August 10, 2004

NEXT MEETING, AUGUST 16… we’ll hear from our own Dr. Ron Mason, president of Jackson State University.

LAST MEETING, AUGUST 9… Rear Admiral Thomas Donelson, Director of the Stennis Space Center, provided a look at a remarkable new program called INFINITY, which will provide tourists and visitor groups a window into the work done at the Stennis Center. This high-tech $35 million complex, which is scheduled to open in early 2007, explores the worlds of Space, Earth, and Ocean, and is designed to inspire the next generation of math and science students. In a Q&A session, Admiral Donelson spoke of the other work done at the Center. Stennis, with a $1.5 billion investment and 4500 employees, has served as NASA’s rocket propulsion testing ground for more than four decades. When it was built in the ‘60’s, Stennis was the largest construction project in the state, and the second largest at that time in the United States. Over the years, Stennis has evolved into a unique federal and commercial city made up of NASA and more than 30 other resident agencies engaged in space and environmental programs and the national defense, including the U.S. Navy’s world-class oceanographic research community. Thanks to Bill Allison for arranging and introducing this program.

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBER… number four of this Rotary year. Introduced to the club on August 9 was…
•Joan Marie Kay, State Director of Business Development, Audubon Mississippi. Joan Marie was introduced by her proposer, Sherry Murphy.

IN JUST TWO WEEKS… we’ll have the unique pleasure of hosting the sitting President of Rotary International, Glenn Estess. Glenn, who is from Birmingham, is coming to Jackson as the guest of the South Jackson Rotary Club. All Rotary clubs in the Jackson area have been invited to be at our location on Monday, August 23 to welcome Glenn. Mark your calendar now.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER… It was a pleasure having Patrick Smith, our Assistant District Governor, with us today. We have a number of exciting things happening in our club. Barbara Dorr’s Community Service Committee met with our Barksdale Reading Institute representative and they have identified the elementary school that we will work with during this upcoming semester. Be prepared to volunteer for 1 hour per week to help a K-3rd grader improve their reading skills. Remember, this is our Centennial Project and an opportunity for many of us to celebrate Rotary’s 100th anniversary. Thanks to Wes Holsapple for bringing us up to speed on the important goals and objectives of our Family of Rotary Committee. Finally, please help me welcome our newest Rotary member, Joan Marie Kaye. Yours in Rotary, Danny