Los Altos Rotary Club Home of the Annual Rotary Fine Art Show Spetember 19 2013

Consistent with District Governor Angie Hassler’s visit to “Engage Rotary,” KATHY BERRY presented a thoughtful thought, paraphrased as “if something in my life is imperfect, what can I do or not do to make it better?”
 
JULIE ROSE was invited by President John “Bloomer” Kelly to lead Rotarians in the Pledge and she did it with aplomb. Then we were introduced to a new song! 

BARBARA SMALL and PAUL GONELLA helped us through the chorus of “It’s later than you think.” This little ditty reminds everyone of us to enjoy ourselves while we can.

President-elect KENDRA GJERSETH, in stunning black, welcomed visiting Rotarians from Alameda and Mountain View Rotary Clubs, Kendra also welcomed the many guests in attendance in honor of the District Governor’s visit.  Kendra announced that next week will feature Ms. Molly Bell, a musical and stage star, who will tell about show business through song and story.  Don’t miss next week’s program.

JUDY OTT, Sunshine Chair, reported on the death of fellow Rotarian Dick Greenburg.  Dick was a Red Badger who joined us in July of this year.  Our thoughts and prayers are extended to his wife, Linda, and family.  Services are to be announced.  Judy also noted that Penny Lave, is undergoing surgery, and circulated a card.

Don’t forget to get your donations to the Red Badge auction in asap.  The auction supports Virda Verde.

Here is some additional information about the Red Badge project provided by Joe Eyre:

Sixteen Red Badgers are planning an auction to benefit Vida Verde, a nonprofit in San Gregorio that promotes educational equity by providing free, overnight, environmental learning experiences for underserved students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. 
 
The silent and live auctions, planned for the October 10th Rotary meeting, will be a lot of fun.  There will be many great auction items and complimentary wine will be served.  The Red Badge group is furiously collecting donations of items (jewelry, wine, art, etc.) and experiences (beach house, golf outing, spa outing, race car rides, etc.).  If you have something you can offer, please donate to one of the Red Badgers by October 1st.
Most of Vida Verde’s students come from areas such as East Palo Alto and Richmond and have never left their impoverished, and sometimes dangerous, neighborhoods.  A short video says it all:  http://vimeo.com/8083253
 
For more information, contact Joe Eyre, joe.eyre@gmail.com, (408) 857-8609.  You can bring items to the next Rotary meeting or drop them off at the Los Altos Community Foundation, 183 Hillview Ave, Los Altos.

MARLENE COWAN has led the drive to support the Coaniquem Burn Cinic in Chile.  Her incredible effort has resulted in raising enough funds to pay for the surgeries of the three children our club supports at Coaniquem.  Without these funds, the clinic would not be able to provide the free surgeries the children desperately need. 

Thanks to Marlene and our members’ donations, we may even be able to pay for another child if contributions keep coming in. Your donation helps sponsor the children and you may win travel tickets to Latin America for two!  

Carolyn Schuetz announced that there are two tables of Rotarians for the Bay Cruise.  We also will get the chance to meet a young man who was helped to recovery at Coaniquem. What a great project!
 

LAREF Grants for Mental Health Services
DAVID SMITH, chair of the Los Altos Rotary Endowment Fund (LAREF) introduced Monique Kane, CHAC director.  CHAC provides mental health counseling for couples, families and individuals in need.  The professional services include crisis and grief counseling, parenting, anger management, drug and alcohol counseling and other community mental health services.  LAREF annually makes grants to local non-profit groups in a twice-yearly grant cycle.  CHAC is a frequent recipient of these grants.  Thanks to Monique and CHAC for providing such essential services to our community. 
 
 

Play it again, Sam STEVE!
STEVE and Kathy ANDERSON will host the next wine and hors d’oeuvres fellowship gathering of Los Altos Rotarians.  Watch for the emails and bring wine and finger foods to share.
 

New Rotarian MICHAEL ELLERIN awarded Red Badge
Membership Chair JEAN MORDO welcomed new Rotarian MICHAEL ELLERIN to the membership and Michael received a standing ovation from fellow Rotarians.  Sponsored by President JACK KELLY, Michael has a background in newspapers, operating a camp for children with weight issues, and now has started as new home maintenance company in Los Altos. Welcome Michael when you see him at the next meeting.
 

