President Judy Cochran reflects on a memorable year as President of our Club.  Relive her comments during her outgoing address just prior to our installation ceremony.
I want to thank all members for the support and help you have given me this year and speak of my appreciation for all that you have accomplished. We completed: Old News Boys, Food for Scouting where we packed 380 bags, World Food Day with 12 volunteers and one 9 year old working three hours straight, ten Rotarians Ringing the Bell for Salvation Army in the coldest day of the year, sending Tyler Durbin to the "life changing" RYLA camp, and having a year of outstanding speakers from Sue Cobb and Tyler Durbin to our own authors Hugh Murray and J.R. Roberts. And if the pandemic had not arrived, we had planned and gotten the location for another Trivia Night. Larry will have a head start on next year's second annual major fund raiser! Each of you led, showed up and worked for others providing meaningful service to our community and our international colleagues.
 
On a personal note, we also had fellowship at the Yunkers twice and at Terry Turner's and J.Robert's estates. The music and conversation were great. Every other Wednesday, (alt-Wednesday) a group of us got smarter as we discussed philosophy, American History, the Book of Miracles and last week Sam Hopmeier's description of how the Bible was translated into English. We enjoyed an elegant evening at Toni Shelton's Innsbrook chalet with our Rotary scholarship students providing us with musical trio followed by a concert with all students. As if these were not enough food, folks and fun, we had a Christmas party at the magnificent Deer Creek Club where Curt Ittner and his wife Molly organized and hosted a beautiful start to the Holidays.... Santa even made it to our party that was under a travel advisory snowstorm! And through it all, we were supported by our membership with men like Bill Stewart providing a yearly $1,000 award to the Rotarian of the year and individuals who are a dependable part of our team like Rich Mancuso and Judd Pressley and Bob Staniforth.
 
We have some unfinished business with the Jordan Water Project, which we will carry over to next year as five of the UNWRA schools are getting potable water. The engineers have done their work and the payment on our part was send for this year. (Thank you Chuck McCloskey). I have asked Ike to become our International chair and guide this project next year. In addition, Tim Durbin and I are mentoring a young man who won the RITE essay contest and Rotary's charitable giving committee gave him an IPad. As the winner, he spoke to our club three years ago. He wrote well in the Conscious Choice essay contest as Tim Durbin was his tutor at Sumner High School. He now wants to play football at a school in Kansas and we are working to provide him financial support for school supplies before he leaves August 1, 2020. And finally, there was a pandemic that put the next four months of club meetings and service projects on hold. Imagine the service projects and the fun we could have had with more together time!
 
My year is ending, and I want to remind you that the Presidency is not a silo but a position which needs the expertise and commitment of all members. I could not have accomplished all that we have given to the community this year by myself...it takes us all to make Clayton-Ladue Rotary so remarkable!