Los Altos Rotary Club

Home of the Annual Rotary
Fine Art Show

October 4th 2007

On a crisp autumn morning in October, the first Los Altos Club members you meet are waiting for you as you go into the Garden House. BONNIE BURDETT, LEM SUMMEY and PAUL SCHUTZ offer their hand of Rotarian friendship and welcome you in.

Since it’s baseball playoff time and the Giants are out of contention, KENDRA GJERSETH paid attention to her favorite Chicago Cubs by singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

MARLENE COWAN offered her thought for the day with a parody on indecision and when in doubt “Keep you mouth shut.”

Announcements and Pronouncements

Announcements took many different forms but President JOHN MOSS said numerous handbook directories are still not being picked up and for those who want an extra the cost is $5.

IRENE PRESTON is still looking for drivers to pick up meals for the Rotacare Clinic. Please sign up on the clipboard or call Irene for a date.

JEANNE MacVICAR and CINDY LUEDTKE were looking for additional volunteers for Partners for New Generations. A list of volunteer opportunities at local schools was distributed at the meeting. For more information call: 650-949-5908, 4#. Cindy discussed the need for assistance in placing volunteers in the middle schools. Please call her if you think you can help with this.

MARLENE COWAN said the “Stars Program” would meet Nov. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Bay Area Card Club. The discussion will be membership skills and maintaining existing members.

TRACIE MURRAY again pushed A Sante! for the RotaCare Clinic. Go and experience a taste of fine wines and cuisine Wednesday October 24 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Historic Del Monte Building, 100 South Murphy Ave. Sunnyvale.

KAILAS CHIDAMBARAM introduced Dr. Jorge Rojas from the Coaniquem Burn Center and PDG Carolyn Schuetz and announced that The Los Altos Rotary has given $1200 to the Burn Center. This is enough to finance the treatment of two burned children for the coming year. President JOHN MOSS made the presentation to Dr. Rojas and said, “This is for all the good work you do.”

Dr. Rojas said the center treated 8,000 cases from 20 different countries and the next project will be training those teams from the 20 countries so they can make a difference with the burned children.

Member Information and Recognition

PAT FARRELL then took the podium to discuss his life in 10 minutes. He was born in 1930 as a depression baby. Growing up his father worked as a carpenter on a movie studio, but Pat got his first life’s experience as a farmer in Central California where his real friend was a horse standing 16 hands high.

Raised in a town called Hickman, it was 50 miles from nowhere. He started high school with 83 students and when he finished there were only 40 left. Dating was slim pickings. Pat graduated from high school in 1948 while his father went broke leaving Pat to find his own way early in life.

After four years in the U.S. Navy to see the world, he came home and enrolled in San Jose City College and worked part time for support.

“While I was there I met a cute little schoolteacher named Betty and we got married July 21,1957,” Pat said. “That means we have been married over 50 years and have six grandchildren.”

Pat has established The Farrell Company and it is a very successful operation. “I’m proud of being a poor depression child and progressed to what I have today.”

KENDRA GJERSETH was fine master for the day and asked questions about alcoholic concoctions that no one was able to get right and forfeited to pay $35.

“As fellowship director and charge of social get-togethers I will give you the ingredients to a drink and you tell me the name of the drink,” as she called on the following people who prefer their white or red wine with dinner. No one was very knowledgeable of that ‘hard stuff’ so the following Rotarians were oblivious of the ingredients much less the names.

Speaker Presentation

Esther Koch (Encore Life Management) was introduced as today’s speaker having a well-defined knowledge of gerontology. Before she was through she gave sound advice on the secrets of successful aging.

“May your life be filled with no regrets, may you see the extraordinary in the ordinary, and may someone be there to brighten your world as you age,” Koch said. “It’s not about the mental and physical being, it’s about emotional well being that adds years to your life.”

Using little catch phrases in her slide show, Koch discussed denial and dysfunctional families. “If denial was a disease, the results would be fatal.” she said. “It’s best to not deny aging just go along with it.”

One of the biggest hurdles with aging is the dysfunctional family. Family ties aren’t as strong as they once were and respect for elders is declining. Even the primary support structure for aging is declining.

“An important part of aging is to make life fruitful and one of the best ways is to forgive yourself and forgive others for deeds in the past.

One of the secrets of aging is to open your heart and take people in because staying in one home can lead to depression. “Old people want to remain independent and remain in their home as long as possible,” Koch said. “However, isolation leads to depression.”

Koch mentioned living to 100 years of age requires to ability to deal with “loss.” By age 100 a senior has lost friends and many material things and needs to adjust to the loss. “You need a sense of gratitude inside and integrity to life. Gratitude brings happiness and forgiveness softens the heart,” she said. “And never forget to say thank you.”

To grow older there are things that are necessities such as eating nutritiously, exercising regularly and no vices. However you should be creative and learn new things. Have self esteem and be your own best friend and get involved with the community by volunteering.

In closing, Koch said, “A joy filled life is up to you. See the extraordinary in the ordinary and may your life be filled with no regrets.”

In a short Q and A period, JEAN HOLLANDS offered her take on aging seniors. “People who rest: rust.”