MEETING OF OCTOBER 10, 2002
By Steve GruberOur speaker today was Barbara Higgins, who participated in the Olympics in 2000 as part of the
Panamanian team. She is one of the top rated fencers in this area and a staunch advocate of bringing the Olympics to the Bay Area in 2012. Barbara said that the Bay Area is a convenient place for the Olympics because 80 percent of the facilities are already in operation. She also showed us a tape about the Olympics, and was selling "bridge builder" pins for $20 each to help fund the local committee's efforts.
The Bay Area and New York are the only two contestants left in the selection process for the United States, but the winner of that contest will still need to compete against several other countries. She said the International Olympic Committee will make that decision in 2005. Since the U.S. has hosted the summer Olympics three times in the past 70 years, this is not a slam-dunk sort of decision, and the IOC might decide to favor other countries that have not hosted the Olympics recently.
MATT CABOT says he is still collecting clothing for shipment to Afghanistan. He will be back from vacation in about two weeks to pick up future donations. The group is searching for a means of transporting the clothing, so if you know of any possibilities, let MATT know.
The Los Altos High School Interact Club needs an advisor. Meetings are on Mondays.
Did you know that out of approximately 130 members, we have 17 who don't receive the Rotator by e-mail? We apparently now have a volunteer who will do the weekly mailing of a printed Rotator to these 17 unfortunates, but we also might consider the following: Mailing the Rotator costs $18.50 per year per recipient. Shouldn't each of the unfortunate 17 be making additional contributions to cover those costs? After all, the reason we switched to e-mail Rotators two years ago was to save money.
Rotary International will celebrate its centennial during 2005, and the leaders of RI want each club in the world to sponsor a community project valued at $25,000 or more. We have until December of this year to let RI know what our project will be. President Mary brought up this subject today as she again asked for comment about whether we should take funds from the endowment fund to make up for the shortfall caused by the rain at the art show. She noted that the RI community project also could be funded from the endowment fund. For some smaller clubs in third world countries, raising $25,000 may be difficult, but our track record says we can do that much without even having to get warmed up. Polio Plus got substantial support from this club, and the plaza that we sponsored in downtown Los Altos cost considerably more than $25,000. The real question is what we would like to build for the centennial, not how much it will cost. Send your suggestions to President Mary.
Programs and Events
October
October 17 - Gloria Hom, "Proposition Preview" for the Nov. 5 election
October 24 - Dr. Zimbelman: Smithsonian Scholar, "Voices of Discovery" Exploration of the Solar System.
October 31 - Rosalind Bivings: President: Fore Women Golfers, "Real Men Golf With Women"November
November 7: Valerie Faillace: From Peru, "Working With Indigenous Indians of Peru & Bolivia"
November 14: Sandy Ellenberg: Plastic Surgeon , Rotarian & RotoPlast "Assisting Third World Countries With Surgery, Cleft Palate"
November 21: Don Allen: District Governor Elect 2003 / 2004 "Polio Plus Program"
November 28: Happy Thanksgiving: No MeetingNEARBY ROTARY CLUB MEETING PLACES
TUESDAY
Los Altos Sunset: The Echo Restaurant, Los Altos, 7:15 p.m.
Mountain View: Adobe House, Moffett & Central, Mountain View, 12:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Menlo Park: Menlo Park Recreation Center, Menlo Park, noon.
Woodside/Portola: Woodside Village Church, Woodside, 7:30 a.m.
THURSDAY
Palo Alto Sunrise: Scott's, Town & Country, Palo Alto, 7:15 a.m.
FRIDAY
Palo Alto University: Sheraton, El Camino, Palo Alto, 7:30 a.m.
"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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