Shirley Fetter was presented withl Harris Fellowship + 8 with 3 rubies symbolizing the $9,000.00 donated to the Foundation in her name and the rubies are for each $3,000. Rich recently passed away and was very passionate about Rotary and had attended 24 Rotary International Conventions.
TODAY I HAVE THE HONOR OF PRESENTING TWO LADIES WITH A PAUL HARRIS FELLOWSHIP RECOGNITION. AS YOU KNOW EACH YEAR, THE HIGHLAND ROTARY CLUB, TRIES TO FIND ONE OR TWO INDIVIDUALS TO HONOR. WE TRY TO FIND SOMEONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED OR RECEIVED RECOGNITION FOR A JOB WELL DONE. RATHER WE TRY TO FIND SOMEONE THAT QUIETLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND THEM. PLEASE LET ME RECITE TO YOU A POEM BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON THAT DEFINES SUCCESS:
TO LAUGH OFTEN AND MUCH
TO WIN THE RESPECT OF PEOPLE AND THE AFFECTION OF CHILDREN
TO EARN THE APPRECIATION OF HONEST CRITICS AND
ENDURE THE BETRAYAL OF FALSE FRIENDS
TO APPRECIATE BEAUTY
TO FIND THE BEST IN OTHERS
TO LEAVE THE WORLD A BIT BETTER, WHETHER BY A HEALTHY CHILD,
A GARDEN PATCH OR A REDEEMED SOCIAL CONDITION,
TO KNOW EVEN ONE LIFE HAS BREATHED EASIER
BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIVED,
THIS IS TO HAVE SUCCEEDED.
THE INDIVIDUALS WE HONOR TODAY TRULY FIT THIS DEFINITION OF SUCCESS. OUR FIRST RECEIPENT IS JOETTA KORTE OR AS I HAVE KNOWN HER FOR MY LIFETIME "GRANDMA JOETTA". JOETTA HAS AND CONTINUES TO LIVE A FULL LIFE. SHE IS THE GRANDMOTHER OF PIERRON, LITTERALLY AND FIGURETIVIALLY. JOETTA HAS 10 CHILDREN, 25 GRAND CHILDREN, 39 GREAT GRAND CHILDREN AND 5 GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. AND THAT'S JUST HER IMMEDIATE FAMILY. SHE HAS SERVED AS A SURRGOTE GRANDMOTHER TO 100'S OF OTHER PIERRON KIDS - MYSELF INCLUDED. SHE HAS DONE THIS BY BEING A STRONG WOMAN OF FAITH.
OFTEN SOMETHING IN ONE'S LIFE CHANGES THINGS DRAMATICALLY, IN JOETTA'S CASE IT WAS THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF HER HUSBAND HENRY IN 1957. JOETTA'S CHILDREN AT THE TIME RANGED IN AGE FROM 16 DOWN TO 2 YEARS OLD. KEEP IN MIND THERE WAS 10 OF THEM. JOETTA WILL TELL YOU SHE HAD TO TRUST IN THE LORD JUST TO MAKE IT THROUGH EACH DAY, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO EXTEND BEYOND HER FAMILY --- BUT SHE DID.
SHE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE LADIES AUXILARY IN PIERRON, SHE TAUGHT AND HEADED UP RELIGION CLASSES IN PIERRON, SHE HAS HELPED OUT WITH THE PIERRON CHICKEN DINNER FOR OVER 50 YEARS. SHE HAS COOKED MEALS FOR THE PRIESTS AT PIERRON FOR OVER 20 YEARS. JOETTA HAS WORKED AS A VOLUNTEER AT THE PIC PARK IN PIERRON WHERE YOU WOULD ALWAYS SEE HERE BACK IN THAT HOT SHED FRYING CHICKEN WITH THE RINDERERS "BOTH NIGHTS"!
JOETTA CONTINUED FARMING FOR 7 YEARS WITH THE HELP OF HER CHILDREN. THEN CATTERERING WEDDINGS, WORKING AT BERT'S CHUCKWAGON IN HIGHLAND AND (WAYNE MADE ME ADD THIS) --- SHE WENT TO FARROWING SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SO SHE COULD HELP HER DAUGHTER JANE OUT IN THE HOG BARNS. SO THIS I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU GRANDMA JOETTA.....
