COG Minutes April 14, 2015

NOTE: This week’s Castro Valley Rotary COG is being distributed by Bonnie Best using ClubRunner, and posted on www.castrovalleyrotary.org by Ken O-Donnell. Blessings!

PRESIDENT DR. HEIDI’S CLUB THEME FOR THE YEAR:  "LIGHT UP ROTARY WITH A SMILE"
(Per our President, we will be Brush up on your Rotary knowledge, Fill a need in Community and International Service, Drill Down deep in your heart for Peace in the World and many more that your Scribe failed to record!)

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL’S THEME FOR THE YEAR:  "LIGHT UP ROTARY" (Think Chinese Lantern as Incoming International President Gary Huang is Chinese from Taiwan)

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NOTE: Bold writing is specific to today’s meeting. Non-bold is important information shared before or no report.

President Dr. Heidi brought down the gavel at Don Jose’s in Castro Valley, and Virginia Degner was asked to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY – From Margie Ramos: “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” (CS Lewis)

SINGING WITH CETA – Ceta led us in a lively version of Take Me Out to the Ball Game (fortunately she did NOT hurt Kern Lewis with the knife she was using like a bat!)

VISITORS – Duane Degner (chauffer for Virginia) and Meera Parikh, Mark Poniatowski’s associate, and member of Pleasanton North Rotary.

SAL TEDESCO MEMORIAL HELLO SONG – Ben Gurule and Dan Willits led us in this song, which is the one song we know how to sing!

*REPEAT - WE MADE IT! You can still participate until end of this Rotary year!  “30 30 to End Polio.”  Please make Checks payable to TRF (The Rotary Foundation) with a note in the memo line that it is for Polio Plus and give to Dwight Perry.  Thank you in advance! 

PRESENTATIONS OF GRANTS - One of the things we enjoy most at our Club is giving away money to deserving programs within our community! Today’s organization(s) recognized: None today

REGULAR REMINDERS

UPDATE YOUR CLUB INFORMATION - SEE SECRETARY JIM NEGRI - Please email him any changes in your personal or contact information to "Jim Negri" <jnegri@cv.k12.ca.us>, as soon as they occur . . . thanks

CLUB ATTENDANCE - Be sure to let our Club Secretary Jim Negri whenever you attend any meetings associated with our Club so that they can be properly recorded . . . let’s keep him informed!

ANNOUNCEMENTS        (*NEW OR MODIFIED)

Alan West announced that we need a new member of the Endowment Board, so that selections can be made for scholarships. Bill Nott was nominated and unanimously voted to be the new member of the Endowment Board.

Note the new colorful stand and height of the flag we use at the beginning of each meeting. Thanks Ben Gurule! Please be careful if you help setup or cleanup at the meetings. The stand is still fragile and needs to be handled with care!

*HELP SEND STACY VIVI PHAN, SAN LEANDRO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND NEWLY ELECTED DISTRICT 5170 INTERACT GOVERNOR (there are 6000 InterAct members in District 5170!) TO ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN BRAZIL!  See attached flyer for the list of items that you could win! If you wish to purchase tickets, please email Stacy at Stacyviviphan@yahoo.com and you will get your tickets delivered to you!

REPEAT - Ceta Dochterman asked for ideas and help to buy and store a trailer for the Boy Scouts.

Mother’s Day cards to benefit Polio Plus – We continue to sell Mother’s Day Cards, proceeds go to The Rotary Foundation for Polio Plus and get matched by Bill Gates. Kern Lewis sold several at our meeting today. Get them before Mother’s Day!

BUY A TOOTH FROM THE REAL TOOTH FAIRY - DR. HEIDI! $5 each and you may win a special prize! Funds go to Rotary Foundation.

