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SOME BULL, BY GEORGE
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And that's no bull!
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Who else but George Chaffey, decorated veteran of Rotary wars, would come up with the TFTD, to wit: "It's not the same to talk about bulls as to be in the bull ring."
GUESTS
Rotarians Bill Spaulding, past District Governor and first Walnut Creek Sunriser on known planet
John Sherry, A Lafayette Nooner but does Sunrise quite a bit
Alicia Cragholm, even more so
Maya Feddersen, incoming InterAct president at Acalanes HS
Troy Feddersen, President, noon club, probably related to Maya
Others Mariam Worsham, with her spouse actually here
Mary Lou Fazel, more than a passing interest in the Program
Leander Howry, flying here from Livermore Airport (is Leander perchance pulling our aileron?)
Marcia Putnam, proud mother of the speaker
SPIKE WAS MISSED
Everyone who had occasions to brag about probably got off cheaply because our regular Enforcer was MIA.
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Guess how much?
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David Waal celebrated Laura's birthday by waterskiing in the Delta. Something about 29 was mentioned, but vague whether that was someone's age, sum surrendered to a good cause or depth of water.
Kevin Croak, generally low profile when he arrives but was actually on time today, mumbled that Lynne generally downplays her birthdays. And that was that. Thus we downplay this as news flash.
Mark Larks celebrated Anne-Liisa's birthday yesterday (pasta & wine), but will also do so tomorrow (his own cookin'). Hard to say whether this is because of his uncertainty as to the date, or he just likes a lot of celebratory nectar and ambrosia.
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Quiet is good for you
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The most unbelievable description was Steve Ware's. Our wild August TGITLFOTM host observed his and Laurie's 21st anniversary with a quiet dinner and going back to work.
OUTSIDERS HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY
Past District Governor Bill Spaulding had a lot of good things to say about the upcoming District 5160 Conference in Monterey. Dates are October 7, 8 and 9, although there's also a golfing event on October 6. (Perhaps our golfers could use the practice, having
 | | Make your reservations now! |
fallen ignominiously to Rossmoor at the recent tournament. Enough of that.) Among the attractions are a speaker from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who will show that Rotary is getting just this close to wiping out polio; the president of the Beverly Hills club who is an aviator (by George); and the ghost of Paul Harris (possibly in Halloween costume). Deadline for reservations is September 6. President Alex will e-mail us about event speakers and events.
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Proof!
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Alicia Cragholm modeled a Raffle sign as a designer handbag (Gucci, we are guessing) and a necklace (Tiffany, we are guessing). You had to be there. Actually, you didn't, because Tom Black took a photograph as documentary evidence, admissible, in court.
Maya, daughter of Lafayette Club president Troy, made her debut with LSR and looks forward to her year running the Acalanes
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Good luck Maya!
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InterAct Club with our support. Which, of course, means ipso facto that her job will be made more difficult.
SO DO INSIDERS
Mark Roberts gently encouraged everyone to join the volunteer signup sheet for the umpteenth annual Art & Wine Festival, which theoretically takes place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17 &18, but for volunteers stretches from the 14th through the 19th. And not just we because we're all slow workers. Lots to do.
 | | Captain Pat...sell, sell, sell |
Pat Flaharty gave a Canoe report. Admiral Gary Fulcher took the gleaming beauty to a friend at an auto shop for final spraying of clear coat. He promises that the additional coat is not so heavy as to make it capsize ... again. Speaking of ignominy, we hope to paddle past that rueful incident. We get to see the finished product next Friday at the meeting. Oh, by the way, buy/sell those tickets -- $20 each, six for $100.
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This is personal!!
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Brad Davis, serious for once, retold a story he presented a few years back which is very important to him, especially with the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaching. The World Trade Center was a very big deal - 110 stories, 100,000 people working there. The Twin Towers dwarfed a 37-story building which collapsed after the attack but is never heard about. Morgan Stanley occupied 44 stories of one of the Towers with 3,700 employees.
