April 20, 2001 Issue

ISSUE NO. 37 APRIL 20, 2001 OUR 80^th YEAR

http://RotaryClubofSantaMonica.org

COMING APRIL 27: YOUR CHANCE TO HONOR AN AIDE

Your administrative assistant makes a big difference in your workaday life, right? How about bringing her or him to a Rotary lunch they’ll particularly enjoy? Your big chance is Friday, April 27. That’s our annual occasion when we honor our administrative assistants and secretaries.

We’ve arranged a program of special interest: a fast-paced presentation by California Crimefight, packed with advice about protection against roving assailants. Amazingly, the informants are experts not only in crime fighting but also in stand-up comedy. While they instruct us they keep us laughing!

Because of the crowd expected, reservations are important. If you’re bringing a guest, tell Barbara Hopper (310) 434-9992 or Ray Corvan (310) 374-3773

BRING YOUR FAMILY ON OUR HIKE

Sunday, May 6, is our annual “Let’s Take A Hike” outing for Rotarians and families. It’s the perfect time to roam the hills: poppies and lupine in bloom, birds back from winter trips trilling merrily. Also it’s a great chance to make friends with other Rotary families.

Bring lunch, and plan to start with us at 11:00 a.m. from Will Rogers State Park just off Sunset Boulevard. (If you’re not familiar with the area, sketch maps are available at our Friday lunches. Look for green sheets on the sign-in tables.) After the hike and lunch, we can watch a spectacular polo game at the field next to the parking lot.

WE’LL GET TO KNOW TWO NEW MEMBERS

In dim days of Rotary’s early evolution, “craft talks” were the occasions for new members to tell the club about their work. But nowadays in the Rotary Club of Santa Monica, a “craft” talk may or may not inform us about the speaker’s professional life. He or she tells whatever personal anecdotes and life history come to mind. But even now these 13-minute (approximately) talks still enable us to get better acquainted with a confrere.

This Friday we’ll hear talks by two of our newest Rotarians, Chris Lawson and Mike Nichols. They’ll have interesting tales to tell; all our craft talkers do. Also, what they disclose will help us draw them into conversation whenever we happen to be near them. Let’s give special thought to getting acquainted.

Four of Rotary’s finest were fined a total of $300 because they received Distinguished Service Awards at a recent dinner. These were Allan Young, Hank Walther, Jim Reidy, and Frank Blenkhorn – all being honored for service up to and including 2001. Congratulations, gentlemen, on your past and present achievements.

A picture out of Ray Corvan’s past cost him $50. He was attending a business women’s breakfast – just one of many examples of Ray’s dedication to the community, and the great service he performs night and day as Santa Monica leader of the American Red Cross. Long may Ray reign.

At the end of a most friendly word, “Hello,” Judy Neveau omitted one letter, and was fined. Hell, Judy, we don’t think that small slip was worth $50 when most of us say it daily for free.

In the spirit of Lent (if you don’t see the connection, never mind) Harris Levey was fined $80 for his complimentary letter on behalf of the great young tennis-playing Williams sisters. Then Harris forgot the spirit of brotherly love, and disparaged Harmon Sieff for not wearing a tie. This not only cost Harmon $50 but surprised us all, since we couldn’t remember him ever lacking a tie in the past. Please don’t give up spats, Harmon.

Kent Colberg paid $100 to buy back his golf tee and another $50 because someone found it where the ladies tee off. Actually it seemed noble of Kent to lend some lucky lady his tee. On the other hand Kent learned that too much identification may be costly. Then too, we’re wondering if President John was a tiny bit jealous?

Rotaract’s pre-convention conference will meet in San Antonio, Texas on June 22 and 23. Our new Rotaract district governor and five Rotaract members would like to represent District 5280 there. Rotaract’s annual regional conference will be in Washington, D.C., July 12 through 15. The district would like to send four Rotaract members.

The district sends us this appeal: “These annual programs are not in the budgets of our clubs or our district. We would like to support our growing youth programs by providing registration fees and/or frequent-flyer miles. Please contact Carmela Raack (310) 641-0142 and Farid Ghalilli (310) 426-3553.”

For the 10 years beginning in 1985 that Charles “Stan” Dyer was a senior active member of our club, he assumed the role of club photographer. At every meeting he was busy with his camera, catching unposed shots of countless members.

When career opportunities opened elsewhere for his wife, Carrie, Stan left us with a legacy of about four thousand color photos of our club’s members and its activities.

In preparation for our club’s 75^th anniversary celebration dinner dance in 1997, chairman for the event Dick Rice reviewed these thousands of pictures in preparation for producing a 22-minute video show honoring our 75 years of existence. He put aside double exposures, rejects, duplicates, and photos of unknown persons, then created permanent envelops for the remaining photos of each of the club members and club activities.

Rather than throw away the rejects and duplicates, Dick has lately begun handing them out to the surprised members involved. Dozens of us are surprised and grateful for this legacy from Stan and Dick.

If Dick has an envelope for you, no doubt he’ll be in touch with you soon. You’ll find that most of the photos in it are good enough for your family to want to keep.

Ron Bawden is now our club photographer. He has possession of the approximately 3,000 residual club photos and is adding to that collection at nearly every meeting, so more duplicates may also be available in the future.

Friday, April 27 – Our secretaries and administrative assistants are with us as our guests.

Rotary Club of Santa Monica

"COLOR YOUR LIFE WITH ROTARY"

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