moved here from Austin and Mike works in the field of robotic surgical equipment. Welcome to Rotary, Mike! Carol Murray, Chairman of the Outstanding Citizen Committee, was then called to the podium to talk about rigorous process of researching, nominating and naming our annual Outstanding Citizens – plural. Carol also introduced previous award winners who were in attendance: Glenn Barham, Mac Cannedy, Roby Christie, Howard Farrell and our own Jim Hughes. This year the committee had two nominees who were so deserving that they chose to recognize co-recipients as Rotary’s Outstanding Citizens of the Year for Wichita Falls. Rod Tieken was called on to present the award co-recipient #1, Nancy Brown. Nancy has been the Executive Director of the Hands to Hands Community Fund in Wichita Falls for the past 13 years, and is responsible for fundraising and administrative efforts of this vital charitable organization. Hands to Hands fills the funding gap of over $500,000 annually for seven non-profit agencies whose funding had abruptly ended 14 years ago. Nancy, whose earlier work experience in the community support and fund-raising field, worked at the United Regional Health Care Foundation for six years. She was instrumental in establishing the Heart of a Woman annual event and assisted with Children’s Miracle Network. Nancy is a relentless community ambassador and an inspiration to us all! Next up was Noel Filer who recognized Outstanding Citizen #2, Dr. Brian Hull. Dr. Hull has been a physician in our community for over 30 years after serving as Chief Family Practice Instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base in the late 1980s. Brian served as a family practice physician for many years in Wichita Falls while also making a lasting impact on the citizens of Wichita Falls by encouraging and teaching countless individuals to lead healthier lives. In 2010, Dr. Hill parlayed his knowledge, experience and passion for improving the health and lives of others by partnering with United Regional Health Care System and heading up the Transition Clinic in order to serve the less fortunate in our community and advocate for them. Dr. Hull is tireless in his efforts to serve the community in a way that ALL individuals may learn the way to better health, and receive the best medical care possible. Our speaker’s gift book in honor of Nancy Brown and Brian Hull will be given to Christ Academy. We closed out our meeting with the Four Way Test. BALLOT The following named people have been proposed for membership in the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls and approved for balloting by the Board of Directors. KEATON DOLAN FINANCIAL ADVISOR EDWARD JONES PROPOSED BY: CAROL MURRAY Any comment regarding the proposed members should be given in writing or by email to the Executive Secretary no later than Wednesday January 25, 2023. |
January 12, 2023 Spokesman
Our meeting today began with Arnold calling the meeting to order and then Dave Hartman gave the invocation, followed by Pledge and song (Auld Lang Syne) lead by Stacie Cook. Visitors and guests were introduced by Lisa Stephens-Musick. They included Lisa’s grandson and prospective new member, Bryson Whittaker, as well as Kenny Weeks (by John Deason), Tina Row and Melissa Walker (by Noel Filer) and Vonda Keel (by Carla Dowlen). Lisa then recognized our January birthdays which included Monica Horton (January 3rd), Josh Phillips (January 5th), and Sheldon Wang (January 6th). Our sunshine report included special prayer requests for John Deason as he prepares for another surgery scheduled to take place on Monday, January 9th. Our thoughts and prayers are with John for a successful procedure and rapid healing. Stacie Cook circulated our Brag Bucket among members. Tommy Richardson proudly wore TCU’s purple today and donated in honor of their upcoming appearance in the NCAA National Championship football game against Georgia next Monday night. Josh Phillips then donated and bragged about his son who just started his new job at Price-Waterhouse. Congrats and good luck to both! Our Member Spotlight was focused today on Jeremy Woodward (with FirstBank) who shared his story with us. Dave Hartman introduced our extremely topical and important program today about the deadly drug, Fentanyl. We were privileged to have Wichita County District Attorney, John Gillespie, as well as Assistant District Attorney, Dobie Kosub, share their expertise about the Fentanyl crisis in Wichita County, and what they are doing to fight the Fentanyl battle. Fentanyl, although a well-known and routinely used pain killer in daily surgical procedures throughout the world, has come onto Wichita County’s “radar screen” in just the past three years or so as a deadly, easily counterfeited and rapidly spreading drug in our community. Fentanyl is a fast growing part of the overall opioid epidemic, cheap and easy to produce, and is 100 times stronger than morphine! From a prosecutorial standpoint, John and Dobie are vigorously attacking the Fentanyl epidemic in Wichita County. They are finding ways to not only aggressively prosecute those who are circulating the drug in our community (and literally killing our children), but they are also making a strong effort to educate our citizens and create awareness about this truly horrific and deadly drug. John told us about an incident where one pill was split three ways. That pill almost killed two and did kill one. We thank John and Dobie for their commitment and focus on the Fentanyl epidemic, and we will muster all the support we can as a community to fight it. Our speaker’s gift book in honor of John and Dobie will be given to Barwise Middle School. We closed out our meeting as always with the Four Way Test. |
