MEETING OF MARCH 20, 2003

By Wyatt Allen
Dick Blanding, Editor

BEGINNINGS

BOO BUE kicked off the meeting by leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by ALAN LAMBERT  with our attempted rendition of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” in keeping with the recent occurrence of St. Patrick’s Day.  President Elect AL TRAFICANTI introduced four visiting Rotarians and we welcomed guests of BOB ADAMS, LOU BECKER, CHUCK LINDAUER, PAUL NYBERG, JOE RENATI, GARY ROSS, JOHN SINES, and ED SOX. Great to have so many guests at our weekly meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

*    Pres. MARY PROCHNOW thanked CINDY LUEDTKE, JOE RENATI, BELLA BERLY  and all others responsible for a very successful Cioppino Night.

*    TRACIE MURRAY announced a special lunch to be put on by Los Altos Sub-Acute Care to raise money for Polio Plus.  Come by the facility at 809 Fremont Avenue between 11:00 and 2:00 on April 4th for a delicious lunch all for a donation of only $6.50 (more will be graciously accepted!).

*    April 16th is the date for Chef Chu’s “Spring Feast.”  Sign up early since space will be limited for this popular event.  Watch for sign-up sheets at future meetings.

*    JULIE ROSE announced that on April 24th-27th, the District #5170 Conference will be held at the Santa Clara Marriott.  Plan to attend one or more of the sessions and meetings.  Saturday evening dinner is especially recommended.

*    May 9th is the date for our club’s golf tournament and BB*.  Plan to participate in the tournament and/or enjoy the BB*.  Sign-up sheets are being circulated at the meetings.  

STATUS OF VARIOUS PROJECTS:

*    Polio Eradication Campaign has reached the halfway point with approximately $22,835 in pledges.  To boost the numbers, a silent auction will begin next week so watch for items you may have interest in.  Members receiving recognition pins for donations to important campaign included SAM HARDING, ROB HOLDEN, DAN O’DONNEL, SHIV SHASTRI, SHELLEY SUTTON, JOHN SYLKVESTER and JERRY TOMANEK.  

*    MONA ARMISTEAD made the announcement for Partners For A New Generation that mentors are needed, especially at Los Altos High School for math.  There is a mentor training session on March 26th, 4-5:30 p.m. at the MV-LA High School District Office on Bryant.  Contact LOIS ADAMS if you are interested. 

*    LUCY RASMUSSEN encouraged everyone to bring new or usable elementary school level books suitable for the Masai Girls’ School in Nairobi, Kenya.  Please bring books suitable for grades 1-12 to the next meeting and place them into the boxes in the lobby of the Garden House.  Questions - call LUCY at (650) 725-3935.

*    Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to assist with the relocation of the Rotacare facility on the weekend of April 12th-13th.  JOAN ROSSELLE also announced that approx. $175,000 of the needed $229,000 has been raised for our clubs Rotary Centennial Project to help with tenant improvements of the new space near El Camino Hospital, acquire some updated equipment and assist with relocation expenses.  Contributions are still being encouraged for this important project.

*    SAM PESNER encourage everyone to complete an assignment sheet for our upcoming FINE ART IN THE PARK fundraising weekend, May 17th & 18th.  Please turn your completed forms into SAM as soon as possible.

MEMBER NEWS AND RECOGNITION:

SETH MANNING provided his five-minute talk today on the 25th anniversary of his sponsorship into our club by BILL POWELL.   At the time, DICK DUHRING was club president.  His reason for joining was to associate with a group that does so much for others.  SETH stated that his favorite movie was “The Graduate” and his favorite book is Catch-22, which might tell you something about him.  He was raised in Michigan and being the independent type, left Central Michigan University for eight months to hitchhike around Europe and expand his education.  Upon his return to “reality,” he began the social circuit again and eventually married Marilyn 39 years ago and joined Aetna Insurance in Michigan.  While watching the Rose Bowl in 1971, he longed for the winter weather of California and determined Palo Alto to be a good location.  He was successful in his efforts to gain a transfer to the area, packed up everything in a U-Haul truck, and has been here ever since.  He and Marilyn have two grown children, son Scott and daughter Melissa.  SETH has been active in Rotary helping the club continue to do much for others less fortunate. 

BRIAN WARD, using a sequel to “Weakest Link,” devised a unique method of recognizing various members.  Members had the option of providing a right answer ($5 fee) or wrong answer ($25 fee) to a proposed question or, for a $15 fee, referring to another member.  Members caught up in this new form of recognition included JOANNA MEDIN, DICK HASENPFLUG, JOHN SINES, VAL CARPENTER, MEG SOLERA and ED SOX. 

BOB ADAMS, representing our World Community Service Committee, introduced our speakers, SOPHIA OMAR and DOUG FRANCO from the Hayward South Rotary Club who talked about Post-Taliban Afghanistan.  SOPHIA is originally from Afghanistan and much of her family still lives there.  They shared what they experienced and saw in their last visit in November 2002 through a presentation and a video. 

It was immediately evident how much poverty exists where food and shelter are not even available for millions of refugees.  Opportunities are compromised since over 60% of the population are illiterate and women, who experience an even higher illiteracy rate, are not allowed the same opportunities men may receive.  Since many of the males have been killed in battles or maimed by an estimated 20Million landmines and unable to work, many families have no opportunity to make a living.  The video illustrated the squalor and desperation in which many refugees must live.  So many die daily due to exposure, malnutrition and untreated drinking water. 

Our speakers related that Rotary would soon be re-established in Afghanistan with a charter being presented at the Rotary International Convention later this year.  Women will make up a large portion of the club and that club’s first president will be a woman.  At least in Rotary, women have an opportunity to take leadership roles!  This will provide an opportunity for Rotary clubs worldwide to provide resources jointly with a local Afghan Rotary Club. 

The Hayward South Rotary Club is attempting to raise sufficient funds to refurbish a four -room urgent care clinic ($11,500) that was destroyed in recent fighting.  In addition, they have plans to rebuild 200-bed Dar-ul-Aman Hospital ($136,000 for materials and water source) since there are presently no medical facilities for some 300,000 Afghan refugees in that district of Kabul.  If you can help directly, or you know of sources for funding or equipment for a medical clinic or hospital, please e-mail to donation@haywardsouthrotary.org.  In addition to funds, also needed is hospital equipment, medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, generators, beds, etc. to re-establish the hospital. 

We were also provided an update as to the status of clothes and blankets collected late last year for Afghan refugees.  Many of the donated items have not yet reached Afghanistan due to the development of U.S. actions in the Middle East.  It is hoped that the many tons of clothing and blankets will be air lifted to Afghanistan very soon. 

Programs and Events

March

March 27: Toni Casey, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Small Business Administration, "The President's Economic Stimulus Package - Impact on Small Businesses"

April

April 3: Kirk Hanson, Executive Director of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Topic: Business Ethics
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 Show
OTHER 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:  *uinlan Community Center, 12:15 p.m.
THURSDAY
Palo Alto Sunrise: Scott's, Town & Country, Palo Alto, 7:15 a.m.
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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