Rotagram - Meeting Notes and Club News Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Volume 68, Issue 4 Rota-Scribe: Keith Mills

OUR LUNCH:

Today’s luncheon menu included a gooey main dish called Lasagna which, I take it, is Italian for “Melted Cheese with Meat Bits.” The caterer wisely did not trust the clientele to serve themselves, and so the Maitre‘d served each of us individually. Tasted good, though, and the roast potato wedges were nicely browned and crisp. We enjoyed the tasty dessert tarts with our coffee, until we were . . .

CALLED TO ORDER:

The Rotary bell gonged louder than usual: the effect of placing a microphone next to it. This is evidently another innovation from our new President, Police Chief Pat McKinley, designed to “shape us up.” The procedure probably isn’t necessary to get our attention, though. Like Pavlovian pooches, we’re accustomed to responding to the bell alone.
As the Prez called the meeting to order for the first time since July 2nd, some member with a short memory called out, “Who’s that?” To which el Jefe responded, “There’ll be no whining about my absences!” (He’d been missing for two weeks.) Actually, it sounded less like whining and more like ribbing.
The President then opened the meeting by announcing that this club has the honor of being the Home Club to Commander Buck Catlin (USN Ret) WWII submarine skipper, retired Fullerton College professor, and former Mayor of Fullerton. We learned more at Recognition Time when Warren Wimer announced that it was Buck’s 90th birthday today, whereupon everyone broke out in singing “Happy Birthday.”
But I’m getting ahead of my story. First came . . .

THE OPENING EXERCISES:

The Pledge of Allegiance was ably led by Randy Mc Farland, followed by the Howard Wood Choral Ensemble singing “Meet Me in St. Louis.”
There was some giggling over the “hoochie kootchie” and tootsie wootsie” lines. Afterward our Police Chief admonished Mr. Wood to be more circumspect in his song selection in the future and avoid any such suggestive references. But before that we’d all belted out “Smile” with more than the usual gusto. Some members actually did smile.
Rev. John Derry offered the opening prayer stressing the strong connection between the founding of our nation and faith in the Divine.

ANY VISITORS AND GUESTS?

Capt. Geoff Spalding turned up the one guest: Bob Radde’s wife, Gloria. Welcome to our gang, Gloria! Capt. Geoff then asked if there were any other visitors, whereupon ever-present wag, Ken Kaisch, stood to introduce his guest, the Fullerton Police Chief, Pat McKinley!

THERE WERE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS . . .

Sandy Hayes said that she had prepared the assignment sheets for the Fellowship Luncheons and put them on the table by the door, arranged alphabetically by name; she asked us each to pick up our sheet on the way out. If your name is in bold you are the group coordinator. Get busy and organize your group!
Town Crier, Joyce Cappelle announced that Congressman Ed Royce will be speaking at the breakfast meeting of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce at Coyote Hills Golf Course on Wednesday, August 20th at 7:30 am. He will report on what’s happening in Washington DC. The charge for the event is $25.00.
This Friday, July 25 at 8:00 pm will be another free “Friday Night at the Movies” at Christian Life Center, 404 N. Wilshire in Fullerton. The feature this week is “Because of Winn-Dixie” starring Jeff Daniels and Cicely Tyson. Free popcorn and soda pop!

. . . AND A BUNCH OF RECOGNITIONS:

