Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show September 4th, 2008

             
 
 Greeters today were CHRIS ELSON, PAT FARRELL, VAL CARPENTER AND MICHAEL STADLEN and Cashier was PP WYATT ALLEN

BEGINNING: In Memory of LEE LYNCH and BILLY RUSSELL, President SETH MANNING called the meeting to order.  Past President LARRY MADSEN led the flag salute and MARLIS McALLISTER presented the thought for the day, which was:  "If you were dying tomorrow, and you wished you had said or called someone or said something, Do it today!”
JOHN McDONNELL led the lively “Roll out the Barrel”.   
 
VISITORS:  The two visiting Rotarians were past LARC member, David Dye from San Francisco and Peter Friess from Munich, Germany.  There were no other visitors today. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Community service director, David Smith reminded us of the City of Los Altos Picnic this Sunday and the opportunities to work the Rotary booth, help in food service, enjoy the train club and the first train stop, the Neutra House dedication, and many other happy pleasures.

DAN O'DONNELL asked for RotaCare food delivery volunteers and explained their gift of time would only take one hour. 

KENDRA GJERSETH reminded us of the CSA Hometown Heroes Service Award Breakfast to be held on September 12th.  DENNIS YOUNG'S company, RSM McGladrey is one of the award recipients this year.

Past President, GINNY LEAR, Sunshine Chair, reminded us of JOANNE BYRNE’S situation.   Another card to relay our well wishes to Joanne is circulating.

 
MARY PROCHNOW reported on meal delivery success to JOANNE BYRNE'S house and asked for volunteers, with the request of no seafood dishes. 

SCOTT FLEMING invited us all to participate in the Partners for Elder Generations and reported the Road Runners Van operation.  (It was noted the irony that one of the youngest members of our club volunteered for the Elder Generations, for which we are grateful).

PE TRACIE MURRAY reminded us of A Sante’, the biggest regional fundraiser for the RotaCare Clinic, which will be held November 6th.  Tickets are $50.00 each. 

JERRY MOISON reported on the Youth and Vocational committee. 

Our thoughts are with MARY MARLEY who is having radiation treatment on Friday. 

FELLOWSHIP: The announcements were followed by a lively and vigorous fellowship period.

RECOGNITION: Recognition Chair, BAIDRA MURPHY, offered some of us an opportunity to explore 1945 and the real estate world which her grandmother entered in the year of 1945. 
 
Fellow realtor, STUART BOWEN was the first to pay.  Then, BILL BALSON, who suggested the former name for the Real Estate Association may be AA.  CLYDE NOEL,  MONA ARMISTEAD, CHRIS ELSON, JERRY and BILL MOISON, PAUL NYBERG, KENDRA GJERSETH, PAT FARRELL, Past President MARGE BRUNO (birthday girl), and SCOTT RICHES who joined the President's club, all learned just some of the following facts:
 
The National Real Estate Association was founded in 1908. 
There are 66 single family homes listed in Los Altos today,
Home prices in 1945 in the US averaged $4600
Rent averaged $60 a month in 1945.
5,000 homes had TV sets in 1945.
MEL KAHN gave his three rules in real estate, which were not Location! Location! Location! 

SPEAKER OF THE DAY: The speaker for the day was Irene van der Zande, executive director and co-founder of KidPower, TeenPower and FullPower, a CommunityPower, a Santa Cruz based non-profit organization to teach "people safety" to all ages under all circumstances.  Irene presented a highly emotional story about children almost being nearly kidnapped in front of her eyes.  When the 8 children, among them, her own children, were standing in a bus station,  and threatened by a deranged assailant,  Irene froze while the on-lookers  chose the “Bystander Syndrome”.  She finally called someone to stand next to her and the possible abductor was finally startled and detained by security.  This experience is what prompted Irene to start KidPower.  This organization helps kids and adults find their power in intimidating circumstances.  
 
In her presentation, Irene asked all of us to practice varying stances when confronted.  First she explained and asked us to experience the passive state with head down and shoulders cowered, and then the assertive state of setting assertive boundaries.  Her book, The KidPower Book for Caring Adults helps parents teach their kids how to find the words to speak up when personal limits are violated.  She also has a website called University of MOM.  Irene was a scintillating and provocative speaker who reminded us all to protect children with the words and actions and to assert ourselves when boundaries are violated. 
 
CLOSING:  President SETH MANNING closed the meeting with a resounding and assertive tap of the gavel.
 

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

template updated: 06/27/08