“Together, we see a world where people unite & take action to create lasting change - 
across the globe, in our communities, & in ourselves.”
  
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Club News
Meeting Notes from April 22, 2025
Los Gatos Rotary Meeting notes The Cat Tale
 
Doug Brent opened the meeting at 12:30
 
Paul Yeadon led the flag salute
 
Visitors
Gregg Butterfield introduced his brother Jim Butterfield
 
Ramon Ware gave our weekly inspiration:
He spoke about what it takes to maintain a good relationship in a marriage, and compared it to Rotary. Whether in relationships or in service, we show up. We contribute. We build communities and change lives. Keep leading, keep serving. And if all else fails just nod and agree like a good married man!
 
 
 
This week’s eggs for St Lukes were decorated for Easter
 
End Polio Now
Rachelle Lopp spoke of the urgency of this particular year to give to the Polio Plus Foundation as big changes are happening in government agencies that support ending polio. This is our moment. AND she announced a $100 match to every first time donor who gives $100 or more. So if you’ve never given before you can make a real impact this year. If you are not at the meetings to sign up to give, please email Marty Fishman with your pledge before the end of April.
 
Doug Brent explained how Rotary charity contributions work.
As a Los Gatos Rotarian, we are part of three entities: the club, yes, as well as the Scholarship Fund (currently valued at $2.1M for our high school scholarships) and the Charities Foundation (currently at $1.8M for all the grants our club gives annually).
 
Our membership also makes us part of the International Rotary Foundation - it will give out 2,000 global grants this year, each at $30,000-$400,000, always with a local partner and always with a plan for its sustainability.
Please know that almost half of any money we donate to the Rotary Foundation as Rotarians comes back to our club in 3 years for us to give grants out of our club. These are called DDF funds.
 
 
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Meeting Notes from April 15, 2025
Los Gatos Rotary Meeting notes The Cat Tale
 
Meeting called to order by President Doug Brent at 12:30pm.
 
Randy Cobb led the pledge of allegiance.
 
Ramon Ware gave our inspirational message. A poem inspired by AI:
  • Together we stand, a purpose we find
  • Integrity, Excellence
  • Bold and united; hope and compassion
  • Building Bridges; building a global community
As Rotarians, we can do it all. 
 
VISITORS—a rare instance without visitors
 
Decorated eggs St. Lukes Pantry— Passover Eggs
 
 
 
 
Announcements:
  • Last Saturday, Hunger at Home video. 
  • Rachelle Lopp, End Polio Now Campaign. If you’re a Rotarian, you are an ambassador to eradicate Polio. The “plus” in PolioPlus means that Rotarians are doing more than stopping the spread of polio in the last four countries in which it is endemic; they also are building a legacy of infrastructure and partnerships that will support the fight against infectious disease long after polio is gone. PolioPlus has many more implications other than Polio; however, our goal is to eradicate Polio. Please consider a donation to END POLIO NOW.
  • District Learning Assembly & Speech Contest Finals West Valley College; Saturday, April 26
  • JW House—1 of 3 events; first on April 29
  • Fisher Middle School Track meet April 30
  • First Tuesday, May 6, 5-7pm at the Terraces of Los Gatos
 
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Meeting Notes from April 8, 2025
Los Gatos Rotary Meeting notes The Cat Tale
 
Barry Cheskin led the pledge.
 
President Doug welcomed us all to Spring.
 
Visitors were
  • Lisa Cheskin’s friend Audrey Fox from San Jose Rotary, whose brother is our speaker today
  • Gordon welcomed a walk-in visitor from Massachusetts Brad Spring
  • Lisa welcomed the speaker’s wife Syd Braker
 
 
 
Ramon inspired us by reminding us that as Rotarians we each carry leadership potential in our community. By leading with example, our efforts will ripple out.
 
 
 
 
The St Luke’s food pantry eggs were a bunny theme for spring. Thanks Randy and Kathy.
 
 
 
Thank you to Nicolette’s first Tuesday at Florentine Village which was a hit last week and pictures were shared. Note May’s first Tuesday will be at Terraces 5-7 with hosted food and drink, and we will be joined by 3 other local Rotary clubs.
 
 
 
President Doug shared photos of the Hunger at Home volunteer crew last week. Also pictures of the Rise Against Hunger event at Prospect High, where early Saturday 30 Rotarians gathered to package 22,000 meal kits!
 
 
 
Rachelle explained Rotary’s ongoing commitment to End Polio, and kicked off our annual April giving campaign for it. Rotary has been supporting these efforts for 40 years, and working along with the Gates Foundation our goal is to completely rid the planet of polio. Consider giving to this major Rotary effort and be proud of how far it has come.
 
