Surf Beat, like La Jolla Rotary, will be dark for the next two weeks. The Surf Beat staff will be attending a newsletter seminar in Val d’Isère, where we expect to pick up a number of tips from our European counterparts. Joyeux Noël, Bonne année et bonne santé! Our next Rotary meeting will be Tuesday, January 5, 2016.
A Few Highlights from our Club Meeting:
Welcome and Introductions: President Lora welcomed everyone to the final meeting of the year—where has the time gone!
Invocation:Leanne Hull MacDougall asked Rotarians for a minute of contemplative silence. We settled for 30-seconds. Pledge: Kevin Quinn
Song: Penny Shurtleff
Penny Shurtleff leads a spirited version of “Deck the Halls”Rotarians prove there are, indeed, songs with melodies we can all follow.
Visitors:
Claire Reiss, with guest Susana Martinez Monedeso, visiting from Spain, who is President and CEO of the Queen Isabella Foundation, calling her the mother of Human Rights, and President Lora.
Gordon Shurtleff, Guest of Penny
Jan McDonough, Scripps Foundation Fundraiser, from Club 33
Evelyn Nelson, guest of Jane Reldan
Charles Mann, son of Cal Mann, completing first semester at UCLA
Maureen Brown with our speaker, James Madigan from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
Happy Bucks:
Bill Burch
Bill Burch recounted the tale of his bike accident and subsequent surgery.
Sue Stevens sold her Sagebrush home of 25-years and made the long-awaited move into the village. She donated to the Haiti project.
Cal Mann, (taking advantage of the fact that we think he’s going to stay here) touted a calendar produced by his last-week guest, Emily Little, who’s selling copies for $20 to raise money for a Maternity Center in Guatemala. See Info Below
Mark Dibella announced the 89th birthday of the La Valencia.
Jane Reldan was happy to attend the Sing Along and light a menorah at those festivities.
Gordon Shurtleff offered members a make-up opportunity at his Torrey Pines Rotary on Wednesday, where they offer guests wine.
Charles Hartford reminded members there’s still time for year-end tax deductions, and suggested Interact’s Holiday Baskets Food Drive as a good investment. $10 buys a turkey for a needy San Diego family and $100 purchases a bicycle for a deserving youngster. To contribute to this special initiative that benefits more than 1,500 needy families, please contact Charles.
Announcements:
Gwyn Jones thanked toy and gift sorter volunteers of the past few weeks, listed the bell ringers (or ding-a-lings) for Saturday the 19th at Von’s, and passed along” Yuletide Felicitations” from HRH Prince Charles. Gwyn should invite him to our meetings!
Kevin Quinn said the League House Sing Along was a big success and thanked all who helped/attended.
Ellen Kardashian gave members one last shot at bidding on silent auction items from the holiday party.
Cindy Greatrex whipped up enthusiasm for Three Kings Day with our sister club in Tijuana, Saturday January 9th, with sign-up for volunteers to help host disabled children in a day of fun and activities. See more info below.
President Lora assembled our wonderful wait staff, to present their Christmas thank-you gifts. Dave Weston noted that Gilberto was at the La V when he was club President, and has now logged 40-years at the Pink Lady.
President Lora gave a quick look back at our club’s year with highlights including hitting EREY (Every Rotarian, Every Year) before the end of the year and our 24th Tijuana home build. She noted that much goes on behind the scenes with Rotarian efforts, and applauded our club’s many achievements. President Lora also noted that each club meeting is a learning experience. For instance, this year we learned that Ken King dated Miss Florida, Charles Hartman wanted to be a ballet dancer and Russell King apparently caused the fall of the Berlin Wall. It may be December 15th and the last meeting of the year, but wait, we’re not finished yet! Several weeks ago, David Shaw passed along a request from Hector (former TJ Scholar and teacher in Tijuana) of a student’s family who recently lost their home in a fire, thereby sparking our 25th home-build effort, scheduled for this Monday, December 21st. Cal Mann (who is still under the impression that he is leaving this club) is coordinating the build and already has eight volunteers from the LJHS Interact Club. The home-build team will also bring a few donation items to help the family rebuild their lives and have a happy holiday season. If you would like to volunteer or contribute, please contact Lora, Ken King or Cal.
Speaker: Jim Madigan
Ken King introduced our speaker, James Madigan, an Engineer with the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), which is currently undergoing decommissioning. Because of a leak in the cooling system in Unit 3 discovered in January 2012, the power plant shut down, and is currently undergoing decommissioning under the specific requirements of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This is generally a 60-year project, but because Southern California Edison, the operator of SONGS, had funds available, the decommissioning will be accomplished instead in about 20 years. The principles utilizing in doing the decommissioning are: 1. Safety. 2. Stewardship of the land and 3. Respect for the communities affected.
The history of SONGS goes back to 1968, when Unit 1 was brought online. It was closed in 1992, when it reached end of life. In the meantime Units 2 and 3 were brought on line in 1983. Nuclear Power Plants are generally commissioned for 20 years at a time, but can be renewed if everything is in working order. However, because of the cooling system leak, it was determined advisable to shut down operations after a total of 44 years of operation. Mr. Madigan answered questions about disposal of nuclear fuel and about the issues around “secret meetings” between the California Public Utilities Commission and officers of Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric. The Community engagement Panel meets with the public each quarter, and gives tours of the site. Info: songscommunity.com
Where in The World?
