September 1, 2016 Bulletin

Posted on Sep 01, 2016
 
Meeting called to order at 12:05
Flag:    Dave Friedman led us in the Flag Salute
Invocation:      Richard Miller
Song:   Judy Coates did it again.  She led us in singing “God Bless America”.
Guest:
Rotarian Mrs. Carolyn O’Brien
Eli Guana (PDG)
Alice Guana
Bill Wishard (Rotary Club of Malibu)
Mike Thomas (ADG)
Lourdes Simons
Guest Speaker
DG Greg O’Brien
 
Announcements:
Dave Friedman welcomed everyone especially the District Governor Greg O’Brien and his wife, Carolyn O’Brien to our club.  He acknowledged the presence of PDG Eli Guana and Rotarian Alice Guana, and other District Representatives who were present. Other guest was also acknowledged.
Barbara Pampalone informed the club of the forthcoming “Walk for Peace” event. This program is organized by The 21st Century Peace Literacy Foundation in association with reGeneration.  According to her, the 2016 Conejo Valley Peace Heroes Walk, commemorating the 15th Anniversary of 9/11 will be held at the California Lutheran University Lundring Event Center at Gilbert Sports Area, Thousand Oaks, California on Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 2:00 PM. The event is free to the general public.  She encouraged all members to attend.
 
Marc Tapper announced that today was Richard Miller’s birthday and so everyone happily sang “Happy Birthday” to him and wished him well.
 
Happy Buck/O My God
The following members were happy/celebrating: Catherine Ibrahim, Richard Miller, Dave Friedman, Richard Flanagan, Barbara Pampalone and James Tenner. Their gifts were gladly accepted.
 
Dave Friedman introduced our speaker DG Greg O’Brien to the podium.
 
The DG presented Awards to four members of our club for their contributions to rotary.  They were PDG Les Grossman, ADG Richard Miller, PP Wynne Ritch and Ron Wolf.
 
DG Address: Imagine Rotary as a Theme
Greg O’Brien traced rotary from the beginning and how Paul Harris and his friends started rotary. He talked about how the “object of rotary” came about and the history of “The 4 Way Test”.  According to him, it was initially “7 Way Test” but was later reduced to 4 Way Test.  Rotary’s goal was to eradicate polio from the face of the earth and we are almost there with only two countries remaining. Today, Peace and conflict resolution is the goal of rotary. In rotary, we talk about the things that unites us and not divide us. That’s the language Rotarian speaks.
Rotary President Arch Klumph in 1917 spoke about creating a fund to support Rotary’s work.  The Rotary Foundation was than created at the Atlanta Convention that year “for the purpose of doing good in the world.”   The first contribution to this foundation was $26.50.  Ever since than, the foundation has grown significantly and has spend over $3 billion on programs and projects throughout the world. We are involved in service project, peace project, water projects, hygiene & sanitation projects and Literacy project.  So it is important for all Rotarians to attend the 2017 Summer Convention where the Rotary Foundation began.
 
The world desperately needs more Rotarians. Our 4 way test defines us, it inspires us.  Imagine rotary spreading and working towards peace in the world, imagine how our families will be raised, imagine a world without literacy, imagine the world without conflicts, imagine.  Let us all as Rotarians go out and do what we do best: Be truthful, fair to all concerned, bring goodwill and better friendship and lastly make sure it is beneficial to all concerned.  He ended his address by saying that he hopes to see everyone in Atlanta in 2017.
      
 
   
                                                                       
 
Dave Friedman thank the DG for his inspiring address.  On behalf of the GVNR, he presented the DG and his wife a gift from our club.
 
    
 
   
 
 
Meeting ended at 1:30 PM