 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
"Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve....You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love, and you can be that servant." Martin Luther King Jr., The Rotarian, January 2009. Thank you Walt Nelson.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
The very same Walt Nelson celebrated his 26th Anniversary at a lunch in Oakland with best mate Kathe and Yolanda Peeks, oh..wait..Yolanda was at the restaurant, but not actually part of the intimate celebration party. fine to Walt, but not Thomas, $26.
 Ernie Furtado's birthday was today. He celebrated joyously with the assembled group by handing out Quarterly bills. One of the great perks in being the Club Treasurer. Fine unknown at this time. Hopefully in no way connected to aforesaid billing activity.
Tom Raeth celebrated his birthday on a working (?) ski trip at Alpine Meadows. To many caustic remarks about this claim to take up space here. Fine totalled $25.
Krystan Laine's husband had a birthday, and Krystan is donating a fine totalling half of her husband's unidentified years on this planet. Only Prez Pat knows the true amount.
Don Reichart won the "can you top this award" for a birthday  celebration, which in itself was like a family reunion. He then stunned the gathering with a matching offer of up to $1,000 to anyone making their own donation toward a Paul Harris Fellowship. Krystan was the winner in a spirited bidding war at $300. Is this a new precedence being established for LSR greatness? Or what.
ROTARY INTERCLUB LUNCHEON MEETING
This 39 year tradition will take place on Wednesday, February 4th with sponsorship by Rossmoor Rotary. The featured speaker this year will be a Mark Twain impersonator. You must have tickets to attend. The cost per ticket is $20. John Fazel passed around a sign up sheet with the notification that LSR will provide the tickets, and will bill attending members for the cost. See John for tickets and particulars.
FANTASTIC MYSTERY ROTARIAN
Clues: 1) Attended same elementary school as Ginger Rodgers and Walt Disney. 2) Participated in Rotary International speech and essay contest to win 6 week trip to Australia. 3) Turned down opportunity to go fishing with Ernest Hemmingway. 4) Jumped center against Wilt Chamberlain. Charlie Franklin had the following answers: 
1) While not exactly a classmate of Ginger and Walt he was there plenty soon enough after they left. 2) He lost this contest to a girl in his high school class who he admitted did a much better job than he did. 3) While in the navy pulling into port in Havana after six weeks at sea, he turned down an opportunity to spend another day at sea, fishing with "The Old Man and the Sea. He claims to have been interested in much the more enticing possiblities in shore leave in pre-Castro Cuba. 4) Charlie was a senior at the University of Kansas when Wilt entered the school as a freshman, and thus not eligible to play for the University until his sophomore year. The fans were so excited to see Wilt that they cooked up a pre-game event which featured Wilt playing against an all-star Kansas intramural team captained by Charlie. The Allen field house was sold out! Even in college, Charlie showed courage and no absolutely no fear of truly BIG challenges!
OTHER INTERESTING (?) STUFF
Prez Pat disclosed an invitation from the parents of a former LSR exchange student from Denmark to visit their club in 2010. These folks actually started that club in there home town after being so impressed with the LSR representation of Rotary's practices and ideals. Wow, this must have been a great club way back then! Anyway, Pat vows to go, and hopes to Shanghai as many others as possible into accompanying him.
Upcoming events include the Reno Train Trip, January 25 & 26, price choices of $275/$250 and $295/$265. Time is running out to get on board!
Final notice!!! Please do not park on the merchant side across from the side of Postino's. Punishment could include several days in court for LSR defendent attorney Shearer. This could lead to truly ugly consequences all around. You've been warned!
Thomas Peeks won the raffle. However, he did not pull the white ball. We are now down to 4. Bring extra cash starting next week until ultimate victory is achieved.
Paul Fillinger tried to sneak into the meeting really late. Pat caught him. Asked him what we had for breakfast. How would he know? The excuse? .... he's fasting. Escaped without a fine!!
CLUB ASSEMBLY - "I GET IT"
President Pat Flaharty presented a six month "State of the Club" update by first acknowledging the excellent leadership of Treasurer Ernie Furtago, Secretary Chuck Yeager, LSR Endowment Leader Paul Bettelheim and President Elect John Fazel. Pat then began a review of recent Club goals and involvement, to whit:
Increased participation
Improving communications
and public relation
More spouse and family
involvement
LSR Projects
Ln4 hands
Blue Star Moms
Contra Costa Interfaith
housing
East Bay Stand Down
Four way speech contest
Las Trampas Campus
3/4 Century Club
Camp Royal
Camp Venture
Opportunity Knocks
Membership Goals - Hays Englehart & Walt Nelson
10% Growth
Induct 9 new members
Training and retention programs
Meetings and Speakers - Jim Brencic
Develop around Rotary theme
Ln4 Hand certificates
Fun
Long Range Planning - Focus Group
Future of LSR
District 5160
25 Members participating
International Involvement
Guatamala Team
Water
Micro Investing
Group Study Exchange
Peace Scholars
Ambassador Scholars
In/Outbound Students
Interact
Rotary's future
Acalanes High School
Stanley Middle School
Increase membership
Recognition in Club and Community
Presence of LSR at events and meeting
WHAT WE WILL LOOK LIKE (PRIORITIES) IN 2013
Club Stands for:
Get message out to community that LSR is "service above self"
Rotarize to get it done
Approached as the group to get things done in the community
Known in every household in the community
Visual in Lamorinda area through plaques and signs
60 to 70 members
Definition of Members
At least 20 women
Trades people
Each members invites 3 guests per
year
Service, fun and fellowship all equally
important and intertwined In a permanent home in the
community that defines LSR
Every member buys into some aspect
of the club
Club Service
High visibility speakers
Expose yourself very important
Contact/fellowship with supporters of
fund raisers and interact parents
Large scale speakers series
Every member involved in their area of expertise
Continuity of leadership succession, with attendant training
Vocational Service
Ethics in life course
Share "expose yourself" stories and help those in transition
Four way speech contest so big it needs an auditorium
Increase number of Camps Royal and Venture participants
UPCOMING EVENTS
1/16/09: Rick Cronk, formerly Dreyer's Ice Cream and National President of the Boy Scouts.
1/23/09: Paul Fillinger, views on Rotary that only he could come up with.
1/30/09: Expose Yourself - Nancy Polis, Venera Maysuryant
1/30/09 TGLFT - Alex Arnold
2/6/09: Garrett Weiss, Fund-a-field (soccer fields in 3rd world countries).
2/20/09: 4-way speech contest, high school students
2/27/09: Expose Yourself - Kevin Croak, Chris Lane |