A Bloomin’ Story
Whether “Bloomer Jack,” was appropriately dressed for today’s prestigious once-a-year visit from District Governor Angie Hassler and her husband, Past DG Roger Hassler, is a question only historians can answer.  President Jack was apparently trying for the “layered look” with traditional plaid Irish bloomers over a dress suit.  He sort of had it going, except the neck tie and bloomers seemed a little at odds.  It made him look somewhat like the Mad Pirate. 
 
President Jack credited his First Officer of bloomers DONNA VERNA for the success of the operation. Jack presented a triple pair of honorary Rotary-wheel-on-the-butt bloomers to the DG, et al, and gave a check for more bloomers to Tom Myers, of CSA, for homeless clients who need underwear.  It was a need waiting to be filled, and, inspired by Past DG Roger Hassler, Rotarians filled Bloomer Jack’s garage full of underwear.
 

Rotary Foundation Leaders Receive Atomic Pin
The Rotary Foundation is the engine of Rotary International.  It funds the projects we do on the world stage.  Our contributions come back to the club leveraged with other funds to do things like our Child Aids Prevention Project in Liberia.  Each year, our club membership tries to be 100 percent contributors to The Rotary Foundation.  Right now we are well on the way to the goal.
 
Nine Rotarians so far have contributed or pledged $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation this year.  Thanks to Past President MONA ARMISTEAD, RICH CASEY, PAUL GONELLA, CLARI NOLET, PAUL NYBERG, HARN SOPER, RON STEFANI, JERRY TOMANEK and DENNIS YOUNG who are now 2013-14 members of the Paul Harris Society.  BONNIE BURDETT, KAREN GREGURAS, DICK HENNING, MARV PATTERSON and DAVID SMITH were honored for $500 contributions to the Rotary Foundation as Super Sustainers. More than 40 Rotarians so far have become $200 Double Sustainer Members for this Rotary year.
 
CYNTHIA  LUEDTKE  is the 2013-14 Foundation Committee chair.  Dennis Young, who will be Chair in 2014-15, announced on behalf of the TRF Committee, that 89 or our 170 members have made contributions or pledges so far this year and the drive has barely begun!  Dennis said we are over 50% percent of the way to our goal of 100 percent participation in the Rotary Foundation this year.  Any level of contribution is welcome and will help get members on the way to their next Paul Harris Fellowship and help the club reach its objective of full club support.  This is how we grease the wheel of Rotary.
 
District Governor Angie Hassler presented each of the contributors with a Rotary Foundation Pin with the Rotary wheel as the nucleus of the six-electron carbon atom – signifying the six areas of focus of the Rotary Foundation.
 

District Governor Angie Hassler brings fire with her brimstone
District Governor Angie Hassler has a powerful voice and she wields it effectively to encourage, and demand, that Rotarians treat new members as if they are joining a family – a family of Rotarians.   She stressed the importance of membership for renewal of club energy with optimism and the bravery to take on projects that change our world. 
 
She asked us to make sure Red Badgers are engaged and that they know that they can make family and Rotary work together.  Everyone must have a meaningful role to play, and it is our task as Rotarians to make sure new Rotarians contributions are valued, she said.  If we do so, new members will become long-term contributors and bring other new members into the Family of Rotary.
 
The District Governor also does her research.  She walked us through her knowledge of 32 programs and projects of this Rotary club.  She reminded us that with the work we do for others, the life we change is our own.
 

Mistress of Fines
In a final act of charity, and exactly three claps from the stunned audience, Bloomer Jack unleashed Finemaster BONNIE BURDETT, who rose, levied stiff fines, collected a bundle of cash for Bloomer Jack’s next misadventure. Stay Tuned…

Molly Bell is a professional theater actress turned entrepreneur.  Most recently she was seen in the title role of Sweet Charity at Center Rep Theater in Walnut Creek. 

She is also a writer of musicals  and is currently working on a country musical currently entitled Running Red Lights in collaboration with her brothers, Russ and Scott Bell.  She is the creator and producer of the popular Divas For Life benefit concert that is currently in it's 10th season.  In the Fall of 2013 she will be directing and choreographing Guys and Dolls at a theater in Redwood City.

Molly is the owner of Creative Habit Academy, that offers performing arts training in after school programs in the Bay Area.  Molly also has a successful coaching practice as a voice and acting teacher. 

She is also a corporate team building consultant.  Netflix in one of her clients as well as PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Fleet Feet, and Ebay.  

Molly lives in Los Altos with her husband, Kurt Kuckein, and her six year old son, Ryder and 9 month year old daughter, Rylie.