CROW’S CALL – January 25, 2018

By: Dr Bill Harlan

 

President Lucky Sandhu (The Can-Do Man) gaveled us into submission.  He reminded us that RI President Ian Riseley knows if we’ve been naughty or nice. Greeter Norbert Waltz shared two Thoughts of the Day: “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right,” and “A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth your while.” On that note, he led us in the Flag Salute and told us that he and Mark Honstra are working together on a project to bring solar-generated power to East Africa.  Don Jones, because he is the tallest, led us in a Patriotic Song which “let Freedom ring.”

Announcements:

Jerry Marrs thrilled us all with news that the 2018 Auction for Education is taking shape: Early Bird!

Alice of Loaves and Fishes is looking for volunteers to feed the hungry: contact Kathy Gailey.

Stacey Litteral is looking for people to host the Job Shadow Day on March 8; if you are willing to let a  high school student follow you around to see what you really do at work that day or if you know someone who is so disposed, let Stacey know. It’s a worthwhile program.

Stacey also announced that nominations are now open for Unsung Hero Award for an outstanding  volunteer from a local non-profit organization; the form is available on the Club website.

Don Jones says that the old End Hunger Now program has been renamed Rise Up Against Hunger; it still focuses on preparing meals for hungry people around the world and will package 10,000 meals on Saturday, February 3, 9:00 a.m. to noon, at Cal High.  Rotary volunteers will join 20 Interactors in accomplishing this feat. There will be pastries. Let Don know if you can help.

Kathy Gailey is collecting an estimate of the hours that we spent working on last fall’s Auction for  Education to use for planning this year’s effort and for reporting to Rotary International.

Guy Greco, Guru to the Golfers, is leading talks about 2018 golf events; let him know any interests.

John Milich, our incoming President, needs two volunteers for his Board; once again, pastries provided.

Kathy Richardson’s friend, formerly of the Dougherty Valley Club, is joining us.

 

Guests:

Our good friend Carolyn Degnan joined us, always a bright spot in our day.

Monica Kamran, who promotes Mindfulness and Inner Peace for corporate clients and special needs kids, was in attendance.

 

Presentations:

 

Colette Lay officiated.  Student of the Month was Karima Hazari who has served as the drum major for the Cal High marching band.  The Director of the Band program, Kit Johnson, introduced Karima and her proud parents and told us that the Cal Band has won many awards over the years because of the hard work of students.  Karima accepted the award on behalf of the many who are active in band. Check with her if you want to use her free parking space in front of the school.

Ms. Patal of Pearl Orthodontics was joined by two young associates to receive a grant check on behalf of a program the company runs to buy back candy after Halloween from their clients.  They then ship the candy to military personnel overseas; this last October they collected over 700 pounds.  They also ship cards and personal hygiene supplies at Christmas and now San Ramon Rotary helps defray the shipping costs.

Spike Von, our far-flung member in political exile, shared a club flag and story worthy of the von Hoetzendorff tradition: Spike recently attended a meeting of the Rotary Club of University Hills in the Denver area.  She was there with her daughter Rachael, whom we all remember, and who was applying to join the club.  Rachael’s sponsor was none other than that Icon of Rotary, Cliff Docterman!  (Chances are pretty good that Rachael will get in.) Anyway, Spike took one of our flags to exchange for theirs.  All involved send their greetings.

President Lucky reported that 43 members had responded to the recent Club survey.  The Board is working on an analysis of the results and will be sending along a series of recommendations for possible changes. 

 

Recognitions:

Eager for more money, Lucky decreed that all members without the Rotary pins, and there were a lot of us, would pay a $20 fine.  Point made!

The Club’s Prosecuting Attorney, Barry Toby, grilled Dr. Bill on his inappropriate hat, a tasteful topper which showed William Shakespeare opining, “This shit just writes itself.”  The good doctor called it his “Scribe Hat” and when pressed said it was not a quote from a play but from an interview the Bard had given to the National Inquirer.   Toby: “Shakespeare? I thought it was Gerald Ford.” Harlan paid.

 

Program:

Our speaker today was Rob Bell, a former Canadian who is the Executive Director of El Porvenir, an organization which seeks to provide aid to Nicaraguans through water, sanitation, health education and watershed management.  Rob has spent a dozen years working with other groups and agencies to promote improved water quality, which he pointed out is closely allied to all the other priorities for Rotary on the international scene.  More than one billion people around the world do not have access to clean water.  Rob’s organization grew out of Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses.  El Porvenir works with many different Rotary clubs around the world.  It has 532 projects in rural Nicaragua, including 11,000 latrines, 1,500 fuel-efficient stoves and has planted over 1 million trees.  Its efforts have aided about 170,000 people in a country where about 30% of the population lives below the poverty line.

 

Rob shared some pictures of his work.  Latrines are festooned with the Rotary wheel and the names of clubs which funded them. In the countryside women traditionally carry heavy buckets of water for long distances; local communities install and maintain pumps which ease that burden.  In one telling photo a young boy was shown peeing in a spring that supplied water for his community; basic health education is a key element of the organization’s mission.  Villagers are shown building a water tank which their new electric pump fills for the use of 500 people.  Terracing helps protect farmland from erosion and helps preserve soil.  Colorful posters help encourage hand washing at schools and cut down on the spread of disease.

 

Rob invited us to join other Rotary clubs, such as the Bakersfield club, and find an area where we can be of service through El Porvenir.  You can check out more about the group and its work at www.elporvenir.org.

 

Raffle: A deserving Rotarian won the Greeter’s gift of $20.  This correspondent won the chance at drawing the white marble, but despite his prolonged fondling in the bag drew blue.