Flying enthusiast Roger Burke shared how an incident during his youth revealed he was destined to soar in the clouds during a presentation at the November meeting of the Center Hill Community Development Club.

“I am where I am today because of an incident that happened when I was 7 years old,” Burke said in his opening statement. “While visiting my older — by 20 years — brother in Florida, he took my cousin and myself for an airplane ride. Whether it was the devil or God, I knew my head belonged in the clouds!”

Burke was so intrigued with the idea of flying, he investigated joining the United State Air Force upon his graduation from high school. However, the results were not what he had hoped.

“Unfortunately, they required their pilots have 20/20 vision and mine was just a little under that ideal,” he said.

So Burke attended college, starting out a broadcasting journalism major then switching to business.

“But I could not see myself tied to a desk all day,” he said.

At the suggestion of a friend, Burke entered the ministry — a 10-year period of service which started in Destin, Fla., and from there to Meridian and then Jackson. With his first paycheck, Burke started flying lessons and soon met his wife, Debbie.

“In 1984, I winked at this pretty little girl at the customer service counter at the airport where I was taking flight lessons,” he said. “In six months, I had my pilot’s license and a marriage license! She has put up with me for 33 years; we have one son, Ryan, and a grandchild on the way.” 

While Burke pastored in Jackson, his mother-in-law decided to retire — which led him to a new ministry.

“She owned the local Mayflower moving agency,” he said. “During my tenure at the Meridian church, I occasionally helped out with drivers to earn flying money. With much discussion and prayer, I felt led to leave one type of ministry to another. My wife and I bought the business from my mother-in-law and that is how I became part of the moving industry.”

During his time hanging around the airport, Burke met Paul Cummins, a pilot for New South Communication owned by Eddie Holladay and his wife Ann. Cummins co-pilot was sent to Irag and he asked Burke if he was interested in co-piloting in his absence. 

“Does a forest have trees? I jumped at the opportunity, eventually becoming the permanent co-pilot,” he said.

One station owned by Holladay featured talk radio programming. Burke was asked to sub for one of the hosts, and this turned into a full-time venture during mornings, from 6-9.  When the station manager left, Holladay asked Burke if he was interested in the position. 

“So, I added to my positions as moving company owner, pilot and talk show host the title of station manager,” he said.

After Holladay’s wife Ann passed away, he eventually decided to retire. When Burke was offered the opportunity to buy the three stations under Holladay’s ownership — WALT Newstalk 102.1/910 AM, WUCL Classic Country 105.7 and WKZB he Buzz 97.9 — he accepted.

“And that,” Burke said, “is how Burke Broadcasting was born — adding another shingle to my name.”

New flying opportunities continue to open up for Burke, allowing him to further pursue the passion a 7- year-old boy discovered years ago on a plane ride.

In addition to his business ventures, Burke is heavily involved in his church — Community Seventh Day Adventist — as well as the community, where he serves on several boards (including Care Lodge), is a Rotarian, an associate member of the Meridian Board of Realtors, a member of the barbershop quartet The Leftovers and a lifetime member of the Navy League.

Club president Robin Doerner opened the meeting with a quote for the month: “If God intended us to follow recipes, he would not have given us Grandmothers.”  Linda Henley

Brent Stephens presented as a devotional reading an article from his church bulletin by Paul J. Twist titled “True Thanks-Giving.”

“I am grateful a day is set aside each year as a national day of Thanksgiving. But, even if it were not, as Christians, we are exhorted to live in a spirit of thankfulness,” Stephens read. “The Apostle Paul said, ‘As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him…abounding therein with thanksgiving.’ (Colossians 2:6-7) Even though this was written about 1955 years ago, it is God’s word and is just as important today.

“The call to set aside a special day of thankfulness contrasts sharply with the fact that less and less gratitude seems to be expressed these days. One of the sternest warnings in scriptures is the apostle’s warning to the young pastor Timothy: ‘In the last days, perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.’ (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Notice that the word ‘unthankful’ is included.

“As a teenage boy, I thought of Thanksgiving as driving 100 miles to my grandparents’ farm to spend time with cousins and eat lots of tasty food prepared by my grandmother and aunts,” Stephens continued. “I was also reminded of the first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims held at Plymouth in 1621, thanking God for a good harvest and for His protection, because one of the group was George Soule, a teenage servant I am privileged to be related to on my mother’s side of the family.  Since then, I’ve learned that real thanksgiving is most of all heartfelt gratitude to God for all the spiritual blessings I receive by faith in Christ as revealed in His Word. We find the truest sense of the word in Colossians 1:10-12: ‘Walk worthy of the Lord…being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God…unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father.’”

In closing his devotion with prayer and blessing, Stephens remembered club members as well as those from the community in need.  A Thanksgiving supper was served by club members.

Stanley Lucky, club member and chief of the Bailey VFD, informed members the department has a  new fire truck on the way. He also displayed a new type of fire extinguisher manufactured by Nafeco called FireAde. Having seen a demonstration of the product, Lucky said he was amazed at how well fires were snuffed out. 

“It is,” he said, “a new type of chemical that is environmentally safe, non-toxic, non-corrosive, bio-degradable, and contains no CFC’s. It is good for all types of fires, snuffs them out when sprayed at the base of a fire and comes in an aerosol type can that has no pins like a conventional extinguisher, somewhat like a wasp spray can.”

Plans were discussed for the club’s December meeting, where the appearance of Dirty Santa is anticipated. Members are to bring finger foods and a gift.

The meeting closed with the Pledge of Allegiance.

• Submitted by Cathy Clearman, reporter.