Upcoming Events:

August 28^th; Storyland and Jazz.

October 22^nd; Charter Night at Copper River.

Next Week:

July 22^nd; The program will be on the Wheelchair Foundation. Bob Bitter, Madera Sunrise, will talk about Rotary wheelchairs taken to Costa Rica.

July 29^th; Doyle Daniel – new tax laws- round table discussion by NFR CPAs.

Pins on or shell out:

RALPH BOYAJIAN rang the bell for not having a Rotary pin on. Beware and carry it at all times. You never know who will call you on ‘no pin we win.’ Ring the bell.

Vocational Service:

CHRIS WONG is looking for volunteers to talk about their craft or profession and give the Club a personal portrait of who you are. More better than a written history with attached picture. Sign up and let’s have a go at it.

Pancake Report:

SCOTT LOWE is looking for a hose and red tubs that have gone missing. Ken Takaguichi was sitting at my table but not introduced. LOU SMALDINO stated that 225 runners partook in the runs. MARK BRAGE, FRED BIGLIONE, THE DALES, RODGER JENSEN and BILL DUKE sold all their tickets to the breakfast. They were given chocolate bars by JOHN KRIKORIAN. Financial report is to come.

Visitors:

Half the Fig Garden club made up with us. Judy Case honored our table by walking around the table to introduce herself to each of us. Maybe we could pick that idea up when we do make-ups.

Oddities:

“A person who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.”

PAUL GIBSON had his eyebrows threaded. If you are curious, watch this by opening hyperlink www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIeHYNt-rl4

Traveler:

NICHOLAS SMALDINO, who did introduce Kim this week, along with step son Andrew and girl friend Megan, brought back a small bell from Hawaii. This smaller bell can be used in place of the 1.25 lb brass bell as the’ traveling bell.’ Andrew and Megan were put to work selling the raffle tickets.

Raffle:

JOE MASTRO won some kudos with his daughter’s father-in-law. Number 855555529 happen to be in the F-I-L’s hand. The twirl of the wheel gave him eight dollars; his age minus fifty. What happens when a woman’s twirl lands on that space? She will always owe money; twenty nine minus fifty.

B-Day table:

“I’m not 50. I’m 49.95.”

Speaking of twenty nine, KATIE SIEMENS remembers her sixth grade slumber party as the best soooooo far. ZACH STEVENS harkens back to the party with a refrigerator full of imported beer. Where that beer came from I have no idea. GENEVIE PUENTE fondly remembers her surprise 40 party. JASON WEBER is still in Happy Ville over this year’s Big Party.

Jokes:

“I finally remembered the punch line! But now I forgot the joke.”

ROD GIBSON stated that the Brits have done it again. “Scientists claim to have answered the question that has confounded philosophers for centuries: which came first, the chicken or the egg?

It was, they say, indisputably the chicken.

A team from Warwick and Sheffield universities examined the formation of a chicken’s egg in microscopic detail and discovered that the shell was made from a protein found only in a chicken’s ovaries.

Called ovocledidin-17, the protein acts as a catalyst to speed up the development of the shell.”

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Science+answers+Which+came+first+chicken/3286031/story.html#ixzz0txGcFuBc

CLIFF SPEIGHT told a ‘man joke’ well.

“Diagnostic: Someone who doesn’t know whether there are two gods.”

The Program:

“I started early teaching my kids the value of a dollar. From then on, they demanded their allowances in gold.”

There is no way I can even approach the job of reiterating the content or even the jest of Dr. Shahrokhi’s presentation. He was kind enough to send me the power-point presentation. See below. We need him to come back for a follow up, with a follow up, with another follow up. MURRAY, you done good. All that were not there, you messed up bad.

“An unemployed jester is nobody’s fool.”

The inserted quotes are not the product of this reporter. He knows not from whom they were imparted. So enjoy them or take the time to do the research.

Upcoming Events Storyland & Jazz; August 28^th. It is now time to sell those tickets!!!

Next Week: Oct. 15 speaker will be Professor Shahrokhi, talking about the Euro with the implications of the International business outlook.

October 22^nd will be a special program on the Wheelchair Foundation. Bob Bitter, Madera Sunrise, will talk about Rotary wheelchairs taken to Costa Rica.

Out of State Traveler, Paul Dyer is not letting any grass grow under his feet. He has been making up all of his meetings, while on a Leave of Absence. He writes that life is great in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He got outfitted for fly fishing and will be heading off to the Pecos River. He volunteered at the Rotary “Pancakes on the Plaza”. They made $25,000 and expect $40,000 next year. (Hopefully, PAUL, will bring back some of their secrets). He said there are a lot of hungry tourists and had a perfect location.

Also on LOA is Sherian Eckenrod. She and Gerry arrived in Montana on May31. They have had visitors including Ron Dustin and Past President Brian Mc Cully and his wife Marty. They have traveled to Glacier National Park and Logan Pass, where they had ten foot banks of snow! Life is full of activities including remodeling and expanding their patio, playing poker, shuffle board, craft fairs, festivals, and entertaining friends. Sherian continues to keep her 100% attendance by making up and attending local meetings. Sherian says “Come see us in Montana!”

Meet Rotarian PAUL READ

PAUL was born in Denver Colorado, served in the Army Air Corps during WWII. He graduated from University of California at Berkley with a degree in accounting. He then accepted a position with a new company W. M. Lyles, in Avenal, CA where the first office was in Lyle’s garage. Paul met and married the love of his life, Betty. They have three grown children. Paul retired from the Lyles Diversified Corporation after 49 years. PAUL has faithfully served Rotary 54 years and has 54 years of perfect attendance. He has been President of the Avenal Rotary Club as well as North Fresno. PAUL states his best asset is the friends in Rotary and at Peoples Church. He says the craziest job he ever had was getting paid while he slept as an irrigator. His personal heroes are Betty Read, Elizabeth Lyles, and Ed Baloian. PAUL says the best advice he ever got was “use your head to save your heel”.

Meet Newer Rotarian EVE LIU

EVE grew up in Southwest China in a city of Chengdu in the Sichuan Province. Chengdu is a high density and urbanized environment. She attended Jiatong University, School of Architecture. After 5 years of study she earned a Bachelor Degree in Architecture. Eve worked for seven years and was awarded the John Parkinson Scholarship to attend the Masters Program at USC. She is employed at Integrated Designs by SOMAN, Inc. working on school projects and a 700 acre mixed-use commercial project with the Motor Speedway and Dragstrip in Tulare. EVE is the Chief Designer of the company, mainly working on building design, site plans, and overseeing 3D renderings of the projects. The thing she admires most in the world is culture (including Art, music, architecture, and much more). A friend recommend that she join Rotary to meet people and serve the community. She is doing both very well!

Have you seen it??? Does anyone know where the Banner for the Endowment Fund is located? It has been missing for a number of months and we need your help. Please advise Janet Powell, if you know where it is. Thanks!

Rotary Pins: It’s gonna cost you. Wear your Rotary pin to meeting, JANET is checking. Not to get caught, last Thursday, PAUL READ and DICK ELLSWORTH were seen pinning each other in the foyer.

Club Service reports that the Membership Committee is gearing up and will be giving each of us an idea of who/what we are looking for, as far as good Rotarians. We need the names of prospects so they can be contacted by the Committee. Remember, if you bring a potential member to the Club, NFR will pay for their lunch.

Vocational Service is looking for volunteers to talk about their craft or profession. This is your time to advertise and not get fined. They are also looking for a site for a field trip. Does your company have something interesting that the Club would like to see? (Possibly a tour of Honorary Rotarian Ed Baloian’s new facility). Contact Chris Wong or Shannon Stiner.

Pancake Report: What a great event, with lots of happy faces and bustling Rotarians. This has to be one of the best things our Club does. Hats off to the Event Coordinator Scott Lowe. It is still too early to see what the profit was, but we served 1140 breakfasts. Word on the street is that we even ran out of batter. The Fun Run was the most successful to date with 225 runners. Good job to Lou Smaldino and his team. Please turn in your tickets and money to Bernadette Hansen on Thursday! There are 21 who have not returned their tickets. Remember if they are not returned, you will be charged.

Meeting of July 8^th: Our speaker was Daniel Doyle (that is not a typo) who is President and CEO of Central Valley Community Bank, formerly Clovis Community Bank. The topic was the recent financial meltdown. Dan was Chairman of the California Bankers Assn. during the crisis and spent considerable time in Washington DC meeting with our nation’s leaders. He advises that the recession lasted 21 months and is now over. He states most want to know the cause of the recession and he believes it was the housing crisis, leveraging and risk taking. Many people believed that the house prices would increase forever. The blame is spread between Congress and National Policies, poor lending and underwriting practices, mortgage brokers, investors, and borrowers. In 1994 the spike in home ownership coincided with the spike in home values.

Dan advises that banks are beginning to make money now that most foreclosure and bad loans have been dealt with. He believes the bottom has been hit but will bounce around for a while. The key is the unemployment number.

This was a very interesting meeting. If you weren’t there, you missed a good one!

Dave Reuland, reporter

It was rather refreshing- we got to dance before lunch. JANET introduced half the Madera Sunrise Rotary Club, she had invited to the affair.

SCOTT LOWE gave an up-date on the Pancake Breakfast- sell tickets was all I heard!

The silverware (plastic stuff) was wrapped by KATIE SIEMENS and DEB MCHENRY and others. 2400 pieces, Whew that’s over! The top ticket sellers were JOHN LEONARDO, NICK SMALDINO and BERNADETTE HANSEN. And the leader is ERIC MAYU; he got The 500 Grand Bar for his efforts. Good Job.

MARK SMITH, JOE MASTRO and JOHN LEONARDO were introduced as The Chair Persons of Membership. They are also in charge of the wine bar and auction area for wine at Storyland and Jazz. Drink up guys! JANET’S theme for this year is FUN.

