Bob Kleier's Bio

Bob Kleier has got to be one of the nicest guys you're ever going to meet. Bob is full of stories and some of them may actually be true. Ask Bob about the time he caddied for Happy Chandler, Billy Graham, and Bear Bryant. Nowadays Bob rents office space from me and occasionally we get a chance to sneak off and play golf.

Bob is the quintessential Rotary man. He was Assistant District Governor from 1998 to 2003 and both he and his wife Charlotte are Paul Harris Fellows. Bob also was club president in the North Jackson, Mississippi club and later in the Charlotte, NC club. Born 25 March 1935 he grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated in 1952 from Lexington Catholic High School. In 1958 he received his degree in Civil Engineering from UK. He was in the Army and later the Reserves. He worked for Standard Oil both in Mississippi and later in Charlotte NC. Bob got his MBA from Mississippi College in Clinton.

Bob and Charlotte live just over the line in Edmonson County. She was a Webb and they married in 1965. Bob loves to play golf and to follow UK football and basketball. Like me and a lot of other Kentuckians his blood bleeds blue. Bob and Charlotte attend the Pleasant Union Baptist Church in Brownsville.

Gene Farley is 88 Years Old Today

The members rose to sing Happy Birthday to long time Rotarian Gene Farley today. Afterwards I called him at home to ask him a few questions about his life. Although suffering some lingering low back issues from a truck wreck, his mind is clear and it was a joy to talk to Gene. Gene was in the North African and Italian campaign during WWII as a member of the 34th Infantry, 175th Field Artillery. My Dad was with the First Armored out of Ft. Knox and Gene said that outfit gave his people a lot of support during those campaigns.

Gene was born in Harlan, Kentucky on today's date, November 28, in 1919. He graduated from Hall High School in 1938 and from Eastern Kentucky State Teacher's College in 1943 with a degree in English and History. After the war he taught school in Pulaski County and found his wife Beulah there. Gene went on to get his Ph.D. in Education from George Peabody College at Vanderbilt and served in the Glasgow School system ultimately as Superintendent before moving on to Christian County where he was also Superintendent. Later he taught in the Education Department at WKU and retired from there in 1982.

Gene and Beulah had one daughter and two grandchildren. Beulah died in 2001. Gene likes to fish and played an occasional round of golf when he was able. He still raises cattle on three farms totalling over 1000 acres in Warren and surrounding counties. Gene has been very loyal to Rotary ever since I can remember. He attends regularly now with the assistance of fellow Rotarian Dr. Tom Updike.

Joe Taylor Interview

Over the next several weeks it is my ambition to interview each of our 167 members and publish a brief biographical sketch with photo here on our blog. I started with my good friend and business next door neighbor, Joe Taylor. Our offices adjoin in the Campus Plaza Suites off the Bypass behind Zaxby's. Joe has been our club treasurer for the past 11 or 12 years.

Joe was born in Glasgow 24 Oct 1934 but moved as a young child to Tompkinsville. (Known as T-ville to Monroevians.) He was the middle of seven children. He has two younger brothers and a sister still living. Joe graduated from Tompkinsville High School in 1953 and worked for the next year with a brother and cousin in the War Claims Commission in Washington D.C. He had joined the National Guard while still in High School and served with them until 1961. He was discharged as a Sargent First Class.

For about five years from 1955 he worked for a rock quarry. He married Margaret Quinn from Jeffery in 1959. They have three children - Joe Jr. 43, Charles 37, and Mary 32. Joe and Margaret have four fine grandsons but one delightful granddaughter. A friend talked Joe into going to college in 1960 and he attended Bowling Green Business College now part of WKU. He graduated in 1963 and worked for J.C. Holland until 1969 then started a firm with David Snead and Joe Cook. He worked a short time for American National Bank before starting his own CPA firm in 1985.

Joe joined Rotary in 1983 and is a Paul Harris Fellow as are both sons. He enjoys sports and working in the yard. He is a charter member of Christ United Methodist church on Cave Mill Road and serves as treasurer of the Warren County Water District. He is the senior partner of Joe W. Taylor CPAs.

Final Push to Eradicate Polio

Today's Wall Street Journal (27 Nov 07) has a news item on page D2 about the international effort to eradicate Polio. The (Bill and Melinda) Gates Foundation has given Rotary International $100 million dollars to boost immunizations in Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. Rotary has promised to match this amount over the next three years. Rotary International has been involved in the eradication of Polio for twenty years. In 1988 there were300,000 cases reported and last year 1997 cases. Almost all of these cases came from the four countries mentioned.

NEWS ITEMS from November 21 Meeting

* FLU SHOT clinic at our December 5 Meeting - Dr. Ken Embry will be giving flu shots in an adjacent room. The charge will be $30 and $5 of that will go to the Rotary Foundation.

