Club Assembly

  First up was Kevin MacDonald who spoke about membership.  Kevin, Brian Saylors and Rich Strayer are on this committee.  Club membership stands at 56 which really is a dwindling number.  The Club goal for 2012-13 is to have at least a net of 6 more members, bringing us up to 60.    This is EVERY ONE’s responsibility, to invite new qualified people to join.

  Manny Castro next spoke on vocational service.   He says the next events will be an art contest, speech contest and music contest for youth in the District.  Lorraine Neal is coordinating this.

  Vahid Babaian is our International chair, and he spoke of the joint project we have had with the Mulege Club in Baja California.  The group study tour people from Japan will be coning to our district, and ideas for sightseeing are welcomed.

   Diane Davis reported for Lorraine Neal on “Younger Generations.”  This year is the 50^th anniversary of Youth Association, and our club has increased its stipend to all our Interact and Roteract clubs.  In addition to clubs at Warren and Downey High School, Diane says plans are underway to start one at Calvary Chapel, and at St. Matthias.

  When the young people in these clubs are asked what they want most from us, the parent group they answer is, us.  They would like us to join them in hands-on projects.  Consequently, there is a Clean Up Day project on Saturday December 1, details later, in which we can all join.  Work projects are always the most rewarding for the members.

  Diane also is trying to get a District Grant for us to use as a Children’s Fund.  She plans for us to give $250 to each agency which serves children in Downey, such as TLC.    Chuck Hutchinson suggested she also contact the Assistance League which helps Downey children with Operation School Bell, which has used  clothing, and the puppet show, Kids on the Block, which show kids appropriate behavior to say no to gangs, and help them to be sympathetic to those physically and intellectually challenged.

  Alex Lopez is in charge of Club Service, and he said he needs more volunteer Fine Masters.  Flag Saluters and Invocators he can get, but he would like more members to try their hand at the fining.

   Remember, fining is a unique Rotary tradition which is really a way of paying recognition to a member.  Fining can also take the form of an educational quiz about Rotary or patriotic themes or whatever interests the new fine master.  So come on and try.  You don’t have to be funny, although it helps.

 Alex said coming events are our Children’s Christmas Luncheon Party, when Santa comes and give presents to children who have been chosen by their teachers as being especially needy.

  Next week our activity will be wrapping those presents, during the meeting  girls usually get a Barbie doll and wardrobe, and boys get a Hot Wheels car set or something similar.

  Other activities for this year include a Rotary night at the movies, to be followed by a club-sponsored spread at a local restaurant.  This will be in lieu of a more formal Christmas party.

  For the holidays we will have our Adopt a Family, and the selling of See’s candies and tins of delicious imported cookies.  In the past, Alex, the person in charge of the sale has passed around boxes of See’s and open tins of cookies so we can sample the wares.  Very effective selling technique.  Hint.

  We will also have our 10k Money Raiser, which is our only activity to get money to benefit the Club itself, for our Club to keep and then give to smaller causes other than the YMCA (Pancake Breakfast) and Arc (Golf Tournament).  When Gracie Eshilian remarked that she wished it could be more glamorous and entertaining, Alex wisely invite her to be on the committee.  You go, Gracie.

   Ray Brown spoke about the Foundation, and reminded us that there are many ways to earn Paul Harris fellowship points, such as attending the annual Paul Harris Event.

     Dale Self commented on the service committee.  We have already put on the Pancake Breakfast to benefit the YMCA, and the Golf Tournament which was a great success, netting $25,000, which we use primarily to benefit Arc.

   Paul Mathys gave as a bottom line picture, as treasurer.  Our current assets total $60,000, but of that only $15,000 is cash in the bank, and the rest is mainly accounts receivable, $44,000.  A large portion of that is unpaid dues.

   Paul regretted to say that some members have left the club without paying what they owed at that point, and after having tried to collect, he said probably $15,000 would have to be written off as bad debt.

  People should realize that when they accept the pleasures of membership, they accept the privileges as well as the obligation to pay club dues, and to pay for the lunches they eat. 

  Still, Paul felt that we have a healthy financial picture for now through the rest of the year.

   Lorine Parks asked if some amount could be earmarked to send to Wayne Wilcox who is serving two years in Guatemala on a church mission.  This would be given for the relief of those stricken by the recent earthquake there. 

   Wayne’s assignments are not in comfy Guatemala City, where there are supermarkets and Target stores and MacDonalds  That is home base, and he and Deedee return there only between extensive periods of work in the field, where there is already need because of the poverty of the people.

   So Wayne sees close up where people in villages have now been devastated by the earthquake losses.  The donation to him would not go to dental work, but just humanitarian needs that Wayne would see and decide to help alleviate, with whatever we can spare for him.

  Lorine proposed an initial $100, and Raul Lopez immediately said he would add $50 to that.  The actual total had not been announced by press time, but the Club’s officers will be as generous as they can be, for Guatemaltecos in need at Christmas time.

  The meeting was convened by President Ray wearing a natty gold and baby blue UCLA cap, blue shirt and checkered blue and yellow tie, in celebration of UCLA’s win over USC, 38-28.  The invocation was given by Deacon Mario Guerra who tried hard concentrate until the Amen, after which he couldn’t resist adding “Go Bruins.”