Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show May 1st, 2008

Greeters, BOB ADAMS, LOU WELLMEIER and PAUL SCHUTZ helped to make it that way.  

 On this date 68 years ago, the 1940 Summer Olympics were canceled due to the upcoming war many of us served in.  Here we are May 1 again, and the Los Altos Rotary Club meeting was one huge happy and enjoyable event.
 

Past President DICK BLANDING offered the flag pledge and future president SETH MANNING asked us to sing “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah…. zip-a-dee-ay…. my oh my, what a wonderful day”.   
 
Past President, MARY PROCHNOW offered numerous thoughts for the day and her first thought was to honor JOANNE BYRNE’S aunt Mary Byrne visiting from Dublin, Ireland. Quoting an Irish blessing, “May the roof above us never fall in, and may the friends gathered below it never fall out.”  Mary also spoke about the ripple effect of influence where it beams within you and works outward.
 
With no visiting Rotarians, SETH MANNING asked for visitors and the most renowned for the day was JOHN MOSS’ wife JACKIE MOSS.
 

Since May is the month for a 4-way test within the club, the president said he would be the first to start;
 
“Back in 1966 my father spent a lot of money for a bracelet for his wife. My mother lost that bracelet and the insurance company paid my father full value. Two years later my mother put on a dress she hadn’t worn for years and in the pocket was the missing bracelet,” said JOHN. “My father sent a check back to the insurance company and they didn’t know what to do with it.”
 
“For the 4-way test, every Rotarian should have honesty. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” JOHN said.
 
It was also announced that LEE LYNCH would be the Grand Marshall for this year’s Pet Parade.  LEE, that’s great, you’ll be out in front again.  President John also announced that Lee was a "bit under the weather", and asked for volunteers to help with the cashieing that LEE has done so well.  President John got this email from LEE, explaining a little more:

"I am fighting a small battle with cancer of the lung and am currently undergoing chemo. I hope to see you all real soon.  People can call me at home (650)961-0394. Lee Lynch"

ROY JONES brought attention to the official Rotary shirts for the Fine Art in the Park. For those of you who ordered them, pick them up — they are waiting for you.
 
JERRY MOISON brought attention to the sponsorship levels’ for charitable donations to a great Rotary charge. He mentioned all those who gave $1000, $500 and $250.

GARY ROSS and DAVID BERGMAN are looking to fill in the responsibility voids among the Art Show volunteers. Those who only volunteered for only one slot will be given a second chore for the show.  Sign up now or be surprised about the second slot.
 

The Ten Minute Talk:  JOHN SINES, the lucky Rotarian for the day recalled his better times in the Los Altos Rotary Club history.   Former Rotary President , Jerry Cereghino sponsored JOHN back in 1982, the same year BOO BUE was sponsored by Jerry.  “My high point was in the late 1980s when I was program manager. At the time, we had a basketball team and the only player over six feet tall was LARRY MADSEN.  We never won many games because MADSEN always played like he was under six feet,” JOHN said.
 
“Another memorable event was during the period 1980-1990 when MATT CABOT and I were the deposit specialists at the Pet Parade,” John said. ”Our first comment each year was “Where are the shovels?”  
 
JOHN also recalled a group of Rotarians visiting other Rotary Clubs in the area from Menlo Park to Saratoga. “It’s a practice we enjoyed and should be done again,” he said. “My most remarkable achievement in the Rotary was during the period of POLIO PLUS. The Rotary Club was asked to provide $60,000 and was raised to $80,000, but in the end the Los Altos Rotary Club provided $100,000 to Polio Plus. “Today, polio is now found in four countries, but in Houston back when I was growing up, we never went swimming during the summer,” John said. “In the end, we got more bang for our buck than the UN does.”
 
In a dismal episode, JOHN discussed the Rotary tree.   W. GORDON EUSTICE was president in 1964, and the Rotary decided to put a tree at the corner of State and Main Streets. In 1993 the tree was cut down because of blight and a replacement tree was planted. That tree has also been removed and today the plaque saying “Rotary Tree” still exists at the bottom of a petunia bed.
 
