Today's Events:

President Mike Mills presiding

* * * A N N O U N C E M E N T S  * * *

Cathy Miller receives her Paul Harris Fellowship (PHF) today.

Felipe: 

 One learning child. One connected child. One laptop at a time.

The mission of One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is to empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child. In order to accomplish our goal, we need people who believe in what we’re doing and want to help make education for the world’s children a priority, not a privilege.

Between November 12 and November 26, OLPC is offering a Give One Get One program in the United States and Canada . During this time, you can donate the revolutionary XO laptop to a child in a developing nation, and also receive one for the child in your life in recognition of your contribution.

Choir Competitions 
550 Building on Biltmore Way
A  lovely way to spend an evening – FREE

Candidates Wanted
Young Professionals for Rotary International District 6990 Group Study Exchange (GSE)
To Argentina , March 2008
Team members will: Have a cultural experience Have an educational experience Be able to exchange vocational ideas Improve their communication skills Foster life long friendships and international understanding Experience and learn about Rotary International		Team members will need to: Be able to travel for 4-5 weeks Be 25-40 years old Be employed full time for at least two years Be employed in the sending district Be a us citizen Participate in 12 hours of orientation Actively participate in language training Be a participating member of a group Study exchange team
		If you have an interest in this program and wish to find out more about it please contact Deborah O'Connor Deborah.oconnor@bcbssfl .com

Saturday & Sunday, FEBRUARY 23 – 24, 2008

South Miami Rotary Art Festival

www.southmiamiartfest.com

For a quick slide show of the 2006 craft show click below

Diana Phillips: 

2.    170 artist applications have been received to date of which 120 will be chosen.         

FUN-DRAISER – coming soon…

Saturday, December 8, 2007 @ 7PM

THE  HOLIDAY PARTY
will be at Ed Fischer’s home.

December 2, 2007 @ Noon

Santa’s Parade of Elves

On Sunset Drive between US1 and Red Road

PATRICIA PARDINAS, RCCG / CYCLING TO SERVE:

Sunday, December 2^nd Community Ride
Meet at Ponce Middle School at 10am

Visit the club’s NEW MYSPACE page: 

www.myspace.com/southmiamirotaryclub

Hampton Booker

We are accepting empty inkjet cartridges for recycling.    Bring them to the meetings or take a postage-paid plastic envelop home –  ask Mike Mills
Recycle ~ Reuse ~ Renew

DID YOU MISS A MEETING ‘CAUSE YOU WERE AWAY?

Our club goal is 100% Attendance! If you miss a meeting, it can be made-up within 2 weeks, before or after, of the missed meeting date.

For online make-ups:

http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/downloadcenter/pdfs/eclub_list.pdf

Visit www.rotary6990.org to find a club to make up an absence.
Attendance credit for a 30-minute interactive club Web site activity offers an alternative to making up a meeting at another club. To earn this credit, Rotarians log on to the site, read up on a range of subjects, post comments, & submit a form to the club secretary.

For make-ups anywhere around the world when traveling internationally: http://rotary.org/support/clubs/index.html

NOTIFY DOREEN REITNAUER, SECRETARY, OF ALL MAKE-UPS:   dhiker217@aol.com

Programming Chair 2007-08:  Roy Gonas
Members responsible for programming by month:
November – Suzanne
December – Bill
January – open
February – Wendy
March – Otto         
April – Ann   
May – Ed

2007-08 RCSM OFFICERS:

To send an E-mail to the Rotary Club of South Miami’s Board of Directors, board@southmiamirotary.org

South Miami Rotary Club:
www.southmiamirotary.org

Rotary District 6990:
www.rotary6990.org

World Organization:
www.rotary.org

Mission Statement

THE 4-WAY TEST OF THE THINGS WE THINK, SAY OR DO:       

• Become connected to your community.
• Work with others in addressing community needs.
• Interact with other professionals in your community;
  assist with RI's international humanitarian service efforts.
• Establish contacts with an international network of professionals.
• Develop leadership skills, Involve family in promoting service efforts.

Renewing or Joining
To Renew ($250) or to become a New Member ($300) contact
Asaad Massoud, at www.racharters.com

Fundraisers
Interested in putting together a fundraiser? Contact Club Service Chair Linda Kaplan at lindakaplan@lk.com

 Marty Rosin introduced  

Mr. Pete Karle

A WWII Veteran Speaking About the Battle Of The Bulge as a Staff Sargeant

In honor and remembrance of Veteran’s Day, Marty Rosen introduced today’s speaker by

Definition of a veteran – write a blank check to the US government payable up to the payment of their life.

This talk is not similar to what you’ll find in books, but it’s on personal experiences that relate to major battles.

In March 1943, he was an Air Corp Private starting training in Miami Beach. He jogged on the beach each morning and stayed in a hotel on Collins Avenue.  When money was saved, it was spent on Joe’s Stone crabs.  The restaurant at the time had saw dust on the floors.

At night time – all the lights were turned out:  street lights, traffic lights, etc.  so German subs wouldn’t see any targets.
At Golden Rule Seafood, the fisherman caught a submarine’s torpedo in 2004 when nets were brought in after fishing proving that the lights-out rule was prudent. 

He then transferred to the infantry and trained in S. Carolina.  He was assigned to an anti-tank company.  He learned how to shoot a 57 millimeter tank gun.  Positions included mortar, bazooka, and machine gun.

He also had short hand and typing skills allowing him to be useful as an office clerk.

During maneuvers, he crushed his right big toe with the breech block when shooting the mouser.

When healed, he was shipped to La Have, France after D Day.  Went to Acken, Germany and his company was assigned to take a dam northeast of the city.  There were two towns in front of the river that needed to be captured so they were shelled with 88 mm guns.  It took 2-3 days to capture the first town.  The soldiers took over a farm house and stayed in the basement.  For security, they scattered broken glass over all the first floor. Karle opened fire on intruders – and ended up killing a scrounging dog.

He was ordered to shoot a bazooka at a church.  Such actions caused mixed feelings about orders vs. significance of the building.

Germans were staging their last major effort in the Battle of the Bulge with the objective to drive through the forest and split the allies with north and south groups. 

Miserable conditions included tree branches, weather, sleet, rain, fog, snow, wet feet in GI boots causing infection and trench foot.

By March 6^th, when he had been in combat for 3 months, he was promised relief and warm food.

Then on March 7^th, his company was piled into trucks and by March 8th they crossed the Rhine River and German artillery was aiming to destroy the bridge.  It was being bombed by the first jet he’d ever seen.

One month later, two soldiers on patrol 25 yards apart to avoid both encountering landmines. 

Early May the war was over and he was assigned to a prison camp 9A.  After setting the Allied soldiers free, incoming SS troops and political prisoners were then imprisoned there. 

Next, he was sent to Berlin in 1944 and witnessed four countries operating four sections:  US, Russians, French and UK . 

During the war, the Russian soldiers were unpaid. The US troops were getting paid in “Invasion Currency.” The Russians stole the plates and printed out currency to pay their own.  Due to this counterfeiting, inflation soared and he witnessed a Russian paying $100 for a $5 watch and another paying  $150 for a carton of cigarettes

March 1946, he came home and got discharged after medical physical in April 1946.  The VA reviewed his pension paperwork and disallowed the request for disability.  He attended college under Harry Truman’s administration.  In October 1946, he got notified that he would receive a 10% disability allowance paying out $10/month.  It now pays $115/month. 

Mr. Karle and his Swiss wife Krista spend their summers in Switzerland with its gorgeous view of the Alps.  Since the war, he has revisited each of the places he was stationed.

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