MEETING OF DECEMBER 11, 2003
By Dick BlandingSeth led us in our annual singing of Rudolph, to help get the Christmas season officially underway.
Mary Prochnow announced that the Rotary president for 2005-2006 will be Marlene Cowan, who was greeted by a standing ovation.
Dude announced a new Aids Fellowship from Rotary International, called the RFFA, which we'll be hearing lots more about. Its website is www.rffa.org. President Al reminded everyone to come hear the P.R. President, Johathan B. Majiyagbe speak on Feb. 13th. It's at the San Jose Fairmont, starts at 6 p.m., black tie optional, and costs $50 per person. Call Ginny Lear to set up a group for tables. Ginny was presented with Al's Service Above Self Award for her many contributions to making things run smoothly this year.
We were reminded to send in our contribution for a gratuity for the lunch servers. Any amount is welcome, $30 to $40 was suggested. Send to Los Altos Rotary, PO Box 794, Los Altos 94023.
Joe Corral then told of a group led by Walter Hays of Palo Alto, which is taking toys to kids in Yucatan. So please bring unwrapped toys to our next meeting. The big box will be split between the project Tracie Murray has been working on, and this one. Or, you can call the Milligan Book Store at 408 286-7604 to charge books or toys for the Yucatan kids.
Joanne Byrne asked members to get checks to her asap for our big Christmas party next Wed. the 17th. It's at El Retiro, from six till ten.
A little different style of five minute talk was given by Hardy Jones, who has spent a lifetime overcoming challenges, beginning with dyslexia as a child. He couldn't read till fourth grade, and was falling progressively behind, until in the 8th grade an IQ test resulted in his being shifted from the lowest performing group to the advanced students class, without further explanation. The problem finally resolved itself as he matured, and he went to Cal Berkeley. In his final year, a motorcycle accident left him comatose for three weeks, and with a speech disorder and orthopedic complications. Two years later, when he was mobile enough to resume his studies, he entered Harvard Medical school in a body cast, later shifting to a wheelchair. One leg was left three inches shorter than the other, so his good leg was shortened by that amount. After a residency at Stanford, he went to work at Kaiser, where he advanced in the Department of Orthopedics to become Regional Chief for Northern California Kaiser hospitals. He left Kaiser with a disability settlement, but a year ago that was stopped by the insurer, and he had to get a lawyer to finally succeed in overturning that decision. He is now facing progressive arthritis surgeries, a knee replacement, and shoulder surgery. He enjoys making his "junk metal" sculptures, and is proud of the recent Eagle totem at the high school and the Viking warrior he made for Egan Jr. High. Hardy then joined the President's Club, in honor of his 21 years of sobriety.
Brenda Niedert, our Sassy Young Finemaster, then took over in earnest, extracting tolls from Rotarians left and right. Many folks were fined for not having to abide the awful storm that Brenda and Tracie endured while bell ringing on Main Street. Dude donated $10 to the club, and nine matching gifts of $10 each for folks who joined the Aids Fellowship.
Our speaker today was Robert Chang. He is a St Francis grad, and took a degree in Criminal Justice from San Jose State. His love is mountain and ice climbing, however,
and in his 35 years he's already had more hair-raising adventures in the high mountains than most of us will ever see. He has five climbs in the Nepal Himalaya, including on Mount Everest and Ama Dablam. He has also climbed four times in South America, and the faces of Half Dome and El Capitan several times. He has logged over 260 days above 16,000 feet climbing. He's been an equipment tester and held other positions for REI for 10 1/2 years. He is currently the Promotions and Climbing Director for the Everest Peace Project. This project will attempt to show the world that members of the seven major religions and an atheist can climb successfully together, to promote peace and understanding and "rally the world together." The Hindu climber, from India, is a Rotarian, leading to the talks to Rotary clubs for help promote the attempt to climb Everest.
They plan to provide interactive communications with classrooms from their base camp. Robert said he heard the monks chant in Katmandu during his first visit, during which he learned about Buddhism. The second visit, years later, he noticed the chants had been recorded, and were being played on CD's. He and his fellow climbers have left their mark on the high country in a positive way. They have brought down 697 abandoned, twenty-pound oxygen bottles from Everest for disposal, brought books and supplies to the Sherpa villages, and even helped convert a 24 volt electrical system to 120 volts, so all of the donated medical equipment could be operated. They also took 3000 toothbrushes over during some trips, to promote dental hygiene. He said you can see 350 miles from the summit. He is seeking money to support the climb. Each climber must contribute $10,000 himself, of the $18,000 total cost per person. You can learn more about this project at Everestpeaceproject.com.
Programs and Events
December
Dec. 17: Holiday Party, Jesuit Retreat House
Dec. 18: Community School of Music and Arts - Holiday Program
Dec. 25: Christmas - no meeting
JanuaryJan. 1: New Years Day - no meeting
Jan. 8: Club Assembly
Jan. 15: Dr. Robert Siegel - AIDS update
Jan. 16: Fellowship Night
Jan. 22: Joe Simitian
Jan. 29: Maxine Goodman - Palo Alto Philharmonic
Jan. 31: Progressive Dinner, 6 p.m., $30 per personFebruary
Feb. 5: World Community Service
Feb. 12: Alliance for Community Care - Workshop on Stigma
Feb. 19: Los Altos Rotary Speech Contest
Feb. 20: Fellowship Night
Feb. 26: To be announced
Feb. 27: Cioppino Feed, Garden House
March
March 4: Trish Bubenik - American Red Cross, Be Prepared for the Unexpected
March 11: Carl Guardino - Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, Economic Outlook
March 26: Fellowship Night
April
April 7: Celebrate Spring at Chef Chu's
April 8: Mountain View High School Madrigal Singers Spring Program
May
May 7: Golf Tournament
May 21: Fellowship NightJune
June 25: Kickout Dinner
OTHER ROTARY CLUB MEETING PLACES
On-line Meeting: www.rotaryeclubone.org
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: Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, 2031 Pulgas Avenue, East Palo Alto, 12:15 p.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 2003 The Los Altos Rotary Club