The View From the Podium

Also, right here at home, Niles Rotarians began our Community Service projects at Blacow Elementary School, our adopted Title One school. We continue the work of helping to beautify the school by working in their outdoor assembly areas. In this phase of the project we spread tanbark in playground areas, and helped remove soil from around the benches that we built last year so that tanbark and planting material can be added during our next phase. Niles Rotarians love to roll up their sleeves and “Get er Done” in the words of Past President Chuck. In our next phase of work will be the building of additional benches and replacing basketball backboards out on the blacktop. A big thank you goes to Terri Landon for organizing and leading our team. 

 

In February we also saw the distribution of the monies raised by last year’s Great Area #3 Chili Cook-off and Beerfest to the committee’s selected non-profit organizations. The 5 selected recipients each were awarded a check in the amount of $5,800.00! This year the Chili Cook-off team faced several new challenges including moving to a new venue, The NewPark Mall, and removing the price of admission, having an open gate and relying on sales at the event to raise money. Money raised from sponsorships, that cover the cost of putting on the event, is where the Chili-Cook-off committee really does ”perform their magic,” of course along with the hard work of actually running the event. Hats are off to The Chili-Cook-off, Chili Heads, and Chief Chili Head, Daren Young, for keeping this wonderful event alive and prospering.

 

On the social side of Niles Rotary, we had what has come to be my favorite social event of the year,” The Great Paso Robles Wine tasting trip.” This year, Past President, now Social Chair, Chuck put together a great adventure for the 22 plus Niles Rotarians and spouses who attended. Our visit with the wonderful folks at Still Waters winery was the absolute best vineyard tour that I have ever attended. The lunch was excellent, and the wine blending party was fun, even if our wine did come in second place. Owner and Wine Maker, Paul, taught us that wine does not need to be expensive to be good, that everybody has different tastes and it is up to what you like as the whether it is good wine or not. The highlight of the trip is always the Cass Dinner and Wine Paring evening. Thank you Steve and Alice Cass, Kelly, Chef Jacob for again treating us as family. Oh and thank you Walt for making this the most memorable trip to Paso yet for me. Planning has already started for next year’s trip so put it in your calendars for Valentines Day 2016.

 

Coming up on March 28th will be Niles Rotary’s major fundraiser of the year, “The 20th Annual Reverse Raffle and Auction.” This year’s event will again be held at the Sunol Country Club where we have been treated like family now for 20 years. President Elect Lisa Lorenz and the great Reverse Raffle and Auction Committee promise that this year’s event will be another success story in Niles Rotary’s long tradition of success. Of course it depends on all of us Niles Rotarians to get out there and make sure we have another sellout for the event to be successful; let’s all get out there and support President Elect Lisa and her team so she can better last year’s money raised to support our local community by doing good in our neighborhood. 

 

Also, coming in March you will be hearing a lot about this year’s District 5170 District Conference to be held April 17th, 18th and 19th. Niles Rotarian’s are very much involved with the staging of this year’s event. Past President Kimberly is in charge of hospitality at the conference, Past President Sandra Young is in charge of the House of Friendship where Manuel Franco will be again showcasing our own Niles Rotary International Service project, and Area 3 Assistant Governor Daren Young will be coordinating the Area #3 Hospitality Suite. This year, Rotarians will be entertained by Cirque du Soleil performers during the Saturday events and our own Past International President Rick King will be speaking at the Saturday dinner. This year’s event will sell-out so purchase your tickets early. Let’s have a great Niles Rotary showing at this year’s District 5170 Conference. 

 

I will close this March Article with a few words about Don Dillon. I probably did not know Don as well as many of you in the club but Don was very precious to both Terri and me. I can remember my first social event where Don and Mary Ann both attended, and he came over and sat with Terri and me. He actually knew who we were and what our names were. You have no idea how this made us feel inside. It seemed to us that we really were members of the club now because Don knew who we were. Don spent many hours with Terri and me discussing his trees that he had donated to the Reverse Raffle and Auction with suggestions on how they should be shown. Probably more hours than were really necessary but those were precious hours to Terri and me.