Submitted by Pauline Stuber 

President Tony Elshout opened his first meeting at 12:30 pm.  Dean Moser led the pledge of allegiance.

President Tony gave the invocation and thought for the day. 

Visiting Rotarians

Nohemi Beissmann-Mason from Novato, Richard DeRamon from Novato Sunrise and Lenore Hirsch from Napa Sunrise were visiting today.

Guests

Nohemi brought here grandchildren Demirae and Dawsen, Bruce Moeller introduced his son Daniel and Pauline Stuber introduced the Wulbern Scholarship recipients for 2005.  They are Taumoha Ghosh from San Rafael High, Cami Nandell from Novato High and Amelia Whitson from Tamalpias High.  (Each of the recipients brought along as a guest their parents.)

Special Recognition:

Catheryne DiPrete received her blue badge (even though her sponsor, Matt Wilson, was not in the club long enough to get on the roster).

Announcements

Greg Chidlaw announced an upcoming Benefit Dinner for “Giants Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park, Saturday, August 27.

There will be a fireside (evening) meeting at the Cacti Restaurant in Novato on Wednesday August 17.  More details to follow.

Fine Time

Rob “the Bear” Sundberg began his year as Finemaster in spectacular form.  He managed to separate several members from their hard-earned money:

• Shelley Klaner for a ringing cell phone during the first board meeting of the year

• Bill Kelly for his 44^th anniversary to wife JoAnn, with a visit to Chicago’s Blues Festival, Milwaukee,   Madison and St. Paul, among other Great Lakes destinations

• Dick and Fran O’Brien for their anniversary

• Jim Picchi for his July 8 birthday

• Steve Minutoli for his July 9 birthday

• Ron Kern for his birthday trip to Maui

• Michael Fish for his 5oth birthday party at Novato Rotary President Frank Falzon’s home and the birth of his first grandson.  The club took up a collection, totaling $152.00, to be matched by Michael, to start a savings account for Liam Julius

Speaker

Two Club members shared speaker duties at today’s meeting:

Greg Chidlaw discussed the Monte Carlo Night Fundraiser.  Some ideas for this year include

• Monte Carlo as a person – “Where in the world is Monte Carlo going this year?”

• Raising the ticket prices

• Looking at things we can do to make it better – members made recommendations, which will be discussed by the new committee

Then Kirk Hylan discussed a new Microsoft Remote Web Workplace Small Business Server.  This software program can have a great effect on the business of the club.  It would help us manage documents, photos, calendars, discussions and surveys, sign up sheets, archive library, alerts, announcements, bulletins, contact files, spreadsheets, etc.  This is potentially a great new tool for the club. 

John Marshal won the raffle, unfortunately did not draw the “correct” marble however received a lovely consolation prize – a blue 100^th anniversary Rotary tote bag.

Speaker
Two Club members shared speaker duties at today’s meeting:

Greg Chidlaw discussed the Monte Carlo Night Fundraiser. Some ideas for this year include

Monte Carlo as a person – “Where in the world is Monte Carlo going this year?”
Raising the ticket prices
Looking at things we can do to make it better – members made recommendations, which will be discussed by the new committee

Then Kirk Hylan discussed a new Microsoft Remote Web Workplace Small Business Server. This software program can have a great effect on the business of the club. It would help us manage documents, photos, calendars, discussions and surveys, sign up sheets, archive library, alerts, announcements, bulletins, contact files, spreadsheets, etc. This is potentially a great new tool for the club.

John Marshal won the raffle, unfortunately did not draw the “correct” marble however received a lovely consolation prize – a blue 100th anniversary Rotary tote bag.

Upcoming Meetings:

July 21            Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity- Zara Babitzke

July 28            District Governor Holly Axtell

August 15       Dark

All Rotarians are encouraged to think about speakers for meetings. If you have a suggestion, please contact Dave Pitchford at 382-8150.

Board Meetings:

Ignacio Rotary Board meetings are the 2^nd Wednesday of the month.  They meet at the Bank of Marin located at 378 Bel Marin Keys Blvd.  They begin at 5 pm.

Upcoming Firesides:

August 17            at the Cacti Restaurant on Grant Avenue in Novato

International

We are assembling a small, pan hemispheric team of people to join in a climb up Mount Aconcagua (22,834ft), the highest peak in North and South America, as part of an awareness and fundraising campaign for a project by Partners of the Americas, aptly named New Heights in Volunteerism. 

Although being a Rotarian is not a criterion for participating in the climb, given the project goals and the international flavor of the initiative, I feel compelled to extend an invitation to fellow Rotarians. At your discretion, I invite you to pass this on to the District 5150 clubs. The team is going to be made up of one person from each of the following regions: Canada, USA, Brazil, Central America, the Caribbean and the southern/western countries of South America. With only one position open for a climber from each region, the positions are bound to fill quickly. 

New Heights in Volunteerism will provide nonprofit organizations with special technology that matches energetic volunteers with real community needs in more than 30 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The 70 Partners of the Americas chapters (www.partners.net <http://www.partners.net/> ) throughout the region will facilitate the launch of hundreds of local websites where volunteer organizations will be able to post their needs (free of charge) and volunteers will be able to find those volunteer opportunities and connect with the relevant organization.  And to reach out to those with little or no exposure to the Internet, the same volunteer opportunities offered online will also be advertised offline. This grass roots promotion of volunteerism will become available in communities with a population of 5,000 or greater, throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Physical conditioning and is a must and some experience hiking at high altitudes is a definite asset but not mandatory. The combined effects of the high altitude and the physical demands of the climb will likely prevent some of the team from making it to the summit. Our goal as a team will be to see that at least one member reaches the peak. Those interested in participating but lacking high altitude experience should research this type of activity before making any sort of commitment. Climbers will be responsible for their own expenses related to the fundraiser. 

The press release related to the launch of this project can be found at www.partners.net <http://www.partners.net/> . Those interested in the project should contact me at tony@volunteer2.com or 905-637-8754 or Matt Clausen at mclausen@partners.net or 202-637-6211. 

Tony Goodrow

(Rotary Club of Burlington - Ontario, Canada - 7080)

District 5150 Newsletter and Information:

For more information all you need to do is log on to the District Web Site at:

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

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