Issue 8, February 21st
Last week we were VERY busy. For a few of us Monday was a work holiday, followed by our trip to visit our legislature in Tallahassee, then a great meeting with guests Michael Boylan and Melissa Ross who gave us more insight into the inner workings of WJCT as well as the “Switzerland” role they often play in the community like moderating the Mayor’s Community Conversations on the Human Rights Ordinance over the last few months. Attendance was pretty strong and spotlight speaker Mark Vickers donated a certificate to one of his workshops for door prizes. To no one’s surprise the bidding became quite intense and the winner ended up purchasing it for nearly 90% of face value ($300). A big thank you to Mark and all our other members for bringing door prizes as it was a very strong day with all the money going to the club. Toney Sleiman kept his word and got our Tallahassee delegation a short meeting with the governor. We also visited with Reps McBurney, Ray, and Renner with 2 being in their final session and the third serving his first term in elected office.
This week David Sillick, publisher of the Jacksonville Business Journal will be our guest speaker. In talking last week I can honestly say I don’t recall hearing from him in my 8 years as a member. As one of our local premier publications I’m looking forward to hearing his take on Jacksonville’s progress and outlook for developments in the near future. Penny tells me David is a fantastic speaker and surely one you won’t want to miss!
Finally as we’re approaching March I wanted to call your attention to our annual Youth Achiever Program coming up March 9th and 10th. We only do this once a year and are continuing our partnership with Pine Forest Elementary to help send their Safety Patrols to Washington D.C. The money we raise doesn’t pay for the entire trip but it sure helps to defray costs with the goal Fred Harford and Gene Bushor set out many years ago to ensure ALL the kids can attend the trip regardless of their family’s financial situation. This club has a big heart and emphasis on hard work; these children are not always the most popular but volunteer their time at a very young age before and after school working to ensure safety as well as acting as leaders at this young age. We still need a few sponsorships to hit our goal, its only $200 and the money does go to our 501 © 3 so it’ll make your CPA happy. Please contact Walter Smith or Michael Gullion ASAP as we’re nearing the print deadline.
