meeting recap August 12, 2021
 

Upcoming events: 

• “Celebrate Santa Clara”, will be held next weekend on August 21st.  The planning for this 4-hour community at Central Park is wrapping up.  We’re good to go for next Saturday’s event.  We will have a short briefing on the event at our meeting next week. The list of volunteers who have expressed an interest in attending this community event is provided below in this report. 

The City has advised the club that up to 5,000 visitors may attend the event.  We will be ready to serve beer and wine from 1-5 pm.  A band is scheduled to perform from 3:30-5:00 pm.  It should be a fun community event, and our first major event in which we’re partnering with the City since 2019. 

• Steps for Success was originally scheduled to occur in late September. Youth Services Director Dan Winter is working with the School District to determine the best Friday afternoon in September or October to provide new shoes to our school kids.  More information to follow once a date is selected. 

• The Parade of Champions is scheduled for October 9th.  The Board is looking for volunteers to serve on a Parade Committee to help design our entry in the parade. This 85th anniversary of our Rotary Club is worth celebrating, and the parade offers a chance to highlight our club’s impact in the community.  Interested in volunteering? Please email President Kelly for more info. 

• The American Legion, Post 419 invited Rotarians to attend an event called, Spirit of ‘45, to be held Friday August 13 and Saturday August 14 at History Park in San Jose.  The event is designed to celebrate the events that followed the end of WWII in 1945, when peace replaced war around the world.   

President’s Report:  

• Ted Keech provided a recap of the August 9th Cystic Fibrosis Benefit Golf Tournament, held at Pasatiempo Golf Course. Ted described a beautiful day and a fun golf outing for everyone who attended.  More importantly, the benefit raised money for an important charity that has helped advance the care for many who are affected by Cystic Fibrosis.  Rotarian Lou Ann Alexander also provided a heartfelt message of thanks to the Rotary Club for the effort in raising money for this important cause. 

• One of the most impactful youth-centered events in which the club participates each year is the Enterprise Leadership Conference (ELC). In years past, the 3-day event was held in-person at the Asilomar Conference Center. This year, a hybrid event took place, utilizing Zoom for learning sessions, and an in-person final day of performances and evaluations at West Valley College.  Tim Ford led a brief discussion on the event this year, and let the club know that a more formal presentation will be made in a few weeks.  Thanks to all Rotarians who assisted in this event, including Tressa Williams, Tim Ford, Jan Eric Nordmo, Heath Hanich, Patti Smith, Bill Kelly, and Andy Ratermann, who served as a judge of this event.  

• August 11th Board meeting highlights: 

• Our club remains financially healthy 

• Steps for Success date TBD, possibly late September or October 

• President’s Dinner Event planning is underway for a February, 2022 event.  More details to follow during the next couple of months 

• The Board decided that due to our significant participation in the August 21st Celebrate Santa Clara event, volunteer opportunities will be restricted to vaccinated volunteers.  The board made this decision in an effort to exercise an abundance of caution as we interact with the public.   

• The Board stressed the need for our club members to continue to exercise vigilance in complying with the recent County Health Department orders regarding COVID precautions.  The staff at the American Legion hall are partnering with our club to enhance safety each week.  Our board will continue to advise our members of any changes in County protocols as conditions warrant. Thank you for your continued dedication to safety. 

Keynote Speaker: