Next Week's Program: 
22 September - LAPD - Community Emergency Preparedness
 

Upcoming Events:
29 September -  (EOC) Bill Pierce - AVHS Principal

See Programs for all of the important dates.

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To District 5170

The meeting started with HEINZ BLENNEMANN leading the pledge and JOHN SYLVESTER leading us in a rendition of “America.” 

SHELLY POTVIN SUTTON provided our thought for the day.  She used the outpouring of assistance and generosity for Hurricane Katrina victims, from other countries as well as ours, that reminded her of some wise words from WINSTON CHURCHILL, “We make a living by what we get and we make a life by what we give.”  If you weren’t sure why you joined Rotary, maybe now you know.  

Pres. Elect SAM PESNER introduced visiting Rotarian DONALD ZEMAN, a jeweler from the Sonoma club as well as a number of guests

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Our program September 22^nd will be by our own Los Altos Police Department on emergency preparedness.  Learning how long it takes help to arrive using Hurricane Katrina as an example, we’ll need to be self-sufficient for a time in case of a natural disaster.   Am I the only one that is aware of announcements on the radio that earthquake season is all year long?

KATIE NUTTER reminded the multitude of the Progressive Dinner on Sept. 24^th.  We know cocktails will be at either the Lear’s home or Blanding’s home.  One house is still needed to host the main course - food and flowers provided.  All you’ll have to do is clear off the dining room table.  Anyone available?  Just let KATIE know A.S.A.P. 

HUGH RIDDELL asked Los Altos Rotarians to support the A Sante’ fundraiser on Nov. 3^rd.  It will be held at the Del Monte building on Evelyn Avenue in Sunnyvale on Nov. 3^rd.  TRACIE MURRAY demonstrated the $50 wine glass you’ll get to keep (after tasting several wines, I presume).  This is an important fundraiser for the Rotacare Clinics.  Please support the cause.

JEAN MORDO made a last call for participants to join other Rotarians for dinner at Maltby’s and the play at the Bus Barn Theater on Sept. 29^th.  A few seats remain.  Contact JEAN soon, please.

A tasty dinner, entertaining play and great social time; what more can you ask for?

BELLA BERLLY, staying with the food the drink theme, announced a wine and cheese social at the Blanding’s on Oct. 7^th  (We should offer to have the Blanding’s carpets cleaned if we use their house so often!). 

BEN MCGANN announced that flu shots would be available before our Rotary meeting on October 20th or 27th. Beginning at 11:30.  Let’s hope the supply lasts this year since the manufacturer apparently hasn’t been capable of producing sufficient quantities recently.

KAILAS CHIDAMBARAM announced the Fiesta De Las Americas to be held Oct. 14^th in San Francisco, a fundraiser for the Coaniquem burn centers in Chile.   These clinics provide critical services to children who have suffered severe burns and let them live normal lives.

JOE CORRAL stimulated a round of applause when he announced that the first fifteen fishing boats were successfully launched on Aug. 25^th for the fishing fleet ravaged by the tsunami in Indonesia last December.  Our club participated in providing funds and resources to allow these replacement fishing vessels to be built in record time. 

MARY PROCHNOW announced that Rotary International would have representatives involved in Partners in Service visiting from Sri Lanka, India and Brazil.  Home hosts are needed for short periods during their visit Sept. 28-Oct. 29^th.  The host would provide a room, some meals and transportation to daily events.  This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know someone from another part of our world.  It is a wonderful way to promote peace and goodwill as well.  

Pres. MARLENE made several announcements:

-          Red Badgers (and everyone else, too) are encouraged to attend the World Community Service committee meeting Sept. 27^th 8:00 a.m., at Northern Trust. 

-          A grant-writing workshop will be offered by District #5170 on Sept. 29^th, at 6:00 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose. 

-          Don’t forget to participate in the Donner Party Getaway on Oct. 8^th & 9^th.  The weekend provides opportunities to learn history, hike carious trails and dine together with fellow Rotarians.  Reservations may still be available at Rick Glaze’s Inn at Truckee.-         

-          The District Avenue of Service BBQ will be held Oct. 20^th.  Directors, committee chairs and Red Badgers are strongly urged to participate in Hayward from 5:30-9:00 p.m.

-          Simi Valley Rotary Club is offering fancy frames for your Paul Harris Fellow Certificate as a fundraiser for $199.  MARLENE has the details if your are interested. 

MEMBER NEWS

LARRY CHU introduced to new members to our Los Altos Rotary Club.

-          GAEL KNIGHT    is a third generation accountant with Knight and Company, an accounting and income tax firm on First Street, sponsored by JULIE ROSE.

-          JIM REYNOLDS  will be opening a high end Japanese bakery on Main Street (where Kahn’s Pharmacy was located at Third Street), sponsored by JOANNE KAVALARIS.

MARLENE COWAN awarded Service Above Self awards to members as follows:

-          KATIE NUTTER for revisions of club brochure and other printed materials

-          JOHN MOSS for promoting and managing the club’s booth at the Community Picnic

-          MARY MARLEY for her work with Partners For New Generations

-          CHUCK LINDAUER for working with the PNG data base and recruiting new members

SAM HARDING led the recognition using a pet theme (more specifically, the weight of your current or previous pet).  Those tabbed for recognition included BAIDRA MURPHY, SANDIE WHIPPLE, HINDA WEBER, AL TRAFICANTI, JOHN SYLVESTER, DAVID SMITH, CINDY LUEDTKE, STEVE SHEPHERD, BOB RAYL and SHELLY POTVIN SUTTON.  BAIDRA went all the way to the “Explorers’ Club” by announcing that she is expecting her first child on (appropriately for an Irish lass) St. Patrick’s Day.  Congratulations!

