November 25, 2014 

Meeting called to order by President Sandige at 12:30

Pledge: Shaz L.

Thought of Day: Jorge Z. “Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to the light.”  -Milton

Guests: Guest Speaker, David Harken from SCORE; Kristal Caballero from PV Loaves and Fishes

 Visiting Rotarians: David Hemrick [Watsonville],  Joe Ferrante  [SC Sunrise] 

Announcements & Correspondence:

-        Past-President Ron S. presented Super Sustainer awards to Kirk S. and Heather G.

-        Trina C.-G. spoke about the Twain Harte newsletter and how several Rotarians were included.

-        Ben P.: Need to have reservations in for the Yosemite Trip by December 15, 2014.  If you have any questions, contact Ben. Gloria G. noted that in addition to signing up for Yosemite, we will be looking for a team of people to reserve campsites at Yosemite at 7:30 AM on December 15, 2014.

-        Jeanie K. announced the Heritage Holiday Craft & Gift Fair at the fairgrounds, from noon to 8:00 PM on December 5, 6, & 7.  Volunteers are needed to help with traffic control, etc.  Please contact Jeanie or John.

-        Pablo B. noted that Thanksgiving Day is the most fire-prone day of the year.

Detective: no detective today

Raffle: conducted by Paul V. Pablo B. won a fire extinguisher; Kirk S. won a wooden fish, the formidable Gray Bass; Yesenia P. won a flower pot; Paul T. won a flower pot; David Harken, our guest speaker, won a coffee mug; Carl P. won a ceramic treasure; Ben P. won a sign; Doug F. won a poster of an old pickup truck; Jeanie K. won a gift for Dave K.

Guest Speaker: Speaking to us today about SCORE (www.SCORE.org) is David Harken.  SCORE is a national organization under the Small Business Administration.  It was formed in 1964 and its mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education.  There are 11,000+ volunteers in over 340 chapters.  The local chapter has 26 members.  They have a goal to create one million jobs in the next seven years.  In 2013, they created 67,319 jobs in the county at a cost of $96 per job.  They created 38,630 small businesses.  They will host a “startup workshop” on December 16, 2014, at Simpkins Swim Center in Santa Cruz.  There are volunteer opportunities at SCORE that include workshop instructors, mentors, roundtable facilitator, community ambassador, and more.  All volunteers are asked to sign a code of ethics annually.  SCORE powers small business growth.

Q & A:

-        Is there a fee for the counseling services?  No, but there is a nominal fee for workshops.

-        Do you work with non-profits?  Yes.

-        Do clients end up becoming mentors?  We haven’t seen it yet, but it is possible.

-        Are there any local projects? Yes.  RV’s Computers is one, Digital Nest is another.

Adjournment: 1:20 PM