The Wheel for October 29, 2020
Listen to Senator Richard Bryan – Nevada History on Nevada Day
The Wheel
Senator Richard Bryan – Nevada History on Nevada Day
Richard H. Bryan was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Las Vegas and graduated from the University of Nevada at Reno in 1959. He served in the United States Army from 1959-1960 and then earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. In 1963 he was admitted to the Nevada Bar. He was Clark County’s first public defender, serving from 1966 to 1968. Bryan served as a member of the Nevada Senate from 1972 to 1978. In 1979, Bryan became the Nevada Attorney General, and served in the position until 1983. Bryan served as the 25th Governor of Nevada from 1983 to 1989. After ending his tenure as Governor, Bryan successfully ran for the U.S. Senate, serving from 1989 to 2001. During his tenure in the Senate, Bryan served on the Finance, Banking, Intelligence and Commerce Committees.
Message From The President
Dear Rotarians,
Fellowship
Many of the club members who have responded to our recent survey indicated that fellowship is something that our club is good at, and that we should be doing more to provide opportunities for more fellowship. With the continuing progress public health scientists are making in understanding how we can safely move back to a more normal pre-COVID life, more in-person social events cannot be far off.
Currently, our club is planning a traditional in-person holiday party, which will be held on December 3rd. The committee members are working on securing an appropriate venue, planning a great program, and integrating a plan “B” for virtual attendees, if safety is still an issue by that time. The committee members are already hard at work, but like every project of this size, could certainly benefit from your help. If you are one of our club’s usual suspects, thank you in advance for stepping up once again to help. If you are not yet one of the usual suspects and are waiting to be asked – consider yourself asked. With everyone pitching in to help, this can be the Las Vegas Rotary Club holiday party of the century. What a great way to put a frequently depressing calendar year behind us and start the new calendar year on a cheerful high note. Your imagination, or your special skills, or both, may be just the piece we are currently lacking to turn a great party into a spectacular party.
If party organizing is not your cup of tea, but you would like to be better acquainted with other club members, that opportunity is still out there. We recently started a program of having club members pick up the club directory and call one or more other members who they would like to know better but have not been able to talk to recently. If you need an ice breaker, you might ask them if they have picked up the new club roster yet, and if not, could you drop one off? If you wind up dropping a roster at another member’s place of work, you will likely learn something that you had not known about their vocation, or them.
Richard Jost
President
Las Vegas Rotary Club
Member Highlights
Toni Kern wears her mask upside down, but she is not in distress
PP Dave Thorson thanks the club for supporting the USO
Niki Bates describes our Together We Read program
Karen Whisenhunt zooms in to grab the Lawrys bucks
Jamie Goldsmith SOARs high
Guest speaker Diana Bennett describes her amazing gaming career, in spite of the good old boys
Carolyn Sparks introduces our guest speaker
Capt. Barnes provides a heartfelt invocation
Brian Sorrentino previews our virtual auction
A Share What You Can check is accepted by the USO
Guest speaker Diana Bennett draws for the joker
Scribe – October 22, 2020
Las Vegas Rotary Club Meeting: October 22, 2020
President Richard Jost called the meeting to order.
- Tony Barnes gave the invocation.
- Bob Werner played “The National Anthem,” from Superbowl XXXIX.
- Our photographer was Past President Steve Linder.
- The Sergeant at Arms was Mike Mewborn.
- We had 2 guests of Rotarians and 1 visiting Rotarian.
- President Richard Jost presented Past-President David Thorson the “Share What You Can Award” for the USO.
- Niki Bates gave the club a presentation on the, “Together We Read” program. The program mentors’ children, helping them learn how to read. The program is designed to be utilized by any club in the district.
- President Richard Jost reminded everyone that the 25 Club Raffle is ongoing. Tickets are $50 each. We have raised $5,000 so far. Our goal is $10,000. Please give what you can.
- President Jordana Lane of the Las Vegas Rotary Southwest presented a check on behalf of her club in the amount of $2,500 for Santa Clothes.
- President Jordana Lane of the Las Vegas Rotary Southwest promoted their fundraiser. Tickets are $100 each and you have a chance to win Gold!
- Brian Sorrentino announced that we are holding a virtual auction from November 19th – December 3rd. LVRC Foundation sent out an email detailing 75 different auction items. Expect another email with a link to the auction. Pass it on to anyone in the world as international shipping is available. Currently, we have about 12 items secured for the spring fundraiser including art, certificates, jewelry, and sports items.
- The Ticket Winner was Diana Bennett, guest speaker, who received a prize of $10, and the Lawry’s Bucks Winner was Past President Karen Whisenhunt.
Tom Thomas introduced our program speaker: Diana Bennett, a renowned casino operator and philanthropist. Diana Bennett discussed her career that began at the Pioneer Club Las Vegas and has managed slot operations at strip casinos including The Excalibur. She became a philanthropist when her daughter was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor. Diane Bennett sought care out of state at UCLA and was so impressed with the experience and wanted Las Vegas to have the same type of care available. She got involved with The UMC Foundation and has continued to be philanthropic.
Richard Jost presented our speaker with a “Share What You Can” award to benefit a veteran in need and then adjourned the meeting.