MARCH 3, 2015

NEXT MEETING: MARCH 10, 2015

Holy Trinity Hall 6 pm evening meeting

Program: Four-Way Test Speech contest

Greeter and Invocation: Jim Campbell

~~CLUB MEETNGS COMING UP ~~ Mar. 14 – Nite at the Races Big Event- Trinity Hall 5:00 pm *Mar. 17 – Dr. David Richie “Nutrition and Health” *Mar. 24 – Melanie Wentz “Story of Holden High School.” Mar. 24 – Board of Directors Meeting – Trinity Hall Apr. 7 -- “Clunkers4Charity” program **Apr. 14 – Area 4-Way Test Speech Finals (Trinity Hall) Apr. 21 – Moraga Education Foundation Apr. 28 – National Alliance for Mental Health June 2 – “Cooking with Kids” *Regular Noon Meeting ** Second Tuesday Evening

BUSINESS MEETING

The meeting was called to order by President & Queen Debbie, and the Thought for the Day, a quotation from Henry David Thoreau, and the Pledge of Allegiance was rendered by Gary Irwin. Guests were: Fred Collignon of Berkeley Rotary, a former UC Professor and our District Governor Nominee 2016-2017, and speakers April Rovero, founder of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse and Jaime Rich of the Lamorinda Alcohol Policy Coalition. Announcements from Queen Debbie: Thanks to all the Moraga Rotarians that attended the Fab Five InterClub meeting last Tuesday at Rossmoor. She presented the Rossmoor Rotary our donation of $500 toward their Sintaro Village project in Ethiopia, told of our many service projects, and invited other Rotarians to attend “A Nite at the Races”. She also thanked Kevin Reneau for his fine work as the Master of Ceremonies at the Businessperson of the Year dinner for Dianne Wilson, which many Moraga Rotarians attended. She also thanked Herb Wehmeyer for obtaining

the donation of a weekend at the Stanford Court Hotel again this year for a raffle prize. Kevin Reneau celebrated his birthday by doing nothing but attending the dinner for Dianne Wilson. Since he has the fine free hat, he was fined nothing. . . . Frank May passed around the NAR job signup sheet for additions, corrections, etc. High Fives and Happy Bucks: Cliff Dochterman gave a HB for the TGITLFOTM social at Tony Schoemehl’s house, and because he was able to navigate Tony’s hilly driveway. . . . Fred Collignon gave a HB for his family’s involvement in the popular BMW Super Bowl commercial, even though a local advert guru panned it . . . . Frank May gave a Happy Buck for attending the District Leadership Academy last Saturday in Vacaville, along with Fred Collignon and four PDGs. . . . Queen Debbie gave a HB for the commencement of her front yard re-landscaping. . . .Roger Gregory unloaded a High Five because he is off to President – Elect Training Seminar this weekend. Al Simonsen did a kind of back-door confession of a recent cruise to Mexico when he passed around some photos of buses there with Rotary donation inscriptions on them. He spun the wheel for a back-pocket $30.

Jaime Rich, President Debbie, and April Rovero Angelo Costanza announced our Camp Royal selectees: Peter Moore and Nikki Ahazie, both juniors at Campolindo HS. Angie has been our go-to Camp Royal man for several decades, and his campers have fabulous experiences at Camp Royal.

John Erickson presented Gary Irwin with his third supplemental Paul Harris Fellowship donation, represented by a PH pin with three simulated imitation emeralds. At our next meeting, the program will be the Four-Way Test speech contest, and will be assisted by Judges Ron Mucovich, Jim Campbell, and Gary Irwin. Head-counters will be Frank May, Kevin Reneau, and Doug Damaschino. We also need a volunteer for door guard (unarmed, no experience necessary).

