Rotary Newsletter Information for FEBRUARY 6, 2012
A note from Diane…
Who packs your parachute? No, I do not mean who packs your suitcase but actually your parachute. Many years ago, a Regional Manager of mine flew into Yeager Airport and as we were leaving and I was joking around with the man at the ticket booth, the Manager asked if I talked to everyone that I came in contact with. To this question, I replied, “You never know who packs your parachute” for which he had no idea what I was talking about.
It was an article that someone sent me many years ago and some of you may have read it but for those that haven’t, here it is: (The newsletter insert will be a little longer but well worth the read.)
Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, “You’re Plumb!” You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!”
“How in the world did you know that?” asked Plumb.
“I packed your parachute,” the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, “I guess it worked!” Plumb assured him, “It sure did. If your chute hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Plumb couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, “I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said “Good morning, how are you?” or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor.” Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn’t know.
Now, Plumb asks his audience, “Who’s packing your parachute?” Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.
How often does each of us go through our days and forget to truly pay attention to those around us. Do we say thank you or ask about them? It’s February, Valentine’s Day is approaching and I love this holiday. It is a great holiday to send a card to those we care about and also to thank those around us who make a difference in our everyday life. After all, you just don’t know who is packing your parachute.
See you Monday!
Diane
ROTARY SPEAKERS FOR FEBRUARY:
Speaker information provided by the Program Committee: Ben Beakes benbeakes@ucwv.edu
February 6 – Booth Goodwin, "U.S. Attorney’s Office and WV’s Drug Culture," Introduced by Brad White
February 13 – Rick Caldwell, "Audubon Engineering – Why Did you choose WV?" introduced by Vic Grigoraci
February 20 – Oliver Luck, “WVU Athletics,” introduced by Tom Loehr
February 27 – Pat Kusimo, "Delivering Education in difficult circumstances," introduced by Sky Kershner
GREETERS & PRAYER FOR FEBRUARY:
February 6 DeWitt Blundon
February 13 Jason Lunsford
February 20 Tania Hotmer
February 27 TBD
BIRTHDAYS GREETINGS:
 |
John Barnes |
February 3 |
 |
Mike Chaney |
February 4 |
MEMBER HAS NOT
SUPPLIED PHOTO |
Steve Grimm |
February 4 |
 |
Jack Chambers |
February 6 |
ANNIVERSARIES:
10Years Bill McMorran, Jr Join Date: February 2, 2002
IN MEMORIAM:
None
MEMBERSHIP PROPOSALS:
None
NEW MEMBER:
None
RESIGNATIONS:
None
LOCAL ROTARY CLUB MAKE-UP LOCATIONS:
TUESDAY
South Charleston Rotary Club
Meeting beginnings 12:00 noon at the Little Creek Country Club
Little Creek Country Club
Address: 99 Fairway Drive, So. Charleston, WV 25309
Phone: (304) 348-4521
Treasurer: Lisa Sullivan
TUESDAY
Putnam Rotary Club
Meeting beginnings 12:00 noon at the First State Bank Community Room
3754 Teays Valley Road
WEDNESDAY
Vandalia 7:30 a.m. at Christ Church United Methodist
THURSDAY
Saint Albans Rotary Club at the St. Albans Women's Club at 12:00
Program Committee meets each Monday, at the Charleston Civic Center 1st Floor after the regular scheduled meeting. Parking is free just let the parking attendant know you are with the Rotary Club of Charleston.
To do a make-up meeting on-line, click the link below:
Rotary Club Online make-up location:
http://www.rotaryeclubone.org/
Attendance Monday, January 30, 2012
Number of Members attended: Active: 66 Exempt: 28
Number of Guests: 4
Visiting Rotarian: 0
MEMBERS ATTENDING OTHER CLUBS:
Online Make-up: Larry Crimmins
Putnam County: David Lanham
