Jim Hartman was kind enough to do the invocation for my last meeting as Sergeant –at-Arms. Thankfully he is always ready willing and able to do this.I was honored to lead the pledge, with AJ performing the patriotic song. Shell did the guest introductions and Kathlene Anderson the welcome song. In Lynne’s introduction she let us know that Shell is moving to Austin where he has family, and this will mark the end his 42nd consecutive year as a member of our club. (Can we take a vote to see if we’ll allow him to go?). Lynne also talked about her time at the convention in Atlanta where there were 40,000 attendees, including the new president Ian Riseley. She learned that the Rotary is made up of 20% women in the organization, and that we expect to eradicate polio in this coming his year (hopefully). Bill Gates was there and he talked about matching 50 million dollars in donations in the next three years. Sadly Lynne she said just walked by Ashton Kutcher, not even noticing him, but she said there was a great time had by all. Greg O'Brien also mentioned about meeting some of our 130 District Rotarians who attended the Convention, and talked about going as a club to the Kauai Convention in three years. Allan Colman presented a book from his dad's founding membership year of a New Jersey Club from 1943. Alan Bond mentioned that his last meeting is going to be the barbecue this Friday here at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. Liz Fitzgerald as well as Linda Elliott were announced as Paul Harris + 2 and as a thank you to John Cameron for all of his financial records work, the club bumped him up one Paul Harris level. Soraya Greenway gave her craft talk which was really interesting. She was born in Algeria grew up in Morocco speaks three languages has driven cars and motorcycles since she was 10 and 11 years old. She came to the United States as 10 year old with her family (father, mother and 3 sisters) and traveled the East Coast and West Coast stopped off in Chicago and Canada and had a such a great time she knew she wanted to return to the US eventually. As an exchange student when she was 14, instead of a California horse ranch she really thought she would stay at, she was sent to South Dakota where she learned how to drive combines and tractors and really loved her stay so much she returned three additional years. In her last year she went to college in South Dakota, the following year to UCLA and ended up marrying a USC grad. The raffle bottle of champagne went to Moon, the wine went to Virginia, and the meeting closed. I just want to thank the club for allowing me to be Sargent-at-Arms for this year, I really loved it, and for all of the Rotarians for being so nice to me. |
