- The Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA

Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
Official Weekly Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA
March 6, 2014 | VOL 68 | ISSUE 32
Debbie Cooper, el presidente, opened the meeting. Jesse Wellen acted as greeter and gave his thought for
the day.
Visiting Rotarians: nada
Guests: Grant Stubblefield, third visit, although Anna S. didn't know that!
Catherine Abrahams, Dave's lovely wife, who seems to be a step up for Dave, commented one member
whose name will be added to the witness protection program. Josie, their oh so cute daughter, is now in
preschool giving Katie a much needed respite from parenting.
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
Annc'ed : Dick Holt, still recovering from hip surgery and as ornery as ever! Of course a split femur isn't
helping much and will set back his recovery a good 4-6 wks. Big John Sherry is acting as Chairman of the Concert
at the Res in his absence. Big shout out to John!
John Sherry spoke of the prices of the new shirts and jackets, now available for purchase. Kurt and Matt
were showing off their new jackets proudly as John started auctioning off some of the leftover Rotary rain
slickers. These were grabbed up by those expecting more rain in this drought year of ours...we're with ya people!
Norma discussed this years workday project for Rotary : as March is literacy month, she rec'd collecting books
for Martinez Juvenile Hall, so mostly preteen and teen books are needed and presentation of these books
will constitute our "workday"as Rotarians. Please bring your book contributions to the next 3 club meetings so we
can collect them for delivery.
Dino spoke of the Rotary conventions at Solano College. John Sherry is driving, so for those of you with danger
as their middle name....., consider hitching a ride with him.
Greg Vaisnor is going to the PETS meeting so he can figure out what he'll be doing as our next president.
Bob Shusta spoke of his fab trip to Tahiti and his weight gain of a pound a day!
Larry Blodgett apologized for his locquatiousness during the speaker last week, and then spoke at length as to
why that was the right thing to do, ya da, ya da, ya da. Can't keep a good man down!
Dave A. Spoke of his 6th Wedding Anniversary and his 45 birthday, too.
Norma returned from 2 weeks in Chile and fly fishing with the "boys", loving every minute of it and showing signs
of a lovely tan as well.
Speakers: Dave Abrahams told his story and his struggle with Tourette's Syndrome since childhood. On a
lighter note, Dave has spent many mornings at Johnnys doughnuts where he met Bill Eames and thus
discovered Rotary and all of us. He was raised poor and in a Kosher house and, once at Yale, this late bloomer
caught up quickly and spent the next 18 years as an "accomplished" bachelor. When he finally decided to
settle down, he met his wife at a "table for six" event and the rest is history. He feels the adversity in his early
life equipped him well for later life, which he has spent in the produce industry. He currently works with
"Fresh Connection", with his good friend Pete Stewart. Their clients are overseas and he connects them with
Central Valley farmers. The drought is starting to have an impact on the industry and will necessitate close
attention to the markets and the weather.
Gregg Vaisnor, our incoming pres., told us of his Lithuanian culture, his parents immigrating to America in the
20's. He moved to Lafayette as an infant when his father got a job in the area. He was a swimmer on the team of
his school placing at the County meet. An attendee of Del Valle, he joined the tennis team and played for them all
4 years. When his hi school sweetheart's family moved to Japan, he and his brother jumped on a container ship
and experienced life on the sea. He now tinkers with cars and has a 26 y.o. Daughter. He's been a Rotarian for
32 years, treasurer for half that time. He looks forward, as do we, to his term as president.
And that's pretty much all she wrote for Thursday, March 6, 2014. And by the way, there's no truth in the rumor
that the other notetaker, Dave A., is funnier than I when taking these notes! Well, maybe...
Rotary International News
Other News:
Club Calendar
Clubs celebrate Rotary’s
109th anniversary
The Four Way Test
Of the things we think, say or do:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER
FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Officers & Directors
Ron D. Burton . . . . . . .RI President
Steve Lack . . . . Dist 5160 Governor
Debbie Cooper . . . . . . . . President
Chuck Vogel . . . . . Past President Buddy
Brodwin . . . . . . Club Service
Greg Vaisnor . . . . President Elect
Bob Shusta . . . . . .Secretary Excu.
Norma Evans . . . . . . . . Secretary
Greg Vaisnor . . . . . . . . Treasurer
Ronald Wake . . .Rotary Found. Chair
Maurice Williams. Community Service
Terry Ring. . . . International Service
Dino Riggio . . . . Vocational Service
Anna Stevenson . Sergeant at Arms
Give Hope - Give A Hand
Upcoming Speakers
By Rotary editorial staff
From Panama City, Panama, to
Visakhapatnam, India, Rotary members
found creative and diverse ways to celebrate
Rotary’s 109th anniversary the week of 23
February. They illuminated buildings, held
health fairs, took part in swimming
fundraisers, handed out free ice cream on
the beach, and otherwise highlighted the
work Rotary does year-round to eradicate
polio and meet the needs of communities
3-13: John Coleman, "Are we
prepared for the drought?"
3-20: David Gerson on a Parcel Tax
Local & District Events
Rotary International Events
Birthdays
3/3
3/15
3/17
3/28
Mo Levich
Alan Mac
Dino Riggio
Troy Feddersen
Anniversaries
Greeters
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
around the world.
read story
The Rotary Club of Lafayette
donates an LN-4 Prosthetic
Hand in the name of our
speakers each week.
The LN-4 Prosthetic Hand
transforms lives and
empowers those who have
lost hands and limbs due to
land mines, birth defects, and
other catastrophes.
Make Up Meetings
and locations of nearby clubs:
http://rotary5160.org/clubs/where-clubsmeet/
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
March 7 2014 Rotary Ski Race in Tahoe
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
Lafayette Rotary Racer Dave Baker
Rotary Club of Lafayette, CA | weekly Bulletin | March 6, 2014
March 13, 7:05:38am Past President's Club at Jonny's Donuts Photo David Abrahams
Notes by Buddy Brodwin | Photos John Sherry