ur Rotarian of the Day today is Jerry Ramey. Jerry is a native Tulsan and he graduated from Central High School in 1950. Believe it or not, Jerry was extremely shy as a youngster and was always reluctant to speak up or ask questions in class.

Jerry joined the Army in 1951 and, after Leadership School, became an acting drill instructor. He attended Officers Candidate School and became a 2nd Lt. in the Infantry, serving in Korea. Later he was transferred to the military police, serving as the officer in charge of a stockade.

After his military service, he attended and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in geography. He was offered a job with the Haloid Corporation in 1959, but turned it down because he thought business machines they made would be too difficult to sell. (Later that year, the Haloid Corporation changed their name to Xerox.) Jerry became a stockbroker instead and retired from Wachovia in 2002.

He became a Rotarian in 1967 in Sanger, California, and now has 41 years of perfect attendance. He joined Southside in 1973 and served as Club President in 1980-1981.

Jerry has five children and six grandchildren, all of whom live in Tulsa. For the past three years he has worked part-time as a process server and has many interesting stories to tell.

Jerry, thank you for arranging today’s program. We appreciate it!

This Week’s Program

Jennifer Mansell

ur speaker today is Jennifer Mansell of the Tulsa Police Department. Jennifer was born in Ada, Oklahoma, and her family moved to Cushing soon after she was born. After her parents divorced when she was 5, Jennifer, her sister, and her mother moved to Tulsa, where she has lived ever since.

She attended Mason High School in Tulsa until it closed in 1979, and had to spend her senior year at Memorial High School, where she graduated. She then went to Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, where she received a B.S. degree in 1985. She majored in criminal justice, knowing she wanted to be a police officer.

Two weeks out of college, she was pre-hired by the Tulsa Police Department to work in the booking area of the department. In August of 1985, she started the Academy and 23 years later, she is still with the department.

Jennifer has worked in numerous areas of the department. She is now the Downtown Safety Liaison, where she is the front line for any of the downtown businesses, homeless facilities, homeless or just about anyone to contact.

Jennifer lives in Talala, Oklahoma, where she owns 33 acres. She has four horses, six dogs, and three cats. (You can tell she loves animals.) She said, “Maybe I should have been veterinarian.” Her interests are her land and playing with her animals.

In 2001, a month after she purchased the land in Talala, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has been battling this cancer for 8 years and is continuing the fight.

Jennifer, thank you for being with us today. The Southside Rotary Club welcomes you.

Southsider Quick Notes

Last week…
- Our ROD last week was Jason Westemeir, and our speaker was Joe Kelly. We had our meeting out at Stokely’s.

- If you’d like to volunteer for the Oklahoma Aquarium Run, it’s May 16. For more information, visit them online at www.okaquarium.org or call Karen Dills at 918-528-1515.

- Remember, Be Wise Immunize is May 2. There are seven other clubs participating and 24 other Rotarians. If you want to volunteer, talk to Monte McNutt. We need you. Yes, you. The one reading this. I’m talking to you.

- A big “thank you” to Jessica Cox for doing the bulletin for last week.

- Also on May 2 is the district assembly in Rogers, Ark. The cost is $35.

- March attendance was 79.9%. I believe that we can do better.

- The Rotary Club of Tulsa is having their annual golf tournament soon. Cost is $50 per person.

- Here’s the weekly update on Biscuit Acres:

• - We have clearance to put the dog biscuit signs on the fence at the park.
• - Fencing will start this week.
• - Dogs will get scarves at the grand opening.
• - The grand opening is June 6. The Founder’s Banquet is June 4.
• - Remember, everybody: Get your donations in. Talk to people and get pledges. We’re on our way to $50,000!

- Next week, we’ll have a club assembly for our program.