Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show March 14, 2013

Today was a very nice warm day, full of potential.  It is one of the days where we can really celebrate life.  Bright grass, redolent of the green of St Patrick’s day, friendly members surrounding us, excellent meal (well worth the $10 non eaters will be charged to not eat it); compassionate Fine Master; greeters with genuine smiles and eager handshakes and hugs; extremely generous Rotarians exposed, and did I mention a program showing that Rotarians do not hold capture to “Service Above Self”. 

In this time, economy, political bickering, unemployment, and world unrest it is easy to focus on the negative, man’s inhumanity to man.  But today’s meeting and program pushed all that to the background of our minds for a pleasant ninety minutes.

Then, of course there was the less than perfect sound system, the day of the Ides of March, where treachery is game, unheard announcements and errant cell phones.  In the future, I think I should warn members when I am writing the Rotator so they can hand me (as CLARI NOLET did) a written text of their announcement made at the mike.  Before Clari handed me her remarks, I had “CLARI NOLET - brief something …” We could blame it on the mike. But why does it work for President JOHN SYLVESTER, and fails for so many others?  Strange. 

Here is CLARI NOLET’s Thought for the Day in its entirety.  Thank heaven it was short:

Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but to see how quickly to make them good. 
Bertolt Brecht

Today the Glad Hand Crew was PAT FARRELL and DAVE SMITH.  President JOHN mentioned a third, but I only saw two, so not sure what happened there so we will not expose the third name. 
Songmeister RON STEFFANI, sounds like Stefanie as in Powers (to you Hart To Hart fans) but with the extra “F” and the missing “e”.  But I digress.  Anyway RON (can’t screw that up – unless you are like Ronn Owens who uses an extra “n” Still digressing….. Ron lead us in a St Patrick’s Day type song that had very difficult lyrics:  Tour La Rour la rula..or something like that…over and over again.  I wish he had printed out the words so we all could have screwed it up. 

We had several visiting Rotarians, from Palo Alto and Weaverville (CA) and four members brought guests, so we had a full house. 

The meeting began by PP WYATT ALLEN presenting first time Paul Harris Fellow metals, and certificates to ten members present:

• ABBY AHRENS
• JOHN EVANS (which turned out to be #6 when you count his previous club)
• LONNIE GARY
• PAT GRAY
• JOHN HAMMERSCHMIDT
• GARY MAGGARD
• DWIGHT MATTHEWS
• MARLIS MCALLISTER
• CLARI NOLET
• RON STAFFANI

• PP MEL KAHN (#8)
• PP DICK HENNING (# GAZILION)
• RON STEFANI

President JOHN mentioned the recent Board of Director’s meeting where they discussed LARC funding some improvements to the “Rotary” (or “Singer”) Plaza at Main and State streets.  They approved a concept to do something, but no details were given because the ‘something’ has not been decided upon.  Eventually our LARC Endowment Foundation will fund the project.

 
The Board also discussed the Boy Scouts of America policy on Gays in the Scouts and Gay leaders.  Our board is currently waiting from input from the membership how a letter to the Scouts governing body should be framed.  If you have an opinion on this issue, please let the board know by emailing President John. 

PE JACK KELLY, face and body painted in the Rotary Blue and Gold, came to the mike and extolled the benefits of PETS, President Elect in Training Seminar, I think, or was it Pretty Effective Tantric Something.  Anyway to say that JACK was enthused, as JOHN, MONA and all the prior PEs were, is to put it mildly. 

I could go on and on about the events presented, but just seeing Jack, and feeling his enthusiasm was enough for me to buy ANYTHING he was selling.  That program should be bottled and sold to those in life who think they need Xanax.

Blandly following Jack was a plethora of announcements, most of which I caught. 

FRANK ELMER taking over for STEVE POMEROY as Personnel Manager for the Art Show, passed around a hard copy of last year’s Art Show Assignments and encouraged everyone to look at it.  If not changed, FRANK will assign you to the same job you had last year, so if you are not going to be here for the Art Show (shame on you), or want out of some scud job, you should have marked the sheet.  You still have a chance to change your job, but you must tell FRANK.  You might be able to go online eventually and make the change yourself, but to be sure, tell FRANK now. 
 
MATT CABOT announced (thru FRANK ELMER) that if you are not getting Rotator in your weekly email, please contact him.

