THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Right on, George

George Chaffey, in honor of Carol as guest speaker, offered the following four word gem ..."happy wife, happy life"... words to live by.

VISITING ROTARIANS

Anna Stephenson - Prez Elect, noon club

John Sherry - Past President, noon club

GUESTS

Chris Lane, former LSR member returning to the fold

Jim Terril, former LSR member

Glenda Fillinger, former Queen of LSR

Carol Chaffey, Guest speaker, and highly revered Rotary contributor

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Chuck was a happy camper

Chuck Bove, double celebrant for Wedding Anniversary, on Kauai no less, enjoying a two person kayak ride with Stacy. Also a two year member of LSR.

Dennis Kurimai celebrated Maggi's birthday with a special dinner for her in Sonoma. Yet another two year member of LSR.

Sail on Bob

Bob Riegg reported that wife Pat had a 53 year wedding anniversary. She allowed Bob to join her for America Cup watching during the day, and dinner at La Finestra that evening. Maybe next year it will be Bob's anniversary?

David Waal walked in late, but just in time to acknowledge his and Laura's wedding anniversary on August 2nd. They celebrated with a day on the boat at Lake Tahoe and dinner in Truckee.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Youngest Quarter Century Member

John Fazel was ordered front and center to be feted by Prez Mark Roberts for the fabulous article and photo in the Lamorinda Weekly about John and the recent Three Quarter Century Luncheon in Orinda. John was fined $10 for wearing his birthday cake hat, and then called out as the author of the shameless article, extolling the virtues of the Master-of-Ceremonies, the self-same Mr. Fazel. John tried to recover his dignity by presenting a banner from the Rotary Club of Ashland, Oregon where he recently had a make-up.

Tippy is happy in Oregon!

His real coup, however, became evident as he proudly displayed a great picture of Janet and Norm Pease in their very own Tippy Canoe on Elk Lake near Bend, Oregon. John related a short history of Tippy after leaving Lafayette. It stayed in a hanger at Concord Airport for several months and was then relocated by the Peases' son, Jordan, in a U-Haul Truck to Elk Lake, Oregon. Tippy was launched Sunday, August 12 and paddled to the center of the lake for the picture taken by daughter Larissa. In the background is South Sister, third highest mountain in Oregon. Tippy has been used several times each day for trips to the Elk Lake Lodge for coffee, dinner, ice cream, etc. Janet and Norm reported the canoe is very fast, sleek and they will forever call her "Tippy." They say that people always comment on the beautiful workmanship and they send their thanks to Lafayette Sunrise Rotary for this wonderful work of art. We respond that we could wish for no finer couple to be enjoying our elegant, sea-worthy creation!

Finally, Mr. Fazel reminded the members that the Garden Park Apartments needed our help in transporting items out of the recreation center on Saturday, so it can be painted from top to bottom.

Patrick Harpole announced that he and Joy would be hosting TGITLFOTM next Friday, August 24th at Joy's home in Orinda. Details to follow. There is also a need for TGITLFOTM hosts in the January, February and March time frames. Let Mark Larks know if your home can be made available.

Although it all happened over the weekend, Don Jenkins offered two seats on a boat in the Bay for Friday's America's Cup excitement and Steve Ware did likewise for Sunday.

Steve also put everyone on notice that this year's Westival would be taking place at Lafayette Elementary School on Saturday, October 10, from 2:30 to 7:00 PM. Ten volunteers are needed to set up and man the BBQ and finally take down and clean up.

PROGRAM - BACK TO LIBERIA, 2012

Well done Buddy

Maestro Buddy Burke provided the following sterling intro for Carol Chaffey, today's featured speaker: "For 40 years, Carol was an elementary school teacher and reading specialist. She accompanied George on every one of his 63 visits as District Governor, giving him a letter grade on every speech...and George says...she's a tough grader!

Carol's been very involved with our Rotary club during its 25 year existence, not only in local events, but also in international activities. For example, a few of us know that she's hosted 11 of our club's 17 exchange students. She and George

Carol has done it all!

have traveled to attend some of their graduations and marriages in Russia, Denmark, Mexico and Brazil. And, she's attended ten Rotary International Conventions around the world. However, that does not include the full range of her personal experiences, outside of our club, which Carol has done on her own.

In 2003 she went to Ghana as part of a team to distribute wheelchairs and participate in the Polio National Immunization Day. In 2007, she went to India as the Photo Journalist on a Rotoplast team that performed cleft palate surgeries. In 2011, Carol went to Zambia with our District's team to deliver 5,000 dictionaries to children in dozens of elementary schools. And this year, with our club's help, she returned to where it all began for Carol and George in 1967...Liberia, West Africa. That is the story she will speak to us about today."

Carol and...guess who?

Carol began her presentation with a 1967 picture of herself and George, standing in the town of Monrovia, Liberia where, as Peace Corps volunteers, Carol taught elementary school and George taught Law at the University. Much hilarity ensued over the picture of this handsome, youthful couple. Carol noted it took longer than a minute to calm the rabble down so she could continue.

Carol's team landed in Monrovia and moved inland to the town of Kenata where they were housed in a guest house for their stay. She said it was comfortable, at least by Liberian standards. Various photos told the guest house story, starting outside with high walls with barbed wire on top, steel doors on the house and "attendants" to see to their needs and safety.

The house had no running water, electricity from 6 p.m. to midnight, no refrigerator or stove, mosquito netting on the beds and bats, which she said were good for the ecology. The food staple was rice and potato greens which they ate every day, and which Carol called delicious. There are cars and lots of motorcycles which also serve as taxis.

The dedicated, happy team

Carol was a member of a three person LEAP Team, which stand for Liberal Education Assistance Project. Their objective was to work with and teach pre-school teachers  how to teach by doing. The school is in an old marketplace which has no lighting and no text books. The classes are crowded to the degree they have no aisles. A teacher writes on the blackboard, every student copies what the teacher writes in their individual copy books, and that's it. They are tested from time to time based on what has been written in the books. 

The goal of Carol's LEAP team was to teach a better method for teaching children to learn, without copy books, and with hands-on involvement, doing things with the students. They did their teacher teaching in a teacher training school, where they provided four manuals for each teacher. The manuals covered (1) Literacy and Math (2) Lesson Planning (3) A Treasure Box, for saving bottles and packaging to study the environment and ecology  (4) Making Classroom Visuals. The $500 our club contributed to Carol for the trip went to print manuals for these teachers.

The effort was well worth it!

In the Q&A following her presentation Carol indicated the teachers are not well educated, teaching skills are poor and the classes are not age appropriate. The average class size is 50 to 75 children and kindergarten can be 100, all taught by a single teacher, with no teaching aids or help. They are so grateful for all of the help and guidance they can get.

George contributed at the end of her presentation with some history about the long and deep ties between Liberia and the United States; that their constitution was written by a Harvard law professor and they follow the English and U.S. rule of law. The current President is Ellen Johnson, who is U.S. educated.

The club graded Carol an A+ for her superb, heartfelt presentation.

CALENDAR

Friday 8/31 7am - Chuck Yeager exposes himself

  5:30 pm - TGITLFOTM 

Friday 9/7 - Yo Ikeda - Japanese Internment Camp

Friday 9/14 - Laura Day, District Governor

Friday 9/21 - Zhan Li - St. Mary's College

2012 - September 5, October 27

2013 - January 26, March 23, May 25, July 27