Reported by Margaret Curtis
President Sara Pantin called the meeting to order with member recital of our Club’s Vision Statement.
Beth Coffey led us in the pledges (which some ex-Tex still need to read from the thoughtfully provided
slide). Past President Barry Curlee delivered the Invocation, compassionate and meaningful for this hard
week in Austin. Newest Member Sheryl Trembley led us in the Four Way Test, and Carl Noble
introduced guests and visiting Rotarians including our speaker’s wife Carol Cole. Lenny Krasnow warmly
greeted all of us at the top of the stairs.
President Sara presented Paul Harris Fellow Awards to David Doran (PHF+1), Carl Noble (PHF+4),
and Margaret Curtis (PHF+5). Congratulations!
Past President Sherry Workman reminded us to consider donating ONLINE at Everydayhero.com
to the Fulmore Middle School Rotary Interact Club fundraiser for ShelterBox. Proceeds will help Puerto
Ricans still recovering from Hurricane Maria. Later during the Thank Goodness Basket Scott Rider fessed up (for many of us!) to having forgotten to donate online since we first heard about the goal on March 6th. Now rectified and done!
Ronney Reynolds read a thank you letter from a recent recipient family of our Rotary Club’s Operation
Vacation efforts. The soldier had been deployed multiple times in rapid succession over the last few years, leaving virtually no stress free time with his family. A donated weekend trip to Austin meant the world to that family! Thank you Rotarians, and program leader Mary Reynolds. Although she is tough, Mary thought she might tear up if she read the letter.
President Sara announced the election of three new members to the board of the Austin Rotary Club
Foundation (ARCF). Michele Heyman, Laraine Lasdon, and Julianne Shively will each serve three
year terms. Thank you for your service!
Joseph Hang donated two bottles of precious, encased, Chateau Latour 2007 wine. Past President
Gaines Bagby energetically auctioned them off to Lois Ann Stanton and Past President Tim Von
Dohlen, with “bidder encouragement” from Past President Dale Lowe. Persistence paid, Gaines!
Proceeds go to the ARCF to support our local and global Rotary projects. Thanks for your generosity Joseph, Lois Ann and Tim! (Ed. note: Yes, thank you, thank you, thank you for your INCREDIBLE
GENEROSITY!!!)
Lots of people came up to donate to the Thank Goodness Basket, led by Perennial First Donor Ann Graham. Thank you to: David Menchaca, Jim Bryce, Mike O’Krent, Leslie Bagby, Rick Ravel , Scott Rider, and Newly-Ninety Earl Dimitru (guest of Past President Harold Ingersoll).
Speaker Buck Cole gave an informative and amusing presentation on the immense treasure trove of
historical maps, land records, and important correspondence housed in the Archives at the Texas
General Land Office. Buck is the K-12 Education Outreach Coordinator for the Land Office. He distilled a
collection of over 35 million documents down to 30 minutes of facility overview and great Texas stories
reflected in the collection of rare maps, letters, and deeds. Buck urged all of us to get in touch with him for a tour of the Archives, which is located right next to the Blanton Museum. Multiple visits might be necessary to do the history justice!