Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show January 6 2011

An overflow crowd of congenial folks filled the room at LARC today, happy to meet again in the New Year. This was a great way to start the next decade.

Thought for the Day was supplied by philosopher LOU WELLMEIER, and his topic was golf. The song was supplied by MICHAEL STADLEN, though he may have been the only one who could carry the tune to “Put on a Happy Face”.  Our spirit was there, but the voice was unwilling.

Frank’s Four Seasons will cater the next lunch, and the Board will meet Wednesday, Jan. 12th.   After receiving and considering the at least 105 responses to the lunch poll, the Board will make the decision as to which company will be our regular lunch provider. Results will be announced at LARC on Jan. 13th.  This is a reminder that the meal fee will be $20, salads $17, and non-eaters $5.

Visitors included guests of the club, accompanied by BOO BUE, ABBY AHRENS, MARY PROCHOW, SAM PESNER, and PAUL SCHUTZ.

The program for Jan. 13th will be our Club Assembly.
Save the Date: Feb. 15th was announced by LARRY CHU, JR. for a Chinese banquet to celebrate the Year of the Hare (and our sweethearts).
You can sign up directly on the web HERE.  You might not want to wait, as there is a 100 person limit.

Announcements:

• Friday, March 4th – Cioppino Feed announced by JERRY MOISON.  Members are encouraged to invite friends.
• BEVERLY TUCKER, Sunshine Lady circulated a card to BONNIE BURDETT, now recuperating from knee surgery.  Please inform BEVERLY of illness/loss among LARC members.
• JOHN CARDOZA issued an open invitation to all interested LARC members to join the Programs Committee in sharing their opinions of our weekly featured speakers. A survey form can be used by clicking on the below.
  
  The purpose of the program speaker survey is to rate the speakers so that future program committees can make better decisions on selecting speakers and topics that are of most interest to members. The Program Committee has been rating speakers since July 2010.
  
  The Committee decided to provide the survey questionnaire to any member who wishes to participate.  If you decide you want to evaulate our speakers, Contact John and you will receive an e-mail evaluation form.  If you have trouble viewing or submitting this form, you can fill it out online: HERE
• MICHAEL STADLEN, 37th Annual Fine Art Show Poo-bah (er, Chairman) announced the eight committee chairpersons’ meeting at 5 pm, Tuesday, Jan 11, First Republic Bank. To facilitate training, there will be a Vice Chairman (in charge of Vice?) and several committee assistant chairpersons.
• PAUL SCHUTZ called for volunteers to plan a fall fundraiser, probably a gala auction event. A meeting about this will take place after our LARC regular meeting on Jan. 13th.
• DICK HENNING didn’t crack a smile when announcing Kick Out planning for President-Elect-Nominee JOHN SYLVESTER.  However the audience did!
• ALLAN VARNI will travel to Petionville, Haiti to meet with our NGO partner and Sasha Kramer at SOIL. He invites any interested LARC members to join him. The departure is planned for no later than Friday, Jan. 21 and the return trip will be before the Haiti elections.

Finemaster LARRY CHU JR. introduced himself as the Grand Inquisitor or Santa’s Dark Elf, and then went to work on the audience after many volunteers offered to pay.  

• JERRY TOMANEK, club photographer, got a proud, new title on New Year’s Eve: Grandpa of Camille.
• COETA CHAMBERS joined the President’s Club for her daughter’s marriage last October and her promotion to General Consul of the Permanente Medical Group.
• CLARI NOLET announced her daughter has been elected to All American status in soccer.
• SAM PESNER paid to celebrate his birthday today (“Will you still love me when I’m 64?”) and for the news that his son is now engaged, announced on Face Book!
• MARV PATTERSON was cheered when he shared that he feels very good after his kidney surgery, and he thankfully joined the President’s Club.
• JOHN CARDOZA’s son was just promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
• JOHN SYLVESTER’s son was promoted to General Director of the Fairmont Heritage Hotel in San Francisco, so he now has one less excuse to visit Hawaii.
• DAVE BERONIO paid for his cardiologist’s golf invitation to sub for JERRY MOISON, and he seemed to hope for more cardiological events!
• PHIL ROSE joined the President’s Club for his son-in-law’s appointment as Director of Rules for the US Golf Association. Today’s Thought about golf was certainly well timed!
• Prez Elect MONA paid for her hole-in-one last November, and this may not be the last we hear of it.
• FRANK VERLOT has been traveling.
• Finemaster LARRY accused MEL KAHN of not being on Santa’s list recently, to which MEL retorted proudly, “That’s because I’m Jewish!” No fine levied.
• At last, Finemaster LARRY got to ask his prepared questions on surfing, the program topic for today.
• JAN MINERS announced that she’ll soon visit her son who surfs in Santa Barbara.
• GREG HARTWELL needed to know the gigantic salary to be paid to new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.
• JOE LOCONTE needed to know that the Polynesians were the first surfers.
• KAREN GREGURAS, just back from ankle surgery, was assisted by BAIDRA MURPHY who got fined for “helping” from the other side of the room.
• RON PACKARD was so pleased to see our overflow crowd that he volunteered $1 per attendee, which brought his bill to $104 today.
• PAUL SCHUTZ generously volunteered $50 in appreciation for the contributions made by LARC members to CHAC.

PROGRAM
Surfer STEVE YARBROUGH introduced our guest speaker, Keir J. Beadling, Co-Founder & CEO of Mavericks Surf Ventures, Inc.  Surfing has changed a lot since STEVE began in 1965 with his leash-less 10’ board and a thin “short John” wetsuit.  

Mavericks is a world-famous big wave break just one-half mile off the coast of Half Moon Bay.  When weather conditions are right, the 24 selected surfers make the official contest call, then have 24 hours to arrive.  They, of course, are also studying meteorological conditions to be ready to travel to Half Moon Bay on a moment’s notice. The February 13, 2010 contest attracted 50,000 attendees and was viewed by millions all over the world.  In 2010 the total prize purse was $150,000, the largest in big-wave surfing history.

Beadling has done tremendous marketing of Mavericks as the “most spectacular big wave break in North America”.  His presentation focused on the business of branding from his year round marketing platform. This small company pays for no traditional advertising but benefits from powerful exposure in the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo, ESPN and Google, among others. He detailed four synergistic channels which are apparel sales (sometimes made from recycled plastic bottles), sponsorship programs, media content, and ticketed experiences.

Some of the Mavericks’ historic firsts include the first TV simulcast in Times Square and the first carbon-neutral surf contest. Viewers can now watch the live webcast in 187 countries around the world.

When asked the average age of surfers competing in this life and death contest, he described them as around 30 and up to 40 years old, not young kids. Risk-taking earns points in the fairly subjective judging. To survive the 50’ crashing waves, competitors need to be able to hold their breath under water nearly 2 minutes, develop flexibility through yoga, and not be afraid of “tomb-stoning” deep under their board on a 20 foot leash. Mavericks is not for the faint of heart!

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM: The January 13, 2011 Rotary meeting is the Club Assembly. 

According to the bylaws of the Rotary Club of Los Altos, Club assemblies are required to be held at least twice in each Rotary year, in the months of July and January.  The purpose of the January meeting is to review the club’s progress toward goals and determine the club’s plan for the rest of the year.