by: Tom Port
Opener:
Our President, Chris opened with the reminder Holger Knaack is this year’s Rotary International President and his theme is “Rotary Opens Opportunities”.
Greeter: Ray Giles led us in the flag salute and offered our Thought for the Day: “The mind is like a parachute; it only works when it is open.”
Patriotic Song: Our meeting being a virtual one we had to settle for “Aloha”.
Membership Month: This is indeed “Membership Month” so let’s all keep membership in mind. Chris Gayler is working hard on this.
Keep thinking about Rotary.
An Important First: Jennifer E. Jones is in fact the first female nominee for President of Rotary International.
Entertainment by Chris: Chris lightened the mood with pictures of a stray dog adopted by Hyundai dealer, an elephant drunk on corn wine; a
bear who invited himself or herself to a family picnic, A donkey arrested for gambling in Pakistan, a Taiwan airline offering fake flights, a skydiver who found his prosthetic leg in field and, last but not least, a safety raft opened inside a commercial airliner by an overexcited passenger.
Happy Hour: Our virtual Happy Hours are the first and third Tuesdays at 2:00 Carolyn Degnan will host the next one.
Story Walk San Ramon: Colette says its finally done! A brief history: Colette attended Rotary Grant Training Jan. 2019. She with the City in March looking for a project under $10,000 with all-important club logo visibility. We finally put up the $2,742 for the Story Walk matched with $5,483 from Rotary Foundation.
On-Line Auction Nov. 1 through Nov. 9: Terry Koehne is hard at work on the On-line Auction, our primary fundraiser. He is posting a spreadsheet of last year’s auction which will be accessible by all members. He will send everyone a link. If you are able to assume responsibility for a particular donation or prospect you can attach your name to the item in column B. But there is no undo button so take care. Our goal $250 in solicited donations from each club member. Terry says “Start now”!
Kathy Gaily has sent out requests for professions to offer real-world, not virtual, mentoring for students interested in that profession as an auction item.
Club Fellowship: Chris says it's OK to sign in early for meetings to socialize, around 11:40 ish
Recognitions:
Garthe Riopelle: $50.recognition for Michelle”s birthday.
Suzanne Eikel’s husband Mike’s birthday, $30.
Kathy Gaily’s anniversary: $30.00.
Hermann Welm’s birthday: $50.00
Main Event
Vanessa Berastain, Director of the Education Foundation and Sharon Rodman: offered a briefing on the non-profit foundation’s purposes and activities.
The purpose they explained is to support “a world-class education experience” for San Ramon students. The Foundation supports parent organizations and engages our community leaders through 35 individual affiliates. It partners with SRVUSD, and manages SRVEF programs and events. Chris Gayler and Jerry Mars of our club are Rotarian board members.
Some of the Foundation’s Programs include “Imagineering”, an enrichment program taught by certified teachers. Also, Bionics, 3d printing, chemistry, robotics, physical computing, coding and etc.
The year-long “Science Alliance” pairs a fifth-grader with high schooler as their mentor. The mentor gains teaching skills, and prepares middle schoolers for high school lab science. Science Alliance concludes with a district-wide science fair in the spring.
The annual “Auction for Education” is a partnership with SR Rotary and is advertised through the schools. The “Teacher Grant Program” offered 118 grants in 2019 for a total of $67,000 supporting classroom materials, books, musical instruments, etc.
The Foundation has an endowment fund of some two million dollars which provides, at last, a stable funding source. They also have a yearly donation drive and annual dinner.
Karen Rodman advised the “Run for Education” will be virtual for 2020. You will pick your own space and decide on the distance you intend to “run”. You can print your own certificate of completion. Registration fees are $25. and schools get 40%
Greeter for Next Week: Guy Greco.
Happy Rotarian Attendees:
