rev newsletter head 7-17
April 16, 2010  
Reporter: Rich Shearer                 Editor:  Dominic Porrino         Photographer: Don Reichert 
 
 
President: John Fazel, 2009 - 2010          

 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 

raeth 8-14"A magical box actually does exist.  It's called your toolbox, and it consists of your knowledge and diagnostic gear.  Go HOME Team!"

 

Most of this came from Bob Schuler of Middle America Products.  The last sentence was oh-so-appropriately added by Thomas Raeth.

  

VISITING ROTARIANS

 

Larry Blodgett - Lafayette

Larry Duson - ditto

Waite Stephenson - Moraga

 

GUESTS OF OTHER PERSUASIONS

 

Monsieur van den Hove - Aymeric's Dad enjoying his last day - Icelandic ash cloud permitting - in California

Sherry Glover - Bank of the West (meaning working with Larry Duson) and potential Member

Greg Zegaworski - Met up with us at the November joint meeting, liked what he saw, and came to check us out.

Chris Laszcz-Davis - she's been here before

 

BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS GOODIES

 

Jim Brencic celebrated Ceara's birthday - once the kids fell asleep in the car. Katie Rose Ware turned 14.  Dan Garfin and Hays Engelhart had When-I-Joined-Lamorinda-Sunrise-Rotary anniversaries.  Ken Kosich remembered Patti's birthday. Money changed hands. Chuck Kenney is about to head off to his new home town, Atlanta, but paid for his upcoming birthday. Just another day at Lamorinda Sunrise.

 

BUDDY BURKE NEEDS HELP

 

buddy 1-29 10As you know, Buddy Burke is passionate about making the world a better place.  He has been one of the most dependable and active of Lamorinda Sunrise Rotarians. One of the things about which he is passionate is Las Trampas, the local program for developmentally disadvantaged adults. They are having a big fund raising extravaganza at the end of the month, and Buddy was trying to sell tickets to us. Not surprisingly, given his other activities that we all know about but The Lamorindan can't endorse, as much as we'd like to, he simply does not have the time.  So please, please, PLEASE, somebody, help Buddy and take this worthwhile task off his hands. 

 

Did we mention that Buddy needs your help?

 

AMOMENT WITH AYMERIC

 

Aymeric was here with his Dad (Mom, little brother and girlfriend slept in). He and the family hit a few spots in the past two weeks - Lake Tahoe, Jamestown and Columbia, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, San Luis Obispo, and Carmel.  The van den Hoves plan to fly home tomorrow (meaning Saturday, not the day after you read this). However, the ash cloud over Europe caused by the volcano in Iceland may be putting the kibosh on the flight home, at least for a while.  Time will tell.

 

POLIO VACCINE, PENS & PENCILS, AND VOLCANIC ASH

 

Pat Flaharty is scheduled to fly off to Nigeria tomorrow (same time disclaimer as the Aymeric item) to dispense Polio Plus oral vaccine to Nigerian kids (northern Nigeria being one of the last four areas of polio in the world).  Pat, who is always looking for ways to maximize the "I Get It" spirit, plans to bring paper for the kids to use at school. What is more, Pat asked all of us to bring writing implements to further supply the educational needs of the Nigerian children - and we did, we are pleased to report.

 

One small hitch in the plan; Pat is flying to Nigeria by way of Amsterdam, and Amsterdam is right in the middle of the above-mentioned Icelandic volcano ash mess. Here's hoping we don't see you at next week's meeting, Pat.

 

EDITORS NOTE: This just in....Mr. Flaharty's trip was postponed due to the Iceland Volcano shutting down Europe.  Looks like no one "got" anything, unfortunately.  However, the Polio Immunization trip will be re-scheduled, as long as the Nigerian Government invites us again.  As for Pat, he will be in Chicago this Friday, but assures everyone that he will return your pens, if you wish. 

 

THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO LEARN NEW TRICKS, BUT OLD DOGS STILL NEED A HOME

 

Believe it or not, people abandon old dogs. One such old dog was fortunate to be found and adopted by Alice Mayn, former Lamorinda Sunrise Rotarian. This old retriever, Lily, touched Alice's heart, which is kindly disposed toward big dogs to begin with.  Lily inspired Alice to found Lily's Legacy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with the mission of finding, housing and caring for abandoned senior dogs so they can live their old age in comfort and love. 

 

rich 12-4So what's this to you?  Well, said Rich Shearer in his quiet, demure way, you can help and have a good time, too.  Come June 12, Lily's Legacy is holding a golf tournament at the beautiful San Geronimo Golf Course just west of Fairfax to raise funds.  The format is four person team scramble (meaning best-ball, as this reporter understands it), and a great barbecue will follow the round.  

 

For more info, contact Alice and Lily's Legacy at www.lilyslegacy.org, [email protected], or at 415-488-4984.  And tell Alice that Rich sent you.

 

THE HOME TEAM SCORES AGAIN

 

Joe Bettencourt reported on the latest HOME Team success story. Last Saturday, five teams fanned out over the East Bay and successfully helped elderly clients.  This program is growing by leaps and bounds, and it is something we can all be very proud of. 

 

Your next chance to help out will be May 8, when the HOME Team heads out again to help folks who need a little help.  If you haven't been out on a HOME Team project yet, you owe it to yourself.  You get to look the people you help in the eye. And that is a great feeling.

