Reported by Laraine Lasdon
President Sara called the meeting to order. Past President Dick Brown led the Pledges, and Jack
Wolfe gave the Invocation. Lois Ann Stanton led the Four Way Test, Josue Limon greeted us at the top
of the stairs and Carl Noble was our Host.
President Sara and President Elect Julie Benkoski announced the election of new Board of Directors
and President for 2019-2020 and collected our voting ballots.
Diana Diaz (sponsor – Kimberly Gdula) and Anselmo Garza (sponsor – Tillery Castillo) were
introduced as new members. Welcome, Diana and Anselmo!
Helping Hand Home elves Betty (Cunningham) and Barry (Curlee) introduced the Dancing Presents!
Vlad Bahrencu, Sylvia Holmes and others danced in their decorated boxes to promote the Helping Hand
Home Christmas party coming up on December 19th. Laraine Lasdon and other Club members jumped up and joined in the dance!
Joseph Hang generously donated two bottles of Cristal champagne, and Past President Gaines Bagby
auctioned them in support of our own Austin Rotary Club Foundation. Thank you and congratulations to
Margaret Curtis and Past President Dale Lowe for making the winning bids!
Past President Harold Ingersoll introduced our three members for today’s Members Showcase: Don
Busby, Kimberly Gdula and Ron Greening.
Don gave an interesting talk about his business and shared a story of the sale of a family owned meat packing plant. Don continues to work because he likes to help people and business brokerage is an interesting and stimulating profession.
Kimberly, originally from near Cleveland, Ohio, joined Rotary as a way to serve the community (and because she was asked by her father-in-law, Jim Gdula). She is an attorney with Jackson Walker and has formed a support group with other women lawyers who are balancing family and professional careers. Kimberly talked about her mother and her career and how she is a role model for Kimberly and others.
Ron is also an attorney and specializes in estate planning. He feels that his greatest competitor is people
procrastinating about planning their wills and assume they’re written in accordance with laws of Texas and federal regulations. He credits his mentors in helping him along the way and encouraged Rotarians to seek or become a mentor in their lives. He hopes to be more active in Rotary when he retires!
President Pantin announced the winners of the election: Bill Davies (President Elect-Elect); and Harold
Benkoski and Andy Swanson (Board of Directors). Congratulations!
The meeting was adjourned.