ROTARY REMINDER ROTARY CLUB OF AUSTIN PRESIDENT Dale Lowe PRESIDENT ELECT Sara Pantin PAST PRESIDENT Harold Ingersoll VICE PRESIDENTS Club Service Ann Graham Community Service Mary Reynolds Global Service Adam Borger Membership Svc. Michael Abelson Vocational Service Tom Howard THE ROTARY FOUNDATION Michael Portman SECRETARY/TREASURER Michele Heyman SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Nadir Abdeladim EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Olsen FUTURE PROGRAMS 7/12 Hank Perret, Central Texas Food Bank 7/19 District Governor Bruce Golden 7/26 Ed Clements, KLBJ Radio Personality 8/2 T.B.D. MEETINGS AND EVENTS 7/5 RCA Rotary Connect Committee Meeting, Sumners Meeting Hall (St. David s), 11:00 a.m. 7/7 Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour Cluster Meeting, Four Seasons Hotel Lobby Bar (98 San Jacinto Blvd.), 5:00 p.m. 7/13 Downtown Austin Breakfast Cluster Meeting, Magnolia Café (on Lake Austin Blvd.), 7:00 a.m. 7/21 RCA MasterMind Group Meeting, Mimi s (in the Arbor Walk), 7:00 a.m. C L U B N O. 6 3. D I S T R I C T 5 8 7 0. A U S T I N, T X. V O L U M E 5 4, I S S U E 1 J U L Y 5, 2 0 1 6 MIKE O KRENT A Conversation You Will Never Forget A Guide to Capturing a Life Story Mike O'Krent, founder of LifeStories Alive, LLC, specializes in making personal history videos for families that value their heritage. They create family heirlooms in video digitally mastered records of life stories with personal accounts, photos and mementos of family history. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas and graduating from Southern Methodist University with a BBA in Marketing and Management, he entered his family s retail floor covering business as the 4 th generation in that business. Between 1996 and 2000 Mike interviewed Holocaust survivors for Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. During that incredible experience, he discovered the process and the importance of recording the life stories of our loved ones. Mike moved to Austin in 1998 when he bought and managed a local floor covering business; then sold it in 2004. He finally found his passion in business when he started LifeStories Alive at the end of 2005. Since the beginnings of LifeStories Alive, the business has expanded its expertise beyond capturing personal histories for families to now include recording the histories of businesses and non-profit organizations. The professionally produced videos can be used externally to promote the organization or internally as a training tool for new employees/volunteers. Mike's unique interviewing skills bring out the heart and essence of the interviewee, thus making powerfully valuable connections to the intended audience. The Rotary Club of Austin meets most Tuesdays, from 11:30-1:00, in Sumners Hall at St. David s Episcopal Church (301 E. 8th Street)
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 2 RECAP FROM LAST WEEK S PROGRAM Changing of the Guard June 28, 2016 by Corey Gaskill President Harold Ingersoll called the meeting to order directly at noon. Hannah Walker led the two pledges. Past President Ladd Pattillo gave the invocation for the day with reference to his thankfulness for his friends in Rotary and asked for help for all of us in our focus on Rotary. Barbara Van Dyke led us in reciting the timeless FOUR WAY TEST. Michael Eden served as our top-of-the-stairs greeter and Rich Fikani introduced our twelve visitors and guests to the general membership. President Harold introduced Grant Glauser as our newest member and called on his sponsor, Pauline Gubbels, to guide Grant to make the most of his Rotary membership. Welcome, Grant! President Harold then presented Blue Badges to Kirk Loerwald and Cindy Veidt. Congratulations, Kirk and Cindy! Mavi Chapa took the microphone for a liberal 60 seconds to introduce herself during the Member Spotlight. She was born one of seven children in Monterrey, Mexico and was introduced to Rotary through a student exchange in Uruguay. In 1991, she helped to form the first Rotary Club in Mexico that included women in membership. She has been a member of Rotary ever since. She came to the USA in 2007 and is recently the proud owner of a permanent resident card! We also found out that Mavi is a Chemical Engineer. President Harold made a variety of abbreviated announcements including: reminding us to check into social media for each meeting; reminding us of the memorial service for Jerry Ray this Friday; and he read a thank you note from Sgt. McPherson who, with his family, was the recipient of the most recent Operation Vacation weekend sponsored by our Club. Bill Koen led the Thank Goodness Basket with participants including: himself, Past President Gaines Bagby (who thanked Tom Howard for his friendship and service to Jerry Ray), Cindy Veidt, President Harold, Michael Abelson and Past President Pete Meeker. Thanks were given for the volunteer efforts of our membership, the health of a spouse, the Texas Safari accomplishment of a son and the opportunity to vent on our legislature. After a brief Fellowship time, Michael Abelson served as the Emcee for the Changing of the Guard program that included several of our members taking turns both poking fun at our accountant president, Harold Ingersoll, and then thanking him for his leadership and accomplishments during this past year. We learned from Harold s daughter, Jessy, that the best way to begin a conversation with Harold is to bring up the subject of cats. Give it a try! The participating Rotarians were: Gaines Bagby, Jim Bryce, Mike O Krent, Ronney Reynolds and Ann Graham. Thank you gifts were presented to Harold and his family as a show of the Club s deep appreciation of his service. Incoming President Dale Lowe then took the stage to introduce Judge Don Taylor, Past District Governor, who then conducted the installation and swearing in of the incoming officers.
