Luz Perez Finally Shows Up And Gives An Update on TLC
Luz Made It To Rotary! - - in a nod to other seldom-seen Rotarians that somehow find time to make a presentation, Ms. Perez was our program last week, and she did a wonderful job. If only we could see her more than twice a year... (Getty Images)
This Past Tuesday, October 27, 2020
After the prior week’s uplifting, positive message regarding The Rotary Foundation, our program speaker this past week again reverted down the path of sadness, pain, and gloom. Through no fault of her own, TLC (True Lasting Connections) Coordinator Luz Perez, a sometimes-Downey Rotarian, spoke of the challenges she and her organization go through in serving students and their families dealing with crisis.
TLC is an offshoot of the resource-rich Downey Unified School District, and it is mostly self-supporting. According to insider information, TLC relies primarily on cardboard recycling revenues to survive. More likely, formal fundraising events and community outreach provide most resources, and the funds are badly needed to handle the several-hundred caseloads they have at any point in time.
Look mom! New Faces! - - yes, that's Paul Mathys making it to Rotary Zoom meetings two weeks in a row, Jorge and Patricia momentarily disappear (!), and Donna's iPhone makes a brief appearance.
As she’s done in prior presentations, Luz read a few of TLC’s case reports, and only a Grinch (or Maurice Causas) would fail to be moved by the pain and grief many local students and their families are experiencing. We heard of a father’s COVID death, a family living out of their car, job losses, student depression, and combinations of all of these.
Several tears were shed, but your editor will deny they were his, as my screen resolution was set incorrectly, and it distorted my video.
Other than that, it will probably be the last we see of Luz until sometime in late 2021.
Next Tuesday, November 2, 2020
Defying conventional wisdom and general political acumen, President Donald Trump will join us on Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to wrestle control of the elite block of Downey voters that make up Downey Rotary.
Since program chair Mel Sanchez has apparently not informed our President that this is not an in-person event held on an airport tarmac, we must prepare for a last minute change in speakers. In that event, Mike Pohlen will be on call to display his 1910 Russian-themed stamp collection.
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Paul Harris Status Reports Coming!
Some percentage of the American public look forward to the fall season as the time that Starbucks releases their Pumpkin Latte spice, a holiday coffee classic. More discerning Americans, Downey Rotarians specifically, are instead eagerly awaiting their annual Paul Harris Fellow status report.
The world-renowned report, an offshoot of a report first postulated by Albert Einstein back in the 1930’s, allows Downey Rotarians to know where they stand with regard to their Paul Harris Fellow status. Your personalized report will indicate your accumulated points, and with a matching contribution by the club, how much the Rotarian needs to contribute to get to the next level of Paul Harris recognition.
It’s a deceptively simple report that makes use of supercomputer capabilities, quantum hyper-algorithmic poly-equations, and a little tomato sauce. Expect it in your email box this coming week!
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Rotary/Arc Golf Tournament
Just a last minute reminder that the Rotary/Arc Golf Tournament is happening this Friday at Rio Hondo. The Covid pandemic has created a few wrinkles that actually make participating a little easier, as there is no official shotgun-type start time.
If you’re unable to participate in actually golfing, or, like Pam Powers, you’re far better at swinging clubs at people rather than a golfball, there are always opportunities to support the cause. Non-golfers are encouraged to either purchase T-signs or to be a sponsor. See Raúl Lopez or, if you have the stomach for it, try calling John Lacey.
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Board Meeting Shenanigans
The geniuses that make up the Downey Rotary Board of Directors were at it again this past Thursday for their monthly Zoom gathering. Agenda items included everything from the font type to use on meeting minutes, to a discussion asking if motions should be both seconded and thirded (a clever new word suggested by Alex Lopez).
The financials were reviewed, and the $3.16 in the bank were primarily the result of Secretary Patricia Megallon finally paying her dues. Treasurer Barbara Lamberth says she finally has the hang of “these silly debits and credits,” and promises a reconciled bank account sometime before the end of the year. Tellingly, she did not indicate which year that might be.
