Our president, Mike Cochran, welcomed everyone to our Rotary Club today and gave a special shout-out to our program directors for a job well done regarding last week’s program. “It was one of our better programs”.

Club news: You are all invited to the Super Bowl party on February 2nd to be held at the Elks Lodge beginning at 3 pm. Good times and fellowship await you. The event is catered and is free to all active paid Rotarians. The plan is to also have free margarita’s available on a first-come, first-served basis. The charge is $25 for attendance excused members or for guests. And don’t forget our upcoming fund raiser, Fullerton’s Got Talent (FGT). Sponsorship forms are available. The success of this event is vital to the club’s ability to continue supporting programs in our community. Our Rotary Club has been very generous in the past and I know that all of you have given to Rotary as well as to other causes that are near and dear to you. Please consider sponsoring at one of the levels set out on the sign-up sheets. Also, our Fullerton Rotary Club is just a few short years away from its 100th year anniversary. We need your help and that of all our friends to continue making the impact that the Rotary Club of Fullerton makes in our community.

Things in our world: In 1797 a James Heatherington, first wore the top hat in England. Apparently when he wore this hat outside, several onlookers assembled creating a certain amount of unruliness to the crowd. Heatherington was summoned to appear before the court and he was fined 50 pounds for going about in a manner calculated to frighten timid people. And in 1863 the Boston Morning Herald of Boston Massachusetts first used wood pulp paper in the U.S. for a printed newspaper. It was a four page 8-column newspaper that sold for three cents per copy. Just slightly larger than today’s Orange County Register.

The pledge today was conducted by Matthew LeBouf and Ken Kaisch gave the invocation. Our guests today included John Koos from the Rotary District, Rob Coghlan, a guest of Robert Pletka; Paul Sanford, brother and guest of our very own Thad Sanford; Bailey Kline, our newest member who is being sponsored by Theresa Harvey and our featured speaker, Kate Zaun, guest of Thad Sanford.

Rotary Announcements: Jim Williams recognized all the Fullerton’s Got Talent directors working hard behind the scenes to make this year’s event a success, which includes Kathy Gach, Dan Ouweleen, Bill Mathy, Bailey Kline, Zoot Velasco, Ferrall Hirsch, and Joe Arnold. Dan Ouweleen gave us all a demonstration of the website and how to vote for our favorite FGT talent. Jim Ripley, standing in for Rick Crane, announced that the club is taking nominations for this years Rotary Community Investment Awards.

Our Recognition Master this day was Carl Camp. Carl had caught Mike Oats telling a fib to John Phelps about who was Recognition Master today. Carl reminded Mike of the Four Way Test in addition to fining him. Carl then fined John Phelps for his Rotary Anniversary of 29 year, but who cares? Bill Mathy was fined for having taken his grandchildren on a South American cruise. Frances Hunter was recognized for her upcoming birthday; Bob Muschek as well who is celebrating his 82nd birthday. Zoot Velasco was recognized for his wife’s birthday as well as having been honored by the YWCA as couple of the year! Bob Jahncke was recognized for having sponsored the most Rotarians. Carl challenged Bob Sattler with a baseball quiz, which Bob hit out of the park, so no fine. Carl also quizzed Dick Mathewson for an easy fine.

Our Program today was presented by past Rotary International Global Grant Scholar, Katherine Zaun. Our clubs sponsorship afforded Katherine the opportunity to travel to the University for Peace in Costa Rica, where she earned her master’s. The University is affiliated with the United Nations. While attending the University of Peace, Katherine focused her studies on restorative justice and human rights by using poetry as a means for communicating and promoting peace within different cultures. Katherine continue to focus her career on building peace programs though speaking and teaching around the world. Katherine will be a featured speaker this Saturday at the Rotary World Peace Conference in Ontario (Southern California) and hoped that our club members could attend. Katherine is very thankful to Rotary for her scholarship as the grant had a significant impact in launching her career. Katherine is also hopeful that one day she will have her own poetry published.

Closing Thoughts: “Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have”. Anonymous. “The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority”. Ralph W. Sockman.

The Rotary club of Fullerton as mentioned earlier will turn 100 years old in two years. The world has changed, and we have all changed. But one thing remains constant and that is the fellowship and the great caring and involvement of Rotarians in the world. Your presence here today is greatly appreciated. Go out and be good people and be even greater Rotarians. You can and do make a difference in the world because that is what Rotarians do. President, Mike Cochran.