March 19, 2003

This week's Bulletin was written by Jill Houska

 

this week’s meeting

Gary Green kicked off his 55th birthday by launching the meeting with a memorable impression of our District Governor, Larry Scott, who was in the audience. Patricia Cowett led us in the pledge of allegiance, Carol Jensen gave the invocation (See Below) and Linda Jalving and Jim Mulvaney led us in singing the Star Spangled Banner. Pete McGuire introduced visiting Rotarians and guests, Gary let us know that Joe Ciokon appreciated the get-well card and the Club sang Happy Birthday to our President, Gary Green.

The Club inducted three new members:

Member: Alan Knobloch, Classification: Nonprofit Management & Fundraising, Proposer: Lynn Hamilton.

DG Larry Scott, Gary, Ken Doyle, George Thomas, Bill Poirer, Lou Scanlon, Lynn Hamilton and Alan Knobloch

 

Member: Ken Doyle, Classification: Coaching: Performance Development, Proposer: Bill Poirier.

Member: George Thomas, Classification: Law Enforcement – Management, Proposer: Lou Scanlon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary Green awarded Patricia Cowett with the Distinguished New Rotarian Award and Ron Erbetta with the Service Above Self Award.

Gary and Hon. Patricia Cowett

 

Gary and Ron Erbetta

 

Larry Scott addressed the Club. He leaves for Malawi at the end of the week to deliver 2,000 wheelchairs. He conveyed his appreciation for the funds donated by the Club in support of the Wheelchairs for Malawi project and thanked the Club for our leadership in raising $27,500 toward polio eradication. Larry showed a brief video about the upcoming joint conference between Clubs 5340 and 5320 in Laughlin, NV and encouraged Club members to attend.

Announcements

Maureen Eberle encouraged donations for the silent auction.

T.J. Barnes is looking for volunteers on Saturday, April 5, to serve lunch at the Senior Community Center from 11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. at 928 Broadway.  The center serves lunch to seniors living below the poverty level. Sign up with T.J. Barnes or email her at allaboutchanges@cox.net.

Dave Dawson is looking for volunteers to help paint and refurbish a teen center through the Heart To Heart project day on Saturday, April 12.  Meet at Qualcomm Stadium for a group picture, supplies and breakfast at 8:30 a.m.  The project should be finished by 2:00 p.m. Contact Dave Dawson at ddawson@consultant.com. Everyone who signs up is eligible for a drawing for dinner for two at the University Club courtesy of Dave Dawson!

This Week’s Speaker

This week’s speaker was Christopher Blin.  Christopher works with Technology Advocate Group Inc., here in San Diego and was a guest of Rotarian Lee Weekley, the company’s president.  Christopher has visited 81 countries and had work assignments in 12.  His topic was “Surviving an Overseas Assignment in a Third World Country” during which he shared highlights of a driving trip from Cape Town, South Africa to Nairobi, Kenya.  Christopher’s message revolved around the theme, Be Aware but Be Gracious.

Lee Weekley and Christopher Blin

 

Christopher picked-up a number of hitchhikers on his drive and learned their stories.  He met one woman who had 38 siblings.  Amazed, he asked her how that could be possible.  She replied there was one father and 5 wives, each with between 6 and 11 children each.  Still somewhat disbelieving, he asked the woman to name all of the children, which she did.  He noted that they ran out of names so, in some cases, two children share the same name.

At one point, Christopher had two gentlemen in his car and picked-up a third who looked as if he had been in the jungle for some time.  The third passenger was carrying a large machete.  Somewhat concerned, Christopher took the machete and placed it on the floor under his feet.  The other passengers got a “kick” out of this response.

Christopher talked about the deplorable condition of the roads, including potholes large enough for a person to sleep in.  The potholes were large enough to pop two tires at a time. He purchased and changed 10 tires during the 3,000-mile drive.

One evening, while rushing to make a border crossing before it closed for the night, he came across a gentleman limping along the road with an injured toe.  He stopped and picked-up the man, who did not speak much English, but they managed to communicate.  After quite some time, he asked where the man lived. Turns out they had past his home about 20 minutes earlier.  The man so enjoyed driving in a private car that he did not want to get out.  Christopher compared the experience of his passenger riding in a private car with a Westerner to that of one of us driving in a limousine with a rock star.  Not wanting to spend time driving back to the man’s home, Christopher gave him cab fare for the ride.

Christopher shared a story of coming upon a river one day.  He asked a few locals whether it was safe to swim to the other side.  They said yes so he swam across.  The current was rather strong on his return and he was pulled downstream a bit into some reeds.  He pulled himself through the reeds and eventually came out of the water.  Another group of people, who were nearby, asked him why he was in the reeds as that is where the crocodiles congregate.  A chilling reminder to “Be Aware but Be Gracious.

Following a very brief Q & A exchange, Gary thanked our speaker and presented him with the customary “Polio Tees Us Off” coffee mug.

rotaract fundraiser

This is Melissa Stoneham the President of the Downtown Rotaract Club, and next Thursday we are holding our Fundraiser Ace of Hearts.  Just to drum up a little more interest and hopefully support for the evening, we have included information on our event at the following URL: Click Here.  We really appreciate the support of the SD Downtown Breakfast Club, and we thank you immensely! Hope to see you all there!

This Week’s Invocation

In honor of Capt. J. Andrew Ruff, USMC stationed in Kuwait City, graduate of Francis Parker School and the U. S. Naval Academy.  The following passage is from a sermon by John Hagee.

 

I want you to close your eyes and picture in your mind the soldier at Valley Forge as he holds his musket in his bloody hands. He stands barefoot in the snow, scarred from the eternity away from his family surrounded by nothing but death and carnage of war. He stands though, with fire in his eyes and victory on his breath. He looks at us now in anger and disgust and tells us this...

 

I gave you a birthright of freedom in the Constitution and now your children graduate too illiterate to read!

 

I fought in the snow barefoot to give you the freedom to vote and you stay at home because it rains.

 

I left my family destitute to give you the freedom of speech and you remain silent on critical issues because it might be bad for business.

 

I orphaned my children to give you a government to serve you and it has stolen democracy from the people.

 

It's the soldier, not the reporter who gives you the freedom of the press.

 

It's the soldier, not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech.

 

It's the soldier, not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate.

 

It's the soldier, who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag that allows the protestor to burn the flag.

 

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

ProPOSED New Member

The following individual has been proposed as a new member and will be inducted under the classification listed below unless written objection is received by our Club Secretary within ten days of the date of this Bulletin:

Ø      Proposed Member: Susan Bleicher
Proposed Classification: Employment Staffing Services
Proposer: Peter Doody, Mike Jones

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