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Tuesday,
December 4th,
2007 |
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Jan Leach, a
certified
graphologist
and document
examiner,
was our
guest
speaker at
our December
luncheon.
Jan is a
qualified
handwriting
expert
witness with
the 7th,
8th, 9th and
18th
Judicial
Circuit
Courts of
Florida.
Jan
discussed
how
handwriting
is used in
court, along
with what a
person's
handwriting
can tell you
about them.
She
discussed a
few of the
famous
people
handwriting
she has
analyzed,
including
Steve
Spurrier and
Bobby Bowden
in an
article for
columnist
David
Whitley of
the Orlando
Sentinel.
She passed
out blank
pieces of
paper for
each member
to write a
question in
their own
handwriting.
After
collecting
them, she
then gave
readings on
what she
felt the
persons
handwriting
showed. In
addition to
the
handwriting,
whether the
person wrote
on the paper
played into
the reading
(horizontal
vs.
vertical,
top vs.
center,
etc.)
If you have
need of a
handwriting
expert
witness, Jan
can be
reached at
407-628-1090.
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Tuesday,
November 6th,
2007 |
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Dr. Ed
Wycoff
played to a
packed house
at our
November
luncheon. We
had to open
up the
divider and
had overflow
seating in
the 2nd
room. Ed had
us rolling
on the floor
with
laughter
with his
talk. He
spoke to us
about the
power of
humor and
how it can
be used to
get through
the tough
parts of
life.
Dr. Wycoff
is a
national
award
winning
communications
professor at
UCF, a
national
award
winning
humorist
speaker, an
international
award
winning
writer, and
a national
award
winning
military
officer. You
can find
more
information
on Ed on the
internet at
http://edwycoff.com
Prior to Ed
speaking,
Mike Fimiani,
a former
province
president
and now a
Trustee of
the
Educational
Foundation
for the
Fraternity,
spoke about
the work the
Foundation
does. The
Foundation
has awarded
more than $2
million in
scholarships,
applied over
$1 million
to the
alcohol free
program, and
given over
$1 million
to chapters
to improve
the
educational
portions of
their houses
(study
rooms, etc.)
The
Foundation
also
sponsors
education
and
leadership
programs
that are
vital to the
continued
success of
the
Fraternity.
There are
multiple
ways you can
contribute
to the
Foundation,
including
gifts of
cash,
securities,
assets, and
bequests.
For more
information,
call
513-523-6966
or email
foundation@phideltatheta.org
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Tuesday,
October 2nd,
2007 |
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Orlando
Regional's
chief
medical
officer, Dr.
Timothy
Bullard
(pictured to
the left),
was one of
the guest
speakers at
our October
luncheon.
Dr. Bullard
was also
joined by
Jeremy
Gamble,
Director of
Development
of Trauma &
Emergency
Services at
Orlando
Regional
Healthcare.
Orlando
Regional is
the only
Level One
Trauma
Center in
Central
Florida. It
is also the
2nd busiest
in Florida.
A Level One
Trauma
Center is
not just an
emergency
room. The
Trauma
Center has:
• a general
surgeon in
house, 24/7
•
anesthesiology
team in
house, 24/7
• Operating
room,
available
24/7
• Multiple
specialists
available
immediately
• 20-30%
improvement
in mortality
rates
Orlando
Regional
Healthcare
plays an
integral
role in
saving the
lives of
trauma
patients.
Beginning
with the Air
Care Team,
the critical
transport
helicopter,
they offer
fast
transport to
the trauma
center. Once
a patient
reaches the
trauma
center, they
are met with
15-20 trauma
experts
ready to
provide
life-saving
treatment to
critically
injured
patients.
The center
has a
dedicated
radiology
area,
surgical
duties,
burn, and
trauma ICU.
Dedicated
diagnostic
equipment
and surgical
suites are
available to
address the
sensitive
needs of a
trauma
patient.
For more
information
on the
Orlando
Regional
Healthcare
or to make a
tax
deductible
gift, go to
http://foundation.orlandoregional.org |
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Tuesday,
September 4th,
2007 |
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Our
September
luncheon got
off like a
shot.
