Joel Heaton was a junior at the U. S. Naval Academy when he joined the Debate Team. He still remembers the date, November 19, 1965, when the team traveled to the University of Illinois-City Center. Also sending a team to the debate was Ohio University. At a break, Joel had a casual conversation with a rival debater, Kathy, from Ohio. That conversation led to a long-distance romance.
After graduating with merit from the Naval Academy, Joel was assigned to duty in Hawaii, and he and Kathy made wedding plans. He was then assigned to a ship which deployed to Vietnam. Unfortunately for Joel and Kathy, his tour of duty on the ship was extended and the wedding was postponed. When he returned stateside, he and Kathy remade their wedding plans so they could marry within Joel's two weeks leave. Joel and Kathy recently celebrated their 46th anniversary. Joel’s naval career spanned 30 years. After three deployments to Vietnam, Joel was posted to the Navy ROTC at the University of Colorado in Boulder. While in Boulder, Joel earned a master’s degree in foreign affairs.
When that rotation was nearing an end, he saw a posting for vacancies in the nuclear power program. He was accepted into the program and the remainder of his Naval career was in nuclear power. After training at Aberdeen, Md. and a stint operating a prototype nuclear reactor, Joel was posted to Norfolk where he worked on the USS Nimitz, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the U.S. fleet. Later he commanded the USS Dewey, was chief engineer on the USS Eisenhower and commissioning commanding officer of the Aegis missile cruiser Monterey. He retired as a captain and is a charter member of the Navy Surface Warfare Officers. For the past 16 years, Joel has been a civilian with the Department of Defense.
Joel was first exposed to Rotary during high school when the Rotary Club of Englewood, Colo. selected him as a Junior Rotarian of the Month during his senior year. This meant Joel got to join the club for its October lunches. When he moved to Norfolk, his wife Kathy, joined Nancy Chandler & Associates. Upon his retirement from the Navy, Rotarian Nancy Chandler invited Joel to join our club, which he did in 1997.
Joel and Kathy have two sons. The oldest, Paul, is national customer service director for Nissan Motors. The youngest, Todd, is a pediatric oncology surgeon with Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. With the kids grown, the Heatons share their home with Lady Madeline, a Scottish Terrier. Joel and Kathy enjoy going to Virginia Opera and Virginia State Company. On many weekends you will find them enjoying their second home in the Northern Neck.
Don't wait to sign up for our club party at one of Norfolk's most scenic spots -- the Pagoda overlooking the river in Freemason -- 265 Tazewell St. The party will be on Thursday October 29 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. In addition to fine conversation and a stunning sunset, the party will include a BBQ dinner. The party is for club members, who are welcome to bring a spouse/date/significant other to share in the fun. We have room for 80 folks and spots are going fast. Sign up now with Jane Dembert-- rotaryclubofnorfolk@gmail.com.
We currently have 135 members of the Rotary Club of Norfolk (four of them honorary). Please invite community-minded friends and colleagues to visit our club. For membership information contact Joe Massey, membership director, at JP4Chessie@cox.net.
Members Inducted Since July 1, 2015:
Chuck Spence of Norton Capital Management
Greg Bockheim of the Virginia Zoo
Ed Ware of Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Ned Alderman of Epworth United Methodist Church
Kelly Stefanko of the National Science Foundation
Rachel Bellis of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Anthony Walters of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads
Jeffrey Wells of the Coastal Design Group
Departing Members & Reasons for Leaving the Club:
Lauren Delp of Heritage Bank (Work transfer)
Ellen Duckworth (transferred to Cape Henry Rotary Club)
Ken Weeks (deceased)
Rick Ruehe (Moved to Connecticut)
Joe Boone of Boone's BBQ (Work transfer to Peninsula)
Adam Kahrl of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads (Work transfer to Chesapeake)
Marcus Stevens of Brown & Brown (Work conflict)
Kellie Dickerson of BB& T (Work travel)
Matt Shriver (Change in his community service focus)
Rotarian Dr. Steve Jones (left) with speakers Kenyatta Goshen of Norfolk Public Schools and Barry Bishop of the Greater Norfolk Corp.
