Rotagram for Wednesday, Aug 14, 2024

President Cathy Gach brought today’s meeting to order. Jeff Hutchison gave today’s invocation and Rick Crane lead the club with the pledge of allegiance. John Caffrey, the new principal of Fullerton High School was our guest today.

Rotary Projects around the World. President Gach shared an interesting project from a Rotary club out of Italy. Each year the Rotary club of Miramondo Abbazia dedicates a metal to a charity in honor of the late Ambrogio Locatelli, one of its charter members. Recently the club honored the charity, Rise Against Hunger. The club gathered 140 Rotarians, family members and friends to assemble seventeen thousand meals for a school in Zimbabwe. The volunteers sorted and weighed rice, soy, and dried vegetable and packed them into bags, which were boxed along with drawing and notes from local children. The effort, which cost about $9,000, was funded by Rotarians and the Locatelli family. Rise Against Hunger has centers all over the world to include one office in Santa Ana. President Gach told the club this is a project we are considering doing in the spring.

Announcements for today: David Gillanders announced that Pathways of Hope will be presenting their annual “Look Who’s Dancing” fund raiser on Saturday, October 5th at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center. Farrel Hirsh will be one of the judges. Leslie McCarthy thanked everyone on behalf of her husband, Kevin McCarthy, for the get-well card from the club. Leslie also announced that the fellowship “fun” committee will be meeting on September 12th at 5:30 at the McCarthy’s home to begin planning our holiday party. Cathy Gach announced that there are three tickets remaining for the upcoming Angel game on September 1st and to reach out to Howard Minkley if you are interested in purchasing a ticket. Howard requested paper tickets, so we don’t have to download a ticket app on our phones. President Gach also announced that fellow member, Jim Thompson will be donating $12k to help cover the cost of our Top 100 and track meet events this year to include a “service above self” scholarship for one student from Sunny Hills High School and for one student from Fullerton High School.

Jim Ripley was today’s recognition master today. Jim recognized Johny Hong for his upcoming birthday on August 19th and George Lowe, who was not in attendance, for his birthday today. Craig Weinreich, who was not in attendance, will be sharing a wedding anniversary with his wife Nicole today, and Jim and Sally Williams were recognized for their wedding anniversary of 53 years today. Pat Hartnett paid their fine. Jim Ripley also announced that he is sharing his wedding anniversary of 37 years with his wife, Karen, on the 15th. Jim also self-fined for a brag for his daughter, Katelyn, who has been volunteering for three years at Tara’s Chance, and who was recently offered a paid position as the organizations volunteer coordinator, so Katelyn is now off mom and dad’s payroll and now on Matt Howell’s payroll. Thank you, Matt.

Proposed New Members:
	Douglas Yost, CEO Critenton, by Beverly Berryman Beth Jahncke, Teacher, by Robert Jahncke Jon Caffrey, Principal FUHS, by Cathy Gach Jeanie Stockwell, Honorary Member Dustin Cole, CRM Technology, by John Hong William Young Ho Min, Real Estate Finance, by Lana Erlanson

President Gach introduced today’s speaker, fellow member Jin Sung, who gave her newest nine craft talk today. Jin joined our club last year and is a Korean American who came to the United States in 1992. Jin is married and raised her two children here in Fullerton. Dan Ouweleen introduced Jin to Rotary and was her sponsor. Jin shared a video about her organization, OASIS Center International, which celebrates 11 years of inspiring youth through the Arts. Post pandemic, the organization can reach children online as well as in person. Jin’s early career was based in the auto industry, having worked for Kia Motors and Volvo and later worked in advertising for a large marketing firm that catered to the auto industry. Jin explained that there was a day in her life when she realized that she was not fulfilling her life passion and felt there must be more in life to experience and ways to serve the community. That was when Jin realized that the public school system, due to budget restraints, was lacking in providing art programs to students and felt the desire to create an organization to help the public-school systems. In addition to Jin’s many responsibilities with OASIS, Jin is also a pastor of a local church.

President Gach thanked Jin and presented her with the children’s books that will be donated in Jin’s and the club’s behalf to the Hunt Library. Jin also assisted President Gach with the 50/50 drawing, and member Minard Duncan was today’s lucky winner.

President Gach led the club in reciting the four-way-test before bringing today’s meeting to its conclusion.

(published using 100% recycled electrons)

8/14/24	New Member Craft Talk Jin Sung Tells us of her Mission to bring Opportunities in the Arts to our Youth.
8/21//24	Orange County Groundwater Basin John Kennedy, General Manager, OC Water District
8/28/24	The History and Future of California Agriculture A G Kawaramura, Former Secretary of CA Dept of Agriculture
9/1/24*	Rotary Fellowship Baseball - Angels Stadium
9/4/24	Association of California Cities Orange County President Stephanie Klopfenstein shares Cities Challenges and Solutions
9/11/24	New Member Craft Talk Matt Reekstin Explains How to Care for Your Core
9/18/24	Orange County Tax Payers Association Sara Catalin, President
9/25/24	Fukui Youth Exchange - Team Welcome Home & Report Joint Meeting with Sunrise Rotary
10/2/24	Upcoming Elections Analysis & Forecast Retired State Senator Jim Brulte Comments on Upcoming Elections
10/9/24	Fullerton School District Bond Issue School District Superintendent Robert Pletka Addresses the Needs and Scope
10/16/24	Battle of the Greatest Rotary Finemasters of All Time We bring the Best of the Best back to fight for the Crown
10/23/24	New Member Craft Talk Lana Earlanson - Radiently Lights up the Room
10/30/24	Rotary Club Dark at Noon We are off - Trick or Treating - Happy Halloween
11/06/24	CSUF Annual Economic Analysis and Report Professor Mira Farka Shares the Economic Data and their conclusions