Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show December 18th, 2008

Director JACK KELLY led the Pledge of Allegiance after President SETH MANNING called the meeting to order.
 
THOUGHTS Past President SAM PESNER told us December was Family Month in Rotary, a time to enjoy the holiday season with our friends and family and to plan ahead and renew our commitment to the second half of the Rotary year.   Sam read a quote from Past Rotary International President Bill Boyd:
 
“Like our own family, we can count on the family of Rotary to help when help is needed and to share life’s joys and sorrows.  Being part of Rotary means being part of the largest extended family in the world.  Rotary is an organization of people who care---about their homes, their communities, and each other, and caring is what family is all about.”
 
VAL CARPENTER rounded out her month-long stint as songmeister with an end of the year tribute of two verses of “Auld Lang Syne”.  Who knew there were two?
 
Seth acknowledged lunch money man WYATT ALLEN and Sergeant of Arms STEVE POMEROY.  Greeting club members as they arrived were MARGE BRUNO, JOHN SYLVESTER and DICK DUHRING.

VISITING ROTARIANS President-elect TRACY MURRAY introduced visiting Rotarians including Walt D’ardenne from Almaden Valley Rotary and John Evans from Palo Verde Rotary. John presented the club with a banner highlighting the upcoming convention this year in Los Angeles.
 
AND GUESTS There were many guests today, including next door neighbors, husbands and wives, daughters and sons, and business and community members introduced by MICHAEL STADLEN, SANDIE WHIPPLE, KENDRA GJERSETH, JOHN MOSS, JOHN CARDOZA, BEVERLY TUCKER, SETH MANNING, PAULSCHUTZ, CLYDE NOEL, GARY MAGGERT, STEVE POMEROY, MARLIS MCALLISTER, JULIE ROSE, BONNIE BURDETT, NANCY SIMON, BOB ADAMS, and BAIDRA MURPHY. (Baidra’s two-year-old son Aiden and grandson to MARY PROCHNOW was certainly the youngest in attendance and definitely the cutest.)
 
PARTY THANKS A big thank you went to KENDRA for her efforts in making the Holiday Party so merry.  Kendra, in turn, thanked the Jesuit Retreat House for helping subsidize the party and told JOHN SYLVESTER his band was responsible for keeping everyone happy and dancing all night long. MARLIS MCALLISTER and JERRY TOMANEK were especially helpful to Kendra, who also gave a shout out to all the bartenders.  Though she is looking forward to the party next year, she would love to welcome someone else to take the helm.
 
MEAL DELIVERY TO ROTACARE DAN O’DONNELL thanked all those who volunteered for delivery of meals to the RotaCare Clinic and asked that any new delivery people call him for  instructions. 
 
NEXT RED BADGE MEETING FRANK VERLOT announced that there would be no meeting next week for the RED BADGERS.  Next meeting will be January 8.
 

HOLIDAY DONATIONS So far we’ve donated over $2300 in checks, cash, and gift cards to Community Services Agency, which NANCY SIMON really appreciates as the chair of the holiday program. This is the last week to make donations and there’s still a need.
 
TRADITION DURING DARK DAYS ROY LAVE announced that although the club will be dark (translation:  no meetings) during the next two weeks, you can still come to Rotary for the non-dark luncheon meeting Tuesday, December 30th a Chef Chu’s. There is an online sign-up on our website. 
 
PHOTO OP Apparently, you can’t miss the new vehicle the club has donated to Road Runners as part of the Partners for Elder Generations (aka PEG) project since our Rotary logo is prominently displayed.  According to DAVE SMITH, there will be a photo op on January 15 for all club members to be included with the new car.
 

Email note from Dave Smith: 

The two attachments are from the Rotary Club of Polokwane District 9250 South Africa. This is their main fundraiser for the year and I will be announcing it today at Rotary.  Could you post these in today's Rotator for anyone who is interested.  Thanks.

Webmaster's note:  I have posted them on our website.  Letter and PDF flyer.  Please take a look.  It sounds like a very good opportunity. 

CORRESPONDENCE PP Sam read two thank you letters, one from the El Camino Hospital Foundation thanking us for a $3500 donation and the other from Daniella, one of the children getting treatment at the Chilean burn clinic supported by the recent Coeniquem event our club and district participates in, thanking our club with a drawing she made.
 
THE NEW PEE (President Elect Elect), no, PEN (President Elect Nominee!)
PP John Moss announced that DENNIS YOUNG will follow PE TRACIE MURRAY as the next president of Rotary.  That will be for 2010-2011.  Congrats Dennis!

MADRIGAL SINGERS FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW What a treat to be able to hear the magical sounds of the Madrigal singers from Mountain View High School who started their program with “Rise up in Festive Song”.  The chorus sang some traditional carols such as “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls”, but added their own special touch. Especially entertaining, was a fun rendition of “White Christmas” and a song called “Seaside Rendezvous”, which was written by Queen and sung with a variety of sound effects by the talented teens.

The director acknowledged our own PAT HYLAND, past principal of Mountain View High School, and BARRY GROVES, current Superintendent of Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District for their support of the Madrigals.  She also thanked Sandie Whipple and the Whipple family for helping produce CD’s of the groups’ music, which are available for purchase to raise funds for trips.
 
With the sounds of “Here We Come a Caroling” echoing in the room as the group left, President Seth adjourned the meeting.
 
Happy Holidays to all and to all a wonderful New Year!  

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

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