Hopefully the Joke of The Day will pick up some steam and we’ll get into the swing of things. Time will tell. Hey! It wasn’t that bad. Maybe it was the joke- couldn’t have been the teller!

JOHN KRIKORIAN was pinned as President –Elect. You really looked excited JOHN. I’m glad.

President JANET set the expectation for her Traveling “Bell”. This should be fun if everyone gets into the spirit.

Lysle Zitec won the honor of the First Drawing and the card he drew made him a winner/loser! Cost him $8.00 to get out the door. He Won! – No he lost? Which is it?

After her trip to Montreal, after losing money and auto accident, etc the trip was wonderful. Had a great time.

JANET stated her goal for the 2010-2011 year and that was to increase membership by 17 or was it 15 people. Stay tuned. Also to establish transition systems to help to transition from one administration to the next so projects will continue.

JANET introduced the membership committee- MARK SMITH, JOE MASTRO and JOHN LEONARDO announced a matching Paul Harris grant of $100 for every member brought in, the expectation is all members are expected to actively pursue new members. Ok MARK, we got that!

Community Service Chair, ERIC MAYU and John Cross stressed involvement with Lowell Elementary, Cooper and Fresno High School. They are looking into introducing Pocce Ball as a way to engage kids with Rotarians.

International Services Co-Chairs GENEVIEVE PUENTE and TOM GRAVES are working on ways to tag onto other club activities to make their efforts go farther in Helping Programs in Armenia and Mexico for the Jaws of Life and ambulance with oxygen. So as to make it easier to transport patients who need care. Tom said the wheelchair program will be going to Costa Rico to deliver chairs in March of 2011.

CHRIS WONG and SHANNON STEINER talked about what they are doing with area schools for mentoring- the 4 way test essays- leadership and vocational services looking for opportunities to promote understanding and further ethical standards with our youth.

Good Meeting JANET.

11:30 Club

A great turnout for the 11:30 Club. By 12:00 noon, groups in excess of 30 individuals were enjoying good libation and conversation. No big world problems were probably solved, but a large group of Rotarians got to know each other a little better.

The Meeting

Upon entering the meeting room it was obvious that this meeting was going to be different. The majority of the tables were arranged in a large rectangular with a “passageway opening” located on the north line of the rectangular. Two additional tables were located in the center of the rectangular opening, facing each other a few feet apart.

Approximately 60 NF Rotarians, Visiting Rotarians, and Guests of Rotarians were in attendance.

Immediate Past President Steve Varvis rang the bell promptly at 12:30 to open the weekly meeting of the North Fresno Rotary Club. PP Steve welcomed all to the meeting, the final meeting of the presidential year for President Lou Smaldino. The applause and hoots were almost deafening. Ed Kaczmarek offered an appropriate invocation and Jim Snell did a good job of leading the group in the salute to our nations flag. The five Visiting Rotarians and the two guests of Rotarians, and Yolanda Smaldino, the Honored Guest (President Lou’s wife) were introduced.

PP Steve announced that this was the “Demotion Meeting” for President Lou Smaldino and that any of Visiting Rotarians could remain through the entire meeting or were welcome to leave after lunch. PP Steve invited President Lou come to the podium and presented him with the multi-pointed English-style hat the President Lou had previously obtained at the Rotary International Conference in Birmingham England the prior year. It is amazing how dignified and somewhat royal that President Lou looked while wearing the English-Style multi-pointed hat.

Traveling Rotarians

Several NF Rotarians admitted to PP Steve that they had recently traveled. Roger Anderson and his wife Phyllis recently returned from a trip to Turkey. Roger presented President Lou with an attractive, very spiffy multi colored embroidered Turkish style hat

Bernadette Hansen and her husband Ken had recently returned from an annual trip to Oklahoma City. They were there for the ten-day National Women’s Softball Tournament. Bernadette gave PP Steve a souvenir program of the Tournament and a souvenir scarf.

Ashraf Osman and members of his family recently attended the Pebble Beach U.S. Open and presented President Lou with a souvenir U.S. Open Pebble Beach Golf Towel.

Announcements

Scott Lowe reminded the members that the Fig Garden Village Pancake Breakfast fund-raiser was a little over two weeks away on Saturday July 10^th. The silverware (plastic-ware) wrapping would be next week on June 29^th.. The Villager Fig Garden newspaper recently had a nice article about the North Fresno Rotary Pancake Breakfast.

Chip Putnam reminded the members that Storyland & Jazz is coming fast and will be on Saturday August 28^th . Sell those tickets!!!

Steve Varvis reminded all that the NF Rotary Demotion Party would be tomorrow night (Friday June 25^th ) beginning at 6:00 PM. Due to cancellations, two spaces remain.

Trial for President Lou Smaldino

PP Steve said that many have questioned whether President Lou is worthy of membership in the NF Rotary Past Presidents Club. The Club leaders (who remained nameless) decided that a “Trial” for President Lou would be necessary to determine his worthiness.

