This Thursday's Program: 
World Community Service Report
 

Upcoming Events:

June 8th:
Annual LARC Golf/BBQ dinner

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June 17 - 20th:
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Salt Lake City Utah.

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ROTACARE FREE CLINIC

The following restaurants continually donate food for the staff at our RotaCare Free Clinic.

Please thank them by frequenting their restaurants.

 Click on the icon below for more information about the restaurant.

Remember PP MARGE BRUNO’S Presidential year?  What?  You weren’t a member then?  That’s not surprising.  More than 2/3 of the members today were not members in 1995.  But no matter.  Marge’s theme for that year was Act, Work and Serve, going along with the International theme of “ACT with Integrity.  SERVE with Love.  WORK for Peace. “

In her President’s message she said, among other things, “make this a year which we renew our commitment to each other, to the Club and to the youth of our community.”

What came out of those challenging words was a program that we celebrated today, Partners for New Generations.  PP Marge lead the pledge today, but more importantly, 10 years ago, her efforts, and that of a whole lot of other people thereafter, led to the founding of a volunteer service program that aids our youth of the community: PNG.

The motto of PNG is “You are only young once, but you can make a difference for a lifetime”

I think that was particularly evident today in the introduction of PNG’s poster child Machala and her mentor, Wally Brunner.  What if Wally had not volunteered with PNG?  Where would Machala be today?  Where would hundreds of kids be today without the love and support afforded by the PNG cadre?

What if PAT FARRELL, ROLAND PAYNE, MARY MARLEY, BOB and LOIS ADAMS, KENDRA GJERSETH, NANCY TRAFFICANTI, and every other of the 170 mentors, tutors, child advocates, too numerous to specifically mention, “were too busy,” “had a prior commitment,” “didn’t feel right” you pick the excuse, to volunteer their time for this worthy cause?

Was today an “infomercial” for PNG?  You bet it was.  Was it effective?  You bet.  Not unlike the slicers and dicers you see on cable at 2 AM I think we all felt compelled to get on the band wagon do some good. Most of us have heard about PNG; many of us are involved in PNG. 

Most of us do volunteer.  I mean, come on, didn’t we just have one of the most successful Art Shows in recent memory, expertly lead by KATIE NUTTER?  And, didn’t a whole handful of us participate in the Scholarships awards, handing out thousands and thousands of dollars to deserving, hardworking students?  KATHY BERRY and her team seamlessly lead that effort.  Sure we did.  But today’s program was about not only us Rotarians, but the hundred or so other members of our community who hold the same volunteer credo of ‘Service Above Self’. 

Ten years ago, PP Marge challenged us to work for our youth.  I think PNG has, and continues to do just that.  We heard, and saw first hand, just a few recipients of that work.  The question of course is who benefited more, the volunteers or the children?  As I listened today, it was hard to tell.  I don’t think you can do work like PNG without being positively changed.  With the Art Show, or even the scholarships, the benefits are a little more transparent.  Sure, we all worked to raise the 50 – 60 – 70 – 80 K that will fund 100% of our charitable programs over the next year, but the feeling is more circumspect, or maybe ‘indirect’ is a better word.  I don’t think any PNG volunteer would say that the benefits of their work are ‘indirect.’

PNG will soon have its own website.  Even though it is still ‘in the making’ you can take a peak before the general public knows about it.  Go to http://www.partnersfornewgenerations.org.  If you have any comments about the website, good or otherwise, send them to webmaster@partnersfornewgenerations.org and he will see that they get to the appropriate people. 

Over the years there has been a couple of 2^nd generation Rotarians.  PP MEL KAHN, MIKE ESTILL, LARRY CHU JR, BAIDRA MURPHY and past Rotarian, MIKE CABOT all come to mind.  Sorry, there were probably others.  Anyway, past member NELS BURDETT was present today to see his daughter, BONNIE BURDETT welcomed into the Red Badge club with a standing ovation.  NELS’ sponsor (if you want to see some serendipity) was PP MARGE BRUNO.  BONNIE’S sponsor is PP CINDY LUEDTKE.

