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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
 | | Steve prefers short and confusing |
Steve Ware shared a thought from Mahatma Gandhi: "Whatever you do may seem insignificant, but do it anyway."
VISITING ROTARIANS
Wanda Bolden-Ross -- Nancy Baglietto's friend and comrade-in-arms
Andrew Smith -- As an Ambassadorial Scholar, he qualifies
GUESTS OF OTHER PERSUASIONS
Bob Morrey -- friend of the Raeths and nice guy in his own right
Kara Wheeler -- Tay and Mindy's daughter, and, ta-da, official alumna of U. of Oregon (Go, Ducks!) and soon to enroll at UCLA as grad student (Go, Bruins!)
Paula Bernard -- Bank of the West (somebody get her a badge or something already)
Maggi Kurimai -- Dennis's significantly better half
Mariam Worsham -- Ditto for Chuck Yeager
BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES AND OTHER GOODIES
 | | Mariam continues to get even |
Chuck Yeager and Mariam Worsham flew out for her birthday. Unfortunately, he flew to Atlanta and she flew off to Chicago. But they did manage to celebrate on another day with the Wares. Mariam was on hand to demand -- yes, demand! -- that Chuck's fine (er, recognition) be bumped to $50. Consider it done.
Skip McCowan had a birthday, and Linda and the kids graciously took him to Scott's in Walnut Creek for dinner. Skip graciously allowed them to stick him with the check. Such chivalry did not, however, prevent him from being assessed $20.
Kara Wheeler turned 22 on the train home from Oregon, and Proud Papa paid $20 for the privilege. Kara is off to UCLA (much to the delight of parents Tay and Mindy and Bruin alums Rich Shearer and Dennis Kurimai) to earn a master's in library science.
Brad Davis said Carol wanted something different in the bedroom for her birthday or anniversary or some such. So he painted a wall. $10 for the rim-shot, to which Brad generously added $100 for the Lamorinda Sunrise Endowment permanent fund.
 | | A short history lesson by Dan |
Eight years ago, Dan Herbert joined a bunch of crazies who met in a building decorated with drapes that dated from the Truman Administration and featured photos of WWI-era battleships and cruisers on the walls. Oh, that's right -- that would be us, and that was the old Veterans Hall where we used to meet. Not clear how much that little trip down Memory Lane cost Dan, but it was likely something.
Gary Fulcher was recognized and he spun a tale of steaks and Manhattans being consumed by him, Pat Flaharty and Spike Speicher on Gary's boat, somewhere off the
 | | How many Manhattans was that Gary?. |
coast of Canada. It cost Pat and Spike $10 each for reasons that remain mysterious, such being the ways of soon-to-be-outgoing Presidents and their taxing authority. This all may have had something to do with Gary's confessing his own sins of the birthday variety, but this reporter is still not sure despite expert sleuthing of at least two or three seconds' duration.
ANDREW, WEE HARDLY KNEW YE
Andrew Smith is heading home, and he came by to say good-bye. Andrew is an Ambassadorial Scholar we sponsored who has been studying at Boalt Hall School of Law, UC Berkeley, for the past year. He has earned a master's in international law, focusing on human rights. His ambition is to put his training and contacts to work for Human Rights Watch or a similar organization that concentrates on identifying and ending human rights violations around the world.
Andrew is just one of 40,000 Ambassadorial Scholars that Rotary International has sent abroad since 1947. The name of the program has changed over the years; the commitment to education, international understanding, and bettering the world through these exceptional men and women has not.
 | | LSR banner and shirt as a Club remembrance from Prez Peeks |
Rotary has sent more scholars to more countries to study more subjects than any other private entity. Ambassadorial Scholars are not limited to one or a few universities, nor are they limited to any particular field of study. Where they go and what they study is limited only by the human imagination and their ability to put together a coherent plan. On top of that, Ambassadorial Scholars receive more financial support than nearly any other graduate-level program, including, believe it or not, Rhodes Scholars This is remarkable program, only one of the many remarkable international educational programs Rotary sponsors.
Andrew is but one example -- albeit a most impressive one -- of the impact the Ambassadorial Scholarship and Rotary's other educational programs. He will be studying for the New York bar exam this summer. Passing it - and we cannot imagine he will not --will open new doors. As mentioned, his ultimate goal is to be an integral part of rooting out and eliminating human rights violations in the world. As Andrew himself put it, the Ambassadorial Scholarship is "great for individual, but even better for the world." It has allowed him to go advance so that he, in turn, can give back.
