February 27, 2009

We’ll be in the East Room for a special program on steamboats by Mr. Henry Klene. As I understand it, Henry has a number of steamboat photos (1902-1916) he’ll be showing us during an interesting Power Point presentation. These steamboats once ruled the Mighty Mississippi but are now barely more than a footnote in our great history. Please join us for a look back.

FRIDAY LAST

It was Law Day – the 43rd annual program sponsored by our Club. The Law Officer of the Year award was presented to Illinois State Police Trooper Todd Adkisson. Trooper Adkisson has been with the State Police for 13 years and was recognized for his heroic efforts, caught on camera, after a vehicle accident. Trooper Adkisson helped the occupant escape a burning vehicle. A video was shown of the rescue – wild stuff! Our Citizens Crime Prevention Award was presented to Cathy Dyer. Cathy is the Adams County Victim/Witness Coordinator. She works out of the state’s attorney’s office and has held the position since the fall of 1989. In that time, she has helped literally thousands of victims/witnesses. Congratulations to both! Our speaker, a last-minute change, was Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, Eddie Jones. Assistant Director Jones spoke of the ever-changing department of corrections system and strategies. Our thanks and congratulations to Adams County Sheriff Brent Fischer and City of Quincy Police Chief Rob Copley for their work on the program. Another good one!

VIP DATES

2/25 – Dave Poland celebrates his 45th birthday and Wayne & Susan Howe celebrate their 23rd anniversary

2/26 – Bill Stalder celebrates a birthday

2/29 – Elvin & Ida May Townsend celebrate their 1st anniversary

3/1 – Steve Labs celebrates a birthday

3/9 – March Board Meeting @ The Pier

4/13 – April Board Meeting @ The Pier

5/23 & 24 – Gus Macker

9/11 & 12 – Smoke on the River

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“When I was a boy, there was but one permanent ambition among my comrades in our village on the west bank of the Mississippi River. That was, to be a steamboat man. We had transient ambitions of other sorts, but they were only transient. When a circus came and went, it left us all burning to become clowns; the first negro minstrel show that came to our section left us all suffering to try that kind of life; now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. These ambitions faded out, each in its turn; but the ambition to be a steamboat man always remained.” A quote from the famous Mark Twain on his lifelong desire captain a steamboat on the Mississippi. (Appropriate considering the program this week. Plus, I didn’t really have anything else…)

THIS & THAT

I was unable to attend Law Day last week so my thanks to President Art Awerkamp for sending me a few notes… Sounds like the video of Trooper Adkisson’s heroic action was pretty incredible. Sorry I missed it… Second readings on Hal Broadwater sponsored by Kevin O'Donnell and Jason Koenig sponsored by Paul Niemann. Both were accepted and will be among us soon. President Art reporting that he has paperwork for another… Not a whole lot to report this week… Our next “big” program will be the Book of Golden Deeds Award. We’ll do that in early May. Hope to have a date on that one soon… The Smoke on the River committee had their first meeting earlier this week. We’ll be hearing more about that and of course Macker very soon as well… Tail twister and 50/50 both will resume this Friday… That's all for now, 'til next time, may God’s love, grace, and peace be with you and the ones you love.