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21 July  - Samina Faheem

AUGUST

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The meeting was initiated with the Pledge led by JEAN MORDO followed by SETH MANNING leading us in song. 

AL TRAFICANTI    provided quotes about happiness from known individuals:

·         “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” (Abraham Lincoln)

·         “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” (Aristotle)

·         “Happiness: a good bank account, a good cook and a good digestion.” (Jean Jacques Rousseau) - I, for one, understand the good bank account - but why do you need a good digestion if you have a good cook?!?!

·         “Happiness is nothing more than a good health and a bad memory.” (Albert Schweitzer)

·         “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family  - in another city.” (George Burns  - and he lived to be 100!

Pres.-Elect SAM PESNER fulfilled his duties by introducing visiting Rotarians and Rotarians with guests and that was followed by table discussions as to who sponsored you into Rotary and anyone you may have sponsored into the club as well.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

DAN O’DONNELL asked the membership for feedback as to where RotaCare Free Medical Clinic might present a “roadshow.”  The presentation is a 14-minute video and approx. 10-minute talk promoting the clinic and its benefits.  Do you know of service clubs, community organizations or other groups who might know of people who could benefit from our RotaCare Clinic?  If so, contact DAN O’Donnell (650) 967-3545 or e-mail danpat@odonnellaboo.com. 

Pres. MARLENE provided the following announcements to the assembled membership:

• 2005-06 annual membership dues billings were just sent with no increase.  If you haven’t yet paid for the Kickout Dinner, look for a separate billing for that event.  Please forward your payment to our treasurer SANDIE WHIPPLE.
• We are sad to report that past member AMY CHAMBERLIN died in a swimming accident in the American River on July 4^th.  She was a past employee of the Packard Foundation and worked with several of us on Independence Day and Veterans’ Day celebrations.  While a member of LARC, she dedicated time to the Rotary AIDS Project with editing the clinic care manual and with the distribution of the “Los Altos Story” DVDs. Memorial services were held in Oakland Sunday.   If you would like to learn more of AMY’s work with Wilderness Volunteers, you can check the website www.wildernessvolunteers.org/Amy.html. 
• Past Pres. JACK HEIDMILLER is doing much better than anticipated following surgery according to his wife, JANICE.  JACK is taking short walks and can have visitors at home. 
• Pres. MARLENE thanked LARRY CHU and MATT CABOT for successful Chinese chicken salad sales at the Los Altos Art and Wine Festival last weekend.  LARRY handed the food and shuttle work and MATT organized the members into sales teams for the event.  Funds go to supplement the club’s operations budget (now, maybe we know why dues aren’t going up!)
• A thanks was also given to DENNIS POTTER for the BBQ at the opening game of our club’s softball team schedule on July 11^th.  We know everyone ate well, but does anybody know how our team did against the opposition. 
• Our Los Altos Rotary Endowment Fund (LAREF) held elections and our new officers for 2005-06 are:  MARY MARLEY, Pres.; BELLA BERLLY, Vice Pres.; DENNIS YOUNG, Treasurer; TRACIE MURRAY, Secretary; DENNIS YOUNG and SETH MANNING will co-chair the Contributions Committee; BELLA BERLLY will chair Investments; MIKE SPENCE will be the accountant. 
• If you have any interest in expressing your opinions as to where LAREF should make contributions, please plan to attend a meeting on LAREF’s grants priorities to be held July 28^th, 6:30-9:00 p.m. at Northern Trust.  SAM PESNER will chair the event which will cover such topics as:  History of the “corpus” appropriate goal for growth, and community outreach; presentations by ROY LAVE (Community Building), SETH MANNING (Community Service), MARY PROCHNOW (Rotary AIDS Project), SHIV SHASTRI (Scholarships) and ALLART LIGTENBERG (World Community Service).  This is a wonderful opportunity for new members to become educated and “established” members to be updated on the contributions LAREF has, and is planning to, make to our own community and far beyond. 
• Our Los Altos Rotary Club Board of Directors approved the budget for 2005-06 and accepted the Audit Committee findings of the finances of  both our club and our annual Art Show.  Thanks were expressed to DICK HASENPFLUG and his committee. If you desire greater detail, minutes of the meeting are posted at www.losaltosrotary.org. 
• The District is holding a Membership Training Seminar July 28^th 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose.  The session is open to all members, but those responsible for membership are encouraged to attend to hear presentations on a Club Membership Plan; Diversity; Community Resources; Approaching a Prospective Member and Closing the Sale.  (Reminder to LARC members:  when you introduce a guest at a lunch or event, please refrain from referring to them as a prospective or future member.  They are simply you guest until they are approved and inducted into the club.)
• Please plan to attend our meeting of August 11^th.  This will mark the visit of District Governor ARLENE GREENBERG and a strong membership showing is always encouraged.  Pres. MARLENE mentioned special awards that day!
• Pres. MARLENE encouraged members to participate in Rotary Day at the A’s to support the efforts of RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).  The date is Aug. 13^th and if enough want to go, we can arrange carpools.  Cost of tickets are $12 or $16 payable to LAREF (50% of the proceeds is returned to our club!).
• The Los Altos Community Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, August 238^th at the Civic Center from 11:00-3:00.  JOHN MOSS is the contact if you can volunteer to help at the Rotary booth to help promote Rotary membership and donations.
• Pres. MARLENE, being a descendent of GEORGE DONNER, promoted the idea of members attending the 13^th annual Donner Party Weekend Oct. 8^th-9^th.  There will be hikes available at all levels of ability on Saturday and interpretive tours on Sunday.  Accommodations available at The Inn at Truckee @ $80-90/room/night (owned by our own RICK GLAZE!).  Phone 1 (888) 773-6888 for reservations.
• Pres. MARLENE also asked all of us to help our club and our meetings run efficiently.  Here are some general reminders:

