OUR GREETER, Maria Deane, welcomed the club and gave us a wonderful update on our club Scholarship Program.  We awarded 15 scholarships.  Maria read several notes from students that told how appreciative they were for our club’s donation.  For several, our scholarship was a critical part of their being able to attend college.

 NAME-- guest Rotarian from East Palo Alto Rotary announced a celebration of the club’s 50^th Anniversary, on September 12, 2015, at Mitchell Park Community Center, East Palo Alto, from 7:00-10:00 pm.  This event will fund the club’s international and local community projects. 

The ticket cost is $100.  We are welcome to attend.

Sandy Allen introduced Alan Weissberger, a walk in guest who is looking for a group where he can help serve the community.

Susan Valenta,  our District Governor, will be visiting the club on September 3^rd.   Each year, the district governor has a project.  Sue is working on a wheelchair donation program.  District donations  have already filled one container of 280 wheelchairs.    The SC Rotary board approved donating  six wheelchairs using club funds to this mission!  Any Rotarian wanting to make a person donation, to add to this cause, should see the club president.

Mike Sellers and Stan Rose are chairing our club’s fundraiser to purchase and donate school supplies to local schools.  Last year, $2600 was donated to 17 schools in the Santa Clara Unified School District.  Anyone wantng to help support the cause please see Mike or signup at the next meeting.

Lou Ann Alexander, Mike Sellers, Joe Sweeney gave an update on the Sean Walsh K-9 Foundation.  Last year, Cheryl Walsh spoke to our club.  Her foundation was formed on behalf of her son, Sean, who was killed  during the war in Afghanistan.  Our club has agreed to donate $10,000 to purchase a police dog for the Santa Clara Police Department.  The dog is expected to begin service in November 2015. 

The 35^th Annual Art and Wine Festival, September 19, 20, 2015.  Our club will have a booth serving up Chinese Chicken Salad and Ice Tea.   See Miten Marfatia, Committee Chair and/or Deborah York to volunteer.

Jan Eric updated the club on the status of Easy Perez.  Easy wishes to thank everyone for reaching out with cards, emails, and most of all our club’s support.  He misses everyone and hopes to come back soon.  He will be undergoing chemotherapy over the next week.  Please see Jan for more details and information.  

Larry Fargher and Joe Sweeney shared news about Jerry Marsalis.  Jerry is fighting cancer.  He is now at Stanford Hospital undergoing tests and treatment.  Our prayers and thoughts to Jerry.

Just came back from Klamath Falls, Oregon and shared his experience:

Klamath Falls hosted the Babe Ruth World Series event back in 1968.  Diamond Mike, a serious baseball player youth, played in the Babe Ruth World Series for his home town.   He and his former teammates were asked to come back.  They were greeted with great fanfare and Mike served as one of the two Grand Marshall’s for the parade. According to Mike, “We were made celebrities again!” 

Mike’s trip other reason to travel was to serve as the best man at his father’s wedding.  Yes his father, who is 89 years old, is marrying a much younger woman.  She is 88 !    According to Mike, “it was a great affair!”

Mike volunteered to share his good fortune with the club by donating $100 to the Rotray Foundation.

John Minark and his family visited Maryland and while there, he stopped in a the Aberdeen Rotary Club.  He brought back Aberdeen’s flag, which he presented to President Andy.

John also shared that he is helping St Justins School with their fundraising golf tournament.  John offered to make a $50 donation to the RotaRY Foiundation  for anyone who who singed pu to play and support the school.  See John for more details.

Nick Streit and Joe Sweeney announced that our club is participating with the City of Santa Clara in several “Super” Community Events.  The city  asked our club to help with  set up and operate the bar for these events.  Two dates are known, January 31^st at Mission College and February 6^th) at Santa Clara University.

To volunteer, every participating Rotarian, to meet NFL requirements, will need to fill out the attached form or register online and be fingerprinted.   Mike Sellers is looking into bringing the fingerprint machine to a club meeting to facillitate the finger printing process.   If you have questions, please see Joe or Nick for more information.

Are you up to date?  Many red badgers need to check the 6-month requirement and the Board is there to help you.

Arlyne Diamond gave her Red Badger speech…She is on her way to Blue!

Mike Pierce gave an update on the Rotary International Foundation and passed around donation cards.  Every Santa Clara Rotarian is expected to help up support the Foundation with at least a double sustainer donation.  ($200)  Please try to get your donation in before September 3^rd, in time for our District Governor’s visit. 

Harbir Bhatia presented President Andy with birthday gifts and cards on behalf of the club.

Andy commented  “I was surprised and touched when I was interrupted during today's Rotary meeting, where the club presented me with these gifts and a nice bottle of wine.  Both cards played music and were signed by the whole club.  The Club sang Happy Birthday to me.  You did not have to do that, I would have paid the fine “J. 

Marguerite Padovani introduced Vanessa Vogensen, a 16-years old Interact member sponsored by the Rotary Club in Chaves, a town in the North of Portugal.  Vanessa is her club’s president.  She is spending the month with a relative in Sunnyvale and thought it would be a fantastic idea to visit the Rotary clubs in the area.

 She was first introduced to the Rotary a little over two years ago and now that she is president, she thought what better way to start the year than sharing her club’s experience with people on the other side of the Atlantic and learning as much as she can from them? She thought it would be interesting to see what both clubs have in common and what sets them apart and maybe she would be able to bring new ideas and insight to other Interactors.

Gerald F. Uelmen

Professor of Law and Director, Edwin A. Heafey Jr. Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy

Professor Uelmen is renowned for his extensive experience criminal law.  He is most well known for serving on the defense tea for the trial of People v. O.J. Simpson in 1994-95; his account of the trial was published as Lessons from the Trial in 1996.  Professor Uelmen is currently the Director of the Edwin A. Heafy Jr. Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy at Santa Clara University School of Law, and served as the dean of the law school from 1986 to 1994.

On a personal note, Professor Uelmen loves to play the accordion and keeps one or two in the backseat of his car!

Professor Uelmen recited this poem:

White may be gray.

Black may be gray.

When things are gray, they can go either way.

Painting things gray can pay.

 

In summary, a trial is not a search for the truth.  It can more accurately be described as a quest for an acceptable level of certainty.  Certainty can be quantified, truth cannot.

 

We demand greater certainty when life or liberty is at stake, as compared to when money is at stake.

Lawyers may not knowingly present perjured testimony, and must not hide evidence from the opposition.

 

Our speaker for next meeting is Dave Kilby.  Dave is the Executive Vice President for the State Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento.    Joining Dave will be former Santa Clara Roptarian Steve Van Dorn.  It will be fun to have Steve, if only for one meeting.