ISSUE NO. 23 February 13, 2004 OUR 82nd YEAR
www.RotaryClubofSantaMonica.org
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
This past week we had we had nationally recognized environmental attorney Gail Ruderman Feuer from the Natural Resources Defense Council. Gail spoke to us on the history of the NRDC, - iut was founded in 1970 by a group of environmental lawyers ( see we’re not all bad.) Regarding the “Green-ness” of their new facility in Santa Monica, which is the greenest building in America - they have carpet padding that is made from recycled blue jeans, and bathroom doors from recycled milk cartons.
She was a dynamic speaker who engaged the audience and the questioning was heated and informative. As an update on the current conditions in the LA Basin – smog levels are down overall but up for the past 5 years. The bad news is that 71% of cancer causing air pollution comes from diesel exchaust, but the NRDC was able to enter into a settlement agreement with the large grocery chains to provide for cleaner trucks on the road. Trucks that use Natural Gas. For those with kids or grandkids the scariest statistic she quoted was that children breathe four times as much pollution in the bus, as outside it. That is a scary number and we can only hope that it will be the next big fight.
THIS WEEKS MEETING IS ON THE MOVE!!
This Friday, FEBRUARY 20th, the club meeting is being moved to the Santa Monica Masonic Lodge, 926 Santa Monica Boulevard. We will be having the Esther Johnson Music Awards as our program.
Parking is across the street at the Santa Monica College parking lot, entrance is off 11th St. Parking is free; tell security guard or the person at the booth, that you are going to the Masonic Lodge for a Rotary Club of Santa Monica event.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
GOTTA GO GROUP – THEY WENT !
Memoirs from Birthday Boy and Chairman Bill Hunt
(reprinted from the web)
On Thursday February 12th, 2004 the “Gotta Go Group” met at Rev. Pat Farris’s Methodist garage and at 9:00 a.m. sharp boarded a Big Blue Bus. Soon we were in the town of Ventura at the Channel Island Ranger Station. We visited the ships, ate lunch and jumped on our bus heading for the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.
We were met by the Director Duke Blackwood and were soon on a behind the scenes tour of President and Nancy Reagan’s private office and dinning room. We then attended the regular tour. We also saw President Reagan’s “Air Force One” being readied for display. Unfortunately the day went quickly, and we needed more time to see the entire very special place.
Along for the laughing and scratching were Vivian Spurgin and her guest Donna Betts, Margaret Pallock, Mary Ishizuka, Phyllis Morrison, June Doy, Anne and Dave Rimer, Dolores and Bill Fritzsche, Virginia and Jim Reidy, Ruth and Dick Rice, Bob Moore, Jane Whiting and daughter Kathy, Mary Ellen and Joe Gonzales and their guest Jessica and Mike Kraft, Spyros Dellaportas, and Bill Hunt.
See you in April for the Arboretum and Santa Anita.
BEQUEST SOCIETY
This past week Marv Levin and Hal Quiqley on behalf of the Rotary Bequest Society recognized JIM AND VIRGINIA REIDY along with MONTY McCORMACK for their contributions to the society.
The Bequest Society is a great way to provide for the future of Rotary by putting RI in your will or estate planning, you can even buy a life insurance policy today, take a deduction on todays taxes and provide for your family. It just takes a little planning.
ROOM FOR RENT NEEDED BY A RAND DOCTOR!
Dr. Zabransky is looking for someone with a place to stay at, while he is doing a 5 week fellowship Research at Rand. CONTACT JUNE DOY FOR MORE INFORMATION.
NEW MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT
John M Pacheco. John is the Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Santa Monica John was sponsored by Ann Greenspun and Harris Levey.
Pat Bofird. Pat is the owner of Music Creations located in Santa Monica.
UPCOMING EVENTS
February 20, 2004 - Esther M.Johnson Music Awards
SPECIAL LOCATION – 926 SANTA MONICA BLVD – MASONIC LODGE
February 27, 2004 - Four Way Test
March 5, 2004 - CRAFT TALKERS Our Craft Talkers for that date will be
Jillian Alexander and Tom Larmore. Jack Siegal will be the Program Chair.
March 12, 2004 - Joanne Van Tilburg -Easter Islands Monolith.
March 19, 2004 - Former Mayor of Los Angeles Richard Riordan will speak to us for “Literacy Day”. Richard is
now serving the State of California as Secretary for Education.
DAVID’S DOODLINGS
ON MICROMANAGERS WHO CAN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES
When the new principal arrived on campus for his first day of work, he saw all the teachers filing into the library to collect their textbooks for the coming schoolyear. Each teacher would take a stack, and as was their custom, return the ones they didn’t need. On seeing this, he asked the librarian if there should be a checkout system to make sure the teachers weren’t stealing books. The response was priceless…
“Why? We trust them with the children don’t we?”