DONNA VERNA quickly followed FRANK up with a companion announcement about the Art Show and about sponsorships.  Missed the announcement while I asked my neighbor who was standing up there.  Please, people, tell everyone who you are and what your classification is.  Makes it easier on the writers, and all 170 of the members get to put a name to the smiling face.  Without hearing the announcement, I will assume DONNA is looking for sponsors for the Art Show.  Sponsorships allow us to cover the overhead costs, utilities, advertising, permits etc. so 100% of the proceeds of the Art Show go back to the community, so they are very important. 

PAT GRAY announced that our Art Show has its own Facebook page.  Not sure what that means, but sounds important.  If you are on Facebook, check it out. 

CLARI NOLET after giving a pithy thought for the day, became equally pithy and announced that the Non-Eaters-Non-Lunch-Package has doubled in price from $5.00 to $10.00.  It is probably because of the increase in ingredients. 

No, seriously, as a Past Director of Operations, I know that the overhead cost of the luncheon, rental, minimums to the caterer etc. needs to be covered.  One more cost increase and you might as well eat.  Or maybe we could direct the excess food be taken to CHAC or someplace.
How about, raising the cost of non-eaters meal to $20, then the extra cost would cover repackaging the meal in a sustainable food container and delivered to some daily soup kitchen.  Then the non-eaters would feel better by donating their lunch to the needy.  And there would be no waste of food; Now there’s a “win,win”.

JULIE ROSE as Chamber Liaison mentioned a Tour to Cuba sponsored by the Chamber.  Well it really isn’t sponsored, but “Referred by” the Chamber.  I am pretty sure our Chamber does not have reciprocal arrangements with the Havana Chamber of Commerce.  But it still might be fun.  Check out their website Los Altos Chamber of Commerce, not Havana Chamber of Commerce.  Julie also said there would be an informational meeting on Monday, April 8th at 5 PM at the Marriott Courtyard in Los Altos. 

OK, I was wrong.  Cuba does have a Chamber of Commerce.  Being a communist country, I am not sure why, but they do. Anyway, for more information on the tour, check out Chamber Explorations.

PP MARLENE COWAN announced that the Greater Fremont Rotaract Club is having a CAP (Child's AIDS Prevention) fundraiser at the Fredericos Tapas Bar in Union City on March 28th from 8PM to Midnight.  Many, many, probably too many people (mostly men, I am guessing) heard "Topless" Bar.  Whether or not it was intentional by PP Marlene, it is difficult to say, but it did get most of the men's attention.  Not to dissuade you from going, but it was actually "Tapas."  Regardless, it is still a worthy event.  Though...well, never mind. 

DAVE SMITH announced the PEG (Partners for Elder Generations) co-sponsored meeting and luncheon called “ENCORE” this Saturday, March 23rd from 9:30 AM to 1 PM.  Reservations are required but the event is free.  The purpose of the event is to expose seniors with the opportunities to serve the community in a volunteer capacity.  It is also sponsored by the City of Los Altos.  Check out the RotaryPEG website for complete details, or just notice the banner currently flying above Main Street.

STEVE SHEPHERD mentioned that Los Altos Rotary is fielding the A golf team for the District Conference in Napa this on April 25th.  Here are the details.  Quite a discussion ensued about whether or not this was the A team or the B team.  Who knows?  It is Golf. 

Speaking of Golf, Steve sent me the details of the Los Altos Rotary Golf Tournament several weeks ago, and I have neglected to publish it.  Steve assured me that if I did not publish it soon, he would take up program time to do so, so I put it on our website here.  It is on our website calendar as well. 

Our Finemaster, BONNIE BURDETT had a theme of St Patrick’s Day.  Ester Ng took the opportunity to be fined by announcing the JUST READ fundraiser on Saturday, May 4th where California State Senator Joe Simitian will be Guest of Honor. Check out Just Read’s website for complete details.  
Bonnie caught about 8 members who mostly had a woeful lack of knowledge about St. Patrick. 

HARN SOPER introduced Shawn and Laura Sears of Vida Verde.  Vida Verde is a non profit organization established to provide free overnight environmental education to the bay area’s underprivileged youth.  Check out their website for more information about their program, how you can donate your talents and money to this worthwhile organization which is beginning its second decade of operation. 

They made a strong case for the benefits of this program on all youth; improved self esteem, improved classroom participation; environmental education etc.  One salient point was that there are many children living around us throughout the bay area who have never seen the ocean, or have never seen a redwood stand.  That might be acceptable in Kansas, but it should not happen here.  Go to their website, particularly if you missed this program and check them out and see how you can have a positive effect in the youth of our community.

THIS THURSDAY'S PROGRAM:

Carrie Davis
"Myoelectric Limb Project"