Union City Rotary Club - Weekly Bulletin & News

Today, Rotarians will get first hand information in regard to the World Renown St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital down in Memphis. Jon Cameron and his daughter Ally are here to share personal experiences they have had at the facility. Jon is the son of Rotary Member Dr. Robert Cameron.

Ally was diagnosed at age 1 with neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer. She has been a patient at St. Jude’s since that time and is now 6 years old.

Jon has a Law Practice in Murfreesboro, he is married to Holly and they have 2 other children, Emmy (5) and Chloe (2).

Besides sharing their personal experiences at St. Jude’s, he will be speaking about the hospital, its history and mission.

Next Week, we have the pleasure once again of hearing from one of our own, as Ron Green of the West Tennessee Boy’s and Girls’s Club here in Union City will take charge of our program. In observance of Kid’s Day Ron is planning to bring the Choir form the club and let them share some of their experiences and entertain us with music.

Two Weeks ago, the military was on hand in the form of Major General (Retired) Gale Pollock. General Pollock had a power point presentation, and most of her program was directed toward one of the main projects she has spent many of her recent years on, "preserving eye sight in the human body".

She spoke at length of the eye injuries she saw as a nurse in the military, saying that 10 to 13 per cent of the combat injuries she treated were related to the eyes, varying from small scratches to complete destruction of the eye.

She also spent several minutes discussing the effects blindness can have on the human mind. Causing depression, cutting ones self off from the rest of the world by just staying inside and not having to confront the everyday problems which blindness can bring on and is some cases suicide.

The main cause of blindness in today’s world she said is the side effect of diabetes, and "if a diabetic does not control his/her sugar in the body, you can rest assured blindness will be the outcome", she said. She also said some of the symptoms one could look for in this situation is the forming of black spots in one’s vision.

Last Thursday Night, "Lady’s Night". I’ll have to say if you missed it I am sorry. Program Director Gary Houston, along with his wife Marsha, which he admitted did most of the work, did a fantastic job, form the planning of the meal, to the entertainment ,which was provided beautifully by Jennifer Bradshaw on the Harp, to the decoration of the tables, which were decorated with Long Stem Tulips, ;presented to each of the lady’s present, then there was the event of the evening, which you would have to call, "Doris Tanner Night".

As some of you know Doris just returned from Washington D.C., where she was honored along with several of the remaining members of the World War II Team, known as the WASP, (Women Airforce Service Pilots).

It was back in 1942 when Eleanor Roosevelt said, "This not a time when women should be patient. We are in a war an we need to fight it with all our ability and every weapon possible. WOMEN PILOTS, in this particular case, are a weapon waiting to be used". And Doris answered the call.

Union City Rotary Club has to be one of the most unique Clubs in the United States, or anywhere for that matter. We have Doris’s Husband Bill Tanner as a member, who while fighting and chasing the enemy all over Europe on the ground, had a young wife flying non-combat missions, training pilots, and ferrying new and re-built airplanes to bases everywhere.

There were 1,074 of these courageous women who graduated the training course and served on the team, with a little over 200 being in Washington with Doris to receive the long over-due recognition.

This group was never militarized, and those who served as WASP were considered civil service employees. The WASP team was deactivated Dec. 20, 1944, having flown 60 million miles in operations in all kinds of aircraft. Thirty-eight of these WWII heroes were killed, including some during training.

At the end of festivities, Doris received a standing ovation, and was presented with a bouquet of Long Stem Tulips, which I learned was very fitting, as I found out later that we helped Bill and Doris celebrate their 68th Wedding Anniversary last Thursday Night.

Coming Attractions

Mar. 26 - Ron Green, West Tennessee Boy’s and Girl’s Club

April 2 - TBA

April 9 - TBA

April 16 - Steve Vaden

April 23 - Group Study Team, Turkey

April 30 - Randy Phillips

Birthdays

March 30 - Barry Keathley

Anniversaries

March 28 - Terry and Gwyn Petty

Tennessee Fact and Trivia.....

The city of Kingston served as Tennessee’s state capital for one day ( Sep. 21, 1807) as a result of treaties negotiated with the Cherokee Indians. The two-hour legislative session passed two resolutions and adjourned back to Knoxville.

The only person in American history to be both an Admiral in the Navy And General in the Army was Samuel Powhatan Carter who was born in Elizabethon.

The "Guinness Book of World Records" lists the Lost Sea in Sweetwater as the largest underground lake in the United States.

When Tennessee became a state in 1796, the total population was 77,000.

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