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11/9:  Dick Schulze -- US Patent System

The two smiling faces that greeted Rotarians today were COETA CHAMBERS and JOANNA MEDIN, while President SAM PESNER started the meeting ten minutes early because of the long agenda.

PAUL NYBERG had members singing the song of the day and BOO BUE gave the thought for the day with a discourse on Rotarians being the lamplighters of the world.            

Visiting Rotarian Jim Quinn, a former four-year Los Altos Rotarian, paid the club a visit and PAUL NYBERG introduced his guest, Mike Abrams, as a volunteer extraordinaire who was the recent Silicon Valley Association of Realtors 2006 Community Service Award winner.

President-elect, JOHN MOSS, announced that next week will be a double header with a special speech on Rotacare and the second portion will be a discussion on the numerous ballot propositions. It could prove to be very interesting with Liz Kniss, our District 5 Supervisor, and Gloria Hom, Dean and Economic professor at Mission College, each taking sides.

SAM PESNER started the announcement period with a request that members attend the A Sante’ affair and support the Rotacare clinic.

SHELLY POTVIN asked for help to clean up the downtown area of cigarette butts and wrappers held two days before you read this. Hope it went well.

STEVE GRUBER, calling himself the “social czar” for progressive dinners thanked Rotarians who helped the event be the best ever. He asked the many Rotarians to stand who opened their homes and business (in one case) for the appetizers, main course, and dessert. Special thanks went to the “crab crackers” who, with only brief notice, had to go through100 pounds of fresh crab and crack every piece.

JANE REED discussed the Rotary International World Community Service "quiet revolution of hope” where they lit another lamp in the Yucatan Peninsula with a Rotary project. She then turned the program over to Cynthia Wilbur from the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve to discuss the project called “Projecto Itzaes.”

The mission is to foster healthy brain development, parent-child bonding and early literacy skills critical for school success by engaging parents in a routine of daily “book cuddling” with their children from birth to age five. This mission addresses a national need for effective early literacy programs. One in three children entering kindergarten lacks basic pre-reading skills, which are proven to be a key factor in determining high school graduation and lifelong success.

“As a testament to the success of the program, 100% of the kids participating stayed in school and attended the university,” said Wilbur. “They stayed in the community after graduation and today they are role models for the community.”

The original mission city was Chicxulub, Mexico and the program has now been extended to two more villages for cultural and literacy for the children.   To learn more about Projecto Itzaes, go to http://www.proyectoitzaesusa.org

Because of her involvement in the Projecto Itzaes program of service above self, SAM PESNER proclaimed JANE REED as the Rotarian of the Month.

Gary Citti, District Governor nominee for Rotary districts 2007 and 2008, spoke about the 2007 District Conference to be held in Coeur d’Alene April 20-22, 2007. “Come to Idaho and enjoy the true spirit of Rotary fellowship,” he said. 

A Rotarian for 26 years, Citti mentioned some of the “do’s and don’ts” of Rotary early in those 26 years when getting married came second to Rotary. Today, what’s new in Rotary is education.

The seven-minute social hour was the most active period yet. Members stood up and walked around and visited other tables. But when it was over and Sam called the meeting back to civility, he mentioned he only had 8 ½ months to go as the president.
“I’m 1/3 through.” Sam said with glee.

The fining period by Dennis Potter was turned into a musical “deal or no deal.” Before the music program started, he asked SCOTT RICHES, MEL KAHN, LARRY CHU Jr., BOB ADAMS, JACK KELLY, STEVE FICK, and JOHN HAMBLIN to stand and fined them $27.00 because they were softball champs of Silicon Valley this year. It was 27 years since they were champions, so each player was fined $27.00.

Fine master Potter played songs from different decades and asked members to lip-sync the song, guess the title, the artist and what decade it was played. Results of fining were:

“Hello Dolly” – SHELLY POTVIN - $20.
“Pretty Woman” – BAIDRA MURPHY - $20.
“Smooth” by Santana  - HERB MARSHALL - $30.
“Rock Around the Clock” – GEORGE DAI  - $40.
“16 Tons” – ROY JONES - $30
“No comment” – HUGH RIDDELL - $50

Featured speaker was Gonzalo Duran, director de Avenida from Club Rotario, San Salvador. His topic was “The Power of Change; Your Power to Change the Life of Other Peoples.” 

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America and 45 percent of the Salvadorian population has a daily income lower than $1.00. Within the country are 12 Rotary Clubs with 250 members who exercise their power to make a change.

San Salvador, the city, has a population of 1 and1/2 million. It means “Beautiful Jewels,” and is grateful because of Rotary Club donations in the past.

As an example, the Club Rotario of San Salvador members visited a destitute family that showed the face of poverty and they made a list of things to be done to improve that family’s lives.  They took pictures and defined what was necessary to improve their lifestyle.

After improvements, the Club’s power changed the family’s attitude and Club Rotario of San Salvador also made wheel chair donations to children and provided temporary shelter after their earthquake as gestures.  They also provided computers to schools to provide a better and broader education.

Duran said there are ways to help to express your power by providing donations to Rotary International, provide matching grants and visiting the country you want to help.

“The purpose of my visit today is to say thank you for the help in the past, but there is still a lot of work to be done,” Duran said. “The most projects to pursue are hospitals, but you have to check what is needed.”

After an exchange of Rotarian flags with SAM PESNER, Gonzalo in broken English said. “I love to come to California because every time I come I learn new words.”