 

PENTANQUE BY ANY OTHER NAME . . .

 

As you may recall, Bob Heinen announced some weeks back that Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary is signed up for Local Rotary Bocce Tournament on May 8 at the Waterfront Park in Martinez.  Today, Bob announced that the date has changed to June 5. All other details remain the same. 

 

MOTORAMA UPDATE

 

Skip McCowan is about to resort to public humiliation to get bottles of wine out of those of you who have not yet ponied up either (a) a bottle of wine worth $20 or more or (b) ponied up $20 or more to Skip to buy a bottle for you.  If you don't know who you are, Skip will be more than happy to identify you - privately if you call and ask him, publicly if you don't.

 

PROGRAM

 

Today, we learned about Measure A, the proposed new parcel for the Acalanes Union High School District (the district that includes Acalanes, Campolindo, Miramonte and Las Lomas High Schools), only the best public high school district in California and one the very top districts in the country.  John Stockton, Superintendent of the AUHSD, and Joni Avery, Past President of the Acalanes High Parents Club, are very concerned that this level of scholastic achievement will not last in the current state of public education funding.

 

Mr. Stockton led off.  Simply put, the Acalanes Union High School District is receiving $8 million less - no, that was not a misprint - in public funds than just a few years ago.  There was to be a $4.8 million shortfall this coming school year. It has been reduced because the teachers have agreed to 5 furlough days, and other staff will be taking equivalent salary cuts.  The District has been required by law to plan for this level of shortfall. That means that the District has issued layoff notices to 50 teachers, as have three counselors at each school, leaving only one counselor per high school. These layoffs will happen, says Mr. Stockton, unless this parcel tax passes. 

 

But we live in a relatively well-off district. Doesn't that mean our schools are well-funded?  No, says Mr. Stockton.  There are two types of districts.  The Mount Tamalpais district is one type, and they receive about $13,000 per student in public funds. AUHSD is the other type; we get only $9,000 or so per student.  Not surprisingly, though, parents here have high expectations for the students graduating from our area high schools.  It was never easy on the disproportionately small amount for public funding AUHSD has received.  It's harder now, and is getting to be nigh onto impossible.

 

Mr. Stockton ended by noting that the Contra Costa Times, never an easy sell on taxes and bond measures, has endorsed Measure A.  He then had to head off to help hire a new principal for Las Lomas High.

 

Joni Avery took over, providing more information about Measure A and why she feels it is essential for the community to pass the measure.  She gave us the basic outlines: the tax will last 5 years; the tax will be $112 per lot; and there is a senior exemption for those over 65 (if you are exempt under the current parcel, you are automatically exempt under this new one; if you qualify but are not yet enrolled, it will be easy to sign up).  Also, the money raised is for specified purposes, meaning to pay for programs and not facilities, and there are provisions for making sure that the funds go where they are supposed to.

 

Ms. Avery was questioned about why this funding was needed when there has been obvious improvements to tennis courts, tracks, and other facilities. Couldn't that money have been used to retain the teachers whose jobs are on the chopping block?

 

No, it turns out. Ms. Avery explained that the facilities improvements were paid for by Measure E, a bond program passed by the very same voters who are now being asked to enact Measure A.  The Measure E funds can only be used for the facilities that were built with those funds; it would have been a violation of the terms of Measure E to use them to pay for program expenses, such as teacher salaries.  Measure A funds will also be strictly limited to these program expenses. 

 

So why can't other expenses be cut to make up the shortfall?  Ms. Avery reported that they already have.  Custodial services have been reduced to every other day except in areas where the law requires daily service, such as science labs. 

 

Couldn't the election have waited until the June general election? No, it turns out that, under state law, AUHSD has to issue final pink slips before the June election. Thus, if it had waited to be included on the June ballot, there is a very good chance that some of the District's excellent teachers would be gone for good, forced to seek employment elsewhere.  If Measure A passes, the next round of layoffs won't happen, and those 50 teachers will still be there, teaching our kids and grandkids.

 

Ms. Avery reminded us that this is a mail-in ballot only. There will be no polling places. So please spread the word to your neighbors - if they want their vote on Measure A to count, they have to mail in their ballot.

 

Thank you, Mr. Stockton and Ms. Avery, for coming to tell us about Measure A.  This is an important deserving of our full and informed attention.  Your willingness to talk to us helps make for an informed electorate.

 

EDITOR'S NOTE...ERRR...NUMBER TWO

 

I couldn't let this issue go to press without asking this single mysterious question: How the hell did Don Reichert take a picture of himself when he, in fact, was the photographer? The answer: Mirrors. Lots and lots of strategically placed mirrors.

 
 
 
CALENDAR
 
 Friday, April 23, Supervisor Gayle Uilkima
 
Friday, April 30, Brother Ron Gallagher of St. Mary's College
TGITLFOTM, Agatha Sue and Cal Lee, 5:30 P.M.
 
Friday, May 7, Leila Janah, Founder of Samasource
 

Friday, May 14, Amy Maggiore, Tom O'Keefe of Shelter Inc.

 
Friday, May 21, Howard Goldsmit, Hiring a Veteran
 
Saturday, May 22, Lafayette Percola Paint Project 
 
Friday, May 28, Expose yourself, Dan Garfin
TGITLFOTM, Glenda and Paul Fillinger, 5:30 P.M.

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