President Tom Davis, called the meeting to order and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Linda Zesch provided us with a prayerful Invocation. Mandy went around the room allowing introduction of our guests (5).
Club Anniversaries were noted as follows: Bill Mumford - 33 year Nov 1st, Peter Ho – 23 years Nov 2nd., Brent Worley – 22 years Nov 3rd
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
This week’s Greeters were the Entertainment Committee.
Rotary Holiday Party -- Kara Bennett, announced the “Jingle and Mingle” Rotary Holiday Party- Thursday December 14th , 5:30 to 7:30 pm. More details to follow.
Lee Brumitt announced the upcoming Harvesters’ Picking & Sorting Event on Thursday November 16th from 6 to 8 pm at their facility. You can sign up with the QR codes on the table handouts.
Tony Andresen reminded us of the Salvation Army Bell Ringing sign-ups. We have three Saturdays November 18th, December 2nd & 9th at various locations.
2023 Rotary Election – Slate of Officers:
For Secretary/Treasurer/PEN (President Elect Nominee) – Neil Barnett
For Directors:Tucker Clark, Blake Fry, Marc McCarty, Nick Pryor, Pete Sotta, Tom Woolwine
Other Upcoming Events:
Thursday November 30th “5th Thursday After Hours” (no luncheon meeting that day)
Vivien Jennings (Rainy Day Bookstore) introduced our speaker, David Von Drehle, author of the “Book of Charlie” [or Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109-Year Old Man] with the presentation topic of Stories About Thriving Through Change.
It starts in 2007, when David moved to Kansas City and noticed that his new neighbor was in a swim suit washing his girl friend’s car at age 102. Shortly thereafter began a 7-year friendship. David would visit Charlie in his den, listening to his stories and philosophy. Initially the book was intended to pass Charlie’s way of living to the author’s kids.
Charlie’s stories in the book follow Charlie’s life in a century of change. The transformation of the world in Charlie’s lifetime was dramatic. Charlie was born before radio and later witnessed I-phones. Charlie learned to drive (& drove across America to California) on dirt roads to later see us land equipment on Mars. Charlie lived through 1918 Spanish Flu, an international epidemic, killing upwards to as many as 100 million worldwide, not so different from our recent Covid influenza. Charlie endured the Great Depression in which fully 1/5 of Americans were unemployed and the nation’s GPN shrunk by 1/3. In the 1920’s we were a nation divided with openly declared KKK members in politics. He witnessed the upheaval of WWI, WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War. The MESSAGE here is while today’s headlines and problems appear insurmountable, we have been through all this before.
On a personal level, in Charlie’s lifetime, he watched the construction of KCMO’s Union Station. After high school with two other friends, he drove a Ford Model T from KCMO to Los Angles, California. There were no highways, but rather dirt farm roads and paper maps with notes. Side note, back then LA was a “little town with orange groves”, and in fact was smaller than St. Joseph, Missouri. By the time they reached LA, the Ford Model T was shot. Resultingly to return home, Charlie and one buddy hopped railroad boxcars to make back to KC. This was not easy as there was railroad labor unrest and strikes, resulting in additional railroad security and their being thrown out of the boxcar in the middle of Nevada. Without a lot of options, they sneaked back around the train and climbed onto & behind the “cow catcher” (because they couldn’t be seen) for the next 100 plus miles.
Charlie went to medical school in the 1920’s before penicillin & anesthesia (modern medicine) and thus before a lot of surgery. The science of Medicine was soon to change. By Charlie’s middle age everything he had learned in medical school was obsolete. Charlie gave up his medical practice to serve in WWII. During WWII, penicillin and anesthesia were developed. With penicillin, diseases could now be treated. With IV anesthesia, internal surgery could now be preformed. Previously there has been NO anesthesia medical school training, Charlie enrolled in the Mayo Clinic’s new 90 Day educational program and thereafter Charlie began his new medical career.
HOW SHOULD WE LIVE? With courage, purpose, and optimism with all of life’s changes. Charlie’s philosophy was the Greek ”Stoicism”, which in part is the understanding that there are a lot of things we cannot control, BUT we can control our Will in responding. Outside items such as war, disease, family loss are outside of our control. We need to make those distinctions and let go. Charlie’s life was fun and meaningful (with his medical practice, he helped people). One of his keys to a long life was to enjoy your work. In 2014 Charlie passed as age 109. At age 108, he moved out of his house and into Claridge Court, retirement community. Charlie continued to make friends through out his life. When you live to 109, you need to make new friends, as you lose friends and loved ones. Otherwise your “world” shrinks.
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