Last week we heard from Sojourner Rick Gross who told us about his cancer treatment in Germany using low voltage DC current. Damaged cancerous cells have diminished ohms resistance and the direct current seeks them out and destroys them. Rick had two areas of melanoma and both were successfully treated with the therapy. According to Rick, the treatment can replace chemotherapy and surgery and works on most malignant and semi-malignant tumors as well as damaged cells in arthritic joints. It is also much less expensive than conventional treatments. Also last week, we welcomed back Sojourners Anita Ratchinsky, Ray Leaycraft and Bruce Christensen. It’s great to have you back with us! Lillian Roberts made it three raffle wins in a row last week but only managed to draw a three to take home $3 in the Rotary Raffle. This week’s pot should be over $50 so buy tickets!

With us last week was Jennifer Jank of the Coachella Valley Women Leaders Forum. Jennifer is a financial planner whose business is helping divorcing couples with their finances but she also knows a thing or two about financial scams and their warning signs. Jennifer started out with some of the more common scam attempts including phone calls from the “IRS” with threats of arrest unless taxes are paid immediately and phone calls from “grandchildren” seeking financial help because of an emergency. Common red flags include guaranteed return and any return higher than 6-8%. Good program! Also last week, we learned that Kay Van Zandt and Jerry Kress will be volunteering with the Read With Me program and Palms To Pines is getting a group together for the Foundation Gala. Lillian Roberts was a $7 winner in the Rotary Raffle.

District Governor Ricardo Loretta made his official visit to our club last week. DG Ricardo was joined by his wife Jennifer and he told us his Rotary story. He was a member in the 80s but never really became a Rotarian until he moved to the desert and joined the Palm Desert club and began volunteering for projects at Galilee Center in Mecca. While you don’t need to be in Rotary to volunteer, according to Ricardo, Rotary provides the volunteer opportunities. This Rotary year, Ricardo wants clubs to focus on improvement and growth. More than half of the 62 clubs in our Rotary district lost members last year and Ricardo wants to turn that around this year. Ricardo also told us that our own Charley Riggs is one of his Assistant Governors this year and he told us about a planned Holiday Fiesta in Palm Desert’s Civic Center Park on December 8 and a planned multi-district project in Mexicali in January. His Rotary Foundation Gala is planned for November 3. District Governor Ricardo recognized members Jim Brock and Margaret Claggett for their service to P2P and he presented Pres. Richard Karp with a replica of the Rotary Foundation's 100th anniversary bell provided by a 1,000 year old Italian company.

Nearly a dozen Palms To Pines Rotarians enjoyed our second Summer Social Breakfast at Cup’s Café last Wednesday. With no formal speaker, club members simply socialized and enjoyed breakfast. We did talk a bit about how to use some of our district-designated Rotary Foundation monies and the board will come to a final decision on how those funds are spent in the coming weeks. We’re scheduled to be back at Cup’s Café for breakfast on Wednesday morning, August 15 so make plans to join us! This restaurant has a great menu and we’re helping a young couple pursue their American dream! Also, stay tuned for another Road Trip in September. We’ll provide complete details once we have them!

We enjoyed our first Road Trip of the summer last Wednesday when we visited new member Kerim Gokce’s Kuzu Rug. Kerim grew up in Istanbul and he says rug merchants had poor reputations and he wanted nothing to do with the business. He immigrated to this country and has now been in the rug business for over 20 years! There have been big changes to his industry in recent years. Consumers are no longer willing to pay high prices for high quality rugs and large companies in India and China now produce good rugs at a fraction of the price. Kerim is currently conducting a moving sale and plans to move his shop to a location next to Bristol Farms. The new shop will feature mostly samples instead of finished rugs and rugs will be made to order. Thanks, Kerim, for hosting us and giving us great insights into your business!

We held our first Summer Social Breakfast last week and our small group enjoyed great Rotary Fellowship. We collected Happy Dollars and Pres. Richard announced that the funds collected will continue to be dedicated to our planned children’s book program. Margaret Claggett reminded Rotarians that we are collecting backpacks and school supplies to donate to Coachella Valley Rescue Mission. The next time you’re out shopping, buy some supplies for children who could use our help! Since the majority of attendees were P2P Board members, we went ahead and held our monthly meeting. We decided to hold a new member orientation meeting on June 27 and we are seeking fundraiser ideas. Margaret made it three raffle wins in a row and took home $5.