You have been invited to Rotarian Homer William's home for a wonderful evening.
Homer has a fondness for Rotary and all of it its causes and is giving back to us as Rotarians. He is generously opening his home to Rotarians and their immediate family only. Homer owns a very special home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright - "The Bott House."
Please join us for a social evening including a tour, food from Cascone's, drinks & music.
Event: Rotary Social @ The Bott House
Date: November 21, 2024
Location: 3640 Briarcliff Road, Kanas City, MO 64116
Fee: $30.00
Please consider ride sharing as the parking is limited in the neighborhood. We ask that you wear soft sole shoes and be cautious of the furnishings inside.
Don't miss out and register and pay thru our website by clicking on the blue box below. Once on the new page, click on the 'register' button in the upper right hand corner.
The Bott House by Frank Lloyd Wright, owned by Homer Williams
No Rotary Meeting Next Week!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Become a Paul Harris Fellow Today!
Please pass this information along to all members of your club:
District 6040 is making it easier for you to become a 1st time Paul Harris Fellow! Now through the end of the calendar year, when you donate $500 to The Rotary Foundation, District 6040 will match that with 500 Foundation points and you will be awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship - at half price!
This offer is good for 1st time PHF recipients only and is not applicable in meeting a Paul Harris Society commitment.
If you'd like to become a Paul Harris Fellow and take advantage of this offer, please contact District 6040 Annual Fund Chair, Dan Gabbert at dan@dangabbert.com or 816.309.5626.
Which club will have the most new Paul Harris Fellows and take advantage of this offer? We'll announce progress after the 1st of the year.
Member News is a new section in the weekly newsletter. Have news you want to share with Parkville Rotary members? Email Dalyn at dnovak@wskfarch.com to have your news added.
As you are all aware Lee Burgess, a long time Parkville Rotarian passed away on November 11th. His Celebration of Life was today but below is his obituary for those who haven't had the time to read it.
Lee Parker Burgess, Jr.
1941 – 2024
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Lee Parker Burgess, Jr., on November 11, 2024, at the age of 83. Lee was born on April 6, 1941, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Lee Parker Burgess and Elizabeth (Betty) Tuttle Burgess.
Lee met the love of his life, Carol Jane Smith, at Mizzou in Columbia, Missouri, in 1965. They married two years later and enjoyed 59 years together and a life full of companionship, love, and adventure. Lee was known for his great kindness, empathy, generosity of spirit, and unwavering love and support for his family, church and community.
A naturalist since he was 3 years old, Lee’s passion for butterflies, bugs, birds, and botany was the North Star of his life. He graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1959, earned his undergraduate degree in wildlife management from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1964 and his master’s degree in entomology from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1967.
After college, Lee and Carol moved to Kansas City to begin their life together and start a family. Lee worked as an entomologist in the plant industries division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture for 40 years. Concurrently, he shared his passion for nature with generations of students teaching evening courses in biology and zoology at Maple Woods Community College, also for 40 years.
Along with Carol, Lee was a member of Platte Woods United Methodist Church in Platte Woods, Missouri, for more than 55 years. An active community volunteer throughout his life, Lee was involved in Jaycees, Parkville Stream Team, Boy Scout Troop 314, Hillcrest Transitional Housing of Kansas City, and Rotary Club of Parkville.
Lee was predeceased by his parents and his brother Richard (Dick) Allen Burgess.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol, son Brian Burgess of Greenport, New York, daughter Sara (Shelley) Burgess of Denver, Colorado, sister-in-law Virginia (Ginny) Burgess, niece Barbara Burgess and nephew Richard Burgess of Spartanburg, South Carolina, their families, Carol’s family, and many lifelong friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation in Lee’s memory to Hillcrest Transitional Housing of Kansas City at https://hillcrestkc.org/donate/
A celebration of Lee’s life will be held at Platte Woods United Methodist Church at 7310 NW Prairie View Road, Platte Woods, Missouri, on Tuesday, November 19. Visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. The service is directed by Meyers Funeral Chapel Northland.
Rotary Fact of the Week!
50 Things Every Rotarian Should Know about Rotary
by Steve Garret, District Governor 1994-95, District 5300
#18 - Rotary Anns / Rotary Partners
In many Rotary clubs throughout the world, wives of male members are affectionately called "Rotary Anns". This designation was never one of disparagement, but rather grew out of an interesting historical occasion.
The year was 1914 when San Francisco Rotarians boarded a special train to attend the Rotary convention being held in Houston. In those days few wives attended Rotary events, and until the train stopped in Los Angeles, the only woman aboard was the wife of Rotarian Bru Brunnier.
As the train picked up additional convention-bound delegates, Mrs. Ann Brunnier was introduced as the Rotarian's Ann. This title soon became "Rotary Ann." Since the clubs of the West were inviting the Rotarians to hold their next convention in San Francisco, a number of songs and stunts were organized which would be performed in Houston.
One of the Rotarians wrote a "Rotary Ann" chant. On the train's arrival at the Houston depot, a delegation greeted the West Coast Rotarians. One of the greeters was Guy Gundaker of Philadelphia, whose wife was also named Ann. During the rousing demonstration, someone started the Rotary Ann chant. The two petite ladies, Ann Brunnier and Ann Gundaker, were hoisted to the men's shoulders and paraded about the hall. The group loved the title given to the two women named Ann.
Immediately the same term of endearment was used for all of the wives in attendance, and the name "Rotary Ann" was here to stay. Guy Gundaker became president of Rotary International in 1923 and Bru Brunnier was elected president in 1952. Thus, each of the two original Rotary Anns became the "first ladies of Rotary International."
The word Rotary Ann can be heard on a rare occasion in remembrance of days past, and now you know where it came from.
What about Rotary Andy for those husbands not in Rotary! 😋
The Membership Committee has been hard at work putting together new membership forms! All members can `access the forms by clicking on the blue box below which will take members to a dropbox link with the forms. Give these to potential members! The new spouse forms can be found here as well.
The following forms can be found in the link:
Standard Rotarian Membership Packet
Corporate Membership Packet
Spouse Membership Packet
Please submit the forms filled out to Dalyn Novak (dnovak@wskfarch.com) so she can get new member information added to ClubRunner after the board's approval!
When you have a speaker scheduled please make sure to provide the following information to Sandy Knoernschild, SandyKnoe@outlook.com, who is managing our events calendar.
Speaker Name
Speaker Bio
Speaker Topic
Any other information you think members would like to know about your speaker, photos are welcomed too!
This information is included in this weekly newsletter and can really get people excited to come listen to our weekly speakers!
