SDRotary - Getting Involved

November 19, 2003

This week’s Bulletin was written by Mary Engles

this week’s meeting

On November 20th 2003 some 20 lucky Rotarians boarded two large Cloud 9 buses for an early morning ride to the Market Square Senior Community Center. The morning was clear as a blue topaz and memories of past ski club trips popped into my mind as I climbed up the bus steps and passed seats with kaleidoscopic upholstery. A five minute ride—downtown sure looked different from that high up—and we arrived at Market & 14th St , the site of a beautiful new building with 200 completed senior apartments and numerous senior facilities in the final stages. The Senior Community Center hosted us for breakfast in the open, airy, dining room decorated in Tuscan hues of green and ochre…which coordinated perfectly with Susan’s beautiful ultra suede suit!.

President Frank De Francesco and President-elect Ron Erbetta led us in the pledge of allegiance using Ron’s lapel pin flag. Innovation by Gary Green reminded us to do good anyway--even if Christmas IS coming soon.

We were welcomed to the Senior Community Center (SCC) by Center President Paul Downey, a Rotarian from Club 33. Mr. Downey reminded us that Senior Community Centers, a non-profit organization, serves the 90% of seniors who live at or below the poverty level of $8500/year. Of the 200 residents of the Center, all have incomes of less than ten thousand/year; 75% of the male residents are veterans, 80% of the female residents are widows of veterans or retired government service workers. The Market Square Center, one of four SCC locations in the city hosts nearly five thousand people per day for meals (2 meals offered daily 7/7, some are delivered), social work services, mental health services, basic health care and homeless services for the many seniors evicted by rising rents at rapidly disappearing single room occupancy facilities. The Center collaborates with local medical and mental health care providers who proved free services. The 20 million to build Market Square Center was provided by grants, non-profit tax credits to local businesses, loans and gifts. The Center City Development Corporation provided the land as part of the East Village development area.

The best part of our visit was a tour of the facility, which included a visit to two occupied senior units. The two residents graciously welcomed us and proudly pointed out the plumbed kitchen area, handicapped accessible bathroom and large sunny windows in their respective efficiency units. One resident had an enviable view of the Coronado bridge!

The Market Square Senior Community Center, which opened in August 2003, has an operating budget of 1 million per year and breaks even with a 100K to spare! The Downtown Breakfast Rotary has adopted with Center as its Rotary Centennial Project - details to be decided later!

Back on the bus for our return to Symphony Towers, Bill Poirier, our sergeant at arms, conducted his usual raffle and hit us all up for a small donation for a worthy cause….buying one of our host seniors a TV for her room! Great idea Bill

REMEMBER WE ARE DARK NEXT WEEK…SO HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING.

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: Steve Espino

Ø Proposed Classification: Banking

Ø Proposers: Frank De Francesco/Michael Sisson

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