Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show November 1 2012

You can tell Autumn has arrived when Rotarians arrive for their weekly meeting in sweaters and coats. GARY BROWN, BEVERLY TUCKER and GARY LANDIS welcomed today’s members as smiling Greeters.

With Thanksgiving arriving soon, the caterers primed us with good food featuring chicken Marbella, roasted vegetables, and potatoes au gratin and the usual cookies for dessert.

After LARRY CHU took the meal money and DICK DUHRING provided the flag salute, CAROL GARSTEN provided the Thought for the Day with reference to the destruction left by Sandy, the disaster maker.

The song for the day took a somber approach when President JOHN SYLVESTER announced that PP LUVAIN (B00) BUE had passed away yesterday after a fall.  “BOO was loved by all of us and was a great Patriot, so in his honor we will sing America the Beautiful.”

A memorial for BOO will be held 2 p. m., November 16, at the Los Altos Methodist Church 655 Magdalena Avenue in Los Altos.

 

JACK KELLY introduced visiting Rotarians and Rotarians with guests in his usual polite manner but then we had an “unusual break” for a sound check with our District Governor JOE HAMILTON. After a successful break, the direction of events turned to numerous announcements.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

KAREN GESSERT, our social secretary, announced our Rotary Holiday Party will be held at the Jesuit Retreat Center December 15 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.

TRACIE MURRAY reminded us of ASANTE again. $55.00 besides a beautiful glass and food tray, buys a lot of joy for a joyous evening.  Asante will be held in the historic Del Monte Building Nov. 7, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

RON LABETICH, wearing a hairy red hat offered a celebration for the San Francisco Giants. It was a long announcement and hard to decipher with the content of the message containing much noise.  It was for us to all participate in the Pens for Vets Event taking place Friday evening at the Nature Gallery.  Stop in for music, wine, and nibbles provided by Go Go Gyro’s.

Former Los Altos Mayor JANE REED and recent CSA award winner, invited all Rotarians to the City of Los Altos 60th anniversary celebration. The event will be held Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at St. William Parish Social Hall, 611 S. El Monte Ave. Los Altos.  Cost is $75.00 per person. Reservations can be made through the Los Altos Recreation Department.

STEVE SHEPHERD rehashed the recent Palo Alto Rotary golf invitational 9-hole tournament where the Los Altos Rotary Club came out the big winner. The team of SHEPHERD, BOB RAYL, and PE JACK KELLY came home with a winning score, all the closest to the pin and drive contest prizes, and a full tummy.  We may not be invited back next year.

PP DENNIS YOUNG drew our attention to the Festival of Lights Parade on November 25, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. They are looking for help to man the Rotary-sponsored float.  As in the past recent years, there will be a LARC gathering and viewing spot in front of the Town Crier Building on Main Street.

PP MONA ARMISTEAD brought to our attention the “Meal Train” that is being organized to have willing volunteers take food to MARY and Arley MARLEY.  MARY is attempting to use a new treatment form that will improve her health.  Mona reported that the response to her request of Mon/Wed/Fri. meals is full almost up to Christmas. Contact MONA for instructions to the Meal Train or refer to her recent club-wide email which has the link to get further information.

Recognition:

Fine master JERRY MOISON started out looking for volunteers to provide more money for the Rotary till and he convinced JULIE ROSE to join the President’s Club after she applauded JANE REED for her recent CSA award at the Los Altos Community Foundation Annual Brunch.

Providing $20 penalty for the common cause was: LOUIS BOREL, HARN SOPER, JOHN HAMMERSCHMIDT, GARY MAGGARD, NORM PROFFITT, and GEORGE PETROUTSAS.  Today’s theme was centered around Thanksgiving and turkeys.  George made an appropriate comment; “Since I’m Greek I’m not fond of Turkey…”

Rotary Awards: Award time for single, double, super sustainers, and new Paul Harris Society Members started with PP CYNTHIA LUEDTKE providing individual Rotarian information and District Governor JOE HAMILTON passing out pins and a hearty handshake to over 100 respondents to her plea for pledges and/or donations.  This annual drive for The Rotary Foundation, which requests EREY; that Every Rotarian Every Year make a donation to Rotary began with a great start to Rotary Foundation Month.

With her donation this year, KENDRA GJERSETH reached her next Paul Harris level.  After receiving her Paul Harris Award recognition from DG JOE HAMILTON, she then bestowed a Paul Harris medallion to her boyfriend, Wayne Doiguchi.
District Governor JOE HAMILTON mentioned MARY MARLEY’S husband ARLEY featured during the dinner at the recent Avenues of Service.  Arley and MARY recently made the decision to become part of the Rotary International Benefactor and Bequest Society, which means they have included Rotary International as a beneficiary in their estate planning. 
CYNTHIA and JOE urged the Rotarians in the room to consider bestowing a Paul Harris Recognition to someone they love and admire and to also consider Rotary International as part of their estate planning.

“When I visit the different clubs I like to talk about the membership, the Rotary Foundation and promote district events” Gov. HAMILTON said.

The Governor starred in a movie promoting the next district meeting at the Meritage Resort in NAPA March 21 to 24, 2013. Starring in episode after episode holding a glass of wine with Kathi his wife, it looks like the place to be next March because of the varied interesting places to relax.

The governor told the group a Rotary International story personal to him.  It is a story of Jessica a young girl with a face disfigurement that received treatment through the Rotary.  After several operations, the young girl was sitting on the governor’s wife’s lap looking presentable from her previous facial disorder. Results of a changed life due to the work of Rotary International.

The Governor brought up the disaster caused by Sandy back east and mentioned that we should provide donations for this disaster through clubs back in the eastern part of the country.

For a different same as usual event, each year the visit by a District Governor also meant an exchange of gifts. This year there was no such exchange of gifts but, rather the request to fill a need for baby blankets in hospitals. It was the Governor’s wife Kathi’s idea. A check was provided by President JOHN SYLVESTER to purchase baby blankets to be given to hospitals through the District.

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM: