Writer: John McBirney Editor: Cynthia Luedtke Photographer: Tom Johnson Publisher: Chuck Lindauer
President FRANK ELMER called the meeting to order at 12:15 and asked BRANDON SMITH to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
TODAY’S THOUGHT from KAREN FOX reminding us of the Rotary motto “Create Lasting Impact” and We Do Big Things. She participated in the Rotary Aids Project in 1992 and sees the lasting impact from that effort.
INTRODUCTIONS by CLAUDIA COLEMAN. There were no visiting Rotarians but we had several guests. PP MARY PROCHNOW brought Anky Van Deursen, candidate for Los Altos City Council. SUSIE MIELKE introduced today’s speaker, Catherine Wright.
COMING NEXT WEEK: Martin Shell, will tell us about the Social Compact between the Federal Government and Universities that created Silicon Valley.
President FRANK thanked today’s Greeters: ANNE KEARNS and M.J. LOMAX. Thought for the Day: KAREN FOX. Cookie Monster: MARY PROCHNOW. Recognition: MADELEINE FACKLER. Sergeants at Arms: MIKE ABRAMS, MJ LOMAX and DAVID GREEN. Rotator Writer: JOHN MCBIRNEY. Photographer: TOM JOHNSON. Publisher: PP CHUCK LINDAUER. Editor: PP CYNTHIA LUEDTKE. Today’s Tech Team: MIKE KERR and LEE CODDING. Website and Zoom: STEVE POMEROY and DAVID GREEN.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Lunch next week will be served at our meeting and will include a mix of hearty and delicious salads, all for a bargain $20.
MANDY BACH and the Social Committee, to help integrate the Red Badge members, will have a seat assigned for them at each table at the LARC meeting. Brilliant!
President FRANK continued with recognition of pillars of our club community, including 5 who have been LARC members between 33 and 38 years: PP MARLENE COWAN, KAREN FOX, JOANNE KAVALARIS, PP CYNTHIA LUEDTKE and JOHN MCALISTER.
Sunshine Chair, JOANNE KAVALARIS explained that GARY MAGGARD is now at Cedar Crest Nursing in Sunnyvale. He would love for us to visit, especially on weekends when there is a lull in his treatment.
TOM JOHNSON, Art Show Director extraordinaire, gave extra thanks to LINA BROYDO for her amazing help with PR and marketing. CAROL DABB also thanked DICK SIMKO for his tireless efforts in operations and marking the park, which has been streamlined down from all day to just a few hours! CAROL and DICK both received much-deserved beautiful flower bouquets. TOM announced that next year’s FAITP director will be SUSIE MIELKE, renowned for generously giving her all to every task she undertakes.
The ELMERS will host the wine and cheese social next Friday at their home. August 28th, 5:30 to 8:00 PM, 132 N. Gordon Way, Los Altos.
Join Rotarians for Cuppa Joe, with PE JOE EYRE and Happy Hour every 3rd Wednesday from 5-6 PM at Holders Restaurant.
Come to the Rotary Dine Around, hosted by CINDY BOGARD-O’GORMAN and DENNIS MILLIGAN on Monday, August 31ST from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Fiesta Vallarta, 301 State Street. Only 12 seats are available and sign-ups begin August 24th.
The next Rotary Ramblers hike will be in the Sam McDonald Park, subject of today’s speaker. Contact DIANA NEIMAN at 650-388-2273 to be part of this special event.
BE PROUD, LARC MEMBERS. Ranking of top districts giving to TRF (The Rotary Foundation) shows our district, 5170 is 2nd in the US and 12th in the entire world!
RECOGNITION with MADELEINE FACKLER. She set an example by giving $100 to join the President’s Club in honor of MARILYN MANNING, who, like MADELEINE, is a cancer survivor.
MADELEINE asked us what favorite memories we have of previous Fine Art in the Park events.
But, before that, there were many volunteers:
JANET HARDING gave $50 because her youngest grandson turned 13 today.
CRISTINA HOLSTINE will have a first grandchild, a girl who is due February 15, 2027.
LIZ NYBERG offered $20 that the books donated by Linden Tree Books and signed by the summer Rotary meeting speakers will be distributed to the Los Altos School libraries now that school is back in session.
PP STAN SCARDINO gave $60 to mark the 60th anniversary of his travel from Texas to surf up and down the southern California beaches. He was hooked and knew that California would be his home. STAN gave another $20 to acknowledge John McAllister’s efforts for FAITP this year and for many years prior.
