Rotary Ramblings
Elliesecondtime@aol.com
Elliesecondtime@aol.com
Tue, 3 Feb 2004 23:58:47 EST
-------------------------------1075870727
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
ROTARY RAMBLINGS
ROTARY CLUB OF DELRAY BEACH
February 3, 2004
President Mark Denkler opened the meeting to a packed room. Our favorite
minister, Andy Hall gave a lovely, Rotary invocation. We had about fourteen
visiting Rotarians, including international visitors. Bruce Wenzel did the honors
of welcoming all these visitors. Joyce Lunsford had as her guest, her
daughter, Melody.
Jimmy Weatherspoon did his usual fine job of leading the group in song.
(Don't think we could win any contests, but we are a happy bunch of Rotarians.)
As always, Bruce Williams did a fine job with his renditions on piano. Do you
people realize how fortunate we are to have Bruce?
We sang Happy Birthday to Ray Ripley. (Ray, did I hear you say you would
rather be back at the office working on taxes?) We all wish you a healthy, happy
year.
Gerry Meeks gave our banner to Irvin Margolis, who in turn, gave us a banner.
Fred Bonardi, doing double duty again, first gave us the stock market report;
reporting (at the moment) the Dow was up 17 points; the NASDAQ up 4 points
and the S&P was "flat." He then gave us a great report as Sergeant at Arms. He
collected a total of $140.00, including $20.00, collected from Ray Ripley,
for his birthday.
Bill Adams had the pleasure of introducing our guest speaker today, Matthew
King, Senior Environmental Analyst, Palm Beach County Department of
Environmental Resources Management. Mr. King is a native of Miami; a graduate of FSU.
He spoke to us regarding non-native vegetation of Florida. He gave us
astonishing statistics on what it has cost us to try to rid our state of the
non-native (exotic) vegetation brought here by people over the years; they number up
to 25,000. They compete with the native plants and wildlife habitat; also,
blocking water navigation.
The following nine non-native plants are at the top of the list. Mr. King's
department is diligently trying daily to eradicate this vegetation, before it
literally "chokes out" the native habitat. He stated it is illegal to sell
these plants in the state of Florida:
1. Air Potato
2. Australian Pine
3. Brazilian Pepper
4. Carrotwood
5. Earleaf Acacia
6. Kudzu
7. Melaleuca
8. Old World climbing fern
9. Umbrella tree
I mention these to inform you, that if you have these growing on your
property, they will consume your other foliage, according to Mr. King. Most of these
"exotic" plants were brought to this country from Australia, Africa, Asia or
Brazil. He also told us grants are being given in Palm Beach County to
residents, to rid this problem. He also mentioned that we are fighting a loosing
battle with some of the vegetation. He has volunteer groups going out monthly
to help with this project. For more information, his phone number is:
561-233-2421, or, mking@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Next week, we will hear a speaker from Children Services Council.
Next Tuesday, 7:30 a. m, Ellie's Marilyn Room, our board of directors meet;
all members welcome. Great time for make ups, as well as getting all the "grit"
firsthand; be there!
At this time, I would like to thank our "computer doctor," fellow Rotarian,
Jim Blocker, for getting my totally "sick" computer up and running again.
Thanks to Nancy King, for a fantastic "Ramblin's" last week.
-------------------------------1075870727
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=3DUTF-8 http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; charse=
t=3Dutf-8">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
f">
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT size=3D5><EM><STRONG>ROTARY RAMBLINGS</STRONG></EM=
></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3D5></FONT></EM></STRONG> </=
DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT size=3D5>ROTARY CLUB OF DELRAY BEACH</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT size=3D3>February 3, 2004</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>President Mark Denkler opened the meeting t=
o a packed room. Our favorite minister, Andy Hall gave a lovely, Rotar=
y invocation. </FONT><FONT size=3D3>We had about fourteen visitin=
g Rotarians, including international visitors. Bruce Wenzel did the ho=
nors of welcoming all these visitors. Joyce Lunsford had as her guest,=20=
her daughter, Melody. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Jimmy Weatherspoon did his usual fine job o=
f leading the group in song. (Don't think we could win any c=
ontests, but we are a happy bunch of Rotarians.) As always, Bruce Will=
iams did a fine job with his renditions on piano. Do you people realiz=
e how fortunate we are to have Bruce? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>We sang Happy Birthday to Ray Ripley. =
(Ray, did I hear you say you would rather be back at the office working on=20=
taxes?) We all wish you a healthy, happy year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Gerry Meeks gave our banner to Irvin Margol=
is, who in turn, gave us a banner.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Fred Bonardi, doing double duty again, firs=
t gave us the stock market report; reporting (at the moment) the Dow was up=20=
17 points; the NASDAQ up 4 points and the S&P was "flat." He then=20=
gave us a great report as Sergeant at Arms. He collected a total of $1=
40.00, including $20.00, collected from Ray Ripley, for his birthday.&n=
bsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Bill Adams had the pleasure of introducing=20=
our guest speaker today, Matthew King, Senior Environmental Analyst, Palm Be=
ach County Department of Environmental Resources Management. Mr. King=20=
is a native of Miami; a graduate of FSU.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>He spoke to us regarding non-native ve=
getation of Florida. He gave us astonishing statistics on what it has=20=
cost us to try to rid our state of the non-native (exotic) vegetation brough=
t here by people over the years; they number up to 25,000. They compet=
e with the native plants and wildlife habitat; also, blocking water navigati=
on. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>The following nine non-native plants are at=
the top of the list. Mr. King's department is diligently trying daily=
to eradicate this vegetation, before it literally "chokes out" the native h=
abitat. He stated it is illegal to sell these plants in the state of Florida=
:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>1. Air Potato</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>2. Australian Pine</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>3. Brazilian Pepper </FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>4. Carrotwood</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>5. Earleaf Acacia</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>6. Kudzu</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>7. Melaleuca</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>8. Old World climbing fern</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>9. Umbrella tree</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>I mention these to inform you, that if you=20=
have these growing on your property, they will consume your other foliage, a=
ccording to Mr. King. Most of these "exotic" plants were brought to th=
is country from Australia, Africa, Asia or Brazil. He also told us gra=
nts are being given in Palm Beach County to residents, to rid this problem.&=
nbsp; He also mentioned that we are fighting a loosing battle with some of t=
he vegetation. He has volunteer groups going out monthly to help with=20=
this project. For more information, his phone number is: 561-233-2421,=
or, <A title=3Dmailto:mking@co.palm-beach.fl.us href=3D"mailto:mking@co.pal=
m-beach.fl.us">mking@co.palm-beach.fl.us</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Next week, we will hear a speaker from Chil=
dren Services Council.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Next <STRONG>Tuesday, 7:30 a. m,</STRONG> E=
llie's <EM>Marilyn Room, </EM>our board of directors meet; all members welco=
me. Great time for make ups, as well as getting all the "grit" firsthand; be=
there!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>At this time, I would like to thank our "co=
mputer doctor," fellow Rotarian, Jim Blocker, for getting my totally "sick"=20=
computer up and running again. Thanks to Nancy King, for a fantas=
tic "Ramblin's" last week.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
-------------------------------1075870727--