ISSUE NO. 15 OCTOBER 19, 2001 OUR 80th YEAR
www.RotaryClubofSantaMonica.org
HER EYES ARE ON THE SKIES
A man with a surprise Christmas gift appeared before the Los Angeles city council on December 6, 1896. He was Griffith J. Griffith, hereditary owner of part of the Santa Monica Mountains. He announced that he was giving the city about four thousand acres of woodlands. This became the world’s largest city park, Griffith Park, a larger area than Beverly Hills.
As years passed the park came to contain picnic grounds, playgrounds, golf courses and tennis courts, a zoo, a swimming pool, a Greek theater and miles of winding drives.
Also, in 1935, it became the home of Griffith Observatory, a place that offered memorable views of the starry skies. Now schools bring fifty thousand youngsters there as part of educational programs, and two million people go on their own each year. It’s a noted attraction for out-of-towners.
What do they see there? We’ll get an idea this Friday because our speaker will be Kara Knack, the observatory’s communications officer, with a bunch of slides.
Kara became enamored of the place on her first visit, when she was five years old. She kept going. In 1985 she joined the board of directors of the Friends of the Observatory, and eventually served three terms as president.
She was one of a fervent group who kept saying that the observatory, which hasn’t been improved since it was opened, should be renovated and expanded. Finally, in 1990, city authorities agreed, and approved a $63 million program. Kara sat on the committee that chose architects and project managers, and is now on the steering committee that is guiding the work toward completion.
Meanwhile she writes a monthly column for the Griffith Observer and travels widely, visiting planetariums and observatories, and telling audiences about Griffith and its future. “It’s a privilege for me to be involved in it,” she says. Friday we’ll see why she’s so enthused.
SEVEN MAGNIFICENT TAXPAYERS = $725
(Total taxes assessed through October 5: $8,160)
At our October 5 meeting an “achievement tax” was levied on Dr. Dick Rice, our distinguished past president for 1983-84. During his presidency he started the host-hostess program to fund vocational scholarships, and encouraged many of us to become Paul Harris fellows, thereby providing funds to eradicate polio in far parts of the world. Many of us remember a meeting years ago when he demonstrated the efficiency of a memory-training system he used: he recited the names of all our members in order as listed in the club roster. Now retired from his medical practice, Dr. Rice continues to serve the community in other ways. We all thank him for the high standards he has set.
Our junior past president John Lehne was assessed a $150 gift tax for receiving a new Mercedes from his children. Congratulations to John and Kay not only on your car but also on your wonderful descendants.
For misplacing his badge, Dr. Eric “Bones” Schmitter was taxed $50.
Our new Rotarian Mike Rosenthal, owner and managing editor of the Santa Monica Mirror, wrote and published an article that cost four of his fellow Rotarians $100 apiece:
Steve Lehne for the no-cost advertising of his painting company; Jack Siegal, founder of our FM station K-Surf, for his incredible resonating voice; Nat Trives for being the honorable former mayor of Santa Monica; and Vince Muselli for being the commercial real estate monarch.
-- Lionel Ruhman
WELCOME! WELCOME!
At the September 17th Board Meeting, President Hal proposed to the Board that honorary membership be granted to Santa Monica’s own Rotaract District Governor Vivian Rivas. Membership was granted unanimously and we’re very pleased to announce that Vivian accepted the membership with great pleasure!
KEEP COGNIZANT – REMEMBER THESE DATES
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Thursday, October 25 – Rotary Golf, Tierra Rejada, Moorpark |
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Friday, October 26 – World’s Toughest Mountain Climb, told by Brant Didden |
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Sunday, October 28 – New members party, Tom Loo’s home 3939 Villa Costera |
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Friday, November 2 – Our district governor, Len Wasserstein |
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Friday, November 9 – Veterans’ Day – Jack Siegal, chairman |
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Friday, November 16 – Andrew K. Benton, president of Pepperdine University |
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Friday, November 23 – DARK – Thanksgiving weekend |
YOU CAN BE PART OF OUR MARATHON
Two of our district officers will be “running for Rotary” next March 3 in Los Angeles Marathon XVII and a whole bunch of others from Rotary will be on the scene backing them. Maybe you and your acquaintances can be part of the bunch.
Our runners will be Joe Harding of El Segundo, assistant district governor, and Donn Cotton of Vernon, district chairman of community service. They say, “We encourage Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, their family and friends to participate. Run, jog, walk, crawl or be carried. We need you on our team. We’ll also need supporters at water stations. Members from each club in the district will have members wearing a Rotary’s Race T-shirt at water stations, where the club’s banner will be displayed.”
“Our marathon program will focus on several goals. Our district newsletter says we will raise at least $1,000 per each marathon mile, or $26,200 through sponsorships. The funds will be divided equally between the Rotary Foundation and Polio Partners.”
The Rotary Club of Santa Monica has lost a long-time member. Louis G. Turner, active in Santa Monica community affairs for many years, is dead at the age of eighty-eight. (Born 7/2/13). He died of natural causes at Santa Monica hospital on October 9th. At Lou’s specific request, there will be no services held. He left an envelope containing the following with his daughter, Linda Miller, to be opened upon his death.
Turner, a native of Los Angeles, was a graduate of UCLA. After a short banking career, he entered military service in 1941, climaxing his World War II experiences as commander of police forces in Vienna, Austria, in 1945-46. Later, as a Special Agent of the FBI, Turner specialized in espionage and intelligence matters before serving as a supervisor at FBI Headquarters in Washington D.C.
He left the FBI in 1952 to become an Administrative Assistant at The Rand Corporation in Santa Monica. When Systems Development Corporation spun off from Rand, Turner became Secretary and later Treasurer of that organization where he remained until 1972. He will be remembered as Executive Director of the Donald Douglas Museum and Library from its inception until his retirement in 1978.
Turner was a President of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, President of the Santa Monica Rotary Club and an active member of the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. He was a member of the Riviera Country Club. An avid skier since 1931, he was active in developing winter sports facilities and activities in California.
Turner leaves his daughter, Linda Miller of Brentwood and a grandson, Chad.