Steve McClean was appointed as the acting Judge, Eric Mayu appointed as the Prosecuting Attorney and Steve Varvis as the Defense Attorney. The remainder of the Club membership was the jury.

President Lou was required to put-on a Dodgers Shirt, wear the multi-pointed Birmingham England hat, very stylish “rock-star” sunglasses and sit with Steve Varvis, his Defense Attorney, at the northerly table in the center of the large table rectangle. Prosecuting Attorney Eric Mayu sat at the south table in the center of the large table rectangle. Prior to the following “Trial” proceedings it was explained that the “Four Way Test’ would not be in effect. All present were sworn not to tell the truth.

President Lou was criticized for wearing a stupid hat in public, wearing a Dodgers shirt, and impersonating a President and for giving away cheap wine as raffle gifts. Attorney Eric Mayu called Bernadette Hansen, a 20 year Rotarian, as a prosecuting witness and ask Bernadette if she was given “meeting credits” by President Lou in exchange for booking his private travel. Under more questing by Eric, Bernadette said that she was the Chairwoman of Vocational Services, but didn’t know what Vocational Service was. Judge McClean reminded Eric that attempting to intimidate a witness was not allowed and President Lou was being tried, not Bernadette.

Other witnesses called by Attorney Eric Mayu were: Steve Bezzerides, and Bob Kittredge. Bob Kittredge said that when he was seriously ill in the I.C.U. unit at the hospital he ask President Lou for a Medical Leave of Absence. President Lou denied the leave.

Others on the list of witnesses were Jim Clark, Genevie Puente and Ralph Boyajian, none of the three could be found and the possibility of the involvement of the Italian Mafia was raised.

Eric Mayu ask Doyle Daniels how the Club budget went this year, and he responded: What Budget?

Dick Ellsworth testified that when the Giants guest speaker spoke at North Fresno Rotary, President Lou said: “Go Dodgers”. At the end of the day Dick received an e-mail that said that the Giants might pull the Fresno Grizzlies franchise.

Ted Marsella testified that during his presidency President Lou collected a lot of gifts from travelers. Dave Reuland testified that when President Lou recently lost his name badge he told Dave to give him his Past Presidents Badge. Katie Siemens testified that our recent Australian Exchange Student gained 15 pounds while living with Lou & Yolanda Smaldino and although now back in Australia, she still hasn’t been able to loose all of the extra weight.

Scott Lowe also testified, but it was difficult to tell if he was on the side of the prosecution or the defense.

Defense Attorney Steve Varvis told Judge McClean that he didn’t need to call any witnesses because of the interesting interrogation actions of the Prosecuting Attorney Eric Mayu.

The jury voted “No” to all questions relating to President Lou’s worthiness to join the Past Presidents Club. Judge McClean thanked Steve Vaervis, Eric Mayu and Lou Smaldino for their participation.

Reading these words do not do this “Demotion Meeting” justice. You should have been there to experience it in person.

-Cliff Speight-

http://northfresnorotary.org/

There were no greeters today—what happened? STEVE BEZZERIDES, like clockwork, sold raffle tickets, though apparently not many—a note on this later—what happened?

LET THE MEETING BEGIN:

Prez. LOU called the meeting to order and asked for a moment of silence and prayers for the family of our very much missed member, TERRY HUNTSMAN. His presence among us will be missed, as well as his well crafted comments and questions that have enlivened our fellowship.

RALPH BOYAJIAN sat down disguised as HILDA BARRETT—or at least wearing her badge—which was rectified before he could be fined. We hope we see HILDA soon.

TRAVELERS:

Three travelers this week: PETER SCHEER returned from the Netherlands, where he went with three generations of SCHEERS from the states to help celebrate his mother’s 90^th. ED KACZMAREK brought back a piggy bank from Seattle (pig sculptures line the streets) suggesting the LOU could use it to save for Rotary. FRED BIGLIONE was in Northern Italy and Venice—not his first trip, and visiting the homeland. All brought fitting tributes to our quickly fading president and none were fined. The club was in good spirits.

IT WAS BIRTHDAY WEEK:

BILL STEVENS was born in Fresno and remembers June as a time when school let out. SCOTT SHEWAN, New York, remembers low humidity and gorgeous days. SCOTT LOWE remembered something about June, but this reporter cannot read his own notes about it. Ask Scott later. And MURRAY BARRY from Ontario, Canada, but suffered the same fate as Scott….reporter couldn’t write legibly.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Demotion party and meeting on June 24 and 25. Get your reservations for the meeting in asap, and be ready for a great meeting celebrating (is that the right word?) LOU’S year as president. The prosecution and defense are building their cases.

• KATIE SIEMENS reported that Camp Royal was another great event serving kids and helping them to become leaders. Well worth thinking about being a part of.

• NICK SMALDINO highlighted the wine tasting trip in which 15 participated. Questions were asked about how the event turned out. The answers were sketchy, perhaps not remembers, or, NICK Said, important. A good time was had by all.

