President JOHN SYLVESTER called the meeting to order and asked PP MONA ARMISTEAD to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

President JOHN thanked greeters: LINA BROYDO, MARLENE COWAN, PAUL GONELLA; photographer JOHN HAMMERSCHMIDT; Sergeant at Arms FRANK VERLOT, MIKE ABRAMS, and FRANK ELMER; and cashier DAVID CASAS.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

MARY PROCHNOW shared her thought for the day with a nod to TOM POWERS by quoting French Jesuit, Pierre Teilhard de Chardon, born in 1581. “Our duty as men and women is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.  It doesn’t matter if the water is cold or warm if you are going to have to wade through it anyway.”  And on behalf of the Rotary AIDS Project; “There is almost a sensual longing for communion with others who have a large vision. The immense fulfillment of the friendship between those engaged in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a quality impossible to describe.”

SINGING ALONG

CYNTHIA LUEDTKE orchestrated the singing of the Twelve Days of Christmas and assigned President JOHN SYLVESTER to be the partridge in the pear tree while the rest of the tables were singing, leaping, drumming and cackling in French among other things.  I still say the table with Five Golden Rings was the best!

 

PEE ANNOUNCEMENT

(Hmmm – that’s President Elect, Elect).  For real, PEN – President Elect Nominee is the right description.

Congrats to KENDRA GJERSETH or newest PEN, who will become President after President Elect JACK KELLY. Yay, standing O!

VISITING ROTARIANS

JACK KELLY asked visiting Rotarians to introduce themselves including Darrell Monda from Los Gatos Rotary: Bob Bratman, former LARC member, now from the UK, who introduced his wife Marilyn; Monique Kane from Mountain View Rotary and Doug Caruthers, president elect of Sunnyvale Rotary and a member of LARAP.

AND GUESTS

Rotarians with guests included: CRYSTA KRAMES with Jono Marcus of Next Door Solutions; DAVID SMITH with new Los Altos Council Member Jan Pepper.

OUR NEXT PROGRAM

Next week’s program will feature the Madrigal Singers for the annual holiday program.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

KENDRA GJERSETH announced Lunch and Learn on December 19 when the club is dark at Foothill College Tech Center for those who want to become experts at Social Media.  Please let her know if you will attend and whether you want a box lunch for $10.

GARY WALDECK needs volunteers for Rotacare for January, February, and March.  Please sign up and help deliver meals to the clinic for hungry volunteers.

VAL CARPENTER announced that a Rotary pin was found at the Tuesday City Council meeting so call if you lost yours.

Social Chair KAREN GESSERT reminded everyone that the Christmas Party is December 15 at the Jesuit Retreat House at 6:00 p.m.  Please sign up as soon as you can.  The cost is $65 per person and Karen also needs some volunteers to help tend the bar.

MARY PROCHNOW sent around a Sunshine card for our dear JOE LO CONTE who is battling cancer.  Joe, you are in our hearts and prayers.

LOS ALTOS ROTARY AIDS PROJECT UPDATE

RICH CASEY took the stage to update the club on the current status of the AIDS Project with a brief review of the Child AIDS Prevention project in Liberia.  A small amount of money, around $20, will help educate, provide counseling, conduct HIV testing and give drugs to a pregnant woman.  The goal is to eliminate 98 to 99% of all HIV infections found in Liberia.  Partnering with the Rotary Club of Sinkor, Los Altos Rotary has been able to take part in two grants and is currently working on a third with help from other Rotary Cubs.   Rich shared his experiences with presentations at Rotary Clubs across the state including Dublin, Inland Empire, Lake Elsinore, Hemet and Loyalton to name a few. LARAP has been able to raise almost $209,000 towards a goal of $250,000. 

