ISSUE
NO. 36
APRIL 6, 2001
OUR 80th YEAR
http://RotaryClubofSantaMonica.org
YOUTH LOOKS AT OUR ETHICS
When
Herbert Taylor was appointed trustee in bankruptcy of a small cookware company
in Chicago, it was $400,000 in the red but still doing business. It had good
products and good people. So Taylor determined to work it out of its hole.
“If
this company can earn a reputation for integrity, dependability and
helpfulness, it can prosper,” he thought. “Can I give the employees a
simple code of ethics that will keep them on the right track?”
Taylor
searched, but found only long lists of rules, hard to memorize.
After
much thrashing around he prayed for guidance in “creating a simple yardstick
by which all the company’s plans and actions can be measured.”
Soon
four lines came into his head. He wrote them on a small card.
That
was how Rotary’s Four-Way Test came to be written in July 1932, not a good
year for any businesses. Taylor’s company did pay off its debts, and thrived
for decades thereafter. Its simple code became Rotary’s unchanging standard
of business and civic morality.
Viewpoints
and behavior have changed in recent years. Do local school kids think our
Four-Way Test will be valid in their own adult lives? Rotary has circulated an
offer of a $100 bond for the best 600-word essay by an 8th grader
in our local middle schools, with $50 and $25 bonds for the next best.
Winners
from Lincoln and John Adams will be with us Friday, with parents and teachers.
Come and hear the youngsters’ considered opinions.
ONE FINE DAY
At our March 23rd meeting Msgr. Lloyd
Torgerson was honored for his recent service in temporarily acting for the
Bishop in overseeing 78 parishes. Those parishioners were fortunate to have made
his acquaintance.
Additionally the Msgr. opened the U.S. Senate
proceedings with prayer on January 15th. A national honor!
Showing his own wisdom as a parishioner of St.
Monica’s Church, President John fined the Msgr. $200 then quickly
reduced it to $50 by volunteering Bob Sullivan, Phil Tirone and
himself to pay $50 each.
I’ll personally be proud to pay the remaining $50
fine as an admiring Protestant in ecumenical spirit (and as a way to cover my
bases in the hereafter). Welcome back, Msgr.
-- Lionel Ruhman
NO MEETING, NO ROTA-MONICA NEXT WEEK
Good Friday is April 13th. Accordingly our
Rotary Club will not meet that day. STAY AWAY!
Rota-Monica will also skip a week. Our next issue
should reach you about two weeks from today.
THROWING HIM A BOHN…
“I
would like to gratefully acknowledge the work of Dr. Paul Bohn who
started the Mental Health & Concern for Aging Committee and contributed
greatly to the Helpguide. Thanks, Paul, for your ongoing work to help people
better themselves.”
-- Frank Lavac
COMING UP
 |
On Friday, April 6th, District Governor
Vicki Radel will be attending our meeting. She will officially install the
following new members: Cena Abergel, Ted Chough, Karim Jaude, Chris Lawson,
Marvin Martinez, Michael Nichols, Tulin Ozkaragoz, and Radomir Samardzic. Be
on hand to give all of them a rousing welcome! |
|
Friday,
April 13 – DARK. No meeting. Good Friday. |
|
Friday,
April 20 – Craft talks by members. |
|
Friday,
April 27 – Our secretaries and administrative assistants are with us as
our guests. |
YOUR ROTARACT CLUB
Bill Crookston, Chair
Four
years ago your club took on the responsibility of re-establishing a Rotaract
Club at Santa Monica College. The Rotary membership strength at the college
coupled with strong liaison ties with interested faculty allowed us to give new
birth to the Rotaract concept that had been tried twice before. SMC students
turnover faster than every two years as they transfer to four-year universities
or adjust their career plans. So far, the project has been fabulously
successful. There have been over 40 members in each semester at SMC.
The
students are usually recruited from business classes. Clubs are successful if
there is a campus mentor who can generate enthusiasm and energy. We are blessed
with the energetic Mrs. Lynette Shishedo as our campus contact. She has been a
backbone of the business courses at SMC, is very popular with students and a
great recruiter for this club.
Rotaract
is a RI project that allows local clubs to establish liaison relationships with
nearby universities and colleges. The overall mission of Rotaract is to allow
students to link with Rotarians, learn about businesses and professions and
provide community service. The SMC club has been involved in Shots-for-Tots,
Thanksgiving Feed the Police, Clean the Bay, Red Cross projects and other
service opportunities that the students are interested in and find themselves.
The service projects do not have to be Rotary oriented. SM Rotary Club has
provided leadership, mentoring, some funding and speakers for meetings. There
are eight clubs in our district and the president of the SMC club has been
elected governor of all District 5280 Rotaract Clubs. Please meet Vivian Rivas
at some of our meetings.
The
club meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays from 11:15 to 12:15 in B-106.
Rotarians are always welcome (we can arrange for parking!). Speakers are needed
from time to time. All Rotarians who have spoken have expressed keen interest in
the enthusiasm of the young people. Currently, and here comes an appeal,
Rotarians are needed for mentoring. We have 25 students who would like to link
up with businesspersons in our club for conversation, company visits, shadowing,
internships and advice. All you need to do is give me a business card at
meetings and a student will contact you. Talk to Jim Westbrook, next year’s
chair, his capable sidekick Ed Moosbrugger, co-chair, or me.
Bill Crookston, bcrookston@netvip.com, (310) 829-4655