• Pancake Breakfast is rapidly approaching and shaping up well. We are hoping for more than a $15k net again this year. SELL TICKETS! Remember the Fun Run as well. So far the champion ticket seller is Eric Mayu–$500! Impressive.

• Storyland and Jazz is also shaping up well. JOHN KRIKORIAN highlighted tickets… Was it NICK SMALDINO who has already turned in ticket sales money? Also impressive. STEVE VARVIS noted that you can get extra tickets and that ASHRAF, CHIP, PATTI, BERNADETTE and KRISITINE had already done so. They are attempting to sell whole tables and get one of those reserved in a prime place. First come, first served. Way to go!

RAFFLE: Now back to the raffle, as mentioned earlier. The total pot was $16—one week only, it would seem, and we sold a total of $32 worth. The sour economy has not yet picked up at the club meeting. But our soon to be Madame President, JANET POWELL (she is now in Montreal for the RI convention) not only had the chosen ticket, but chose the winning marble, and walked away with all of the winnings (and a bottle of wine). These are ominous omens of the coming year.

PROGRAM: Program chair for the past two years (give her a hand a slate of interesting and entertaining meeting) PATTI O’NIELL introduced Patrick Furlong (or as Terry H. called him Patrick Eighth-of-a-Mile), member of the Fresno Club, frequent visiting Rotarian at NFR, gerontologist, life coach and physical fitness professional who explained how “Getting Old is Optional.” It is never too late, he said, to begin. And there is no secret. It doesn’t happen by hours on the treadmill, diets, supplements, or colon cleaning (let’s be thankful). It begins in the soul, somewhere deeper than the mind. People who are optimistic courageous, adventurous, have imagination and enthusiasm, joy and fun, as opposed to fear, timidity, negativity and pessimism live longer and happier lives. The best predictor of health is optimism. What does it take to become like this? Four things: have someone to love, something important to do, something to believe in, have fun. Sound like Rotary could be healthy for you? (The answer is “yes.”) Nourish the soul (at this point we had to hold Father Snell down—he heard the call for a little preaching). You’ll live longer, healthier and happier. Good questions as usual, and good stories from the club of those who knew how to live, love, do well, and have fun—an inspiring meeting. If you want to follow what Patrick is doing send a note to Patrick@gettingoldisoptional.com. He will send you his newsletter.

Next Week: DEMOTION!

Notable Dates To Remember:

Paso Robles Wine Trip:  June 5th.  Rotarians and their guests will be escorted in tour-bus comfort to various Paso Robles wineries, where they can enjoy wine tasting to their heart’s delight.  Lunch will be provided.  See NICK SMALDINO to sign up ASAP please.

Pancake Breakfast:  July 10^th. Clear your calendars!  TICKETS ARE CURRENTLY BEING PASSED OUT.  GET YOURS, GET GOING AND GET SELLING!  There are no teams this year–thank goodness no singing or hula hoops…whoever thought of that idea anyway….

 Storyland and Jazz:  August 28^th.  It’s not too late to begin lining up Event Sponsors now! 

 Demotion:  Friday evening, June 25th, the REULANDS garden.  BE THERE.

GREAT NEWS!  NFR has a New Member!  ASHRAF OSMAN, MD, FACS, FCCP, FICS was heartily inducted into our club.  Welcome ASHRAF!  Our club is greatly enhanced by your membership, and we look forward to getting to know you better.  DR. ASHRAF is a Clinical Assistant Professor for the Stanford Cardiothoracic Program at St. Agnes Medical Center. 

The Program:

Tom Amos of the Cultural Arts Rotary Club introduced this year’s District GSE Team from the region of Rio Grande Do Sul in Brazil.  Shout out to NICK and KIM SMALDINO and DEB MCH. for hosting Danielle for the week.  Danielle is 33 years old, and works in the export business.  Her biggest client is exporting chicken parts for KFC.  This is her first visit abroad, and she also visited her first KFC and tasted “the magic.”  Hooray for the USA.  The team showed a slide presentation of Brazil that highlighted the various states each team member came from, and then they took questions.  A couple of other notable facts about Brazil:  The northern region is home to the largest area of freshwater concentration in the world.  Wow.  Over 60% of the country’s GDP comes from the area of Sao Paulo alone. Yowza. And a double-bonus question:  What city is known as the “Brazilian capital of shoes?”

That’s it from here.  Next week’s program features Don McKinney speaking on the “Future of Agribusiness in the Valley.” Be there or be square.

 Signing off,

 No Mercy McHenry

GOD BLESS AMERICA

http://northfresnorotary.org/

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.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

http://northfresnorotary.org/

PRESIDENT LOU called the meeting to order; SCOTT SHEWAN led us in prayer; STEVE BEZZERIDES led us in the flag salute.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

It is not the pound! It is the Central California SPCA.

Did you know that in the City of Fresno, a family is allowed only four animals, total? In some families I know, that would eliminate the possibility of having a pet.

