President FRANK called the meeting to order at 12:15pm and welcomed our Zoom attendees.
Rotarians stood for the Pledge of Allegiance led by GERRI ACERS.
President FRANK thanked the staff of today’s Rotary Frank Talk: Greeters LINDSAY CARPENTER and MARY ANN PETERS; Thought of the Day STEVE SHEPHERD; Cookie Monster CLAUDIA COLEMAN who treated us to homemade cookies; Rotator photographer BRUCE FITZGERALD; Rotator writer SUSIE MIELKE; Rotator editor PP CYNTHIA LUEDTKE; Rotator publisher SUSIE MIELKE; Technical Wizards LEE CODDING and MIKE KERR; Website and Zoom STEVE POMEROY and DAVID GREEN.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
STEVE SHEPHERD, for whom golf is divine inspiration, offered a quote from Winston Churchill,
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
STEVE gave a bonus quote in tribute to Dolly Parton,
“If you see somebody without a smile, give 'em yours.”
INTRODUCTIONS
STEVE POMEROY gave Dolly a hug as he proceeded to the podium.
Santiago Melgar visited from the Rotary Club del Valle de Guatemala.
DIANA CARBONE introduced Alex Amoroso from Mountain View Rotary.
CLAUDIA COLEMAN introduced Brenda Taussig.
PEN JOE EYRE introduced Suresh Shanmugham who is an active volunteer with youth in our community.
PP SAM HARDING introduced the new Executive Director of the El Camino YMCA, Shanon Pestrong.
TAMI MULCAHY introduced her husband, Tim.
LYNN WILSON ROBERTS introduced her neighborhood, including today’s speaker, Martin Shell, Megan Swezey Fogarty, and Webb McKinney.
SHARI ELMER introduced her online guest, Brian Buntz from Dream Volunteers.
PP STAN SCARDINO forgot to introduce his lovely wife, Susan Estrem, who remembered to sign in as a guest.
NEXT WEEK’S PROGRAM
Margaret Abe-Koga, Supervisor for Santa Clara County District 5, will speak about “Collaboration and Innovation in a Time of Scarcity.”
RIP DOLLY, A CHAMPION OF LASTING IMPACT
PP DAVID SMITH shared his perspective on Dolly Parton: a very good person who, if she saw a problem, fixed it! PP DAVID talked about his work with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL). The benefits of learning to read early are well-documented. He brought the first and last books a child receives, The Little Engine That Could and Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come.
In lieu of flowers, Dolly Parton's family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. In Santa Clara County, donations can be made at sccld.org/imaginationlibrary.
When he walks his dog, PP DAVID often asks parents of young children if they’ve signed up their children for books. He suggested that Rotarians tell people that President FRANK is the distinguished gentleman who approaches young families about DPIL.
PILLARS OF OUR CLUB
A unprecedented lineup of PPs constituted this week’s Pillars of LARC.
- PP BOB ADAMS, 39 years
- PP WYATT ALLEN, 38 years
- PP DICK BLANDING, 40 years
- PP MARY PROCHNOW, 38 years
- PP DENNIS YOUNG, 42 years
BLUE BADGE INDUCTION
Membership Director MARY-JO LOMAX invited CRISTINA HOLSTINE, CLAY HOLSTINE and LIZ NYBERG to join her at the podium. MJ remarked that CLAY has been pulled into the Ops Orbit by DICK SIMKO. Luckily, CRISTINA is unscathed. LIZ magically transformed red badges into blue badges to great applause as we welcomed our newest Blue Badgers.
GUATEMALA UPDATE: MOTAGUA RIVER
SHERRY AUERBACH introduced Santiago Melgar from the Rotary Club del Valle de Guatemala. Santiago was in town to attend the WateReuse California Annual Conference. He said that it’s hard to see a bright future in Guatemala despite the country’s climate and natural beauty. Trash is everywhere, 90% of the rivers and lakes are polluted, and the tap water is brown. He works with others in the Alliance for the Motagua River’s Basin to fix these problems using Ocean Legacy’s EPIC program (education, policy, infrastructure, and cleanup). While 30 schools were involved at the start of 2024, over 800 schools participate now. His presentation, which he did not show, is here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SALLY CHAVES shared plans to distribute 70 book cubbies this Fall to children in Mountain View preschools. Palo Alto University Rotary will give away another 30.
Bonus announcements not made because of time:
Registration is open for the Rotary Collaborative Impact Summit on September 19 in the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Click HERE to register.
Nacho Average Night Out! Rotary Dine Around Monday, August 31, at Fiesta Vallarta hosted by CINDY BOGARD O’GORMAN and DENNIS MILLIGAN. Join for a little salsa and stay for a lot of fun!
Wait, there’s even more fellowship! Dine overlooking a vineyard at the Rotary Dine Around Wednesday, September 9, at NANCY TRAFICANTI’S house. Fiesta theme catered by NANCY’S daughter, Kathryn Holleb. Sign-ups start September 2nd at 2pm.
Last, but not least, August Wine & Cheese tomorrow at the Elmer’s house, 5:30 – 8:30!
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
6 – PAT FARRELL, KATHY LERA, BROOKE SCHILLER
7 – PENNY LAVE
8 – SALLY MEADOWS
11 – JEANNINE ANTYPAS, DAVID SMITH
12 – LAWRENCE CHU SR.
14 – JANET HARDING
15 – SANDY GAUDIE
16 – MEL KAHN, STEVE MAGOWAN
17 – VICKY BROWNE
23 – ANNE ARJANI
28 – SANDY MINGIA
FEATURED PROGRAM: The Social Compact Between the Federal Government and Universities that Created Silicon Valley
LYNN WILSON ROBERTS introduced today’s speaker and her former neighbor, Martin Shell. Martin has not moved far away, only to Menlo Park. He said that it’s great to be back in the ‘hood where his 4 kids grew up.
Martin’s talk described the partnership between the federal government and American research universities which goes back to World War II. This partnership has played a pivotal role in American health, prosperity, and security and led to the development of thousands of technology and health innovations that we now take for granted. Using the iPhone as an example, Martin listed the basic research that started 60 years before the iPhone was introduced, including the Ramsey method (atomic clocks), Doppler Tracking (GPS), ARPANET (first packet message), CDMA Signal (GPS), TCP/IP Protocol (the Internet), Li-ion rechargeable batteries.
The innovation pipeline – basic science, applied research, technology development, commercial application –developed in the US to bring technology innovation into everyday life. University leaders had a vision for competitive research and the federal government started funding basic research in the 1950s when the Soviet Union appeared to have gained technical superiority.
Stanford’s biggest donor is the American taxpayer who provides $2.2 billion in research funding. It’s important to show all donors, including taxpayers, the impact of their investments.
Martin noted that Stanford will start conversations about its general use permit application to Santa Clara County.
PP FRANK VERLOT asked about future student housing. Stanford now houses 98% of undergrads and 75% of graduate students on campus. Workforce housing is likely to be added to the permit application.
RON LABETICH asked about philanthropic giving from other sources. Stanford receives about $1 billion annually. One-third goes to research, including endowments. Corporations contribute 15%, foundations 10%-15%, and individuals the balance.
PP CRYSTA KRAMES asked about job opportunities in research. Martin pointed out that America typically has been a magnet for the best and brightest from other countries.
President FRANK presented a book, Bit by Bit: A Graphic Introduction to Computer Science, which will be donated to a school in Martin’s honor. Before adjourning the meeting, President FRANK exchanged flags with Santiago.
