Meeting Recap of 05/13/2009
by lou on 21/05/10 at 9:50 pm
BULLETIN FOR 05/13/2010
GOD BLESS AMERICA
I got to do a little multi-tasking today, being the program chairman for my good friend, and being tasked with the Bulletin. In some ways, that makes it easier, as I know what the speaker had to say and don’t need to rely on notes. Except maybe for the early parts.
PRESIDENT LOU went all-pro for the invocation, getting YFC director ED KACZMARAK to do the job. The flag salute was ably led by JIM CONNELLY, while the visitors and Visiting Rotarians were introduced BY JOHN KRIKORIAN.
It turned out we had a traveler that was willing to own up to his trip. Recent experience suggests that just staying quiet might be a more reasonable choice, but KEVIN OFLAZIAN jumped right in with his recent trip to Rome. He came up with a (slightly used) guide to touring Rome, and an empty wine bottle. For some reason, this was considered due respect to our esteemed president and KEVIN was let off the hook.
By the time you read this, you will have either attended or completely missed the 2010 District Conference. Being in the latter category, I will look forward to a full report from LOU next week. Those of you who went, I hope you had a great time and learned a lot.
There is a North Fresno Rotary Endowment Board Meeting this coming Wednesday, May 19. PETER SCHEER happily reports that the funds are back in the black after last year’s losses, so the Board is again considering funding requests. That’s a good thing. No fun having and endowment fund if it’s losing money and doesn’t have any to give away. The Board meeting also counts as a make-up so don’t hesitate.
Speaking of the Endowment Fund and giving away money, that’s what we did next. NFREW gave about $2,500 to the local Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Director and NFR member KRISTINE BALLECIER took the opportunity to update us on all the happenings at the Society, which are extensive. Sounds like we chose well.
Wednesday night, same May 19, there’s a dinner with the inbound GSE team from Brazil. This will be at Gyro Express, downtown. More details? See KEVIN OFLASIAN.
NICK SMALDINO put in a plug for the Wine Trip, Saturday, June 5. Still missing some details, but cost will about $100 per person including bus, wine tasting and lunch. See NICK for details and signups.
Tickets? Who’s got ‘em? Not us! At least, not yet. Pancake Breakfast tickets are at the printer and will be available Thursday. Storyland and Jazz tickets will be available soon, in addition to the Save the Date cards you got last week, so we will be in full swing for our upcoming Summer events. Let’s get the tickets sold.
Huge Kudos to CHARLES SMALL and his group for coming home with a $10,000 challenge sponsorship for Storyland & Jazz. If you have leads for CHARLES and his group as they work to match this challenge.
Next up was the raffle. No big news there, as despite the improving odds and increasing pot. Despite it all the “winner,” PETER SCHEEr walked away unhappy, noting that no good deed goes unpunished.
Our guest speaker was Mike Reinhold, director of the Ben-E-Lect Foundation, a 401(c)3 with the mission to provide young adults age 18-29 with “another step” toward a more normal and productive life, through mentoring, coaching, job placement, and more. Not aimed at upper middle class kids or at gang-bangers, this program is intended to help bright young adults who are simply under-mentored and under-motivated. In business for a year, the first “graduates” of the program are getting close, and Reinhold anticipates the program can have a capacity of 25 people per year.
He is looking for companies led by individuals willing to take a young person under wing and mentor them for six months, giving them the opportunity to learn about business, relationships and life. If you missed his contact information at the meeting, you can learn more at www.benelectfoundation.org, or you can email Mike at mlreinhold@sbcglobal.net.
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