THE WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
June 10, 2020
 
It was three years ago that I attended the International Rotary Convention in Atlanta.  It was by far one of my best experiences ever where conventions go (and I went to many Red Cross conventions and Trinity Health System meetings).  You cannot imagine being with 42,000 other people from all over the world who love Rotary and want to do good in the world.  I was able to meet some of my Facebook friends in person.  I made new friends who I still connect with on a regular basis.  And I learned so much more about this great organization.  This year everyone has the opportunity to attend the Virtual Convention and I hope you take advantage of some of the sessions.  I am looking forward to the International Convention when it returns to Houston June 4 - 8, 2022.  You may be adventurous and may want to travel to Taipei, Taiwan next year.
 
John Nanni......one of our Polio Warriors.  His sign now reads 66 years.
 
My dear friend Grace Adah from Nigeria and new friend Stephanie Do. Stephanie was a student at the University of South Carolina and Grace operates a nursery school. I had tickets for the Women In Rotary event  at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and was so happy they could join me.
 
My new friends Mone Aernyi and Bern Igoche from Nigeria.  Mone was introduced to me through a Facebook friend who thought we should meet.  I took them to a special reception at the Coca Cola Museum.  It was just one of the many fun times we had during that week.   Both Mone and Bern have traveled all over the world to attend Rotary Conventions.  This is how they spend their vacation time.
 
 
 
A group of fellow Rotarian's in native dress with Mone in the center.  You will find Rotarian's everywhere dressed in costumes and cultural outfits from their respective countries.
 
We still all share laughs and tell stories of our time in Atlanta.  
 
 
UPCOMING ROTARY CLUB EVENTS
 
 
JUNE 17 - ROTARY CLUB - 11 AM ZOOM MEETING
GENERAL MEETING TO DISCUSS PLANS MOVING FORWARD, MEETING IN PERSON, DAY AND TIME, LUNCH OR NO LUNCH.  A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS HAVE BEEN SHARED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT COULD MAKE OUR CLUB AVAILABLE AND EXCITING FOR OLD AND NEW MEMBERS.
 
JUNE 24 - ROTARY CLUB - 6 PM  ZOOM MEETING
PROVIDE YOUR OWN GLASS OF WINE, BEER AND SNACKS FOR A FUN EVENING.  
 
JULY 1 - CHANGING OF THE GUARD - WE WILL BE MEETING IN PERSON TO INSTALL ROSS AND OTHERS.   YOU WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO JOIN BY ZOOM, SO FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING YOU WILL NOT MISS A MEETING.  YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED AS TO THE TIME AND PLACE.
 
 
SAD NEWS
Our condolences to Patricia Fletcher on the passing of her husband Lawrence.  Services will be Saturday, June 13th.   You can send sympathies to Patricia at 4513 Fairway Drive, Steubenville, Oh 43953
 
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
 
Jim Mavromatis - June 1
 
 
Three of our honorary members have a total of 200 years of Rotary Fellowship
John Criss - 70 years    ( John is at Carriage Inn Assisted Living if you wish to send him greetings)
Dick McGowan - 63 years (302 Braybarton Blvd, Steubenville 43952))
Bill Rhinehart - 67 years  ( 4807 White Oaks Drive, Steubenville 43953)
 
Rich Delatore - 28 years
 
 
 
 
Send me your items:
Email:  kathymusso528@gmail.com
Text: 740-317-5913
 
 
 
PRESIDENT MIKE'S MESSAGE
 
It is Tuesday at 6:00 pm. and I am sitting here fighting to keep my eyes open.  The grandkids have been here all day swimming.  I have been in the pool most of the day and playing pretty much non-stop with my 9 year old grandson and 7 year old granddaughter.  I feel like the 66 year old man that I am!
 
It is hard to imagine being 66 years old.  Most of the time, in my own mind, I see myself as being much younger.  I am sure that most of you can relate to that thought as well!
 
The past week has made me think about this a lot.  My college football coach at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnny Majors, passed away.  During the last year I also lost my high school football coach at Central, Tom Korab.  Both were good men, flawed like the rest of us, but loyal to the players they coached.
 
Coach Korab you heard about at one of our meetings shortly after he passed so today it is Coach Majors.
 
Coach Majors was one of the first college head coaches that pretty much delegated the on field coaching responsibilities to his assistant coaches.  He was more or less the CEO of the football team.  He was the ambassador of the program.  It was a very different approach to coaching at the time. 
 
Coach Majors came to Pitt midway through my freshman year.  He ran a brutal winter and spring program designed basically to run off many of the current players.  He succeeded, making it necessary for graduate assistant coaches to dress and play in the spring game.  There were not enough players left to field two teams.  A few of us actually played both ways part of the game.
 
Coach Majors recruited 90 players in his first year at Pitt.  Can you imagine giving out 90 full scholarships in one year?  It was this recruiting class that won the national championship in 1976.  It was all legal at the time.
 
In spite of his efforts to run off most of the players when he came to Pitt the “survivors,” his nickname for those of us who stuck it out, have fond memories of Coach Majors.  He referred to Tom Perko (my teammate at Central who also went to Pitt) and me as the Steubenville boys.  He always told Perko he loved his “toughness”, and told me he loved the way I ran the football with “reckless abandon.”  He knew how to form a bond with his players.  He knew how to make a team.
 
I received a knee injury in the spring game that year and a career ending injury in the fall trying to return too soon from the injury.  It was the injuries that cemented my bond with Coach Majors.  He came and visited me at the hospital after each injury, a couple times after my career ending injury.  He told me to make the most of my scholarship and complete my education.
 
In later years, at a reunion he held for his first Pitt football team, he introduced me to some of his friends as his first starting tailback at Pitt in spite of the fact that I never actually played in a real game for him.  In spite of the fact that his first starting tailback was Tony Dorsett a Heisman Trophy winner and an NFL Hall of Famer. 
 
Majors knew how to make you feel good about yourself.  Make you feel like part of the team.  He knew how to make his players better than they were.
 
As Rotarians maybe we can do some of the same.  Be proud of who we are. Try to help whenever we can.  Strive to make our community the best it can be.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Time for Humor 
 
Courtesy of Bob Lane
 
 
 
 
Courtesy of Barry Gullen
(actually I stole it from a post of his on Facebook page)
 
 
A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas and talked to an old rancher. He told the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." The rancher said, "okay, but don't go into that field over there...", as he pointed out the location. The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, "look mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!" Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher. "See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want... On any land! No questions asked, no answers given! Do you understand old man?!"
 
The rancher kindly nodded, apologized, and went about his chores. Moments later the rancher heard loud screams, he looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the ranchers big Santa Gertrudis Bull...... With every step the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it was likely that he'd sure enough get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified. The old rancher threw down his tools, ran as fast as he could to the fence, and yelled at the top of his lungs......
 
"YOUR BADGE! SHOW HIM YOUR BADGE!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Not sure why I use the 35 mm camera as my phone takes just as nice pics.  This clematis is in full bloom.
 
 
 
 
 
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