Meeting Recap for April 18, 2011

President Scot opened the meeting at 12:15 PM.

The Invocation was given by Steve Brandenburger who noted that we are all interconnected, and then brought that point home eloquently by reciting John Donne’s “No Man is an Island”:

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as a manor of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Bids for Kids

Jay Lowden gave an update on how the 2010 Bids for Kids funds had been used by the YMCA:

·     Complete repairs for the playground, including new sod.

·     New doors, windows, and tile floors for the showers, along with fresh paint and lane stripes for the pool area.

·     The gym was renovated with new basketball hoops and scoreboard. New windows, paint and a resurfaced floor.

Rita Gibson presented a DVD on the Power House Science Center that will be the recipient of the 2011 Bids for Kids event on May 14, 2011. Included were an interactive planetarium and hands on learning center. Also plans for new energy resources, water reuse systems and conservation.

Recognition

Mark Huffman offered a commemorative gift in honor of Judge Lleyton Thatch, who recently passed. 

Elfrena Foord offered a gift in Len McCandliss’ name in honor of Chet Hewitt’s presentation and in recognition of Len’s long-standing service.

Speaker Intro

Steve Heath provided an entertaining introduction for speaker Chet Hewitt as a result of Steve’s internet research into Chet’s background.  His research unearthed several Chet Hewitt’s of debatable fame and credentials, but then proudly introduced “the 59^th-hottest man in American Canyon…”

Speaker

Chet Hewitt from Sierra Foundation was the guest speaker for the meeting in a presentation called, “Partnerships with Purpose,” which began with a retrospective of what the Foundation has done in its 25+ years, the first 20 or so under the leadership of member Len McCandless whose efforts were lauded by Mr. Hewitt.  Next, Mr. Hewitt provided a status report for how the Foundation has responded to the financial crises of the past few years, which impacted the Foundation as well as the communities they serve. Lastly, Mr. Hewitt provided a view of some of the new directions pursued by Sierra Health Foundation, including a focus on elegantly simple solutions. He gave the example of purchasing jitneys to provide transportation to rural communities whose members had no transportation. They didn’t have the means to get around, but there were plenty of good people around to assist if the means of transport could be provided. The Foundation took up that cause, and the community carried out the service.  Mr. Hewitt noted that great communities have great resources – people – and that like-minded people, charitable and caring people, such as Rotarians, can make a huge difference in the world. In this way, Sierra Health Foundation and Rotary are natural philosophical (and perhaps practical) partners – indeed, partners with purpose.

The meeting ended at 1:30 with President Scot reminding everyone that we are back at the Radisson Hotel next week.