BENNY LOEBNER paid $20 to honor his oldest grandson who just began kindergarten.
KRIS OLSON offered $20 to remind us of the Club 55 event tomorrow night (Friday, Aug 21) with a live band and dancing. Los Altos Community Center, 6:30-8:00, admission $10.
JACK HIGGINS paid $40 to alert us that the CHAP meeting today at 1:45 will be at the Los Altos Mt View Community Center on Hillview Ave. and will feature a Zoom appearance by the Kenya Project Director.
SANDY GAUDIE gave $20 to honor the kindness of strangers. She had a minor auto accident and strangers on the scene helped her.
SRIJOY ADITYA paid $20 because her experience at FAITP was so impressive. The high levels of organization and collaboration were the best she has ever seen.
Immediate PP CRYSTA joined the President’s Club for $80 in honor of Anky Van Deursen who is running for Los Altos City Council. CRYSTA also stipulated that her favorite man Clayton NOT be the one to teach her grandchild to drive when the time comes.
DUANNI HURD reminded us to look for her son Roland, a LAHS Jr student, who leads the waiter staff (four LAHS students) at Club 55 parties, including the one tomorrow night.
JOANNE KAVALARIS read a Mark Twain quote: “Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.”
TODAY'S SPEAKER, Katherine Wright, was introduced by SUSIE MIELKE. Katherine told us about the remarkable life and achievements of Sam McDonald.
Sam McDonald Park is an 850-acre park named after Emanuel "Sam" McDonald (1884–1957), a beloved Stanford University employee who bought the land in the 1910s and 20s. The legendary McDonald, a grandson of formerly enslaved persons, lost his mother at age 10 and completed the 7th grade before becoming a full-time field worker. He came from Louisiana to Southern California, working various jobs as he migrated north to Washington State. Missing the California weather, Sam returned south and his work included day labor and raising horses and cattle on several ranches before he joined the Stanford Farm in 1903. He hauled gravel for campus roads, quickly advancing to foreman. Ever curious and ambitious, Sam educated himself in meteorology and law, paying Stanford students to tutor him. His other Stanford jobs included night watchman and deputy marshall. He rebuilt the campus track to national standards and ran the dairy and sheep herd. Sam championed the Convalescent Children’s Clinic, now the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. He advanced to custodian of athletic fields, and upon his retirement in 1954 Sam was Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. Early in his years at Stanford, Sam visited and fell in love with the Santa Cruz Mountains and began buying property in La Honda, eventually owning 430 acres of redwood forest and grasslands where he spent weekends and vacations, transported by his trusty Ford Model A. He never allowed logging or development of his property, despite lucrative offers he received. At 6’4” tall, Sam was often compared to the majestic redwood trees on his property. Upon his death in 1957, his property went to the Stanford Children’s Convalescent Home and was later deeded to the San Mateo Parks Department with the stipulation that it never be logged or developed and would always remain open to the public.
President FRANK thanked Ms. Wright and showed us a book signed by her, donated by Linden Tree Books and to be presented to a local school library. “Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History”
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30
For a look at ALL the pictures from this event, click HERE
ing a full-time field worker. He came from Louisiana to Southern California, working various jobs as he migrated north to Washington State. Missing the California weather, Sam returned south and his work included day labor and raising horses and cattle on several ranches before he joined the Stanford Farm in 1903. He hauled gravel for campus roads, quickly advancing to foreman. Ever curious and ambitious, Sam educated himself in meteorology and law, paying Stanford students to tutor him. His other Stanford jobs included night watchman and deputy marshall. He rebuilt the campus track to national standards and ran the dairy and sheep herd. Sam championed the Convalescent Children’s Clinic, now the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. He advanced to custodian of athletic fields, and upon his retirement in 1954 Sam was Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. Early in his years at Stanford, Sam visited and fell in love with the Santa Cruz Mountains and began buying property in La Honda, eventually owning 430 acres of redwood forest and grasslands where he spent weekends and vacations, transported by his trusty Ford Model A. He never allowed logging or development of his property, despite lucrative offers he received. At 6’4” tall, Sam was often compared to the majestic redwood trees on his property. Upon his death in 1957, his property went to the Stanford Children’s Convalescent Home and was later deeded to the San Mateo Parks Department with the stipulation that it never be logged or developed and would always remain open to the public.