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 3 SOCIAL CIRCLE UPDATE Thursday, July 7 Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour Cluster Meeting at the Four Season Hotel Lobby Bar (98 San Jacinto Blvd.) at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 Downtown Austin Breakfast Cluster Meeting at Magnolia Café (on Lake Austin Blvd.) at 7:00 a.m. Thursday, July 21 RCA MasterMind Group Meeting at Mimi s (in the Arbor Walk) at 7:00 a.m. Friday, July 22 Wine Tasting Hosted by Joe and Susy Breeland at 91 Pascal Lane, Austin, Texas at 6:00 p.m. RSVP with Joe to: Joe.Breeland@gmail.com Tuesday, July 26 RCA Happy Hour Meeting at Posse East (2900 Duval Street, next to UT campus) at 6:00 p.m Please note A group will be going to the Steven Tyler concert at Bass Concert Hall after so buy your tickets now!! Contact Ande Rasmussen for more information Thursday, July 28 RCA North Breakfast Cluster Meeting at Waterloo Ice House (on Burnet Road) at 7:00 a.m. IN RECOGNITION FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR CLUB We d like to take a moment to recognize and thank the hard working members of our Hospitality Committee who helped us before last week s meeting (on June 28, 2016). Myron Burse, Michael Eden, Rich Fikani and Kirk Loerwald Thank you all for your service! If you d like to assist the Hospitality Committee at any of our weekly luncheons, please contact Myron Burse (or Jennifer Olsen).
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 4 ROTARY BIRTHDAYS The following people are celebrating their birthdays this week: Wendy Jack (July 3rd) Vicky Lindsey (July 5th) Laraine Lasdon (July 6th) Myron Burse (July 8th) Please join us in wishing them a VERY happy birthday! CONGRATULATIONS...
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 5 SPECIAL RECOGNITION GOES TO LEE YEAKEL AND MICHAEL PORTMAN We d like to offer special recognition to Lee Yeakel (left) for his induction into the District Roll of Fame. This is the highest award conferred by District 5870 and is intended to recognize those Rotarians who have distinguished themselves by outstanding service to their clubs, communities and District 5870. We d also like to recognize Michael Portman (right) who was the recipient of District 5870 s Foundation Hero Award, for his outstanding service toward The Rotary Foundation. Congratulations, Lee and Michael! PHOTOS FROM THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR/INCOMING PRESIDENT INSTALLATION LUNCHEON ON 6/26/16
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 6 OPERATION VACATION THANK YOU! From Sgt. Jon and Rachel McPherson (with their son, Colin, and daughter, Chloe): I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for last weekend's Operation Vacation. My family enjoyed it so much!! We truly appreciate all the thought that went into it, the time it must take to plan, and the genuine sentiment behind this wonderful gift! My husband mentioned on our way home from Austin how nice it was to know that there really are people out there that take the time to notice and reflect on the sacrifices families like ours make. At times, as a military family, we feel that "supporting the troops" is just a sound byte or a stepping stone to personal or political gain and the actual people that are supposed to be supported are forgotten. It was very moving, comforting, and truly a gift to be reminded so wholeheartedly that the really tough days are not going unnoticed. Best Wishes Rachel McPherson INCOMING RCA OFFICERS/LEADERSHIP
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 7 SUPPORTERS OF THE ROTARY REMINDER (PAGE 1) ROTARY CLUB OF AUSTIN: 301 E. 8TH STREET, AUSTIN, TX 78701 PHONE: (512) 462-1333 WWW.ROTARY-AUSTIN.ORG E-MAIL: OFFICE@ROTARY-AUSTIN.ORG
ROTARY REMINDER (7/5/16) PAGE 8 SUPPORTERS OF THE ROTARY REMINDER (PAGE 2) ROTARY CLUB OF AUSTIN: 301 E. 8TH STREET, AUSTIN, TX 78701 PHONE: (512) 462-1333 WWW.ROTARY-AUSTIN.ORG E-MAIL: OFFICE@ROTARY-AUSTIN.ORG