March 28, 2014

   Reporter: Ron Brown     Editor: Ron Brown     Photographer: Leander Hauri                   

President:  Hays Englehart 2013 - 2014          

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Hays does not let Ron off the hook

Ron Melvin left his notes on his computer at work, but nevertheless came up with two off-the-cuff offerings: Either Muhammed Ali or Gillett Johnson said "I knew I was the greatest, even before I actually became the greatest." And John Fazel or Albert Einstein once said "Everyone's a genius...when it comes to climbing a tree."

VISITING ROTARIANS AND GUESTS

Larry Sly - Concord Club

John Sherry - Lafayette Noon Club

Jack Peers - For the last time a visitor

Dorothy Peers - Here to chaperone Jack

Ruth McCahan - President of Lamorinda Villages

Skip Bradish - Board Member of Lamorinda Villages

Andy Amstutz - Speaker on behalf of the Villages

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Larry Sly can't help you out here Chuck

Chuck Yeager - Way last January Chuck and Mariam had a wedding anniversary. He was probably flying somewhere at that time, but they did something nice the preceding (Christmas) week. You're all heart Chuck. He also had a club anniversary and took Mariam out to dinner to celebrate this very important occasion.

Rick Ashburn - Took wife Dana to celebrate her birthday at the Cooperage Restaurant.

Spike Speicher - Took wife Linda to celebrate her birthday at the Cooperage Restaurant. Also, they are moving back into their newly renovated abode on Tuesday (April Fools Day?)

The one and only Dandy Don

Don Reichert - Took wife Gwen to Carmel to celebrate her birthday. Also remembered he had joined the Club in March 1988. Almost a charter member and major contributor to the gazillion Rotary banners the club owns.

OTHER STUFF

Of course John Sherry had an ulterior motive for showing up this morning. That was to announce the upcoming Concert at the Res on May 10, to be staged on the beautiful pavilion his club built at the Lafayette Reservoir. Can't resist mentioning our Club made a substantial monetary contribution to the effort as well. He just happened to have $5 Raffle Tickets to hawk, while extolling the virtue of many fine prizes just waiting to be won.

Algorithm, Paul?

Paul Fillinger continued the planning saga for new member enlistments, by pairing up club members in an "invite a worthy member prospect to breakfast" movement. In a way only Paul can pull-off he tried to explain the member pairing by use of an algorithm as opposed to a formula. Paul thinks the former leads to a partial outcome and the latter to an answer. Of course obfuscation is the name of the game here. Anyway, one of these days there will be an email listing of enlistment member partners.

On Thursday, April 3, there will be a 2 p.m. memorial service for Ulrich Luscher, beloved husband of our own Joanne. They were a fine, devoted couple.

HOME Team strikes again!

Leander announced our next HOME Team happening on Saturday. Nine members are already committed to cover the 12 calls lined up for home repair. If it's wet and muddy please be careful about dragging dirt into the house, thereby negating all of the good we should be doing on the clients' behalf.

The next Board Meeting is scheduled for 6PM, MONDAY EVENING, April 14 at Better Homes & Garden in Orinda.

TGITLFOTM tonight at the Alex Arnold abode in Moraga.

PROGRAM

Andy knows Lamorinda

Ron Brown introduced Andy Amstutz, the morning speaker. They have a long history as family friends, co-workers and community volunteers. Andy is a UCLA graduate who majored in physics and spent several years with IBM, much of it living in and working out of Hong Kong in the Pacific Region. He was also connected with start-ups in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, including one of his own. Andy and his wife Carole live in Orinda where he was a member of the Orinda Rotary Club for many years. Andy has taken on the marketing role in the Lamorinda Villages start-up project and is here to bring our Club into the picture.

He began the presentation with a five minute video clip of Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News interviewing his in-laws in their home in Connecticut about the Villages program they started in the community with the express intent of remaining in their home for the rest of their lives.

As you will discover, the Lamorinda Villages has special meaning for our particular Club because it is exclusively Lamorinda based. Our own HOME Team is an outstanding example of the kind of services to be  offered for our senior citizens in this community.

The following is a summary of Andy's presentation: