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June   9 - LAREF Annual Meeting & Art Show report

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President Cindy Luedtke rang the bell to start Scholarship Day at the Los Altos Rotary Club promptly on time to have some Rotary pride and fun.  Rich Fisher led the pledge and silver throated Alan Lambert led us in song.

David Smith presented the thought for the day from a prayer he heard during his three-week sojourn in South Africa to visit a Rotary project school for the blind.  In essence, the thought was that Rotarians make others better by using their freedom.

Marlene Cowan, who loves to tout our club as the third biggest, but most fun, introduced visiting Rotarians and Rotarians with guests.  Rotarians included visitors from India, Cupertino, and Columbus, Georgia.  Guests were many.

Next Week:  Partners for New Generations, honors tutors and mentors with Joanna Medin and Mary Marley.

Bruce Keeps on Dancing  Rugged Rotarian Bruce Cann just returned from Australia, where he went to see family and friends.  Bruce, who went skydiving on his 80^th birthday, has multiple myeloma.  He’s such a brave fighter that he inspires all of us.  As Bruce said, “Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here, we might as well dance.”  Keep on dancin’ – yeah!  (BeeGees).

Kick Her Out! Sandi Whipple reminded all that it’s time to pay for the annual kick out dinner for President Cindy.  Sandi was kind to report that you pay even if you don’t go, so go.

John Moss announced the Relay for Life event, plus a new program at the Senior Center for disposing of unwanted medicines in an environmentally safe manner.  We don’t want drugs in the bay, so don’t flush them! Bring them instead to the Los Altos Senior Center for safe disposal.  It's at 97 Hillview Ave., on June 6-10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Scholarship Event  Scholarship Committee Chair Shiv Shastri was both profound and professional in presenting the annual Rotary Student Awards Program.  A strong public speaker, Shiv pointed out that the scholarships given by Rotary make a lasting difference in the lives of the recipients and are an investment in the future of Rotary and the larger world.

Shiv advised that the funds raised at the annual art show provide the resources to make these investments in our youth.  He thanked the many Rotarians in our club who volunteer their time for the committee.

Baidra Murphy, director of youth and vocational service, introduced Principal Arthur Harris who presented the Blach Intermediate School Award to Mary Reynolds and Edwin Jeng.  Mary is a superb athlete, scoring 20 of her team’s 36 points in the recent championship game.  “With Mary, it’s never about Mary, it’s about the other person,” Harris said.  “She could probably run the business of the classroom herself if needed.”  Harris said that Edwin has the “kind soul reflected in his music”  – appropriate for a first-chair violinist.

Brenda Dyckman, Egan Intermediate School principal, introduced Maureen McBirney and Daniel Moerner, both top students at Egan.  “Mo has a perfect 4.0 GPA,” she said.  “Thoughtful and unassuming, she’s about making others shine,” Dyckman said.  Math coordinator Laura Masauro presented the award to Daniel Moerner.  She said Daniel has great integrity and fantastic attention to detail – thus his 2^nd overall win at the recent math contest. “ He’s also a true gentleman,” she said.

Just before the presentation of the Rotary Scholarships, Rotarian Shiv made the following comments about the scholarship program.  “This is a very fulfilling role to play,” Shiv said of his participation as chair of the committee charged with naming the scholarship recipients.  “Today’s challenges for young people are perhaps even greater than in previous generations.  They are constantly barraged with many influences in their lives.  By making these awards, Shiv said, “we are standing behind the values and principles of commitment to community service.”  The reason these young people were chosen is because they 1) are dedicated to community service, 2) have demonstrated superior academic achievement (a min. 3.0 for consideration) and 3) financial need. 

Mountain View High School Principal Patricia Hyland presented the community Service Scholarships to Sheila Donovan, Daniel Slate, Kevin Stanek, Karisa Tang and Donna Vo.  Shiela is attending NYU.  Daniel will go to Stanford.  Kevin will attend USC.  Karisa will enroll at UCLA. Donna will attend UCLA. “These kids are resilient and represent all youth,” Principal Hyland said.

Los Altos High School Principal Wynne Satterwhite presented the awards to Wei-Wei Liu, Victor Ruelas and Matthew Weiden.  Wei-Wei will attend Stanford, Victor will go to Whitman, and Matthew will attend UCLA.  Each of the honorees was a top student in the class.  As Victor said, he studies not for the grades, but for the love of learning.  Rotarian Marlene Cowan presented Victor with the Charles Cowan Award for Science and Technology.

Mountain View Academy science teacher Jim Marxmiller presented the award to Andrew Nguyen.  His teacher said "Andrew  is vice president of the National Honor Society, and the Intel Computer Award Winner; he’s respected, diplomatic and will be a talented scientist."  Andrew will attend UC San Diego.

St. Francis High School guidance counselor Sherrie Tasnady presented the award to Rebecca Vu.  She said Rebecca combines talent with service.   Able to answer a “genius-style” math question, Rebecca was accepted at Yale, Cornell and all the UC’s, but chose to attend Stanford.

It will be a good future.

JOHN MOSS reminds us about the American Cancer Society’s fundraiser RELAY FOR LIFE walk-a-thon on June 25^th and 26^th.  Los Altos Rotary club has a team, and is still looking for walkers.  Apparently only 7 (out of 37) of you have gone to the website to sign-up as a walker.  Here is the information:  Go to the Los Altos Relay For Life website at:  http://www.losaltosrelay.com/.  Then, click on Click here to join or start a team!  .  then, agree to Waiver/Agreement clause, and click “I AGREE”.  Then you click on “Join a Team”, and then click on the drop down box to select the Rotary Team:  ROTARY RAMBLERS, click on “Continue”, and fill out the application form. 

Once that is completed, you have an opportunity to donate right then are there.  It is as simple as ordering something from Lands End, without picking the size and model, and color numbers.  Just fill in the amount, and your credit card information and you are signed up.

One thing. This is a fund raiser, so, surprise, surprise, you are expected to either/or/and solicit donations from your non walking friends, and family members.  I just happened to mention it at family dinner the other night and my daughter-in-law (just fresh off a Fund Raiser at Monclaire) offered to walk and solicit for the cause, so you never know. 

Another point: as a walker, you will be asked to set up an account to accumulate all of the donations that will be made in your name.  Be sure to do that.  That way you can keep track of your goal.  You than can send the donation URL to your friends and family.  You don’t have to collect checks or anything.  It couldn’t be easier. 

 If you are not a walker, you can use this same website to make your donation.