Highlight
At our Oct. 12 meeting Gary Boswick, acting president and program vice president, inducted new members Kelly Stefanko and Ned Alderman. Angela Kerns introduced Kelly, who is audit manager with the National Science Foundation Office of the Inspector General. Chip Vogan introduced Rev. Ned Alderman, a former Navy chaplain who is senior minister at Epworth United Methodist Church in downtown Norfolk. Kelly and Ned received their red badges and challenge to discover and meet their mystery Rotarians who are both past cub presidents.
Program
Rotarian of the Day was former Norfolk Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Jones, world traveler and fundraising director on our Rotary board. Steve, a former Norfolk Public Schools superintendent, introduced his educational colleagues Barry Bishop and Kenyatta Goshen.
Barry Bishop has served as executive vice president of the Greater Norfolk Corporation since 1993 and represents GNC on a number of city task forces, including the Downtown Roundtable, Downtown Forum, and the Elizabeth River Trail Committee. He also serves on the board and executive committee of Virginians for High Speed Rail, a statewide rail advocacy organization. A graduate of Granby High School and Old Dominion University, Barry formerly chaired the Norfolk School Board and was a public school teacher and principal.
Barry led our program with another former teacher, Kenyatta A. Goshen, senior director for Career and Technical Education for Norfolk Public Schools. Their topic: "Re-imagining the Educational Experience for College and Career Readiness."
Norfolk Public Schools has long emphasized Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education, but growing as a branch of STEM, is the idea of developing a comprehensive poly-technical skills high school within the school system. As reported in last Sunday's Virginian Pilot, new federal statistics reveal significant numbers of students graduating from colleges and universities and earning no more than the average high school graduate. This situation segues to a key point Barry Bishop made: although millions of jobs require a college degree, even more millions of jobs require experiential skills. High school students need to see the relevance of their studies to to their career and life work goals. Since demand for "middle-skilled" workers is much higher than supply, the GNC board began meeting five years ago to discuss developing a skills-based high school in Norfolk.
Traveling the USA seeking examples for best practices, board members chose Worcester Technical High School in Worcester, Massachusetts, as their model. Barry quoted President Obama as saying, "I want the nation to learn from this model." Collaborators from NPS, the City of Norfolk, and Hampton Roads-based industries and businesses envisioned the Norfolk CTE high school initiative, a $90-million facility to be constructed on the current Lake Taylor High School campus. Planned enrollment would be 1,400 to 1,600 students in grades 9-12 with 600 adults engaged in adult education services and workforce development programs. The school would be a regular high school featuring rigorous academics integrated with career and technical education and activities such as athletics and clubs, work-based learning and adult apprenticeships.
The proposed high school would include academies that teach:
Regional maritime trades such as advanced manufacturing, welding and electrical
Health and medical sciences such as nursing, pharmacy, dental, veterinary and allied health
Law and public safety
Early childhood education
Personal care services
Business and information technology with computer programming and networking
Hospitality and tourism
Engineering and design with modeling and simulation, innovation and research, computer sciences and robotics
The task force working on the high school includes representatives from Newport News Shipbuilding; Mid-Atlantic Regional Naval Maintenance Center; Stihl, Inc.; NASA (Langley Research Center); Dominion Enterprises; Sentara Health System; Bon Secours Health System; Norfolk Southern; MacArthur Center; Dollar Tree; Tidewater Community College; Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University.
In honor of our speakers, our club is presenting The Mouse With the Question Mark Tail to W. H. Taylor Elementary School's library in their honor.
Meeting
Very ably substituting for President Sally (who was traveling in California), Programs Veep Gary Boswick rang Rotarians to order on time, then called on Chuck Spence and Frank Whitman to lead us in song. Chuck challenged our presbyopia by choosing the less-familiar third verses of "R-O-T-A-R-Y" and "America." However, no one needed prescription lenses to warble "Happy Birthday" to celebrate Rotarians with October birthdays: Alan Nelson on the 1st; Jerome Adamson (age 95!) on the 2nd; Gus Stuhlreyer on the 7th; Bruce Wilcox on the 8th; Steve Schultz on the 9th;John Lynn on the 11th; Carlisle Wroton on the 15th; Bill Davis on the 20th; Bob Heely on the 23rd; and Skip Burton and Lisa Sands sharing birthdays on the 27th.
