Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show September 16 2010

President DENNIS YOUNG called the meeting to order with a welcome to the “best Rotary Club in the world.”  MARLENE COWAN led the Pledge of Allegiance.
 
Dennis thanked Greeters ALLAN VARNI, MICHAEL STADLEN, and STEVE POMEROY and Sergeant at Arms LEW FRASER, MIKE ABRAMS and FRANK VERLOT.  Cashier for the day was KAREN OWEN.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The message was “Carpe Diem” or “seize the day” from BONNIE BURDETT, whose husband passed 16 years ago on September 16 after a 10-year battle with leukemia.  Their family embraced the philosophy of living each moment and each day to the fullest.  “Don’t put off anything, don’t think twice about saying something to a loved one, seize the moment, carpe diem,” said Bonnie.
 
SONG FOR THE DAY
SETH MANNING was feeling lucky today so we all sang, “I’m Looking over a Four Leaf Clover.”
 
OUT OF ORDER
President DENNIS wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of the envelope going around for the purpose to collect donations for the San Bruno fire and he placed the first donation from his wife Bobbie into the envelope.  Checks need to be made out to LAREF and put “San Bruno fire” in the memo line.
 
VISITING ROTARIANS
President Elect MONA ARMISTEAD asked visiting Rotarians to stand and introductions included:  Ken Graham, former LARC member and speaker of the day from the PA University Club; visiting Rotarians from Palo Alto Rotary, South Wales and long time friend of the club, Judy Hanneman from Mountain View Rotary.
 
AND GUESTS
CINDY LUEDTKE introduced Rick Ellinger, emergency services,  who recently received  recognition from the Los Altos and Los Altos Hills joint volunteer awards; DAN O’DONNELL introduced Daniel, a graduate of the University of Washington; STEVE SHEPHERD introduced Ken, a dentist on Altos Oaks Avenue;  ABIGAIL AHRENS introduced Tom, who is in investments, but also is the basketball coach at Los Altos High School; BOB ADAMS introduced Mark, the CEO of Wealth Architects in Mountain View; PAUL NYBERG introduce Mary Beth Hislop, a reporter with the Town Crier. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Prez Dennis announced the best news to cheers and clapping:  Larry Chu, III was born at 1:00 am on September 15 to proud parents and grandparents. 
 
Dennis also auctioned off Celebrity Forum tickets for Sully Sullenberger to JEAN NEWTON FRAGUGLIA and baseball tickets to the Giants/Dodgers game to FRANCIS LA POLL in a spirited bidding session.
 
MIKE ABRAMS has wine to sell, mostly merlot, leftover from the art show.  Although the wine goes for $168 a case, retail, you can get your case for only $120.  See Mike or LOUIS BOREL, whose car was parked outside with cases waiting to be picked up.
 
There is no free lunch but there is a lunch survey and KAREN FOX wants everyone to participate.  Please go on line or call her if you need a form.  Also, Karen said the turnout for Hometown Heroes was great and thanked everyone for their support.
 
It’s a planting party and CINDY LUEDTKE wants everyone to come to support the Day Workers Center to help complete the landscaping portion of the project.  You can adopt a plant and choose from a number of colorful plants with varying prices. Come on Thursday, September 23 at 4:30 to plant it yourself or it can be planted it for you. This is a Bill Somerville -(last week’s speaker)-certified event with donations from Los Altos Nursery and Garden Supply of Los Altos as well as Chef Chu’s who will be furnishing the delicious appetizers that evening. President Dennis started the plant purchasing with a commitment to buy an Australian Willow.  If you are interested in seeing the details, email Cindy at luedtkefam@aol.com and she’ll send you the lovely photos with prices.
 
Was it my imagination or was there less gesturing this week as JOHN SYLVESTER told us to prepare for the planting party, but not to forget the big wine and cheese social on Friday, September 17 at Lou and SAM PESNER’s house from 6-8 pm.  Should be a fun party with about 70-100 people scheduled to show.
 
ROLAND PAYNE gave us an update on World Community Service activities and made special mention of ALLART LIGTENBERG’S efforts to help bring solar cookers to Afghanistan.
 
It can’t be time for the art show already, can it?  MICHAEL STADLEN, this year’s Poobah, thinks so, and he is getting an early start.  His list of needs includes someone to handle the sponsorships, someone who can coordinate the successful raffle we held for the first time last year, a new Food and Beverage Chair, someone with social networking skills and someone for advertising placement.  Call Michael if you can help.
 