JOHN closed on a happy note by mentioning his marriage to Bea Mei in 1981, and the proud father of two sons, both are in the military.

 
Time for Fines:  Meanwhile back at the ranch, JERRY TOMANEK      found out today’s Rotarians don’t have a lasting memory for old time television series “Gunsmoke” and “Bonanza” during the 1955 to 1975 period.
 
When KURT HUEG couldn’t recall who the male star was in “Gunsmoke “he sat down and joined the president’s club.
 
CRES McFALL couldn’t remember the female lead (Miss Kitty) so he also sat down but paid $50 because his daughter was graduating from Columbia University.  Good to see you back, Cres. 
 
When it came to “Bonanza”, CAREW McFALL didn’t know who played Adam and he paid $30. LOUIS WELLMEIER was asked if the three sons in “Bonanza” had the same mother?  He didn’t know and it cost him $30. MIKE ABRAMS didn’t want to be embarrassed; he joined the President’s club and sat down.
 
CLYDE NOEL was asked what was the Chinese chef’s name in “Bonanza”. Since he never ate there, he paid $50 because he didn’t know. It was time for a five-minute break.
  

The Main Guest Program:  You can be rude and call DICK HENNING a namedropper, but DICK has personally chatted in person with many national and international celebrities featured at the Flint Center Celebrity Series.
 
The list of names, many of them household, is impressive: former U.S. presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton have put in appearances at Flint Center.  Actors appearing include Cary Grant and Gregory Peck while actresses include Shirley Maclaine and Mia Farrow.  World figures such as Benazir Bhutto and Margaret Thatcher have taken the stage at Flint Center.
 
DICK opened with a quote from Mark Twain. “A person of my age should not speak longer than he can make love.” We should note, however, that Dick spoke for twenty minutes before he asked for Q and A. That’s an outstanding record for a 72-year-old RICHARD HENNING.
 
Most of DICK’S presentation consisted of short quips spoken by celebrities at the Celebrity Forum through the last 40 years.  Some can be embarrassing as it happened when DICK forgot where he parked his car while providing transportation for David Frost.  Looking for the car in the parking garage, Frost said, “It doesn’t matter. I’m still going to get my $10,000.”
 
Then there was an old friend of Henning’s who did imitations of famous people.  His secretary said, “Gerald Ford is on the line,” and Henning figured his friend was up to one of his gags. “How are you Gerry, you clumsy SOB?” Henning said. Then silence on the other end and a woman’s voice: “Well, excuse me, I’ll put the president on the line.”

During a 2000 appearance by Harry Belafonte, his rambling speech didn’t seem to end. The followed day a fax from an attendee to Henning said: “Daylight come and me want to go home.”
 
Margaret Thatcher said “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman.”
 
Dave Barry: “Never taking a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night”.
 
What had DICK'S audience laughing and listening was a comment by Lucile Ball.  DICK told Lucile he noticed wives of his friends were putting on weight after marriage so he asked Lucile, “Why is it that single women are thinner and married women become heavier.  Lucile’s comment was simple: “When single women come home they see what’s in the refrigerator and go to bed. Married women come home and see what’s in bed and go to the refrigerator.”
 
When asked what speaker impressed him by being better than expected? Dick said “Mia Farrell.”
 
In the question and answer period, Henning was asked how he finds speakers. His challenge is to find seven prominent speakers that appeal to both men and women because attendees come as couples or groups. His biggest challenge is: can I sell 7,200 tickets for this person.
 
Payment for speakers has escalated in the last four years. Margaret Thatcher was one reason because agencies competed for her services over $60,000 and then the mid-east war further escalated speaker’s fees.
 
The Bay Area is one of the finest areas in the country for celebrity speakers. You get it arranged in advance and you find the speakers you want. “You just have to wonder which people will be famous 10 years from now,” DICK said. 

{Copyright � 2008 Los Altos Rotary Club. All rights reserved}

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