President Bill Kelly
July 15, 2017
We changed venues for this meeting as we evaluate a new location, menu, and hospitality from the American Legion Hall, Post 419. We were treated to our first in-person speaker of the new Rotary Year, the Honorable Judge Quentin L. Kopp, (ret.). The meal was tasty, and the hospitality welcoming. It was nice to see linens and cloth napkins at every table setting once again. With the exception of a couple of Zoom technical issues, it was a successful meeting overall. Next week, we will meet again at this location.
Meeting Highlights
Pledge: Past President Bob Buchser, led us in the pledge. His commanding voice inspired an enthusiastic response from the audience. The speaker even included a comment on the pledge in his speech. Nice work, Bob!
Inspiration: The honorable Don Skinner was our greeter, and provided an uplifting inspiration. Don thanked God for answering his prayers by providing a menu that was to his liking. Can’t help but agree with him.
Birthdays: Dave Delozier celebrated his birthday on July 12, while Anne Watts celebrates today, July 14.
Anniversaries: There are no Rotarians celebrating wedding anniversaries or club anniversaries this week.
Upcoming events:
District 5170 Conference Saturday July 17th at Gilroy Gardens.
Cystic Fibrosis Benefit Golf Tournament, August 9th at Pasatiempo Golf Course
J.W. House starts again, August 13th. Sign-ups being taken now.
“Celebrate Santa Clara”, August 21, a 4-hour community event at Central Park.
The City of Santa Clara approached the Rotary Foundation with an opportunity to serve beer and wine at an event called, Celebrate Santa Clara, at the Central Park Pavilion area on Saturday, August 21 from 1-5 p.m. A band will be performing on stage from 3:30 – 5 pm. This four-hour event is a scaled down festival event for our community, yet offers our club the opportunity to engage the public while raising funds for the Foundation.
A sign-up sheet was passed through the club today. We need Rotarians to volunteer and help make this event successful. See attached sign-up sheet for available slots, and then email President Kelly to have your name placed on the list.
Board Meeting Update: The Board met for the first time this Rotary year on July 14. The following information was discussed:
The club board is working on improving our club Image and Branding during our 85th anniversary year. This anniversary provides a unique opportunity to highlight our service to the Mission City community.
We will be expanding our reach in our community through social media.
J.W. House volunteer opportunities exist for our members. More information on the value of this program will be presented at an upcoming meeting. See Tom Brown to sign up for this event, which occurs every 2nd Friday of the month, from 3-7 pm. It only involves a few hours per event, yet the impact is significant for those families who stay at the J.W. House while a loved one is receiving medical attention at the adjacent Kaiser Hospital. Please contact Tom to sign up. Thanks.
Steps for Success is planned tentatively for September, 2021.
President’s Dinner being planned by Tressa. More information to follow regarding a bay cruise in February, 2022.
Members making the news: We thank Dan Holder for sharing his recent experience being interviewed by a radio personality. Dan was featured on a 4-plus minute interview on KTRY radio station about his family’s history in the restaurant business. Dan especially credited his dad for his hard work in establishing his business.
The opportunity to spend this much time on the radio touting his business was priceless. Dan was so thankful for the opportunity to share his story today that he donated $100 to our club. The greatest Rotary Club in the World thanks you, Dan!
Keynote Speaker:
Easy Perez provided a fitting and complete introduction of our speaker, the Honorable Judge Quentin Kopp (ret.) Our speaker has been involved in public service throughout his 92-year life. Mr. Kopp served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the California State Senate, and the California Superior Court (his most satisfying role in public service). The main emphasis of his speech was on the state of politics in California and the country today. He cited our pledge of allegiance, and the use of the word, “Indivisible”, to describe our union of states. However, we find ourselves in a divided country today, according to the speaker. He believes that leaders need to apply common-sense solutions and seek common ground to solve. problems. Mr. Kopp discussed the genesis of the Common-Sense Party, which is looking to qualify as an official political party in California by January of 2022. The content of his speech was interesting, and his delivery was engaging.
Next Week: We again meet at the American Legion hall.
American Legion post 419,
958 Homestead Rd,
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Our guest speaker is Andy Saunders, who is best known for making the front-page of newspapers around the world with the clearest image of astronaut Neil Armstrong on the moon. It promises to be a fantastic presentation, especially for those of us who remember vividly the space program and its significant impact on the world.
See everyone next week, July 22nd at the American Legion Hall.