DOYLE DANIELS led the Day Trippers in prayer, followed by L², our Prez leading the salute to our Glorious Country. GORDON G. KNOTT then recited a brief history of the SPCA. PATTI O’ ordered the box lunch and took role. In all there were about thirty five attendees. The late attendees were BILL STEVENS and ZACH STEVENS. The late, late attendee was PAUL READ. The late, late, later attendee was ERIC MAYU with the late, late, later, latest attendee being RICK QUAN. If this seems dumb, just consider the source. True wit is hard to come by.

NEW FATHER:

Six pound seven ounce, Abigail Marie Stevens, exited a confined world and entered this spacious world on Thursday the 15^th of April. Hopefully ZACH, her father, will be given a make-up for his presence at the birth of a future Rotarian.

THE BOARD ROOM:

PATTI O’ earned the National Association of Realtors Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certificate. And a big hurrah!

SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS:

PAUL READ lightened our mood with the good news that Betty is gaining strength. She is still at Willow Creek, under good care.

The TER. as in HUNTSMAN is recovering.

Thank you once again for your many phone messages and e-mails inquiring about Terry.  For those of you who do not know, Terry had a second surgery last Thursday to place a shunt in his brain to drain fluids that were accumulating and help to relieve pressure.  The surgery went well and Terry is no longer on the rehab floor but has been moved to the 7^th floor.  Since the procedure he has been more alert and conversant and some of the strength has returned to his left side.  We are very thankful for these improvements and again wait patiently each day for the next step in the process of his treatment.  The radiation therapy will now wait for about 14 days so that the incisions from the recent surgery have time to heal.  Thank you again for your care, concern and prayers for Terry – God’s grace has blessed us with many special mercies over the last several days for which we are very grateful.

Thank you,

Marsha

THE REASON for the TRIP:

Grace Appleton-Cooper RVT led us on a tour of the facility and what a plant they have. The following site http://www.ccspca.com will give you all the necessary and sufficient information. One event is not covered by the site. That is the California Canine Cuties Program. The following is an excerpt from the ‘SPCA News.’

More Edmonton-area homes will soon be warmed with the love of homeless small-breed dogs in the Central California SPCA’s partner­ship with Edmonton Humane Society’s extremely popular life­saving animal transfer program, “California Canine Cuties.” The flight will leave Fresno Yosemite Airport’s Executive Air at ap­proximately 9:00 a.m. The loading process will begin at 8:00 a.m. Fresno time.

Generous EHS donor and “Orange Dog” company owner, Jan Folk is once again making it possible for 114 small-breed dogs to be transferred to Edmonton from the Central California SPCA. On Friday, February 12, a private Gulfstream III jet is bringing the dogs direct from Fresno on the “Love is in the Air” flight. During similar trips in the past, volunteers and the dogs endured an eight hour drive from Fresno to Los Angeles before the adorable animals were loaded onto the plane for a three hour flight to Edmonton.

Since the flight is direct from Fresno this time, folks will be able to personally thank the dedicated volunteers in our area for their unbelievable hard work to arrange each dog to be spayed or neutered, receive all necessary vaccinations, and have medical exams and testing before their trip.

“The heart of this program’s success has been largely because of the dedication from loving volunteers on either side of the border,” says Edmonton Humane Society spokesperson, Shawna Randolph. “It is estimated that 18000 volunteer hours have been committed to saving these small creatures. It’s unbelievable how much love goes into this.”

It has also created new friendships across the miles. The EHS recently set up a Facebook page to link former foster parents with new Alberta owners and the popularity of that page grows daily.

Including this new group, 251 dogs have been brought to Edmonton from California and placed in loving Alberta “forever homes.” Folk has committed to arranging three flights per year to ensure that this operation continues regularly.

FOR YOU DUFFERS:

0′bama has now appointed a Golf Czar. Announcements were just made of major rule changes in the game of golf which will become effective 01 June 2010.

This is only a preview as the complete rule book is being rewritten as we speak. Here are a few basic changes: Golfers with handicaps:�
- below 10 will have their green fees increased by 35%.�
- between 11 and 18 will see no increase in green fees.�
- above 18 will get a $25 check each time they play. The dollar amount placed in bets will be as follows:�
-for handicaps below 10, an additional $10.�
-between 11 and 18, no additional amount.�
-above 18, you will receive the total amount in the pot even if you do not play. “gimme” will be changed to “entitlement” and will be used as follows:�
-handicaps  below 10, no entitlements.�
-handicaps from 11 to 17, entitlements for putter length putts.�
-handicaps above 18, if your ball is on green, no need to putt, just pick it up. new Rules are intended to CHANGE the game of golf.�
Golf must be about Fairness.�
It should have nothing to do with Ability.

The term 

These entitlements are intended to bring about fairness and, most importantly, equality in scoring. 

In addition, a Player will be limited to a maximum of one birdie or six pars in any given 18-hole round. Any excess must be given to those fellow players who have not yet scored a birdie or par. Only after all players have received a birdie or par from the player actually making the birdie or par, can that player begin to count his pars and birdies again. 

The current USGA handicap system will be used for the above purposes, but the term ‘net score’ will be available only for scoring those players with handicaps of 18 and above. 

