Los Altos Rotary Club eNewsletter "Rotator"

There are always media seekers who love to have their picture taken and they get in line with official greeters before the meeting starts. Unable to tell who the official greeters are, the following people with friendly smiles and choice words for Rotarians today were: RON STEFANI, JULIE ROSE and CAROL GARSTEN.

In a nice gesture, PP TRACIE MURRAY set up a get-well video card for each Rotarian to say a few words to MARY MARLEY. MARY is under the weather and many Rotarians provided good memories of good times and nice words for her recuperation.

Shedding their winter clothing before they sat down, because the weather was typically “winterish,” Rotarians entered the main hall and paid PP CYNTHIA LUEDTKE the familiar green bill for food.

Rotary President JOHN SYLVESTER started the meeting at 12:15 p.m. and asked PAT GRAY to provide the thought for the day. She complied with a very short comment by William Penn. “Times are what we want most, but what we use worst.”

Song for the day was by the “dynamic duo” of BONNIE BURDETT and HARN SOPER giving a harmonica rendition of “Take me out to the Ball Game” and then both singing the song with transposed words that will lead to the Super Dome in two weeks. The old 1908 baseball tune was changed to a football theme.

PE JACK KELLY could not find any visiting Rotarians, but several visiting guests were attending the proceedings. Those who brought guests were: ABBY AHRENS, GARY MAGGARD, GARY WALDECK, PAT FARRELL and TRACIE MURRAY.

Announcements:

PE JACK KELLY had a special announcement regarding a survey Rotary is conducting with Rotary Club members. Getting our input is important to our club’s success. Therefore, each Rotarian is invited to participate in a short survey about their experience in Rotary and the Los Altos Rotary Club.

JACK said we are interested in your honest opinions,since there are no right or wrong answers. To date, we only have 9 out of 170 members who responded to the survey.
To take the survey, simply click on this link:
http://tinyul.com/MultiDistrictSurvey or type this link in your web browser.
Please complete the survey on or before February 1.

RON STEFANI is looking for volunteers to lead the music section of the agenda each week. He is passing around a sign up sheet and he needs your cooperation. Sign up! Time has passed but you still can sign up.

ALLAN VARNI said if you are giving away your money; give it to World Community Services who do such good things around the globe.

NANCY SIMON asked you refer to the inside cover of the Town Crier and come to the Silent Auction Fundraiser at the First and Main Sports Lounge January 27 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. With lots of items to bid on, come enjoy the auction and support the Los Altos High School students to benefit the Haiti schools project.

PP CYNTHIA LUEDTKE, our Club’s TRF Chair, said you have until Jan. 31 for Rotarians to qualify for The Rotary Foundation program conducted each year to help world programs. The annual TRF Drive started in October and is still a going concern (at least to meet the Every Rotarian Every Year goal) till January 31. Why not become a double sustainer??

JUDY OTT provided information on two recuperating Rotarians who are doing fine. PP STEVE ANDERSON is at home and doing nicely after pneumonia and PP BOB ADAMS is limping around after his knee replacement seven days ago.

STEVE SHEPHERD said to remember February 8 if you are on the golf committee. That day they meet to plan for the upcoming golf tournament on June 7. It will be bigger this year with 80-90 people because the Mountain View Rotary Club has been invited.

The following email came into PNG requesting help with Alta Vista's Mock Interviews. Los Altos Rotarians have participated in this important event for many years. Please contact Doreen Bracamontes at the email address below to offer your expertice. Please note the time-sensitive nature of her request.

Dear Community Volunteers,

Hello and Happy New Year! As you may know, Alta Vista High School has an advisory program on campus; this is our fifth year of implementation. The purpose of the advisory program is to help facilitate stronger connections between students and their teachers, school, and community so that each student is better prepared for high school graduation and beyond.