PROGRAM BELLA BERLLY provided the introduction for our speaker, TARA VAN DERVEER,   women’s basketball coach at Stanford University.  Having the opportunity to listen to TARA, you cease to wonder how a university with one of the highest academic standards can attract athletes who can be competitive in sports.  Stanford University is not a sports factory that produces professional athletes under the disguise of a institution of higher learning.  But women’s basketball teams have complied a 247-28 record at Maples Pavilion while TARA has been the head coach the past 18 years.  That means losing an average or only 1½ games at home each year over eighteen years! 

TARA began her coaching career quite by accident and through the basic fear of losing shelter.  She had been at college studying Sociology, possibly with the thought of attending law school, when her funds ran out and she came home for the Christmas holiday.  When she didn’t head back to school, her father asked what she was going to do and TARA had no answer.  Her father did, however.  Go help coach her kid sister’s basketball team.  TARA’s dad knew she was a basketball “groupie” and had played basketball recreationally as often as possible as a kid growing up.  There were no women’s basketball teams in those days, but she still had a passion for the game.  When TARA objected that she had no coaching experience and the her sister’s team had just lost a game something like 99-11, that’s the last thing she wanted to do.  When her dad asked where she planned to sleep that night if she didn’t help coach the team, the message was clear.  She now has coached 26 years including University of Idaho, Ohio State and the past 20 years at Stanford.    Her accomplishments also include coaching the US women’s Olympic basketball team to a gold medal (and a 60-0 record) in 1996 and compiling an 88-8 record coaching team in the USA Basketball League.  She has been voted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame and the University of Indiana Hall of Fame.  

Stanford University is blessed to have her as their women’s basketball coach.  He has achieved the notoriety and reputation as a highly successful coach not because she strived for those goals, but because she has a passion for the game and has the ability to have each player attain the very best of their respective abilities while competing in the game.  

TARA shared some of her experiences of her coaching experiences with us.  An hour before coaching to her team to a gold medal in the Olympics, she reflected on her childhood when she struggled with Algebra and went out to play basketball rather than study.  Her dad reminded her that she needed to study Algebra because basketball would never take her anywhere.  Yeah, right!  Little did he know the potential once women were afforded an equal opportunity to play sports. 

She related a time she invited her parents to accompany a team she was coaching to France.  She was mortified to hear her mother screaming advice to TARA from the stands.  There was also a visit to the White House after winning the Olympic gold medal and an offer to jog with then-President Clinton.  A member of the Secret Service asked TARA in a whisper if the girls might have trouble keeping up, only to discover that they had to hold back to keep from making the chief executive look bad.  He even stopped them under the excuse to show them some sights of Washington DC, but was huffing and puffing to such an extent he couldn’t get the words out.  Then there was a visit to the Supreme Court and Judge O’Conner.   They were introduced to a gym on the third floor and enjoyed a pick-up basketball games with the Supreme Court justices. 

She also remembers picking up a recruit for the Stanford women’s team coming for a campus visit from Carolina.  Driving from the airport to campus, TARA asked what she was thinking.  Anticipating comments such as the beauty of the campus or the anxiety of playing so far from her home, she uttered that wanted to make a difference in the world.  Later, during her college experience, she volunteered as a hospital intern.  One day at practice, she proudly reported to TARA that she had saved a man’s life in the emergency room.  She indeed had made a difference. 

TARA encourages all of us to find our passion.  She gains a great deal of her energy and motivation from talking with young people to help them determine what they like to do, then encourage them to find a way to do that for a living (Unfortunately, I don’t think I’d be able to make a living as a beach bum).   

For the 2005-06 Stanford women’s basketball team, the success will depend upon who will rise to the top from those that didn’t’ graduate (five seniors graduated last year).  Three incoming freshman may have an impact.  Many women’s basketball programs are well underway with practices while Stanford students won’t return to campus for another week or two.  On top of this, recruitment is always difficult since academics always come first at this school.  Nevertheless, TARA has her team aim for first the Pacific Ten championship, the NCAA tournament in March and a shot at the Final Four in that tournament.  With a coach like TARA VANDERVEER leading a group of young athletes, I would venture anything is possible.  My money says the Stanford’s women’s basketball team will be playing a lot of games in March 2006, and years to come. 

Webmaster's note:  Take a look at our updated website.  http://www.losaltosrotary.org We now have a calendar that lists various events by month.  The Calendar Button is to the right of the "Members" button, making it easier for anyone, members and guests to see what we are doing.  It also displays future programs.  Eventually we will have a makup calendar to see who is meeting when.  For now, just click on "Clubs" to the left (in this Rotator) and you will be directed to our District website which keeps track of who meets when. 

I will be out of town for the next three weeks, and STEVE GRUBER has gratiously 'offered' to publish the Rotator.  So writers, photographers and editors, please send all your input to Steve Gruber.