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Foundation Overload
Yeah, by now, we all know that November is Foundation month. If you needed a reminder, here’s a litany of things happening: Foundation Celebration. Stump Polio Campaign. District Grants. Paul Harris Society. Silent & Live Auctions. Sponsorships.
As Homer Simpson might have said, “Ay carumba!”
You would be justified in getting into your car, screaming uncontrollably, and then invoking an oath in the name of Beelzebub. As your editor and Foundation chair, I urge you to show restraint. Open a beer, sample your favorite recreational drug, and then register for the Foundation Celebration and prepare to sign a couple of checks. Before you know it, November will be done, and you can focus on less-serious things — like Peruvian exports, Red dye #3, and excess earwax.
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SnapShot: What's My Line By Lorine Parks
How well do we know each other? Not well enough, it seems.
Like most Fine Masters, Rich Strayer aimed for a little entertainment and a little education. But his topic, each member’s classification, revealed an inconvenient truth: we don’t know each other’s businesses very well. Classification for Jorge Montero? A blank. For Barbara Lamberth? Big question mark as to specifics.
Debbie Fox in being asked Barbara’s classification replied “Retired – Credit Union CEO.” On being told by FM, “Wrong,” Debbie, not one to accept defeat, said, “I just read it in the Club Runner.”
Rich replied, ‘That’s not what it says. “And added, in true FM tradition, “I’m the Fine Master and I can do what I want.” “Are you using a 1981 Directory,” a voice asked?
Debbie was essentially right, but another club practice got in the way of veracity. To be able to add more members in the same broad field, such as doctor or dentist, a sub-specialty is added to the type. Thus, Raul Lopez is Retired- International Insurance Services.” So even son Alex (the Great) got that wrong. Alex has the same title with “Commercial Insurance Producer” added. Patricia Megallon is Insurance Agent.
Bob Flynn is “Retired- dentist,” so Vahid Babaiean is “Orthodontist.” According to the 2015-16 Club Directory, the last one issued, Wayne Wilcox is Happily Retired- Dentist. Using that same source, we see that John Lacey’s occupation is Boss Man.
Shirley Johnson and I were both travel agency owners, but I was listed as retail and Shirley as wholesaler of tours. That was before she branched into the airport and medical appointment shuttle service that is keeping her busy.
When given a second chance and asked Dan Fox’s line of work, Debbie got a “correct” for Chiropractor. And when asked Dr. Debbie’s classification – she is also a chiropractor – Barbara Lamberth correctly identified her by another line, Administrative Assistant.
But that’s nit picking. What matters is that no one could say just what Paul Mathys does (“He’s not here,” said Paul). And for the record, Jorge Montero is in International Import -Exports.
TO RESTORE THE HUBBUB’S GOOD NAME Ray Brown is too much a gentleman to shift blame, but he was called out for making two errors lately in the Bub. Rich Strayer accused him of getting the date wrong for the Blood Drive Dec 12, and John Lacey said the Golf Tournament date (November 6) was often listed inaccurately.
“I never mentioned them,” was all Ray would say in his defense. So let me say, club events are frequently announced in my Snap Shot column, put their simply to remind readers of the Club’s Calendar. Please accept my apologies and let Ray off the hook. If he’s going to make mistakes, he is perfectly capable of doing it on his own.
WEEKLY PROGRAM “In August we at TLC asked ourselves, what’s needed?” said Luz Perez. “And we found, we need food. With COVID, the need for food is tremendous.”
Luz told us about TLC’s work with families of school children in the Downey Unified School District. Moms out of work worry, where is the next meal coming from. Little children ask, “Why do we have to eat the neighbor’s left-overs?”
“Our numbers have tripled since COVID for those in need,” Luz said. We offer counseling as well as clothes, toys and books, and food.” What can we as individual members do to help? “Sponsor a family,” Luz said. “A suggested list of sponsorship levels will be coming out. And remember,” Luz said, “Any money donated goes right back into the community.”
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