Rick started the meeting with several reports.

He passed around a sign up sheet for the Veteran's Day Parade on Nov. 9th. There are many moving parts to coordinate and execute to put the float and bicycle brigade together so if you were not at the meeting, please let Rick know how you can help if you are able. Academy Sports has once again donated bicycles which will need to be picked up. He would like to see flags set up at the courthouse during the parade.

 

"Trunk or Treat" is today on Halloween. Key Club members helped to decorate the horse trailer to turn it into a spooky experience complete wtih  a jazz duo of skeletons. Jesse will have the famous photo booth at the site. More candy for this event was delivered. By the time this newsletter gets out, it will have happened. Read futher to see pictures. 

 

Rick went to the K Kids meeting last Friday. He said their officers are nominated and they are working on coming up with a fundraiser. The members would like to have club t-shirts. With 20 kids there is a factor of cost that will be worked out. We may combine a t-shirt order with Kiwanis members' vests and/or shirts.

 

Preliminary and approximate income from the Pumpkin Dash is $1,300.

 

Willie is working on finalizing dues collection for the year. We need to pay club dues to Kiwanis International very soon.

 

Flags are scheduled to be placed on Election Day, Nov. 5th; Nov. 8th, around the courthouse the day prior to the Veteran's Day parade and on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11th.

 

The placemat ads and list of sponsors were passed out at the meeting along with a flyer for the upcoming Pancake Day on Dec. 21st. It is emphasized that those who worked with any of the sponsors before, please work specifically with only those you approached so there are not duplications of efforts. Finding new sponsors are also encouraged. A meeting of committee members was held after the lunch meeting to coordinate this as well as other details.

 

Rick asked if anyone who gets to the lunch meeting early would set up the flag, banner and speaker system prior to the meeting and if someone will pack it up at the end of the meeting.

 

Kristi gave an update on the "Trunk or Treat" preparation. Key Club members showed up at her ranch to turn a horse trailer into a spooky place. She said they took over and did a great job so it was ready to go to "Trunk or Treat." She needs a Kiwanis tablecloth and banner which Jesse said he could provide. More candy was delivered and she also has fake tattoos to give out. Jesse is providing the photo booth as part of the entertainment.

 

It was deja vu for the surprise speaker today. It was Rodney (sans lederhosen) from Oktoberfest's presentation last week along with Greg who did most of the speaking last time. Although the name of the presentation on the calendar for this week was "Halloween Surprise," it more aptly could be called "Strange Things do Happen at Funeral Homes," a quote from Rodney. He began by saying he would be talking about dead people. Okay. That would be in keeping with Halloween. He was quick to add that he is very aware that there were deaths associated with his stories so he is not making light of it and is respectful of the circumstances. However, the stories he relayed surrounding what goes on in funeral homes were quite amazing, perplexing and in the way humans sometimes respond to strange events, hilarious.

It all began when he interviewed for a position of investigator of funeral home complaints with the Funeral Service Commission. He said he did not have a morbid sense of curiousity. During the interview he mentioned undertakers creeped him out not knowing the interviewer had been an undertaker. He still got hired as an investigator later to become Director of Compliance until retirement.

 

The first story highlighted that when someone who has been married multiple times dies, be sure that all divorces were final before the new marriages occurred. Insurance claims; embalming that cannot be undone; where to be buried; and benefit claims all can get very messy. One such situation happened with the deceased having three marriages one of which was common law.  Without telling the long tale, there ended up being disputes over a casket, plots reserved in different locations resulting in disputes ove possibly movng the body and a private cemetery at a ranch. Funeral directors cannot exactly ask for proof of marriage and proof of divorce so issues can apparently arise.

The second story was about Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde fame. She was to have been buried next to Clyde but it did not happen. Bodies can be moved but there has to be agreement from both cemeteries in order for that to happen.

One complaint from a famly was the mortician did not do a flattering job on the cosmetic side. The mortician said, "Momma's ugly going in. Momma's ugly going out." A mortician is not a magician.

One more story involved two different families with "viewings" at the funeral home across the hall from each other. Mistaken assumptions from the funeral director about which family went with which deceased (one with facial hair, the other not) ended up with the funeral director claiming embalming could make for hair loss to one family and embalming could cause hair growth to the other. 

 

If you missed this presentation, you missed the strange and sometimes confusing and contentious world of funeral directors when sometimes you just have to laugh.

 

Nov. 7th: Crystal Dixon, Edward Jones

Nov. 14th: Michell Harper, President of CASS

Nov. 21st: History of Mermaids at Aquarena Springs

Nov. 28th: Thanksgiving...No meeting.

 

Nov. 9th: Veteran's Day Parade

Nov. 11th: Key Club meeting

Nov. 11th: Human Trafficking Workshop. Owen Goodnight Middle School, 7:00-8:30.

 

Trunk or Treat, 2024

Kristi by the Kiwanis banner dressed as a witch with Susie at the end of the table. We had a steady line of trick or treaters.

 

 

Jesse, far left, and the photo booth. It was a hit, as always.

 

 

Holly serenaded by the Jazz duo inside the trailer.