1. Be sure to introduce yourself to new members and guests.  Wear your badge in a location where others can easily read your name.  Our club is growing and it is getting more difficult to meet and get to know each other.

      2. Keep clipboards moving to assure everyone sees them during the meetings.

      3. Committee chairs are reminded to keep information on our webpage updated (i.e., RotaCare, Rotary AIDS Project, A Sante, softball schedule, etc.)

 DUDE ANGIUS reported on activities at the annual Rotary International Convention in Chicago to the membership:

·         Probably best ever effort at a national convention.  450 additional DVDs of “The Los Altos Story” were distributed

·         The grants have now increased to $8.1MM to provide housing and care for AIDS orphans in Africa.  R.I.  Pres. Estes created a Rotary Action Group now entitled Rotarians For Fighting AIDS (RFFA)

·         The Plenary session was attended by over 800 participants

 RECOGNITION  JOHN SYLVESTER  provided opportunity for the following members to contribute to our club:  SAM HARDING (wants to be an early Explorer), MARLENE COWAN (I thought current presidents used to be exempt) , JERRY TOMANEK (Bloomberg recognized Bedrock Capital in top 500 wealth management companies), MARGE GRATIOT (now officially retired and grandchild #7), SAM PESNER (something about forgetfulness, but I can’t remember what), SETH MANNING (for an about to be grandchild), IRENE PRESTON (recognition at national confectioners’  convention award), BILLY RUSSELL (birthday #91 July 19^th), KAILIS CHIDAMBARUM 37^th wedding anniversary), BILL PALMER (not to be outdone, for wedding anniversary #60!).

 MEMBERSHIP

Director LARRY CHU introduced our two newest members: 

DAN HOLDEN who represents a firm that is a provider of reverse mortgages and GIGI CARTER who is the Associate Executive Director of our local YMCA.  Please welcome DAN and GIGI to our Los Altos Rotary Club.  Be sure to introduce yourself to them at your next opportunity.

 MARLENE COWAN provided her updated 5-minute talk.  We learned that her father was a want-to-be first baseman, but settled for a career as a microwave engineer and an avid baseball fan.  Her mother was an opera singer and fashion designer.  There had to be no want of topics for family conversations in their San Carlos residence.  Marlene remembers growing up hearing the lions roar from then nearby Marine World-Africa USA.  She developed a fear of lions she tried to overcome by traveling with a group led by DICK HENNING to Africa (never learned if she is cured or not!).  Her brother, GEORGE WALTHER, is a speaker and author with “Power Talking” and other business communication.  

