ISSUE NO. 3 July 22, 2005 OUR 84th YEAR
www.RotaryClubofSantaMonica.org
There was a full head table as George Collins gave his first invocation. True to the advice he received from those “in the know” he kept it short and did not offend anyone. His opener was “Please help our Prez get through this year.” Good job George and right to the point. Santa Monica Head Librarian, Susan Annett was there too with Dr. John Bohn on her right. VP Bob Klein was to the left of our guest speaker with Tom Loo (who has agreed to Chair this year’s International Food Fest) to his right. When we talk about presentation skills, clear audio reception, a presence, which attracts the attention of a crowd and a pleasing sound we are talking about new-member Len Lanzi who introduced visiting Rotarians and guests. Len with those talents you are sure to be Club Prez one day!
News Picked up at last week’s meeting
We welcomed two visiting Rotarians, Klaus Grant and Michael Newman. Boisterous applause broke out when Pat Barrett was welcomed to our club. Poor Pat, he has already found his way to the “here-comes-trouble” table frequented by Alan Young and Spyros Delaportas just to give you an idea of what I mean. Pat, do not be influenced by what they do … just pay attention to what they say. Welcome, you have finally found your way home! We honored this month’s Birthday Rotarians and got a little flack for Levey Harris … or is it really Harris Levey?
Brian Bohn was also visiting … can you believe it? A third-generation-doctor-in-the-making.
The Gaulke-Jackson version of “Name that Tune” was next. We played a quick first round; a second round and bonus round almost all in one. The first one to identify the title of the three music clips all coming from different football teams-song did not receive a prize (you should try that next time Paul) but it was fun. I found it interesting, that I did not know even one of the songs. Maybe it is ‘cuz it’s football.
Okay, okay, okay … remember last week Prez Paul fined Dee Menzies for going to Maui for two weeks with four Rotarians who were to remain nameless? Well, I got the scoop. Every year Dee goes to Maui with the Young’s (as in Sally & Allan) and the Delaportas’s (Donna & Spyros). They are at LAX and Dee notices someone looking very much like John McIntire. Spyros (opening one eye) says, “dozent thut luuk like Jonn McEntyre. Well, it was … complete with family. When the gang boards the plane they see Jim Haljun already comfortably seated. Hmmmmmm, this sounds like one of those “How many Rotarians does it take” jokes.
Really Important – ALL COMMITTEE CHAIRS. Please review your committee goals and objectives and get the information to your Director ASAP. Monika is charged with putting together our Club Book and it must be done for the Governor’s visit on August 19th. I am sure you do not want to be THE one responsible for us not meeting the deadline.
Rotary Club of Santa Monica
Caught Racqueteering!
The Rotary Club of Santa Monica has a tennis team, which is undefeated
(although untested). Is there any club that would like to attempt to spoil our
unblemished record?
We offer a day of fun, fellowship, foolishness, and maybe even a little
tennis. So if you have the balls to accept, get off your cans and court our
favor. The net result will be a lot of love. Call Harris Levey at (310)
822-9067, or e-mail:
rotaryclubofsantamonica@verizon.net.
THE DRUG DEALER IS HERE: it is time for you to take your medicine! Our #3 favorite pastime: Fine-ing!
Shirley Dowling was effervescent today with the announcement of her first grandchild that obviously deserved a fine. Nat Trives also became a grand-dad for the first time with a new adoption. But that is not all that Nat has been up to. He made a fuss in Chicago by handing in all his event tickets at the first meeting. An announcement had to be made to reunite Nat with the balance of his tickets. On July 3rd, Ida and Nat celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. You would think three fine-able events would be enough … but not for our Nat. He was honored just recently at the Center for Healthy Aging. I think that means four strikes and about $175. Getting a Paul Harris Fellow for Ida seemed like a really good idea right then.
The next group on Paul’s hit list was three of the culprits from Maui: John McIntire, Spyros Delaportas, and Alan Young. Well, John was not here but Paul got the other two. Phil Whiting had to be fined in honor of his 60th wedding anniversary. This is when he suggested that Rick Kennedy be fined for keeping him alive for the last 15 years. Thank you Rick!
X-Prez but still Conductor Lionel was next, having to pay for the honor he received as Junior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge last Wednesday. And we could not forget Bill Fritzsche who claimed that of the 86 Fritzsche’s that attended a family reunion in Chicago, he was the quietest one … that deserved the $100 fine.
Paul then excused those that must leave and that brought us to our speaker.
William J. Chadwick, President of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission was our Speaker on July 22nd. He had everyone’s interest in this talk about “Bringing Professional Football back to L.A. William (left) is sitting next to our own former Los Angeles Rams star, Bob Klein. William told that that Los Angeles might just have a renovated Coliseum and a new Professional Football team within the next few years. (I heard Larry Maher is putting in now for his season tickets)!
We’re proud to report that we’ve figured out this week’s program. One of the three craft talks will be from RoseMary Regalbuto. The other talks won’t be. Unless, of course, RoseMary talks too long. Gosh, if it is anything like her writing … new member Holly Gustlin and not-too-new member Andrew Parker might not even get a chance -- (contributed by a Rotarian who refuses to be identified). Craft talks have been called “the best programs of the year.” They really are. We greet-and-shake-hands with our fellow members, we chatter at the table until the president so rudely interrupts us, but we don’t get a chance to know much about the member’s background, interests, family, and so forth until their craft talk. Fifteen minutes goes by fast, but Program Chair Mike Nichols and VP Bob Klein are trying something new, three Rotarians … ten minutes each … we learn a little about our featured members and it gives them their golden opportunity at the Rotary mike.
Speaking of “CrAfT tAlKs, Mike Nichols, being the competitive fellow we know him to be, wants to know your ideas for a possible new name. Is a craft by any other name as sweet? Well, the person who submits the winning suggestion gets a $100 bill from Carlson’s and that $100 will be awarded at the July 29th meeting.
So give Mike your ideas immediately -- call him at 393.0131.
Saturday - Sunday, July 23-24, 2005: The Rotary Rocket’s Relay for Life
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. This past weekend, teams of people from all over, gathered at Santa Monica College’s track and took turns walking or running laps. Each team tried to keep at least one team member on the track at all times. 21 intrepid Rotarians joined Team Captain “Tish” Tisherman and did just that which helped raise an unbelievable $161,000 plus!
To all you Rockets, you know who you are, “WAY TO GO!”
To mark Rotary Centennial, Rotaractors conquer Everest By Kelly Nolan Special to The Rotarian* 11 July 2005
A team of three mountaineers from the Rotaract Club of New Road City, Kathmandu, Nepal, celebrated Rotary's centennial by climbing to the top of Mount Everest in late May.
"It's the holiest place in Nepal, and we thought it would be a unique way to celebrate 100 years of Rotary service," says Moni Mulepati, a member of the party. "We wanted to promote peace and understanding in the world and recognize Rotary's part in that."
There was a tinge of Hollywood to the Rotaractors' ascent. Mulepati and her sweetheart, Pem Dorjee Sherpa, held a surprise exchange of marriage vows on the world's highest peak. They had kept their courtship and marriage plans a secret from family, friends, and even fellow climber Kami Sherpa.
"The snow around us was coming down very hard, and it was hard to breathe," Mulepati recalls. "We were only there for 10 minutes. It was just enough time for us to plant the Rotary flag, get married, and have our friends take pictures of us."
Despite the group's mountain-climbing experience, the expedition, sponsored by the Rotary clubs of Nepal, wasn't without problems. Inclement weather delayed the original summit date, 20 May, for almost two weeks. Climate conditions also caused team members to experience snow blindness.
"It became very difficult for us because we had to go back to the base camp to get the right medical treatment," Mulepati says. "Our eyes hurt, and it was difficult to see."
To add to the troubles, the helicopter sent to pick up the Rotaractors four days after they reached the summit crashed on its way to Everest Base Camp. Dr. Harsha Ratna Shakya, of the Rotary Club of New Road City, three representatives from Nepalese television stations, and the pilot all survived the incident with minor injuries. The crash was attributed to the chopper's improper balance during landing.
Paul, are you aware of the Model Drug Dealer Liability Act (DDLA)? This Act provides a means for us to obtain monetary damages from you for the injuries caused by drugs to our families and our communities. The Model DDLA has been adopted by fourteen (14) state legislatures throughout the United States.
A word of advice might be that you check to see if California is one of them.
Let us remember them in our Prayers
Former District Governor Jack Jones lost his wife to Cancer on Friday. It is for them, and so many others, that the Rotary Rockets walked/ran this past weekend.
Fri. July 29 CrAfT tAlKs three members 10 minutes each
Fri. Aug. 5 Don Burgess The Lance Armstrong Story & Bring a Guest Day
Fri. Aug. 19 District Governor’s Visit “Let’s all be on our best behavior”
Sat. Sept. 10 Party! Party! Party! At the Oyler’s Home more information coming
Sat. Nov. 12 Paul Harris Dinner Queen Mary see June for more info
Candy cigarettes
Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside
Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles
Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes
Blackjack, Clove and Teaberry chewing gum
Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
Newsreels before the movie
P. F. Fliers
Telephone numbers with a word
prefix...(Raymond 4-601).
Peashooters
Howdy Doody
45 RPM records
Green Stamps
Hi-Fi's
Metal ice cubes trays with levers
Mimeograph paper
Roller-skate keys
Cork pop guns
Drive ins
Studebakers
Washtub wringers
The Fuller Brush Man
Reel-To-Reel tape recorders
Tinkertoys
Erector Sets
The Fort Apache Play Set
Lincoln Logs
15 cent McDonald hamburgers
5 cent packs of baseball cards -
with that awful pink slab of bubble gum
Penny candy
35 cent a gallon gasoline
Jiffy Pop popcorn
Do you remember a time when … Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-moe"?
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "Do Over!” "Race issue,” meant
arguing about who ran the fastest? Catching the fireflies could happily occupy
an entire evening?
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was "cooties"? Having a
weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot? A foot of snow was a
dream come true?
Saturday morning cartoons weren't 30-minute commercials for action figures? "Oly-oly-oxen-free"
made perfect sense? Spinning around, getting dizzy, and falling down was cause
for giggles?
The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team? War was a card game?
Baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle? Taking
drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin? Water balloons were the ultimate
weapon?
If you can remember most or
all of these, then you have lived!!!!!!
Paul thanked our speaker and, as a new neighbor of Tom Loo’s, invited him to the next International Food Festival. He welcomed Pat Barrett and reminded the newer members that “fines” were just for fun. It is how we capture the pledges that are made each year. Since Bill Werner was there, Paul took the opportunity to thank him and Mary Jane for hosting the double Board meeting in June.
Respectfully Submitted … RoseMary “I see a yawn coming on” Regalbuto