ART SHOW UPDATE:  Contact Louis Borel to buy art show wine – sale ends June 7!

Last week’s Rotator got Louis Borel’s e-mail wrong.  It’s “cooljacquie@sbcglobal.net.”  Or call him at 964-5149.  Here’s what’s available on a first come, first served basis. 

BY THE CASE:        

 $192   2004 Chardonnay Clos du Ch. Chardonnay (equates to $16/bottle)
 $204   2001 Pouilly Fuisse Partriche ($17/bottle)                    

 $360   2003 Meursault Ch. De Meursault ($30/bottle)
 $312   2003 Gevrey Chambertin Doudet Maudin ($26/bottle)
 $252   2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Laurant Brotte ($21/bottle)

 $192   2002 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Ch. Meursault ($16/bottle)

 $240   2003 St. Emilion Clos de Menuts ($20/bottle)
 $192   1996 Haut Medoc Ch. Maurac Major ($16/bottle)
 $156   2001 Graves Ch. Bel-Air ($13/bottle)
   $60   Chenet Chardonnay
   $60   Chenet Cabernet Sirah
   $60   Chenet Merlot
   $62   Kriter Brut Champaign split

BY THE BOTTLE:
 $16    Clos Chateau Chardonnay (2 bottles available)
 $17    Pouilly Fuisse (3 bottles available)
 $18    Graves 2001 (4 bottles)
 $30    Mersault du Chateau, white (10 bottles)
 $16    Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois (7 bottles)
 $21    Chateau du Pap (5 bottles)

To purchase these wines, contact Louis Borel via e-mail at cooljacquie@sbcglobal.net.  (Louis’s wife, Jacqueline, is, indeed, cool. She takes care of e-mail for him, and we art show colleagues are grateful for her help.)  Checks only, please, made out to Los Altos Rotary Endowment Fund or LAREF.  Wines can be picked up at Louis’s house at 1995 Deodora, just off St. Joseph, off Foothill Expressway.  He may be persuaded to bring them to Rotary, if that’s possible for him.  Remember, June 7 is the deadline.  After that date, Louis will return any unpurchased wine to his supplier – for a rebate, of course.

PP BOB ADAMS ran the program today. Lots of speakers, guests (about 40) and praise all around.  Even so, Mountain View Rotarian, MVLA Board member and frequent visitor to LARC, Judy Hannemann, lead us in a rare opportunity to ‘speak among ourselves’ about PNG, and its affect on the youth of our community.  That alone was worth the price of admission.

MARY MARLEY (a mentor herself) was designated at Fine master.  Her job was made infinitely simpler by the fact that everyone was just dying to become a Poobah before the deadline.  There were even Poobahs that wanted to be Extended-Poobahs.  My count got the following POOBAHS:

·  PP MARGE BRUNO
·  BRUCE CANN
·  PP CINDY LUEDTKE (Extended)
·  PP MARLENE COWAN (Extended)
·  PAUL SCHUTZ
·  PAUL NYBERG (extended)
·  LOUIS BOREL
·  JOANNE BYRNE

And then there was Dick DuHring.  He, well, he had been fined the last three weeks in a row, and I think he got off scott-free.

PAT FARRELL, who has been a PNG mentor for years, came to the mike with his mentee, Arturo Luna.  

ROLAND PAYNE , a mentor as well, talked about the critical role Child Advocates have in this whole process.  More information about the Child Advocates program started by Judge Len Edwards can be seen on their website.

ROLAND, by the way was singled out as a ‘SUPER VOLUNTEER’ participating in every program that PNG offers. 

Duane Stauffer talked about the Early Literacy Program, and how it became associated, or rather partnered with PNG.  He brought up Alejandro Yanez who spoke of how the early literacy program he participated in when he was nine helped him to excel at Paly High. 

