Meeting called to order by President Mike Norcia at 12:30
 
The pledge was led by Grant H. and Jack H.
 
Inspiration by Jean-Marc Blanchard who started with his appreciation for the town of LG who complimented his parking with a note on his car, Parking Fine. He shared the story of Steve Samples who, in 1968, was attacked by 6-8 sharks off the coast of Florida. He survived but required over 2,000 stiches. His friends gave him the name “Shark Bait”. One thing that got him through his painful recovery was an autographed baseball that was his prized possession. Later he heard the story of Elyjah Blankenberg, who collected autographed baseball cards. Elyjah was very shy and asking for the autographs was the one time he could come out of his shell. He lost his collection and was devastated. Steve heard about this and sent him his treasured baseball. Would you, could you give up your prized possession to a stranger?
 

Guests:

  • Erin Hartnett introduced Shannon Markle
  • Tonya McQuade introduced her husband Mike and her parents Dotty and Doug Graham
  • Paul Johnson introduced Terese McNamee, Paul Brennan, and Misty Hartung
  • Andrew H. sons Grant 4th grade and Jack 2nd grade introduced themselves
  • John Walker returning guest
  • Lydia Rosen wife of Hal
  • Jean-Marc Blanchard introduced his wife Monique, visiting us for the second time
  • Tina Orsi-Hartigan introduced Marie Rector visiting us again. Marie said she will join by the end of the year.
 

Announcements:

  • Barbara Fishman told us Santa Maria is resuming their clothes closet and they are looking for donations. Clothing can be dropped off at Marty’s office 431 Monterey Av. Ste 3 in LG. Thank you for your support.

  • Jean-Marc thanked everyone for their support of the Fall Fundraiser. We raised $3,487 for Lighting for Literacy. He also thanked Tina for being on the front line helping him.

  • Mike thanked John-Marc for taking on the FF as a red badge. He had asked how he could help and Mike asked if he could chair it, the rest is history.
  • Henry Vitkovich announced this is the last week to sign up for the President’s Brunch on Dec. 4 from 10 am to 1. There will be champagne, a buffet, entertainment, and door prizes. This promises to be very fun event. We will be collecting toys for Toys for Tots. If you are unable to attend but would like to donate you can bring toys to the meetings leading up to the brunch. The toys will be picked up by a rep from Toys at the brunch.
  • First Tuesday will Dec. 6 from 5-7 at the home of John and Devonne Pencer 1705 Husted Ave. SJ. Please bring your favorite beverage and appetizer. Desserts will be provided. The Pencers go all out on decorations, you won’t want to miss it. 
  • Spread the Warmth. We are collecting coat/jackets, towels, and blankets for the Pacific Clinics shop. Items can be new or gently used. You can bring donations to the meetings now and Dec 14.
  • Patty van der Berg spoke to us about the World Service Recipient Lanting Vista School in Yongam Village in Nagaland, India. We have supported this school for 8 years. Thanks to our help teachers’ salaries have been paid in full. Our club provides 1/3 of the salary costs and we have donated $23,500 over the years. The school provides a quality education for 150 students in grades K-6. Our support is very much appreciated by all concerned. (Patty was wearing a great Rotary tee shirt that is available on the Russell Hampton website, new members should check it out)
  • The Rotary Foundation drive will be continuing for the next couple of months. We’re hoping everyone in the club will participate, any size donation is appreciated.  Dan Snyder sent the list around.  Donation records may not be up to date. Check with Avis if you have donated and you are not showing up on the list.  Remember when we donate, 1/3 of the funds come back to our club in 3 years. 
  • Mike showed us the video from RI President Jennifer Jones, with her theme Imagine Rotary. The video is available on YouTube if you missed it. 
 

30 for 30

  • Gregg Butterfield donated $50 and thanked Russell for helping out when he was gone longer than he had planned. He was in NY for a visit and spent a week in the hospital from an infection. He also thanked Rachelle for being a familiar face when they landed at SFO. They hadn’t realized they were on the same flight. 
  • Anjana Bose gave in thanks for her trip to India. She was also thankful that she and her husband are both well after getting Covid when they got home. 
  • Jean-Marc gave $100 to the education fund in honor of his wife who is a teacher. 
  • Gae Le Torre gave to the scholarship fund in celebration of the Love Boat cruise she took. This was the original LB cruise the crew told them a lot of stories and there was plenty of dancing too.
  • Mike gave for his son, who goes to Cal Poly, who pictured wearing a USC shirt and not the Cal shirt he had given him.
  • Doug Brent gave $50 for USC, lots of family members have gone there. He said every time he cheers for UCLA they lose.
  • Sue Heller donated and told us there is still time to get tickets for the Sunday Dec. 4 concert of the Fun Time Singers. The show is at 3:00, so you can go after the President’s Brunch, it will be at Shir Hadash. 
  • Mike also donated to thank Jean-Marc for heading up the Fall Fundraiser. 
 

Program:

Our speaker today was honorary member Tonya McQuade. Tonya has been the Interact advisor at LGHS since she started teaching there 31 years ago. Her talk was titled Chasing History and Writing My Family’s Story. What a story it was. It started when she received a message on Ancestry.com. Someone asked her what her relationship to Bailes Petree. She replied he was her GG Grandfather. What was his? There was no relation, turns out this man’s father had come into possession of family letters and other items in the 1990’s and he had kept them all this time, even when he moved. Tonya got the items and her research really took off. The earliest letter was from 1846 continuing through the 1860’s, the Civil War, the Oregon Trail, and California. There was also a small flag her GG Grandmother, Mollie Hale, had made for her father, James Calaway Hale, when he went off to the Civil War. Tonya and her parents have gone back to Missouri and visited various Civil War sites. Tonya is currently writing 2 books about her family. The first is historic fiction titled Missouri Daughter. The second will be a nonfiction book about the family. She read from both books. What a fascinating story, thanks for sharing Tonya.
 
We are dark next week. Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving everyone!