MEETING OF JANUARY 18, 2001 By Clyde Noel
SETH MANNING led us in song with "America the Beautiful" and PAT FARRELL asked Rotarians to attend the Los Altos Sister Cities meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 26. Prez GINNY announced the following Rotary members of the Los Altos Rotary Club have been nominated for the 2001-2003 Board of Directors. BELLA BERLLY, CINDY DAY, ROGER ENG, SETH MANNING, PAT MILLAR AND MIKE SCHNEIDER.
DICK HASENPFLUG announced that Mark Smallhouse and his wife are proud parents of twins, Megan and Matthew Smallhouse.
MEL KAHN and DICK HENNING announced that the Rotary Valentine Dinner at Chef Chu's Restaurant will be on Feb. 8 and the restaurant can only take 100 people. Cost is $35 each.
Tara McGuinness resigned from the club because of duties at Pilgrim Haven and Rudy Ligtelyn resigned from the club due to his recent move to San Francisco.
JOAN ROSSELLE, executive director of the El Camino Hospital Foundation, gave her five-minute red badge talk, explaining that she studied to be a teacher, but turned to data processing and system analysis instead. She offered compliments to the hardest working profession in the world and the low pay they receive.
In 1992 she started working with non-profits and helped with Easter Seals and the Special Olympics. A close friend of VICTORIA EMMONS, JOAN followed her friend to work at El Camino Hospital. "If I could join anything it would be the Rotary," Joan said. "I want to thank the Los Altos Rotary for accepting me. It's a wonderful place that makes a difference."
Steve Gruber was thanked for preparing the telephone roster that has been requested since we went to email Rotators. Members were asked to check the club website and let Steve know if they wish to add or delete their email address.
Bill Rewak and Paul Conard were recognized for their birthdays. Bruce Cann paid $5 for questioning Ginny upon his early arrival of whether today's attendance reflected a "club assembly" then having to admit attendance was very good and he must have been early. Dick Henning was fined for sporting a leather "biker" look.
VICTORIA EMMONS introduced the speaker, Lee Domanico, the new chief executive officer of El Camino Hospital. A graduate of Michigan and Stanford Universities, Domanico has been in healthcare for 25 years. He has family here and said it was like coming home to the "Hospital of Silicon Valley."
"When I think of El Camino Hospital, I visualize forward thinking, fast paced, highly successful and that's what we want El Camino Hospital to be." Domanico said. "We have identified 70 priorities and all embrace excellence in patient delivery." The El Camino Hospital ranks at the top of 130 hospitals in patient care, and the nursing care is ranked at the top of the 130 hospitals across the country.
He said that a big problem the hospital experiences is the retention of employees. That includes, doctors, nurses and staff. It's not only a hospital problem it is a community problem and all businesses
are experiencing the same enigma. Domanico said physicians are paid less today than 10 years ago. They are being squeezed in income and many are retiring or leaving the area where they can afford a home. It's a serious problem and the hospital will become more aggressive in bringing new physicians to the area.
One big issue is the study of retrofitting or replacing the main tower of the hospital. Built in the 1950s, the tower does not meet the new seismic regulations the state of California demands. A decision will have to be made on replacing the tower by June or July and the state must be notified of the decision by the end of the year when a complete campus plan will be submitted. The cost will be between $150 and $200 million.
"Fortunately, the hospital is debt free and has a strong balance sheet, but we need to promote philanthropy," Domanico said. "We are the only free standing hospital in Santa Clara Valley and that offers us many advantages because we don't have to report to larger organizations like other hospitals in the county do."
President's Message
At their request, I have given the Los Altos History Museum a brief History of the Los Altos Rotary Club, taken from the pages of our wonderful 50th anniversary book. This is part of what I included:"From its beginning, the Club was a frequent contributor to charitable causes, both at home and abroad. Money was sent to the West Berlin Rotary Club in 1953 to help provide housing for refugees from East Germany, and to Hungarian refugee relief in 1956. Such giving has continued and expanded throughout the years."
This week we have received a message from District Governor Karl Stucki:
We are all aware of the severe earthquake that recently occurred in El Salvador. There is a great need for outside assistance to help earthquake victims. A procedure has been set up in District 5170 for accepting financial contributions to aid the people of El Salvador.
Any club member can help those in El Salvador by making checks payable to: District 5170 Foundation. All funds collected will go directly to El Salvador to Past District Governor Guillermo Alfaro of San Salvador to be distributed for disaster relief as the local San Salvador Rotarians see fit.
Your contribution is tax deductible. However, since the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International no longer handles disaster relief funds, it is not possible to receive Paul Harris credit for your contribution.
Please mail your checks to:
Gary Citti
990 East Hampton Ave.
Campbell, CA 95008You may call Karl directly if you have questions. 510/601-0899.
Rotary continues to be a source of service and support whenever it is needed.
See you Thursday,
GinnyPrograms
January
Jan. 25 - Club Assembly
February
Feb. 1 - Judge Len Edwards, Helping One child At a Time
Feb. 8 - Steve Westly, eBay, Sr. VP
Feb. 15 - Suzanne Kushner - Successful Brand Management - Moving Toward a Customer-Concentric Focus
Feb. 22 - John Giovanola, Hansen Cement Mfg.March
March 1- Susanne Pari, author - Religion and Politics: How Do They Mix?
March 8 - Marlene Cowan, The Donner PartyApril
April 12 - Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
"Information in this newsletter is intended for the exclusive use of the members of the Rotary Club of Los Altos to facilitate the work of the club and to promote club fellowship. It is not to be used for any commercial or outside, unrelated, non-profit purposes. No publication of material in this newsletter should occur without the express permission of the club President or the Editor of the Rotator."
Copyright 2001 The Los Altos Rotary Club
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