mr. gary asay - bettendorfrotary.com · covering the chicago bulls game a few days ... rotary...

The Bettendorf Rotary Club News

Jan 2, 2008, of 6

The Bettendorf Rotary Club �ews Jan 2, 2008. Guests Welcome at our next meeting, Weds.,

Jan. 9, 2008 �oon at the Fortune Garden. Featuring:

Mr. Gary Asay Current Past President

Illinois Pork Producers Association

The Pork Industry: “Producing More Than Just The Other White Meat”

Gary Asay, and his wife, Barbara, have a 7,000 head “wean to finish” operation. The pigs are sourced from a sow center in which Gary is a part-owner. He also farms 300 acres. The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is an agricultural trade association representing more than 4,000 pork producers throughout Illinois. IPPA is comprised of county pork producer organizations in more than 40 counties throughout Illinois. IPPA is an affiliate of the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board. IPPA provides producers with services that enhance profitability and preference for pork. While cattle can be fed ethanol plant spent corn leftovers in their rations, hogs and poultry can tolerate only a little. As plants come on line in 2007 and '08, less corn will be available for livestock, export or any other use so speculation abounds that once ethanol gets going, herds of cows might displace the pork trade. For folks such as Asay whose livelihoods depend on pigs, "It's kind of scary," he says. Gary too plans to stop rotating crops and lay on fertilizer to plant corn year after year to feed the ethanol plants whose operators will pay whatever is necessary to keep them working. The IPPA contributes more than $1.9 billion and more than 18,500 jobs to the state’s economy. Gary is served 4 years on the IPPA board as an At-Large Director. He has served as IPPA President-Elect, Secretary, as well as Chair of the Expo and Public Policy committees. Gary is also active with the Henry County Pork Producers and has served in many leadership positions within the county group. He is also active with the First Presbyterian Church of Geneseo and serves as Secretary of the Osco-Andover Fire District Trustees. Gary was born and raised on the farm he farms near Geneseo, Illinois. With an A.S. degree from Black Hawk College East Campus in Agriculture, Gary operates a grain and hog operation and is a licensed crop insurance agent.


Jan 2, 2008, of 6

Announcements:

• Lora Adams: Did anyone happen to catch that fine singing halftime performance on Tv covering the Chicago Bulls game a few days ago? That was Lora Adam’s twin brother! He was promoting a play he’s in there.

• Decker Ploehn: Last chance to RSVP for the Christmas party Sat. Jan 5. $35 / person, cash bar. Dancing and Dinner! (Photos on

page 5!)

• A Lobsterfest Meeting was held 8 am Jan 3 at the Bettendorf Library.

From Mr. Brian Kennedy,

program chairman--

Upcoming Featured

Speakers

o 1/16: Mike Hamann, Quad City Radio Group

o 1/23: Dr. Nicholas Shammas, Midwest Cardiovasular Research Institute, Author of: “Live Longer, Live Healthier”

o 2/6: Gunda Davis, Local author of “Pumpkin Soup and Shrapnel: Growing Up Under the Third Reich”

o 2/13: Rotary Razzle Dazzle –

bring potential members!

o 2/20: Linda Cook, QC Times Movie Critic: Oscars Preview

o 4/30: Gregory Geoffroy, President of Iowa State University

Please use this news!

Invite prospective new

members who might

appreciate our speakers.

Lunch and program only $8 per

visitor, payable at the door.


Jan 2, 2008, of 6

Meeting Review Noon, Dec 19th, 2007, the

Fortune Garden. Presiding: Past President Carolyn

Leutwyler

Carolyn filled in for President Lisa Brown, who is recovering from foot surgery. Carolyn opened the

meeting accompanied by Bernie Vogel on the piano in ‘God Bless America, and then paused for a moment of reflection for world peace and fellowship and for those noted by the

memberships who are having a tough time. Lora Adams again noted her friend Sherry who struggles with a brain tumor. Ann Kappeler noted Nancy B., Ken noted those in a hunting mishap, Lee Seminow remembered our troops. Bernie’s pre-meeting piano serenade featured Auld Lang Syne, Let There Be Peace on Earth and R-O-T-A-R-Y and many others.

Tom Howard led the Rotary “Everything Is New Again” Chorus in Auld Lang Syne, Winter Wonderdland and

Edelwiess.

Lora Adams presented “The News”.

