Kee-Notes

Weekly Newsletter of the Kiwanis Club of Bethesda, Maryland

Serving the Community Since 1945

Meeting Date: February 18, 2010

President Jeanne Smith presided. Guest Diane Shoemaker led us in the Pledge. Bill Hague led us in God Bless America and gave the prayer. Stephanie McCabe was welcomed and we all look forward to having her become a member once again.  We were also glad to see John Ratnavale who has a new house in Potomac.  Ann Black also joined us for the lunch.  President Jeanne asked for people to bring food or sign up to serve at the NIH Children's Inn on Sunday, February 28.  This is a fun  hands-on service project.  You will also be working with the members of the Kiwanis Club of Potomac.  Tragara Restaurant will be donating their famous breadsticks for the occasion.  It takes 15-20 minutes to get through NIH Security so plan to arrive by 5 p.m.  Dinner is served at 6 p.m.  Open for discussion: Should starting time of our meetings be changed to 12 noon?  When we moved to Tragara, the starting time was set at 11:45 so that parking was readily available.  For those unable to attend meetings please feel free to send opinions, comments to President Jeanne at wallyboggs@aol.com. An official email poll will be taken from membership sometime in March.

Announcements:

Happy Dollars:

Ann Black HD for her third newborn grandson, Luke.  John Ratnavale HD  for Stephanie McCabe returning to our club.  Tracy Miller HD for her great niece who has just learned to walk at 9 months!  Pat Tiede HD for our speaker Diane Shoemaker and she was glad to see everyone after being snowed in for a week.  She also remarked that Bill Pennington has been escaping the snow in Florida but has been in the hospital.  We wish him well.

Speaker:   

Diane Shoemaker, Coordinator of Transportation and Lodging for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, Inc. was introduced.  Diane had worked in the Montgomery County Public School System for 34 years and found retirement too boring so she embarked on a new career with the YRF.  In five short years it has grown from a simple idea to a million dollar 501c organization that welcomes our injured service members home.  The service members recuperate at Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center.  The military does not pay for housing all relatives.  Over 915 volunteers throughout the United States help by donations of time and material.  YRF located at 7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 210, Bethesda, MD 20814 also provides free rental cars, free taxicab rides, free hotel nights, free nights in a fully furnished apartment maintained by YRF, and free tickets for local events.  Funds raised by sponsored golf tournaments, gala dinners, and sale of wrist bracelets help the parents of injured soldiers to be with their loved ones while recuperating from the devastating injuries while serving their country in Iraq and Afghanistan.  You can find out more about the organization by going to their website at www.yellowribbonfund.org.  An excellent presentation by Diane for a most worthy cause.

President Jeanne Smith and guest speaker, Diane Shoemaker, Coordinator of Transportation & Lodging for the Yellow Ribbon Fund, Inc.

Kiwanis Kodak moment.  Shira Oler, Stephanie McCabe, Jeanne Smith, and Tracy Miller

Pat Tiede won the 50/50 and returned it to the club.

Pat Tiede,  Editor for the Day

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