President Lee Brockett opened the meeting with a mild ringing of the Rotary bell. Invocation was given by Pastor Greg Hickman and as usual it was current and inspiring. The Pledge to our great country and flag was led by Thad Sanford. The opening Song was led by Nissa Newton with “Buffalo Gal won’t You Come Out Tonight” followed by lots of Rotary hand shaking with the “Smiles Song”. The 4-Way Test was given by Michael Mulryan and the Newest Nine led by Will Abbott.

Bob Sattler and Randy McFarland welcomed a quite large number of guests and visitors from other Rotary Clubs. Rotary visitors included James McGrade, Jane Warren and Gail Duchette from Brea Rotary, Charles Burr, PDG of Upland Rotary, Roger McGonegal, PDG of Newport Balboa Rotary, Gene Hernandez, PDG of Chino Rotary and Noel Burch of Montebello Rotary. The designation PDG does not stand for “pretty damn good” but it probably should as it designates Previous District Governor. Fullerton Rotary guests included David Slomonvic, guest of Joe Lins. David says he wants to join Fullerton Rotary. Brett Ackerman, a leader at the Fullerton Boys and Girls Club was a guest of Robert Jahncke. Carol Comeau, a program speaker, and her husband Jim were guests of Fullerton Rotary.

Special guests and honorees were Jim Pugliese of Chevron Oil and Victor Valencia of Sam’s Club who were honored with plaques from Dan Ouweleen for significant contributions to the Jog-A-Thon - Stop Polio Now campaign for last year. Jim Pugliese stated he had first-hand knowledge of the effects of Polio from a time spent in Nigeria for Chevron Oil. He commended Rotary for its efforts in fighting polio. Dan Ouweleen offered any person giving $500 to the Jog-A-Thon a chance at winning a beautiful model of a Boeing 777 plane worth about $700.

J Richey was the Recognition Master and recognized and fined several members including Ken Kaisch, Bill Goetsch, Ron Stock, Jim Thompson, Tom Meyers, Jim Williams, Bob Hathaway, Don Bankhead and Pat McKinley.

Sandy Hayes asked that members sign up again for the Fellowship Lunches. Deborah Sanchez requested help in her director position as Director of Club Fellowship Officer. Those interested in helping at the Rotary Christmas party, as care and comfort person and in hospital visitations, please contact her.

Jay Kremer won the opportunity drawing for the third time in the last month. This time he did pick the Joker card and donated the money to the Jog-A-Thon program. Jay thought this string of luck would work on the California lottery but not so. Thank you Jay.

The program on Rotary International’s fight on polio was led off by Gene Hernandez. Hernandez spent 35 years in police work, retiring as the chief of police of Chino, California. His career started in Fullerton when a young lieutenant Don Bankhead was his leader. (My - time has a way with all of us!!)

Hernandez gave an inspiring talk of the benefits derived from the Rotary Stop Polio Now campaign. In 1985, over 350,000 children worldwide contracted polio. After the Rotary efforts in vaccination of children since 1985, only 192 cases were present in 2012. Some difficulties have arisen with polio vaccination workers being killed by local war lords in third world countries and a slight rebound of polio cases has occurred due to travel of infected persons from an area not completely devoid of polio cases. Polio has been eliminated from all but a few third world countries. Polio infects primarily children under 6-years of age and causes life-long terrible burdens on those who do live. Hernandez gave praise to Bill and Melinda Gates who have donated billions of dollars to the effort. Rotary International has also spent over one billion dollars on the campaign.

Polio survivor Carol Comeau gave a talk on her successful battle with polio. Comeau was infected with Polio at the age of 9 months. At first it was believed that she would be a quadriplegic all her life. With the help of a dedicated mother who spent years in therapeutic exercise of her limbs, she is able to live a normal life except for some left leg problems.

At the close of the meeting, President Lee Brockett mentioned that several years ago, Fullerton Rotary contributed $75,000 to the vaccination and polio prevention of all school children in Puerto Rico.

Words for the week, “We have confused the free with the free and easy”, Adlai Stevenson, Presidential Nominee.

“The big shots are only the little shots who keep on shooting”, Christopher Morley

(Published using 100% recycled electrons)