Meeting Notes December 8, 2015

 

Mountain View Rotary Club

December 8, 2015

Meeting Notes by Bert

                                                              

President’s Greeting from Twana Karney:  

Good Afternoon & welcome to the Rotary Club of Mtn. View where: We’re More Than A Club…We’re a Family!!! 

Our International call to action for 2015-2016 is to “Be a Gift to the World”

 Our club’s call to action is “Fun Through Service.  This year’s club focus is “Being the Best We Can Be.” 

 
 
Greeter & Thought for the Day:  Bert Raphael
In honor of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights, Bert read some old Jewish proverbs, concluding with:
“Do not approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back, or a fool from any direction!”
 
Song of the Day:  Songmaster Phil led “Jingle Bells,” although the words got away from us for a bit!
 
Introduction of Visitors:  Jerylann Mateo
We had three visitors and potential future members: Mandy Andrei, a financial advisor, for her second visit; Frank Reyes, a computer scientist and tutor, who is a past Rotarian; and Lamyle Porter.
 
General Club Announcements:
 
  • Thanks to Bert Raphael’s wife Anne for providing dessert today—home made Hanukkah cookies.
 
  • Community Service: Scott Johnson reminded us of the CSA Toy Drive. Next week will be the last opportunity for us to bring in toys, puzzles, games, etc., to donate through CSA.
 
  • Ski Trip: Bruce and Susannah Barsi will again host us at their Tahoe cabin from March 17 to 21. Sign-ups needed for planning purposes. You don’t have to ski to enjoy the fun weekend!
 
  • Holiday Party: Jerylann reminded us to mark our calendars! The holiday party is set for THIS Friday, December 11 at Don Giovanni’s here in Mountain View, at 6:30 pm. This is a mandatory event—you will pay, so you may as well come. About 50 people are already signed up. Optional gift exchange:  Wrapped gifts in the $20-$25 range, but not wine or gift certificates.
 
  • Twana: Next Board Meetings will be a brief meeting before next week’s (Dec. 15) regular meeting at the Adobe (come at noon), and  Thursday, January 21st,  5:00 pm at CHAC. No other board meeting in December.
 
  • Twana: Reminder that we will be dark on Tuesdays, December 22 and 29 in observance of the holidays.
 
  • Crab Feed Update: Alan confirmed that, since there is no locally-caught edible crab this year, our annual Crab Feed has been canceled. Since this has been our primary fund raiser, we are asking members to simply make voluntary, tax-deductible donations to the “Mountain View Rotary Charities” account (an arm of the Mountain View Rotary Endowment Fund, a 501(c)3 organization).  These are the funds we need for charitable purposes in our local community—please be generous! Checks should be given to Jim Spangler. Donations made by next week should be deductible in your 2015 tax returns.
 
  • Foundation Announcement: We are trying to maintain our donation record of “every Rotarian, every year”. This is the main source of funding for Rotary’s international projects. Checks in any amount, even if just $10 or $20, made out to “The Rotary Foundation”, should be given to Monique or Twana by next week if you want a tax deduction this year. (Give $100 per year to be a “Sustaining Member” of The Rotary Foundation, $200 to be a “Double Sustainer”, $500 for a “Super Sustainer”, or a cumulative $1,000 for each Paul Harris Fellowship.)
 
  • Special Presentation: Dennis Kobza was presented with a plaque announcing his participation in Rotary, to be displayed at his place of business. The Board will provide plaques to any other Rotarians who have public facilities where they might like to display them.
 
District Announcements:
 
  • Wheelchair Donation Trip: District Governor Susan Valenta invites you to join her in Monterrey, Mexico, March 30-April 3, 2016 for the culmination of the Governor’s Wheelchair Project. Since July 2015, clubs in District 5170 have donated over $100,000 to purchase wheelchairs for those in need. This trip will provide an opportunity to meet those who will directly benefit from the generosity of the clubs in Rotary District 5170. The five-day trip costs $999 plus airfare. Such trips are incredible opportunities to experience Rotary’s impact on the world. For a complete timeline, pricing and information on how to reserve your space, please download a brochure from this link - https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000050083/en-ca/files/homepage/wheelchair-distribution-in-monterrey-mexico/Monterrey-MX-trip.pdf
    Many members of our club have participated in similar trips in the past and often describe them as life-changing experiences.
  • Youth Service Project Faire: Heather recapped the Dec. 2 Faire at the District Cabinet meeting. Rotaract and Interact members played major roles.
  • RI President Ravi Ravindran will be speaking at the Double Tree Hotel in San Jose on January 3rd. It is a very special dinner event that will feature the current RI president and three past RI presidents, including MAT Caparas, Cliff Dochterman and Rick King. Sign up through Brittany at the District.
 
SPEAKER INTRO:  Jim Spangler introduced Lt. Commander Cynthia Kirtland, US Navy.
 
After coming to California in 1999, Commander Kirtland worked in nursing positions at Stanford, El Camino and Good Samaritan Hospitals. She was trained as a military trauma nurse at Camp Pendleton in California and at Fort Dix in New Jersey. She has been highly decorated by both the Navy and the Marines. In 2012 she was deployed to the hospital affiliated with Kandahar military base and airport in Afghanistan. Her graphic description of life on a military trauma team in the midst of action in Afghanistan was riveting.
 
 
Next Meeting of the Year: Tuesday, December 8st
 
 
Speaker on Tuesday, Dec. 15st is Russell Hancock
President and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley
 
 
Our 4-Fer Greeter for next meeting on Dec. 15 is: Steve Nichols
 
 
Thanks Everyone! Hope to see you next week.
 
 
It’s time to turn your phone back on.
 
 
Be a Gift to Your Club, Be a Gift to the World!