The Program: Prez Sally introduced our speakers for the day's program Sean Devereux and Brad McMurran from the Push Comedy Theater in Norfolk. Brad told us the number one rule for improv “was to make your partner look good." (Many people have told me that I make them look good- is that the same thing?) Anyway Brad and Sean went in to tell us about the organization and the fact that they not only have improv comedy but they also teach improv as sales and team building experiences for businesses including Norfolk Southern, Westminster-Canterbury and WVEC among others.
Sean and Brad then attempted to give us are very own improv comedy using Rotarians as the actors: our cast included Ann Sullivan, Lisa Chandler, Bob Heely, Dean Thomasson , Ben Munson (Chip Vogan's guest), Glenn Scott, Dyteya Lewis and Lynne Berg. The key to good Improv is to just say “Yes and……..”
It was great fun to watch these Rotarians provide us with an improv moment.
The Meeting:
President Sally rang the bell promptly at 11:33 and our own Eleanor Schoonover conducted us in songs with the accompaniment of the nimble fingered Pam Tubbs on the piano. Julie Keesling gave a very nice invocation with Veteran's Day in mind.
Visitation: Jean Owens provided the visitation report and updated us on Irv Wells' wife Sue who had another surgery! and the promise that Bob Latimer would be back to us the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
Guests: Marty Raiss introduced our guests, which included Dick Gresham (a frequent visitor), Barbara Lipskis with her guest Adam Law and Chip Vogan with two branch managers from Old Point- Ginnele Shonyo and Ben Munson.
Barbara paid $20 so that her guest could pitch his charity Destination Imagination to the club, which hopes to recruit volunteers from our club.
Announcements: Prez Sally then informed us that the Rotary Day on Saturday was a great success in that we collected more than $1,000 in cash plus 161 pounds of food for the Foodbank. She presented a check to Joanne Batson, Foodbank CEO.
Barbara Lipskis is putting together a Rotary member survey so that each member can highlight their areas of interest and expertise- so get it and fill it out. (The scribe knows several members that should fly under the radar on this one)
Prez Sally then outlined all of the various activities that we have coming up over the next several weeks and as these are sent out under separate email won't go into this now but if you're not on the email list you're missing out on a lot of great opportunities to participate.
Congratulations and Happy Bucks: Moving on to fines for charity.
Shep Miller was let off the hook by Prez Sally when she told him to pay whatever he thought his editorial in the newspaper was worth..(There were times in the past when such a thing would have been worth three figures anyway.)
Mike Goldsmith then announced that Norfolk's police crisis intervention team had been awarded first place in the state!!! Quite an accomplishment for Mike and his team of Norfolk police officers.
Given that it was Veteran's Day quite a few fines were paid in conjunction with military service including Bob Heely, Bill Davis, Pam Tubbs, Marty Raiss and others that the scribe couldn't quite identify.
Dyteya Lewis was happy despite the fact she he was laid off due to budget cuts. She appreciates her many wonderful friends in Rotary who are helping her identify new opportunities.
Jim O'Brien was happy because he had a new car that was old and a new house but I guess that was old as well. No fine was revealed.
Joanne Batson was also happy because her retirement party was evidently quite moving and sentimental according to participants who were there.
And finally our own John Padgett was inducted into the Leaders of the Law organization and offered $20 for it.
Meeting conclusion:
And last but not least, Sigur Whitaker not only had the winning raffle ticket. She won the big pot as well.
