The Scoop...April 2, 2012

A special presentation about the upcoming District Conference, an update on the Paul Harris Fellows and a slide show that took you on a trip to yesteryear were all part of the April 2 meeting of the Lima Rotary Club.

   The District Convention will be held in Toledo on April 20-22. It will include 63 Rotary Clubs from around Ohio, with the Lima club being the second largest. Special events, luncheons and programs will be held. There will also be a sharing of ideas among clubs about the various projects in which they are engaged. It is a great opportunity for Rotarians to learn how other clubs are serving their communities.

    Fred Seelenbinder provided great news during his update on the Paul Harris Fellows. Four Rotarians -- Jeff Gast, Jennifer Lawson, Jed Metzger and Carl Berger – have now donated $2,000.  The Lima Club has 118 Paul Harris fellow, or 61 percent of the club belonging.

   Pat Smith was the featured speaker. Pat became the director of the Allen County Museum and Executive Secretary of the Allen County Historical Society in January of 2000.  Prior to coming to Allen County, she served as the director of the Wood County Historical Center, and Executive Director of the Wood County Historical Society from 1994 through 1999.  She is a graduate of the Seminar for Historical Administration, Colonial Williamsburg, and has served on the board of the Ohio Museums Association.  She is the Chair of the Lima/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau and past president of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums.

    She showed a wonderful slide presentation about Lima’s history that was put together by the historical society. Among the many things included:
1910: Public Square and the trolley.
A slide show tour of Lima restaurants: Lee’s Burgers; Hi-Grade, Alpine, Big Boy, Susie’s and a photo of the diner inside a drugstore.
A slide show “Be True to Your School.” It showed photos of Senior, Central.
A slide show on businesses: It showed The Leader, JJ Newberry, Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, Pangles,  and more …

     Pat talked about the importance of history. It allows us to inform, educate and provide context and perspective. Understanding where we came can help the decision-making process as helps people make better decisions for the future.

     She wondered about the impact the digital age is going to have on saving data in the future. It  provides a whole new way to store images and a whole new set of problems.