Friday, January 12, 2007 - UTM Biofuels Conference Program

UTM’s Dr. Joey Mehlhorn To Tout Biofuels

    Today, Rotarians welcome Dr. Joey Mehlhorn, UTM Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, who will talk about the upcoming conference on Biofuels that UTM will host January 30 in the Boling University Center on the UTM Campus.
     The conference is called, “Biofuels: Opportunities for Tennessee Agriculture.” The conference will attract farmers, economic development directors and other business representatives from a large area to learn the economic impact biofuels will have on all of us. Dr. Jim Byford, Dean of the UTM College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences will deliver the official welcome to start the conference.
     Dr. Mehlhorn will report on how Mid-South farmers will play a vital role in meeting our nation’s future energy needs in the years to come and how the conference will showcase that role helping build an emerging alternative fuels market.

UTM  Basketball Coach Bret Campbell to Talk Hoops

 Next week, UT-Martin Men’s Basketball Coach Bret Campbell will visit Rotary to discuss his team’s current season and what it will take for the Skyhawks to make a run toward a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament this spring.
     Coach Campbell is in his eighth year at UTM. In 2002, he led UTM to its first winning season as a Division 1 program. He’s also coached two OVC Newcomers of the Year and one Freshman of the Year.
     A native of Anderson, Ind., Campbell was captain of the 1979 Anderson High School state title runner-up team before playing college ball at Valdosta State, a former opponent and rival of UTM in the Gulf South Conference. Bret and his wife, Marcia, have three children, Caitlin (11), Cannon (8) and Carter (6).
     The Skyhakws key players this year are  Gerald Robinson, McClenon Tolliver, Justin Flatt, Zerek Knight, Cleve Woodfork, McKale Jones and Will Lewis.

Graceland Chaplain David Bayer Speaks to Rotary

Last week, Rotarians enjoyed a very different kind of program as Graceland chaplain and local minister David Bayer gave us a “behind the scenes” look at Tennessee’s top tourist attraction—the home of former rock star Elvis Presley, who has become even more famous and rich in death than he was in life.
     The program started with a sizzling roast of Rotary Mark Ward by Art Sparks—who had to look far and hard for some “dirt” on this so-called “saint of a fellow.” Good job Art!
     Bayer, who currently serves as minister at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in South Fulton, got the chaplain’s job at Graceland quite by accident. As his daughter was looking for a unique place to get married, and stumbled upon Graceland, where they were in the process of building a wedding chapel out back, but had no minister to conduct the ceremony.
     “Let my dad do it,” she said. The rest is history, as they say.
     In fact, David has been featured on numerous television shows about Graceland, the wedding chapel, all the gift shops and things to do on a day’s trip to Presley’s mansion.
     Bayer told numerous stories of couples coming from around the globe to “tie the knot” or renew their wedding vows.
     “Most of the time, it’s the woman who sets the whole thing up,” Bayer noted. “And it’s too late when the husband realizes what’s happening to him and the environment he is in. I’ve married everyone from Santa’s son to rock stars.”
     Wedding packages range from the “basic” concept to the “Pink Cadillac” full-flown wedding, including photos on the front-step of Graceland. Bayer has done more than 600 weddings at Graceland.  The basic package might cost $600—a far cry from what a typical wedding here at home might cost you, dad!
     No one stays a Graceland anymore, with Priscilla and Lisa Marie stopping in Memphis just a few days a year—and when they do, they stay at the Peabody.
     “When I come to the end of the prayer, where I’d normally say, ‘Amen,’ I now say ‘Thank you, Thank You Very Much!”

Coming Attractions

1/19     Coach Bret Campbell-UTM Skyhawks
1/26     Dan Murrell—Community Foundation of Greater Memphis
2/2       Jim Rippy. Jr—Update on economic development projects in Obion County and
             Report on work of Obion County Joint Economic Development Council
2/9       TBA

Happy Birthdays

1/2      Doug Carter
1/13    Bob Sanner
1/15    David Critchlow, Jr
1/18    Eddie Hill

Happy Anniversaries

1/13     Skipper and Ginger Bondurant
1/16     Ron and Robbie Green

JA Charity Ball

We’ve been asked to remind you about the upcoming Junior Auxiliary’s upcoming Charity Ball, set for Saturday night, January 20, here at the Hampton Centre, from 8-midnight. The JC Charity Ball will feature the band The SoulSations and admission will be $75 per person.

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