Brother
Dabney Davis
gave an
insightful
talk on the
founding of
our great
country.
Dabney, an
extremely
active
member of
our club, is
a retired
high school
history
teacher and
former
special
agent in the
Defense
Investigative
Service.
Brother
Davis' talk
focused on
General
George
Washington
and the
rifles in
use during
the
Revolutionary
War. He is a
collector of
artifacts
from the
American
Revolution,
and brought
along
several
rifles and
picture
displays.
Pictured to
the right is
Dabney
showing a
Pennsylvania
long rifle.
These rifles
were one of
the most
important
items
contributing
to our
independence
from
England.
These long
rifles were
accurate up
to 250
yards, as
opposed to
90 yards for
other rifles
in use at
that time.
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Tuesday,
May 1st,
2007 |
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On Tuesday,
May 1st, the
Phi Delta
Theta Alumni
Club of
Central
Florida was
honored to
have Dr.
Jan
Garavaglia,
local
Forensic
Pathologist
(Medical
Examiner).
Dr. G (the
nickname she
goes by) has
a weekly
show on the
Discovery
Health
network,
airing
Fridays at
9pm. Dr.
G: Medical
Examiner
documents
cases
handled by
deputy chief
medical
examiner Dr.
Jan C.
Garavaglia (aka
Dr. G) of
Florida's
District
Nine Medical
Examiner's
Office. Each
episode
features
cases Dr. G
has handled
in the
Orlando
area, and
also in
Bexar
County,
Texas where
she was
previously
employed.
Dr. G gave
an
interesting
talk,
including
explaining
the history
of the
Medical
Examiner,
and
explaining
the
difference
between a
Medical
Examiner and
a Coroner.
(A coroner
is not
required to
be a medical
doctor,
while a
medical
examiner
is.)
She also
talked about
a few of her
cases, and
then
entertained
questions
from the
audience.
One of the
brothers
ended the
talk with
thanking Dr.
G and hoping
the next
time they
meet won't
be during
her normal
work day!
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Monday,
April 9th,
2007 |
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On Monday
evening,
April 9th,
the Phi
Delta Theta
Alumni Club
of Central
Florida
celebrated
Founders Day
with our
annual
dinner.
Over 50
alumni,
actives, and
their guest
attended the
dinner.
It was held
at the
University
Club in
downtown
Orlando.
The event
started at
6:30pm with
a social
hour,
followed by
dinner.
Following
dinner, the
club
presented
two special
lifetime
achievement
awards.
The first
went to
Brother
Sandy
Sanders, for
his service
to the club
since it's
refounding.
Sandy has
been one of
the most
active
members of
the club,
helping to
organize
events and
speakers.
Sandy will
be retiring
soon, and
moving back
near the
University
of Florida
campus.
The second
award went
to Brother
Andy Serros.
Brother
Serros has
been a Phi
for almost
65 years.
As his award
said, "You
cannot think
of Phi Delta
Theta in
Orlando
without
thinking of
Brother
Serros".
Many of the
Brothers in
attendance
that night
can directly
attribute
their
joining Phi
Delta Theta
to Andy.
Both
Brothers
Sanders and
Serros show
that this
really is "A
Fraternity
for Life."
Next up was
the
legionnaire
ceremony,
honoring
Brothers who
have reached
milestones
in their
association
with Phi
Delta Theta.
Actives from
UCF were on
hand to
present the
candle light
ceremony for
the
legionnaires.
There were 5
honorees:
|
Brother |
School |
Initiation |
Years |
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Kevin
Cunningham |
Florida
Iota |
11/13/1981 |
25 |
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Robert
Husband |
Florida
Iota |
11/13/1981 |
25 |
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Frank
Lieble |
Florida
Iota |
11/13/1981 |
25 |
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Terry
Acree |
Florida
Alpha |
03/14/1952 |
55 |
|
Joe
Simonds |
Florida
Alpha |
01/26/1942 |
65 |
Following
the
ceremony, we
turned our
attention to
our guest
speaker.
