Volume XIX
Number 35

Tuesday
Nov. 18, 2003

KATHLEEN PATTERSON PRESIDES
By Polly Keegan

Kathleen Patterson presided on November 11^th in the absence of Phil Toohey who is in Katmandu delivering 580 wheelchairs.

Announcements:

Elaine John recapped the Foundation Dinner and hoedown held on November 8 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. She and Kathy Patterson worked hard to identify all the raffle tickets so that a possible Rotary winner could by found, and he was. Elaine presented Jeff Epps with a very fine pair of earrings and she personally pinned them to his ear. Steve and Barbara Yost, John and Joan Sales, Jerry and Inge McQuiddy donned cowboy gear and enjoyed the square dancing, buffet dinner and generally rowdy evening.

Andy Bartlett read a note from Anne Lise, last year's exchange student from Belgium. She's enjoying eating her country food, she misses the Rotarians terribly, and she can't believe Arnold is governor!

Among the guests introduced were two beautiful young people - Linda Beard-Delucchi's daughter, and Diane Bylund's niece.

Our annual Christmas Party is set for December 11th!

Bob Wandel expressed his profound appreciation for the Rotary award that he received last meeting. He is moving to Denver next week, and although he will connect with the Rotary there, he feels he will never find another Rotary as amiable and as generous as St. Helena. He said the hearts in this town are much larger than those found anywhere else, and he will miss this group immensely.

The raffle-drawing winner was Natalie Klug. No luck!

Kathleen Patterson Presides -- Continued ...
 

The raffle-drawing winner was Natalie Klug. No luck!

Joel Toller

Joel Toller was the fine master this week but he turned his time over a presentation by the Women's Opportunity Fund people. However, he did allow a bellringer from Rex Stults who announced that shoplifters were invading St. Helena recently and the Chamber of Commerce helped the police to find and arrest them.

Women's Opportunity Fund and the Sale of Poinsettias

Joel introduce Lois and Anita who described the Women's Opportunity Fund, an organization that establishes bank trusts around the world to support loans to women who are quite poor, often illiterate and have no other resources. Each bank trust requires $12,000 to allocate among at least 20 women in a geographic community. These women sign the loans for each other and generally support and help each other to ensure that all loans are repaid. To raise funds, Lois and Anita are selling Poinsettias provided by the Cottage Garden Nursery. Order forms were passed out to our members. Call 963-2839 for more info.

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Past District Governor Mike Merrill

Mike Merrill, from Santa Rosa West, District Governor 1999-2000, spent a few minutes needling some of our Rotarians, but then proceeded to discuss the very core function of worldwide Rotary, the support of humanitarian projects, worldwide peace and understanding via the International Rotary Foundation. He said, today on November 11, Veteran's Day, he has memories of his own tour of duty in the Marine Corps. The Marines celebrate the concept of "We" rather that "I", and that is the very same ideal of the Rotary.

Why do members contribute to the Rotary Foundation?

We contribute because we change lives all over the world, and in the process we change ourselves. Ask Phil Toohey if he is the same person when he returns from his Nepal visit delivering wheelchairs. Ask Jay Scheideman when he returns from Nicaragua after laying the groundwork for the next project. St. Helena Rotary alone achieved $18,000 in matching grants last year. The Rotary has immunized 139,000,000 children in India in one day, it has provided an underprivileged community in Guadalajara with resources to help make them self-sufficient, and it has eradicated polio. It was suggested that each of us read an article about the Rotary Foundation in the current issue of Rotarian.

The goal of the Rotary Fund is $1B by 2005, the 100^th anniversary of Rotary. Giving $1,000 bestows membership in the (bequest) Society. Rotarians can become benefactors by making a bequest in their wills, or in a trust, or even an insurance policy.

PRESIDENT PHIL IS OFF TO KATMANDU!
By Michael Njo

The meeting of November 4^th started with the usual formalities. President Phil addressed a full house of members and many guests.

Phil Toohey Club President

Announcements: 

1. Phil will be gone for 3 weeks to deliver wheelchairs to Nepal.
    
2. Isabel Bouligny, president of interact for St. Helena High, has 46 active members. High five!
    
3. Karianne Blanck, our exchange student, will be moving back to Oslo. We will miss her!

Bob Wandel

Good-bye to Bob Wandel. Bob will be truly missed. He leaves at the end of this month for Denver. Due to Bob's continued dedication and significant involvement to the club, Bob was awarded the "Service Above Self" award presented by past president Jeff Epps. Good luck, Bob, we will miss you!

SUMMER SEARCH

Elaine John introduced Caroline Chinn, executive director of the Summer Search Foundation.

Summer Search is a non-profit organization that offers kids the chance to step out of their environments, expand their horizons, and change their futures. Their mission is to build character and leadership in low-income high school youth. They achieve this mission through an unusual combination of scholarships to summer programs and ongoing mentoring throughout high school and college.

Richard Pang, a summer search student in St. Helena, shared his experiences and the impact Summer Search had on his life. "It is cool to do well in school," Richard said.

Participants, like Richard, are placed in a summer program that grows a budding talent or nurtures a deeper sense of self. Experiences include wilderness expeditions, academic challenges on college campuses, community service projects. Most students participate in summer programs as sophomores and juniors. Students who are selected may or may not be performing in school; however, they share two characteristics: resiliency in overcoming hardship and the desire to help others.
 

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