JANUARY 29, 2013

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday – February 6, 2013

PROGRAM: Annual Five Club Joint Meeting at Rossmoor Speaker: Michael Stehr, Art Historian

Note: No meeting at Soda Center on Tuesday, Feb. 5 ~~ COMING UP ~~ Feb. 5 – No Club Meeting today. See Feb. 6th. Feb. 5 – Nite at the Races Committee meeting 5:00 pm. (Dochterman’s home) **Feb. 12 – Valentine’s Day Dinner (Evening Meeting at 6:00 pm) *Feb. 19 – Program to be Announced Feb. 19 – Board Meeting at Trinity Hall at 5:00 pm. *Regular weekly luncheon in Soda Center **Monthly evening meeting at Soda Center

THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM Today was our quarterly All-Club Assembly. It is the time that we stop to take a look at our club, its activities, our programs, our membership and then plan ahead. Among the items discussed were: Weekly Club Programs. All club members should be assisting by suggesting interesting speakers and topics for our weekly program. Please pass your ideas along to Rob McSpadden. Rotary At Work Day. This year the Rotary At Work day will be held on Saturday, April 27th. The District emphasis this year is to help facilities which care for homeless and abused women and children. Club President for 2014-15. Up to this time, Moraga Rotary has not selected the President. Nora Avelar has agreed to serve during the 2013-14 Rotary year. The Club urgently needs one of the Past Presidents to step up and serve again in 2014-15. Ignite Membership Program. President Frank again reviewed the details of the “Ignite” program to invite new members to the Club. This is the time for all members to review the program; contact the persons who should be Rotarians in our community and report to Grant Shoef. We have been pleased with the several new members who have joined Moraga Rotary this year and look forward to welcoming three or four more members. Community Project – Rheem Theatre. Cliff Dochterman told about the necessity to secure a new stair-lift for the Rheem Theater since it is virtually impossible for elder persons and ones with disabilities to see the three screens on the second floor. A $30,000 campaign has been started in Moraga. The upper 3 theaters have been closed because of conflicts with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Moraga

Rotary Board allocated $1000 from our community service funds and several members have added to those contributions. Very generous gifts of $500 each have been given by Jody Parker and Al Simonsen. A donation of $1000 was given by Cliff & Mary Elena Dochterman. Marv Ellington also made a contribution and other members noted that they would like to help to retain a theater in Moraga which would be assessable to all citizens. Nite at the Races Fundraiser. President Frank again urged all members to keep soliciting silent auction items. John Erickson distributed letters to all members asking that they seek silent auction items or cash gift contributions totaling $200. Reservation forms to our guest lists will be sent in a few days.

OTHER HAPPENINGS Today’s greeter was Dick Vance and the invocation duties were handled by Herb Wehmeyer. A reminder was given to secure your tickets for next week’s annual 5 Club meeting at Rossmoor. It was announced that Tony Schoemehl has agreed to accept the Chairmanship of the Annual Rotary Field Day for elementary school children – as long as it includes the advice of Chairman-Emeritus Al Simonsen. Lad Lynch, chairman of the Rotary Foundation for our club presented a Paul Harris pin with 4 sapphires to Al Simonsen. The pin signifies that Al has created five Paul Harris recognitions for his family. Congratulations!

FUN AND OTHER STUFF After rather sluggish bidding, the “fine free hat” was won by Kevin Reneau for $40. Debbie Roessler had an announcement about her favorite topic, the Oakland Museum’s White Elephant Sale, which had its Preview Sale last Sunday and sold $411,000 of used items in one day! For that, Debbie had two happy bucks! Angelo Costanza popped for another happy buck since he just received his Cal Football Season tickets – and announced that Cal hasn’t lost a game in 2013. Wow, what a record. Nora Avelar missed last week when everyone shared the excitement of the 49ers going to the Super Bowl. Sporting her 49er shirt, she gladly found a happy buck. Frank May was mighty happy to have a brand new laptop computer which he called “Full Touch” made by that very popular company, Asus. What? He found $2 while he was trying to get the laptop to work with the amazing remote. Once again Al Sperske had the lucky red ticket. But, no white marble was found!

