MEETING OF December 16th, 2004    

VISITING DIGNITARIES  EXPREZ FIROOZ introduced his next door neighbor, RUTH LUNDQUIST, widow of EXPREZ BOB LUNDQUIST.  For those who were not Rotarians during BOB’s tenure, 1986-1987, he got things done without an ounce of ego or friction. 

 PREZTOBETOBE EXPREZ AL TRAFICANTE, rapidly running out of official things to do, announced the ascension of the PREZTOBETOBE, SAM PESNER, who gave a very short acceptance speech to the assembled throng.  SAM is best known as ALMOST-PERPETUAL ARTSHOWCZAR.

 WINTERSOLSTICEPARTY Many Rotarians looked like death warmed over at our meeting, and who knows why?  Moving on, PREZCINDYL extolled the virtues of JOANNE BYRNE, who organized the WINTERSOLSTICEPARTY at the Jesuit Retreat House, JOHN SYLVESTER and his band, the SYLVESTERCATS, who performed at the party, and BILL REWAK, who runs the joint.  Few could remember much at all, but those who claimed they could all agreed that it was a wonderful party. 

 BELLSANDMOREBELLS BRENDA NIEDERT was not at the meeting because she was being treated for tinnitus.  However, she was extolled for having scheduled the many Rotarians who can be seen at all hours of the day and night at the corner of Main and 2^nd Street in Los Altos ringing the Salvation Army bell.

 THEREITGOES LAREFPREZ JULIE ROSE, the Penn State alum who thinks that, if only Joe Paterno would trade in his white athletic socks for dark ones, the blue chippers would return and restore the Nittany Lions to their former glory, moaned and groaned over her carpel tunnel from writing and signing nineteen (19) checks totalling $20,500 for various charities.  Imagine how impressed we were!  We were still impressed after she told us it was not her own money she gave away, but rather LAREF’s.  Representatives from MUSIC FOR MINORS and from CALIFORNIA POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE, Mountain View, were present to accept their check for $750 and $1,500.

 FININGFORDOLLARS JOHN SYLVESTER, one of at least three STOCKTON-PACIFIC alums (PASTPRES MEL KAHN and REDBADGER MIKE CABOT, being two more) in our august ranks, fined two of our youngest members upon attaining their 29^th birthday, CINDY WEYMSS, and KELLY HUDSON, who JOHN has known for over 30 years.  No need to compute the numbers, sportsfans.  MIKE SPENCE, feeling especially frisky after his daughter DANIELLE scored an avalanche of goals for the St. Francis soccer team, threw five (5) C-notes in the ring.

 BOY SCOUTS EXPREZ DICK BLANDING (how many exprezz do we have, and do they all have to talk at once?)  introduced GORDON ABRAHAM, retiring Scoutmaster for Troop 37, which our Club has sponsored for many years.  GORDON, who has two sons at Los Altos High, advised that the Troop has had a busy year, participating in 69 events, bikeriding over 3,000 miles, and performing over 800 hours of public service.  Then GORDON introduced the new Scoutmaster, that wellknown cheesehead, DAVE LUEDTKE, who is suspected of having dated our own PREZCINDY, and DAVE had this to say: “I feel the hook even though I’ve just started talking.”

 MONEY TALKS  EXPREZ GINNY LEAR (still another one) and EXPREZ WYATT ALLEN (yet another one) advised that 58% of the members have given to THE ROTARY FOUNDATION, that $24,000 is the total to date, and that KAREN OWEN is the latest PAUL HARRIS FELLOW.

 TODAY’S PROGRAM THE MAIN STREET SINGERS of Los Altos High School did their best to top SONGSTER SETH, and most Rotarians concluded they did.  For many years Los Altos High has been known as a center for choral music, and this year’s version of THE  MAIN STREET SINGERS, who have performed many times for the LARC, maintain their high standards.

Note:  Here is a  link to the recent acceptance speech made by our President Cindy at the Association of Professional Fundraisers - Silicone Valley on November 19th, 2004

Copyright 2004 The Los Altos Rotary Club