THE KIWARIAN
2012-13 OFFICERS
MEETINGS:
PLACE:
President: JOE DESCAMPS
President-Elect: APRIL MUZIK
Vice President: DON AUCKERMAN
Secretary: BRIAN CRABTREE
Treasurer: RICK WIRICK
Immediate Past President: WALLY BIEBER
TO JOIN:
WEB SITE:
Thursdays at 12:10 P.M.
DeCarlo’s Banquet and Convention Center
6015 E. Ten Mile Rd.
JOE DESCAMPS (586) 575-9100
www.kiwanisclubofwarren.org
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated
to helping children and communities.
NEWSLETTER OF THE KIWANIS CLUB OF WARREN
LAST WEEK’S MERRIMENT (MEETING OF JANUARY 3, 2013)
Last week, President JOE DESCAMPS presided and, apparently, didn’t make any New Year’s
resolutions. Secretary BRIAN CRABTREE sang, BILL WRIGHT pledged, and TEE TAYLOR
prayed.
Our guests were Mike Van Buren, Ken Glaza, Deb Herndon, and CHUCK ANGLIN’S
employee, Bradley a/k/a Cricket. We welcomed them all.
ANNOUCEMENTS
JOANNE PRIEUR revealed that we’re having an inter-club with Sterling Heights on January 15
at 7:45 a.m. We’ll meet at Ike’s Restaurant on Van Dyke, south of 17 Mile Rd.
Immediate Past President WALLY BIEBER reminded us of the Kiwanis International birthday
party to be held on January 26. See the attachment for all the details.
JOANNE then stepped in to tell us of another inter-club on January 29. This one is with Lac
Ste Claire at noon. The venue is Rose’s Restaurant on Harper near 10 Mile Rd.
BILL WRIGHT reported that we profited to the tune of $855 from the sale of entertainment
books.
BILL then formally handed off ticket sales in our latest Fortune 200 game to JOANNE
PRIEUR.
I’M SO GLAD* DEPARTMENT
Vice President DON AUCKERMAN presented us with 20 happy dead presidents because he’s
back after missing last week’s meeting due to a hospital stay for a pulled muscle (lugging that metal K
around the meeting room is tough) and for deferring to DEBORAH O’LEARY his duties as sheriff
because she’s better looking and faster. DON is no Matt Dillon nor does he resemble James Arness.
TEE TAYLOR removed a happy bill from his pocket because CHUCK ANGLIN finally finished
remodeling his house. It looks as if CHUCK finally got beyond working with Lincoln Logs.
CHUCK said that we could have a happy smacker because of all the tips he’s been getting.
They provide him with invaluable advice and should make him a better builder.
Attorney DAVE RICHARDS donated two happy cherries for coming to the meeting with a
mouth full of Novocain and for buying a new laptop. He couldn’t tell which made him happier.
Immediate Past President WALLY BIEBER forked over a happy simoleon because WENDIE
PREVIDI had a great time ringing the bell on behalf of the Salvation Army. WALLY must be her
mouthpiece.
Treasurer RICK WIRICK let go of a happy greenback for the good financial reports. They’re
almost as good as The Kiwarian.
Attorney RICHARD SMUTEK coughed up a happy berry for selling two Fortune 200 tickets.
Apparently, he hit up a couple of judges.
DEBORAH O’LEARY parted with two happy beans for having a happy 2013. It’s good to be
sheriff.
President JOE DESCAMPS bestowed two happy Federal Reserve Notes on us because Deb
Herndon will soon be joining the club and for DEBORAH O’LEARY bringing guests as prospective
members. JOE’S trying to inflate his numbers.
This prompted Deb Herndon to give us a happy dollar because she’ll soon be joining.
Ken Glaza sent two happy bones our way for being at the meeting and having good friends.
Cricket plunked down a happy buck on our behalf because the Christmas break is over and
school is starting up again. Now he can get away from CHUCK.
*With apologies to Cream.
HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEPARTMENT
BILL WRIGH’S wife, Barb, was born on January 14. He donated $20 to commemorate the
event, but demanded it back because of the poor singing.
WINNING IT ALL DEPARTMENT
In our 50/50 game, CHUCK ANGLIN pocketed $12 which he promptly donated to Cricket.
