MEETING OF FEBRUARY 5, 2004
By Wyatt AllenEditor: Dick Blanding
BEGINNINGS
Our first February meeting appeared to begin in normal fashion with the usual Pledge of Allegiance, but we were then thrown a few twists. RICK GLAZE, in the role of song master and using his avocation as songwriter, provided the first twist. He led us in song with “The ants go marching in one by one…” as a tribute to the candidates willing to be on the ballot for our club’s board of directors. He may have gotten himself into a little hot water, though, and LARRY CHU may use his next run as fine master to square things with RICK. Stay tuned.
FIROOZ GHAFFARI provided the next twist by quoting authors and artisans with the likes of “Everything is Invested” for the book, Art of Possibility and “In every block of stone is a beautiful statue,” alleged to be a quote from Michelangelo. Then HERB MARSHALL interrupted and implored FIROOZ not to forget Rule #6, but to the confusion of the assembled members, FIROOZ deferred that till later. After more pontificating, FIROOZ finally got to the definition of Rule #6, “Don’t take yourself so damn seriously!” That part we understood…which is more than most of us could say about whatever FIROOZ was talking about up to that point.
Pres. - Elect CINDY LUEDTKE led the introductions which included BOB BERKA, a past president of our club, now with Menlo Park Rotary. Good to see BOB again. Also with us was BOB SMITHWICK from Palo Alto Rotary. Does anyone really know why SAM PESNER did not introduce his wife, LOU, at the meeting?
ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Pres. AL asked that if anyone has announcements, don’t wait until immediately before the meeting starts to ask for time on the agenda. Please contact AL by phone or e-mail a day or two before the meeting to request time on the agenda.
· JERRY TOMANEK announced the formation of a committee, headed by DICK HASENPFLUG, to look into alternatives to our present annual membership directory. Although it is a useful resource, it is also an expensive tool to produce. If interested in being part of that committee, contact DICK or JERRY.
· CINDY WEYMSS is looking for drivers to take Interact members through the Los Altos neighborhoods to distribute information in support of Measure “B” on Feb. 14th or Feb. 21st. Giver her a call if you can help.
· ROLAND PAYNE announced the District #5170 tennis tournament is to be played April 15th (you’ll have to finish your taxes first!) at the Sunnyvale Tennis Complex.
· JACK HIGGINS announced that the Rotacare board is looking for a new Executive Director. Let him know if you know of any plausible candidates.
· GINNY LEAR informed us that Los Altos High School has invited Rotarians to their Spring Concert as thanks for our help in their fundraising efforts.
· MARY MARLEY reminded us that grant applications (samples on tables and also available on our website) are due March 1st to our Los Altos Rotary Endowment Fund for any remaining consideration of contributions for the remainder of the year.
· JACK KELLY reminded us of the Youth Speech Contest scheduled for Feb. 19th and there is need of members to greet the participants, their parents and teachers. Let JACK know if you can accommodate the need.
· Pres. AL let us know that our board will consider payment alternatives at their Feb. 11th meeting and attendance recommendations at their following meeting.
MEMBER ACTIVITIES
It was the day for RHONDA WENTZEL to give her five minute talk and as usual, we learned some interesting things about one of our newer members. She was born in Port Angeles, Washington, the site of one of the ferry terminals to Victoria, Canada and the San Juan Islands. Her father was in the military and moved his family often as is the military custom. RHONDA’S family happened to live in Hawaii when it was admitted for statehood (not a bad assignment, I’d say). As a teenager, her family moved to the Philippines where she and her sister enjoyed a great deal of freedom. Can you see WENDY as a teenage dancer in a local night club there? Claims that was one of her activities during her days of freedom (Like me, you’d never had guessed either!).
She survived her to return to Port Angeles and finish high school and then earned a degree in math from Univ. of Washington in Seattle. Her career began in the aerospace industry in southern California where she earned a masters degree in Engineering while working in the field of digital signal processing using algorithms and utilizing her math education and engineering experience. She worked as a civilian in the Air Force which included visits to the Pentagon as a program manager and managing a line item in the President’s budget.
After a three year stint in the Boston area, she and her husband return to California and she worked with Lockheed. A career change came recently when she joined Edward Jones as an investment representative and enjoys not having to wear an ID badge or go through security and where she can have quality time one-on-one with other people.
RHONDA is becoming active in Rotary by delivering dinners to Rotacare workers and becoming a mentor for a high school student. Glad to have you as a member of our Los Altos Rotary Club, RHONDA!
