Meet Park Ranger Craig Morris, District Interpretive Ranger

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

WE MEET AT RIVER CITY BREWING COMPANY

Lunch begins at Noon - Meeting begins at 12:30 pm

Please Welcome Craig Morris
Special Use Permits, Volunteers, Historic Weapons

Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve

U.S. National Park Service

Craig is a native of Jacksonville who  attended Terry Parker High School. He earned his BS in Botany at the University of Florida and a BA in History at UNF.

His service as a National Park Service Ranger started in 1987 and through the present he has been stationed at Ft. Caroline National Memorial/Timucuan Preserve.

He is the lead park ranger of Interpretation and Visitor Services. He oversees special use permits and is historic weapons supervisor in which the use of historic weapons reproductions, such as blank muskets and cannon firing, are used for educational programs.

He first met Mr. Willie Browne, who donated all his land to The Nature Conservancy, when Craig was a nine-year-old boy.

Recently...

  

Sept 13, we inducted our two newest members, Lauren Hopkins and Chris Bouton.  PP James Chansler gave the charge and sponsor, Bob Massey looked on.

Lauren and her husband, James have been married for four years; they met through Rotaract. Their son, Ben is 21 months old and Baby Luke is due at the end of October. 

Lauren has worked at Dreams Come True for four years. As the Associate Director, her main responsibilities are fundraising, grant writing and assisting the Executive Director with programs and management.

Chris has over 20 years’ experience in commercial lending banking and currently works for Ameris Bank at the San Jose Blvd Office as Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer.

Chris moved to Jacksonville 4 years ago from her home town of Salisbury, Maryland when husband George accepted promotion with International Paper Co. here in Jacksonville.

While living in Salisbury, she was a member of the Rotary Club of Wicomico County, District 7630 where she served as Membership Chair.  She was voted Rotarian of the Year in 2006 for managing the Main Fund Raiser “Pirates of the Caribbean” raising a net profit $68,000 for local charities and holding a membership campaign which brought in 21 new members. 

Chris has 3 children; a daughter, Mandy who is 24 years old and two sons in college; Shawn, 23 in Grad school at Salisbury University in Maryland and Mike, 21 who is a senior this year at Flagler College in St Augustine.

In her spare time, Chris enjoys painting and she is also trying to learn how to play the piano.  She looks forward to serving Rotary again.

Ed Morales' table is always fun!

Doug Johnson introduced his son, Mike

It's back-to-school for Rotary Youth Exchange, as we recruit candidates for the Long-Term Outbound class of 2012-13, and Short-Term exchange students for the Summer of '12!!

We could use your help in the following ways:

• Help spread the word to young people and their parents.  The Long-Term Program is seeking a select few teens who have what it takes to become cultural ambassadors in other countries.  The Short-Term Program offers an opportunity for those unable or unwilling to make a year-long commitment, but still want to explore other lands, other cultures.  We will distribute fliers during our high school presentations, and if you can join us, we would welcome the company.  If you cannot visit an area high school, please make sure your Club members, neighbors, relatives and faith community members know that Rotary offers these programs.
• Join us as we interview and select candidates for the Long-Term Program.  We need Rotarians who can help with in-home interviews as well as the Interview Weekend in November.  A couple of hours of your time can change a young person's life -- now that's Service Above Self!
  • The Interview Weekend is a great opportunity for potential Youth Exchange Rotarian volunteers: Neophytes, Red Badge's, Rotary partners, Rotaract members, and even host/outbound parents (we call them potential Club members).  We will meet on Veterans Day Weekend (November 11-13) at the St Johns River State College campus in St Augustine.  Depending on how many applications we receive, we are planning a full day of interviews on Saturday and Sunday, November 12 - 13; and perhaps a few hours on Friday, November 11.  We need at least 15 interviewers for the panels who meet with the candidates and their parents for each 3-hour session.  Please contact either Paula Roderick or Bill Learn (b.learn@gmail.com) for more information or to sign up.

District 6970 has the best exchange program, hands down!  Join the best team anywhere to help ensure we send our brightest and best "citizen diplomats" around the world!

Thanks!!
Members of the Arlington United Methodist Church and their community partner, Arlington Elementary School, want to thank the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville for their generous grant.  These funds were used to purchase almost 50 bean bag chairs to encourage reading by the children during their quiet times in the classroom.   Reading is a major emphasis at Arlington Elementary School with time spent every day encouraging children to learn to enjoy reading on their own.  Pictured here are volunteers from the church transporting the bean bag chairs to the school.  

  





















Blood Drive October 11-Sign Up Today

The Blood Alliance (TBA) provides blood to more than 40 hospitals and medical facilities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

It provides a safe and adequate blood supply to the regions it serves and is a member of America’s Blood Centers – a national network of independent community blood centers responsible for nearly half of the nation’s blood supply.

TBA has been enriching lives since 1942 and is a non-profit community blood center licensed by the FDA and accredited by the AABB.

Rotary Literacy Project - October

Our club is working with Books A Go Go, an internationally recognized Jacksonville organization.  Books a Go Go places in the hands of disadvantaged children their very first book, thus personalizing and empowering the child’s quest to learn to read.  We will be aiding this highly successful program by donating children’s books or monetary gifts.  New or gently used books are welcome.  A box for donations will be near the entrance to our meeting area each Tuesday in October.