A FINE TIME

BOB ADAMS started his fining session by calling up a number of people to participate in a second rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas including KAREN GESSERT, STEVE WU, PAUL SCHUTZ, RICK GLAZE, HARN SOPER, LOUIS BOREL, TOM POWERS, ANN ARJANI, KENDRA GJERSETH, SALLY MEADOWS, CRYSTA KRAMES and BONNIE BURDETT. (Hope I didn’t miss anyone.) This time no one had to sing but instead were “woo woo wooing”; “cockadoodling” Coo-kee-cooing” “tee-heeing” as well as flapping, leaping, jumping and twirling.  It was a mess but lots of fun.  TOM POWERS interjected mid-way that he would join the President’s Club if anyone could tell him how much it would cost for the twelve days of Christmas.  Nobody knew that it was $25,431 but Tom joined the club anyway.  Fine master Bob concluded by letting us know that there were 23 bird references in the song and 33 male roles.  Ok, Bob, good to know!

LAREF

JOHN SYLVESTER introduced LAREF Vice President DAVID SMITH (filling in for LAREF President PHIL ROSE) to provide an overview for the presentation of grants to sixteen community organizations.  DAVID asked LAREF Board members to stand, then introduced Contributions Chair JERRY MOISON to hand out checks to representatives from the following organizations: El Camino Hospital Auxiliary, CHAC, FLY, AAUW, Friends of Deer Hollow Farm, KARA, Bus Barn, Westwind 4-H, YWCA, Child Advocates, Just Read, Ye Old Town Band, CSA Next Door Solutions, Foothill De Anza College Foundation, Day Worker Center, Alearn.

Requests were received from 23 organizations for over $77,098 and LAREF was able to give out $28,000 in grants.  Each of the representatives came forward to receive their check and tell the group what the money would be used for.  Some memorable comments included:

Jono Marcus of Next Door Solutions:  Money goes toward a Spanish English Hotline and support group for 200 members in family court.  “This is my first and bestest Rotary experience I’ve ever had.”

Jerry Rosenblum of Ye Olde Town Band:  Thank you for your support for decades.  Come out to our concerts May through September in Shoup Park.

Myllicent Hamilton of Westwind:  Thanks to you, children with disabilities and autism receive physical therapy on horseback.

Jim Santucci of KARA: I was initially a client so I understand the importance of the healing services we provide for teens through adults.  Grant goes to community outreach program.

Allison Kubrick of Just Read:  Grant will help tutor kids in Mountain View Schools in literacy and math, who perform two grade levels below their peers. Also, needs people to work with kids to help them to learn to read.

Carla Darrow of Friends of Deer Hollow:  Grant provides for low-income children to see wildlife, animals, and the farm during field trips. 

Judy Minor of Foothill DeAnza Foundation:  Shout out to the red badgers for getting the Vet pens at a really great price.  Thanks for the grant that provides book vouchers for underserved students.

Anne from El Camino Hospital Auxiliary:  Grant helps provide stuffed animals for children in the ER and air pillows to make patients comfortable.

Laura Casas for Day Worker Center:  Thank you for embracing this program.

Monique Kane of CHAC:  Grateful that we can count on funds to provide counseling in grades K-12.  Seeing a lot of depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and drug use so great need for counseling.

Elizabeth Medina of Community Services Agency:  Goes to buy prescription drugs for seniors who do not have insurance and/or cannot afford medication.

Debbie Lee for Child Advocates:  Program makes sure someone represent the child in foster care as founder Judge Len Edwards wanted to make sure someone knew the child and their needs.

Gary Landis of Bus Barn:  Supports neighborhood theater and invited everyone to come and see “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “On Golden Pond” to be the 100th production of the company.

Kathryn Hansen of ALearn:  This is my first time at Rotary but I live across from Lincoln Park so am familiar with the art show.  Grant goes to children who are behind in math and not on the college track.  Provides intensive summer programs in Los Altos and Mountain View schools.

Marge Bruno for AAUW Tech Trek: Grant sends one girl to summer camp to encourage more girls to become scientists and engineers.

JERRY MOISON thanked everyone for sharing and commended the organizations for the fine work they are doing in the community.

MEETING ADJOURNED

President JOHN thanked everyone for attending and adjourned the meeting early with his usual “Have a good day, unless you have made other plans.”

 

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM:

Madrigal Singers