GOD BLESS YOUR SOUL WITH SUNNY HEART
WHO HAS FOUND HER PLACE IN LIFE
WHO SERVES HER GOD AND FELLOW MAN
WITH HUMBLE, GENTLE GRACE
THE WORLD HAS NEED OF SUCH A WOMAN
WHO LIFTS OUR HEARTS FROM GLOOM
AND IN LIFE'S BARREN PLACES PLANTS
SWEET FLOWERS OF LOVE TO BLOOM
FELLOW ROTARIANS, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR NEWEST PAUL HARRIS FELLOW --- JOETTA KORTE.
OUR SECOND RECEIPENT IS CAROL HENRICHS. LET ME TELL YOU JUST A LITTLE ABOUT CAROL. 1ST OF ALL, SHE IS THE NIECE (BY MARRIAGE) OF JOETTA; CAROL IS ALSO A WOMAN OF FAITH. CAROL IS MARRIED TO JIM HENRICHS AND IN JULY THEY WILL CELEBRATE THEIR 35TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. THEY HAVE TWO BOYS, RYAN (29) AND ADAM (23). CAROL GREW UP IN WISCONSIN AND WAS ATTENDING COLLEGE TO BE A REGISTERED NURSE WHEN SOMETHING CHANGED IN HER LIFE TO FURTHER HER FAITH. SHE LIKE JOETTA WAS MET WITH A LIFE CHANGING EVENT WITH THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF HER 16YR OLD BROTHER WHEN SHE WAS 21. CAROL NEEDED SOME HELP TO UNDERSTAND AND GET THROUGH HER GRIEF. CAROL WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WAS HER GRANDMA SCHMITT THAT INSTILLED IN HER THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP HER IN HER TIME OF NEED, AND IT WORKED.
CAROL WENT ON TO COMPLETE HER RN DEGREE AND THEN EVENTUALLY FOUND HER WAY DOWN TO ST. ELIZABETH'S HOSPITAL IN GRANITE CITY WHERE SHE WORKED FOR OVER 6 YEARS UNTIL SHE AND JIM STARTED THEIR FAMILY.
WHILE RAISING HER BOYS, CAROL BECAME MORE INVOLVED WITH ST. PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HIGHLAND. TODAY CAROL LEADS THE "WHY CATHOLIC" PROGRAM AT ST. PAUL. SHE TEACH'S TWO CLASSES HERSELF - SHE TAKES COMMUNION TO NURSING HOMES AND TO SHUT INS - SHE IS A READER AT MASS - SHE SINGS IN THE CHOIR AND FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS SHE HAS LEAD A BIBLE STUDY CLASS FOR HERSELF AND SOME VERY CLOSE FRIENDS, ... AS CAROL STATES, "WE JUST HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED IT OUT YET."
CAROL DID RESTART HER CAREER AND WORKED AS THE HIGHLAND SCHOOL NURSE FOR SIX YEARS IN THE EARLY PART OF THE PAST DECADE. CAROL FINDS TIME TO VOLUTEER AT THE HACSAM FOOD PANTRY SERVING AS THE CO-CORDINATOR FOR THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS ADOPT A FAMILY PROGRAM, HELPING OVER 100 FAMALIES ENJOY A LITTLE BIT BETTER HOLIDAY SEASON. SHE SERVES ON THE HIGHLAND AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BOARD AND ON THE BOARD OF MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL.
- CAROL THE HEART OF A WOMAN IS WHAT MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND. THEY BRING HOPE, GIVE COMPASSION AND IDEALS. CAROL YOU GIVE MORAL SUPPORT. YOU HAVE LOTS OF LOVE AND YOU GIVE IT UNCONDITIONALLY. LET'S JUST FACE THE FACTS. CAROL YOU ARE A WONDERFUL PERSON, AND WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU IF ONLY WE COULD MAKE A MOLD.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FELLOW ROTARIANS PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR NEWEST PAUL HARRIS FELLOW CAROL HENRICHS.
Highland Rotary
