Upcoming Rotary Programs
October 1: Jim Flores, CEO, SD Food Bank
October 8: Peter Densmore, Park Ranger Bryce Canyon NP
October 15: Susan Callery, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab.
October 22: Club Assembly
October 29: Steve South, CEO, EDCO Sanitation
November 5: Possible Astronaut
November 12: Leah Watson, Director, GRACE, HT
November 19: Cozette Vergari, Founder-Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking
November 26: Thanksgiving
December 3: Attorney Jamie Beck, Director, Free to Thrive, HT Subject
December 10: Dr. Madanat & Dr. Frazee from SDSU on the topic of adjusting to college in this new environment
December 17:
December 24: No Meeting
December 31: No Meeting
Due to the COVID-19 Threat we have shifted our club meetings to Zoom. To join us contact any of our officers or our membership chairman and we'll send you an invite and link.
Meeting Minutes
September 24, 2020
President Alex Robertson brought our Zoom meeting to order at 11:06 am and led us in reciting the 4 Way Test. He had problems with his computer, so he conducted the meeting using his phone. In his own Scottish brogue, he said it was a “wee bit challenging”. Bravo Alex!
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by John O’Neill on short notice because John Mullin had a family emergency. Bravo John!
Cathy Glover inspired us with a joke about a carjacking gone wrong. The punchline: “If you are going to have a senior moment, make it memorable!” Well our Rotary Zoom meetings are very memorable!
We had two spouse visitors who appeared briefly today: Barb Crew and Didi Saks. Mike Stelman introduced Weston Pierce who is a tourism professional at the SD Zoo where he is a tour guide on the Africa Tram Safari. Mike Fuqua introduced Cheryl Roop who has submitted her application for membership. Lastly, Arilla introduced her bear.
Also present was this Rotarian, a guest variously identified as Santa Claus or Papa Smurf:
Joel Doss hopefully did not scare off our visitors with another heart-felt, but thoroughly Zoom-strangled, performance of our quasi-melodious Welcome Song.
Alex thanked our volunteers: Zoom hosting by Mike Fuqua, Bill Angus for doing the newsletter; meeting organization by John O’Neill and these words by your humble scribe, Dave Brooks.
Arilla had no news about the Family of Rotary. Dave K said that Felix Luciano is trying to avoid surgery, but it may be difficult.
Arilla also said that the assembly of the Peace Bags will take place on October 1 with more details on time and place to follow via email.
Finemaster Supreme John O’Neill collected a bunch of Happy Bucks from Paul Heeter, RZ Norris, Mike S, Terry Heck, Jim Hyldahl, Pat Chaffee, Dave K and Bill Brehm. President Alex had his picture in the RB News Journal with a nice profile as our club president (see: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/rancho-bernardo/story/2020-09-24/club-spotlight-rotary-club-of-rancho-bernardo-involved-in-many-service-projects). Alex could not be fined due to the long-standing practice of fine immunity for the current club president. Finemaster John said he would catch up with Alex in July, 2021.
Jim H told us that the first COVID19 era cleanup day has been scheduled for Saturday, January 9th, 2021 at Oaks North. Time is 8am – 12 noon. Document shredding and e-waste pickup will be available. Jim is also working on another event for 4S Ranch with the secondary goal of raising Rotary awareness there and recruiting new members.
John Goodrich introduced our speaker Freedome Bradley-Ballentine who is the associate artistic director at the Old Globe Theater.
He discussed the values of the Old Globe and how it is managing during the pandemic. He began with a poem by Maya Angelou titled Woman Work:
I've got the children to tend
The clothes to mend
The floor to mop
The food to shop
Then the chicken to fry
The baby to dry
I got company to feed
The garden to weed
I've got shirts to press
The tots to dress
The cane to be cut
I gotta clean up this hut
Then see about the sick
And the cotton to pick.
Shine on me, sunshine
Rain on me, rain
Fall softly, dewdrops
And cool my brow again.
Storm, blow me from here
With your fiercest wind
Let me float across the sky
'Til I can rest again.
Fall gently, snowflakes
Cover me with white
Cold icy kisses and
Let me rest tonight.
Sun, rain, curving sky
Mountain, oceans, leaf and stone
Star shine, moon glow
You're all that I can call my own.
This not only showed the power of words as art, but Freedome also said it reminded him of Rotary’s motto: Service Above Self.
He said that theater is transformative; that it cultivates imagination and empathy; that it enriches our humanity and connects us to each other and brings us together through entertaining experiences that move us outside of ourselves; exposing us new ideas and perspectives and inspiring us to reach for things that we didn’t know were possible.
When the pandemic is over, the Old Globe wants to send the musical “Almost Famous” to Broadway; making it the 25th production to do that.
Freedome knew a lot about Rotary, especially the concept of sustainability for a water project he was familiar with. Mike F told him that he has the heart and passion of a Rotarian and invited him to become a member of his local Rotary club.
As a speaker’s gift, Terry Heck presented Freedome with a book called The Civil Rights Movement which will be donated to the Bernardo Heights Middle School Library in his name.
President Alex then presented the Rotarian of the Month award to your humble scribe who reacted thusly:
I got the Rotary street clock in Webb Park running again. A sprinkler had gone haywire and was spraying water on the clock; it accumulated in the base. When the water rose to the level of the power supply, it shorted out and tripped the breaker. The landscape crew fixed the sprinkler and a new power supply was installed. Thanks to Jim Sommer and Arilla for alerting us to this problem. If any of you see that the clock is not showing the right time, please let me know.
Don G (aka Santa Claus, aka Papa Smurf) showed this video with Bill Gates talking about Polio Plus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m774hxN6B2Y&ab_channel=Rotary
World Polio Day is coming up on October 24th and Rotary International has asked each club to recognize and celebrate this day. Don has arranged to repeat his skydive of 5 years ago to do that for our club. He has spots for up to 11 other jumpers to join him at Skydive San Diego in Jamul. The date for the jump is October 31. Please see his email about this that went to all members. If you don’t want to jump, you can come and watch those who do.
Treasurer Pat Chaffee reported that we still have 40 Rotary masks left, so if you want one please contact Joel. Pat will be sending statements to all who have pledged Happy Bucks showing your balance due, if any.
Past president Dave King said that Past District Governor Marta Knight will be attending our Zoom meeting next week to present the citations we earned during the 2019-20 Rotary year.
President Alex adjourned the meeting at 12:06 pm.