BAIDRA MURPHY fulfilled the role of recognition chair today and used the theme of “This day in history” as here subject matter. I don’t know about you, but I was amazed how close many of our members were to guessing the correct year of historical events
that took place up to some two hundred years ago. The lucky contestants included RHONDA WENTZEL (for her 5-minute talk), MIKE HARRIGAN, DICK FOUQUET (sold his company to his son), KELLY HUDSON (another long bike ride is on the horizon this year), MARLIS MacALLISTER, KAREN OWEN, KURT HUEG, LEM SUMMEY, SAM PESNER, KAREN FOX, and LARRY CHU (who got it over with and joined the President’s Club).
WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE
Having made it to Rotary after coaching his Alta Vista basketball team to a victory at the YMCA the hour before, BOB ADAMS provided a very informative program on our club’s active involvement in World Community Service. Approximately twenty on the committee, co-chaired by BOB and JOE CORRALL, strive to involve our Los Altos Rotary Club in numerous projects mostly in third world countries to enhance health, education, energy, the environment and / or provide employment opportunities. Funding comes from our club (10% of the Fine Art Show earnings), other Rotary Clubs, matches from District designated funds (DDF) and matches from Rotary International. A sample of the projects in which our club has participated include:
· Radio Communication Project (Zambia, Africa), an installation of a communication radio at a regional hospital
· Beehive Project (Kenya) where 200 bee hives were provided to 6 villages
· Book Project (also Kenya) to provide books to a local library
· Children of the Andes (Equator) where $150 sponsors a child for a year
· Afghan Clothing Drive (Afghanistan) to provide warn clothing for refugees
· Yucatan Project (Mexico) JANE REED spoke of her recent trip with ROY LAVE and DICK HENNING to provide clothing (particularly shoes), books, and stuffed animals and to participate in a beach beautification effort.
AL LIGTENBERG talked about issues of providing energy and potable water sources.
He showed examples of solar powered stoves and ovens and their application in remote areas where fuel is scarce. Displays were set up near the entrance to our meeting and members were treated to the aroma of baking cookies upon arrival. Fuel-efficient “rocket” stoves and solar cookers were introduced in Nepal where the sun is available almost all of the year. Many people suffer smoke inhalation and severe burns from the inefficient open cooking fires. Solar cookers eliminate the danger as well as the need for wood or fossil fuels.
Impure water is the other target of our club’s efforts in Nepal and other areas of the world. AL had a sample of a “WAPI” or water pasteurization indicator (wouldn’t that be WPI) on the tables for view. It is a simple contraption (oops, rather instrument) that indicates when water is hot enough to be purified sufficiently for human consumption, eliminating the sickness and diseases ingested by people where the water sources are polluted. I had my nine year old try using it at home and it worked.
AL also demonstrated a solar powered light that allows students to study or people to perform tasks at night where electricity or fossil fuels are unavailable.
In all, it was a most informative program. I think we all can be proud of what our club, in conjunction with other clubs and with the matching support of the District and Rotary Foundation, has been able to accomplish to help others around our world live better lives.
For those who haven’t yet contributed to the Rotary Foundation for this year, I hope that was inspiration to make your donation soon (see VICTORIA EMMONS, ROY JONES or WYATT ALLEN). For those wanting involvement, the World Community Service Committee would certainly welcome your participation.
PROGRESSIVE DINNER: Thank you to the following Rotarians and their spouses for hosting various parts of the dinner:
Appetizers: Bob and Lois Adams, Jean and Barbara Mordo
Main course: Joe and Pat Corral, Mel and Mady Kahn, Ginny and King Lear, Marlis McAllister and Steve Silsky, Carew and Jean McFall, Pat and Eric Millar, Al and Nancy Traficanti, Bud and Ann Oliver, Gary and Tracy Ross
Dessert: Paul and Liz NybergMessage from Tracie Murray:
Fellow Rotarians,
This is just a reminder. This is Rotary's Community Service Month!
We will be collecting "healthy non-perishable snacks" at the February meetings. Please bring a "health non-perishable snack" to donate to the cause. Or....if you prefer, kick in a few bucks and I will go purchase some.
If you are wondering what would be considered a "healthy non-perishable snack", here is what I have come up with:
Granola bars
fruit bars
beef/turkey jerky
trail mix
fruit cups
popcorn
crackers (maybe low fat ones are "healthy")
dried fruit
raisins
rice cakes
be creative!
Thanks,
Tracie
Programs and Events
February
Feb. 12: Alliance for Community Care - Workshop on Stigma
Feb. 13: RI Presidential Dinner, President Johnathan B. Majiyagbe, Fairmont Hotel, San Jose. Reception: 6 p.m., Dinner, 7 p.m.
Feb. 19: Los Altos Rotary Speech Contest
Feb. 20: Fellowship Night
Feb. 26: Melinda Cervantes, "Keep Our Library Strong"
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 15 and 16: Rotary Fine Art Show
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 2004 The Los Altos Rotary Club