Random Notes

by Rhonda Westfall

On Bob Sirrine, Leadership - and Peonies

This is the time of year in our business where you often feel like Dorothy swirling around in that blasted cyclone. The month of May is a whirlwind of activity. School functions, award presentations, year-end meetings - everyone is rushing madly about, and each group wants news coverage of their event.

As anyone here at the Reminder would gladly attest, the strain of the season has once again taken its toll on yours truly. I may feel like Dorothy, but I've surely acted like the Wicked Witch.

Sorry about that. My apologies to all the Reminder staff - with the exception of Scottie, who deserves a little nastiness.

As so often happens, the hustle and bustle of activity produced several moments where the mad race of life slowed down just enough to let the goodness of human nature shine through.

The presentation of the Bill Patton Award last Thursday by the St. Johns Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors was one of those rays of sunshine. In my mind, the Patton Award is one of the few tributes given out locally that really holds true meaning. As exemplified by its namesake, the award represents qualities worth striving for - honesty, moral character, integrity, service to others, love of family.

This year's recipient, Bob Sirrine, certainly fits that bill.

You can read all about Bob in Tim Hulliberger's story today, so I won't reprise Bob's many positive attributes here. But, I do want to call attention to a specific quality that was expressed by one of Bob's granddaughters, Bridget Sirrine, in a letter which was read at the award luncheon.

One of the words Bridget used to describe her Grandpa was 'radiant' - not exactly the first thought that jumps to your mind when you think about a funeral director.

In reality, nothing could be more appropriate.

Like anyone else who has grown up in our community, Bob Sirrine is pretty much a fixture of our life. I can remember many times when I was a young girl, Bob coming out to a function at St. Peter Lutheran Church - particularly the Ladies Aid Chicken Dinners which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

He knew everyone, and his own smile and friendly words were mirrored back in the faces of the people he spoke to.

He was radiant - producing an aura of warmth and friendship that was, and still is, absolutely genuine. As his son, John, said at the award presentation, "Dad's special talent is liking people and wanting to know them."

What a wonderful gift you are to the community, Bob. Thank you.

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Two other functions in the past several weeks produced similar 'good vibrations.' I had the pleasure of presenting a journalism scholarship on behalf of the St. Johns Reminder at the Steve Spicer Scholarship Dinner, and serving as host for the Graduation Banquet of Tomorrow's Leaders.

Both were enjoyable and uplifting experiences, and in a way, are linked together.

The primary purpose of the Tomorrow's Leaders program is to provide training and information to Clinton County residents on programs, issues, and organizations which they will become involved in - building new community leaders. At the group's team-building retreat back in January, one of the exercises we did involved writing down the characteristics that we felt make up a good leader, and then identifying individuals who personified those traits.

Qualities like honesty, integrity, trust, character were high on the chart, and one individuals name surfaced on several lists - Steve Spicer.

The establishment of a scholarship fund in Steve's name and the award banquet reinforced in my mind once again the truly unique position that he held in many people's hearts and minds. He led by example, and inspired everyone whose life he touched to be the best they could be. Steve Spicer and leadership are identical in my mind.

* * * * * * * * *

A final positive meeting experience in recent weeks is on a far less lofty plane than those listed above - but it was equally refreshing and produced smiles and laughter.

Quite often, the best part of going to bunches of meetings as I do every week are the interesting pieces of trivia that are discussed. That was the case at a recent Rotary Club Board of Directors meeting where pre-meeting conversation took some odd twists and turns.

For example, Jim Sanderson swears that rats are attracted to palm trees and that's why California is experiencing a growing rat population problem. Knowing Jim's sense of humor, I don't know if I buy that - maybe it's true.

Both Jim and Mike Nobach told me to put dishwater on my mother's Peony bushes to help them blossom - something about killing aphids and other pesky critters. Mike has no clue as to whether or not specific brands of dish soap do a better job, though.

Meanwhile Mike Kaminski was listening and looking at all of us with no understanding of what was being talked about - because, as it turns out, he doesn't know what Peonies are. To be truthful, he does know, but being from the southern fringe of Ohio where the phonetic pronunciations are different, he calls them 'Peenies' - just two syllables with no 'o'. Of course, he's a Buckeye kind of guy - what else would you expect? Anyway, those are the highlights of a busy few weeks.

One week left to go - guess we'll survive.