Meeting Recap June 24, 2021

The Greatest Rotary Club in the World: Santa Clara, California 

The Last Missive of President Sellers; June 24, 2021 

Mike Sellers, Past President and Smiling 

Bob Ricks, Humble and Free Scribe 

The Sellers Era is over, The Kelly Saga begins:  President Sellers kicked off his final meeting as President to a rowdy group at the Elks Club. Even Ken (Jimmy Fallon) showed up. More about that later.  

The Elks Club management team placed these special table decorations in recognition of Mike’s previous job. It seems like two of the cooks and one of the bartenders had met Mike in not so auspicious conditions in his previous life. Sweet. They also knew Keech and Carver.  

The Shout out and Inspiration;  

The pride of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Ed Bouwhuis read us a memorable treatise by Robert Noel Test (1926-1994). Only part is summarized below. This is one man’s thoughts as he lay on his deathbed. I recommend you Google the author for the full text:  

“Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s face, or the love in the eyes of a woman.  

Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain. 

Give my kidneys to the one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week.  

If by chance you wish to remember me, do it with a kind word or someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever”  

Thanks, Ed.  

Our own Jimmy Fallon (aka Ken Rowell) did the final pledge of Mike’s year. Ken was back from Colorado after stealing another construction deal from some local builder and did an admirable job on the Pledge. Mike was able to close the year with ZERO kneels. Ken wanted to keep talking after the pledge but Mike fined him $100.  

Guests:  

PP Andy Ratermann introduced us one more time to Bassam Musaffar. Bassam has been through our membership gauntlet and came out whole on the other side. He will soon be inducted as a Red Badger in the Club.  

Felix and Sheryl, Father and Mother of our guest speaker, came to see their daughter speak.  

Your Humble Scribe, Bob Ricks, checked in by Zoom from Texas. Our traveling Treasurer, CJ Grewal, is still in New York with the grandkids but did make the meeting on Zoom.  

Happy Birthday to me! Also Happy birthday to Cindy Carr and Ivana Heang. I showed up on Zoom just to have Ken (aka Jimmy Fallon) Rowell sing to me as is the tradition if your birthday follows on a meeting day. I was disappointed and moped for the rest of the meeting. We need to get Ken on CD singing the Birthday song for future SC Rotarians.  

Nick and Mary Ellen Livak celebrated 57 years married on June 20. Congratulations! (Someone please tell Nick it is okay to leave his house now and attend Rotary…we miss seeing him).  

Sandy Allen has been with TGRCITW for 12 years, Joe Hart for 13 years and 24 Lexus sales and Tim Ford for 8 years. Joe was able to get fined today when his phone rang. He was heard telling the caller that he knew he owed him an oil change for the referral and would get him an appointment soon.  

We Care:  PP Larry Fargher is home and his condition is unchanged. Please keep Larry in your thoughts and prayers. Larry is the “Great” in TGRCITW.  

Congratulations to Dr. Stella Kemp on receiving her Blue Badge. Stella met all the requirements of TGRCITW despite being a past Rotarian at another club. Thanks Stella. A true Texan.  

Old Business: PP Bob Buchser glaringly omitted three PP at the recent PP BBQ. These stalwarts of the Club were Dan Holder, Bob Ricks and PPX2 Bill Carver. President Mike hit him with a $300 fine and listened to the whining. Bob soon relented, threw in another $200 to make it an even $500. Miles Barber could not have done it better.  

Mike also clarified his $500 fine that Miles volunteered to pay for him two weeks ago. This came with a caveat……Mike had to shell out his own $500 and earn a Bake Bacon Award. Mike did as told. (Miles still has a drawer full of Bake Bacon pins from his presidential year and needs to move the metal). Sweeney will make more if necessary.  

District Conference:  The date is July 17. The cost is free. The location is Gilroy Gardens. This is always a fun event as we roast the old Governor and welcome the new Governor. DGIW Jan-Eric Nordmo is usually there. See Bill Kelly for more info. We always send a group.  

Golf Tourney:  We always send one or two foresomes to the annual Cystic Fibrosis Tourney. The date is August 9. The location is Pasatiempo Golf Club. PP Ted Keech has all the details. We have one foursome so far and need one or two more. Don’t worry, Walt Marwitz is already taken.  

PP Lou Ann Alexander gave us an update on how important this fundraiser is to finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Her daughter Claire has CF and has been through the ringer all her life. As a result of recent research Claire now has 100% lung function and will be starting college in Santa Barbara this fall. (Wasn’t it only yesterday when we had a pool guessing the day of her birth?) This is what your money goes to. Please contact Ted if you want to play.  

Earthquake Event:  New President Bill Kelly announced that we are going to have another family night at the Earthquakes in the fall. Stay tuned for the date.  

Joker’s Wild:  No comment. This was a confusing experience. We have only been doing this for 15 years. Bill Kelly needs to play cleanup on JW.  

Alana Bohni was here to Thank us for supporting her with a college scholarship and let us know how it all turned out for her. She is a recent graduate of Sacramento State University with an Art History degree, working at the San Jose Museum of Art and planning to go for her masters soon. Her story was very compelling and should be watched on the video.  

It made me want to know her favorite teacher, Mr. Golding.  

Her story also was evidence on how our club’s dedication to providing scholarships to high school students really does change lives.  

Thanks to all of the Club from President Mike:  

Mike took the balance of the meeting to thank Board Members and others for helping him during a difficult year in America. In spite of all of the problems this club was resilient and had another great year.  

Members called out for special thanks were:  

Treasurer CJ Grewal, Secretary Heath Hanich, Tim Ford, Patti Smith, Stella Kemp, Harbir Bhatia, Tom Brown, PP Bob Ricks, PP Mike Moul, PP Dan Holder, PP Andy Ratermann, PP Lorenzo Rios and PP Colleen Noll. He also gave a special Thanks to his wife Denise for all her support. 

Mike said this club produced one fantastic year in spite of it all. Just review a few of the photos from 2020-21:   

Mike took special pride in the live social gatherings we were able to produce in a Covid environment, Andy Ratermann’s outstanding effort in securing top notch speakers for all over the US, our 43 Tuesday Zoom Happy Hours, our 4 Live Happy Hours at Jack Holder’s Restaurant, Speech contest, scholarship program and just plain fun. 

 I highly recommend you watch the video of Mike’s comments. It will make you more proud than ever to be a member of TGRCITW. Bottom line: The club is in great shape with fantastic, involved members.  

Final Comments:  Local TV personality, Club Secretary of State and PP Dan Holder took the podium to award Mike the items all Presidents look forward to: 1. His official PP lapel pin, 2. PP Plaque and 3. PP Badge.  

Mike then passed the gavel to new President Bill Kelly. The tradition of passing on a leather portfolio once owned by a PP of Rotary International in the 30s was presented to Bill for safekeeping during his year. (If Bill fines Walt Marwitz too much Walt will take the folder back. Ask Walt).  

A personal note from Your Humble Scribe: Thanks for the great Zoom Work and Happy Hour this year. I joined this club in 1996 and still consider myself a proud Santa Clara Rotarian….just geographically removed. My sponsor was Larry Fargher, it doesn’t get any better than that. Zoom was a hassle to many but it was a way for me to stay fully updated on TGRCITW while living in Texas. For that I am thankful.  

And another warning: I will be back! Betty and I will be in California July 20 to mid-September. I may just have to check on Bill Kelly in person.  

To Mike Sellers: Outstanding Job! Thanks! 

July 1: The club will be dark. Next meeting is July 8 at the Elks Club.