Rancho Bernardo Rotary January 4, 2018 Meeting Minutes & Images by James Kaspar

Posted by RZ Norris on Jan 10, 2018

**REMINDER THAT THIS WEEK WE ARE MEETING AT 12:00 PM**

We are fortunate this week to hear from Capt Don Gragg, USN (Ret).  Capt Gragg was a member of the Medical Service Corps and is an M.D and a Ph.D.
 
Since retiring in RB, Don has been a community activist for many years, as is his wife Charlotte.   They live unique lives.  He is Past  President of the SD World Affairs Council and Continuing Education Center and a Hall of Fame inductee in 2007. An adventurer, Don has run 16 marathons in under 4 hours in his 50s, consummated at 20,000 ft in the Himalayas. You will hear about his military adventures when he slept with nuclear missiles' during his Naval career during the building of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis.  
 
Please join us to hear this fascinating story from Capt Gragg.
 
 
 
Rancho Bernardo Rotary
January 4, 2018
The meeting was called to order by President, Mike Fuqua, who wished all the Club members a Happy New Year. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Dave King. The Inspirational Message was given by Dick Norfolk.  Greeter, Jim Hyldahl, noted only one guest today, the grandson of Dave and Susan King. Gary Saks joined Jim to lead the Club Welcome song.
President Mike thanked today’s volunteers: Ron Hunt, Gayla Williams and Arilla St Laurent at the front desk, Paul Donnick and Judy Lutticken for our set up, intrepid photographer, James Kaspar, and Scribe, Rz Norris.
President Mike planned on showing a Rotary Video he had downloaded from the Web, but the sound was not working well, so he will try to show it another time. He thanked all the Club members who helped with the Holiday Party, which was a great success!
President Mike had Toby Westbrook announce that the dictionaries had finally arrived, and a TGIX dictionary labeling party will be on January 13th at his house. Refreshments will be served. Thirty members have signed up so far.
The birth of Shane Allan Robertson on December 21st was announced.  He is the son of happy parents, Scott and Erin Robertson.
President Mike presented Joe Max with a City of San Diego “Joe Max Day” Proclamation, given by City Councilman Mark Kersey, honoring Joe’s career and years of service, as well as Joe’s 100th Birthday.  Joe had been absent at the time Councilman Kersey was at our meeting.
President Mike shared a report on Disaster Response and Thank You’s on how much our Foundation funds have aided in Hurricane recovery in Texas and the Caribbean, and how the funds were utilized.
Arilla St Laurent gave the Family of Rotary Report, saying Don Barrios’ wife, Francie, will have knee surgery next week.  Arilla will bring a  card for all to sign at next weeks meeting. She asked for members to keep her advised of any health issues affecting our “Family”.
Finemaster, John O’Neill, was in “fine” form, extracting fines and Happy Bucks from the Club members.
John Kassar introduced Club Red Badge member, Jim Reid, who made a slide show presentation on “Korea, Then and Now”.  Jim served in Pusan, Republic of Korea (now South), with the Peace Corp in 1969.  He returned to South Korea in 2012, and noted the dramatic changes in the country.
Jim Hyldahl presented the speaker’s book, making the leap from South Korea hosting the Winter Olympics this year, to the dramatic scenery of the “Photo Essay: Inside Passage and Denali Park” in Alaska.
President Mike reminded us that our meeting next week, January 11th, will be at noon instead of an evening meeting.  The program will feature Capt. Don Gragg USN (Ret), talking about “Sleeping With Nuclear Missiles”.
The January 18th program will be Jo Casterline as Mrs. Henderson Scripps.
President Mike closed the meeting with “This Year”: citing things that we can do to make life better for all.