This is intended to ‘redistribute’ the success of winning by making sure that in every competition; the above 18 handicap players will post only ‘net score’ against every other player’s gross score. 

These 

Bacon Tree:
Two Mexicans are stuck in the desert after crossing into the United States, wandering aimlessly and starving. They are about to just lie down and wait for death, when all of a sudden Luis says………

“Hey Pepe, do you smell what I smell.  Ees bacon, I theenk.”

“Si, Luis, eet sure smells like bacon. ”

With renewed hope they struggle up the next sand dune, and there, in the distance, is a tree loaded with bacon.

There’s raw bacon, there’s fried bacon, back bacon, double smoked bacon … every imaginable kind of cured pork.

“Pepe, Pepe, we ees saved.  Ees a bacon tree.”

“Luis, maybe ees a meerage?  We ees in the desert don’t  forget.”

“Pepe, since when deed you ever hear of a meerage that smell like bacon…ees no meerage, ees a bacon tree.”

And with that, Luis staggers towards the tree.  He gets to within 5 meters, Pepe crawling close behind, when suddenly a machine gun opens up, and Luis drops like a wet sock.  Mortally wounded, he warns Pepe with his dying breath,

“Pepe… go back man, you was right, ees not a bacon tree!”

“Luis, Luis mi amigo… what ees it? ”

“Pepe.. ees not a bacon tree.  Ees…

 
Ees…
�
Ees…
�
Ees a ham bush….”

THIS WEEK:

Not to show any form of muted discrimination, I will now pick on the Swedes. Ole Svinck, aka SKEEP, will introduce this week’s program. Scott Barton, the Zoos new Executive Director, will outline the future expansion concerns for the Chaffee Zoo. I hope they serve Lutefisk for lunch. Of course, coarse, Ole probably would not know a ‘Lute’ if he saw one. How can an inanimate object be possessive?

Next week’s reporter is….. drum roll………..and roll………PETER BRADLEY.

I wish a sincere and joyous blessing to all, especially to the TER.

Good night and God Bless.

BULLETIN FOR MEETING OF 4/15/10

A good turnout for both the 11:30 Club and also for the Regular Meeting. A considerable number of our CPA’s were also in attendance. Kinda-strange considering that this was also the last day for filing income tax forms.

THE MEETING

Prez. Lou rang the bell and brought everyone to their feet almost promptly at 12:30. Father Jim Snell offered a thoughtful, “all inclusive”; invocation and Pat Bradley did a job of leading the group in the allegiance to our nations flag. Dick Ellsworth also did a good job of introducing the two visiting Rotarians and of orchestrating the introduction of the two guests of Rotarians.

Prez. Lou introduced those joining him at the head table comprised of Roger Anderson, Katie Siemens, Doyle Daniel, Program Chair, and Ed Kaczmarek the speaker (actually co-speaker) and NF Rotarian. Gabe Hernandez, the other co-speaker was only briefly introduced at this point.

SICK REPORT

Gordon Knott reported that Terry Huntsman had his brain tumor surgery on Sunday rather than Monday as was originally scheduled. The surgeon said that the surgery had gone very well. Terry is now out of the Intensive Care Unit of Fresno Community Hospital and Gordon had the opportunity to visit him in the last day or two. He found Terry to be doing very well, alert, talkative and joking. When Gordon ask Terry how he was doing, he answered “not too well, I just had brain surgery you know”. Gordon said that Terry had his head shaved for the surgery but had three or four days of facial hair. He told Terry that he looked good with a mustache and beard and that he should keep it. He answered that he didn’t want to look like Steve Bezzerides. Gordon said that Terry had just received a letter from Dave Reuland that informed him that the Club had approved a Leave of Absence for him. Terry was upset because his health problem had ruined a 30-plus perfect attendance record in Rotary.

Deborah McHenry suggested that everyone in the NF Rotary Club do a makeup within the next two weeks at another club or “on-line” in Terry’s name. The on-line make up can be found by typing in “Rotary Make-up” on Google.

TRAVELING NF ROTARIANS

It turns out that our co-guest speaker was also the only recent NF Rotarian traveler. Ed Kaczmarek recently made a trip to Seattle. He brought Prez. Lou (or the Club) a map of Seattle, some brochures, info on ski resorts, information on renting a motorcycle and a bag of Starbucks coffee purchased at the original Starbucks. The travel offerings pleased the Club and a fine was not imposed.

SPCA NEXT THURSDAY

Patti O’Neill reminded the Club that the field trip to the SPCA facility (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) would be next Thursday (April 22^nd.) The time is 12:00 noon and the location is 103 S. Hughes Avenue. The reserve a box lunch, you need to let Patti know that you are coming and if you are bringing a guest.

ROGER ROCKA’S

April 24^th is the date and Oklahoma is the performance. The cost is $55 and includes the show, dinner and dessert. Contact Lou Smaldino or Paul Dyer for additional information or a reservation.