January 5, 2023 Spokesman
Jerry was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. When being asked how he could be a positive, up person all the time, Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.” “Life is all about choice,” said Jerry. “When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good or bad mood. The bottom line is: it’s your choice how you live life.” Several years ago, Jerry left the back door of the restaurant open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the hospital. “As I lay on the floor,” Jerry said, “I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.” At the hospital, the paramedics kept telling Jerry he was going to be fine. But when they wheeled him into the emergency room and he saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, he got really scared. In their eyes, he read, “He’s a dead man.” A big, burly nurse asked Jerry if he was allergic to anything. “Yes,” Jerry answered. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for his reply. Jerry took a deep breath and yelled, “Bullets!” Over their laughter, Jerry told them, “I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.” After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital. Every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. Feel Positive Word Press |
December 29, 2022 Spokesman
Her Spirits Were Lifted by a Teen Who Did the Right Thing She felt she had more problems than blessings, until a young neighbor changed her mind. You know how when big things in your life aren’t going well, the little things bother you more? That happened to me last year. Like many people during the pandemic, my husband, Paul, had been laid off. I was still working, but my job was only part-time and would likely be ending soon too. I was worried about money, Covid, our future. That’s when our mailboxes really started getting to me. Our property had two houses on it—the one Paul and I lived in and another that we rented out. I’d never liked our mailboxes much. They stood at the end of our long driveway, far enough away from our house, fortunately, that I didn’t see them often. The mailboxes, relics from the previous homeowners, had already been in rough shape when we moved in. The past 10 years hadn’t been kind to them. The paint was faded and chipped. The metal pole holding up the boxes was rusted. At some point, someone had driven into the pole. It was now bent slightly, making the mailboxes cockeyed, pointing in different directions. Still, because the boxes could hold the mail and the mail carrier wasn’t complaining, there really was no need to replace them. But every time I saw them lately, they reminded me of all the problems in my life. Lord, I wish we had better mailboxes, I found myself thinking as I pulled out of the driveway one day while on my way to work. It wasn’t really a prayer, more of a passing thought. I probably would have forgotten all about it if not for the news we got the next morning. “Shihiem just texted,” Paul said. Shihiem was a neighbor and a good friend. His sister rented the other house on our property. “A girl drove her car right into the mailboxes. Completely mowed them down.” “Is she okay?” I asked. “The driver wasn’t hurt, but she was really upset. Shihiem saw it happen. He said she’s just a teenager. He gave her our number and information.” That certainly wasn’t in the budget, I thought. As much as I wanted new mailboxes, getting them would be expensive. With our income slashed since Paul’s layoff, this was an expense we didn’t need. I sighed. I guess it’s true what they say: Be careful what you wish for. I got ready for the day and happened to glance out the window. There was an unfamiliar car at the end of the driveway. It was too far away to see what the driver was doing. “Should we go check it out?” Paul asked. “I need to run some errands anyway,” I said. “I’ll let you know what’s going on.” By the time I was ready to leave, the strange car was gone. I got in my own car and drove down. Whoa! Where our battered, rusted mailboxes had once stood was a sturdy, white post. It had two arms branching off from the center. A new, shiny mailbox perched on each arm—one black, one white. Each one had large, neat numbers on the sides, the white mailbox with black numbers and the black one with white numbers. Just beautiful. I sat there in my car at the end of the driveway, stunned. All this work had been completed before the mail even arrived! Staring at the mailboxes some more, I realized the post wasn’t just a post. It looked like a large white cross. I called Paul when I reached the store. “Have you seen the mailboxes yet?” I asked. “If not, you have a surprise waiting for you!” When I got home, Paul said, “You didn’t check inside the mailboxes, did you? Because I found this.” He handed me a