APRIL 17, 18 and 19 – Only a couple days left to register for the District Conference at Doubletree in San Jose.  See attached flyer called “District 5170 Conference Flyer” for all the information you need to sign up and attend!  The only cost is to attend one or more of the meal events. Update: a NASA scientist, who is planning the Mars Mission is speaking . . . remember, all forums are free . . .  See attached flyer for list of ALL the Forums being offered at no cost!

MAY 8 - Chili Cook-off - Randy Vanderbilt, Chair - Please contact Randy to volunteer, and he would like more chili cookers. Registration is now available on line at www.cvchilicookoff.com

MAY 9 - Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade - encourage people to get into the parade and contact Bill Nott for info at nottstem@gmail.com

REMINDERS

Contact Bonnie Best for CV Rotary Website training!          Bonnie@bbest.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITHIN CASTRO VALLEY ROTARY AND IN CASTRO VALLEY?

For some of the absolute best pictures of our activities, please thank Gary Bosley for his hard work as he has captured many of our events for us. 

The FESCO pix are at fesco.shutterfly.com . . .
The chilicook off shots are at ChiliCookOff2014.shutterfly.com . . .
The Eden photos are at edenwaterfall.shutterfly.com . . .
the great thing is that no special access is required on either site -- people just go to the URL (or cut and paste them in in search box) and click on one of the small photos.  The photos enlarge.  Thanks, Gary!

Please also visit www.facebook.com/castrovalleytv often as Robert Sousa of the CV Forum posts some great video footage of Castro Valley events!  In case you missed the big Chili Cook Off or Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade, Robert has posted about five minutes of video coverage of the weekend's events.  Go now to www.facebook.com/castrovalleytv . . .

Also, please remember to visit www.castrovalleyrotary.org often and also www.rowellranchrodeoparade.com as these websites that we maintain and are packed with information and lots of pictures

RECOGNITIONS
$20 – Randy Vanderbilt was in Yosemite instead of at the Pancake Putt Putt, and had a great time! He encouraged people to visit.

PAYING IT FORWARD
$20 Heidi thanked everyone who helped make the Pancake Putt Putt a success! $20 Kern Lewis seconded comments by John Courtney that Heidi was the true chair of this event. She has done it for years and does a wonderful job!

PROGRAM - Our own Obse Lubo gave a wonderful presentation describing her odyssey to her home town of Nejo in Ethiopia. Obse spent 24 days recently on her 6th Mission Trip to Nejo. The mission of EAMRF is to Save One City, One Hospital, and One Soul at a Time.

Highlights of her trip:

600 books, donated by Redwood Christian Schools, distributed to 3 schools in Nejo
3 Fistula and 21 Uterine Prolapse surgeries for women who develop problems after child birth (youngest woman was 18 and oldest was 76)
37 children screened for congenital heart disease (8-11 of them will need surgery)
9 cleft lip and 4 Cyst removal surgeries
115 Cataract and 4 Strabismus surgeries (youngest was 7 years old)
Nursing Education conducted by Obse
Obse visited Finot Rotary Club in Addis Ababa, met with District Governor Elect, and received their support to be the host club for her Rotary International Grant Project to provide Oxygen Generator for the hospital in Nejo
Obse shared her future plans for continuing to provide the help needed by the community in Nejo
LOOKING FOR THE MOLAR WITH THE GOLD GLITTER FILLING DONE “JUST FOR US” BY DR. HEIDI, and with $29 and 19 teeth. Obse Lubo drew Duane Degner’s ticket, who reached into the sack and pulled a tooth with a cavity and paid the club $5.

Upcoming meetings:
April 21           TBD
April 28           Club Strategic Plan Update

See more at: http://www.castrovalleyrotary.org/

Speaker Chairs and Monthly Themes:
April:   Cliff Sherwood,  Magazine Month
May:    Randy Vanderbilt,  Community Service Month
June:   Bernie Kempen:  Rotary Fellowship Month
LESLIE ROTHWELL UPDATE - Follow Leslie’s recovery on CaringBridge.org . . . inspiring to watch her progress!