Doug Brent called the meeting to order at 12:30 and Paul Johnson led us in the flag salute.
Rotarian Visitors
Heather Lerner - President of the San Jose Rotary Club
Tom Bondi - member the San Jose Rotary Club, Board President of JW House
Edesa Bitbadal - member the San Jose Rotary Club
Guests
- Cindy McGrow with JW house
- Santiago Jackson, a summer intern with Andrew Howard
- Steve Vidibor from Mountain View
- Judy Fritz, guest of Suzanne
- Sarah Schiltz, prospective member introduced by Lydia
- John Fabbro
- Donna Butcher, guest of Michael Butcher
Inspiration
John Pencer talked about lexophilia and shared some groaner dad jokes, such as:
You can tune a piano but you can’t tuna fish
A bicycle can’t stand alone, it’s just two tired.
Tina Orsi Hartigan shared the news that Los Gatos Rotarian Tony James passed away.
Tina spoke about how Tony was a warm, kind, gentlemanly person. He was consistently first in line to give service. He served as our president 2016-17 and he bequeathed some money to the Los Gatos Rotary Scholarship Foundation at his passing.
Los Gatos Rotary Charities Grant Update: JW House JW House is a support center for the families of hospital patients. The facility is a home on the property of Santa Clara Kaiser, but it serves many hospitals throughout Santa Clara County. It’s a place where family members can get some respite so they aren’t sleeping on the couch at the hospital. For a nominal fee they get a room, a meditation garden, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Volunteers prepare and serve home-cooked meals for the guests. There are wellness and support programs like therapy dogs, a craft center, live music, and more. In its 16 year history JW House has served 14,000 families of patients undergoing cancer treatments, transplants, and more.
70 volunteers on 3 shifts run the place.There is a wait list of 10-15 families per week, people who end up sleeping in their cars or hospital waiting room without help. Our support helps JW House serve more families. Thank you.
Blue Badge Bio: Michael Butcher
Michael Butcher was born and raised in West Virginia and attended school in Florida. He served as a flight surgeon in the Navy for 12 years, first stationed in Guam during the Vietnam war and then coming to Moffett Field. He then did a four year orthopedic residency where he met Gordon Levin. He practiced for 51 years in this area. He is married to Donna. He hiked Mt Kilimanjaro in 2006. And now he spends his retirement volunteering at Good Sam and spending time with his four grandsons.
Rotary Family Moment: Dan and Riane Spalding
New members Dan and Riane showed a photo with their daughter at her lacrosse game, and with their son at their family property in Colorado.
30 for 30
Patti van der Burg invited us to a fundraising Garden Party at her house for Peninsula Food Runners on September 8. Let her know if you want to attend or purchase tickets online. Click here!
Guest Speaker: Guiselle Nunez
Guiselle is the author of “Take Charge of Your Brand” and, most recently, “Life in the Fish Bowl: Lessons to Help you Survive and Thrive in Elected Office”.
The book comes from her experience being a political spouse. Being in the spotlight 24/7 where everyone sees and comments on everything you do is not an easy burden to carry.
She was married to Ron Gonzales, former mayor of San Jose, for many years. She wrote it because she wished, when Ron ran for office, that someone came to her and said ‘here’s what to expect’.
It’s also helpful to the rest of us. What you see in the headlines and what you see in the comments affects all the family members. Understanding this may help us have more empathy for those who devote themselves to public service.
Also, more of us are politicians in some way than we think. We may go to public events, deal with how we are seen, manage a job that is 24/7 (whether from demands or perceptions), and struggle with juggling our priorities or manage a demanding schedule while taking care of our families.
There is a difference between part-time politicians (like Los Gatos) and full-time (like San Jose) but not as much as you think. Full time politicians may have more resources, but they are still trying to meet all the same expectations. Part of the goal of her book was to help us have a little empathy.
Her aha! moment came when the current San Jose mayor’s wife called her a year ago to ask a bunch of questions. Guiselle had all the information written in her draft of the book. That’s when she knew what she was doing was important.
Guiselle answered questions about countering the negativity and vitriol that comes when you put yourself out there. She said to have the confidence to own your own experience.
How to manage emotions in public spaces? Managing on the back end versus the front end is where the work happens.
Guiselle gave a shout out to our Los Gatos Rotarian Mathew Huddes, who holds public office as a town councilmember.