Meeting Minutes
March 24, 2022
Co-president Athenea Luciano rang the bell to open our meeting at 12:30 pm and led us in reciting the Four Way Test.
Before leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Rick Bramble read us a piece from Drexel University about the flag of the United States. Diane Remick inspired us to remember Ukraine and Ukrainians with quotes from Martin Luther King, Alexander the Great, Walt Whitman and Winston Churchill.
Recently transferred member Pete Griffith introduced our visiting Rotarians and guests.
And Song Master Joel Doss lead us once again in singing our unique and canorus (look it up!) Welcome Song to those very guests, who did not grimace as they listened.
Athenea said that our April 28th meeting would be a Club Assembly. Membership Chair and President-Elect Alan Turner announced that two refugee Afghan families are being placed in Rancho Bernardo and to contact him if you’d like to help them. He also said that newly transferred member Ken Heinz will be taking the lead in establishing an Interact Club at Mt. Carmel High School. Alan also wants to establish clubs at RB and Del Norte High Schools; please contact him if you’d like to participate.
Club Foundation president Mike Fuqua told us our club had helped fund a Global Grant in India to provide menstrual pads for girls; this will help them stay in school. He also said to tell him if you were interested in being a foundation trustee; elections are coming.
Rotary Foundation Chair Bob Vaughn asked for help in achieving 100% participation in the Every Rotarian, Every Year program by contributing $100.
Arilla St. Laurent said that the Family of Rotary is well! She then donned the Finemaster hat and fined Pete Griffith for his cell phone ringing during the meeting, and also those members who were not wearing both their Rotary pin and name badge.
Club Foundation Chair Mike then returned to the podium to present some checks. $1200 went to the St. Madeline Sophie Center; it was received by Development Director Joe Perucca. This organization serves adults with developmental disabilities.
Next, Mike presented a check for $1000 to Jennifer Greenhall who is the VP of the Del Norte High School Grad Night committee. This event provides a safe environment for seniors to celebrate the night of their graduation.
President-elect nominee Jim Reid introduced our speaker, Paul Courtright.
Paul spoke about his experience in Korea in 1980. As a Peace Corps volunteer working with leprosy patients outside of Gwangju, he was caught in the middle of a brutal military suppression. He was able to escape and get to the US Embassy in Seoul to relate what had happened.
As a speaker’s gift, Cheryl Roop presented Paul with a book intitled “Call of the Klondike”.
Athenea adjourned today’s meeting at 1:35 pm.