WINE TASTING TRIP

June 5^th is the Date. Contact Nick Smaldino for additional information and reservations.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

The date is July 10^th and the location is the Elbow Room at Fig Garden Village. Assignments and more details will be forthcoming.

STORYLAND & JAZZ

August 28^th is the date and Storyland at Roeding Park is the place. Assignments and more details will be forthcoming.

AIRPORT ROTARY LOBSTER FEED

April 17^th is the date. Contact Lou Smaldino for additional details.

EAST FRESNO ROTARY CIOPPINO FEED

April 30^th is the date. Contact Lou Smaldino for additional details.

DISTRICT CONFERENCE

The Date is May 14 and 15. The location is Visalia. Contact Lou Smaldino for additional details.

FRESNO PHILHARMONIC TICKETS

Rick Quan auctioned two tickets to the Sunday April 18^th performance of the philharmonic that he and Nancy wouldn’t be able to use. Each ticker has a value of $30 and the winner was Peter Scheer for a total cost of $40. Rick gave the auction proceeds to Youth For Christ.

THE RAFFLE

The lucky ticket was 5077823. The owner of the lucky ticket was Peter Scheer. The black marble would have allowed Peter to win $21.00, but Peter was not lucky enough to find the black marble in the bag of other colored marbles. I think he did win a bottle of wine.

GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE

Kevin Oflazian announced that the Brazilian Group Study Exchange would be visiting the week of May 16^th through the 21^st. The group is comprised of five people ranging in age from the late 30’s to the early 40’s. They will visit North Fresno Rotary on May 20^th. Volunteer NF Rotarians are needed to host one or more members of the team. Deborah McHenry and Nick Smaldino volunteered to help. Others willing to host the members of this study group should contact Kevin Oflazian.

BIRTHDAY TABLE

There was a birthday table, but the two occupants were not recognized until after the guest speakers completed their presentation. Father Jim Snell and Paul Gibson looked rather lonely sitting at this eight-place table. Prez. Lou admitted that he messed-up by forgetting to recognize the birthday table. Prez. Lou did not mentioned if any other NF Rotarians had birthdays in April, but were not at the table.

THE PROGRAM

Prior to introducing Ed Kaczmarek, Program Chair Doyle Daniel reminded the Club that North Fresno Rotary has a long and good relationship with Fresno-Madera Youth For Christ. Several of the past leaders of the Fresno-Madera Youth For Christ organization have been North Fresno Rotarians. Also both past and present members of the Board of Directors of Fresno-Madera Youth For Christ are or have been North Fresno Rotarians. Presently Doyle Daniel and Chris Wong are members of Board.

Ed Kaczmarek is the leader of the Fresno-Madera Youth For Christ. Ed began his presentation by thanking the North Fresno Rotary for recently providing a large part of the funding that was used to produce a professional video that shows what Youth For Christ does and how they do it.

In the next approximate one-half hour Ed and his co-speaker Gabe Hernandez covered a lot of ground with their prepared speeches and the previously mentioned video. This report will only cover some of the highlights. To fully appreciate the entire presentation, you needed to be there. Youth For Christ is a faith-based organization dedicated to helping the youth of our community. Their motto is: Geared to the times but anchored to the rock. Kids need the same love and care today as they did in the past. Ed said that 90% of the incarcerated youth do not have a father figure in their life. 30% of the middle school kids and 50% of the 9^th graders have already experimented with alcohol. JIM is a club designed to help incarcerated teens. City Life is a club is designed to work with urban children and teens. Teen Parents is a club designed to work with teen moms. Fresno-Madera Youth For Christ has 35 sites in the Fresno, Clovis and Madera County areas.

Gabe Hernandez is a volunteer for Youth For Christ and was recently recognized for the Volunteer of the Year award. Gabe is presently a student in a local bible college and is well on his way to becoming an accredited minister. Gabe is an impressing figure. He is about 33 years old, probably a little over six feet tall, and probably weights close to 350 pounds. When Gabe talks, people listen. Gabe did talk and NF Rotarians listened. Gabe was only 8 years old when his life started to change and his mother and father divorced. Gabe and his siblings remained with, and were raised by, his mother. The mother worked many jobs to support the family. Gabe lost all of the faith he had in his father. His mother remained single and there was no male role model in his life. Gabe was always a big kid and partly due to his size, he had a tough timer as a kid fitting in with other kids. As a teenager he joined a gang (Bulldogs) and became part of a “family”. He started using alcohol and then meth. Several times he tried to change his life but didn’t have much success. While on drugs, he severely beat a woman in a car in front of her two kids. The woman’s husband came out of the store and tried to help his wife, but he was much smaller than Gabe was. A group of people did finally stop Gabe from beating the woman. A few weeks later he was caught and arrested then went to jail for five years. He has been in and out of prison several times. In 2006 he changed his life and dropped out of the gang. God has changed his life and as mentioned previously, he is now attending a bible college. He currently ministers to areas that he previously worked as a gang member.

It was a good program. You should have been there!!!

-Cliff Speight-