Bob Powell stood on his new knee to lead us in a thoughtful grace. Ray Pentecost was honored for 31 years of perfect Rotary attendance.
District Governor Nominee John Padgett briefed us on this past weekend's District Conference in Williamsburg. Eleanor Schoonover, who also attended the conference, appreciated a break-out session highlighting the work and sacrifices of military working dogs. Bob Ash was thanked for hosting a special viewing of “Why I Can’t Reab Like Everybody Else?” (movie about the challenges of dyslexia) at ODU last Thursday: those who attended were grateful for the opportunity despite having to brave the heavy rain that evening.
Announcements
Veep Gary alerted us of upcoming Rotary events and opportunities to volunteer:
Monday, Oct 26, 2015: Join Rotarian Kay Kemper to explore Virginia's most forward-thinking early education center, the New E3 School. The school opened nearly a year ago to demonstrate what quality early education looks like. It is a model being studied by educators, legislators and parents. The school is next door to the Y on Granby. Details are at http://www.newe3school.org/.
Thursday, Oct 29, 2015: Start your morning shaking hands with eager students at Seatack Elementary--An Achievable Dream Academy. This acclaimed program for lower-income children is based in Newport News and came to Virginia Beach just last year. You will welcome students as they start their day at school and then have a short tour of the academy. Your Rotary host is Bob Powell. There is a limit of five Rotarians, so sign up soon.
Also on Thursday, Oct 29, 2015: Our Fall Party at the Pagoda! Join Rotary Club of Norfolk members for a fun evening at one of Norfolk's most scenic spots, the Pagoda overlooking the river in Freemason, at 265 Tazewell St. The fall party is for club members, who are welcome to bring a spouse/date/significant other. There is room for 80 folks. So sign up early with Linwood Beckner or Jane Dembert (rotaryclubofnorfolk@gmail.com).
Visitation Report
Bill Gough updated us regarding members and their families on the Binnacle List:
Bryce Burton's broken ankle is on the mend;
Bob Powell's knee replacement recovery is going so well that he was back with us today!
Kay Kesser, Ace Tubbs and Erin Thomasson continue their medical treatments while we continue to keep all in our thoughts and prayers.
Visiting Rotarians
Will King introduced visiting Rotarian Jeffrey F. Wells, an architect from Long Beach Island, NJ.
Happy Bucks
Linwood Beckner happily contributed for his daughter, Sarah Beckner Weinberg, selected as one of the Inside Business annual "Top Forty Under 40" honorees (recognizing outstanding young businesspeople in the Hampton Roads community).
Sharon Laderberg reminded us of the Susan G. Komen "Race for the Cure" happening this Saturday, October 10th (did you see the PINK section in the Pilot?), at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront (31st and Atlantic).
Marty Raiss celebrated her son, a Marine Reserve LCOL who recently returned from service in Iraq: he has just been appointed as Battalion Commander!
Chick Robison appreciated President Sally's Ireland itinerary help.
100% Tables, Raffle
Tables with 100% attendance were 15 and 19. Strangely, two Rotarians with winning tickets failed to acknowledge their numbers; finally, Dean Thomasson had the third winning ticket and claimed the daily pot.
Gary noted before adjourning us about his having been advised that if he rang the bell to start on time and end on time, nobody would notice any gaffs in between! (He made no gaffs perceived by your humble editor.) Gary proceeded to ring the bell and gavel us out two minutes early.
Christy Everett (foreground) with Rotary Club members and guest.
Rotarians got an insider's look recently at the environmentally friendly Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach. Just ask any of the folks pictured above how composting toilets work! The new center was built by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on waterfront land once slated to hold thousands of condominiums. The environmental education center was constructed with locally sourced materials, including re-purposed gym floors from area schools that were torn down. The building generates its own electricity and water and is vying for the first Living Building Award given in Virginia. Christy Everett, former club member and head of the CBF's regional office, led our tour. Jean Owens was our Rotary host. A picnic afterwards in the breezeway on a beautiful-weather Friday was a bonus.