Certain members are

admonished kindly to refrain

yowling for Lora to dedicate

to them further ‘Santa Baby’

performances. Just cut it out. This is Rotary for crying out

loud. If we hear more of it your photo will be in this space.

Fair warning.


Jan 2, 2008, of 6

With no notice at all, Sergeant-at-Arms

Decker Ploehen...

… nevertheless collected

$132 for our foundations.

Chuck "Work Hard, Play Hard”

Mooney, Club Secretary, reports:

Visting Rotarians: none. Guests: John Archer with Frank Mitvalsky, Shilah Johnson & Denise Jackgooder with Pat Eikenberry

Rotary Meeting

Make Ups:

Carter LeBeau at East Moline/Silvis Rotary.

At today's committee meeting: S.K. Nanda, Diane Ricketts-McCool, Carl Loweth, Linda Miller, Lora Adams, Decker Ploehn, Duncan Cameron, Greg Blaske, Faye Clow, Tom Coley, John DeDoncker, Flor Spyrow, Chuck Mooney, Carolyn Leutwyler.

Missing Today: Ahlstrand -2, Atnip -2, Ball -19, Bowe, Brown -3, Deuth, Dobesh -5, Ellstrom -11, Essner, Falk, Gallagher -2, Hassel -3, Heninger -2, Hyder -26, James -2, Kennedy -5, Kinsley, Koehler, Legare -5, Lucas, McWilliams -6, G.Miller, Perisho -10, Pieart, Rabine, Ross -4, Ryan, Schillig -2, Selden -4, Snyder -11, Spelhaug -2, St. Laurent -3, Tunnicliff, Voigt -15, Worley -9.

Make up a meeting at nearby Rotary Clubs:

Monday, noon…………………….Davenport The Outing Club Monday, noon….…Moline-Calvary Church of the Quad Cities Monday, 6 pm……..….……………...QC Illinois-Moline Club Tuesday, 7:15 am……. River Cities-Brothers Rest. Rapid City Tuesday, noon…………..…….Rock Island - QC Botanical Ctr. Wednesday, noon………………….Bettendorf-Fortune Garden Wednesday, 5 pm……………………….Mini Meet-Lunardi’s Thursday, 7 am………….………..IA Quad Cities-The Lodge Thursday, noon….East Moline-Christ United Methodist Church Thursday, noon……………..Milan-Milan Community Center Friday, noon…………...……………...North Scott-Steeplegate Inn


Jan 2, 2008, of 6

THE BETTE�DORF

ROTARY

HOLIDAY PARTY

At Crow Valley Country Club

WOW!

THA+K YOU

Party

Committee!


Jan 2, 2008, of 6

Today’s program was introduced Program introduced by Mike

Freemire, who recalled Supervisor and Scott Community College

Instructor Minard was Mike’s British Literature instructor when

Mike was a student at Davenport Central High School.

Featuring:

Scott County Supervisor Larry Minard

Presidential Caucusing for Dummies

or How to Caucus

First putting Iowa’s political caucus in historical perspective, Davenport Rotarian and 8 year County Supervisor, 10 year Davenport Alderman, Minard outlined both the importance of and what to expect at each political party’s precinct-by-precinct caucus on Jan 3rd. Larry explained that for many years he, on the Republican side. teamed up with Dr. Robis, for the Democrat side, teamed up to teach a political science course at Scott Community College. He recalled apropos details from those classes today. Iowa present caucus process, resulting in a choice of each party’s presidential candidates and to set the platform of each party, replaced the previous selection process – a smoke filled room – in 1972. The term ‘caucus’ comes from a contraction of an Algonquin Indian root word describing a gathering of tribal leadership for decision-making.

During the course of the meeting Supervisor Minard conducted a mock caucus process wherein the Democrats in our club chose Mr. Obama by a wide margin over second place Edwards, with Clinton and Richardson each getting 1/3 of Edwards vote. Our Rotarians on the Republican side picked Mitt Romney who led John McCain 2 to 1, with Huckabee getting half McCain’s vote edging Guiliani who got three times Fred Thompson’s vote, with one vote for Ron Paul. Rep. Linda Miller joined Supervisor Minard in stressing the importance of attending a caucus this year, as she felt it most likely that other states would not permit Iowa retaining its early date and so great influence in the years to come. While visiting with candidates one-on-one is routine in Iowa, it is likely none will even visit the Illinois QCA. As such, our caucus process is a political and economic boon to our state.

mr. gary asay - bettendorfrotary.com · covering the chicago bulls game a few days ... rotary...

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