Where In The World is this Rotarian and who is he or she? Be the first to indentify your fellow Rotarian and the location to win. Please send your answer to mahalosu@gmail.com.
The winner to last weeks was Pat Stouffer. He correctly guessed Lora Fisher at Saksaywaman, near Cusco, Peru. Lora is with fellow Rotarian, Club 33 member, Rebecca Tuggle.
Please keep the photos coming, even if they are only from your own backyard!
If you have an interesting travel photo of yourself in a recognizable destination you would like to submit for the game please send it to: mahalosu@gmail.com. Photos do not have to be recent, older pictures are welcome! All submissions will be considered, international and domestic! May the best globetrotter win!
Please keep the photographs coming, recent or not, in far distance places or not . . . La Jolla Rotarians go to interesting places and do interesting things, and it is fun (and sometimes challenging) for us to keep up with each other’s doings.
Guatemala Mama Calendars:
Guatemala Mama Calendars: Cal Mann pitched the opportunity to start your new year off right with a beautiful new 2016 calendar. The “Guatemala Babycarrying” calendar (photos attached) depicts very young mothers and their children. The calendar project was created by Emily Little, a recent club meeting guest who was profiled in the La Jolla Light. (article) Guatemala has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates. Proceeds from the sale of the calendar help support Casa Materna, a project which helps prevent infant and maternal mortality. To purchase a calendar, contact Cal or purchase online at www.Guatemalamamas.com
News from our Sister Club Across The Ocean:
The Sasebo Rotary Club prepares to celebrate its 65th anniversary next year. President Zenya Tanakamaru has extended a warm invitation to any and all members of La Jolla Rotary who might be able to attend the ceremony.
It’s set for:
Sunday, February 21st, 2016.
Time is 5:00 pm.
Location is the Sasebo Tamayo Department Store,
7th Floor, Bunka Hall,
2-1 Sakae-machi
Sasebo 857-8588
Japan
President Lora will be sending our club’s heartfelt congratulations to our fellow Rotarians in Sasebo.
Here’s a Way to Make the Holiday Spirit Last into theNew Year :
Dia de Reyes, or Wise Man Day. For more than a dozen years, our fellow Rotarians in the Tijuana Club have been sponsoring this event for special needs children.
It’s a wonderful day for some 350-400 youngsters coping with conditions ranging from autism and Down Syndrome to auditory and visual disabilities to get together and enjoy breakfast, games, a petting zoo and play in an interactive museum. They are also given gifts to take home, including toys and blankets.
Rotary Club of La Jolla has been invited to help with the project, both with donations of toys and money, and in person.
The event is set for Saturday, January 9th, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Once we have a head count of how many are interested in attending, we will arrange car pooling.
Check Out this Weeks News Bits. Click the Logo Below
From The Pages of:
December 2015 Edition
Great Expectations
The rainy season in Nigeria varies depending on what part of the country you’re in. In the south, the rains begin in March and end by November, with a short respite known as “the August break.” In the north, the rains arrive in June and continue through September. If you’re a pregnant woman living in a rural area – which most of the country is – you hope your due date falls during the dry season. That way, if you need to get to a hospital, the roads won’t be washed out.
Nigeria’s maternal and newborn mortality rates are among the world’s highest, and bad roads are one of “three delays” contributing to these alarming statistics, according to a health project led by the Rotarian Action Group for Population and Development (RFPD). Another delay occurs in the villages, where prenatal information is scarce and women rely on untrained traditional birth attendants at delivery time.
“The third delay is when you get to the hospital and it doesn’t have the facilities to deal with problems, and some of the equipment is inadequate, and the training of the medical staff is poor,” says Mark Townsend, a retired physician and member of the Rotary Club of The Island & Royal Manor of Portland, England. Townsend recently visited a project site in the southern Nigerian state of Enugu as part of an evaluation for The Rotary Foundation’s Cadre of Technical Advisers.
Club Meetings Unless otherwise noted, all club meetings are Tuesday, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. at La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla (Map) Check out the Upcoming Guest Speakers on the Club Calendar!
La Jolla Rotary will be dark for the next two weeks. Our next Rotary meeting will be Tuesday, January 5, 2016. Happy Holidays!
RI President K.R. Ravindran and Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Ray Klinginsmith have announced a series of Presidential Conferences in the first quarter of calendar 2016 that will highlight Rotary’s areas of focus. Between January and March 2016, five conferences will be held around the world. The first of thee Presidential Conferences is The Rotary World Peace Conference 2016. It will be held in Ontario, CA. on January 15 – 16, 2016. It is the only Presidential Conference that will be held in the Americas. Now is the time to make your reservation for this conference. Because it is scheduled to precede the International Assembly that brings District Governor elects to San Diego for mandatory training, this conference will have visitors from around the world. If you have never been to an international meeting, this is your chance to participate in an international event without having to cross any borders. This conference is being sponsored by the Rotary districts in Southern California. To view the latest information about the schedule of events as listed in the Peace Conference Newsletter, click this link To view the invitation from RI President K.R.Ravindran and Ray Klinginsmith, Chair, The Rotary Foundation Trustees, 2015-2016 click on thislink.
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Rotary Club of La Jolla is one of sixty clubs in the San Diego area’s Rotary District 5340 and one of the 34,000 clubs that make up our parent organization,
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