Before talking about this week's happenings, let me put in a pitch for next week. Program chairman Ken Chan has arranged for the Arcadia High School Chanteurs to be our program. The Chantuers are a truly outstanding group of singers and dancers who will be entertaining us with Christmas songs. This might be a good meeting to bring your spouse along to enjoy this outstanding program. The cost for guests is $41.
To start us off, the one and only (not "lonely") Mike Danielson led us in a rousing rendition of "Jingle Bells Rock." Mike's leadership has sparked a real uptick in the volume of our singing. Don't know about the quality, but you have to consider what he's got to work with.
Thanks to Dick Martinez for leading us in the Pledge, Leilani Panyawai for the prayer, and Imy Dulake for helping to welcome guests. Finally, thank you David Fu for greeting arriving Rotarians and guests.
And hats off to Dave Freeman for scheduling people for these duties every week.
Mike Real gave a short description of TLC (Team Leadership Camp), which is taking place this weekend. One of Rotary's goals is to build leaders for our future. TLC is a weekend camp for eighth graders who have demonstrated leadership potential and is designed to build their skills. Our club is sending six youngsters - two from each middle school - to the camp. Mike does a fantastic job of pulling this together and the entire club owes him our thanks.
We also owe Mike and Paula Real our thanks for opening their home for our Christmas party this Sunday. We'll be having a taco truck, various libations and fun with our fellow Rotarians and spouses. See you there.
We have an opportunity for service by helping an Arcadia veteran get to his appointments at the VA Hospital. I put out a call to our club members and am happy to report that eight have "stepped up" to offer their help. The eight volunteers are:
David Muse
Mike Danielson
Ray Bushnell
Yvonne Flint
David Fu
Bruce Marrs
Jay Harvill
Bob Harbicht
Thanks for volunteering. We all talk about honoring veterans on Veterans Day, but this is really doing it. David M took him to the hospital a month or so ago and Mike D took him this week.
Your president took note of Patricia Hall's love/hate relationship with the hotel's parking system (OK, mostly hate). She has had struggles both getting into and out of the parking lot. And last time, she lost her parking ticket, compounding the problem. Patricia was asked to come forward and your president presented her with a large clear-plastic device to hang around her neck, clearly labeled, "Patricia's Parking Pass," a nice alliteration to boot. This somehow engendered a discussion of your president's purchasing a table at the Boys & Girls Club "Festival of Trees." Patricia having to write a check to your president instead of the 501(c)3 Boys & Girls Club, had her concerned about her standing with the IRS. Your president assured her that, while he would not testify on her behalf (he avoids the IRS like the plague), he would show up on the occasional visiting day with some small change for the prison commissary. Patricia - although having no authority in the fining game - fined your president some outrageous amount. I think it was $2. By the way, Patricia, that will be $50 for the nifty parking ticket holder.
Mike Hoey was welcomed back after an absence of a month. When asked about it, he reported that he was in Taiwan, visiting his in-laws. For a month! And they don't speak English! And Mike doesn't speak Chinese! Your president could barely bring himself to fine the poor man. In a show of sympathy, Mike was only fined $50 for such a long trip.
Your president then engaged Miguel Cea in a conversation about his recent travels to Philadelphia. Miguel explained that it was for business. Now we don't fine for business travel. However, he reported that he took his wife shopping in a Macy's that covered an entire city block and is three stories tall! That kind of poor judgment cannot go unpunished. Miguel was only fined $25 because it was assumed that this was about all the money he had left.
Yvonne Flint was recognized for her recent trip to Yosemite and staying a couple of nights at the plush Ahwahnee (spelling test next week) Hotel. They had some excitement; in the middle of the night they were awakened by the fire alarm and had to exit the hotel in 29 degree weather. After 45 minutes they were allowed back in. Yvonne declined to share any pictures.
Our program was Mary Ann Lutz, a member and past president of our next-door-neighbor Monrovia Rotary Club. Mary Ann is chair of the District 5300 Garbis Dergehian (don't forget the spelling test) Peace Conference. Mary Ann did an excellent job of describing the conference, its beginnings, purpose, and this year's lineup of presenters.
We had a large crowd of nearly 40 at the meeting. Great to see everyone. It'd be great to see some of our absentees too.
Bob Harbicht
President
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