Past President Dan Ouweleen had 15 minutes to prepare to lead today’s meeting due to President Dan Cochran car troubles. Jim Ripley handled pledge duties by having all club member USA Veterans step up to the front of the room to lots of appreciative applause. The Veterans themselves led us in The Pledge.

Guests included Edward Clark, guest of Christian Esteban, Kerry, wife of John Phelps, Wilma, wife of Bill Peloquin, Willa, wife of Jim Vanderburg and Zoot Velasco hosted Rillea Pax and Ernesto Delfin.

	Our "Got Talent Team" hard at work.

Rotary Announcements
Club announcements- Past President Joe Arnold gave us a heads up that our second annual “Fullerton’s Got Talent” show will be Sunday Feb. 23, 2020. Last year was lots of fun so this should be too! Christian Esteban reminded us that local non-profits are to have a talent act represent them in the show, so we need to be sure that the non-profit organizations start scouting for talent to enter into the show!

Dan Ouweleen presented members who have earned points beyond the original Paul Harris pin.

Joyce Capelle earned plus 3&4, Kim Barlow is plus 2&3, Jon West is 647 and mentioned that fighting polio is dear to his heart as his mother passed due to Polio. Dan Ouweleen is plus 4. Dan has records for everyone in case you want to know.

Next week’s program will be an update on our club projects, programs and activities. Be sure to attend!

Pastor Greg Hickman announced and passed around a sign up list for greeters for our upcoming meetings.

Community announcements-

The 15th annual Fullerton Women’s Leadership Forum this evening will feature fellow Rotary Club member Susan Ouweleen as the Keynote speaker and award winner. We were amazed at her story at our own club meeting a few weeks ago and she will share a short version at the Forum tonight. We are so proud of you, Susan and from the “can do” and “make it happen” we see you demonstrate all the time, we can affirm you are a well-deserving recipient!

Recognitions

Past president Raco recognized birthdays of Joyce Capelle and past president Jim Vanderburg and Jim Mathewson’s wife’s Jane’s Birthdays. Past president Scott Dowds cited an article mentioning the astute efforts of our own Kim Barlow representing the city of Fullerton in a recent legal case!

John Phelps acted as a chauffeur at a fundraiser at his home yesterday and a picture served as evidence! Christian Esteban’s guest Eddie Clarke was recognized by Raco, remembering him as an “energetic kid” when he attended the Boy’s and Girls Club several years ago.

Drawing

Jeff Hutchinson number was drawn and he won because he remembered that our club has 85 Paul Harris Fellows! Way to pay attention, Jeff!

Program

Zoot Velasco started by sharing his first few impressions of Rotary and that he was encouraged to join, like when he was spearheading the building of cultural centers in San Pedro. He didn’t join Rotary until after he came to speak at our club at Hope International University as director of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center. Our deceased member Jim Young used to do a tribute to Paul Harris and raise significant funds for the Rotary Foundation . A few years after Jim passed away, Zoot continued sharing the history of the early days of Rotary under founder Paul Harris. Zoot has visited 40 clubs in California.

Paul Harris was born in 1868. He had a sorted childhood due largely to his father being in trouble and having to move around. He lived with his grandparents who gave him a more stable life. He was accepted to and was expelled from a couple of colleges. He did receive his law degree and then follows a 5 year plan to see the world. He was in San Francisco during the gold rush, was a reporter in Denver, Colorado, a cowboy , actor and attended the Columbia Exposition (which became the Worlds’ Fair), was in the head stone business in New York and Chicago and stayed there and became a lawyer in debt collection. He went into a funk and visited his grandfather in Vermont who encouraged him.

He started the firs rotary club in Chicago wanting to have a group of good men in difference vocations have meetings that rotated from home to home and do projects that benefitted the community. The first project was installing comfort stations (restrooms) at city call in Chicago. The first club outside the US was started in Canada in 1910. Due to an extra $26.50 excess funds from a meeting, the Rotary Foundation was started in 1916. Women were in some Rotary clubs until it became a men only organization in 1921. By 1924 there were 1700 clubs in 31 countries. In 1989, the charter was updated to allow women again.

Thanks Zoot for your entertaining presentation sharing the early history of Rotary and for wearing the traditional convention outfit with straw hat and all!