Past Presidents Day
by Lorine Parks
Deep blue tablecloths and gold and white “R” initialed napery, on tables sprinkled with Paul Harris-blue sapphires, greeted us on our Past Presidents Day Celebration. Rio Hondo went all out with their biggest gold rimmed service plates, and Patricia Megallon had set white hydrangeas in the table’s center, and a blue-bow-tied program at every place. We can’t do enough for those who have served us so well. Twenty-one of our past leaders were in attendance.
Larry Garces acted as emcee for the program, which began with a simple Rotary invocation by Ray Brown. It was great to see so many faces from the past, as well as guests so closely associated with Downey Rotary history: Lynn Hutchinson, Janet Cade, Darryll Jackson, Bob Golay, past presidents Jim Boyd and Brian Saylors, and Ray’s wife Cookie Brown, Will’s wife Kari Medina and Dominick’s wife Carolyn DiMario.
Listening to past presidents, two themes emerged, of pride in the club, and gratitude for friendships formed in Rotary. Father and daughter-in-law Diane and Don Davis sat with the head of the contingent from Coto de Caza, Bill Bowermaster, whom Larry introduced to begin the program. “When I joined the club,” said Larry, “all I heard about was Bill Bowermaster. ‘He’s the man. He’s God.’” Bill then came up and proceeded graciously to tell what a great year the club had when he was president, 1983-4. Rotary highlights innovated under him included the “Give of Yourself” program, which Bill pitched to us, “in case anyone hasn’t signed up yet,” to be an organ donor. Bill was also our District Governor 1987-88.
Bill wanted us to know about the successful program he sponsored to employ ex-convicts. Don Davis then came to the dais, saying, “How can I follow him?” Don remembered the early days when he first joined the club. Once he came in without his sponsor, and wondered where to sit. He was warmed by the acceptance at other tables, such as President Bill Wilson’s. Don reminisced how he was Fire Chief of Downey when he joined, and then City Manager. When asked to be President of Downey Rotary, he first had to be sure he could give equal time to all his responsibilities.
“We had a great District Conference,” said Don, “and that year it was run by Bill Bowermaster. When it came to taking awards, our club won so many prizes, we pretty much ran the table.” Another of Don’s memories was that of the weekend Rotary Carnival Cruise to Ensenada, when a fearsome storm came up and “they thought the ship was going down.” Mention of that voyage brought a fond smile to Lynn Hutchinson, Chuck’s widow, who said that despite the storm, “We had a great time.”
Don also mentioned that during his year, 1987-88, there was a big increase in Paul Harris-level memberships.
Ed Potter, president 1993-94, was faced with a momentous decision within the first two weeks of his presidency: “Where are we going to eat?” The old Rio Hondo Golf Club House was being torn down, and the present Event Center was built. “Dirt, trucks, construction everywhere, it was awful,” said Ed.
So Ed led us to the Embassy Suites, where we enjoyed our luncheons during his year. Ed recalled that he joined Rotary when he was vice-principal at Downey High, and Dr. Ed Sussman, Superintendant of DUSD, was his sponsor. During his time in the club he earned his Ed D, going from “Mister” Potter to “Doctor” Potter, and didn’t let anyone forget that hard-won title.
Ed had time to mention that many new members came in during his year, and as he pointed out, still finished in “under three minutes.”
Raul Lopez’s claim to fame is that he was our Downey Club’s first Spanish -speaking president, 1994-95. That is appropriate, because Raul was born in Cuba, and Havana was the first international club in a non-English speaking country to be chartered in Rotary, in 1916.
Raul stepped from pre-President-Elect directly into the presidency, because Linda Lorenz Rogers had to step down unexpectedly at what would have been the beginning of her year as President. Later, Raul introduced the complex Marbles Raffle, which has evolved into our two-step winning card Raffle. “I won it, at the end,” he said, “which was good because I introduced the game.”
Dan Fox, 1995-96 claimed the distinction of being the only member of Warren Interact who then became president of Downey Rotary. He thanked the club for the encouragement and good time he had.
Paul Mathys was accompanied to the dais by friendly boos, as usual, and began by thanking the club for that reception. Paul remembered that at the end of his year, 1996-97, he was given a gift certificate, which he framed and showed to us today: “Good for One Visit to Dr. Jack Kevorkian,” good for one visit only.
Paul also remembered the elaborate practical joke that was played on him at his Demotion Dinner (a practice which should be revived for this club). It seems he received a gold-embossed invitation to the Demotion, with the message that tuxedo was the dress code. When the limo which the club had ordered, so as to immobilize him, came to pick him up, Paul climbed in and found that Art Morris was already aboard, and was wearing a cowboy hat and boots. “Wait a minute,” said Paul to himself.
