THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
 "In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away." Thus spake Pat Flaharty.
VISITING ROTARIANS
Larry Sly - Concord
Dan Gannett - Orinda
John Sherry - Lafayette
GUESTS OF OTHER PERSUASIONS
None today. The word must finally be circulating.
BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS GOODIES
 Thomas Raeth joined Our Merrie Band this week in 1993. He also booked Spring Training plans with ace pitcher and son, Stephan, precipitating a $20 wallet pluck for the good of the order.
Michael Edwards joined this week in 2005, plus Katheen had a birthday, plus he had a birthday of  his own. Riding the bus for a buck (must be senior rate), taking a carload of trash to the dump and contributing $65 to our coffers all figured in somehow.
Gillett Johnson had an anniversary. He and his Tamra went to their favorite lake house, which they  happen to own, near Sonora. This translated into a $40 contribution "for the cause." Which cause went unannounced. President Alex wisely did not press the issue.
The self-same Pat Flaharty had a birthday and an anniversary of his joining Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary (also in 1993, which means that, along with Herr Raeth, Pat joined when Brad Davis was Club President -- and take a moment to let that thought seep in). Parties, grandkids telling jokes, and a total of $60 changing hands seems to be the final story.
A SAD DAY FOR LAMORINDA SUNRISE
 It was with sadness that President Alex announced that Tay Wheeler has tried to resign as a member of Lamorinda Sunrise. This is momentous because Tay is one of only three of our charter members left (George Chaffey and John Fazel being the others). It is sad because Tay has done do much for the Club over the years, both front-and-center (he was the 2nd Club President) and, more recently, behind the scenes (as only one example, for many years, Tay has been the muscle in charge of strong-arming members into agreeing to serve as Club president.
Tay said that because he is away so much these days, he did not feel he could honor his commitments to be Club Member the way he would like. Hold on, hold on! President Alex made the brilliant comeback of telling Tay he will remain willy-nilly an honorary member, and thus is welcome back anytime. So there, Tay, we simply won't let you escape entirely.
Best always to you, Mindy and the kids, Tay. The Club owes you more than we can ever say.
ANOTHER REASON FOR SADNESS IN LAMORINDA SUNRISE
Founding Member Don Truax, one of the big reasons LSR grew from its humble beginnings to the high-energy pride of District 5160 it is today, has terminal pancreatic cancer, reports Ray Welles. Don is getting into hospice and still has his beaming smile and wonderful outlook on life. Ray reports that Don fondly mentioned his years with us and asked to be remembered to us all. If you care to drop a line, you can send Don a card at his home at 1386 Camino, Moraga, CA 94556.
CANOODLING CONTINUES
Pat Flaharty rose to remind us that Tippy the Canoe is still up for raffle, but the day of reckoning (also known as The Drawing) is fast approaching, meaning at the end of the Reservoir Run on Sunday, Oct. 30, at the finish line in downtown Lafayette.
So it's not too late to buy or sell more tickets. According to Pat, we have reached $15,000 in gross sales. All this reporter can say to that is: "Wow!" To all who have had a part in this success story, a major tip(py) of the cap to each and every one of you. We should take you all out to launch.
IF WESTIVAL IS OVER . . .
 Dave Waal reports that Westival (the Lafayette Elementary annual Halloween carnival) was a howling success. Not only did the kids have a great time, but we netted about $700 from our hot dog sales despite the presence of a taco truck competing for hungry kids' and parents' cash. Thanks for organizing this, Dave, and thanks to all who came and helped out.
Thanks also to Gillett Johnson for allowing us the use of his immaculate, nay, pristine, gas grill. A special "thanks for the thought" shout-out to Steve Ware for volunteering the use of his grill, too. Apparently, it was a tad less pristine than Gillett's; according to Dave, it hadn't been used in since the dawn of creation and would still have had the grease all over it if the rust hadn't long since swallowed up all the grease. Steve wasn't here at the time to defend himself, and in the finest American journalistic traditions which hold that if someone isn't available to refute an accusation the very moment it is convenient for the reporter, the accusation will be deemed true ipso facto. Hey, Steve, it beats another $20 for no apparent reason.
GARDEN PARK PUMPKIN CARVING MUST BE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
 Every October, Brad Davis leads a contingent of Lamorinda Sunrisers and our kids (especially the kids -- we always can use more kids) to the Garden Park Apartments for he annual pumpkin-carving extravaganza. This is a big-time hoot, and you owe it to yourself to participate. As you know - or should know -- Garden Park is the ongoing housing project run by the Contra Costa Inter-Faith Council for homeless and at-risk families. We heard about them and the great things being accomplished scholastically with the kids who reside there.