* Margaret Curtis is off to Thailand for eight weeks. Our peripatetic WKU prof will be teaching English at Patumthani University as an "unofficial" Rotary volunteer in Bangkok. Margaret tells me that arrangements were made through the Rotary Travel and Hosting Fellowship. Good luck Margaret.

* Cheryl Kirby-Stokes sent laminated cards explaining the origin of the baskets she sold last week. She wanted everyone that bought a basket to have one of these cards to go with it. For more info and more baskets you can contact her at wkusife@gmail.com

Tina Taylor brings news of A.M.'s Silent Auction

Tina brought fliers announcing a fund raiser from the A.M. Club. They are doing a silent auction at their December 18 meeting from 7 to 9 a.m. The cost is $10 per adult and $3 per child.

There is no charge if you bring in a receipt from Goodwill from things you've donated.

Breakfast will be served. They have had some excellent items for auction in prior years and I'm certain this year will be no exception. Mark your calendars.

An Attitude of Gratitude from Chris Patterson

Club President Alex Downing stands as program chairs Amy Milliken and Chris Cohron sit to his right. Between them is St. James Methodist minister and B.G. High graduate Chris Patterson who brought us our Thanksgiving message this year.

Baskets from Kenya

At our November 14 meeting Cheryl Kirby-Stokes shared photos of her trip this summer to rural Kenya. She brought large folders for each member with documentation and photos of her work. In addition she brought a large number of beautiful baskets made in that area. This is her sixth year to make this trip with her husband Mike as a cooperation between WKU and the University of Nairobi. They have worked out a plan with seven village cooperatives to bring back as many baskets as they can in their luggage to market here between $15 and $70 and return the money to the women who made them. Our club sent $2400 with Cheryl who used those funds to assist 16 young people to continue their high school education. Schooling is free through the seventh grade. Many high schoolers have to board because of the very poor transportation in the area. Tuition and board averages $400 a year which is the average annual family income. I was struck by how beautiful the children are and how backward the countryside is. There is no electricity in the villages, no paved roads, no running water. Cheryl and her entourage live in tents in the African bush for three weeks. They sleep amongst scorpions and wilde beasties of all sorts. Amazingly with further assistance Cheryl is willing to go back again in the summer of 2008. She brought many of the baskets with her and sold several at our meeting to members. I'm certain she would be glad to sell more of those she has remaining. She can be reached at (270) 782-0653 or cheryl@alivebg.org Vickie Elrod said they would make great Christmas presents. I think so too, I bought three and they were well received by their recipients.

Millenium Adopt a Class Students Visit

Matthew Davenport below and Brion Gilbert on the right are two of our Adopt a Class students at Western. Alex says we have eight there this semester and are due to pick up two more next semester. Brion says he plans on becoming an accountant. God bless him! Neither seem destined to become orators but we were delighted to see them. It is the fruition of a well conceived and executed community project.

Tom Hiles Talks About WKU's Successes

Amy Milliken and Chris Cohron are co-captains this month in organizing our programs. With such a strong club presence from Western Kentucky University, Amy asked our own Tom Hiles to talk about his and the University's great success in accumulating over 100 million dollars in endowments with a new goal of $200,000,000. We're lucky to have such a great University President in Gary Ransdell and in having such a great Vice President of Institutional Advancement in Tom Hiles. Thank you Tommy for sharing with the club.

Margaret Presents Banners to Club

We wanted some photos of Margaret presenting her club banners from Turkey. Now her frineds in Turkey can check it out on our blog. I have a 20 minute video in Quick TIme of Margaret's Power Point presentation. Does anyone know how we can get that on the internet?

Students in Free Enterprise Speak

Janette's daughter is in a club at Western that is promoting entrepreneurship and participation in free enterprise. Four of those students came with their instructor, Krist Schell, and gave us an introduction to some of the programs they have been involved in. From left are Ron Ryne, Shannon Kleis, Lauren Kervlis, and John Lamon on the right.
Cheryl Kirby-Stokes stood up to tell us what an asset John Lamon had been on their trip to Kenya last summer. Cheryl and her husband Mike Stokes purchase exquisite hand crafted baskets from village cooperatives. They bring back as many as they can to sell here in the states so that seed money can go back to the villages. Cheryl said that John's talents and personality aided greatly in their endeavors.
A great group of students and a great program. Thank you Janette for inviting them.

Chuck Coates Rejoins

Vickie Elrod welcomes Chuck Coates back into the club. Chuck is a former club president and I think Vickie said is the person who introduced her to Rotary. Chuck we are all glad to have you back.

Elvis Visits October 31st Meeting

We report, you decide!