THE LAMORINDAN 3/20

A LATE CAMPAIGN

Paul Fillinger was back, and delighted to see our bright and shining faces. He hadn't been here for a while, apparently because of sickness, or an interrupted training session last Friday, or something. But he was clear in his Thought:   "We learn by mistakes. If I appear to know more than you, it's just that I've made more mistakes." If he'd said that before his campaign for the LSR presidency, history might be different.

On the other hand, if he'd said a couple of other things before that campaign, he would have had a better resume'. Firstly, he's now the official photographer for the Rotoplast trip to the Far East, which counts for international experience. Secondly, he and Glenda are celebrating their 55th anniversary this very day, so he definitely has more life experience. In celebrating, he is equally at home with elegance and with the bourgeoisie:   strawberries, chocolate and red wine with Chez Chaffeys, and dinner at Taco Bell.

EVENTFUL TIMES

First and foremost, TGITLFOTM next Friday, March 27th, 5:30, at Joanne & Ulrich Luschers'. Gonna have a few water pasteurization indicators. These are not something that we'll be mixing, but that we'll be making. The other stuff behind the bar constitute a bribe for participating in the project where we'll manufacture a number of these indicators to help 3rd world countries. The Luschers thoughtfully left a handout on the tables, which undoubtedly disappeared into the usual black hole. Anyway, it's at 312 Camino Sobrante, Orinda, just above the country club.

Then, there is such a thing as a free lunch. At least according to that reliable source, Prez-Elect Fazel. This will be the District Assembly in Concord, April 11th, either from 8:00 to 2:00 or from 9:00 to 1:00, depending on who you listen to. And the stuff you learn is also free, and priceless.

Even more unbelievably free:   Louise Bourassa, Executive Director of Contra Costa Interfaith Housing ("Brad's Project"), handed out flyers for a free chamber music concert at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Pleasant Hill on March 29th at 3:00, featuring a number of the greatest composers there ever were. Of course, if you like the music, or even if you don't, you can feel free to toss in some green stuff for the Project.

John Sherry, president of That Other Club which meets at Thursday noons at Oakwood, announced a hat trick: Noon meeting this coming Thursday with Cliff Dochterman speaking; a wine tour April 18th where you're bused to two wineries and a Mum's Champagne factory; and the annual Concert at the Res on May 16th from 1 to 4. True to his nature, John peddled raffle tickets for this last event, which in fact really is fun and musically outstanding.

Mike Wilson tossed out a great teaser - he and Chris Lane are planning a surprise event, and the only clue is that he's looking to borrow whatever poker tables he can find.

STUFF WE'RE DOING, OR AREN'T

Appropriate kudos were given to Tom Black for muscling us into the new series on service clubs by the Lafayette Today newspaper. He hinted that there may not be any articles following ours. This all had a Godfather sort of feel.

Ernie Furtado, Tight Treasurer, announced that he loosened up to give Fund-A-Field (recall the presentation by the two high school kids about the African soccer fields) a $1,000 contribution, $700 of which were pledged by individual members after the presentation. Of course, Ernie will see to it that this is reflected on these folks' quarterly billings.

George Chaffey has been out of action here even longer than Fillinger. His excuses were: Southern California PETS 4 weeks ago; training in Texas 3 weeks ago; trying to train Fazel at his PETS 2 weeks ago; and sick last week. Sounds pretty weak.

What has this week's Mystery Rotarian done? Loves to scuba; many years in many service organizations; 30 years a landscaping contractor; born and raised in Lafayette. Pretty tough, huh? OK, what did he do in 7th grade? Lived in the North Sea in Germany and got to play soccer with an unpronounceable name you never heard of. So there.

IT BEATS FIGHTING FIRES

Mike Edwards probably made more $$$ in 5 minutes than he ever did squirting hoses, or even brewing wine. He was the auctioneer for the first of the Consolation Mini-Auctions which replace this years Big Auction. Of course, he had a great product to sell - the Luscher cabin at Serene Lakes. For a few days. Ca-Ching! Sold to R. Shearer for $700. There were rumors of a fight after the meeting with someone claiming to have bid $701.

SUGAR AND SPICE ISN'T ALL NICE

Cindy Gershen is founder of Wellness City Challenge and owner of Sunrise Bistro in Walnut Creek. Her husband is a pediatrician in Concord and Brentwood. They would appear to be a great team to save our children, and maybe ourselves, from food processing causing lots of bad things including obesity.

Talk about been there & done that. Cindy has lost 100 pounds, and she's in the restaurant business.

Let's get right to it, as Cindy would do. Your basic American weighs 25 pounds more than 30 years ago. This causes skyrocketing increases in heart disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, etc.

The villains of this scenario? Sugar. It's all bad, whether sucrose or fructose. Fructose increases the liver's production of triglycerides and induces liver insulin resistance. It also has been added to all processed foods.

The hero? Fiber. It slows sugar absorption so the liver has a chance to process the fructose, and moves the food through faster. But we all have our weaknesses, and fiber's is that it doesn't freeze, thus shortening shelf life. Fast food is fiberless.

To the extent the hero can't protect us, how do we protect ourselves?

For sugar:   If it's a liquid (except milk) with 6 or more calories, leave it. If it's a solid and any form of sugar is one of the first 3 ingredients, it's a dessert.

For fiber:   Eat your carbohydrate with fiber. If it's a solid, 3+ grams is good. And don't drink juice; eat the fruit.

Generally, as you might expect, eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and a lot less sugar.

It's all about awareness. Cindy is going from city to city, and from club to club. From the cities, she wants a proclamation setting forth food guidelines. Our club hasn't quite made the grade, though, thanks to an unnamed member right in front of Cindy who failed to hide his scone.

In fact, she practices what she preaches. The menu at her restaurant includes red dots indicating sugar and blue hearts indicating fiber. This will be remarked upon when the League of Cities has an event at her restaurant in a couple of months.

There is ever so much more in the handouts she gave. Hopefully they didn't go into the black hole. There are two sheets with healthy recipes to try, and another with "Food Processing and Obesity" by Dr. Robert H. Lustig of UCSF (from which this Lamorindan has freely stolen).

Hard to impart the passion that Cindy brings to her subject. She also has courage, making her presentation with casts on one wrist and the other hand. Don't ask. But she will recover, so doesn't personally need the LN-4 hand that is being donated in her honor.

VISITING ROTARIANS

John Sherry, Lafayette Noon

GUESTS

Cindy Gershen, speaker
Mark Roberts
Ulrich Luscher
Kara Wheeler (Oregon & Italy!)
Chloe Johnson
Sarah Gilson (where has her daddy gone?)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

3/27/09:   Expose Yourselves, Ken Kosich and Dave Watson!
3/27/09:   TGITLFOTM, Luscher Estate, 5:30
4/10/09:   Annaline Scholz, Rotary Academic Scholar program    (with Orinda Rotarian Pete Giers)
4/11/09:   District Assembly, 8:00-2:00 or 9:00-1:00?
4/17/09:   Micheal Pope, Executive Director, Alzheimer Service of the East Bay (ASEB)
4/24/09:   Expose': Hear the fascinating story of Venera Maysuryants (oh yeah, and Tay Wheeler too)
5/8/09:   Domingo Blanco Rotary Peace Scholar, returns.
5/15/09:   Pascal Kaplan, Ph.D., holistic studies
6/5/09:   Benjamin Lawrence, UC Davis professor & Davis Rotarian, boring water holes in Africa