MEETING OF APRIL 18, 2002


By Wyatt Allen
Editor: Dick Blanding
Webmaster - Steve Gruber

BEGINNINGS -

Boy Scout Troop 37 provided the opening flag ceremonies and led us in the pledge of allegiance. ALEX NG provided some words of wisdom from book written some 600 years BC by Lao Tsu entitled Tao Te Ching (translated loosely as Book of Virtues). Amazing something written so long ago still has strong relevance today. RICK GLAZE led us in "This Land Is Your Land."

NOTEWORTHIES -
It was wonderful to have BILLY RUSSELL with us for lunch today, back from his recent health "challenges" that had us all a little concerned. You are certainly looking good to all of us, BILLY!

ALEX NG, our Director of Membership, provided us with an opportunity to welcome two new members and acknowledge another for achieving his blue badge. Please welcome AMY RANDAZZO of Design & Interiors on State Street in Los Altos (sponsored by MEL KAHN) as well as ROY JONES of All Horizon Travel now on Main Street in Los Altos (sponsored by DENNIS YOUNG). Congratulations to ROB HOLDEN for completing his blue badge requirements and having the red tag ceremoniously removed by his sponsor, BOB ADAMS. Congratulations to all!

WYATT ALLEN presented a Paul Harris Fellow on behalf of our club to WALTER CHRONERT, a long-time community volunteer and Los Altos Kiwanis member. WALTER was instrumental in initiating the Special Games for by Kiwanis for physically and mentally challenged youth. He is seen every year at the Pet Parade in May and the Kiwanis Christmas Tree lot in November-December. He is also a prior recipient of both the Board of Realtors Community service Award as well as the Los Altos / Los Altos Hills Volunteer of the Year Award. Thanks for all you have done and continue to do for your community WALTER!

Speaking of community awards, please join me in congratulating BOB ADAMS who will be the 2002 recipient of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors Community Service Award! BOB will receive this honor at a lunch celebration to be held May 16th at Michael's at Shoreline I Mountain View. Congratulations, BOB for the hard-earned and very well deserved honor.

BRUCE ASKARI presented his five-minute talk today. BRUCE was born in Shiraz, Iran, where he grew up with his six brothers, attended school, and began to learn of America from several families living and working there. He attended college in the US, graduating with a degree in Nuclear Engineering. In 1979, the incident at Three Mile Island changed the nation's attitude toward application of nuclear power, so in 1980 BRUCE headed to California and started in real estate where he has been ever since. BRUCE lives with his wife, FARIBA, and three sons in Los Altos Hills. Although it is a blank space in the Rotary handbook, BRUCE enjoys visiting historical places and studying the effects of religion on various societies. Since moving from Iran, BRUCE shared that is has a greater appreciation for freedom and opportunities.

ALEXEI, our Rotary Exchange high school student, reported that he had recently returned from Los Angeles where he participated with the Los Altos High School robotics team. The team finished higher than ever before in this competition and it was a great experience for ALEXEI.

STEVE ANDERSON, in his last stint as finemaster this year, was able to find several members who had not previously been "recognized" as yet this year. FRANZ ANDERSON and GEORGE DAI became diplomats without much encouragement. BOB RAYL, JOHN McALISTER, ROY JONES and AMY RANDAZZO offered $10 each. ROLAND PAYNE offered $50 and KIRK MAHNCKE (somewhat reluctantly) offered $100 (after encouragement form BAIDRA PROCHNOW and SHELLY POTVIN SUTTON) for presenting the buyer of a home owned by a baseball player know for hitting a record number of home runs in a season.

ANNOUNCEMENTS -

MEL KAHN encouraged us all to take a Saturday walk on May 11 at Coyote Point as part of a fundraiser called the Human Race.

ROB HOLDEN said "Golfers Needed!" He announced the annual Community Services Agency Golf Tournament, an important fundraiser for CSA. The event will be held on May 13th at Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club. Contact anyone at the Bank of Los Altos for details and reservations. There will be two formats…a modified scramble and best ball for the serious golfers (sounds more like a choice between the way you would order eggs and a spaghetti dish!?!?).

STEVE SHEPHERD said "More Golfers (and Eaters) Needed!" He announced the annual Los Altos Rotary Golf Tournament and BBQ to be held on May 3rd. The golf will be at the Palo Alto Municipal course and the BBQ at the ADAM's residence. The format will be the "yellow ball format" suggest by ROY LAVE and still trying to be interpreted by LARRY MADSEN.

ROY LAVE announced a dinner for the visiting Group Study Exchange team from Iceland. By the time you get this ROTATOR, they will have already eaten a feast at Maltby's Restaurant (but then you would have had to pay your own way anyway!)

SAM PESNER reminded us that the 2002 Art Show assignment requests must be in ASAP…or you get what you get. Remember, the 2002 Fine Art In The Park will be held on May 18th and 19th (that's only four week away!)

MARGE BRUNO introduced our speaker, a return engagement from four years ago, BOB SIMON with his talk, "Fleeting Rhyme - Poetry For The Rest Of Us." Writing poetry is a relatively new career for BOB who had a career at Stanford as an education development director after flying jets for the Air Force. Stanford has been his hang out since he also graduated with a degree in Economics and an MBA in Business from that prestigious university..

BOB is writer of verse, and is interested in computer graphics. He was the designer of the logo adopted by the Partners For New Generations, an accomplishment and recognition he is quite proud of.

After his first fist, prior member MARY BURKHARDT asked if he had ever published his works. One thing led to another and now BOB has published Fleeting Rhyme that happens to be illustrated by none other than MARY BURKHARDT! BOB recited or read a number of clever, humorous and entertaining verses on topics ranging from bicycle seats, pool cues, a woman's hair color, a vacuum cleaner and piano lessons. He requested those present to finish several lines of verse and, without taking too much collective credit, we did quite well, thank you!
Copies of Fleeting Rhyme are available in the Los Altos Library and can be purchased at the Stanford Bookstore by telephone (650) 329-1217 or Internet.

BOB SIMON and MARY BURKHARDT illustrate what wonderful talents we have in our very own community. Thank you, BOB, for sharing yours with us.

Webmaster's notes: The new pictures and pages have been added to the club website. We have a complete list of all of the artists at http://www.losaltosrotary.org/artists.html and you can get to the art galleries online at http://www.losaltosrotary.org/artshow.html.

Programs and Events

April
April 25 - Partners for New Generations appreciation day
April 26 -28 - District 5170 Conference, Lake Tahoe
May
May 2 - Dan Stober, San Jose Mercury News reporter and author of A Convenient Spy, on "Wen Ho Lee: Spy, Victim or Hero?"
May 3 - Golf tournament and barbeque, starts at noon at Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course, followed by the barbeque at the Adams' at 6:30 p.m.
May 9 - Rotacare
May 16 - Dr. Avis Begoun: "Identifying and Resolving Patterns of Conflict in Couple Relationships"
May 23 - Rotary Scholarships
May 30 - Rotary Aids Project
June
June 6 - LAREF
"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 2002 The Los Altos Rotary Club

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