In charge of security was Rick Rescorla, a Brit who fought in Rhodesia and in Vietnam, went to law school, and finally became head of security for Morgan Stanley at the Tower. He predicted the bombing in the basement in 1993, and when that came to pass, he instituted real serious drills for all the folks including top executives to participate in (over a lot of objections). Rarely has preparation so paid off.
When the attack happened, he marched out all Morgan Stanley employees but 13. He was about to leave the building, went back for one last check, and the building collapsed on him. He inspired the Mel Gibson movie "We Were Soldiers" and the book Heart of a Soldier . The San Francisco Opera, no less, is premiering a new opera of the same title on opening night, plus six more performances. Rescorla also inspired Brad Davis, for sure.
HORSE AND CARRIAGE ELEGANCE
John Fazel introduced Michael Muir, great-grandson of John Muir
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(and winner of today's Raffle - Michael, not John). Michael, of Rush Ranch fame, spoke to us 4.5 years ago. Having had M.S. for 40 years, he no longer rides horses, but drive them he surely can.
He grew up in Dixon, then a village of 2,200 (today about 18,000).. He was always fond of animals, and as a wee one he was given a "bottle lamb," from which he progressed to three ewes, learned how to run an animal business and keep books, won at the state fair at age 13, got a "3-in-1" horse (pregnant mare and filly) and finally raised 25 horses as a teen and raced and jumped.
The M.S. hit at 15, paralyzing him below the neck. At UCSF Hospital, he slowly regained his strength, and eventually got back to the barn. Forty-five years hence he can still stand, unusual for someone so afflicted for so long, but is due to his keeping engaged, active and motivated. Carriage driving was the perfect pursuit, and with well-designed carriages, even those with serious physical challenges can do it.
His activities have included a "little drive" from San Diego to Washington D.C., during which, to the consternation of oil sheiks, he saved tons on gasoline.
Michael founded Access Adventure (A.A.) in 2005. It's an all-volunteer group that includes Mary Lou Fazel.
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Our other speaker, the remarkable Stefanie Putnam, is one of the beneficiaries of A.A. She has always been involved with horses. She originally hails from Acalanes HS, after which she attended Cal Poly. At age 25 she had a tragic accident which left her a quadriplegic. She looked for a riding/therapy program and found A.A.
Michael made it happen. He lifted her into the carriage, wrapped her hands (which are nonfunctioning), and connected them to the reins. As she progressed, even though her basic physical condition remains, her use of muscles in different ways enabled her to feel she was back in the technical riding she knew before. It also transported her into forgetting her situation. And she feels the horse with her entire body, and that they become one. Even when speaking to our motley crew, she has one of the greatest smiles you will ever witness.
Stefanie now rides three to five days a week. She enters her first competition - yes, competition! -- in two weeks. She will get to meet the world champion rider, who is from the Netherlands.
Competition for carriage riding consists of formal dressage the first day, a 25K race through the woods on the second, and a timed 20-obstacle course the third. It's a para-Olympic sport, and Michael hopes that one day it will become full-fledged Olympic.
Access Adventures has a scholarship program for lessons. We have provided worker-bee volunteers on work days up thar in Suisun City.
They probably aren't often environmentally incorrect, but Michael does have an old truck named Jethro which has been well used on the ranch. Brother Fazel encouraged anyone to step forward who can cause a slightly updated truck to join old Jethro.
CALENDAR
Friday, 9/9,7am - Postino, Dr. Stephen Wolfe, Cancer Follow-up
Tuesday, 9/13, 7am - Board Meeting, Orinda
Friday, 9/16, 7am - Dr. Barbara Persons, Reconstructive Surgery
Friday, 9/30, 7am - Mark Larks, Expose Yourself
Friday, 10/7 - 7am - Cindy Silva, Mayor of Walnut Creek
Friday, 10/21 - 7am - Dave Dacus, District Governor
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