Bulletins - 2005 - 09/21/2005
This Week's Bulletin Was Written By Sandra Schrift
President Maureen called the meeting to order at 7:30am and thanked us for showing up on time. An inspiring invocation was given by Linda Jalving as she read us the “Optimist’s Oath.” After the Pledge of Allegiance, we sang “All Hail to Rotary” to the tune of Anchors Away.
Pete McGuire welcomed our two guests, soon to become the newest members of the SD Rotary Club. Two members of Club 33 also joined us this morning.
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Reminder that September is women’s suits month. If any Rotarian wants to bring in women’s suits this month, Cynthia will bring her car to your car to gather the clothes. The blouse box will be passed around to collect cash in order to purchase blouses for women to wear with their new suits
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Jay Sener has collected over 8000 Teddy bears for the “Katrina” children. Hooray for compassion (and Jay)!!
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Melissa Blackburn and Gary Green gave a quick update on the Golf Tournament and reminded everyone they are collecting money, foursomes, and tee/hole sponsors for our golf tournament on October 14, 2005. More foursomes are needed. Fun day includes lunch, banquet dinner and a great silent auction. Proceeds go to Voices for Children. Call Maureen or Gary if you want to play in our exciting tournament.
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October 11 – District Council Dinner at the La Jolla Marriott at 5:30 p.m. Guest speaker, Paul Downey, President/CEO Senior Community Centers. First 10 members to sign up for this event will be hosted by our club.
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Vladmir Anisimow is moving to Denver. He shared a brief history of his upbringing, having survived the holocaust and other events which are now on a CD that will be available to club members. Tom Sayer will work on getting it into a format which will be easy for us to use in the future. We will miss you Vladmir!
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September 29 is the date of our next social event. A play at the Old Town Theatre preceded by dinner at Café Pacifica. Contact Karen Green right away if you are interested in attending.
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President Maureen reminded us to check out our current Rotarian magazine because three San Diego Rotary clubs are profiled. Rotary will also have a float again in this year’s Rose Parade called, “The Magic of Caring.”
Larry Nuffer raffled off to Sycuan goody bags (left over from another meeting). Bidders offered $15 and $20 for the bag and its contents. He also raffled off two tickets to the SD State football game for $40. The following members also offered some brags: Margaret Opplinger provided a universal Rotary brag and brought in two flyers detailing Rotary’s work eradicating polio. Scott Carr is moving his office to Bankers Hill and will have a new company name. Joe Escobio became engaged last week to Rotoract, Bianca Mascorro. They are an R & R team. Michael Clarkson is on a weight loss contest – to lose about 25 pounds – Rotarians urged him to go beyond that goal. Many of us signed up to donate our money pound for pound. Proceeds go to the Rotary Club. This is a legal betting opportunity for all of us.
Hurricane Katrina struck on Monday August 30, 2005. At that time, thousands were displaced from their homes resulting in the abandonment of thousands of household pets. By the end of the week, many animal welfare organizations had sent representatives to the Gulf region to try to locate and rescue these pets and begin the task of reuniting them with their owners.
The San Diego Humane Society has sent two teams to the area including a veterinarian,numerous Animal Rescue specialists, and staff animal care specialists, for a total of 13 volunteers. WHen they arrived in Gonzalez, just outside of New Orleans, they were put in charge of a barn that was housing over 2,000 animals. There are 5 other barns on this property, all full of rescued animials.
They have since teamed with other animal rescue organizations to go out in the field to try to locate and rescue the many thousands of animals that remained behind in homes; remarkably, they are still finding many animals alive even though they have been without food and clean water for over 3 weeks. They indicate that there are hundreds of animals that remain.
The Gonzalez site is still taking in several hundred pets a day, and are working hard to clean them up, feed them, give them a veterinarian check, innoculate them and get the reunited with their owners. Many of them will be shipped out of the area to humane organizations all over the nation for fostering until they can be placed with their owners or for permanent adoption. The volunteers report that it is usually 90 degrees out with 95% humidity; they are all suffering from sunburn, dehydration, and lack of personal comforts. However, one described a co-incidental reunion of a dog with its owner...when he was leading a very malnourished black lab into the barn at Gonzalez, the dog spotted a man who had arrived to look for his lost pet. When the two of them determined they knew each other, the dog literally jumped into the mans arms and began screaming with joy at being reunited with his family. Stories like this are what keep the volunteers going.
For more information, go to www.SDHumane.org and click on Katrina updates.
Nancy Vaughan introduced our program about “Tender Loving Canines, Assistance Dogs.” www.tenderlovingcanines.org Sally Montruchhio, Lori Walton and Beth Russell shared the platform with four black, loving canines. This nonprofit organization is staffed by volunteers and trains assistance dogs for the disabled. They train service dogs, signal dogs, seizure dogs and specialty dogs. The
assistance dogs today lovingly performed for us by showing us how they help a person do specific tasks . The canines retrieved and carried some items for our Rotary volunteers, and responded to someone acting as if they were falling down by comforting, then bracing to help the person get up. The dogs were rewarded with treats and acknowledgement. Assistance dogs also alert someone to an alarm in the morning, a doorbell, a fire alarm, sirens or other noises. “But most of all, an Assistance Dog is a social ambassador and a best friend.” The dogs are donated or purchased from top breeders. Our three presenters, Sally, Lori and Beth were very expressive and animated about their volunteer work. It was obvious that they cared deeply for the dogs and the people who benefit from their assistance. This program was well received by our Club members – many laughs could be heard as the dogs lovingly performed for us. I guess most of us are “dog lovers” at heart!
Hon. Nick Inzunza, Mayor of National City – will present our program on September 28; “The Changing Face of National City.”