PP CINDY LUEDTKE spoke about the founding of the program, and how it was originally called Partners in Education, a tutoring program for elementary students at Santa Rita School.  The following year, under BOB ADAMS reign, the program evolved to became Partners for New Generations, a testament to the broadening focus on the many aspects of the youth of our community and a title offered by the Rotary International President in that same year. 

Cindy then introduced NANCY TRAFICANTI who has been with the program from the PIE beginning, and despite her attempt to ‘retire’ again, continues to be a driving force of PNG as a motivator for tutors in the nine elementary schools of our district.

NANCY introduced Wally Brunner and her mentee, Machela who, together  demonstrated how they work together during their tutoring sessions to vastly improve Machela’s reading and comprehension.

Wendy Dowling, was introduced by our own HINDA WEBER, Director of Case Management at MVLA School District.  Wendy echoed the need for more volunteers.  She is a teacher at Alta Vista, who sees first hand the positive results of PNG’s efforts in tutoring her high school math students.  Kids who do better in school naturally feel better about themselves.  That can only be positive.

Julie Barton brought up Alejandra (note the ‘a’ at the end) Sanchez, who spoke about her positive mentoring experience.

Speaking of financial support; I think it is appropriate to mention that the financial support of the work of PNG is extremely important.  PP BOB ADAMS has set up a three-year planning horizon that allows PNG to be self-sufficient.  The following corporations are contributors, and deserve your patronage:

Borel Bank
Heritage Bank
Northern Trust
Rambus
RSM McGladrey
Town Crier Holiday Fund

The blue handout on the tables additionally lists Foundations (6),  Service Clubs (4),  Individuals (29 – mostly LARC members) and other companies.  When the website is up, it will probably have a more detailed list.  There will also be an opportunity to ‘scratch that itch’ to volunteer that was started by the program today.  Check out the website now and again to see it progress.

Well, let’s see.  What else happened today?  Oh, yeah, this writer received “Rotarian of the Month” much to my surprise.  Thank you. 

Speaking of ‘Tooting my Own Horn’ (you are going to love this segue), The Ye Olde Town Band will have 4 scheduled free concerts in Shoup Park this summer, 1:30 – 3:30:

June 24^th
July 29^th
August 26
September 30^th

And we did see another view of JEANNE MACVICAR who lead some in “Row, Row, Row your Boat”, others in “Three Blind Mice” and some dissidents in “Friere’ Jacque”. 

On a sad note, our humble President SAM didn’t have time for a joke. So next week he will start the meeting with a humdinger. 

WEBMASTER’S note:  You may notice that the Rotator this week has a new look.  This is only part of what is to come one our website in the next Rotary year, “The Year of John.”

As you know, we help sponsor the RotaCare Free Clinic in Mountain View by our financial support and volunteer time both at the clinic and by delivering meals to the staff on a weekly basis. 

Perhaps you have been wondering where these meals come from.  On the left of the Rotator, you will see a number of icons that are symbolic of these restaurants who contribute these very fine meals.  Click on the icon to learn more about these generous eating establishments.  Many have websites, online menus and other information you may find useful.  We encourage you to visit these restaurants as a ‘thank you’ for their participation. It might even be useful to tell them you are there because of their support for the clinic.  Maybe we could even have a social event some Monday night (historically a slow night for restaurants) where we would all come en masse as a special thank-you for their generosity. 

FROM HERE TO TIMBUCTO
Believe it or not, other things were going on as well. PAUL NYBERG sent these pictures of their trip to, yes, Virginia, there really is a Timbucto:

I had a good time tracking down the president of the new Rotary Club in Timbucto. I did not attend a meeting, but did give her the flag David had given me before we left. 
 
 When we drove into the city we first saw a sign for Rotary and Polio Plus "giving polio the boot." 
 
 And also a third pix is of AIDS orphans cared for by Nouh's group. Here they are having lunch sitting on the ground and all eating rice out of common bowls. 
 
Paul