48 days until the Rose Bowl

President Mike called us to order and was followed by Dale Schumacher, who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Three a cappella Docs led the singing (PDG Jim Young, Past Prez Bill Peloquin, and never was Jim Blackburn) an experienced trio con brio. Mark McGee shared a fine thought for the day regarding the three Ps of customer service.

After allowing 15 minutes for actual eating- Winston Creel introduced our myriad guests and visitors. Visiting Rotarians: Jay Crawford, Oceanside; Bob Engen, Santa Ana North; Aubrey Le Bard, La Habra; and Tom Ortiz, Yorba Linda Sunrise

Guests: Janie Noppe (Lee Brockett); Denise Higuchi (Frank Kawase) Denise will be participating in the Group Study Exchange to Paris, France; Sara Burns; Marc Friedman

Announcements

* Ronnie Hewett:Thanks and we are moving to 1000 Oaks. We will miss you. You add southern class to a largely unpolished membership.
* Boys/Girls Club, YMCA, Assistance League and FCLO will be beneficiaries of Annual Concert - Tom Meyer (Tom did not tell a joke!!!)
* Water Forum 11/14 - John Kunau
* Poker Tournament 11/16 - Jim McKamy
* Fellowship Luncheons - Joyce Capelle
* Santa Ana North's Antique cars, radios, telephones and Rotarians 11/16
* Collaboration with Oceanside re orphanage near Ensenada - Claude Jones
* Results of Brawny Man Contest - Jo Brannock (Nate Kvetny did not win!)

* We won second place in donations in RID 5320 Outstanding!!!! - Bill Peloquin

* Pot Pass to be raffled next week - President Mike

Raffle and Recognitions

Warren Wimer had the winning ticket, but picked a chip that brought him only one half the never increasing pot.

Judge Jim Williams recognized the following: Dick Mathewson spousal birthday (reservations at multiple restaurants); Jim Blake and Leroy Fulton personal birthdays (big numbers here!); 227th USMC birthday and Pearl Harbor- John Phelps, Al Triay, Bob Engemann and Don Mlodzik; Ronnie Hewett $150,000 net for B/G auction

Up from the Depths

Ray Hansen and Sara Burns introduced Tom Jones as the provider of the program. Mr. Jones is a world champion professional fighter in one of the martial arts and he spends a great deal of time and effort raising money to support abused children.

His interest in abused children comes from his own experience of coming from a home where there was much violence, mental illness, etc. His parents lacked the skills needed to be appropriate parents. Removal by the authorities from his family of origin brought little, if any, improvement. The state-sponsored children's home only brought him a different kind of abuse, and he learned only violence, silence and criminality.

With no education and only fighting as a skill, Jones joined the Marines (no comment here re. the USMC) and became a professional fighter after his discharge. That brought the good life but later chemical dependence. He is "clean" now and has a family. He does sponsored running, e.g. many consecutive marathons, etc. all for the purpose of raising money for a foundation that provides support to abused children and their care givers.

Tom impressed us with the consequences of helping abused children as well as the even more serious consequences of not helping abused children. Abused children often become abusers and otherwise violent persons, i.e. they lack the tools and skills needed to do otherwise.