Warren Wimer took the rostrum as Recognitions Master. After congratulating the aforementioned Cmdr. Buck Catlin for his 90 years residence on the planet, he went through a list of birthday and anniversary celebrants, most of whom were not in attendance, and therefore could not drop any dollar bills into Randy McFarland’s outstretched butterfly net. Those who were at the meeting included Sunny Hills High Principal, Ed Atkinson, who is celebrating an anniversary with his wife, Lisa. Blake Smith is also celebrating an anniversary but is doing it in hospital; Jim Williams announced that Blake will be back soon. Bob Bean is also having a birthday in a couple of days and requested “no singing.” We obliged. Other Rotarian birthday celebrants included Dan Ouwelleen, Bill Heaton, and Dick Glaus.
Ed Little and Jay Kremer, who are both celebrating Spouse Birthdays, were reported absent, as was Jim Thompson, who is enjoying an Anniversary with the lovely Mary Jane. After the Birthday/Anniversary routine, came the specialty fines: the ones everybody waits for.
Dr. Les Christensen and Randy McFarland were cited as future in-laws. “Doc Cee” is happily engaged to marry the widowed Mrs. McFarland as soon as matters can be arranged. We wish them every happiness, having grieved with the good Doctor when we attended his wife’s memorial.
John Phelps recently returned from hiking through Portugal, giving his new hip joint a good workout.
Warren then returned to the subject of Chief McKinley and his two-week truancy. Earlier Prez Pat had said, “If you want a Police Chief for President you have to expect some absences.” We naturally assumed he meant that he would have to be away chasing down miscreants and performing other crime-fighting duties. But when Attorney Wimer asked the Chief right out where he’d been the past two weeks, the truant officer replied, “Fiji.” Did he say Fiji?! Any dangerous bank robbers holed up in Fiji?! Both Terri Grassi and Joyce Cappelle were cited for the excellent job they did of substituting for Pat the past two weeks: each, in effect, replayed briefly her own recent presidency.
Finally came the recognitions for the winners of last week’s humor awards. Nate Kvetny won the third place Mike Oates Award and paid a 3 dollar fine; Drew Napolin who had been given the second place Nate Kvetny Award for his Bullwinkle imitation, was absent; Minard Duncan who won the first place Jack Hayes Award was fined one dollar. City Councilman and former law-enforcement professional, Don Bankhead protested the 2nd place award to Drew Napolin, claiming it had been won instead by his fellow City Council Colleague and Mayor-Pro-Tem, Dr. Dick Jones. Don was fined $5 for pointing out the alleged “error” and Wimer promptly announced that the second place winner was Dr. Jones after all, and fined him the $2 that Napolin would have paid. That was certainly a profitable exercise! Another profitable exercise was . . .

THE RAFFLE:

It took only three drawings to find a ticket with a live person attached. The lucky ticket-holder was Bob Sattler who, with eyes averted, picked out a 45 rpm record from the famous Fred Johnson collection. Bob and his designated expert awaited breathlessly the playing of the “mystery tune.” Would they be able to guess the title, or the artist? Then, over the speaker we heard:

Everyone recognized the unmistakable and unique Little Richard! As for the title: when it’s the first (and practically only) line in the song, it’s not too hard to guess. Bob won.
After all the hilarity, it was time for something serious, like . . .

THE PROGRAM:

Today’s speaker was, appropriately, introduced by President Chief McKinley himself. It was Mrs. Sharon Quirk a member of City Council since 2004 who is currently serving as our Mayor. (Would it be politically incorrect to observe that she is by far the best looking Fullerton Mayor that I’ve seen in some time?) A graduate of Fullerton High she also has degrees from Cal State Fullerton (yay!) and UCLA. Undaunted by problems with the microphone, she launched into a report on the condition of the City of Fullerton today.
Starting with fiscal matters, she was able to give the good news that the city is in the best financial condition that it has enjoyed in many years. She warned that State Government might try to “borrow” some of those city funds, but she has asked our State Senator, Dick Ackerman (a Past President of Fullerton South Rotary and former Fullerton City Councilman), to help stave off such a money grab by Ahnold and his greedy mob. She also discussed the progress in downtown development, and the positive changes she has witnessed. She talked about visiting new restaurants and yogurt shops.
Much emphasis is being made in marketing Fullerton as the “Education City,” considering the large numbers of students and faculty inhabiting Fullerton and its environs. Since CSUF (yay!) and Fullerton College are such important employers, Fullerton has enjoyed a degree of economic stability not found in other cities. She said that she was so happy to hear a local high school student tell her that he thought Fullerton had to be “The Coolest City in America.”
New initiatives in waste handling are being mandated by the city. Soon, homeowners will be putting out three trash cans: one for general trash, one for recyclables, and one for green waste that can be turned into mulch. This is part of an overall conservation plan that also regulates water usage (no watering during the heat of the day). “Flushless” toilets were also mentioned—briefly.
The Mayor regularly does “walk-arounds” in different neighborhoods, and is impressed by the diversity of the community. Gang problems that are unknown in north Fullerton are a persistent problem in the southwestern corner of the city, for instance, and there are currently around 500 homes facing foreclosure. One of the problems with foreclosed homes is that when they become vacant their yards and pools are neglected. A neglected swimming pool becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This is particularly disturbing when we have cases of West Nile virus rampant in Southern California.
The new, streamlined scheduling of meetings introduced by our efficiency-minded Chief left the program speaker with time enough to make her entire presentation and still have time left for questions, most of which she answered. Just one, about County Supervisor (and former Fullerton City Councilman) Chris Norby, was met with embarrassed silence. And that was . . .

THE END