As Brad notes, when we first came out for this event, the kids had no clue what to do with a Halloween pumpkin. Now, some years later, they grow some of their own and this is a highlight of the year for the kids there. There are always a few first-timers, and this is where your kids or grandkids come in. There is nothing quite like seeing our kids get to work with the Garden Park kids to create a Jack-o-Lantern and ot see the smiles on the Garden Park kids, especially the first-timers, after they have finished their creations.
MORE GARDEN PARK FOLLOW UP
Last week, we heard about the great strides that have been made and continue to be made with the academic progress of the Garden Park Apartment kids. Here's a little tidbit dug up by Rich Shearer.
 Rich first told us about the day a few Decembers ago when, after hanging a few Christmas lights at Garden Park, he, Brad Davis, Joanne Luscher, Paul Fillinger and John Fazel hung around to help out by building an adjustable basketball hoop for them. It only took these five four4 hours or so to accomplish this task, and the process involved having to take apart and reassemble virtually every major chunk of the project. We were to a construction crew what the Keystone Kops were to the FBI.
Well it turns out that among the Garden Park kids who enjoyed the basketball hoop was one in particular who apparently all but lived at it, playing hoops, alone or with others, pretty much every moment he could. He clearly loved using that hoop we put together
A small thing. Nice, but small. Except that it turned out not to be so small. That kid has now graduated from high school and is attending a college in New Hampshire on a full basketball scholarship.
It's another example of how, we, as Rotarians, have impacts in ways we never imagined. Lord knows that Brad, Paul, Joanne, John and Rich had no idea that they were doing anything more than providing some entertainment for the kids while demonstrating why none of us were engineers or construction contractors. We throw pebbles into proverbial ponds, and we never know just where the ripples will go. But they sometimes go to unexpected and wonderful places. Ah yes, the magic of Rotary!
THERE WILL BE A TRAIN TO RENO
 Mark Roberts claims -- and he should know -- that there will, in fact, be a train trip to Reno this winter. It will not be the 10-car Rotary Nut-Job Express of years gone by -- that one seems to be gone to choo-choo heaven. But the Orinda Club is working with the Sparks, Nevada, Club to have a scaled-down version, which is being dubbed the "Snow Train."
This will be February 21-23, 2012. Reservations must be in by Dec. 12, 2011. More details will be forthcoming, promises Mark.
The flier notes that the purpose of this trip is Rotary fellowship with fellow travelers (which is no longer quite the loaded phrase it used to be) and with denizens of the Reno and Sparks area Rotary Clubs, as in attending a meeting. The flier thus asks that, if your sole purpose is to gamble, see shows and otherwise carouse, please go on your own. Having run this by The Lamorindan's crack(ed) legal staff (staph?), this appears to mean that you are welcome to hit the tables and the shows if you come along so long as you play nicely with Reno and Sparks area Rotarians, too.
PROGRAM
It happens to every club president at least once during the year, despite all the careful planning and flawless scheduling, sometimes stuff happens or wires get crossed and whoever is supposed to do the program doesn't make it.
Today was that day.
 President Alex handled the situation with aplomb, using tricks honed over the years by presidents past and sure to be used by presidents future. Trick #1: Ring the opening bell late. Trick #2: Ring the second bell even later. Trick #3: Turn the Club loose to tell jokes. There being no shortage of hams in this alleged organization, this has long been a recipe for success.
And Oh! the jokes. Pat Flaharty told about the duck-hunting dog who could walk on water. He also told us about the barber's Vatican-bound customer who had a far better time vacationing than the barber had predicted. Rich Shearer told us about the country bumpkin's grammar lesson learned from the stuffy Harvard professor. Buddy Burke told us about the quick-thinking British tour guide's response to the American good-ol'-boy's one-upsmanship.
 But these were just the warm-up acts for the head line event: George Chaffey and his immortal rendition of "Archibald Barasol." George had to be talked into it, but he eventually gave the crowd what it wanted, that being the dumbest, silliest, funniest thing you are ever likely to hear.
CALENDARNov 4, 7:00 am, Dave Dacus District Gov!HOMEteam EVENTS 2011 - November 5
2012 - January 7, March 10, May 5, June 30 |