note. Dear Neighbor, it read, I am so, so sorry I hit y’all’s mailbox. I bought and replaced them with new pretty ones. Again, I am so sorry. Have a wonderful, blessed day! The writer, Audree, had included her phone number and address, in case we needed anything else. We did—we needed to thank her! We also wanted to make sure she hadn’t been injured. Paul had found the pole from the old mailboxes lying on the ground just a few feet away. It was bent almost in half. When we called, her mother answered. “Audree’s 16 years old. She’s only been driving for a year. This is her first accident,” she said. Audree had a part-time job. She had bought the replacements with her own money. “We’re lucky it turned out the way it did,” her mother said. “No one was hurt, and this was a great learning experience for Audree.” So much good came out of this accident. It taught our sweet young neighbor Audree an important lesson about responsibility. And it gave me a much-needed reminder that God knows the desires of my heart, from the big things all the way down to the little things—like better mailboxes. by Melissa Prewitt Guideposts.org |
December 22, 2022 Spokesman
Our last Rotary Club meeting of the Year was gonged to “call to order” by President Oliver at 1200 high noon today. We rose from our chairs as Dave Hartman made his way to the podium for our invocation. Stacie Cook, in her beautiful green dress asked us all to join in reciting the Pledge to our Flag and then she led us in singing “O Come, All Ye Faithful”. We then sang the first verse of R O T A R Y, the only one we know, but is sounded great. Next our guests of Rotary was introduced and we were pleased to have several join our group today for meeting. Our “birthday Rotarian”, Walter Coppage joined Dave Hartman at the front to select his Rotary birthday present – Happy Birthday Walter and many more in the future. Shirley Craft then explained and discussed briefly, the idea of a Vibrant Rotary Club Program. Our 5790 District Governor, Dan Steele, is pushing this Vibrant Club Program very much. Shirley asks for volunteers from our club to meet with her to discuss our participation in this effort. If you search Vibrant Rotary Club, this is one of the things that can be found: What is a vibrant Rotary Club? A – in vibrant stands for advancement and training of club members. The best way to retain a new member is to make them understand what rotary is and how it works. A job you can give to a seasoned member is to be a mentor to a new member and assign them to a committee. Stacie Cook brought out our Brag Bucket. Carla Dowlen put a new twist on the Brag Bucket this week. She brought a fresh baked a pecan pie to be auctioned off and the money be donated to our Club. The pie was auctioned off and the buyer really cleaned up by paying the top price of $50.00. Thank you Andy! (on a side note, Andy did go out of his way to get the money to Tina Friday morning for the pie) Steve Priester introduced Gage Wood as our December Youth of the Month. Gage is a member of the Southwest Boys and Girls Club and is in the 8th grade at McNeil School. He enjoys his activities at the Club, is a good student in school and enjoys helping with chores around his home. Thank you Steve for bring Gage to our meeting today. Today, Alan Donaldson introduced a new member to our Club. President Oliver introduced Chris Phares with Foundation Auto Group of Wichita Falls. Chris welcomes to our great Rotary Club, and we hope you will get involved with what we do and give back to for great community. We look forward to learning more about you, your family and your interests. Stacie Cook introduced our program today – Cara and Dallas Sauceda who presented the entertainment for our meeting today. Dallas played his guitar and was joined by his wife Cara in several seasonal musical songs. They started with “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”, they also presented “Oh How I Need You”, “Let Us Adore”, “Come to the Alter” and finished with “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”. Thank you Cara and Dallas for your wonderful program today. The traditional speaker gift was a book donated to Rider High School Library. We adjourned today meeting at 12:55 with repeating the Rotary 4 Way Test. A reminder this will be our last Rotary meeting in 2022. We will not meet on December 22nd or on December 29th. I want to take this opportunity to wish all Rotarians a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you on Thursday, January 5th, 2023. |
December 15, 2022 Spokesman
