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Rotary Wheel
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
     
Volume 68, Issue 35 Rota-Scribe: Warren Wimer

Preliminaries

          Prez Pat opened with a special welcoming recognition of Past Prez Wally Bartelt, District Governor Roger McGonegal and Past District Governor John Brainerd.

          The pledge was led by Diane Masseth-Jones with invocation by John Kerry. A void of song leadership [Howard Woods – we need you] was stridently evident after several attempts at a tribute to St. Patrick’s Day was thankfully aborted and we swung with gusto into “Smile”.  The effusive Zoot, admitting maternal Irishness (who knew?) again introduced the DG and PDG; and guests Michelle Markham (honored by Irene Lange) and Anthony Guinn (honored by an absent Mike Salyards).

Things We Need to Know

Rick Crane announced:

Concert Tickets are for sale from Kimberly and Winston,
Concert VIP Tables available from Rick Price,
Posters available to advertise Concert from Randy,
CSUF Titans/Rotary Baseball Game – Save the Date, Tuesday, April 21

Kathy announced:
Group Study Exchange (GSE) – Sign up to host a Bavarian Rotary exchange guest, April 10th to 13th; endorsed strongly as a great experience by Dick Mathewson.

Mark Geiss announced:

High School Track Meet – Can use more help on the morning of Saturday, March 21st at the Rotary sponsored intra-Fullerton high school track meet that will be held at Troy.  This is a fun – fellowship filled - hands on activity.  Sign up!

Dick Mathewson announced:

Fifteen boxes of science books were delivered under the Reading by 9 project that our Club has actively sponsored and promoted for many years.  The $1,500 invested into this program accrues directly to supplement the capabilities of our local Fullerton schools to deliver a quality product in the budget constrained environment in which they are operating.

Deborah Sanchez passed up many longer term Newest Nine committee members with the removal of her blue ribbon.  Congrats!

Allyn Lean did a jump shift to DG Roger McGonegal and PDG John Brainerd to promote:

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 5320
DISTRICT CONFERENCE
MAR 27-29, 2009
HYATT REGENCY NEWPORT BEACH
1107 JAMBOREE ROAD, NEWPORT BEACH

On Friday night our club will be co-hosting, with Fullerton Sunrise and Fullerton South, a hospitality suite.  Join the McKinleys, Peloquins, Joyce Capelle and other members of the Fullerton Rotary Club by registering for part or all of the Conference at www.rotary5320.org/March2729DistrictConference/tabid/124/Default.aspx 

 

Recognitions

          Winston Creel started slow, with potential victims Mark McGee, John Christiansen, Marty Burbank and Mark Zane among the missing, but he finished strong by netting bucks from:  Vimal Seth (Rita’s birthday); Ray Hansen (53rd anniversary); Bob Jahncke (for Mardi Gras credentials); and a lot of USC alums for lack of basketball prowess [he pointedly made no mention of football].

Raffle

          Winning ticket went to Wally Bartelt, who with help from his friends, identified Peter Graves as the brother of James Arness.  In recognition of the assistance, Wally immediately donated his winnings to the Fullerton Rotary Foundation,.

Program

          Today’s program was a Senior Craft Talk (Warren Wimer) and a Newest Nine Craft Talk (Jay Milam). 

          Warren focused on the cross road “What ifs” that shaped, often randomly, the first 69 years of his life.  He closed by relating how, in 1974, a young CPA honored him by introducing and sponsoring his membership into this Club.   Warren’s point was that if Rotary is meaningful to you, it is a great way to honor a friend, a business acquaintance or any person that you think highly of – as Dave Bates did with him.

          Jay traced his journey from being raised as LDS to ordination as a Deacon in the Catholic Church in 1990.  With moving anecdotes of baptizing his parents and his obvious devotion to Cecilia, an inspirational wife and teacher, Jay’s life has truly been one of “service above self”.  Jay, who worked as a banker for almost 30 years before devoting full time to the Church, is finally a Rotarian thanks to his being honored by Prez Pat McKinley with sponsorship into the Rotary Club of Fullerton.  After 35 years, Kiwanis loss is our gain!

Closing

          Reminding us that the baseball is almost upon us, Prez Pat closed with a Yogi quote:  “The game is 90% mental – the other 50% is physical.”  With that deep thought, meeting adjourned.

3/18 Trains - Trains across America. A description of America's Love of Trains from Years ago to the Present, by Carl Morrison
3/25 Conquering Mount Ranier by Bob Hillhouse describing his mountain climbing adventures.
4/1 Status of Fullerton Elementary Schools by Mitch Hovey
3/21 High School Track Meet at Troy High School - Set up at 8am, Meet at 9am-12:30