Submitted by Luann Jackman

President Larry Curtis opened the meeting by welcoming everyone.

Tony Elshout was asked to lead the Club in the pledge.  Larry Levy did the invocation.

Visiting Rotarians

From Novato:

George Estes
Suzanne Bales
Kay Jones

Tim Sweeney from San Rafael

Guests

Dee Dee Shannon the principal from Marin Oaks along with a number of students and teachers.

Announcements

The District conference was last weekend in Yosemite.  Speakers were outstanding.  They shared that 99.5% of polio around the world has bee eradicated.  Next year the conference in South Lake Tahoe. 

We did win some awards at the conference – we are one of 16 medium size clubs:  2^nd best club, 2^nd in Interact, 3^rd public image, 2^nd Rotary volunteer hours, 3^rd in vocational service, 3^rd world community service, 1^st in youth service.

The Wheelchair Foundation fundraiser this Sunday, it is $75 for a great event at George Sumner’s studio in San Rafael. 

There will be a joint community service project, at Stafford Grove Park.  May 5^th, May 19^th and 20^th for demolition of the existing playground equipment than putting in the new equipment. 

Mini firesides are coming up – either on May 8^th or 10^th.  No lunch meeting on May 10^th.  Please let John Marshall know which date you want to attend. 

We had a member vocational talk:

Bill Doughty shared about grew up in Santa Rosa and Novato.  He started landscaping the week after graduating from high school, putting himself through college (San Jose State) landscaping however never wanted to landscape again.  Guess it was meant to be.  As a landscape contractor he does planting and such however also does (wood, masonry, concrete) decking, fencing, retaining walls, patios, ponds, water features, electrical work and more.  He has changed emphasis, gone from large commercial projects to focus in other areas.  Bill’s son, Billy will hopefully be taking over someday soon.

Recognition

Bill Kelly was inducted in April 22, 1976, sponsor was Charlie Kuhn.

Susan Gilmore had a birthday yesterday.  She went to Bocca’s with her admin staff for lunch.  Her kids made a cake and gave her a little party.  A couple of week’s ago, they went to Catalina Island.

Melissa Rinck’s b-day was also yesterday.  Her adventure started with the trip to Mexico – been having fun ever since with dinner at home, house being cleaned and had a massage.

Marie Border’s nephew was born last week – she left the meeting quickly.  She also shared about her trip prior to that to Florida.  She had her fill of Disney.

Word of the week:  shared by Pauline Stuber (next week is Peter Pelham’s turn) was fey which means other worldly something.

Speaker/Program

The program was about the Marin Oaks students and their trip to San Quentin.  Marin Oaks is a continuation high school.  These students need additional credits to graduate. 

The speaker from San Quentin was Marie Rodesillas, the Correctional Counselor who runs the Squires Program at San Quentin.  She began by bragging about how great it was that a civic group was helping a correctional facility.  She thanked Larry Levy for helping make it possible for the students to participate.  She started as a teacher of school aged children never knowing she would be teaching at San Quentin.  The Squires program began in 1964 by a man on death row who could not even help his own child.  Most of the men participating in the Squires program are in prison for life.  The program is offered two Saturdays per month, and the prisoners council the youth.  These men are trying to give something back as well as changing their own lives as best they can while in prison.  This is an intervention and prevention program for youth in the Bay Area and around the country.  The age of the prisoners are 20 – 50 and this in and of itself makes an impact on the youth.  The students also see the whole prison, death row, cells, receiving and release (processing), the yard and more. 

Success is difficult to measure. 

One of the teachers from Marin Oaks shared how amazing it was how the prisoners could really see into the individual students. 

One student shared how talking with the inmate helped with some of his personal issues.  One went the second day because of what the other kids said about it and wanted to participate.  It opened his eyes to what really happens to someone who made decisions similar to those he was making and where he might end up.  One student wanted to see what prison life was like.  He went to see what it was like because he has relatives in prison, one thing for sure, the food was terrible.  One of the things that impacted one of the teachers was that the decisions the inmates made might have been a split second decision however the time before that split second decision was the bigger decision – the decision to “carry the gun” was the wrong decision. 

The program is free; Any male student between 12-17 is eligible to attend.  The program is paid by Alameda Camp Sweeney and Catherine Feinstein, with the Log Cabin Ranch for two of the Saturdays.  The other two Saturday’s are open to the public is paid by the institution.

Drawing

The drawing was won by Bruce Moeller and he drew a clear marble.

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Do the right thing

Do the thing right

Having FUN doing it!

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Member Spotlight –  

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Upcoming Meetings

May 3                 Doug Rice "Taking Risk & Reaping Rewards – Our Funny View of Money"

May 10               Dark due to mini Firesides on the 8^th or 10^th in the evening

May 17              

May 24               Novato High Interact Club about their trip to Mexico to build houses
 

All Rotarians are encouraged to think about speakers for meetings. If you have a suggestion, please contact Catheryne DiPrete at "Catheryne DiPrete" <Catheryne.diprete@morganstanley.com>.

Board Meetings

Ignacio Rotary Board meetings are the 3^nd Wednesday of the month.  They meet at the Circle Bank on Grant Avenue in Novato.  They begin at 4:30 pm.

Upcoming Firesides

May 8 and 10                        6 pm – locations to be determined

Upcoming Events/Activities/Projects:

May 5                        Family Day at Miwok Park

June 29                        Debunking – 6 pm

District Foundation Information

http://www.rotary5150.org/newsletter.htm

Need to make up a missed meeting?  Now you know where and when:

Day of the Week                        Name of Club                        Time of Mtg.       Location of Meeting

 The Four Way Test

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

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