After a very loud gong on the Rotary Bell by President Oliver, we all rose to our feet to start the meeting. David Hartman was called on to bring us the invocation, as he has in the recent past. Good job David for these blessings and good tidings. In the absents of Cara Sauceda, Stacie Cook lead in “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Stacie did a great job leading but cannot say too much about those that were singing. On the second song R O T A R Y we did better as we mingled together, shook hands and found our way back to our seats. Colton Heinrich came to the podium to greet and give gifts for November Birthdays. They honored be being another year older in November were: Benay Ayers, Jim Hughes, David Spencer, Larry Tegtmeyer and Bob Hampton. Colton also honored Alex Pappas and Jake Munholland with December birthdays. Congratulations for all of those still having Birthdays – sure beats not having a Birthday. There was no sunshine report given today and President Oliver had no announcements to give to us. Stacie passed the Brag Bucket around with several persons paid big bucks to brag about things that had happened in their life, their business, years in Boy Scouts and about the TCU football team, coaches and their upcoming Bowl Game. Stacie Cook introduced today’s program, Sarah Cook, Choir Director of the Wichita Falls High School Choir. More than 50 young students provided wonderful Christmas music for us today. They started out with “Lovely Weather for a Sleigh Ride Together”. Also sang “Silver Bells”, and several others before ending their program with a song medley “Here We Come a Caroling”, “Jingle Bells”, “Deck the Halls”, “Oh Christmas Tree, and the “12 Days of Christmas” Thank you to the Wichita Falls High School Choir for this wonderful program and a great start to a wonderful Christmas season. President Oliver presented a card to Sara Cook that notified her that a book would be placed in the WFHS library in the Choir honor program today. We all stood and closed today Rotary Club meeting by reciting the Rotary 4 Way Test. Our meeting was adjourned at 12:35. |
December 8, 2022 Spokesman
President Arnold brought us to order as he gonged the bell at NOON. David Hartman gave the invocation and Cara Sauceda led us in The Pledge of Allegiance and “Jingle Bells”. Carol Murray introduced her guest Lydia McWhorter and Alan Donaldson introduced Chris Phares as his guest. No birthdays were celebrated today. The Brag Bucket was busy this week, as David Hartman, Shirley Craft, Jake Munholland, Greg Brownfield, and Tina Williams had things to crow about. The Member Spotlight shined on David Kelly this week. David Hartman introduced Adele Lewis with TXDOT as our program this week. Adele has been with TXDOT for 28 years and has spoken to us several times in the past. She is also a former on air broadcaster and is deeply involved with Backdoor Theatre. Three TXDOT projects she talked about today were 1). “Things That Fall From the Sky, 2). Southwest Parkway and Taft bridge project, and 3) The Gap Project. Her Things That Fall from the Sky was a reference to the extensive damage done to the I-44 overhead by a 120,000# wind turbine gear box that fell off of a trailer That did over $500,000. Damage. This repair project has been completed. The Southwest Pkwy. at Taft bridge project has been completed and has added west bound turn lanes on both sides of the road, as well as repairs to the bridge structure itself. The Gap project will widen US 82 from Wichita Falls to the Archer County line. This project is scheduled for 2028. It will widen the road and add a continuous center turn lane. Since funds have already been appropriated, if Right of Way purchasing can be completed early, this project could start ahead of schedule. This week our book goes to McNeil Middle School. We closed with The Four Way Test.  |
December 1, 2022 Spokesman
This Christmas Baking Tradition Became An Answered Prayer Her grandmother no longer recognized her and she prayed that God would awaken her spirit during the holidays. My beloved grandmother, Nanny, has been gone now for 50 years, but she lives on in my heart. And never more so than at Christmastime, when we took part in a cherished tradition I was afraid we’d almost lost. I was a senior in college that Christmas Day I visited her in the nursing home where she’d been living for three years. Her mind and body were failing her. How I missed the warmth of her house, the overstuffed armchair I grew into over the years, the smells of each room, especially her kitchen at Christmastime, when we baked batches and batches of snickerdoodle cookies for neighbors, friends and family. That had all stopped when Nanny could no longer manage on her own, and it felt like the end of so much more than a simple Christmas tradition. Today I wondered if Nanny would even know who I was. On the drive to the nursing home I’d prayed that God might awaken her spirit, just briefly, so I could see some spark of recognition in her eyes. I’d brought a plate of fresh-baked snickerdoodles, hoping the cookies would somehow prompt a memory. We sat together in the visiting area, our silence awkward. I extended the plate. “Have one, Nanny,” I said. She hesitated, appearing puzzled, then took a cookie, held it for a moment and took a bite. She put the cookie back on the plate. “Good?” I asked. She nodded, but her expression remained blank. I showed her some photos. There was one of me as a little girl sitting in her lap in the big armchair, a shot from a family reunion when I was older, another of us each holding a plate piled high with snickerdoodles at Christmas. One by one, I handed them to Nanny. Nanny set the pictures on the little table between us. She didn’t understand. I took her hand in mine, and she smiled. Maybe her smile is miracle enough. I stared at the plate of cookies and felt a rush of memories. No matter what day of the week December 18 fell on, Nanny and I went shopping for cookie-baking