Hays formally introduced our 2013-14 District Governor, Steve Lack as today's speaker. Lamorinda Sunrise is Club #38 on Steve's DG Club tour of 2013-14!
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| A lifetime Adventurer is our new DG! |
Steve joined the Rotary Club of Pleasant Hill in 2002. After serving as Club President in 2005-6, he served as the Assistant District Governor for the seven Diablo Valley clubs (aka "The Magnificent Diablo 7") for two years. Subsequently he served as District Newsletter Editor, "Rotary Magic" 2011District Conference Chair, and the District's first Disaster Preparedness Team Leader to prepare clubs to respond to local disasters.
Born in Los Angeles in 1954, Steve grew up in Beverly Hills "90210" California and obtained his B.S. and M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. After relocating to Northern California, he completed his Ph.D. in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, San Francisco.
Public service has always been Steve's avocation. In 1980, he was appointed as a Presidential Management Fellow in Washington, D.C., before entering the field of law enforcement as a Special Agent for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. He retired from law enforcement in 2010 following a rewarding and successful career investigating Medicare fraud and recovering over $375 million in stolen funds for Uncle Sam.
Through Rotary his adventures in service became international via a Rotaplast mission to El Salvador and a school-expansion project in the remote villages of Burkina Faso, Africa.
His wife of 34 years, Wendy, is now retired and shares his passion for service. They are proud of their two daughters, Jessica and Amanda, and were overjoyed to become first-time grandparents in 2012, when Jessica and husband Alex welcomed Alex Jr. to the world.
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| Steve, District Team and two ringers from LSR |
Steve began his presentation by acknowledging the members of his District team who were with us and thanking them for their work. He also thanked Alex and Mary Jane Arnold for hosting the Board meeting and dinner on Thursday night.
Steve's focus for his year is that Rotary is an ADVENTURE!!!! So he quickly changed from his stuffy blazer to his adventure attire. Since next year's RI convention is in Sydney, Steve is sporting a very special hat.
Steve asked the group....Why did we join Rotary and why do we stay involved? Top answers are Service and Fellowship. How far back does the idea of adventure go? All the way to Rotary founder Paul Harris. Paul had a series of jobs throughout his career including working as a reporter for the SF Chronicle and in the legal profession. But, as Steve pointed out, the Indiana Jones movies aren't about his profession...they are about his passion. If Indy was only excited about his vocation, he wouldn't have sought adventure.
When Paul Harris and his buddy Robert Franks went out in Chicago to a cigar store and then to get a soda, Paul got the idea to start a fellowship of businessmen and Rotary was born in 1905. Paul wanted the group to be called the Conspirators but he was outvoted. After Paul's death in 1947, Rotary published a book Adventures in Rotary...whether or not you are on an adventure is up to you!
Steve recapped some of Rotary's more notable current adventures (aka projects):
Worldwide Adventure is Polio...only 287 cases in the world, 50% down from the prior year. For the first time, it is predicted that polio may be eradicated in 2018!!
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| Super Hero, Captain Marvel? Oh, it Prez Englehart |
International Adventure is Project Brighter Future. Fresh water wells in Burkina Faso, which is in western Africa. This is Steve's focus for his year. Five water wells in five towns have been built and now the people can focus on other things as they don't have to spend so much time and energy acquiring clean water. In two villages they have built permanent buildings that can house a school and other necessities like food storage. This is notable as they are the only permanent buildings in those villages. We can support this project by buying building blocks at only $5 per block. The goal is to obtain 13,000 blocks. Steve went there to visit them and shared with us a message from the people there, thanking us for what Rotary has done for them
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| Energizer Bunny, Claire Roberts |
Our District 5160 Adventure includes the upcoming District Conference in Chico. Steve talked about some of the highlights including golf, racing, a Sierra Nevada Brewery gathering and Mark Twain, who is rising from the dead to speak to the attendees. On Saturday, attendees will do community service projects including assembling LN4 hands, meal packets and water purification kits. The Saturday BBQ hosted by several Clubs lead by Anderson. Lacey J Dalton whose sister had polio will perform after dinner. On Sunday, Cliff Dochtermann will also speak. his message is always inspiring.
Our local Lamorinda Sunrise Adventures includes HOME Team, Las Trampas landscaping day, pumpkin carving at Garden Park Apartments, Three Quarter Century Club Luncheon, Rob Roy and our Club's other projects and activities.
Steve recognized a few of our own Lamorinda Sunrise Rotarians:
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Fazel, Unsung Hero?
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The Unsung Hero award went to John Fazel as a Founder of our Club and the force behind the Annual Three Quarter Century Luncheon.
For the Rotary Energizer award, Steve asked the Club 5 questions and luckily they answered yes to all of them so the special Energizer pin went to Claire Roberts!
And last but never least, Steve recognized our Superhero President Hays Englehart, for all his work this year on behalf of Lamorinda Sunrise! Steve revealed that Hays' alter ego is Captain Marvel...more on that for a later day.
Steve summed up his remarks but reminding us that the Adventure of Rotary is all about new friends, new opportunities and making a difference!!
Hays presented Steve with an LN4 hand that we will be donating in his honor. We were then sent on our way, energized after another great Friday morning meeting.