At the next stop John and Suzy Lacey got on and they too were dressed in cowboy finery. Paul smelled a rat but he was trapped in the limo and couldn’t back out or change his clothes. This reporter was also present, and got to witness what Paul said was the most embarrassing moment of his life, when he had to walk the gauntlet, into the Country-Western restaurant where the Demotion Dinner was being held, and all the way through the bar past patrons in western clothes, with Paul being dressed in his tuxedo. “What I can’t believe,” said Paul, “is that all those people, the whole club, kept that secret, and I never knew.”
Matt Kinley, 1997-98, told us how Harold Tredway, himself a past president of Downey Rotary, had recruited him in 1991 to join the club from the law firm Harold had founded. During his year as president, Matt found that his son Ryan had been born with Muscular Dystrophy. Matt thanked the club for the support and friendship he received, and still is receiving to this day.
Dominic DiMario began by complaining that the ship that Emcee Larry was running was so tight, that each past president was told he or she had only three minutes to speak. Apparently Dee did not feel that these introductory remarks were part of his allotted time, because only after he made them did he make an elaborate show of taking off his watch to begin to time himself.
“In my year (1999-2000), we had a lot of fun,” Dee said, and then proceeded to tell, as usual, a joke. Before he could get to the punch line, a voice from the back of the room called, “three minutes.” But Dom went ahead, moving to stand in front of the dais and finished the story.
Ray Brown strode to the podium and acknowledged that it was hard to follow such a “master story teller.” Ray then recalled how he somehow managed to switch years with Wayne Wilcox as far as the succession went. So, Ray ended up getting the International Convention and Wayne went to San Antonio. Ray also recounted how important the Rotary Foundation had become to him.
Ray, 2000-2001, claimed the title of being our first president in the 21st century. He refused to describe a “Rotary moment,” as he said “too many reputations would be at stake.” “However,” added Ray, “he would venture to guess that every Rotarian who had joined the club would say it was the best decision they ever made, and that they were thankful for the lasting friendships, as he is.”
Kevin MacDonald, 2003-04, described his term as “the best year we’ve ever had!” Kevin enjoyed his trip to the Rotary Convention in Australia at the beginning of his year, which he said was bookended by District Conferences “where we won big awards.” “Rotary,” said Kevin , “is not just a club. And not just a service movement. It is a service movement that has touched so many. Thank you for letting me be part of it.”
Darren Dunaway said he was only 29 when he joined, and he was awed by all the “high powered” members. Darren felt that he had a selfish motive, in going to visit as many Rotary homes as he could, to get to know his fellow Rotarians during his presidency, 2006-07. He took pictures of them, and heard their Downey memories, of high school football games and family outings.
When Darren went to his first club Christmas party, Wayne Wilcox took him aside and Darren was “afraid he was going to be kicked out of the club,” because everyone was “so prestigious. But,” said Darren, “Wayne was only welcoming me into the club.” Darren thanked the club for the friendships, which he cherishes.
Diane DiMarco Davis said she has the distinction of being the second – or maybe the third – woman, after Carol Pearce and not-quite President Linda Rogers. Diane was sponsored by Rich Strayer, and she asked all the others sponsored by Rich to stand, so the club could see what great job of recruiting Rich does. Diane’s special sphere of activity during 2011-12 was Interact clubs.
“Bill Bowermaster said to me,” Diane recalled, “You’re not a true Rotarian until you’ve served internationally.” It wasn’t until Diane was invited to go to Colombia with Doug Baker and Connie, that she saw understood. “When you’re with all those Rotarians from so many other countries,” she said, “you feel what it means to give ‘Service above Self.’ Now, we as a family, go to Mexico four times a year,” she continued, “to take supplies. I challenge you all to come with me!”
Larry then introduced Paul Velasco, 2013-14. Paul said that as the last speaker, he wanted to remark on how impressive it was to see all the faces and hear about the history of the club.
In Larry’s order of introductions, he had forgotten Ray Andazola, 2012-13, who came to the dais anyway. Ray said what he liked most was the PETS, or President-Elect Training Session. He thanked the club for sending him to that.
Larry then reminisced about his year, 2014-15, and how at first he had said “No,” when asked. But on thinking it over, Larry was encouraged to accept, and was so glad he did.
Present President Will Medina, 2015-16, then thanked Barbara Lambreth, Patricia Megallon and Larry Garces for putting together a wonderful program and a running slide show of each president and memorable moments from our Club’s history, and for the small framed photos of each president, which had been placed on all the tables.