Jim's story for the April 22 Bulletin

 

It was Monday, April 15, 2019, and President Ken Deemer looked out upon a large ballroom filled with student artists, their parents, their teachers, and admiring Manhattan Beach Rotarians.  It can be said—and it was said—that student artists tend to be more introverted and less likely to be comfortable with public presentations, so Ingo Werk, an unabashed Beatlemaniac, started the proceedings by demonstrating convincingly that performance talent is not a requirement in our club, as he sang—yes, sang—Octopus’s Garden, analogizing it to the RI Convention in Germany that he was soon to attend.  (Ingo closed with, “I’d ask Rotarians to come and see an Octopus’s Garden with me.”)

 

The upsetting news of the day was that Jay Harkenrider was undergoing open heart surgery as we were in our meeting.  That put a pall over the proceedings, and we joined in an extended silence on Jay’s behalf.  (Last I heard, it worked, and he’s on the comeback trail.)….President Ken showed photos of Barbara Matles and Lisa Hemmat-Lupercio laden with Hammitt handbags……Mark Lipps and Keith Sultemeier were credited for their support of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy….Kathleen Terry settled for a brief pitch for CMB tickets and auction items, while Eric Iverson asked us to make our meal choices for the event…..Jason Wallace collected spring dine-around signups…..Dave Peters urged us to do the Richstone Walk at 8 am on April 27 and then join the Outreach volunteers at 10 am.

 

Cory and Eric Iverson are preggers….Nelson Gray praised Don Jung’s book, and Don thanked us for our support…..Norm Levin led the successful video team that he headed up for the Academy of Country Music Awards….Mike Matthews announced that Ben Dale of Mira Costa has been named the regional Principal of the Year…..Diamond in the Smooth Lindy Murrell turned 75 (and, come on, she simply does not look it)….Dave Long’s daughter, a USC grad and an aspiring actress, was accepted into the highly prestigious Pace University Actors Studio.  (Ah, we knew her when.)

 

We continued to hear from our Avenues of Service.  Bob Lanahan, International, showed us how the $31,000 budget is being spent, with multiple projects around the world, from polio to hunger to disaster relief, plus specialized member projects.  Bob briefly described the District Grant process that made WASH Niger such a success, with Ingo Werk and Larry Johnson bringing the District on board…..Dennis Morehead, Scholarships, showed us how the $43,000 budget is being spent, covering El Camino, Mira Costa, Interact, and several other schools.  Dennis touched us with a video of one of our grateful Costa grads who is attending Berkeley…..Dave Long, Membership, bragged about the awesome new members landed this year and suggested that recommending new members should start with him or the club president.

 

Tim Hageman introduced Mira Costa Vice Principal Dr. Deborah Hofreiter, who MC’d the presentation of a multitude of arts awards to Costa students.  Each winner came forward with a sample of his or her work and offered a brief (and usually reluctant, most feeling that art speaks for itself) explanation of the piece.  We were treated to two- and three-dimensional designs, drawings, art pieces, ceramics, painting, printmaking, and digital photography.  (And with that, I’ll let art speak for itself.)

 

Norm Levin deservedly gets millions of viewers who appreciate his work, but how about a hand for our Vocational Director, Tim Hageman?  These Arts Awards were one of countless awards ceremonies Tim is organizing during these early months of 2019, and, though the awardees produce magic, the award presentations don’t happen by magic.  Tim, for example, confessed (note the use of a police officer word) that he and Vice Principal Hofreiter exchanged some 80 emails as part of making this morning run so smoothly.  It’s good to know that our local gendarmes are being captained by such a conscientious gentleman.  It’s no surprise that he dedicates his career to public service and then spends his spare time on Rotary service.  It’s obviously just who he is.