Volume LXVIII, Number 004
ROGRAM this Wednesday, July 27th will be brought to us by Bill Bowling and will feature Mark Bowling. He will be discussing a novel approach to Business Success. Mark is Bill and Libba's son and thus a Rotarkinder (there is no age limit on this distinction).
PROGRAM last week was brought to us by Jeff Todd and featured our former member, the Rev. Dr. Harold Lawrence, who was minister of First Methodist Church in LaGrange for 11 years, having retired just last year. Jeff said Harold is really one of those people who does not need an introduction, but that since Jake Behr and Susan Ferguson have brought in 30 or 40 new people to the club since Harold was a member that he felt he ought to get one anyway. Harold served not only First Methodist but as a Trustee of LaGrange College. He and his wife, Linda, now make their home in Milledgeville and is well known for his wood-working skills and publications as well as his ministry and sermons that people drove hours to hear. He has written and published books on history, genealogy, poetry, and religion (including a wonderful work on the Parables) and a five volume novel, the latter of which was his main topic for last week. The five novels in the series, all written while a resident of Troup County, trace a most interesting story of a young man who comes into possession of a very inventive technology and his struggles to harness its power and application as well as protect it from those who would abuse the use of it. The story is so engaging and has twists and turns one never expects, constantly keeping readers on the edge of their seats, as it opens in Northeast Georgia and then travels around the globe. Beneath the surface of the story is a lesson in communication, not so much in the cognitive realm as the affective. He explained to us that cognitive is reality, easily perceived, but affective consciousness deals more with emotions and feelings and perhaps perceptions, premonitions, and an unexplainable cross over from time and space or another dimension. Harold said that prayer is among those things: crossing time and space and dimension. Someone asked after if it had something to do with things like the universal concept of what dragons look like although no one ever saw a dragon and he said yes. Humans and animals do experience similar emotions, such as fear and excitement and one of the basic aspects of the book deals with this. Not to give too much away, but the technology the hero comes into possession of is an archway between humans and animals in their affective consciences. [We were fortunate enough to be among those honored enough to edit these novels as they were in production, and we are fully expecting that if Hollywood ever gets ahold of them that this could be bigger than Star Wars. Just remember that you heard that here first.] Quoting from Hamlet, Harold reminded us of Shakespeare's line "There are more things in Heaven and Earth ... than are dreamt of...." What he told us was, and he gave so many examples including Quantum Entanglement, everything in life has a larger context than we think and we must try to expand our boundaries to see what is there. Its much to do with communication. Harold said he felt everyone has one good story in them and that this was his. Despite it being 5 volumes, we know that is not true of him for so many of his poems are in and of themselves good stories. When asked if his life experiences had influenced his book, he said yes but that much of it came from his friend, and another LaGrange resident, Alex Scarborough. Some of us know of Mr. Scarborough, but for those of us who are unaware, he was, as Harold said, a genius, who, among other things, came up with the 4th and 5th laws of Planetary Motion, noting the previous 3 laws were developed by Ptolemy eons ago. Harold also told us that if we can expand the way we look at things, it will give us a larger understanding, even when studying the Bible. He pointed out that we mostly study the Bible in a cognitive way, but so much of the Bible is actually written in the affective domain. And having heard his explanation of the difference in the two [even though this particularly poor revue of his speech does not do his message justice] we should realize how true it is for there are so many stories and messages in the Bible that do tell of a cross between time and space, i.e. dimensions. Stories of angels come to mind first, perhaps, but also the story of Lazarus (not the one Christ raised from the dead, but that , too, is an example). The "other" Lazarus was a parable found in St. Luke about the relationship in life and after death, spanning both Heaven and Hell, between a poor beggar named Lazarus and a rich man. Harold's books can be found on Amazon. Search for "harold lawrence" and the title of the book. The tiles of the series are (from first to last): Chip; MindMerger; Ultima; Core; and Source.