ingredients. The first Saturday after that, I ran to her house early. She met me at the door and wrapped me in a hug. Then, as if following a script, she gave me my apron and put her hands on her hips. “Shall we bake cookies today?” Her words sent a shiver of excitement through me. Standing as tall as I could, I sang out, “Absolutely!” Nanny measured the ingredients and cracked the eggs. I stirred the bowl until my arms ached. We lined cookie sheets with parchment paper and rolled out the dough. We used Nanny’s cookie cutters to make stars and snowflakes, bells, Christmas trees and angels—and slid the full pans into the oven to bake. Meanwhile, Nanny set out colored icing and piping tips. I took charge of the sprinkles. An intoxicating aroma filled the kitchen. The cookies came out to cool, and we talked and giggled like conspirators. Nanny told me about her childhood Christmases and how her grandmother had be-gun the cookie-baking tradition with her. In between stories, we decorated our snickerdoodles and divided them up for delivery. Friends and neighbors expected our “Merry Christmas!” at their doors. Now Nanny and I sat in the visiting area in silence, the sweet aroma of fresh-baked cookies replaced by the smell of institutional food. “Let’s take a walk outside in the sun,” I said. Nanny nodded absently, and I slipped on her coat. We walked the grounds a bit and sat in the gazebo near a pond. The daylight brought a glow to her wrinkled features. Nanny had yet to speak a word. “How’s school?” she suddenly asked. I was stunned. Every detail I could think of poured out of me. Courses I was taking, friends I’d made, even the guy I was dating…. I kept talking, not wanting to lose her, hoping God's answer to my prayer could go on and on. Nanny listened until I finally paused to take a breath. Her eyes met mine, a look of quiet determination on her face, as if she was forcing something from her mind. “Shall we bake cookies today?” she said, her voice clear and strong. I gasped and kissed her on her cheek. Then I stood, straightening up, hands on my hips. “Absolutely,” I said. That Christmas visit was the last time my grandmother was able to speak to me or even recognize me. But to this day, on December 18, I gather the ingredients for a tradition that links generations and fills me with joy and awe, and the love of Nanny that will never die. Guideposts Jeffra A. Nicholson |
November 24, 2022 Spokesman
President Oliver started our meeting at 12:02 and called on Dave Hartman to give our invocation. Arnold then led us in the pledge and song, “She’s a Grand Old Flag”, followed by our traditional Rotary Greeting. Our President then informed the club that a donation to the Rotary Foundation was made in honor of Dan Steele, our District Governor. No other announcements were made and without further ado, Rob Ross (?), President of the Burkburnett Rotary Club and Assistant District Governor, introduced our speaker. District Governor Dan lives in Mineral Wells where there is “Crazy Water”. Somehow, drinking the water cures several (psychiatric) ailments. Being a physician, it sounds like the Mineral Wells water source contains a high level of Lithium. Also, restoration of Mineral Well’s grand hotel, originally a health spa, is being considered. Our District Governor then spent time reflecting his upbringing and parent’s recommendation to get involved in their community, 4H Club and church. “If you are going to have a good community, you have to help” and this was the motivating thought when he joined the Rotary Club in Graham. His interest in Rotary really blossomed in Mineral Wells where he became very active in the Rotary Foundation. He continued, if every Rotarian gave $100 each year, think of what we could accomplish through Rotary Exchange programs, Matching Grants and completing the eradication of Polio. President Oliver then informed our District Governor that a book will be placed in the Kirby Middle School library in his name. From the back of the room, Norris Martin introduced our newest club member proposal, Mike Eriksen and asked DG Dan to sign his application. The Flag Program is our fundraiser and Steve Preister and President Oliver reminded us that all of the membership is needed for the program to be successful. Then we zipped through the 4 Way Test and we were out the door at an early 12:37. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! PASS THE TURKEY I was a lucky winner...but the prize wasn’t meant for me. There’s a reason I don’t play the lottery or enter contests. I know I’ll never win. Even the one time I did–I collected ten dollars in a magazine sweepstakes–it didn’t make up for the hundred dollars in magazine gift subscriptions I’d bought over the years. So when the cashier at the grocery store handed me a scratch-off prize card around Thanksgiving, I didn’t want to take it. “It’s free with your grocery purchase,” the cashier said. Okay, if I don’t need to gamble any money away... Still, I wasn’t sure there wasn’t some catch. After fishing for a quarter from my purse, I rubbed away the silvery surface of the card. “Congratulations!’ it read underneath. My prize? A 15-pound turkey. A turkey? My husband, Gary, and I had been married 24 years, and in all that time I’d never once prepared a Thanksgiving turkey. Every year we drove to Gary’s parents in Vermont, and ate their turkey. I was sure Gary’s mom already had their bird stuffed and trussed. Of all the things I could win, Lord, what will I do with this? Back home, I was still searching for an answer when my 13-year-old daughter, Michelle, bounded into the kitchen. Then, suddenly, I knew. For several years, Gary and I had been passing down Michelle’s old clothes to a struggling family in Potsdam. They lived in a dilapidated house that was crumbling around the corners and looked ready to come down. Both parents were disabled and unable to work, and their daughter was four years younger than Michelle, about her size. I’d found out about the family through my church, and they were grateful for the outfits Michelle had outgrown. Maybe they could use the turkey, I thought. I called and told the girl’s mother about my unexpected prize. “Would you like it?” For a moment, there was dead silence. I worried I’d been presumptuous–maybe she already had dinner planned. Finally the woman spoke. “Habitat for Humanity is rebuilding our house this weekend,” she said. “I wanted to feed the workmen a Thanksgiving meal. I was just praying for some way to afford it... then you called.” There’s still no way I’m playing the lottery. But if a scratch-off card lands in my lap again, I’ll be sure to have a quarter ready to scratch it, just in case. |
November 17, 2022 Spokesman
Rotary Club of Wichita Falls Minutes for November 10, 2022 by David R. Spencer The bell was rung at 12:01 and our well attended meeting was started by President Arnold. Brother Dave gave a heartwarming invocation honoring the Service and Sacrifice given by our Veteran members and guests. The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 41, led by Commander Joel Jimenez, presented the Colors to our meeting. Stacie led us in the Pledge followed by Cora with our National Anthem. James Frank, out Texas 59th District Representative and master of ceremonies, was introduced by Shirley Craft. We had four speakers who shared with us highlights and important memories of their military service. Their stories reflected the dedication and risks they accepted in service to our country. We should never forget the price veterans and their families paid in serving our country. Our first Veteran speaker was Captain Kenn Hill, an assault helicopter pilot who served in Viet Nam. There was a very high casualty rate in personnel and aircraft during his first tour of duty and the second tour, during the Tet Offensive, he flew for extended periods risking equipment failure with additional loss of personnel. Kenn finished by saying that no matter how or where you served, you were magnificent. Lt. Glenn Tole relayed his experience in trying to find his LST (ship) which launched rubber Swift Boats for nightly patrols in the Mekong River delta. According to regulation, no one is supposed to know where ships are located or about their schedules….including the Navy itself. Lt. Col Rita Vokes served as a nurse, instructor, and program director for the Air Force spanning 27 years and 9 bases. She cared for wounded soldiers from Viet Nam and later the terrorist bombing in Germany. She served as Flight Chief of Nursing in several military hospitals. She also developed teaching and officer training programs for the Air Force. She is recognized in the Hall of Honor at SAFB. Our beloved Capt. Bob Hampton gave a colorful history of his service in the Marines artillery. He shared several interesting descriptions of boot camp and officer candidate school. Bob shared an emotional moment remembering his good friend who was lost in Viet Nam. Very difficult times that our veterans endure. Brother Dave and others then introduced each Veteran to our club and honored them with lapel pins. President Arnold then led us in the 4 Way Test and out the door we marched. |
November 10, 2022 Spokesman
The bell was gonged by President Arnold at 12:00 and the meeting spray into action. The ever bubbly Stacie Cook gave the Invocation and led us in the Pledge and Song, “America the Beautiful.” Our beloved Rotary greeting followed. Visitors and guests in attendance were: Tamara Aguila and Justin Houston, both from Union Square and guests of Jeremy Woodward; and Dr. Thien Tran from United Regional, guest of John Mayfield. Colton Heinrich introduced our recent birthday, who oddly enough was Stacie, who celebrated each year of her life on November 1st. There was nothing reported for the Sunshine Report. James Hughes did share at his table that his dad, Jim is doing about the same as last week. During the “Brag Bucket”, Bob Hampton was happy to share that is office manager, who recently had open-heart surgery, was doing excellent. Treston Teague was very proud of his son, who did well in the Rider Cross Country Regional event running a six-minute mile. Shirley Craft reminded us to bring a Vet to our upcoming Veteran Recognition meeting. Our Member Spotlight this week featured Will Goodner, the Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity. Will joined in 2019 and is the proud father of three outstanding children. President Arnold then reminded us of the District Governor’s visit on November 17th. Is anyone interested in training to be a