We have no doubt that you will do that repeatedly, Andrew. Many thanks for checking back in with us, and thank you for being such a great example of what Rotary is trying to accomplish with its educational programs.
Also, thanks to Pat Flaharty for heading up the Club's sponsorship activities. You were right, Pat; Andrew is as exemplary as he is extraordinary.
KIDS DO THE DARNDEST THINGS
 | | For one time only Paul actually gets serious |
Paul Fillinger hasn't been a kid for some time now, but he recognizes talented kids when he sees them. Paul rose today to heap kudos on children of various Lamorinda Sunrisers. He started by once again recognizing Kara Wheeler and her upcoming scholastic endeavors (did we mention that she is going to UCLA, that shining citadel of wisdom on the hill?). Next, he noted Katie Rose Ware and her great rowing accomplishments with the Oakland Strokes and their "Novice" boats, to the tune of two gold medals and one bronze. Way to go, Katie Rose. And finally, Paul noted that Blake Marggraff, scion of the Marggraff family and heir to the Livescribe fortune, had his Intel Scholarship and International Science Fair win done up in full-page ads in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Over the years, our kids have accomplished great things. These most recent examples remind us that the future of the world really is going to be in pretty good hands. And once Andrew rids the world of human-rights infractions, think of what a grand planet future generations will inherit.
MOTORAMA GALA
Krysten Laine had a simple and mince-no-words message: SELL TICKETS TO THE GALA BENEFIT.
Nancy Baglietto expanded slightly: SELL TICKETS AND TELL HER HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU ARE PLANNING TO BRING. Planning is kind of difficult otherwise, and right now, attendance levels are on track to be somewhere between "disappointing" and "what's the point?."
 | Is there anyone here who doesn't understand "SELL Gala tickets?"
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Brad Davis further expanded on this slightly: THIS IS HOW WE PAY FOR OUR CLUB DO-GOOD PROJECTS, SO SELL TICKETS. Without fund-raising, we can't do any HOME Team visits and we can't launch a literacy project.
See the link that Krysten sent you or that Skip McCowan has resent. Or go to the Motorama website (www.motorama.us). Or get a check to Ernie Furtado.
The new Veterans Memorial Building (the one that doesn't have photos of old battleships on the wall and is at the opposite end of Mount Diablo Boulevard). Saturday. June 18. $100 per. It'll be fun, because this Club knows how to through a fun bash. And it's for darn good causes. That much is a given.
STROKING IN OAKLAND
Dan Herbert reiterated what Paul Fillinger said about the phenomenal trip to Saratoga, NY, had by Katie Rose Ware and other members of the Oakland Strokes rowing team.. The Oakland rowers took home a total of nine gold medals. Even better than the team's athletic prowess was their ability to be ambassadors of the sport and of their region. In the face of travel challenges and strange surroundings, the Strokes impressed everyone, young and old, with their poise, maturity, skill and ability to roll (row?) with the proverbial punches. Thanks for updating us, Dan, and thanks for all your involvement in this great program.
YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD TO DO RESEARCH
John Fazel reports that he was recently in his hometown of Perry, Iowa, where they had their 81st annual Three-Quarter Century Club luncheon. That means that he learned how to do it right, which can only benefit our own upcoming Three-Quarter Century Club luncheon. It's on June 15 at the Orinda Community Church, is open to every Orindan 75 or older, and we need your involvement as a volunteer.
This is a perennial feel-good event, so contact John if you can help.
 | | John shows the way one more time |
John also reported that the Japan relief efforts have been wrapped up. Including matching funds from Rotary, area Clubs raised roughly $20,000. You did yourselves proud, Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary. And many thanks to John who, as he has done before, took on this challenge and led us to great heights.
DENNIS AND MAGGI WILL TAKE ANY GOOD IDEA TO ENHANCE THE MOTORAMA EXPERIENCE
 | | A good deed can avoid a penurious experience |
Dennis and Maggi Kurimai appeared in a lovely photo taken at a great fund-raising event. Unfortunately, Dennis had to learn the hard way, meaning enduring public humiliation and probably a fine, for appearing in said photo sans Rotary pin. There was also no mention of Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary, but since he was at somebody else's fundraiser (and he and Maggi were cribbing fund raising ideas like nobody's business), it probably would have been tacky of him to insist on it, so President Peeks let that infraction slide, perhaps signifying that he has gone soft because as of June 30 he will have slud out of office. (The "slud" here is in deference to the late, great Dizzy Dean, who belongs in the Hall of Fame for mangling words.)