KUDOS OF THE WEEK Our special thanks this week goes to all of the members who helped after the meeting to address, stuff and prepare the reservation letters to the Nite at the Races. We also give our appreciation to those who are actually out asking for silent auction items. The donations are beginning to arrive. It takes a lot of hands to make the fund raiser a success, so we need the hands of everyone!

JOINT CLUB MEETING AT ROSSMOOR ON

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6TH Don’t forget, next week Moraga Rotary members will join with Orinda, Lafayette, Lamorinda Sunrise and Rossmoor Rotary Clubs for the annual joint meeting in the Fireside Room at Rossmoor. Tickets for $25 should be secured in advance from President Frank May. Note: The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. The speaker will be Michael Stehr, on the topic of Art of the Louvre.

GREEEEEAAAT CRAB FEED & DANCE For a special night out, plan to attend the Annual Crab Feed and Dance next Saturday, February 2nd, at the Holy Trinity Serbian Church. It will be a “fun evening” with great food and super music! As you know the Church has been very generous to Moraga Rotary by providing the community hall for club meetings and events, so here is a real opportunity to return our support by joining in the crab feed! Dinner tickets are only $40. More details call Ron Mucovich at 376 6850.

EDITORIAL COMMENTS Some years ago, I read a little poem in the Rotary bulletin of the Davis Rotary Club. It wasn’t long; but it was certainly to the point. The poem asked the question:

“What kind of Club would Rotary be, If every member were just like me?”

That’s all it was. But the message was significant. In the world of Rotary there are about 34,000 Clubs that are doing amazing things to build better communities. But the work has to be done by individuals who get in and share the load. Real Rotarians do not just have their names on the roster – they do their share in the work of the Club. Moraga Rotary is a great Club when all members get involved, show up, do their part, sign-up for a job, enjoy the fun, help accomplish a worthwhile task and take pride in being a Rotarian! That is the job for every member.

Rotary International Theme for 2012-13 “PEACE THROUGH SERVICE”

CALENDAR OF FUTURE EVENTS Feb. 6 – Annual 5-Club Luncheon at Rossmoor Feb. 12-14 – Reno Train Trip and Joint Meeting Feb. 12 – Valentine’s Day Dinner Mar. 16 – Nite At The Races – Fundraiser April 20 – E-Waste Collection Center April 27 – Rotary at Work Day May 4 – District Assembly – Solano College, Vallejo May ? – Moraga Schools Field Day June 25 – Demotion Dinner July 13 – District Awards Dinner – Woodland Community Center

MORAGA ROTARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012-13 President……………………………………………....Frank May

President-elect …………………….……………….Nora Avelar Secretary…………………………………….........Kevin Reneau Treasurer………………………………………..Louise Schopke Community Service Chair…………………….Barbara Bruner

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

Rotary Foundation………………..…………….…... Lad Lynch Public Relations ……………………………… …… Gary Irwin

Membership………………………………………….Nora Avelar Director at Large………………………………Debbie Roessler Director at Large……………………..Mary Elena Dochterman Director at Large……………………………...Cliff Dochterman

President, Rotary International…Sakuji Tanaka District Governor, 5160………………..Laura Day Assistant District Governor………….Jose Avelar

Newsletter Editor for January – Cliff Dochterman

Newsletter Editor for February – Gary Irwin

A FINAL COMMENT It is sometimes amusing how certain words and experiences change with the times. You might be an “old-timer” if you remember when… ..the village square was just a place – not a person. ..a bureau was a piece of furniture, not a gov’t agency. ..folks sat down to supper and counted their blessings – instead of calories. ..there were no deductions from your pay check until you arrived home. ..an old fashioned girl didn’t know what an Old Fashion was. ..a shoemaker stuck to his last and wives stuck to their first. ..it cost more to run your car than it did to park it. ..people who wore blue jeans were the ones who actually worked.

“Yep, those were the days……”