Rotagram for Wednesday, January 3, 2024

First meeting of the year was called to order by club president Jim Ripley, “I understand there’s now a recall committee being formed by Mr. Jim Williams. A little too late, but I appreciate the effort,” joked President Ripley. “We need to be doing New Year’s resolutions,” said President Ripley. “I was determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise, but that was three days ago when I was younger, so that’s not going to happen.” For his first meeting of the year, Jim Ripley was on fire with the jokes today, “I don’t know if you’ve ever taken a close look at our electricity bill but there’s so many fees. There’s processing fees, accessing fees, transition fees, distribution fees, might as well fees, what are you going to do about it fees, and the what the f fee.”

For our Commencement Ceremonies, Dick Ackerman gave us our Patriotic Moment leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Leslie McCarthy gave us our Invocation, asking us to bow our heads and lead us in prayer, “My Lord, let us channel your inner peace in 2024. Please help us all in resolving the issues across the oceans. May America be great in stepping up with their allies and support. In your name, Amen.”

Our Song Master today was the whole club collectively singing “Smile” the Rotary International song which tells us to push through our sorrows to find a better tomorrow.

President Ripley indulged us with “Jingle Trivia” where he recited famous lines from well known products and members had to recite the rest of the line and guess the product. Example; “My bologna has a first name……” and, “Give me a break, give me a break. Break me off a piece of that….”

There were no guests today.

Minard Duncan took the podium and asked us to pull our wallets out for our Recognition Master/Fine Master segment. First person up was Jon West, who was not present, who was celebrating his 16 year anniversary. Dr. Thad Sandford was recognized for his 12 year Rotary anniversary. Scott Dowds was recognized for his wedding anniversary on January 8th. Dan Ouweleen was recognized for his wife’s Susan Ouweleen’s birthday on January 7th. John Phelps was recognized for his Rotary anniversary on January 15. Dr. Bob Simon was recognized for his spouse, Amy Simon’s birthday on January 20th and their wedding anniversary on January 2nd. After announcing all of the birthdays and anniversaries, Minard played a game of “true or false” with the members in attendance. He read statements that were “kinda screwy” and are not true, members of each table had the opportunity to make the incorrect statement, correct. Questions like, “Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America (incorrect statement),” and each table had to correctly answer the statement. Minard Duncan did an awesome job as Recognition Master, generating money for the club and lots of laughs.

Today’s Announcements: the CIA awards funding is now at $20,629, over the goal of $20k. PETS training is on February 2nd to the 4th, that’s the President training, slots are opened for anyone interested in attending. On Saturday March 16th at Chapman University, District Training Assembly for next year’s leaders, that includes members and newly elected board members. Elections for that will take place on January 17th, please contact Dan Ouweleen for more details. Friendly reminded that next week’s meeting is off site at Fullerton College’s Campus Theater for the “Business in the Digital Age” conference. Business conference starts at 8 am with coffee, scones and networking. 9 am is when the conference starts and at noon is when the lunch will be served. Lunch is already paid for, and after lunch there will be a panel on Social Enterprise. The keynote speaker will be flying in from San Diego and attendees will receive a copy of her book for free as part of the deal. For more details on the event, please visit www.hornetscholars.com or contact Zoom Velasco. Fullerton Uncorked returns May 4, 2024, at the Fullerton YMCA from 5-9 pm. Volunteers are needed to join committee or group to work the event the day of. Also, for those interested in joining the Fullerton Rotary Club Board, there will be two meetings that are required to attend. Anyone interested, please contact Cathy Gach. Longtime member of our club, Dean Heiser and wife Verlaine, has passed away on December 3 in the morning. Service for both took place on Saturday January 6, 2024, at Fair Haven Memorial in Santa Ana.

Today’s Program at Hand, our own nonprofit members talk about their organizations they represent. The podium and the microphone were shared for 7 minutes each by the likes of Jordan Garcia, who represents the Fullerton YMCA, Francis Hunter who represents Little Eagle Free, and Matt Howells who represents Tara’s Chance. Jordan Garcia is the executive director with Fullerton YMCA, an organization with a purpose to strengthen communities through programs committed to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibilities. Jordan thanked Jim Williams for putting today’s program together and shared a story about a community Christmas event involving a minor that had never had a Christmas to celebrate, “he, Jeremiah, looked up to me and said, ‘I’m having the best day ever!’” Jordan takes pride in his job and realized the impact his organization has on our community. In 2023, the Fullerton YMCA was able to award $772,000 in financial assistance to over 290 families through year-round fundraising. In September, the YMCA hosts their main event through the support of the Rotary Club of Fullerton, and this past September, they were able to host 300 guest and raise $46,000 that went directly to our childcare families. In addition, their annual fundraising campaign was able to reach $72,000 and all that money goes straight into the community. “It goes straight to our families in the form of financial assistance so that they could participate in services like childcare, membership at the Y, or to participate in any of the programs we offer.” In the past, the YMCA was more focused on free community initiatives out in the community outside of the YMCA, “we hosted a safety around Water Day. We hosted this for over 80 kids from the Maple Elementary School. We were able to get them into a pool, teach them essential water service skills. We were able to give them free lunch and bus them in and out from their school to our site and back.” For Christmas, they were able to get 60 kid’s gifts, and they also work directly with Angel Tree, a program which specifically benefits Children who have family members from incarcerated families. For 2024, Jordan says that he and his team are committed to continue to have an impact in our community by expanding current initiatives and by creating different partnerships in the community so that they can serve it better. In January, they will be hosting something called Healthy Living Series, weekly workshops to teach youth essential wellness related skills, whether that’s physical wellness, social mental or emotional wellness. Of course, the Fullerton YMCA is hosting Fullerton Uncorked. Jordan shared one more story to finish off his time.