At UC-Berkeley, she was a group that pioneered foreign studies in her junior year in France.  There are opportunities in over 80 countries thanks to that group’s initial efforts.  It also was the start of MARLENE’S interest in international cultures. 

She related that she is a direct descendent of GEORGE DONNER so we can easily see why she possesses the pioneering spirit. 

She married CHARLIE COWAN who was a nuclear engineer before his untimely passing and they have two children; daughter KATIE is a research biologist with a PhD from UCLA in bio-medical engineering who happened to introduce MARLENE to LUCI RASMUSSEN and son CHRISTOPHER is an up and coming basketball player and on the job market.  His bride, NINA, is Japanese and he speaks the language fluently.  

MARLENE worked with the International Exchange Program for 15 years at Foothill College, coordinating incoming interns from numerous countries.  She was involved in promoting international peace and understanding long before DICK HENNING sponsored her into our club.  That is also the background for her theme of “Exploring Other Cultures” for our Rotary year.

MARLENE’s hobbies include international travel (at least where there are no lions). Languages (she teaches French and Spanish), dancing (anything from Viennese Waltz to Nightclub Hustle).  Her stress relievers include floral design and gardening (one the result of the other, I suppose). 

 LEARNING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY

DICK HASENPFLUG introduced

ROBIN ABRAMS and MARK GOINES who provided us an update on the workings of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Finance of the Los Altos Elementary School District (in short, CACF).  DICK has been on the committee for 17 years, most as chair.  He also worked diligently on Parcel Tax initiatives and bond issues to support our schools.  Thanks to DICK for his marathon-like efforts for Los Altos schools - especially from someone who doesn’t have kids benefiting form the high level of education available in our community. 

ROBIN and MARK provided some interesting facts about the challenges that our local elementary school district continues to face.  

CACF is a 19-member committee comprised of community members and parents.  A number of local organizations are represented as well.  The committee provides an independent review of budgets and makes recommendations to financial challenges faced by the district.  There is an annual review of a six-year financial projection and other special projects that may arise. 

Slides were presented that showed tremendous financial support by our community (parcel tax, bond issue, Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) contributions and that the vast majority of expenses goes to classroom salaries, textbooks, supplies, and programs.  The biggest challenge for the next few years is to eliminate the deficit and develop a modest reserve.  This will be done primarily through non-classroom cuts as well as a salary freeze. 

Parents have been very supportive, but asking more of them might experience some resistance.  If real estate sales continue strong, there will be a larger real estate tax base (more revenue) as well as more children in the community (demand for more classroom space, possibly necessitating re-opening the Bullis site which immediately related to higher expenses.  There is also to need to renew the existing parcel tax to supplement basic aid revenues.  The charter school has presented additional financial challenges, but there is hope of cooperative efforts in the future.  The City of Los Altos and the school district have already demonstrated cooperation in jointly funding the two new gymnasiums at the middle schools. 

Parent surveys continue to illustrate a desire for smaller class size and greater emphasis on science and mathematics.  This comes with greater expenses as well.

The challenges for the school district will continue, especially as long as the State of California is challenged in providing adequate support to our schools.  However, it would appear that CACF is in good hands with ROBIN (incoming Chair) and MARK (President of Los Altos Educational Foundation) leading the way.  By the way, our Rotary Club is represented by yours truly as a member of the committee.  However, now that my 11 year old has joined Boy Scouts, I have a conflict with the Wednesday committee meeting days.  If anyone would be interested in succeeding my on CACF, please let me or Pres. MARLENE know. 

MESSAGE from PRESIDENT MARLENE:  “Exploring Other Cultures” has long been my professional and personal course in life.  In Rotary this year, I’ve asked for a monthly program to explore cultures we may not know well.  As Americans, it is in our best interest to understand the mentality, the values, faiths and traditions of people with whom we share the world.  Some LARC programs will cover general areas ( Hispanic, Islamic, American Indian) and others will be country-specific (a Rotary Peace Scholar from Korea, for example).  We’re fortunate to be a club of well-educated and well-traveled citizens, but there is always more to learn.  As you know, I’ve enjoyed various roles as an educator; you can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can’t take the classroom out of the teacher. 

 MARLENE, we’re glad you can’t and look forward to gaining many insights about other peoples of our world.  What a wonderful way to promote international peace and understanding as is the theme of Rotary International.