An upcoming event at Wente Vineyards to benefit Coaniquem, Burned Children Foundation, will be held on Sunday, September 26 and KAILAS CHIDAMBARAM wants everyone to know that they can come.   They can also still donate to the cause. This is a SAM PESNER- approved organization. Sam held up a photo of one of our sponsored burn victims, Paolo and urged our continued support for the cause.
 

ATTENTION EVERYONE WITH A DIGITAL CAMERA  An email from Matt Cabot to the club:

Announcing LARC's 1st annual Website Photo Contest.  We are redesigning our Clubrunner website, and need a new Banner picture for our homepage.  The banner picture will spread across the top of the new website.  Take a look at District 5170's website HERE.  Their banner picture is a stock photo of clouds.  We want something better. 

Another example is District 5040.  Here they have put a group of pictures on a dark blue background.  Again, I think we can do better.   

Look at the Rotary Club of Turo in Canada HERE.  In this case they do have a picture, so this is closer to what we are looking for.  Well, you get the idea. 

We need a picture to be used for President Dennis' Rotary Year.  It will be accredited to you for everyone to see and admire.  We will Photoshop the accreditation on the picture if you don't.  We will donate $50 to either the President's Club account or Paul Harris Account IN YOUR NAME.  AND your name will appear on our website as the photographer who took that wonderful picture. Fame AND fortune.  Sort of. 
Rules:

• It should be an iconic picture of Los Altos.  Something that represents our town, our community.  It can be about Los Altos Rotary, President Dennis and his year, essentially anything that represents us.
• 100 - 250 pixels high by 750 - 900 pixels long (We will crop it to that if you don't but be aware that will be the shape of the picture that will be judged.)  We will probably superimpose the Rotary wheel on the left side, over your picture.
• 5 to 10 megapixels in resolution.  We will reduce it for the site, but that is the initial resolution.
• It must be the product of your own (or family's) work.
• It can not be copy writed.
• It should be in color unless for some artistic reason it is not.
• It must be submitted via email to Matt Cabot at Gmail dot com by October 15th.
• Judging will be done by the Website committee. Bribes will not be acknowledged.
• Name your picture with your name. For example, if your name is Bob Adams, name your picture BobAdams.jpg
• Format can be .jpg, .gif or .png

If no one submits a picture I will submit one of my grandkids.

In May 2011, we will have our 2nd Annual Website Photo Contest for President Mona's Year so keep your cameras warmed up for that 'perfect' moment. 

Matt Cabot, Webmaster

A FINE TIME
It was all about revenge this week as MEL KAHN took the podium as recognition chair to one-clap applause.  Telling everyone it was payback time, he started with former LARC club member Ken Graham, who was fined for leaving our club for nearby Palo Alto University since it was more convenient.
 
Then ROY LAVE and PAUL NYBERG were told while they could do hugs, they really needed to pony up $20 fines for their Hometown Hero’s honor. Paul said he would give $23 since Roy sponsored him into the club 23 years ago and $63 because the Town Crier just celebrated its 63rd birthday; somehow it turned out to be an even $90.  Roy gave $20 in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Los Altos Community Foundation.
 
Mel called on JULIE ROSE, citing recent projects in downtown Los Altos.  Though Julie paid $20, she thought Mel owed her since things were moving forward.
 
Asking RICK GLAZE if he was embarrassed because he had a big zero next to his name, Mel fined him $25 and told him there would be no IOU’s.
 
What two things do LARRY MADSEN and SETH MANNING have in common?  They are both past presidents and haven’t paid a nickel in fines yet.  Seth said he was happy to give a nickel, but both had to come up with $40.
 
Mel then called on his buddies JACK KELLY and STEVE SHEPHERD in an effort to get even because Mel says he’s actually shorter by three inches from continually having to carry the two of them in golf tournaments. They said Mel walked out a winner at their last poker game, so after much horse trading, $30 fines were levied.
 
Then there were the big zeroes.  Mel called on GARY MAGGART, who announced his brother had just won a NASCAR race with a $150K purse. So he ended up paying $110.
 
GEORGE ESTILL asked whether Mel was standing up or not (someone always has to do it!). George has been a member for 50 years and just celebrated his 52nd wedding anniversary. He reminded Mel that he used to go out with his wife’s sister. $52,George!
 
Third-time-at-the-mic, SAM PESNER, will celebrate his 32nd wedding anniversary at the wine and cheese social which he is hosting. 
 
