Rotary Club of Santa Monica

"2001/2002 - A Rotary Odyssey"

Rota-Monica

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TWO MEMBERS TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES

             Suppose you arrived at your office some morning to find the door sealed with tape, and a notice posted that the business was closed by order of the U.S. Government?

             This was the predicament of Steve Alexis, who joined our club recently after earlier membership in the San Pedro and downtown Los Angeles Rotary Clubs.  He found himself jobless without any advance notice.  How he got into such a plight, and what he did about it, should be a fascinating part of the craft talk he’s scheduled to give at this Friday’s meeting.  In fact, his whole life should make a lively tale.  He was born in Yugoslavia, and came to this country speaking only rudimentary English. 

             Our other craft talker this Friday is scheduled to be an even more recent inductee:  Kathryn B. “Kathy” Dodson, who came to town a few months ago as the new manager of the Chamber of Commerce.  She is one of those energetic Texans – an especially indefatigable one, presumably, because she holds not only a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist but a Ph.D. from Clemson.  Thus we can call her Dr. Dodson if we choose, although we’re not sure she encourages this.  She and her husband, Tom, live in Marina del Rey.  How they happened to move here from Texas might be an interesting part of her craft talk.

Rotary Club of Santa Monica

Club Assembly for 2002-2003 Year

For officers, directors, committee chairs and vice chairs

Tuesday, May 7, 2002    5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Trinity Church of Santa Monica

1015 California Avenue (10th and California Ave.), Santa Monica, California

DIAMONDS CAN BE DANGEROUS

(One of a series on new members)

            When Oded “Ed” Wolf found two of his car’s tires slashed, he didn’t phone for help.  He knew he couldn’t wait around.  Instantly he jumped in the car, started the engine, and drove down Hill Street on two flat tires. 

            Ed is a diamond importer.  He sometimes carries a fortune in small stones.  So he is alert against attempts at robbery or kidnapping.  This time, clanking along with cars honking behind him, he got as far as the crowded crossroads of Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards before his wheels would go no farther.  There he sat safely in the car, with all doors locked, until a police car hove in sight and helped him to safety.  It just part of a day’s work for Ed. 

            He is the chief executive officer of Wolf Diamonds, Inc., with offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.  The company was started by his grandparents in Jerusalem, where Ed was born.  When Ed was twelve, his parents decided to spend a few years in Los Angeles, to see what it was like, so Ed (speaking no English) was entered in a public school.  “I don’t remember much difficulty,” he says.  “Kids have ways of communicating.  It helped that basketball and tennis came easily to me.  I was on teams right through high school.” 

            The family stayed.  He majored in business at California State University at Northridge.  Then, as an Israeli citizen by birth, Ed went back to the homeland for three years of military service.  He didn’t fit in easily, since he lacked military training given to resident youth during their school years.  Nevertheless he became a tank commander, and went through three years of combat around Beirut.  These are his worst memories.  One close friend was killed and another was left a paraplegic. 

            When he completed military service, Ed returned to join the diamond company in Los Angeles.  He and his wife Ruth live in Brentwood.  We’re happy to welcome them to the club.

  DEPARTURE OF A FRIEND

             A few Rotarians continue as active members into their eighties, despite disappearing from most other civic activities.  One of these was our Bill Bullock, who joined Rotary in 1946 and died of a sudden heart attack April 15.

             Most of us thought of Bill as a friend, because he took visible pleasure at seeing us.  He liked to come early and stand near the door, greeting arrivals so happily that everyone enjoyed the momentary encounters.  Then he often served at one of the check-in tables where he also obviously enjoyed his welcoming role.  He exemplified the social side of Rotary that becomes a major attraction for many of our retirees.

             Bill rose slowly in Southern California Gas Company, starting as a solitary nightly floor-sweeper despite his degree from USC.  By 37 he was a division manager.  When he retired in 1976, he was supervising 400 employees. 

            In Rotary Bill served a year as president of the San Pedro club and a year as a director of our club.  He was also an energetic officer in the Masons, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Boys Club, Boy Scouts, YMCA, Community Chest, and Presbyterian Church.  Countless Santa Monicans are sorry that he has gone.

 WE WELCOMED THESE GUESTS APRIL 19

             Honored guests of members at the April 19th meeting were Lyle Henry, Durgaya Jarja, Daryl and Julia Keighley, Yaniv Wolf, Judy Hoeuma, Maria Rodriguez, Rich King, Esther Andersen, Jami Orlowski, Lonnie Wittenberg, Barbara and Richard May, Angela Wilder, Christel M. Andersen, and James Worthy.  Maybe we’ll welcome some of them as new members of the club later on.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

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