Meeting Summary April 19, 2011

Posted by Bertram Raphael 
on Apr 21, 2011
 
 

President’s Greeting:   Welcome to the Rotary Club of Mountain View

 

Pledge of Allegiance: Dr. Steve Nichols

 

Thought for the Day: Tom Myer reminded us of how folks even in the worst of circumstances can maintain a positive outlook.                              

Song of the Day:  Phil Armi – “I’m Looking Over a 4 Leaf Clover”

 

Introduction of Visitors:  Bert introduced Suzan Frangos visiting from Harrisonburg, VA.

 

Recognition: Jim Cunningham, Walt Joyce and all the participants in the rotating dinner. Bruce, Bert, and Bob Williams each hosted about ten people, between the Cunningham’s’ cocktails and the Joyce’s’ desserts—a grand time for all.

 

Kudos to all members who helped clean up Stevens Creek Trail on Saturday, and to Kim for organizing it.

 

Club Announcements:

Updates from our Board Meeting:

We will have our regularly scheduled meeting on May 3rd, but President Sandi also want to encourage as many members as possible to attend the Saturday night dinner at the District Celebration on May 7th. There are many other great events scheduled throughout the weekend so check the schedule and sign up online today!

 

This year our District Designated Funds are $2479.00. This amount will be matched by club funds (primarily from the crab feed). The board has voted to give our Int’l funds to the Los Altos Rotary AIDS Project ($900 same as last year) and the remainder will go to local projects with CSA and Cops & Gobblers. The amounts for the local projects will be determined by the grant committee.

 

By-Laws.  Next week we will vote on adding a line to our newly approved by-laws for the job description of the Secretary and Treasurer.  (This was part of the old by-laws but was left off due to an oversight)  To compensate for the time demands of this office the CLUB shall provide remuneration as approved by the BOARD.

 

We are going to start a new community service project to assist the Community Service Agency, with a Food of the Month Project. Tom will give us recommendations for what type of food is needed and we will collect the food at meetings each week.

 

The board also discussed donating clothing to the homeless. Tom mentioned that the real need is for under garments.

So next time you find yourself at Target, Costco or Victoria Secret pick up an extra pack of undies or socks and bring them in.

 

Attendance and Meals – we have been losing money on meals each week, because we have not had enough attendance to meet our guaranteed minimum for the caterer. Please attend regularly, and encourage other Rotarians you know to come to meetings more often. Low attendance may force us to raise lunch prices or otherwise figure out how to make up the deficits. Folks seem to like the caterer so we don’t want to have to look for ways to reduce our meal costs.

 

Bert Raphael – A “First Host Family” has been found for an inbound exchange student (and we have already agreed to sponsor an outbound student—Bianca Chang from Cupertino), so we are all set to sponsor a long term exchange next school year. However, we must find a “Second Host Family”, since every student is required to have at least two different families during the year. If you or anyone you know could host a student (probably a 16- to 18-year-old boy from Germany, attending either Los Altos or Mountain View High) in the spring of 2012, please let Bert know ASAP. It’s a wonderful experience.

 

Reminder to our current website sponsors: it is time to renew. Forty dollars for the year will keep your company logo and a link to your website on our club website. This money helps defray the cost of hosting our club website.

 

Community Meeting on Sustainable Communities Strategy at Microsoft on Thursday from 5:30-8:30pm

 

Fine Master – Judy Hanneman

She is running out of people who have not paid $100 already. However, some folks who have been fined $100 have let her know that they don’t mind being fined further, up to the President’s Club limit of $150.  Please let Judy know if you want to be eligible for further fines!

 

Sandi showed and offered to lend a copy of “We Are Off,” the book written by Heather and her husband as they traveled for a year around the world by backpack, about six years ago. Highly recommended reading!

 

Speaker – Hal Taylor & Bruce Barsi – Working in New Orleans

Hal is active in UMCOR—United Methodist Committee on Relief—and has helped on numerous construction projects around the world. A few months ago Bruce accompanied him to the New Orleans area, primarily to nearby communities in Mississippi, to help rebuild some houses. Even after five years, the devastation caused by hurricane Katrina in many places has not been significantly repaired. This was a moving presentation about how important it is for the victims of such tragedies to be remembered and helped, even after most of the world has largely forgotten and moved on.

 

Next week’s Speaker – Bob Parsons, Outreach Advocate from Stanford University – Stroke Awareness

 

Greeter is – Tom Myers

 

Thank you all for coming today

We are adjourned