future District Governor? Stacie then introduced Fouad Fakhouri, the Musical Director; Alisha Digess, the Executive Director; and Elizabeth Yeager, the Board President of the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Fakhouri was chosen from a field of 144 applicants to be the 8th Musical Director for our community symphony. Only a few cities of our size maintain a symphony orchestra. Started in 1948, this year is the Diamond Anniversary for the orchestra, which adds so much to the cultural quality of our community. Many outstanding guest artists have performed with our orchestra and the 75th year calendar contains six interesting programs. Sharon Isbin, a classical guitarist who would make Spanish classical guitar legend Andre Segovia proud, will be performing with WFSO on November 5th. The Symphony has three string instrument professionals to help with local high school students and provided the instruments for the Sound Garden in Lucy Park. The Book Dedication for the program went to City View School. Without further ado, the 4 Way Test was given and out the door we danced. |
November 3, 2022 Spokesman
On a perfectly beautiful fall afternoon, President Arnold gonged us to order At 12:02. David Hartman thoughtfully led us in prayer and Stacie Cook, subbing for Cara Sauceda, led us in The Pledge of Allegiance and a lively rendition of Old McDonald Had a Farm. We then greeted one another as we mumbled ROTARY. Carla Dowlen introduced Vonda Keel as our only guest this week. Lisa Stephens-Musick recognized John Deason as our birthday celebrant of the week. James Hughes reported that his dad Jim was home and resting well after a recent bout with a respiratory infection. Please keep Jim in your thoughts and prayers. Arnold reminded us of the November 9th dedication at the Beacon Lighthouse for the Blind for a new awning that the three Rotary clubs in Wichita Falls assisted in Providing. Arnold also reminded us that our District Governor will be at our November 17th meeting. Please be sure to wear your Paul Harris Medallion to this meeting. In our Member Spotlight, Brady Woolsey introduced himself and told us of his 45-year career with TX DOT and kinda bragged about having worked with both Larry Tegtmeyer and Arnold Oliver. Benay Ayers introduced John Kazor from the Rotary Club of Lewisville who enlightened us regarding a Rotary Global Project providing Mobile Medical Clinics in Ukraine. Hospitals in Ukraine have been targeted by Russia because they're thought to be used to store weapons. These mobile units are being manufactured in Ukraine and serve as temporary replacements for these hospitals. Each unit costs $35,000. The initial goal is to produce three units. David Hartman introduced Benny Ayers as our program today. We were given a tutorial regarding the Club Runner app for our phone. Installation of the app on your phone and computer will keep us all better-informed regarding Rotary. We closed with the Four Way Test at 1:03. Club Runner To access Club Runner from your computer, go to www.wfrotary.org and it will redirect you to our Club Runner. In the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, search "Club Runner". Your login is your email, and you can go through the process of “forgot my password” if you don’t know what it is, or you want to change it. If you are having trouble logging in, contact Tina and she can set your password for you to whatever you would like. Your login on your computer and the app are the same. You can log in and change your information, upload a picture of yourself, etc. If you are self-conscious about your age, the only members that can see the year you are born are the ones with Admin access to Club Runner. I believe that is only 5 of us. Please don’t leave your birthday blank, as that is where we pull the info for our weekly birthdays. |
October 27, 2022 Spokesman
At 11:45 President Arnold bought us to our feet will a gong of the bell. Dave Hartman offered up a prayer and a request we keep Noel and her family in our prayers due to the sudden loss of her brother. Cara then led us in the pledge and sing along. We had several guests including a very good prospective new member. Speaking of prospective members Howard Farrell and his wife were visiting. I believe we still have a chair with his name on it just waiting for him to return to the fold. There were no birthdays to be celebrated. Good news for Barbara Lyne as she was back with us. However, Shirley Craft informed us that her cancer has returned, and she is to start chemo Monday. Our thoughts and prayers are with her also. She did remind us of the special veteran’s program she has planned for November 10. We did have some brags including Andy’s granddaughter being named student of the month. Also, Monica announced that the club has two companies in line for ethnics in business awards. They are Frank and Joes and Sports Clips. Congrats to everyone. Cara told us about herself (would you believe she was involved with roller derby at one time). Cara then introduced our Boys and Girls Club youth of the month. Our honoree is an eighth grader at McNiel with ambitions/goal to go to Harvard and become a doctor. She was accompanied by her proud parents and club director. Dr Julian Mazachek was introduced by Dave