FIRST THOUGHT OF 2012

Mark refuses to comment on politics

Who is more qualified than Mark Roberts to kick off this thoughtful year? He could be making a slight dig at the politicians by saying "It's one thing to feel you're on the right path, but it's another to think yours is the only path." Of course, this is directed at professional politicians, not at Rotary officeholders.

We were honored by having a visitor who will be one of those officeholders this year -

Put a cork in it Laura

Laura Day, the District Governor Elect. She will have a good deal more to say when her time comes, but this morning just left a couple of teasers regarding the District Conference in Napa on 11/2 - 11/4, including that the location is not inappropriate for wine tasting and Friday night isn't a bad time for a party.

GUESTS

Rotarians:         

The aforesaid Laura Day

Alicia Cragholm, Lafayette Rotary (Kevin was too shy to introduce her)

Fred Zook, Rotarian from Phoenix (350 members)

Other:                          

Michelle and David Furtado de Kilimanjaro - they'll be back to explain

HAPPENINGS  

Mike Edwards is back, which is always an event. But very shortly he goes back to work, fixing that Hawaii place.

Nice move Fred!

Fred Zook arrived yesterday from Phoenix specifically to be at this meeting. Lamorinda Sunrise is in his blood because he bought Tickets #1 through #6 for Tippy Canoe. (However, his demand that the sales be stopped at that point was ignored.) He now did another very neat thing, putting up $100 for Spike Speicher's Paul Harris account on condition that Spike matched it. A bargain that couldn't be refused.

Don Reichert again made his generous offer to help needy members who are within $200 or so from Paul Harris levels to match their contributions to get them there. He then helped

As always, very generous

celebrate his own birthday by kicking in $83, which may give some idea of the year he arrived in this world. He and Gwen and friends will mark the occasion by trying out Cypress Restaurant in Walnut Creek, and will report back because no one here was familiar with it.

Kevin Cragholm, newest of the new, kicked in $40 which does not give an accurate idea of the year he arrived in this world. That event

Unforgetable birthdays in this family

was 36 years ago, which puts him close to 40 - so goes the logic. Kevin also disclosed that Alicia's birthday was the day after his, but wisely refrained of any hint of her birth year.

Jeweler Steve Ware celebrated big sales to desperate men on 12/24.

Rich Shearer was the Raffle winner. His take was a bit under Mark Roberts' winner-take-all haul last time around.

Mark in fact is all for fundraising events at this point. He made a pitch for the Orinda Club's crab feed on January 14th at the Masonic Lodge.

Hays Englehart appreciated that there's a good turnout to serve six HOME Team clients Saturday morning.

DO WE HAVE A WEBSITE!!    

Tough job. Somebody's got to do it.

Which is worth a whole program presentation. Which Secretary Chuck Yeager was happy to do and even managed to coax the real genius, Gary Fulcher, to get up (or at least sit up) and tell all.

And there was a lot to tell, because light-years have progressed between 2011 and 2012. A demonstration was flashed on the screen, which occasionally suffered the Lamorinda Sunrise Curse but revealed enough to give an idea as to the scope.

Chuck looked happy because a lot of the record keeping responsibility will be passing from him to us. We will be able to, in fact be required to, update our own personal information as things happen. New member information and induction will be ever so much easier. This information will be in synch with the District data base, the Club data base, and the Club Directory (online and physical). Birthdays and anniversaries of course will be a breeze. So will badges, although right now we have seven red badgers and the supplier is fresh out. So when they come, poor Chuck will still have to sign from them at the post office.

Chuck gave a little history. It seems Paul Fillinger cajoled and badgered a woman with the Concord Club who was the expert on their futuristic website and she finally said she'd give him the site if he promised to never call her again. This of course got us started. After suffering the critique of George Chaffey it was never quite up to snuff. The main objective was to have solid, internal information exchange. This never quite happened because some people, who kept promising Chuck to help, instead departed the club.

Gary, the happy warrior, conquers all

Then Gary, who hopefully won't be leaving real soon, took over the presentation. His objective in updating the website was to centralize all information to make it easy for the Secretary to maintain. The front page has the same look as before, except that videos are added. This was where the Curse interfered with the demonstration a bit. Maybe it didn't like Mozart's background music. Somebody mumbled something about "buffering." However, enough was seen of the HOME Team video to expose Rich Shearer exploring in one client's purse.

The headings have been reorganized to reflect what the club wants. The entire format reflects the RI guidelines for such sites, even including directions and a map to our location in case anyone needs them. The District site will drive the data base, but we're responsible for the information. Entries on a single Calendar, made by members, go to the RI, District, and our own calendars. Downloads and links abound - just load stuff in. Our newsletters, for better or for worse, are easily accessible back into ancient history.

Sending emails to other members is ever so much easier. A constantly updated list is right there and the email is sent directly from the website. And replying to "all", accidentally or on purpose, won't happen unless specifically specified. (What happens to Buddy Burke's "all y'all" wasn't made clear.) An interactive member page replaces the old directory. It's all there and password-protected. You must try it. The blathering in this newsletter doesn't really get the idea across.

Oh, the address? http://lamorindasunrise.com.   Don't be fooled by ancient photos such as the transition to Past President Peeks from Very Past President Fazel. They will soon be relegated to the trash. Also, in a news flash, Gary has found a few more tweaks to tweet before perfection is achieved. Links, links, links. Edit and update. And Chuck sits back and smiles. A standing "O" was given to Gary, rivaling the one given a few months back to the head of the Tippy Canoe committee.

CALENDAR

Friday, 1-13, 7am, Postino, Carla Goulant, Sentinels of Freedom

Friday, 1-27, 7am, Postino, Stephen Isaacs, Education

Friday, 2-3, 7am, Postino, Dr. Barbara Persons, Plastic surgery

HOME Team  

March 10, May 5, June 30