MEETING OF MARCH 28, 2002
By Wyatt Allen
Editor - Dick Blanding
Webmaster - Steve GruberNew member BILL MOISON (not to be confused with twin brother JERRY) led us in the familiar pledge and SETH MANNING led us in our familiar "Your Are My Sunshine." In between them was a passionate apology on behalf of the Jesuit community by BILL REWAK pertaining to the sexual abuse scandal at the facility in Los Gatos. The sincerity and openness BILL conveyed to the club resulted in an appropriate standing ovation.
SETH MANNING led us in our ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please contact SAM PESNER or MARY MARLEY with your availability to work shifts for our 2002 art show. Letting them know your preferred times and duties now will likely avoid having the worst of times or undesired assignments.
MARY PROCHNOW reminded us to plan to attend the District Conference April 26-28 in none other than Lake Tahoe. Spring is a great season in the Sierra for those that need additional motivation. It will be a great setting to learn more about Rotary. It you would like to join the eight who indicated they would like to attend, please let MARY know as soon as possible for reservations can be made.
Closer to home, STEVE SHEPHERD announced our annual Golf and BBQ will be held May 3rd at Palo Alto Hills (golf) and the Adams residence (BBQ). $55 for golf and $35 for BBQ so you can choose one event or participate in both for $90. (Does anybody know the rules of golf according to ROY LAVE'S "yellow ball" format?). Contact STEVE ANDERSON or LARRY MADSEN if interested in participating.MARLENE COWAN asked Rotarians to let her know of any high school or community college student deserving of a Rotary scholarship. Our club has pledged $10,000 for scholarships and is looking for deserving students (cannot be from a Rotarian's family, however).
PAT MILLAR brought the club up to date on the results of the annual Rotary Foundation campaign. Over $20,000 has been donated, 16 members have achieved new Paul Harris Fellows or additional levels of giving, and almost 60% of those who have donated are double sustainers. She encouraged the approximately one-third of our club who have not yet given to consider a donation this year.
KAREN FOX reminded us that we have sponsored a robotics team, including our Rotary exchange student Alexei, which will be competing at San Jose State this weekend. We all wish the team every success.
JACK HIGGINS auctioned off tickets to Saturday's Sharks game, proceeds going to Mountain View Rotocare facility.
RECOGNITION
GINNY LEAR was able to encourage the following members to part with some of their hard-earned assets using her mastery of her fining techniques:
MATT CABOT for "taking liberties" reporting GINNY'S words the previous week
ALEX NG just because it was high time for him to receive recognition
KURT HUEG who put $50 in the bucket just because he didn't know the procedure
BILL PALMER for driving his wife's new Mercedes Benz (and acting like it was his)
The birthday table participants received light retribution for launching their balloons up to the ceiling of the Garden House and received $10 individual fines for adding another year to their age: DICK DUHRING, MARGE GRATIOT, CAREW MCFALL, ED SOX, BRIAN WARD and DWIGHT MATTHEWS who wanted still greater recognition and paid to become a "Diplomat."
SETH MANNING paid a dollar for each year he has been married to MARILYN
ROY LAVE and GINNY LEAR provided an update on the status of BILLY RUSSELL. He is still hospitalized at El Camino and is very tired. Visits are not encouraged until he is stronger, but cards and prayers for a quick recovery are!HISTORY LESSON
FIROOZ GHAFFARI introduced SAMIR LAYMOUN as our speaker. Born in Kuwait, SAMIRwent to college (imagine getting used to a Minnesota winter after living in the hot, arid desert!) and began a career in the semiconductor industry. Serving on the Executive Committee of the Muslim Community Association, he has presented over 50 talks to varied groups since the terrorist attacks last Sept. 11th. His purpose is to build bridges through understanding and helping people differentiate between fact and myths of Islam and the Muslim world.
Muslims are those that believe in the faith of Islam. 1.2 Billion Muslims populate the world; 55 countries have a majority of Muslims; only 18% of Muslims are Arab. Six to eight Million Muslims live in the USA: Half were born here and over half are college graduates.
The Qur'an is the book describing Islam and its principals which SAMIR paraphrased as including "oneness" of god, angels (one for good, one for sins), prophets, revealed books, a day of judgment and after life, and the supremacy of god's will. Practice of Islam includes testament of the faith, praying five times daily, fasting, giving to the needy, and a pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia.
Myths that surround Islam include:
Jihad or struggle against ignorance and oppression that is perceived as a holy war
Status of women that are perceived as second class citizens when actually they are provided equal status of esteem including property ownership, right to vote, and choice in marriage and divorce
Tolerance of faith where there is allowance for all to believe and practice whatever faith they believe in is certainly not always perceived (or practiced) that way.SAMIR summarized his talk by saying non-Muslim people become confused as to the principals of Islam under common circumstances. As is human nature in almost all faiths, he related that certain circumstances cause people to act outside the tenets of the faith of Islam: (1) when Muslims are not practicing the principals of the faith, (2) when political and economic pressures push people to take desperate measures, and (3) when oppression and media prefers to entertain rather than inform and educate its audience.
We appreciate SAMIR LAYMOUN taking time to inform us provide us about Islam and the Muslim faith. Education and knowledge are certainly the basis of understanding.
Webmaster's Notes: One of the newest clubs in the world of Rotary doesn't have a place to meet, a caterer, group meals, or even hands to shake. It is E-Club One, a Rotary experiment with a club in cyperspace. Members meet over the internet, and are required to spend a certain number of hours per months online, and a certain number of hours working on community projects. This club, which is a three-year experiment, only takes members from a Rotary District in Colorado, so you can't join unless you plan to move. The new club is located at http://www.rotary5450.org/eclub/index.html
PRESIDENT FIROOZ would like everyone to attend Thursday's meeting so that they can be in the group picture.
Programs and Events
April
April 4 - To be announced
April 11 - Linda Gayden, Executive Director of the Child Abuse Prevention Center
April 18 - Bob Simon on "Fleeting Rhyme"
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 - Rotocare
May 16 - Dr. Avis Begoun: "Identifying and Resolving Patterns of Conflict in Couple Relationships"
May 23 - Rotary Scholarships
May 30 - 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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