MEETING OF APRIL 3, 2003 By Clyde Noel
Dick Blanding, EditorOur president, MARY PROCHNOW, started the meeting promptly at 12:30 p.m. asking FIROOZ for the traditional flag salute and ALAN LAMBERT stuck a finger in his hat and led us singing “Yankee Doodle Dandy” the pre-revolutionary song popularized in WWII. KAREN OWEN’S thought for the day kept us on a trapeze bar looking for the next stage and praying not to loose our firm grip. A bit long for Rotarians sitting at my table, but Karen got through it.
AL TRAFICANTI introduced visiting Rotarians and guests and MEL KAHN introduced the new Los Altos Village Association director, Ted Garrett. He assumed his duties as official cheerleader for downtown Los Altos April 1.
Announcements started with SAM PESNER reminding every Rotarian they have to sign up and work two shifts at the Art Show the weekend of May 17-18. The forms are also on our website. “You should be wearing a blue Rotary T-shirt when you work the Art show,” said Pesner. “JOAN ROSSELLE is holding one for each of you and the cost is $20 bucks.”
STEVE ANDERSON provided important information on the May 9th golf tournament. “It’s going to start at 10 a.m. instead of noon,” Anderson said. “That will give you a longer day to have fun.”
JOANNE BYRNE announced that eight red badgers are helping move the Rotary Aids books to a new home at the Jesuit Retreat House. VICTORIA EMMONS attended a conference in Toronto, Canada where many other Rotarians attended and brought back good tidings.
BRIAN WARD emerged from the crowd and had the red sticker removed from his badge by BEN McGANN. He went to his native country (England) to make up Rotary meetings.
WYATT ALLEN pronounced it a proud moment for the Polio Plus Campaign when he gave pins to Paul Harris Fellows who contributed to polio eradication.
BIADRA MURPHY received her Paul Harris pin and ELLEN YAMANE FLANAGAN became a Paul Harris fellow with two sapphire pins. Ellen announced the club has achieved $27,605 to date to fight polio and eight new pins were given to donors.
DICK HENNING acted as the auctioneer for two opening day Giants tickets, which went to PAT FARRELL for $120, and two tickets to the Rivers of Chocolate Festival April 13, to GARY ROSS for $150. The money goes to Polio Plus. SAM HARDING made a comment while flying on United Air Lines; he was surprised and pleased that after the movie was over the stewardess showed a two-minute piece on Rotary plus.
TRACIE MURRAY asked Rotarians to drop by Sub-Acute for a BBQ chicken lunch to help stop polio. Tracie set up the drive way for the “eat and run” crowd and tables with linen inside. If you weren’t there you missed a good lunch with corn on the cob, baked beans and lemonade. My table was crowded with JOE RENATI, SAM HARDING, AL and NANCY TRAFICANTI, and BRENDA NIEDERT. Some of us went back for a second helping of beans.
Following the procedure of having “old timers” return for a 5-minute talk, JACK HEIDMILLER enlightened the newer Rotarians with a bit of Rotary history. He joined in 1978. As Rotary Club of Los Altos president in 1994-1995, Jack was the first to introduce e-mails to the club. The theme for his presidency was “Be a Friend.” As an electronics representative he sold a computer chip from Zilog that is worth a lot of money today. It’s a Rotary pin with a California bear.
Jack joined the National Guard in 1950 and was activated for the Korean War as a captain in the artillery. “You have to be in the 18-20 year old age group to jump around in the mud and rain, and that ‘s not for me anymore,” Jack remarked as an aside. He met his wife at a dance and two years later was married to her and they have raised three boys. “I have a full drawer of digital pictures of my family to show on the computer.” Jack moved to Los Altos 33 years ago. He worked in electronic sales and marketing, and recently downsized his work habits.
JOHN CARDOZA introduced speaker Kirk O. Hanson , and the next half hour was one of the more informative and interesting talks the Rotary Club has had this year.
Hanson is the executive director for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. He addressed the crisis in business ethics in United States. A member of the Stanford University faculty for 22 years in the business department, he is now at Santa Clara University, where 50 faculty members are affiliated with business ethics.
“We are less focused on values today,” Hanson said. “The point is, we slipped into a ‘winning only’ environment, wherein getting ahead means everyone else is cheating.” Why has cheating become so prevalent? Hanson said because of pressure, maybe the problems are to tough and a loose ethical standard slanted toward “I got to get rich.”
Hanson went through the different divisions at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. They include biotechnology and health care ethics, business ethics, government ethics, character education and emerging issues. To learn more about the center try the website at www.scu/edu/ethics. There are two other schools in United States besides Santa Clara University that teach ethics. They are Dartmouth and Duke.
Hansen gave Rotarian BILL REWAK credit for his contribution toward the present day Santa Clara University. In teaching ethics, he wanted to make a substantial impact on society through the understanding of ethical values.
“Most ethical problems are trade-offs, and are predictable,” said Hanson. “You have to think through how far you can go, to make a better decision.” In the question and answer period, Hanson was asked what part religion plays in ethics. “Religion is a source of values, but it is only one source.” he said. “We must honor it, but also consider other ethical avenues.”
Programs and Events
April
April 10: Jon Friedenberg, President and CEO of El Camino Hospital Foundation. Topic: Update on the El Camino Hospital Upgrade
April 16: Dinner at Chef Chu's, 6:30 p.m.
April 17: To be announced
April 24: Judge Len Edwards. Judge of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. Topic: Working with Abused and Neglected Children.May
May 9: Golf Tournament, 10:00 AM at Shoreline Golf Links, Mountain View
May 17 and 18: Rotary Fine Art ShowOTHER ROTARY CLUB MEETING PLACES
MONDAY
Palo Alto: Rickey's Hyatt House, 12:15 p.m.
TUESDAY
Los Altos Sunset: The Echo Restaurant, Los Altos, 7:15 p.m.
Sunnyvale: Ramada Inn, 12:15 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.
Sunnyvale Sunrise: Wild Woodys Grill, Sunken Gardens Golf Course, 7 a.m.
Cupertino: Quinlan Community Center, 12:15 p.m.
East Palo Alto Bayshore: Starbucks, Home Depot EXPO Shopping Center, East Palo Alto, 12:15 p.m.
THURSDAY
Yosemite: The Ahwahnee Hotel, Noon
FRIDAY
Palo Alto University: Sheraton, El Camino, Palo Alto, 7:30 a.m.
Lake Tahoe: Harvey's Hotel, 12:15 p.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 2003 The Los Altos Rotary Club
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