Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show January 27 2011

Dan Gordon explains
Elements of a Balanced Diet
 
Rotarian and Past President, DICK HENNING introduced our keynote speaker Dan Gordon of the world famous Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants.  Dan is a local boy who really made it big. A Homestead High student, who went on to Cal Berkeley, then graduated with a degree in brewing engineering from the Technical University of Munich, Germany.  Dan’s parents reside in Los Altos.
 
Along with his partner Dean Biersch, Dan started out humbly by opening a brew pub in Palo Alto.  Quickly his patrons recognized the high quality and distinctive flavor of the beers being produced.  The authentic German-style beer and fine food led to three stores: 1990 in San Jose, and 1992 in San Francisco. 
 
Gordon-Biersch Brewery Restaurants now occupy prime locations in 32 cities around the world and are supported by the huge bottling facility in San Jose.  Although Dan sold his interest in the restaurants he manages the brewery and bottling plant where silos hold 65,000 pounds of malt and hops from Germany.
 
Of course, great beer requires great water and Dan’s water is filtered and processed through reverse osmosis to purify the water before brewing.  After brewing, the beer is aged for five weeks, then filtered and bottled at the San Jose plant.  Visitors are welcome for tours daily.  When bottled and labeled, the beer is maintained at 36 degrees to maintain freshness.
 
All Gordon-Biersch beers are brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516.  Only four ingredients are used, malt, hops, yeast and water.  It’s all about the process and high quality ingredients which are imported from Germany.
 

• Marzen is his flagship beer, an auburn-hued lager with 5.8 percent alcohol
• They also brew a Czech-style pilsner with 5.4 percent alcohol
• Blonde Bock, a rich malty brew with seven percent alcohol
• Hefeweizen, a Bavarian-style beer with 5.5 percent alcohol
• Maibock, a seasonal brew with dark-roasted caramel malt and 7.3 percent alcohol
• Sommerbrau, a light-bodied beer from Cologne which is 4.8 percent alcohol and is produced only from May through July
• FestBier is an Oktoberfest brew rich with malty undertones and 5.6 percent alcohol, and finally,
• Winter bock, a classic dark beer with 7.5 percent alcohol.

Los Altos Rotary meeting rings to life at noon on Thursday at Garden House
 
Rotarian BAIDRA MURPHY invoked the pledge to serve our country.  It was a good time to do so; given the challenges we all face as Americans.  As Lincoln said, “The Union must be preserved.”  David Casas’ thought from Buddha; “that times could always be much more difficult, so be thankful who we are today”.
 
PP SAM HARDING and PEN JOHN SYLVESTER, two of Los Altos Rotary Hall of Fame song leaders of all time, got us all rowing on the river. 

Upon our safe arrival at the dock of the bay, PE MONA ARMISTEAD, our indefatigable president elect, welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests, including Judy Hanneman from Mountain View Rotary.  Greeters were GARY WALDECK, JEANNE MACVICAR and LONNIE GARY. 
 

Parade of volunteer projects
precedes finemaster Roy Lave
 
DAN O’DONNELL invited Rotarians to sign up for Rotacare Clinic food deliveries for April and May.  Everyone is helpful, Dan says. He never has any trouble finding volunteers to do the job.
 
KENDRA GJERSETH, the attendance Czarina, advised that Rotarians who make up on e-club meeting should send her an email to confirm she received your makeup.  Also, if an early leaver puts his or her badge back in the box, they may not be counted as having attended.  She asked that anyone who must leave early to please place the badges on the table.  That way, when she reviews all the badges she will know you were there!  (Note: As a courtesy, you also should advise the speaker of your regrets.)
 
Judy Hanneman announced the Mountain View crab feed which was held this past Saturday night.
 
BONNIE BURDETT has lunch cards for those who want to buy 10 meals for $200.
 
Don’t forget the Chinese New Year Los Altos Rotary celebration at Chef Chu’s on Feb. 15.  Sign up on Club Runner (or email or call JOHN SYLVESTER) and pay at the restaurant.
 
JOHN CARDOZA invited Rotarians to participate in the speaker survey for the program committee.  Send John an email so he can hook you up.
 
GARY ROSS is having a Super Bowl open house at his business, Café Vitale located at Loyola Corners.  10% of the proceeds go to Rotary.  Everyone is welcome! Thanks Gary.
 
BEV TUCKER invited Rotarians to hear Jose Antonio Vargas, at a Feb. 8 fundraiser for CAP and RAP.  See Bev!
 
JULIE ROSE invited Rotarians to go to China with the Chamber.  The PESNERS, LINDAUERS and others are already signed up to go.  The limit is 50.  See Julie or go to the Los Altos Chamber Website to learn more.
 
WCS has a new website!  Check it out.
 
President DENNIS YOUNG said ABC News, Channel 7, was planning to do a story on Rotary and its fight against polio.  Watch for it!  Also, District Assembly is April 9, District Celebration and Talent Show is May 6-8.
 
See MARLENE COWEN to participate in STARS.  Attend this one day District training event and become a Los Altos leader.
 
The Cioppino Dinner is March 4th at the Garden House. The cost is $70 per person.  And please feel free to bring some guests. The money goes to our projects!
 

Campaign begins for open board seats:
 
President Dennis announced the voting for open board seat will take place on Feb. 10th.  You can vote online or on paper.  Candidates for seats with terms beginning on July 1 are CLARI NOLET, JOE LOCONTE, BEV TUCKER and RANDY GARD.
 
WCS members, ALAN VARNI and BUD OLIVER returned from their travels to Haiti to see if they could help in the reconstruction of a school.  They made connections with the Rotary Club of Petion-Ville and determined that the Haitian Rotarians will work with our club to obtain a matching grant.  The funds will be used to create a business at the school making highly, efficient and quake-resistant building blocks.  The blocks will be used to rebuild the school destroyed in the quake and to provide a business to be run by the 450 students, teachers and families which could help support the school.  A great project guys!
 

Finemaster PP ROY LAVE quietly, but decisively, honored every 100 percent attendee for $10.  The best attendees of Rotary included, but were not limited to, MARY MARLEY, MICHAEL STADLEN, PEN JOHN SYLVESTER, AL LIGTENBURG, CLYDE NOEL, ABBY AHRENS and CHUCK LINDAUER.   He also accepted contributions from CAMMIE BRODIE, GEORGE DYE, MARGE SENTOUS, RANDY GARD, and STEVE POMEROY.
 
MARY MARLEY advised that the new RI motto for 2011-12 will be “Reach Inside to Embrace Humanity.”
 
Next Week: Go Sharks!
 
Charlie Faas, Sharks VP, will give an inside look at one of the best Hockey teams in the NHL.  Bring a sports fan to Rotary with you next week!
 
P.S.  Dan Gordon says GB is on sale at Safeway this week for $9.99 a sixer. 

PROGRAM:  February 3rd