Hartman as the new president of Midwestern State University having been here for five months now. She gave us some background information about growing up in St Louis Missouri going to a small college and earning an engineering degree. Finding she had an interest in accounting. This led her to then pursue an MBA followed by a doctorate in accounting. While doing this she taught a class or two finding that was what she really wanted to do professionally. This led to working in higher education in Missouri before being lured to MSU and Wichita Falls. She and her husband have been married for 38 years and have three grown children. Her stated priorities are her faith, family, and educating young people. She also shared that she was a first-generation student and that 55% of MSU’s students are first generation students. It’s also a diversified student body but she is planning on reaching further out of our local area even though there are a fair number of Caribbean students on campus. I think her target is somewhere between 8000 and 9000 total enrollments compared with just under 6000 now. With the legislature meeting next year the new affiliation with Texas Tech should pay off ($$$). Midwestern’s return on investment is the highest in the state compared with other colleges. In addition to focusing on getting Midwestern’s story out there she wants to develop more school spirit and pride. In addition to rehabilitating Bolin Hall assuming funding can be found she would like to plant 100 trees to celebrate the 100 years anniversary. Of course, Dr Mazachek is looking forward to partnering with local businesses and other Wichita Falls organizations. MSU is still the best kept secret in higher education but hopefully not for much longer. Last but not least ask her sometime if the opportunity presents itself how they got rid of the geese from the lawn in front of the White House. Oh, and she is also a member prospect as she has been a Rotarian before. The speaker’s book is to go to Barwise Middle School. After repeating the four way test the meeting was adjourned. |
October 20, 2022 Spokesman
Our honorable president Arnold rang us to our feet followed by Dave Hartman with our invocation. Cara was unable to be at the meeting so Arnold lead us in the pledge and song. A few of us had to hum as we were at a loss for words. Carol introduced two guests she had invited to our meeting. Hope they liked the meeting and will come back. Lisa Stephens-Musick was not present to receive her very valuable birthday prize and will have to settle for an extra desert next time. There was no member identified as needed our well wishes or concerns. Our good Dr. David Spencer did contribute to our brag fund and announced that he had a new granddaughter. After some initial issues both the mother and granddaughter are doing well. Congratulations David. Shirley Craft gave a little preview of our November 10 meeting as a special recognition for veterans involving veterans from the various branches of the services. Everyone is invited to ask a veteran they know to come as a guest on that day also. On a different note, she is also looking for anybody who might be familiar with the District 5790 Vibrant Club Award as she is working on this as a special project as well. It was also noted that the monthly board meetings are now going to held at the new Union Square real estate building in Parker Square. Anyone can attend except maybe Noros who it’s rumored is on the no-fly list. The program of the MSU basketball coaches was the introduced by Dave Hartman. The women's coach Chris Reay spoke first. His wife spoke to us a few weeks back. His dad is from New Zealand making him a dual citizen. He has an earlier connection to MSU as he played basketball for Jeff Rey when he was coaching the men’s team. So, it was not a complete surprise that he has four international students playing for him. He does have a couple of area players as well. The ladies usually play before the men starting at 5:30 and followed by the men. Tickets are good for both games so you can get two for the price of one. Of course, he is expecting a good year with the first game here starting Nov 11 followed by one Dec 10. After Xmas break things really pick up for both basketball teams The men’s coach, Justin Leslie then gave us a run down on his background and the team. He and his wife are from California with him growing up on a small farm. He couched for a number of years in California before applying for the head couch here. He came very close to winning a national title while there. As a side note he also is an active biker which made Wichita Falls the perfect match for him and his family. While he had a rough start due to injuries the team finished very strong last year. Barring a repeat of untimely injuries, he is looking forward to a strong season as are all the players. Both he and couch Reay are very impressive in their presence and with a focus on character and graduating as well as basketball. Their players should leave MSU well prepared for whatever lays ahead. Expect both to do well. Noros called a short meeting of the membership committee after our meeting. The speakers gift went to Wichita Falls High School. Arnold sent us on our way with a final gong of the bell. |
