November 14, 2001
This Bulletin Was
Written By Hugh Largey.
This Week's Meeting
Club President Melissa Blackburn convened the nearly standing room only large attending gathering to order with Maureen Eberle leading the pledge of Allegiance to our nation's flag. Mike Sisson gave a thoughtful invocation on high school yearbook memories. Jim Mulvaney led all in a spirited verse of "America.”
A number of guests were introduced from our downtown sister Club 33. Others were introduced including our club's French foreign exchange student, Vanessa Dubois.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ø President Melissa dubbed the past week's Rotary Foundation Dinner an incredible success with over 30 in attendance from our club. Proceeds go towards special projects such as sponsoring club foreign exchange students. Click Here For Photos.
Ø Dave Ferguson challenged members who've been in the club for at least 5 years to consider completing their Paul Harris $1,000 sustaining member category contributions this year as he has previously done in changing his status from a "poor hairless fellow to a Paul Harris Fellow"!
Ø Hugh Largey in outling this year's needy Tijuana children's "Secret Santa Responsibility Project" pointed out that maximum individual member participation is needed to offset already announced "corporate shortfalls" that have resulted in fewer children being sponsored by members' employers than in previous years. This is due in part to the recession as well as some reporting they've been "tapped out" from giving so much to the New York Relief efforts. As project chairman, Hugh has committed the club to be expected to fulfill the Christmas wishes of a minimum of 75 children ranging from 1- 14 years of age. This compares with about 100 sponsored last year. The Downtown Rotaract Club has agreed to join us in sponsoring 6 of the 75. This combined with 55 pledged by those attending today's meeting leaves just 14 more needing to be covered. Anyone not attending today's meeting but wanting to sponsor one or more of these children is asked to call Hugh at (858) 689-9595 to register their participation in this worthwhile annual cause. All participating are also asked to phone your preferred mailing address to receive your children's forms. The just translated from Spanish to English (thanks to National city Schools teacher, Elaine Porter-Wendt) gift wish lists are being mailed out to members over the next few days in BRIGHT RED ENVELOPES to use as guides in your gifts for the children shopping. All Secret Santa gifts must be brought TO a Breakfast Meeting at least by our December 12th meeting in a single box per child, per instructions on the forms you'll soon be receiving. On December 12th, David Lynch will then take them from there to Tijuana for distribution to the children.
Ø Dan Cleaves presented recent Rotary guest speaker Dr. Ken Druck and his Jenna Druck Foundation with a club check for $2,000 to help in his bereavement relief efforts nationwide.
Ø Alan Talbott advised everyone to mark their calendar's for the club's next Annual Gala Banquet Dinner Benefit fund raiser to take place on Saturday, March 23, 2002. He particularly urged members to reach out to invite more guests from the community to join us then.
student of the month
Mike Whitehurst presented
San Diego High School Junior Clayton Alvarez with the Student of the
Month Award Plaque and gift certificate.
Clayton
gave the club a very good impromptu overview of his plans to
pursue a college course in criminal justice or fire safety & security at
one of the state schools prominent in those areas.
SGT.-At-ARMS
Sergeant At Arms (aka Farmer Frank) DeFrancesco cited several members for birthdays and anniversaries this November and issued fines to others for prominently being mentioned in the news, and Martin Blair's "grabbing" the microphone to add his knowledge of the historical bordello district to last week's guided tour of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter! Linda Jalving paid $25 to plug her store's, Ben Bridge Jeweler's at Horton Plaza, Holiday Jewelry specials!
On a more serious note, John Turpit again asked for volunteers to join him from 5:30 pm-6:30 pm Tuesday evenings to help disadvantaged downtown students with their homework at the One America Plaza Building. Expressing frustration in the lack of club volunteers this year, John advised he will resign from this club if he is unable to obtain this year's needed volunteers.
Ron Erbetta announced Dinner Auction Sponsorship opportunities are again available to individuals and corporations for next year's Benefit Dinner Auction.
This Week’s Speaker
After leading the group in a rousing cheer for San Diego's 
(Super)
Chargers, Phil
Welp introduced the morning's guest speaker, Chargers'
Vice-President, and Jamaica, New York native, Ed McGuire. After expressing his appreciation at being in beautiful San
Diego for now 4 years, Ed gave revealing insights into professional football,
the players and how he has helped negotiate the NFL's harmonious league-player
no strike association since 1993.
Apologizing for the Charger's "temporary" underperformance
during its most recent game, he cited the encouraging turnaround they have made
so far this season with a 5-4 record this year leading them to the playoffs
compared to it's 1 and 15 record of last year. Acknowledging owner Dean Spanos once answered
"yes" to a reporter's question, if given the chance would he like a new
football stadium here, he hastened to add this has never been a demand and that
pro football is generally healthy in contrast to pro baseball which is
currently contemplating cutting 2 teams from its leagues for lack of fan
attendance. Ed predicted great things ahead for the Chargers with the balanced
team talent they now possess. Finally, Gary Green auctioned off a Doug Flutie signed
Charger Program that went to the highest bidder for $25. Ed offered to kick in another one later
for a disappointed runner-up bidder Melissa Blackburn - for $30!
Click
Here For Ed's Bio..
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