Next Week's Program: 

6 October - Los Altos City Council candidates

Upcoming Program:

13 October - Los Altos School Board Candidates

See Calendar for all of the important dates.

To see Neighboring Club meetings go to Clubs

To our Website

We greeted the return to summer weather (85° on the thermometer) with the appropriate "You are my Sunshine" today.  Jerry Tomanek provided some sage words, eight to be exact, from an ancient Hawaiian philosopher:  "If can, can; if no can, can't."  I'm still looking for the eighth word. 

Bella Berlly announced there was still room at our next wine and cheese social, probably because she corrected the notion that the Blandings were providing all the wine.  It's in Dick and Linda's cellar on Friday, October 7th, at 6 P.M.  No admission fee, only a bottle of your favorite wine and a little gourmet cheese or other special treat to nibble on. 

Joe Corral reported on Allart's adventures in Indonesia with our replacement fishing boat fleet, to help victims of the Tsunami rebuild their economy.  Four boats are complete now.  John Sines suggested we should name one "Pride of Los Altos".  Several other even more creative names were suggested by others, but privately to their neighbors only.  

Julie Rose touted the Chamber's upcoming Fall Festival this weekend downtown in the parking lot east of Main Street. 

Jeanne MacVicar congratulated LARC on doubling last year's funds raised by the Relay for Life, to $7,204.  We were #1 in the nation in online pledges, as you might expect from our Silicon Valley group.  Overall, the event netted $458,000 to help fight cancer.   

Shelly Potvin announced a special emergency preparedness class for Rotarians to be offered by CERT,  our program last week.  It takes two Saturdays, Nov. 5th and the 12th.  Sign up now! 

Katie Nutter's thanks were passed along to all the hosts for our big progressive dinner last weekend.  Thanks to Dick and Linda Blanding, and Ginny and King Lear for hosting hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.  For dinner, thanks go to:

Gary and Tracy Ross, Al and Nancy Traficanti, January Reed, Sam and Lou Pesner, and Katie Nutter.  Mel and Mady Kahn opened their home for dessert.

A special thanks to Something Special, the florist on State Street (next door to Peets), for providing complimentary flower arrangements to all our hosts and hostesses. 

President Marlene reminded us of the Avenues of Service  opportunity to learn more about Rotary, coming on Thursday Oct. 20th.  Our club pays for your dinner!  Sign up now. 

She then presented Past President Bob Adams with a “Service above Self”  award, with a commemorative certificate and special pin from the District Governor, for his extensive work with Partners for New Generations. 

Finemaster Seth Manning, then went right after the big bucks, bringing in a number of new Explorer Club members, including John "one word should do it" Sines, and Brian Ward, classification Funny Accent, who was browbeaten into joining the Exploiters Club.  Kendra Gjerseth was pleased to pay for revealing several of her company's wedding invitations and stationery products were featured in such magazines as New York Magazine, See, and San Francisco Magazine. recently. 

We were reminded of the big Donner Party Getaway Sat. & Sun. Oct. 8 & 9. Outdoor fun at Donner Lake, Saturday & Sunday Hikes, Sat. dinner together. Make your own hotel and hike reservations using brochures on the badge table.

President Marlene then introduced Madu Bishnu, female Rotarian from India.  She works on the Women's Literacy Project near Calcutta.  Her club has 21 ladies and 9 gentlemen, ranging from 34 to 85 years old.  Their district extends clear into Nepal.  She mentioned India has been conquered several times, but has not conquered anyone itself.  Madu described some pretty horrific conditions for females in India, including widespread physical violence against them, firstborn children killed if female, child labor, and girls being "married" by age 12. 

On a brighter note, Bob Adams introduced Bill Pierce, principal of the Alta Vista Alternative School.  Bill came from a long line of distinguished ancestors also named Wilbur Pierce (I, II, and III), and named his own sons Sean and Brandon.

He holds a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Educational Counseling.  Bill has been with the MVLA Union High School District for 20 years, half as principal, and has been at Alta Vista for 18 years. 

He thanked our Los Altos Rotary extensively for our substantial support in the way of volunteers to help counsel, take kids out to lunch, and coach their athletic teams, as well as fund some projects, like uniforms for the soccer team.   The school is now fully accredited and has a wait list to get in.  It won the state's "Model Continuation School" award twice, and has a widely diverse makeup in the student population, with half of the kids coming from families "below the poverty line."  Despite off-school differences, kids say "school is a neutral zone", leading to a graduation rate of 85 to 90%.  Many go on to Foothill, tech training, or into the military.  Boo reported the kids had a universal response to the question about what makes the school so good.  Answer: "They really care about us here."  It was easy to understand how Bill can bring so many talented volunteers, with his infectious enthusiasm about helping his students be successful under sometimes challenging circumstances.

Announcements in their Entirety: 

SHELLY POTVIN- CERT Training for Rotarians and their families.

Join CERT - 'Community Emergency Response Team'. Come learn how to be prepared for an emergency. Learn what to do to help your family, neighbors, customers, friends and your fellow man.

This class if for Rotarians &their family members. Check your calendars now for availability. Only 30 open seats. You need not live in Los Altos.
 
NOVEMBER 5th &12th. Two Saturdays from 9 - 3.   Lunch is provided.
 
Please bring your check for $90 per person (made out to LAPD). This includes a back pack filled with important life saving tools. 

MARLENE COWAN - UPDATES

Emily Taylor's baby arrived Sept. 19 and is named George Kenneth Ryser Taylor. Emily and Ken's new address: 5387 S. Havana Court, Englewood, CO  80111, tel 720-222-0258. They now live near Denver, and we miss Emily at LARC!
 
Correction and complete details:  Media  Day
Media Day on Wed, Oct. 19, 3:30 - 5:00 pm at Los Altos United
 Methodist Church on Magdalena Ave/Foothill Expwy is sponsored by the
 Mt. View/Los Altos Community Roundtable which is comprised of
 representatives from the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs of Mt. View and Los
 Altos ALONG WITH THE LOS ALTOS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. All community based  organizations and non-profit agencies are invited to hear a 10-15  minute presentation and Q/A by media representatives from Los Altos Town Crier, Mt. View Voice, Palo Alto Daily, Palo Alto Weekly, San  Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Chronicle. Materials will be  distributed by each newspaper to assist with articles being submitted.   No Cost and refreshments willl be provided. RSVP encouraged, but not  required: mediaday@losaltoscf.org or tel (650) 949-5908, ext. #5.   Please provide the names of those attending and their organizations.