Rotary Meeting June 21, 2012 "Bitter Sweet Good Byes"

Bitter Sweet Good Byes

Melissa’s last meeting as President.  That was the Agenda for the meeting, and that is what we did.  It is always a memorable moment filled with joy and tears.

Melissa had her “Staff” make presentations about their accomplishments for the year.  That was her style; that was her way; that was(is) who she is.  She let others have the limelight while running things in the background with a firm hand.  She never took the credit, but always took the blame if necessary… and there wasn’t much of that. 

She was kind to us throughout the year, only occasionally getting our attention with a crisp Whistle. That’s right…a WHISTLE.  On occasion some of us would get out of hand and show some disrespect to others with our “rowdiness” (not me…but others), and you would get… the WHISTLE.  Like a teacher (go figure) with a crisp SNAP of the ruler… out came the WHISTLE.  That was it.  No other scolding through the year (maybe a scowl now and then). 

Melissa also never missed a chance to say … Thank You.  At the end of many a meeting when something was of note for the club, she said …Thank You for letting me be associated with you.  She would open her arms as if to embrace all of us and smile with grace.

At the end of the meeting we had a great surprise.  Melissa sang to us. It was beautiful.  She has sung before and perhaps will do so again soon.  Tom thought she was only singing to him, but that wasn’t true.  She was singing to us.  Even though Melissa loves to sing, she spared us from having to sing all year long and we are grateful.  I am not sure why she spared us the singing by her because “this gal can sing”.  Well, perhaps we will find out at the Demotion Party. 

Melissa (and Randy…the Wind Beneath Her Wings) sang the song “For Good”.  This is from the play Wicked.  I recorded it on my new $40 camcorder and have about 4 minutes of the song.  Unfortunately it is the last 4 minutes of the last meeting which I have completely recorded.  I wrestled with the software to “Trim” it from the whole meeting, but my technical skills have thus far not allowed me to do that.  I will eventually master that and put the song by Melissa on the web site, but for now if you want to hear the song click here:  FOR GOOD. 

The song is about us her fellow Rotarians. She thanks us in a very emotional way, and we thank her back.  52 meetings, 12 Board Meetings, 10 District Breakfast, many many awards presentations and such, and a number of one on one visits with others.  Rotary Presidents do indeed work hard for their clubs, and she thanked us.

Thank you Melissa for a great year and you too Randy.  You are quite a pair.  Neither of you will ever be forgotten.  You will be with us … For Good.



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