IT HAPPENED THIS WEEK, June 8, 2011
By The Unknown Author
As President Linda’s year wraps up, we returned from our several nomadic weeks to the Radisson, er, The Double Tree, Hotel. One of our newest members from the YMCA, Diane, is certainly hoping we will focus on expanding our club during Ann’s year as she was blitzed at the back door with a myriad of guests, visiting Rotarians and members.
As your humble Reciprocator Scribe scrambled to his seat with quill and paper in hand, Joe Davidson led the invocation, Lyn Caron the pledge and Joel Forman (whose name, our President of 11+ months still cannot spell correctly) the patriotic song.
As our group enjoyed hamburgers and salad, Cy, looking quite tan from his Hawaii excursion, introduced the following guests and visitors:
Our very own Art Rangel from Auburn Rotary; Linda Forman; our President’s grandsons Shawn and Nate; Casey Pierce; Sergeant Omar Corrales and Captain Scheu from the Culver City Police Department; Karen Bradley Follette from the YMCA; Marty Steckdaub, guest of John Cluff and Rotarian from Temecula Rotary; Tom Betts from Seattle and the son of Red Betts and sponsor of Cy Pierce into Rotary; Michael Lushing of the Beverly Hills Rotary Club; and of the LA Kings, Bill Allison, Daryl Evans and Zach Eisenberg.
Before Andrew led us in a rousing version of the Welcome Song, Bob Thompson noted that he was President the year that Tom Betts sponsored Cy into Rotary. And Karen Bradley Follette stood and generously fined herself as a way of thanking our club for our support of the YMCA. Classy move, Karen. We hope that you’ll be joining us as a member once you are fully settled in your new position at the YMCA! As we sang to our guests, Dannie Cavanaugh could be heard commenting that with the voices of our members raised in union, coming to Culver City Rotary is "like living in a musical."
Portions of the meeting usually occupied by Hal Hanslmair and Ann sailed by, since we have no health updates and we have an incoming president who is literally sailing on the Baltic Sea. For the early risers among us, Linda reminded us that the final District Breakfast of the year was Saturday at 7:00 am.
In a meeting filled with business, Linda next called Tim Messmer forward to present a $2,000 check to the Culver City Police
Department for the Juvenile Diversion Program. This check was thanks to funds raised and his great work at the Pancake Breakfast. Linda chimed in that watching the graduates from the Juvenile Diversion Program, one could tell how proud they and their parents are to have made such improvements in their lives. And as he accepted the check, Sergeant Corrales commented that not only is he a police officer, but he is also a trained psychotherapist, which enables him to connect with the parents of these at-risk youth teaching them better communication and parenting skills. Truly this is a valuable program. And as a side note, this Reciprocator Author wishes to give an additional "shout out" to Tim who spoke at the most recent Culver City Council Meeting urging the City Council to keep the Juvenile Diversion Program, which is at risk of falling victim to budget cuts. So for those Rotarians who see the value in this program, please contact our council members to advocate for this great program.
Carmela Raack then stood and gave a wonderful presentation complete with video and PowerPoint about the Dominican Republic Project. Our club with the Malibu and Hollywood Rotary Clubs provided bicycles for students in the DR who live more than 5 miles from school and need to use the bikes to transport themselves to school. Additionally, our Rotaract Clubs worked at the LaCumbre School handing out backpacks, re-painting the school and handing out uniforms/shoes. In total, District 5280 Rotary Clubs donated $360,000 in total donations on this project in the DR, which makes it the largest and most well attended international service project the District has undertaken. Chuck Perelman represented our club: way to go, Chuck!
The fabulous, awesome, exciting. . . well, Chris King, reminded us of the Fishing Trip in September. Bill Gardner made a plea for us to turn in RSVP cards for the Demotion Party. And Linda noted that one of our past program speakers Zane Buzby with the Mitzvah Project is requesting airline miles, a computer and a printer for more of the great work she does with Holocaust survivors. Joe Davidson made the first announcement urging us to support our Japanese Exchange
. We’ll have 1 male and 1 female student this year. Students who will be visiting from August 1st through the 21st
The meeting, like this Reciprocator entry, stretched on and on. Linda recognized Joel Forman for his "back to the future" trip to Brazil. Thanks for the $50, Joel. She then told Cy to stand (he already WAS standing, just hard to tell the difference) and for taking Sandy away from her duties as Linda’s assistant, Cy contributed $50 to the club.
Finally, we heard from our outstanding speaker, former LA Kings hockey player, Daryl Evans. The Kings drafted Evans in 1980 (two years before this Reciprocator author’s birth). He is known for scoring one of the most significant goals in King’s history: the Miracle in Manchester. He is now the radio voice for the Kings and mentioned that the Kings used to practice in Culver City. He told us that the Kings probably have the best young team in the NHL now as they have made the playoffs the last two years in a row. And this year they sold out 35 of 41 home games. In alignment with Rotary’s orientation toward community service, the Kings provide some great programs for youth including street hockey for inner city children, ice hockey and an ice rink in downtown LA part of the year and other involvement with our local young people.
Paul Knoll was nowhere to be seen, but Cartwright stepped into his shoes and provided us with Words of Wisdom.
We look forward to this week as we’ll have one of our best annual programs: hearing Craft Talks. And Richard Marcus will speak to us about the annual Flag Planting.
Have a great week, Rotarians and friends!