PROGRAM
Nancy Baglietto exposed herself today. The native of Richmond, CA, bared her sole and exposed all her deepest, darkest secrets. Every last one of them. And it you believe that . . . .
 | | Nancy has a great story to tell |
But she did have a lively tale to tell. She was born on Christmas Eve, 1964, hence the middle name Noel. Her grandparents lived in El Sobrante, and her father decided when he took her to kindergarten in Ye Olde Richmond School District that the family would do well to consider moving elsewhere. Watching kids juggle switchblades will do that.
So, off to Orinda. More particularly, off to the famous Casa Orinda, as her grandfather (a native of Croatia, just like this reporter's maternal grandparents) had just bought a partnership interest in this Orinda institution. Grandpa wanted nothing more than for his kids and grandkids to take the place over in due course. Nancy apparently was not so inclined from an early age, as she reported wishing that the place would just burn down. She felt a modicum of guilt when somebody did, in fact, try to burn the place down. (No, it wasn't Nancy -- and shame on you for thinking so, Brad Davis.)
When Nancy was five years old, her father was selling Ortho Pharmaceutical birth control devices (the Lamorindan editorial staff does not even want to think about how one starts a cold-call in that line of work)) and concluded that this was not the field for him. So he decided to become a doctor in order to make more money. The problem was that he had an Hispanic surname, which was still an oddity in American medical circles.
He managed to wangle an interview at UCSF, where he (and others) were asked to write a three page essay on why UCSF should take a chance on them. He wrote two words: "late bloomer." Apparently , brevity is the soul of more than just wit; it also gets you - or him, anyway -- into medical school. So off he went to UCSF. Mom was working to put him through, so Nancy more or less lived with her grandparents and developed an especially close bond with them.
Her parents eventually divorced. As a consequence, Nancy was shipped off, sent to live with her other grandparents, the ones in Denmark. Denmark? Yes, Denmark. She eventually did return, as was more or less self-evident, even to this reporter.
Both of her parents remarried. Her mother had two more children, and Nancy has a close, loving relationship with her two half-siblings. She says she got the best of all worlds, sibling-wise, in that she was able to be an "only child" for many years but also got to have great siblings.
Her father married Jackie Speier. You may have heard of her. She was an aide to Representative Leo Ryan and was one of those shot on the tarmac near Jonestown, Guyana. She is the Representative of Ryan's old congressional district on the Peninsula. She is also the mother of Nancy's half-brother Jackson.
Unfortunately, when Rep. Speier was four months pregnant with Jackson, Nancy's father was killed in a traffic accident. We could tell that Nancy still feels the loss very deeply.
Nancy went to UC Davis (Go, Aggies!) And got a degree in psychology. She discovered she loved helping others. Among her gigs while in college were internships at the SF jail and at a shelter for battered women. This interest led to a job at Morgan Stanley. Get the connection?
"Huh?" you say? Fairly quickly, Nancy did too. Step mom Jackie Speier lined up some informational interviews for Nancy, 23 of them, to be exact. This got her into a San Mateo County homeless shelter agency (as an employee, not as a client), working to transition homeless people from shelters to more permanent housing. She was encouraged to get her master's degree, which she did, in social work. She subsequently became the director of development for the agency. She did take some time off to start raising her two kids, Henry, at Acalanes HS, and Bella, an eighth- grader in Danville. She also got divorced from her first husband, whom she still describes as her best friend.
Nancy's next professional gig was with the East Bay Regional Park District. She started as director of development and has segued into director of operations.
Her professional advancement also contributed directly to her personal advancement. She went to a seminar given by a certain Lawrence Henze, who was marketing a product for professional fundraisers. She walked in late, decided she loved the product, bought it and has used it since. But she also caught the eye of the self-same Mr. Henze. A few months later, he asked Nancy out, and the rest, as they say, is history. Nancy thus now has three step-children.
Nancy closed by thanking Wanda Bolden-Ross, her longtime compatriot at EBRPD, who came to offer moral support for Nancy. One gets the feeling that they have each other's back and know where the bodies are buried.
Many thanks, Nancy, for an informative and fun Expose Yourself segment.
CALENDAR
Saturday, June 18, Gala Dinner, 6:00 p.m., Veteran's Memorial
Sunday, June 19, Motorama - All day - BE THERE
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