by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
When Rotary Club of Jacksonville President Carl Cannon rang the bell to call Monday’s meeting to order, he set in motion a full agenda.
Keynote speaker Don Jones recounted his story of crash landing in the Hudson River on US Airways Flight 1549. It wasn’t an entirely harrowing tale, though, with Jones using the life-changing event to express his regard for a particular brand of shoes.
He’s worn Johnston & Murphys for years and his entire collection had been, as noted “resoled at Gus’s (Gus & Co. Shoe and Luggage Repair) so many times I can’t remember.” After some prodding from his wife, he bought a new pair the week before he went to New York and was wearing them on the flight.
“When I hit the water I thought about kicking them off, but there was no way I was going to give up my new Johnston & Murphys,” said Jones.
Bill Griffin, governor of Rotary District 6970 attended this week’s meeting to present three recognition banners to the club.
The members’ contributions to the Rotary International Foundation Annual Programs Fund in 2007-08 put the Jacksonville club in first place in the district. The banner was accepted by Cannon and Bill Bainbridge, the club’s Foundation Committee chair.
Downtown Rotary also achieved the largest net gain in membership of all large clubs in the district. Brian Cooksey III, membership committee chair; Biggs Knauer, membership development committee chair; and Skip Cramer, chair of the classification committee accepted the banner on behalf of their fellow Rotarians.
Miriam Funchess, executive director of the club for 15 years, said the club achieved a net gain of 12 members, four times the average annual gain.
“It has been a banner year and it’s because of President Carl’s (Cannon) drive,” she said.
It’s tradition for new members to spend six months wearing their red badges and greeting the members with blue badges before each meeting. On several occasions in the past year, Cannon said he’s looked at a line stretching from the ballroom door nearly to the staircase at the Omni Hotel for greetings.
“We may have to change that to three months,” he said.
The club was also recognized for achieving “Premier Club” status, based on a combination of factors including membership and philanthropy.
Next week
The club’s weekly gathering will have a different format Monday when Rotarians enjoy a day of fellowship on the golf course a day after The Players is in the 2009 record books.
Club members and their guests will play in the Artis Gilmore-Jacksonville Rotary Golf Outing at Jacksonville Golf and Country Club.
Photos by Max Marbut
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