MEETING OF JANUARY 8, 2004
By Mary ProchnowEditor: Dick Blanding
PRESIDENT ELECT-ELECT MARLENE COWAN led the Pledge and kicked off the second half of the year of PRESIDENT AL. KELLY HUDSON led a rousing version of the HOKEY POKEY (THIS WRITER FOLLOWED A VEHICLE AFTER THE MEETING WITH A BUMPER STICKER “WHAT IF THE HOKEY POKEY ISN’T WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT??)… HUGH RIDELL gave a THOUGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR. PRESIDENT ELECT CINDY LUEDTKE welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests.
The catering staff of FOUR SEASONS CATERING were presented with checks representing our appreciation for their year- long, friendly and efficient service.
PAST PRESIDENT DICK BLANDING is a train hobbyist and still has the holiday trains set up. He has graciously extended an invitation to any of you who would like to visit or bring your children or grandchildren to see his display. The train village will be up for a couple of weeks more, so if you are interested call Dick at 948-7174.
A message from SHELLY POTVIN reads as follows “PROGRESSIVE DINNER is Saturday, January 31st at 6:00 sharp! Please don’t be fashionably late. Last chance to sign up and pay is January 22nd. Enjoy fellowship and great food on this fun-filled night!” Also, we need more houses for the entree. Each host couple will have six guests, and the meal and wine will be provided. No cooking required. Call Steve Gruber at 941-7700 for details and to sign up.
GREAT DECISIONS is a ten year old series of group discussions on foreign policy and world affairs started by the Foreign Policy Association to increase the public’s knowledge and awareness. The DUHRINGS have been long time participants and are offering to start a new group. A group is generally 10 - 15 people and would meet in individual homes. This group would meet weekly for eight weeks in February and March. There is a syllabus with eight subjects and a volunteer moderator is used. Call DICK DUHRING at 948-6307 right away if you are interested in this program.
The day’s meeting was the CLUB ASSEMBLY. PRESIDENT AL started off with a discussion of the need for keeping one’s attendance level up above the minimum of 60%. There are many reasons for keeping this commitment, not the least of which is the fact that the rest of us can’t enjoy your many talents if we never see you! Make it a resolution that you will keep.
This Past President announced that PRESIDENT AL’S kickout will be held at the LOS ALTOS GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB on Friday JUNE 25th 2004. ( a note for the uninitiated--this is the one social event for which you will be charged, whether or not you sign up or attend. Mark your calendars now)
PRESIDENT ELECT CINDY LUEDTKE reported that the programs have been scheduled through Mid April. If you have a Club Project that you expect to be a program talk to CINDY right away. CINDY thanked the many Club members who had brought programs to the Club. She also talked about special committees with which she has been involved including the budget and varied centennial project committees. She invited all to join the LUEDTKE FAMILY in Japan for the RI convention.
TRACIE MURRAY Director of COMMUNITY SERVICE thanked the many Rotarians who have made contributions in this area. There is a gala event with the surrounding Rotary Clubs, in the planning stage for November 2004, to generate ongoing support for the RotaCare Clinic. IRENE PRESTON has been successful in finding support for the dinner deliveries to the clinic volunteers every Monday and Wednesday. The poster contest generated a great poster (possibly a District winner?), and the Toy Drive, Festival of Lights and Bell Ringing were successful ventures. The Annual Food Drive lead this year by PAST PRESIDENT GINNY LEAR brought in 820 pounds of food for CSA!
Director of International Service, SHIV SHASTRI reported on the progress of his Area of Service towards its’ stated goals. The ROTARY FOUNDATION DRIVE continues through the year toward a goal of 100% participation and $22,000. At the end of November $16,195.00 had been collected from 89 out of 159 members. 70 of you are yet to be heard from. The active WORLD COMMUNITY SERVICE committee continues with dynamic projects from Latin America to Afghanistan (if you have not made your Foundation gift and question its’ benefit , simply attend a WCS meeting and you will see some examples of the incredible work done with your money) . Applications for Ambassadorial Scholarships have been circulated to local Universities. We continue to work toward the goal of hosting the incoming team from the Netherlands.
STEVE YARBROUGH, membership director, reported that the Club membership stands at 157, a net gain of 9 for the year so far. Red Badge Chair MARION TAVENNER emphasized the role of the sponsor in helping to assimilate new members into the Club. New Red Badge members SHOSHANA ZIMMERMAN, classification Natural Medicine, and TOM LISTON, Consulting Mechanical Engineer, were introduced to a STANDING ovation.
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, JERRY TOMANEK reported on the results of the food survey compiled by JANE REED. Overall opinion of the lunches was 2.2 of a possible 3. Quality of the lunches was rated 3.6 out of 5. Only thirty-four per cent were willing to pay more for lunch. Some suggestions for improvement included more salad varieties and choice of dressings. More “theme” meals were requested, as well as soup in the winter months. JOE LO CONTE will replace HERB MARSHALL as Sergeant -at -arms ( Herb will be recovering from knee surgery). Another survey is in the offing regarding methods of payment for events and advance payment of lunches.
ELLEN YAMANE FLANAGAN, DIRECTOR OF FELLOWSHIP thanked JOANNE BYRNE and SHELLY POTVIN for their hard work as social chairs. FR. BILL REWAK was thanked for his generosity and the generosity of his staff in preparing for the beautiful HOLIDAY PARTY. ELLEN thanked those who have opened their homes for Friday Fellowship nights, and mentioned that our next event is the Progressive dinner on January 31st. ELLEN then thanked all on her committee who help to keep us friendly and getting to know one another.
Many comments were heard that “for an assembly” it was a great meeting. Congratulations to PRESIDENT AL and his team of Directors.
Friday, Feb. 13, 6 p.m. is the RI President's dinner at Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, $50. Please email Ginny Lear if you would like to go. Ginny is arranging a table for our club. One table is complete, and a second one is underway. vklear@los-altos.org.
Message from Lucy Rasmussen:
Remember the book drive we did last summer to ship books to the Cura School in Nairobi, Kenya? Evelyn Mungai, the Rotary contact in Kenya has just sent me this message acknowledging the distribution of the books and a plea for more!! I have e-mailed Bob Adams (WCS) who sponsored the initial shipment with a suggestion that we repeat the effort in the near future. It is not expensive to send these books since Marie Nelson has an APO address. Just a little effort to do so much good!! Happy new year to all and see you on the 15th. Am back from being away nearly 5 weeks!! Best, Lucy
Programs and Events
January
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 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