Though Mel said he likes STEVE ANDERSON, BOO BUE, DICK HENNING and BOB ADAMS, he fined them anyway.  Bob said, “How long is this going on?” Steve said, “You look particularly tall today” and Dick said “Handsome, too”.  Boo said, “Bring on the speaker.”
 

THE ROTARY PROGRAM
Our speaker, Ken Graham, CEO of El Camino Hospital, was introduced by BOB ADAMS, who said the new hospital opened a year ago today and has been recognized as one of the most technologically equipped hospitals in the world.  It has been featured in Popular Science magazine and on Good Morning America.  Ken has been in the healthcare business for 38 years and served as CEO of a hospital in Seattle prior to coming to El Camino.  He was also the founder of Rotacare and served as the executive director of Rotacare in Morgan Hill.  Bob described Ken as “the real pearl of El Camino Hospital.”
 
Ken said he was looking forward to coming to this meeting and reconnecting with old friends.  El Camino Hospital is entering its 50th year, opening for business in September of 1961.  Today the hospital stands five stories high and is totally retrofitted to be earthquake-safe. This is especially important because El Camino is a designated respite zone, a first responder and a sustainer after an earthquake.
 
The hospital is prepared for the future in more than one way.  Ken showed a clip from the Good Morning America segment that highlighted the technology at El Camino, which has been designated the first “smart” hospital. Highlights include StarTrek-like communicators, critical care beds that can translate multiple languages, biometric registration, extra security, and hospital robots that deliver medical supplies (they also talk to you!).
 
Community, quality and innovation, are the key words for the hospital that is owned by the El Camino Hospital District and is governed by an elected board.  In addition to physicians and staff, there are more than 900 volunteers involved at the hospital.  Recently the ECH District acquired a hospital in Los Gatos that has now been open for one year.   Other highlights at the hospital include the Women’s Hospital in Mountain View that provides care specifically for women throughout a lifetime. Other specialties include heart and vascular, cancer, and cyber-knife technology, among others.  Popular Science named the hospital as one of the top 100 Innovators in 2009, the first hospital to ever be recognized.  Ken says the hospital is fortunate to be located in Silicon Valley, with Apple, Google, and Facebook in the service area to take advantage of the latest technology, including social networking as an important means of communication.
 
Ken also discussed how the recession and challenging economy, along with health care reform, has impacted the hospital.  There has been a dramatic drop in the census at the hospital and others in the area so the hospital is looking at layoffs of its workforce as well as reductions in management.  There is also pressure on rates and prices, as with the hospital industry, they typically go into a recessionary period later but also recover later.
 
When it comes to health care reform, Ken talked about the impact on small businesses with tax credits and health insurance exchange. 
 
According to Ken, El Camino Hospital is very stable, has a fabulous medical staff, and is a reflection of smart people doing great things.
 
Questions from the audience:
 
President DENNIS YOUNG asked about the relationship between Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and El Camino.  Ken replied that they lease a 30-bed inpatient area in the hospital to provide infusion for cancer kids and treatment of eating disorders for teens.
 
Asked about health insurance and whether it is possible to increase premiums as opposed to laying people off, Ken replied that it costs $12,000 a year to insure an employee and the hospital spends over $22 million a year for health insurance.
 
Why is there such a cost difference between same services in different places at the hospital?  Ken said it might be dependent on where and how the services were delivered.
 
Ken also said that if people pay their bill with a credit card they can receive a 75% discount.
 
President Dennis adjourned the meeting after reminding everyone to make sure to fill out the lunch survey.
 
 
 
 

WINE AND CHEESE Social at PP SAM PESNER'S House last Friday. Thank you Sam for the pictures.

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM: 

Paul Draper is chief executive officer and winemaker at Ridge Vineyards in Cupertino. Paul received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University, lived in northern Italy for several years, and spent a year studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, then traveled in France, gaining practical experience in traditional winemaking.
 
Paul joined Ridge Vineyards in 1969 to work with the cooler climate and limestone soils of the Monte Bello vineyard on the Cupertino hills.  At Ridge he also discovered old vine zinfandel from vineyards in Sonoma and became a pioneer in the production of long-lived, complex wines from that varietal.
 
He believes fervently in single-vineyard winemaking and has sought out those vineyard sites where the wines “make themselves” in terms of balance and distinctive character. For Draper, the vintner’s role is that of guiding a natural process, not “making” the wine as in an industrial process.
 
Paul resides on Monte Bello Ridge with his wife Maureen and daughter Caitlin.