December 21, 2002 

Last Week’s Program...
A Christmas message was presented by Rev. Mike Snyder, Associate Pastor at Settle Memorial. He encouraged everyone to consider the true meaning of Christmas. It shouldn’t just be about gifts, decorating, eating good food, and family gatherings. Christmas should be a celebration of Christ’s birth. We should try not to get caught up in the festivities and lose Jesus out of the meaning of the holiday.

Rev. Snyder made the correlation of today’s society to the account in the book of Matthew of King Herod wanting to kill Jesus. Herod saw Jesus as a literal rival to his throne, while we may see Him as a figurative choice that may keep us from something else that we’ve deemed more important. It may be easier to think about Santa, than to think about Jesus. We have the choice every time this year. “What is the centerpiece to your Christmas?”

Thank you Rev. Snyder for a very nice message and a special thanks to the choir of Owensboro Mercy Health System for providing music during our meeting.

Attendance: 96

Highest Attendance This Year: 105

Invocation, Pledge & 4-Way Test: Tony Dunn

Fellowship Report: Tom Smith

Meeting Makeups: Keith Cain, Frank Wagner – both at Breakfast Rotary

Introduction of Guests: Kathy Olson, guest of John Kurtz; Surash Salam, guest of K.C. Thomaskutty; John Kirkland, guest of Drew Kirkland

Thought for the Week: “Cherish all your happy moments; they make a fine cushion for old age.” Christopher Morley (1890 - 1957)

YOUR PRESIDENT SPEAKS:
A Christmas Story…
I remember the Christmas my sister dropped the bomb, ‘There is no Santa Claus.” I fled to my Grandma because I knew she would be straight with me. When I arrived at her house, I could smell the warm cinnamon buns she made. “No Santa Claus?” she snorted, “Ridiculous, that rumor has been going around for years!”

Grandma quickly took me to the store with $10.00 in my hand. “Buy something for someone who needs it,” she said. I stood there wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair. Bobby didn’t have a coat. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough. But we all knew that he didn’t have a cough; he had no coat.

With growing excitement I decided I would buy Bobby a coat. I settled on a red one with a hood. It looked really warm. “Is this a Christmas present?” the lady asked kindly, as I laid my $10 down. “Yes ma’am,” I said, “It’s for Bobby.” And I told her how Bobby really needed a coat. I didn’t get any change. She put the coat in a bag, smiled and wished me a Merry Christmas.

Grandma helped me wrap the coat with paper and ribbons. A little tag fell out and Grandma tucked it in her Bible. She wrote on a card “To Bobby, from Santa Claus.” We drove to Bobby’s house, telling me that I was officially one of Santa’s helpers. When we got to the house, she said, “All right, Santa Claus, get going.” I put the present on his step, pounded his door, and ran to the bushes with Grandma.

Fifty years haven’t dimmed the thrill of those moments in the bushes beside my Grandma that night, watching Bobby open the present. I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were what Grandma said they were – ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag inside, reading $19.90.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Larry

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• You elected John Kurtz, Todd Inman, and Tish Osborne for the board next year.
• Thanks to all who participated as bell ringers for the Salvation Army.
• Reminder!!! There will be no meetings on December 25th and January 1st. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, January 8th.
• There will be no Impetus newsletter printed (or emailed) the week of Christmas and the week of New Year’s.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Malcolm Bryant - December 25
Dean Rodney - December 26
Bruce Brubaker - December 29
John Miller - December 31
Larry Mayfield - January 1

ROTARY REMINDERS...
• Don't forget to make up your missed meetings at breakfast Rotary at 7 on Tuesday mornings at Moonlite Barbecue.
• The Program Chair for December is Stuart Augenstein.
• David Blythe will be at the Fellowship Table during December.
• If you have an email address and are not receiving the Impetus online, or you have changed your email address, please send an email to kim@mediaworksadvertising.com and you will be added to the Rotary email address list.
• Log on to Rotary’s website at www.owensbororotary.org. You’ll find our current member directory, photos of new members, past copies of the Impetus, some interesting history, and more!

Please mail any questions, suggestions, or comments regarding the Impetus to: 

Mike Wallace
MediaWorks Advertising, Inc.
208 West 3rd Street; P.O. Box 1866
Owensboro, KY 42302
Phone: 270-684-4554
Fax: 270-684-7314
Email: mike@mediaworksadvertising.com  

DEADLINE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE IMPETUS IS THE WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO MONDAY'S PUBLICATION DATE.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Jan. 1 -  No Program - New Year’s Day
Jan. 8 -  Ron Payne, City Manager - A Look at 2003
Jan.15 -  Linda Domerese - Hospice
Jan. 22 -  Gary Smith - Community Concepts representative speaks about  Columbus trip
Jan. 29 -  Roger Newell - Rotary District Governor

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

2002 - 2003 OWENSBORO ROTARY CLUB OFFICERS
President: Larry Mercer
Vice President: Jeff Ebelhar
Past President: Marilyn Brookman
Secretary: Pat McFarling
Treasurer: Bob Nation
Directors: Candance Brake, Bill Dexter, Darrell Higginbotham, Bob Hudson, Jane Noble 

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