President Sandy Farrell opened the meeting and called on the Club Service Chairs and Club Officers to report on their projects, activities and status for this Rotary Year, in preparation for the annual District Governor’s Visit next week.  (We will begin next week with the Board Meeting at 6:30 PM with District officers, before the Club meeting.)  Sandy is preparing our Club presentation to the District from the written reports that are being presented orally tonight.

 

 

  • Community Service: Jackie Crowley listed the Palos Verdes Street Fair, the July 4 Rotary booths, December award presentation to the Citizen of the Year, holiday bell-ringing for the Salvation Army, joint fundraising event with Kiwanis and Lions next spring, and the District Grant application (managed by Don Reeves).
  • International Service: Sandy Farrell presented for Astrid Naviaux who was unable to be present.  A Global Grant application has been submitted for the Colima Project in Mexico (which is expanding this year).  23 of our Club members are supporting Project Amigo students for education in Mexico.  There will be a work week in Colima in March for up to 12 of our members, focusing on literacy and environmental issues.  Our District’s Humanitarian Trip to Colombia will be March 19-23, for 100 District volunteers (sign up now!).
  • Vocational Service: Madelyn Creighton reviewed the student contests in speech, art, music and dance, and is contacting local schools for nominees.  The winners at our Club will compete at the District level.  Project EGO helps at-risk high school students to focus on their goals, direction, writing resumes and applying for grants for higher education.  In our Club meetings, vocational goals are promoted by craft talks, “Business with a Rotarian”, and “Commercials”.  Local high schools nominate a Student of the Year for our Club, and our sponsored Interact and Rotaract Clubs have Interactor or Rotaractor of the Year based on service.  We also provide a donation to the Palos Verdes School District to help with the Common Core curriculum changes.
  • Club Service: Jerry Farrell supervises our meeting sign-ins and raffles, collecting money and counting it and giving it to the Treasurer.  Our Club’s Community Service Award this year will go to Jeff Earle and be awarded at our Christmas Party at the Warner Grand on Dec 21.  Jerry also manages our Club’s Rotarian of the Year and our monthly offsite meetings.  We have fireside chats for new members with the Membership Committee.  Our entrant to the Oct 6 District Picnic chili cook-off is Russ Schaadt.
  • Youth Service: Don Reeves gave thanks to Roger Schamp, Jerry Farrell and Angi Ma Wong for helping with our youth services, which have activities every week including Interact and Rotaract, and we need more volunteers to come to their meetings, see their projects and get involved.  We award high school scholarships based on service.  We do Youth Exchange hosting.  Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) at Lake Arrowhead every year is an inspiring experience which he encourages us to experience with them.  He is processing a District Grant application for supporting the local 4-H Club, which has about 37 different activities that we can support both financially and by volunteer service.
  • Foundation: Sandy Farrell presented for Dave Moyers (who was at another meeting tonight representing our District Governor).  Our Club has good attendance reservations for the annual Rotary Foundation Dinner Nov 9.  The Dinner will not have a silent auction this year, but there will be a “Pick your prize” activity where you put your tickets into a box representing the prize you want.  They need more donations of items.
  • President-Elect Roger Schamp discussed scheduling programs for our meetings, which are now scheduled through December, but he needs more ideas from members on good speakers and good programs.  The District has an inspiring Rotaract ethics competition coming.
  • Project EGO: John Turner states that 39 students have signed up so far this year (not all of them follow through and complete the program).  Last year at their banquet, we distributed $14,000 in grants to 12 students who finished the program, which helps them to improve their focus on their future, improve their student skills and self-confidence, and overcome family and personal problems threatening their completion of high school.
  • Secretary: Lew Bertrand states that our website is up to date, and he is making up a new Club Directory of members.  He urged our members to be sure their contact information is up-to-date when the draft is passed around.  We are applying for a District Grant to support an ex-prisoner in Los Angeles to go to Trade Tech for a carpentry course to enable him to support himself outside of prison.