Meeting Notes for June 6, 2019

CROW’S CALL – June 6, 2019
 
As if sensing the finish line, President John Milich clanged us to order.  He introduced Greeter Ed Duarte, who told the story of a famous public figure, well into his twilight years, who was asked what he considered his greatest achievement. “I like to think I haven’t done it yet.” Ed led the Salute and Don Jones led us in “My Country Tis of Thee.”  Ed introduced a guest of Rotary, his friend Ann Marie Johnson, who serves with him on the Dublin-San Ramon Services board.  She worked previously at Chevron.  Ed recently observed his 80th birthday and looks forward to more achievements.  Garth Riopelle, as usual, arrived late so the festivities could begin.
Announcements and Recognitions:
  • Club awards will be held on Copycat’s last meeting, June 27th, followed by the Demotion Dinner that evening, Lucky Sandhu presiding.
  • The Six Clubs are hosting a group of visiting business leaders from Europe in late August and we need volunteers to provide places for some of them to sleep.  If you have a spare bedroom, please contact Colette Lay.
  • The word from the International Convention in Hamburg is that our incoming president, Colette Lay, has managed not to offend authorities.
  • Guy Greco reports that Jay Tonz is doing OK and can have visitors.
  • Our long-suffering major domo, Mo, recently took Militch into the infamous back room and told him the club has until September to get its “crap” moved out.  We will need new homes for our banners, boxes and tangible evidence of previous club embarrassments.  (Dibs on the RotoWheel!)
  • Colette Lay’s inaugural celebration will be held at Gary Sloan’s on July 20.
  • Next year’s International Convention will be in Hawaii.
  • Chris Gayler’s son, almost 6 feet tall, is going into high school and is already lobbying for a car to get to school, which is 11 minutes from home by foot.
  • Pat Paterson paid $75, not for his birthday, because no one can count that high, but for his most recent great grand-child.
  • Dennis Harvey had a birthday last month and paid for it.
  • John Tatum celebrated the famous “Floating Tatum Anniversary” which transpires sometime on Memorial Day Weekend.
  • Chris Gallagher and Renee celebrated his 50th in a beach house on Kauai.
  • Don Jones says all this week is the prolonged Cynthia Birthday Bash.
Program:
President John introduced our speaker, Linda Groobin, appearing on behalf of the Diablo Valley Foundation for the Aging.  This non-profit provides compassionate services to help seniors maintain independence, dignity and peace of mind.  They are the only agency offering fiduciary services for those who require support.
Ms. Groobin, a widow, worked at ATT.  She sang the National Anthem at a Giants-Dodgers game in 1975.  After retiring she volunteered at Caring Hands , the senior program at John Muir.  She shared with us a thank-you note from a co-worker who won an Unsung Hero Award recently from our club.
 
Linda began with a joke about a retired couple at a nursery.  The wife expresses interest in getting some flowering plants. Her husband observes, “But sweetheart, you kill all the plants you try to grow. Why would you want to keep doing that?” “I just want to remind you of what I am capable of.” She now represents the Foundation, spreading the word about its services. As she suggested in the title to her talk, “Who are you going to trust with your trust?” As our population ages, more and more people do not have close family members they can rely on in making financial decisions. The Foundation offers help in such situations.
 
As Linda observed, seniors do not like to be talked to or treated as if they were children.  They have a hard-earned sense of dignity.  The Foundation is the only non-profit agency which offers fiduciary services by volunteers who are both bonded and insured.
 
The Foundation also helps to sponsor a respite center here locally at Valley Oaks Center.  It offers short-term care for dementia patients and those with other challenges to allow care-takers some time off.  The group has a grant request with our club seeking funds to provide 36 exercise/music sessions for seniors which are particularly helpful.  Linda congratulated our club for the special events we offer for older folks, like the Senior Lunch at the San Ramon Community Center and the fire alarm project in Sunny Glen.
 
She closed by urging us to look for signs that older neighbors or friends were in possible distress. Consultations with the Foundation are free, and fees for services are based upon the client’s ability to pay. The agency can be reached at (925) 945-8040.  It was an informative and timely presentation.
Raffle:
The Greeter’s Gift was won by Ed Duarte and was supplied by…..Ed Duarte!
(That was embarrassing!)  Don Jones got to go fishing for the elusive white marble and drew blue, much to the disappointment of his many friends.