Our “Rotarian of the Day” today is John Haley. As Southside President 2003-2004, he was internationally famous for his Cajun jokes and fantastic sense of humor. Since leaving office no one has asked him to tell a joke.
Born at an early age in Vincennes, Indiana, John’s family wearied of Indiana winters and migrated south to central Florida, where he graduated from DeLand High School 50 plus years ago last May. The goal of becoming a rich oilman brought him to The University of Tulsa where he received his B.S. degree. While at TU he met Diana Davis, whom he married on June 11, 1960. He also discovered that rich oilmen start out their careers as roustabouts and roughnecks in garden spots like Odessa, Texas, and Hugoton, Kansas. Since he suffers from a childhood allergy to hard work, he changed his major from Petroleum Engineering to Mathematics because mathematicians all work inside lifting nothing heavier than the one volume edition of Principia Mathematica.
The Douglas Airship Foundry, located in Air Force 3 plant at the Tulsa Airport, recognized the prodigious potential of this budding young genius and paid him the princely sum of $475.00 per month to become a trainee computer programmer. Within a year, Conoco lured him to the tree-lined brick streets of Ponca City, Oklahoma, to help them start their computer department. Ten years later, the entrepreneurial urge overtook him and he moved to Tulsa where he helped start a computer services company and then a computer software company. John sold his company and retired in 2000.
Today, John works on his golf handicap, raises beautiful roses, has fun with his four grandchildren, drinks fine wine, and likes to discuss good books.
Today’s Program
Rev. Sid Rice
Rev. Sid Rice is currently serving as Executive Director of Literacy and Evangelism International, headquartered in Tulsa, OK. Sid spent the first five years of his life in Korea as his parents concluded 15 years as missionaries to the same country. He holds degrees from Grove City College in Business Administration and Religion and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. Sid served 20 years as a “Missionary to Corporate America”, as an executive with Purolator. During this time he also led numerous Short Term Mission teams. He has work in Literacy Missions in Asia and Africa and is an ordained minister. Sid and his wife Christa have been married for 26 years and are blessed with three sons.
Literacy & Evangelism International is a worldwide ministry of spreading the Gospel through assisting missions to develop literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs with Bible content. We have worked in 200 languages developing Bible-content adult literacy materials and training literacy and ESL leaders and teachers. Half the world’s adults cannot read well enough to function in society. In some countries the illiteracy rate is over 90%. This is especially true in war-torn areas, rural areas, the third world, and in countries where women (girls) are not allowed to receive schooling. We want people to be able to read their Bible so they can learn about God’s love and the salvation Jesus offers.
Southside Quick Notes
• If you missed last week’s meeting you missed a great breakout meeting at Stokely’s event center. Bill has numerous signs with logos throughout the building. For those of us who are older, it was a quick glance at the past. Bill also gave us a presentation about his history in the business and their new digital product. Bill’s son Sam talked to us about the Event Center and its uses. If you know of someone needing a place for a family reunion or other such event, keep Stokely’s in mind. Thank you Bill and Sam for your hospitality.
• Billy Ward reported that so far 35 members have donated their $ 100 to the RI Foundation. Please do so by June 10th so we can get credit.
• Our “Fun Raiser” was last Saturday May 10th. If you were not there you missed a wonderful evening. Our attendance was very good. It was also great to see the new members in attendance, as well as the number of Rotarians who brought kids and grandchildren. There are a lot of people to thank. First and foremost are Brett and Ben for getting this organized and doing cooking. If you have a chance to do business with Heberts’ Specialty meats on 71 street, please tell Ed Richard how much we appreciated his cooking of the steaks.
• There is also a very special “Thank You” for Brett’s wife, Lisa Gebetsberger and Ben’s granddaughter Lauren for the time and the labor they contributed to the cause. Other non-members who need to be acknowledged for their help are Joan and Steven Koehle as well as Laura Benjamin. A very special thank you to Steve Haas for helping with the set up, cooking and washing ALL the dishes we rented.
• This is a busy time of the year for all of us. Randy Sullivan rushed back from his daughter Molly’s graduation from The University of Oklahoma to set up the bar. The “Black Sheep” (see school currently attending below) of Randy’s family Mack was able to put his time in the fraternity to good use by being our bartender. The average person would have had sore wrists from opening beer bottles, but due to his two years of intensive training at The University of Arkansas, Mack and his friend Adam Woolard, were able to serve us without hurting themselves. Guys thank you very much for your help. It is greatly appreciated and it was fun getting to know you both. I am sure the both of you had a lot more things you could have been doing on a Saturday night. As he has done for a number of years, Randy supplied at his expense, all the liquor. Fred Parkhill’s son Lance sold it to Randy at their cost. Please thank them with your patronage. Thank you Randy!!!
• Randy Sullivan was also the person who found the location and through his efforts the building owner Mark Marra made it available at no charge to us. Randy, Ben and Brett had planned an outside event, with the room we were in as a backup, in case of bad weather. Great planning guys!!! By the way, for those of you who know Mark, please be sure thank him for his donation of the facilities. Can you imagine what it would have been like, had we not had the opportunity to go inside?
• There were also a number of Rotarians who pitched in for the set up, clean up and a variety of other tasks. They include Dolly Dixon, Mella Glenn, John Haley, Glenn Burnett, Mehdi Kherzi, John Benjamin, David Hughes (Also), Larry Boyer, Steve Stevenson, Bob Hinton, Michelle Pierce, Jonathan Cox and Jessica Cox.
• President David not only helped with the set up and the clean up he also arranged the band.
• The following people need to bring an ice chest to this week’s meeting to pick up their steak and lobster
o Kevin Best
o Kevin Blair
o Steve Haas
o Leon Stagg
• Brett and Lisa lost their digital camera Saturday. Please contact Brett at 271-0062 if you picked one up in error.