We were happy to recycle a former member back into membership last week. George Henry introduced Bruce Crawford, who was formerly a member of our club from 1981 to 1996. He was born in Perry, Georgia but grew up in LaGrange. His parents, Ralph and Thelma Crawford, were well known here. The former was a State Trooper and we remember him from our youth taking us to ride on his horse. He would lean down from the saddle and lift one of us children up in front of him and give us a wonderful ride down Young's Mill Road. The latter was a much beloved teacher at Harwell Avenue Elementary School (forerunner of Hollis Hand School). Bruce and his Rotarianne, Jo, have two sons, one of whom is our own Kyle Crawford, and four grandchildren. Bruce is a graduate of LaGrange High and University of Georgia, and Atlanta School of Law, having started at Emory. He served 7 years in the U. S. Navy, reaching the rank of Lieutenant, 1961-68. He moved to Hartford, Connecticut in 1968, back to Hogansville in 1977 and is currently an attorney. They are members of First Presbyterian.
Happy Dollars last week came from Bill Martin in honor of his guest, Marianne Murphy (former First Lady of LaGrange College, of Rotary Club of LaGrange, and of Rotary District 6900). Bill, who will not miss an opportunity so to do, reminded us that contributions to our Rotary Club of LaGrange / Walter Y. Murphy Scholarship Fund (named for Marianne's husband, who could not be with us last week) are always welcome. Marianne and Walter are perhaps Harold Lawrence's dearest friends in LaGrange. Next Drew Gay reminded us of the Lafayette Theatre Company's production of Grease this week and next week (see more later in this edition). Ken Gordon contributed to talk about the Krewe of Mask, of which he is Grand Pooh-bah, and the Mardi Gras Parade coming to LaGrange in 2017. There were membership applications on the tables, and see Ken if you did not get one. The money they raise will benefit United Way and Twin Cedars. Thelon Hamby, former member and now a Columbus Rotarian, added to the Happy Globe (which we mentioned last week originated with Maryalice Lenmark, but neglected to say it happened during Past President Jerry Fulks' administration and with his blessing) to celebrate the huge turnout for the meeting about "The Thread," our proposed new walk and bike paths around LaGrange. Sandra Taylor added $2 to tell that Kaye Minchew has co-authored a book on archives management and that she received a Distinguished Service award from the National Association of Government Archivists and Records Administrators. Carl Parke added to let us know that LaGrange Academy has just undergone a "re-branding" with help from our own Brant Kelsey and his firm, and told us to "be on the lookout for it" as it launches soon.
Guests and Visitors last week (with thanks to Larry Brack for handing us the list) were: Jarred Ricketts, guest of George Stefenelli; Willie Mae Williams Callaway, head of Greater Achievement Youth Empowerment Academy, guest of Edna Foster; Cheryl Magby and Meghan Duke from City of West Point, both guests of Trae Long; James Van Schoor, Manager of Dairy Queen and son-in-law of Taylor Merrill, and husband of news star Mercer Van Schoor (whom we know as Katie Merrill Van Schoor), a guest of Sondra Bowie; Domonick Johnson, with CAFI, guest of Edna Foster; Marianne Murphy, guest of Bill Martin; Jo Crawford, our newest Rotarianne, a Club Guest; and Visiting Rotarians: Thelon Hamby of Columbus, guest of Dwayne Fuller; Pat Keating, our Assistant District Governor of Harris County; & Pat Striplin of Harris County.
Remember, Lafayette Theatre Company presentation of "Grease," happening July 21-24 and July 28-30 at LaGrange College's Price Theatre. Tickets may be had by calling 706 882-9909 or at www.lsparts.org.
There are a few tickets left for the Troup County Historical Society Banquet, Friday August 5, 2016 at 7 p.m. at Del'avant. The theme is "Horace King and Sons: Building Bridges Across the Community." In addition to the buffet dinner and a program on the King Family (who not only added to the built environment of LaGrange between 1872 and 1926, but who broke barriers and built relations across the community), there will be an original yarn art painting by famed artist Annie Greene of "Horace King's Last Standing Bridge" that will be auctioned that evening. There will also be a limited number of hand signed, hand numbered prints of the painting for sale. Tickets are $50 each. Call 706 884-1828 to order your tickets, but do not wait too long, there are only a few left.