Senior advisory is designed to spend time focusing on preparation for both community college and the workforce. During our recent job skills unit, students prepared resumes and cover letters, as well as reviewed helpful interviews tips. Now, we need to partner with interested community members like you. Please help us with a culminating activity for our students' job unit.

On Friday, February 8, 2013 between 9:00 A.M. and 1:05 P.M., we are conducting mock interviews and need volunteers to fill the role of an interviewer. Our objective is to provide students with an opportunity to practice their interview skills with knowledgeable adults before they are in actual interview situations. We would love to have you help interview students for all or part of the time on the 8th. We know that having professionals from the community who care about our students will make this day more meaningful and successful for them.

When you arrive the day of the mock interviews, you will receive interview questions to use during the interview sessions and an evaluation form to provide constructive feedback for each student. The questions and evaluation form will be sent out in advance to confirmed volunteers.

If you are interested and available to participate for all or part of the time, please contact Doreen Bracamontes at doreen.bracamontes@mvla.net or call (650) 691-2433 by February 1, 2013. Your time and dedication to Alta Vista High School and our students is very much appreciated. This will be the fifth year that mentors like you have helped us perform this very successful program. Community volunteers are invaluable assets to our school community as well as in the lives of our students. Your time at Mock Interviews is a tremendous service in our effort to prepare students for workforce entry.

Sincerely,

Doreen Bracamontes
Teacher
Alta Vista High School

Recognition and Fining

This was a day to catch up on joining the President’s Club with PP MARY PROCHNOW assessing each member who screwed up their question, but got them $20 closer to joining the President’s Club.

Club members who are not a member of the President’s club were dinged and 14 Rotarian’s assessed $20 to get them closer to being a member of the President’s Club. Oddly, by miscue, Mary fined herself $20. At this point of the year, more than half of the 169 members of the Los Altos Rotary Club have joined the President’s Club.

Guest Speakers
Each year The City Managers of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills are asked to provide information and progression of the city’s features for residents.

Los Altos Hills Mayor GARY WALDECK, a noted Rotarian, introduced Carl Cahill, the Los Altos Hills City Manager for the last six years.

Using a screen show, Carl’s first photos were of the mansions that have invaded Los Altos Hills in recent years.
He then provided an overview of the different collaborations with the city of Los Altos that include: the Library Commission, the Senior Committee, the Lehigh Quarry Public Information Forum and other examples of sharing resources.

“Actually your downtown is our downtown too,” Cahill said. The different capital improvement projects were mentioned by Cahill and determined by money from taxes. Presently, the capital improvement projects are:

In 2012 Los Altos Hills had 81,000 square foot of development with a concentration on making secondary units. However, there is only $300,000 for road maintenance.

Los Altos Mayor VAL CARPENTER introduced city manager Marcia Somers who was appointed last April and is relatively new to the city.

Using the screen for her talk, Marcia’s first slide portrayed a book called “My First Nine Months by M. Somers. Using pregnancy as a metaphor to explain her introduction to the city, Marcia broke it down with trimester information.
“In the first trimester, I was busy. It was a learning period and what to put my hands on,” Marcia said. “In the 2nd trimester I was assembling the information, tweaking the organization and organizing the public records.”
During that time construction was going on at First Street and the San Antonio streetscape.

In the third trimester, planning was going on with the new Safeway Market and 100 First Street project.
“I can tell you now there will be a lot of dust, but the wait will be worth it,” Marcia said. “In the next chapter after the trimesters, we intend to pursue a good relationship with LAH and maintain our major roads even though the property tax doesn’t support it.”

In closing remarks, Marcia provided areas she intends to pay close attention as city manager.
(a)   Maintain fiscal prudence.
(b)   Community engagement of problems and policy
(c)   Manage transportation projects
(d)   Enhance the commercial district.

Her biggest challenge as city manager is public interaction and providing time for resident inquiries.

At 1:30 p.m. President JOHN SYLVESTER hit the bell and advised the audience: “Have a good day unless you have other plans.”

Los Altos Rotary Club

Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show