(Oct 25, 2022)
We had a joint meeting at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, with the Carson-Gardena-Wilmington, San Pedro, & Wilmington Rotary Clubs. Our President Victoria Perez-Thacker presided (in her best Halloween finery).
After fellowship among the Club members, we went through the food line for chicken with mushroom gravy, pasta, and green salad, and choice of red or white wines at our tables in the patio area. Those who were brave enough to come in Halloween-themed costumes (including the kids) were voted on for the best (3 trophies were awarded). Past-President Steve Johnson provided security in his knight costume (he took off his helmet to avoid frightening anyone).
Each Club President presented and discussed current and planned service projects for their Club. Victoria reviewed our Club’s very successful Rotary Model UN Peace Conference at PV Peninsula High School last Saturday (a Rotary Global Grant project), with a visiting Japanese Rotarian and a Peace-Tree planting, and presentations by a 90-year-old Hiroshima Atomic Bomb survivor, Ukraine War refugees, and a Zoom talk from Afghanistan. The same day, our Club operated the Beer & Wine Booth at the RPV Harvest Festival. She also described "Rise Against Hunger" food packing Nov 5 at the Torrance YMCA, and our coming Salvation Army Christmas Angel Trees program. (Prizes weren’t given for the best Club presentation, because we didn’t want to embarrass the other Clubs.) Then we finished with an optional Aquarium tour, always an interesting experience.