|
Lorna and Jim check out a Hunton Y scooter presented in her honor by the club. The spirit of Rotary was alive and well at the Rotary Club of Norfolk's July 7 officer installation at Norfolk Botanical Garden and on Zoom. The hybrid ceremony was remarkable for several reasons: - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first time since early March that our club members have met in person.
- The nearly 50 members in attendance wore face masks and practiced social distancing with chairs spaced six-feet apart in Rose Garden Hall.
- Thanks to technology, more than 40 members watched the changing of Rotary leadership from their homes.
Bob Heely set the stage for a special gathering by playing on guitar and singing "America the Beautiful" and "The Army Goes Rolling Along" -- a tribute to incoming President Jim Kitz, a West Point graduate and former Army officer. Outgoing President Lorna Cochrane gave highlights of one of the most challenging years in our club's 106 years. Despite abruptly having in-person gatherings halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic, club members learned to connect virtually. During the 2019-20 year, they logged 960 service hours, raised more than $12,000 for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia & the Eastern Shore, welcomed 12 new members, and put a new kitchen and children's library in the Hunton Y, which serves one of the most economically distressed communities in Norfolk. Lorna thanked the club's board, members and staff for their kindness and support and let them know their hugs (even virtual ones) filled her heart, provided energy and kept her going. "I've seen your soul," she said of club members. In anticipation of the day when we could have hugs from others again, she encouraged members to give themselves a personal hug to help restore what may feel like broken lives right now. Lorna installed Jim as the 2020-21 president. Area Governor Sigur Whitaker installed the incoming officers and directors: Michael Desplaines, president elect; Laurie Harrison, vice president; Jeff Wells, treasurer; Lorna Cochrane, immediate past president; board members Lisa Chandler, Jason Drane, Bill Eisenbeiss, Marilyn Gowan, Joe Massey, Dianna Starkey and Carlisle Wroton, and parliamentarian Tom Ambler. All received congratulatory elbow bumps from Lorna and Jim. Jim honored Lorna with the gift of five blue scooters that will go to the Hunton Y for the pre-school children. He saluted her leadership at Hunton, which he says, "brought the club together in a way I had not seen before." Jim showed a photo montage he created to celebrate Lorna's year. It was backed by James Taylor's "Secret of Life" song that encourages people to enjoy the passage of time. Lorna also received flowers from Michael Desplaines and Jeff Wells and a standing ovation. Jim thanked his wife Clare for supporting his Rotary work, Cy Grandy for inviting him to join the club, Sally Hartman for recruiting him for the leadership track, staff members Lisa Barnes and Ann Morgan for guiding him, and Gus Stuhlreyer for helping make fiscal decisions at a critical time in the life of the club. He thanked outgoing board member Joey Rothgery for her work in getting club members up to speed on Zoom and talked about how it is priceless to see the faces of older members enjoying meetings from their homes. Jim's goals for the year are to keep the club engaged with each other and our community. He is instituting Rotary coins and gave one to each incoming board member. New members will each get a coin as will members who accomplish something extraordinary. Joey Rothgery received the first merit coin, which has the Four-way Test on the back. Club Business - We celebrated July birthdays for Michael Desplaines, Dalton Dunbar, John Padgett, Barry Kesser, Jeff Wells, Linwood Beckner, Ben Mason, Bill Jonak and Diane Wallach. Celebrating wedding anniversaries this month are Laurie and Mark Harrison, Julie and Bob Keesling, Pam and Ace Tubbs and Bill and Mary Louis Lehew.
- Rotary anniversaries are 7 years for Ann Sullivan, 10 years for Angela Kerns, 15 years for Lisa Chandler, Adam Foleck and Cy Grandy, 26 years for Jim O'Brien, 28 years for Carlisle Wroton, 29. years for Jean Owens and 43 years for Bob Heely.
- Past President Jim Baker is recuperating from a recent fall and doing well.
- We welcomed new member Lauren Kiger, who is sponsored by Dalton Dunbar. Sharon Laderberg is her mentor. Lauren is a philanthropy officer with Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. A fun fact she let us know is that she is a bride who married recently during COVID times. Lauren received the first new member Rotary coin for the year.
- The book of the week will go to the William A. Hunton YMCA Rotary Little Readers Library.
Happy Bucks - Dianna Starkey is happy the Virginia Arts Festival is having a Michelangelo exhibit at MacArthur Center soon.
- Chip Vogan is happy his son William and his roommate have recovered from the coronavirus and that William landed a new New York City literary agent job after his previous book publishing job was terminated.
- John Cameron is delighted his daughter finished medical school and her twin brother earned his master's degree and has a teaching job
- Lorna Cochrane says her husband, Daniel, is happy she is no longer club president and should have more free time.
- Sally Hartman is happy to be retired after nearly 29 years at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.
- Marty Raiss is sad to see her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren move to Georgia but was happy to have a Rotary meeting to distract her from being sad.
Thanks go to president-elect Michael Desplaines for arranging for the live portion of the officer installation to be at Rose Garden Hall at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. A socially distant reception afterwards added to the festivities. |