Doug listed the highlights of the recent Board meeting.
  • Shir Hadash room rental fees will go up due to extended room usage 11:30-2:30, but through Cindy’s and Ramon’s efforts it seems dues will not have to go up
  • all committees gave status reports
  • the charities grants process is nearly complete, with final board approval happening this week. The process and results will be published for all by Doug. Dan Snyder commented he appreciated all 3 grants committees invited all members to attend via zoom, and that the whole process was transparent and fair.
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Meeting Notes from March 25, 2025
Los Gatos Rotary Meeting notes The Cat Tale
 
Meeting called to order by President Doug Brent at 12:30pm.
 
Lisa Cheskin led the pledge of allegiance.
 
Judy Rodriguez gave our inspirational message about a boy who wanted to buy a puppy; not just any puppy, but the one who would always limp and never run, jump or play like the others. The shopkeeper told the little boy that he would give him the puppy; but the boy insisted that the puppy had the same worth as the others and he would pay full price for him. Besides, the boy rolled up his pantleg to reveal a brace that supported his atrophied leg and told the shopkeeper that he didn’t run so well either. With a down payment of $2.37 and a promise of 50 cents every month until paid, the boy and puppy were united and would share a bond of understanding and support that would last a lifetime.
 
Moral of the story: What might seem like imperfections can be viewed through a lens of shared experience and compassion, creating a deep connection.
 
VISITORS
Mike Norcia’s son Zach who is involved in Youth Rotary at UC San Diego.
 
 
 
Decorated eggs St. Lukes Pantry— March Madness
 
Announcements:
Inner Wheel—Thank you Rotary!
 
Jenna Mittleman—Principal at Dave’s Avenue and co-chair of the 2025 Great Race. Save the Date: August 30, 2025. Recruiting committee members; first committee meeting April 15, 2025.
 
--Rise Against Hunger—March 29, Prospect High School. Still looking for about 20 sign-ups.
 
--April 5 and 12—Hunger at Home in Willow Glen
 
--Opportunity to sponsor Rotary Speech Contest at District level; seeking $25 donations.
 
--First Tuesday—April 1 at Nicolette’s 5:30pm-7:30pm
 
--Nicholas --April 1st and 2nd Community service meeting to allocate funds. Total: $106,000
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We meet most Tuesdays, 12:00-1:30PM at
Shir Hadash
20 Cherry Blossom Lane
Los Gatos CA 95032

Upcoming Events
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Centennial Video
Our club is celebrating 100 years of service in our community. Check this out to see what we've been up to!
Weekly Meeting/Speaker Schedule
Brennan Bowen, Owner Golden Gate Cookie Co.
Apr 29, 2025
Chocolate and the Cookie that Made it Famous
Pasquale Esposito, Musician
May 13, 2025
America - The Land of Opportunity!
In-Meeting Service Project
May 20, 2025
Making Pet Blankets for the Humane Society of Silicon Valley
Art Bernstein, U.S. Mint Advisory Committee Member
May 27, 2025
Quarters that Honor Notable Women: Change that Makes Cents
Drs.Tom Caruso and Ellen Wang, Anesthesiologists
Jun 10, 2025
Virtual Reality to Minimize Pain & Anxiety During Pediatric Medical Procedures
Mike Ricci, Former San Jose Shark
Jun 17, 2025
There Is Life After Getting Your Front Teeth Knocked Out!
View entire list...
Our Long List of Service to the Community!
We packaged 22,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger in April 2025 (an annual event for us).
 
We feed families burdened by extended hospital stays at JW House on a regular basis
 
We assembled hygiene kits in May 2024 for the Catholic Charities Shower of Hope Mobile Van bringing hot showers to the unhoused population in East San Jose.
 
We raised over $14,000 at our February 2024 CrabFest for the Bill Wilson Center Safety Net Shelter for at-risk youth.
 
Every year, we partner with Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley to help fix up a home in our area.
 
Each Fall, we stuff back packs full of essential back-to-school supplies for underprivileged kids.
 
Each year, we help prepare 30,000 meal packs for Rise Against Hunger.
 
We assembled activity kits for isolation patients at El Camino Hospital in February 2023.
 
We helped prepare materials for solar kits for Lighting For Literacy in December 2022.
 
Each holiday season, we donate hundreds of toys for Toys For Tots.
 
We volunteer every year at Second Harvest Food Bank.
 
We volunteer to clean up the Los Gatos Creek.
 
We donated then sorted hundreds of books for children being treated at Stanford Children's Hospital.
 
Every week, we donate food to the homeless at St. Luke's Church Los Gatos.
 
Here we are packing PPE equipment for the elderly at one of our Summer 2022 meetings. 
 
Our Leigh High School Rotary Interact students volunteering at Second Harvest.
 
We donated bikes to Good Karma.
 
We sorting items donated for fire evacuees in Summer 2020.
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