Next up was Matt Howells from Tara’s Chance. Tara’s Chance is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the physical, cognitive, and social well-being of those with special needs through equine assisted activities and therapies. A place where therapy feels like play. Matt shared a few accomplishments from 2023 and shared what 2024 has in store for Tara’s Chance. His end of the year campaign, Get the Gift of Riding, was a success. He shared a story about Isabella, who started Equine Riding Therapy 11 years ago when she was 3. Because of her Spinal Muscular Atrophy, it causes Isabella complications with breathing, bone health, and of course muscle growth. Through riding, she was able to strengthen her muscles, her spine, and core muscles, defying the doctor’s original predictions. “One of my main goals for her was that horse therapy would help her spine stay strong enough and slow her scoliosis to avoid spinal surgery until she was done growing because of the lack of muscles.” According to Matt, the majority of the children have growing rods placed and when done growing, permanent rods are placed. “Once they finish growing, both surgeries are extremely taxing on the child and difficult to perform.” Isabella has been over-performing in her therapy, meeting her goals, and having successful spinal fusion surgery without any major complications. “Horse therapy was a huge contributing factor to her good health and helped her be in a small percentage of kids who are able to have only one spinal fusion surgery.” Matt is beyond grateful for the results that Equine therapy has done for Isabella. In 2023, Tara’s Chance served 85 children on a weekly basis, they provided over 2500 hours of individualized equestrian therapy. They added 4 new horses to the herd, there’s Cody, Gypsy, Taffy, Blackjack, and Sierra. Each horse has a size and build specific for each individual rider’s condition. Tara’s Chance has 12 staff members and 40 active volunteers on a weekly basis, with 96 children on an over two-year waiting list. “More staff and volunteers, more horses, and larger facilities. Those are really our three hindering barriers to growth.” The plan for 2024; the staff, board of directors, and community have put together a plan on how to alleviate those three hindrances and add growth with the goal of getting to 165 riders after 3 years. “Increasing program capacity to 165 children, adding new programs and improving the way that we work with children, and improving our facilities, those are our three main pillars of that plan.” Increasing awareness and increasing organizational revenue and fundraising are the ways that Tara’s Chance will get to those pillars. As we speak, Matt is working with the city of Fullerton, alongside Daniel Stewart, to try and develop their property to its full capacity. Matt thanked everyone involved with Tara’s Chance the last couple of years and is looking forward to continuing working with our club and all of the community. Quick plug, Tara’s Chance will hold their next fundraiser, The Ryan Nolan Memorial golf tournament on May 6th.

Finally, Francis Hunter, President of Little Eagle Free, an organization dedicated to assist American Indians in working together to develop productive lives through educational programs and to inform the public about American Indian traditions and culture. Francis began Little Eagle Free in 1996, she remembers the troubles the Bureau of Indian Affairs gave her at first but was able to become official in 1996. Francis, first off, thanked the club for having her and all of the support the club has given her over the years, “my heart is filled with the blessings that you’ve given us.” She gave special shout outs to two professors, Dr. Paul at Chapman University, who is a expert in Indian Studies. The other professor was Cal State Fullerton’s professor Barbara Stone, who told Francis that Indian education will never be equal. Her center helps Native American students get the support they need, like access to Indian scholarships and resources to provide first generation college attendees and also be there for them when they need help. Francis shared a story of a student that her organization helped put through medical school. “Even into her residency, we were there. She is now a full physician, and she works in Los Angeles.” This same student also volunteers in Arizona for Indian Health Services working alongside the reservation. Little Eagle Free has helped students graduate as attorneys from UCLA, “one was a very beautiful girl from Alaska with real long hair. The other followed in her footsteps and graduated from UCLA and helps them with their indigenous programs. Right now, Little Eagle Free has a student enrolled at UCLA who will graduate in spring. Francis and Little Eagle Free have put many Native American students through college by offering them scholarships for the last 28 years, and Francis hopes to continue for the next 300 years. She thanked everyone who has been involved directly and indirectly with her organization and all the student success. To end the program, President Ripley thanked all the speakers, “it’s great hearing what your organization are all about and I know fellows including us have been more than pleased to support you all.” Update, January 24th is the dedication to the Fullerton Rotary Clock over at the Fullerton Plaza. Please save the date!

Last thing on the agenda was the 50/50 drawing worth $23. Lucky ticket holder ending in 4823 wins the money! Congratulations to Dr. Bob Simon! “So, reminder again, we will not be here next week for our meeting. We will meet at Fullerton College. Happy New Year, have a wonderful week.”