THE LAMORINDAN August 27, 2010

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Buddy Burke quoted Charles Schultz about the value of value over accolades. Buddy's version sounded better, but it went by far too fast for my note-taking skills.

VISITING ROTARIANS

None this time. Maybe the rest of the Rotary world is wising up.

GUESTS OF OTHER PERSUASIONS

Arianne, brings good cheer from Bolivia
Ken Thomas (who won't be in this category much longer)
Corey Katz - Wells Fargo Vice President
Graeme Howard - Gary Fulcher's step-son
AJ Brencic - Jim's son

BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS GOODIES

Rich Shearer spent his birthday working on bicycles, going to the Impressionist exhibit at the de Young with Valerie, and having dinner at his favorite Chinese place in SF with friends. $20, please.

Bob Riegg had an anniversary. $30, if you don't mind.

HOW TO CONTACT ARIANNE

When you want to invite Arianne, the latest addition to our long line of Youth Exchange students, along when you go do something - and you are going to invite her along, right? - you can reach her via e-mail at arianne_ari22@hotmail.com. (In case it doesn't show up clearly, that is an underscore between "arianne" and "ari22.") Becky Ware is pleased to be on the welcoming end this time!

WELCOME, DENNIS KURAMAI, PART II

We signed up Dennis Kuramai not long ago, but sponsor Hays Englehart was not there to share the spotlight. Today, President Peeks honored Hays by issuing him a special "sponsor" pin. Unfortunately, in this case "special" is another word for "broken."

DISTRICT CONFERENCE ALERT

The annual District Conference is coming. It will be held in Old Town Sacramento from November 4-7, 2010. If you are new to Rotary, you should go. If you have been in the Club for years and years, you should go. If you are on the Club Board, you should go. If you have done it all and seen it all, you should go. And the reason is the same for all of you - it's a fun way to make new Rotary friends, share what makes our Club great, and learn new things from other Clubs. So proclaimed George Chaffey who, as a former District Governor, knows whereof he speaks!

That, and it is a blast to see just how much we are the Kool Kids compared to everyone else.

MYSTERY ROTARIAN

This week's Mystery Rotarian (1) crossed the Atlantic twice in one summer to see Jimmy Buffett sing, (2) was turned down for his high school senior prom eleven times, and (3) was the undefeated spelling champ of a three county area. Who could it be?

Buddy Burke, that's who. And yes, Buddy remembers the name of pretty much every girl who turned him down for the prom. And no, he takes no particular pleasure in noting that all but one of them have, shall we say, aged poorly. Noooo, not Buddy.

AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLAR UPDATE

Andrew Smith is a 23 year old Masters student at Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. He is from England, and is rumored to speak a language remarkably similar to American.

He's also a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, which is only the largest, most diverse and most generous scholarship in the world. We are a host Club for Andrew, and Pat Flaharty is heading up those efforts. Andrew will be speaking to us in thenear future, but in the meantime, contact Pat for more info about how to get together with - or give a hand to - Andrew.

SO WHAT IS "PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT"?

Bob Heinen was happy to enlighten us on that subject. It is very similar to the recent East Bay Stand Down, only for Contra Costa

County homeless folks. It is a "one stop shopping" gathering for the folks, with any number of medical, dental, mental health, legal, substance abuse counseling and social services available. This year's event will be September 16 at the County Fairgrounds at 1201 West 10th Street, Antioch.

But as with the Stand Down, this worthy project does not just happen. Many volunteers are needed. How can you get involved? Try e-mailing cchealth.org. Or call CoCo County Health Services Homeless Program at 925-313-6124. Or e-mail ProjectHomelessConnect@hsd.cccounty.us. And be sure to tell them you are from Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary.

Another way to help: donate cold-weather stuff, like jackets, gloves and hats. After all, winter is not that far off.

HOME TEAM REMINDER

Saturday, September 18. That's the next Home Team work party day. Save the date, and if you can go, let Hays Englehart know. That is all.

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED

Club Secretary Chuck Yeager loves Lamorinda Sunrise. He has been required to travel more than he'd like lately, and when he's home, the Powers That Be at the home office have a positive love of 10:00 a.m. conference calls on Fridays. That's 10:00 a.m. East Coast time. That makes it just a tad difficult for Chuck to make our meetings. What to do?

If you are Chuck, you bring your cell phone, join the conference call, have the phone on "mute" and enjoy the meeting when you can, leave the meeting and talk when you have to. Some people would applaud this devotion to the Club.

Thomas Peeks, however, following in the heartless footsteps of Lamorinda Presidents Past, was not one of those people, fining Chuck for his comings and goings. Chuck was delighted to pay the fine in order to be here. Now don't you feel bad, Mr. President?

No, I guess not.

LAS TRAMPAS PROJECT COMING UP

We have an ongoing relationship with Las Trampas, the local facility that works with developmentally disadvantaged adults. Some of these folks live in apartments. One of the apartment buildings needs a fence built.

That's where we come in. We are going to build that fence, date to be determined. But if you can use power tools or a hammer without ending up in the Emergency Room, Gillett Johnson wants you to help out. Details to follow.

PRIDE (AND A HUNDRED SMACKERS) IS AT STAKE

Don't forget, the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is just around the corner, as in September 18 and 19. Last year, we relieved the Lafayette Club of $100 because we provided more volunteers than they did. To say that they want to even the score is an understatement. Thus we need more folks to sign up to help out. So call Dave Waal already, will ya?

PROGRAM

This month's installment of Expose Yourself went . . . not at all. Rick Ashburn was scheduled to share the secrets of his life, except that, somehow or other, the word never got to Rick.

days with the Symbionese Liberation Army, of the dangers he faced being Richard Simmons' personal masseur and of his extensive My Li'l Pony collection.