DECEMBER 15, 2015

NEXT MEETING: January 5, 2016

Program: Terri Khonsari

“Families without Borders”

NO MEETINGS ON DECEMBER 22 AND 29

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Greeter and Invocation: Evie Michon ~~CLUB MEETINGS COMING UP ~

** Jan 12 - Rebecca Phuong and Jordan Simpson - Interact Plans and Activities * Jan. 19 - Visit of District Governor Ken Courville, Gov. Of Rotary District 5160 * Jan. 26 - Dan Dunn, Exec. Director of San Ramon Valley Museum * Feb. 2 - Jafer Yaghoobi, Author of “Let Us Water The Flowers: Memoir of a Political Prisoner in Iraq” *Regular Noon Meeting ** Second Tuesday Evening

GUESTS

Dick Burkhalter & Mark Nagel – Orinda Rotary Club Carol Irwin – Guest of Gary

Rey Fernandez – Sgt. U.S. Marine Corps Nicole Chernoit – Safeway Store Manager

Jackie Cisneros – Moraga Employee of the Month

TOYS FOR TOTS COLLECTION

The US Marine Corps arrived to pick up toys for their

Toys for Tots program for needy children this holiday.

Moraga Rotarians were generous in supplying a large

supply of toys which many youngsters will certainly

enjoy on Christmas day! Thanks to all who shared in

this rewarding project! We also appreciated the very

informative remarks of Sgt. Rey Fernandez who told

of the history and the extent of the Marine’s Toys for

Tots program in distributing 60,000 toys and games to

children in Contra Costa County, working through

various agencies.

THE MEETING

The meeting was opened with a very appropriate story about “slowing down during the Holidays” and an invocation by our newest member, Michele Robbins, who also gave a brief self introduction to the Club. Welcome, Michele! President Roger expressed great appreciation to John & Mary Sue Erickson for engineering another outstanding Christmas dinner party last week.He also noted with appreciation the work of many others who contributed to the evening. Evie Michon reported on the Club’s support of the “recipe instruction sheets” which were distributed at the Monument Crisis Center to the recipients of turkeys at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. A thank-you letter of appreciation came from the leaders of the Center for the $200 donated by Moraga Rotary to create recipes for easy cooking of food being distributed by the Crisis Center food bank. Angelo Costanza confirmed that 2 students from Campolindo High School have been selected for Camp Royale next summer.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Kevin Reneau introduced our December Employee of the Month, Jackie Cisneros, from the Moraga Safeway Store. The store manager, Nicole Chernoit, made a few comments about the Safeway Store and introduced Jackie, as a very popular employee with hundreds of the store’s customers! The honoree received a certificate and $100 in local restaurant gift cards.

HAPPY BUCKS, PLUS CLUB FUN AND FELLOWSHIP

Lad Lynch popped up with a high five for UCLA basketball team’s winning ways and being in the top 5 teams of the nation!! Dick Vance had a happy buck for the little elves who invaded his home and set up a Christmas tree – including the decorations! The little elves appeared to be grandkids, too! Al & Marilyn Simonsen just celebrated 54 years of marriage and had a splendid anniver-sary. Al paid the appropriate fee per year! Frank May, with a pleasant happy buck, told about attending his granddaughter’s Christmas show. A very enjoyable event! Gary Irwin had a high Five, split between the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team reaching #2, and the pleasure of having his family from Canada arriving home for Christmas Holidays! Al Simonsen found another happy buck to express his pleasure for having Frank May make a house call to help fix his computer. Roger Gregory had a hugh $5 bill to express his pleasure that the Club’s Christmas party was so successful, plus many helpful people and largely, because it is now over!! When the green ticket was drawn, Gary Irwin was the lucky guy – but not lucky enough to find the white marble. Settled for $10. Cliff Dochterman celebrated his 90th birthday, but he owned the fine-free hat for the month!

PLANNING FOR “NITE AT RACES”

Frank May will soon be mailing two lists to club

members detailing the local merchants that we

will ask for auction donations, as well as a list of

potential attendees at the event. Please take a

look at these lists and send any suggested

additions or deletions to Frank at

mayfrl@comcast.net. We need your help!!

Come and get involved in Nite at the Races

2016!! Help on Monday, December 28th at 10

AM at the May’s home – Donation request

envelope stuffing and Save the Date Cards

preparation and mailing. January 4th @ 5 PM at

Cliff Dochterman’s home – Next Planning

Meeting. This event is for everyone! We need

you, so come to the meetings. Meetings are

fun, too!

DINNER WITH WORLD ROTARY PRESIDENT Many of you will remember the World President

of Rotary, Ravi Ravindran from Sri Lanka,

visited our Club a year and a half ago. We have

the opportunity to meet him again on Sunday,

January 3rd in San Jose at a special regional

Rotary dinner. Moraga Rotary has reserved a

table for 10 for the occasion. If you would like

to join us, let Roger know of your interest.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP

A report was recently received that the worldwide membership of Rotary International, as of November 30, 2015, was counted at 1,225,827 members. This indicates that there has been a growth of 16,336 members since July 1. In our own District 5160, the 70 clubs have a total of 3477 members, a growth of 64 members since last July. Have you invited a member to join Rotary lately?

President Rajah donated the Club’s collection of Toys for

Tots to Sgt. Fernandez of the Marine Corps.

Newest member, Michele Robbins provided an interesting story for the invocation and a brief personal introduction.

CALENDAR OF FUTURE EVENTS

Dec 28 – Nite at the Races Mailing – Frank and Linda May’s home – 10AM Jan 3 -- Dinner with RI President in San Jose Jan 4 – Nite at the Races Committee Meeting – 5PM at Cliff’s home. Feb 10 – Fab 5 Interclub Luncheon at Rossmoor Mar 12 - A Nite at the Races Fundraiser Apr 1-3 – District 5160 Conference in Woodland

MORAGA ROTARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015-16

President………………………………………….Roger Gregory President-elect …………………….……….........Kevin Reneau Past President………………………………….Debbie Roessler

Secretary……………………………………........ .Kevin Reneau Treasurer…………………………………………….... Lad Lynch Community Service Chair…………………......Barbara Bruner

New Generations.…………………………………...Rich Render International Service Chair………………….Tony Schoemehl

Public Relations ………………………………..…… Gary Irwin Membership…………………………………….......... Frank May Director at Large…………………………….….. John Erickson Director at Large ………………………………..Marv Ellenberg Director at Large……………………………… Cliff Dochterman Director at Large ……………………………………...Linda May

President, Rotary International………Ravi Ravindran District Governor…………………….……Ken Courville Assistant District Governor…………..…Mark Roberts Newsletter Editor for December – Cliff Dochterman

Scheduled Greeters and Invocator 1/5 – Evie Michon 1/12 – Frank May

A FEW LAST WORDS

Here are a few things you might hear at this time of the year: A Christmas Wish – Is it possible that a bright star could come from the East and settle over Washington DC and attract just a few wise men?

~~ “I don’t care who you are, Fat Man, get those reindeer off my roof!”

~~ “What happens under the mistletoe STAYS under the mistletoe!”

~~

If you see a fat man who is jolly and cute, Wearing a white beard and a red flannel suit, And he is chuckling and laughing away, While flying around in a miniature sleigh, With eight tiny reindeer to pull him along, Then, let’s face it; your eggnog’s too strong! HAVE A VERY SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

REMEMBER: NEXT MEETING IS

JANUARY 5, 2016