This Week's Program: 
• Dr. Kathryn Riley - Spinal Health

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IN MY HEAD - So, it is still in my head.  What do I do?  Maybe I could think of a song that would replace it, but then THAT would be in my head instead.  Is it better to have that song in my head or the other song in my head?  I case you weren’t there today, I won’t tell you what the Song for the Day was, but know it is in my head - or maybe I should tell you.  After all, it is not in your head - yet.  Thank KIM COPHER for it anyway.

PP DAN DUTTON lead the crowd in the Pledge and then tried to steal some time with a joke, but was promptly cut off by Pres. SAM and HIS HOOK. Pres. SAM finished the program with a joke.  But again, you had to be there to hear that ditty. 

Thought of the Day was given by CINDY WEMYSS who said something derisive about men so I *forgot* to write it down. 

PE JOHN MOSS had visiting Rotarians introduce themselves.  We had two (one being the speaker today).  Both were greeted by the appropriate “Hi Bob.”

This past week’s Town Crier had a picture of two founding members of our club.  Check it out.

BEVY OF ANNOUNCEMENTS: Reminder: Free Style High is having its open house this MONDAY on AUGUST 21^ST.  Check out this link for further information: http://mvhs.elists.mvla.net/archives/ptsa/msg00082.html. 

RAP committee did meet Thursday after the meeting.

Sunnyvale Rotary is having a golf tournament on August 31^st.  More information here: http://www.sensoryaccess.com/images/FlyerSAF2.pdf

Weekly attendance is an important measure of the health of our club.  Even though we are made up a group of very active members, there are times and circumstances that prevent us from enjoying the non-gender-specific fellowship a luncheon meeting affords.  To wit, President Sam spent a fair amount of time explaining how we could participate in an online meeting.  It doesn’t sound like ‘fellowship’ as I know it, but, it does satisfy that ‘attendance’ component of membership obligation.  Sam offered his Powerpoint for inclusion in the Rotator.  But instead, I give you the URL to one specific online club (I suppose there are others) http://www.rotaryeclubone.org.  Use it when you have to, but for REAL fellowship try here, Thursdays at Noon.

In fact (watch this segue) we did have 10 minutes devoted specifically to fellowship, and judging from the sound level, there was lots of it.  Someone even saw Jean Mordo doing a makeup on his Palm Treo phone with the Online Rotary Club.  DENNIS YOUNG suggested that this was ‘Double Dipping’  I know phone had chips, but that was ridiculous. 

Apropos to today’s meeting, PP DUDE ANGIUS asked that the following announcement be made:

Foundations Come Through For RFFA.
Since LARC has more members belonging to Rotarians For Fighting AIDS than does any other club, the following news from RFFA President Marion Bunch should make all of us feel justifiably proud.

As a founding partner of ANCHOR (African Network for Children Orphaned and at Risk),  RFFA's  major efforts have focused on the plight and care of AIDS orphans in Africa. An initial government (AED) grant of $8 million two years ago launched the program.

This month , RFFA  received a two- year $1 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and another three year grant of $1.2 million from the Coca Cola Africa Foundation. Good news for an expanding orphan care network!
Dushan (Dude) Angius
President
Rotary AIDS Project

I asked for volunteers to occasionally help LEE LYNCH with the cashiering duties because backup-cashier HUGH RIDDELL is now our Sergeant-At-Arms.  I was stunned with the offers.  During the fellowship time, KENDRA GJERSETH, VAL CARPENTER and KAREN OWEN all came up and offered their services.  So here’s the point:  To those of you who need to fill vacancies in your committees, there are plenty of people in our club willing to do the task.  A simple announcement (at least as articulate as mine) will surprise you with the results.   Members, if you are in danger of being a RINO (Rotarian In Name Only) there are plenty of committees that need members and leaders.  Do you know someone?  For example;  I need about 4 people to fill committee positions that I am responsible for.  Email me, MATT CABOT

EXTORTION MASTER, RICK GLAZE, was caught looking at COETA CHAMBER’S firm calves.  It seems among other things, she and her daughter participated in a 500 mile (yes decimal point is in the correct place) ride to L.A.  for a cancer fund raiser.  They personally raised $15,000 of the $8 million that was raised.

Rick went on to ding a number of individuals who couldn’t remember that all the answers were “STEVE SHEPHERD.”  CINDY WEMYSS (a fellow Financial Advisor) got back by fining Rick for mispronouncing her name.  Nothing Freudian there, huh?

Ever wondered what happened to past member Rudi Ligtelyn? (member from1967-1999) He happened to write our website about something, and I had him send me a picture.  It looks like he is in Folsum, but not really.  He has retired to Calistoga, where he is in the process of rejoining Rotary.  Maybe it's the water.

TODAY’S PROGRAM – PE JOHN MOSS probably holds the record for number of guests at one time.  I think he had 10 today.  All of them were present to hear or participate in the program today.  Our speaker today, Tom Popp, it turns out, is John's first cousin.   Tom is also the Past President of the Madison, WI Rotary Club.  He was joined by his daughter, Emily Popp, and her friend, Digo Ferreira.  They spoke about their work in Malawi.  Tom spent time in his youth in the Peace Corps in Malawi, and rekindled many friends he made 40 years ago.  Tom got a $5,000 grant from Rotary International to go to Malawi to help the local people develop a program to aid the orphans created by the AIDS epidemic.  He thanked us as contributors not only to RI with our donations but with our seminal work in AID/HIV education through PP DUDE ANGUS and the Los Altos Story.

He mentioned Jeffery Sachs, and his book, “The End Of Poverty” where Sachs said that the standard for extreme poverty is one who live on less than $1 per day.  Tom pointed out that 2/3 of the population of Malawi lives on less that that.  If you have an interest in learning more about Jeffrey Sachs, his writings, and his views on poverty, please look at a number of these references, and the references within the references because Sacks is a little more complicated than you might guess.  The Wikipedia site is a definition- oriented website, and at least will give you a start:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Sachs

Here’s another one.  This person who disagrees with Sachs’ view of poverty: http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2005-05/11shiva.cfm.

If you Google “Jeff Sach’s end of poverty” you will get hundreds of other references.

Tom also pointed out that because of AIDS, life expectancy has dropped in Africa to about the age of 39.

Tom’s charter was to develop a program for the orphans:

·         To take care of orphans in their own community, as opposed to in an orphanage

·         To do no harm

·         To be a local community design, i.e. have members of the community design the program themselves, as opposed to having Tom Popp and his team design the program

·         Have the program self-sustaining, by listening to the community and helping them solve their problems.

·         Have the program financially transparent, meaning anyone and everyone will know where the money goes and what good it is doing. 

His team spent about three weeks looking at other projects, their objectives and responses to the problems, another ten days listening to what is going on.

Their final product is a document titled, “Planning an Orphan Project” which covers

·         Training of volunteers

·         Training in psycho-social issues

·         Education about existing resources

·         Education of life skills

·         Education in AIDS/HIV

·         Planning a community garden

·         Establishing a preschool for the younger orphans

Ending the presentation, Emily Popp and Digo Ferreira concluded with a slide presentation of some of the places they visited when in Malawi.

Copyright © 2006 Los Altos Rotary Club. All rights reserved.