PROGRAM April Rovero is the founder of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse (“NCAPDA”), which educates people about the dangers of drug use in general and in combination with alcohol. She was led to this task after her son, a graduating senior at Arizona State University, died in 2009 of a combination of his own prescribed medication and alcohol because his breathing was suppressed during sleep. April made the point that even though medicine may be legitimately prescribed for you, the effect of the combination of that drug with others or with alcohol is difficult to predict and may be disastrous to some individuals. If the drugs are not prescribed for you, the combination is really unpredictable. In our county in 2008-2014, there were 542 deaths from overdoses, and 2595 non-fatal incidents involving prescription drugs. The average age of those killed was 35 years old. Illicit use of prescription drugs may easily lead to illegal narcotic use. One source of prescription drugs is the unused pills many people keep after the need has passed. Users steal from this source, so April is encouraging everyone to take their drugs with no immediate use to a police station or other drug depository. (Moraga Police has one).

John, Gary, & Paul Harris

Dangerous prescription drugs are categorized as painkillers, sedatives, or stimulants. The first two kinds work on the nervous system to slow down breathing. The stimulants increase odds of heart & blood pressure problems, lethal seizures, and psychotic episodes. In short, illicit use of prescription drugs can cause death, crime, addiction, driving incidents, and financial cost, and it has become a national epidemic. Jaime Rich is the Director of Environmental Prevention at the Center for Human Development, and leads the Lamorinda Alcohol Policy Coalition. They sponsor and organize community outreach to targeted groups such as athletes about the dangers of Alcohol and drugs, and are currently sponsoring the movie “”Out of Reach”, a documentary of a high schooler who uncovers teens abusing prescription medication in his home town. It will be shown on March 25 at the Orinda Theater.

Kevin Reneau’s raffle ticket was drawn on the third try, as two winning tix were left on Lad’s table. He missed winning $33, but happily settled for $10. Next week: Evening meeting at 6 pm at Holy Trinity Hall, courtesy of Ron Mucovich (be sure to thank him early and often). Friends and Spouses are welcome. Greeter/invocator is Jim Campbell. .

EDITORIAL COMMENT--RESTATED In just a little over a week, Moraga Rotary will have our major fund-raising event – “A Nite at the Races.” It is important because the income provides our Club the opportunity to sponsor so many events during the coming year – scholarships, magazines for all school kids, contributions to the Moraga Educational Fund, Christmas stockings for the young people in Juvenile Hall, sponsor-ship of the Rotacare Clinic and the Moraga Employee of the Month, assist the Rotaract Club at St. Mary’s College, send student leaders to Camp Royal, conduct Field Day, sponsor Odyssey of the Mind teams and so many other things in our community, as well as international projects. In other words, the money raised at the Nite at the Races makes it possible for us to be a real service club. To make the event a success and do what a Rotary Club should do, we need the help and participation of EVERY member of the Club. As of this date, we have about 3/4 the number of items we have had in previous auctions! We need at least 4 more tables filled with attendees. I urge all Moraga Rotarians to make the event part of your personal responsibility to make the evening another huge success. Frank, Debbie, John, Mary Sue, Gary, Lad, Al, Kevin, Tony, Roger, Barbara, Dianne, and a few others are really the ones who are doing all the work. But they need and deserve the help of each member to invite some friends to attend and to pick up two or three more auction items. Things are generally looking good – but with just a little more effort we still have time to make this year’s “Nite at the Races” the best we have ever held. Each one of us must do our part to make that difference!

CALENDAR OF FUTURE EVENTS

Mar. 14 – Nite at the Races Fundraiser Apr. 10 – Finals for area Speech Contest Apr. 24 – Rotary Trivia Bee, Orinda Masonic Hall at 6:00 pm Apr. 25 – District Assembly in Vallejo May 2 – E-Waste Collection May 9 – Moraga Community Faire May 13 – Moraga Rotary Field Day June 30 – Demotion of Queen Debbie!

MORAGA ROTARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2014-15

President……………………………………… Debbie Roessler President-elect …………………….…… …......Roger Gregory Past President………………………………Nora Avelar-Martin

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

New Generations..………………………………….Rich Render International Service Chair…………………Tony Schoemehl Rotary Foundation………………..……….Nora Avelar-Martin 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………Gary Huang District Governor…………………….……Pam Gray

Assistant District Governor…………Mark Roberts

Newsletter Editor for March -- Player to be named later