Mike Van Buren and MARIE KAMINSKI each won $11.
In our Fortune 200 event, Immediate Past President WALLY BIEBER sold a $200 winner
(#352) to Tim Kryska. SYLVIA SMYRSKI sold a $25 winner (#353) to Mike Moceri. Finally, Lisa
Manzella bought the other $25 winner (#351) from BILL WRIGHT.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
February 3:
Super Bowl party. GARY DeCARLO wants us to start selling tickets.
Contact him to get them.
February 7:
Board meeting.
FUTURE PROGRAMS
January 17:
Carla Reed of the Troy Nature Society.
January 24:
Latonya Gath speaking on mentoring.
January 31:
Marian O’Higgins, of the Detroit #1 Club on key leaders.
February 7:
Tracey Moro, Macomb Now Executive Editor/Creative Designer.
February 14:
Sam Abrams of Cirque Amongus performing feats never before seen in a
banquet room.
February 21:
David Galer, of U.S. Army Child, Youth and School Age Services at the
Detroit Arsenal on how children can help families of soldiers deployed
overseas.
February 28:
Hon. David Paruch, immigration judge.
March 14:
Laurie Tartar of Winning Futures.
March 21:
Gerry Santoro of the Macomb County Department of Planning and
Economic Development on the Blue Economy Initiative.
THINK AND GRIN
Brian was working out at the Warren Community Center when he spotted a sweet young thing
walking in. He asked the trainer, Henry, standing next to him, "What machine should I use to impress
that young lady over there?"
Henry looked Brian over and said, "I would recommend the ATM in the lobby."
LETTERS FROM THE EDITOR
Last evening, at the Detroit Athletic Club, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s music director,
Leonard Slatkin, made my night. The DAC sponsored a lecture by the esteemed conductor on
Beethoven’s nine symphonies. (He actually began sketching a tenth, but didn’t get very far before he
died.) “What a great opportunity,” I thought. “When would one again get the chance to hear such a
knowledgeable person speak on a topic such as this?” I jumped at the chance and went downtown
last night to hear what he had to say.
I was not disappointed; the man knows his stuff. However, during the question and answer
period at the end, I was perturbed because the questions weren’t very good. They were, to be honest,
pretty stupid. My brain raced as I thought, “You’ve got to ask this guy something, anything, to save
him from his audience.” Maestro Slatkin deserved better. And so I asked. More on that later.
Mr. Slatkin essentially spoke on how Beethoven, through his symphonies, changed music
forever. He described each movement in each symphony and how it broke or tweaked the rules of
the day. For example, his First Symphony is in C major which means that the first chord should be C
major. But it’s not. This was new and different at the time. Also, tradition dictated the first movement
be the most important. Beethoven changed that by often emphasizing the second movement. And,
of course, in his titanic Ninth Symphony, he used a chorus in a piece that lasts nearly an hour and a
half. Nothing has been the same since. Slatkin gave many, many other examples of this kind. He
actually could have given a lecture on each symphony; there is just that much to say.
Now I’m familiar with all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies. I also am generally aware of how
they transformed music. However, I was not aware of how extensive that change was. “Wouldn’t it
be great,” I thought, “if I could delve into each of these extraordinary works and study how they turned
the then existing rules of symphonic form on their heads?” I then hearkened back to my
undergraduate days when I actually did that, not with music, but political philosophy.
One of the great things about going to college is that you don’t have to worry about doing the
dishes, taking down Christmas decorations, or writing newsletters. You’re in this sort of intellectual
playground where you’re free to pursue whatever interests you. You ponder; you try and understand
the nature of things. In other words, you do what adults hardly have time but should do: You think.
--CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
P.S.
Now for the question. Beethoven was not an idiot; he understood that he was profoundly changing
music. My question was did Beethoven deliberately change these rules because they he thought that
they were arcane and outdated or were they changed as a natural consequence of his musical ideas?
After asking the question, I heard what might as well have been music to my ears when the DSO’s
conductor said, “Good question!”
And Maestro Slatkin’s answer: A little of both.
NOTE:
To subscribe to The Kiwarian by e-mail, contact CHRISTOPHER ROBIN at
jmchmura@comcast.net.