Retired US
Army General
Jay Garner
gave us his
views on how
to fix the
problems in
Iraq.
Among his
suggestions
were: to
create a new
"Manhattan
Project" to
come up with
a solution
to the IEDs
that are
causing so
many
casualties,
to provide
employment
for the
unemployed
young men,
similar to
what the US
did during
the Great
Depression,
to give the
Iraqi
citizens a
share of the
oil money,
similar to
what we do
for the
citizens of
Alaska, and
to divide
Iraq into
regions with
self-elected
regional
governments
and a less
controlling
federal
government.
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Tuesday,
March 6th,
2007 |
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Ed Moffit
from the US Postal Inspection Service was our guest. The Postal Inspection
Service was founded by Benjamin Franklin, making it one of our country’s oldest
federal law enforcement agencies. The Postal Inspection Service has a long,
proud, and successful history of fighting criminals who attack our nation’s
postal system and misuse it to defraud, endanger, or otherwise threaten the
American public.
Postal Inspectors are federal law enforcement officers who carry firearms, make
arrests and serve federal search warrants and subpoenas. Inspectors work closely
with U.S. Attorneys, other law enforcement agencies, and local prosecutors to
investigate postal cases and prepare them for court. There are approximately
1,970 Postal Inspectors stationed throughout the United States who enforce more
than 200 federal laws covering investigations of crimes that adversely affect or
fraudulently use the U.S. Mail and postal system.
Ed related stories to us from his past 20+ years of experience, including being
responsible for the Postal Service security at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt
Lake City. He also gave us overviews of terrorist threats to the mail
system, including the anthrax mailings in 2001.
Ed concluded his presentation with ways to avoid being a victim of fraud.
The best advice is to heed the old adage, "if it's too good to be true, it
probably is".
For more information, see
www.usps.com/postalinspectors .
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Tuesday,
February 6th,
2007 |
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Our February luncheon was the best attended luncheon in a few years. Over
30 brothers and guest were on hand to hear representatives from Seniors vs.
Crime tell us about their program. Don Ravenna, the Executive Director,
was the main presenter.
In 1989, some of Florida’s most effective crime fighters were unleashed through
the creation of the Attorney General’s Seniors vs. Crime Project. This effective
unit has allowed seniors to become involved in not only their own protection,
but also that of their fellow citizens.
The primary goal of this program is to reduce victimization of senior citizens
who are often targeted fro specific crimes based on their age. If you feel
someone has taken advantage of you, there is something you can do. Contact
a local Seniors vs. Crime storefront. Volunteers work in offices known as
Storefronts. There is a storefront location in the Altamonte Mall.
Don also told us about the Senior Sleuths program. Senior Sleuths serve as
the Attorney General’s eyes and ears, volunteer, or actively assist in consumer
protection investigations. These crime fighters have been responsible for
recovering nearly $5 million for seniors who were the victims of con artists.
More than 3,000 and growing, Senior Sleuths volunteers are providing important
assistance to the crime fighting effort. Unethical businesses and individuals
may believe that their senior target is helpless when, in fact, these citizens
may be working for the Attorney General.
For more information, see
www.seniorsvscrime.com .
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Tuesday,
January 9th,
2007 |
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We kicked off 2007 with 19 brothers at our January luncheon. After crowing
(rightfully so) by our University of Florida brothers on the Gators national
championship victory the night before, we heard from our speaker, Detective
William "Chris" Becton (pictured above), of the Orlando Police Department's
Airport Investigative Unit. Chris, who was born in Georgia, but raised in
Florida, graduated from Winter Park High School. He has been a police officer
for over 17 years, including 10 years at the Winter Park Police Department and
over 7 years as a member of the OPD.
Chris spoke to us about some of issues of policing an airport the size of the
Orlando International Airport, including the types of crimes that occur and what
we as citizens can do to lessen the likelihood of becoming a victim. During the
Q&A at the end of the presentation, a lively discussion ensued on the causes of
the spike in murders that have occurred in Orlando during the past year.
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