Meeting Called to Order:
President Paul Johnson, the new club president, opened the meeting and welcomed everyone to the new Rotary year.
Flag Salute:
Skip Brewster led the flag salute.
Guest Introductions:
Sangita Seshadri - Rotarian guest from Saratoga Rotary.
Anya van der Burg - Patti’s daughter, a recent San Jose State Business graduate seeking work in a non-profit.
Julie Ross - Friend of Marlon Smith, recently retired. Her husband, John Ross, is a San Jose Rotarian, and her mother resides at Terraces near Marlon.
Paula Marcabian (sp?) - Recently retired, met Terri and Lisa. Looking for a sponsor and a club.
Chiggi Henry (sp?) - 20-year friend of Michelle Strachan, attending to hear about Michelle’s Guatemala trip.
Theresa Fister (sp?) - Guest of Jenna Mittleman, Chief Business Officer of the school district.
Inspiration:
John Pencer reflected on the passing of club fixture and legend Ed Stahl, who founded the original club auction fundraiser and many other traditions. John is encouraged by the club’s new active members, which bodes well for the future. He also shared quotes on life’s purpose and the value of losing oneself in the service of others.
Decorated Egg Tradition:
Paul asked Tina to explain the weekly decorated egg photo. The club, under Tina's leadership, provides food to the homeless pantry at St. Luke’s. Randy and Kathy contribute 18 festive hard-boiled eggs each week.
Service Opportunities:
Hunger at Home Event: 8 of 30 slots remain.
Jewish Family Services Backpack Drive.
West Valley Backpack Drive.
Details will be in President’s weekly email.
The Great Race (August 30):
An all-hands-on-deck fundraiser for the Charities and Scholarships Foundations. Signups for the event will be posted soon. Jenna Mittleman and Rhonda Beasley are co-chairing and their committee is hard at work preparing.
Rotary District Climate Action Council:
See Paul if you want to participate.
Guest Speaker - Jon Cowan:
Rotarian Jon Cowan, Executive Director of Government Relations and Community Partnerships at El Camino Health, spoke about his new programs, Food is Health and Wellness Walks, aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles in the community.
Ed Stahl Memorial:
Paul dedicated time to remember Ed Stahl, a LG Rotarian for 58+ years. His Memorial Service will be held on July 26 at 11 a.m. at 15040 Union Ave., with a reception to follow.
Suzanne played a video celebrating Ed’s long presence at Rotary events.
Members shared their thoughts:
Suzanne: Honored to make the video, recalling Ed’s travels to 137 countries and his recent Guinness World Record for his North Pole trip at 90+.
Lissa Kreisler: Recalled an interview with Ed, available on YouTube by searching Lissa Kreisler and Ed Stahl Interview.
Andrea Lee: Honored to be sponsored by Ed and expressed that he will be missed.
Gae: Mentioned how caring Ed was, taking care of his employees during COVID and donating generously to club fundraising.
Marlon: Ed helped build the church where his service will take place.
Mike Norcia: Reviewed club records for the centennial, noting Ed’s extensive involvement.
Ron Cassel: Recalled their trips together to the Philippines, Okinawa, and Iwo Jima.
Randy: Listened to Ed’s stories in the back of the Travel Advisors office.
John Colwell: Recalled Ed’s positive attitude, even planning a trip to the South Pole.
Henry Vitkovich: Remembered Ed’s generous donation of champagne to holiday brunches.
New Meeting Features:
Member Spotlight:
Paul introduced Member Spotlight, aimed at featuring seasoned members. This week’s spotlight was on John Pencer, a member for 53 years. He joined after his boss introduced him to Rotary. One of his fondest memories is starting Disability Day in 1979, a tradition that continued for many years.Power of 1 Award:
Paul introduced a new recognition called The Power of 1, which celebrates a member’s exceptional contributions. This week’s recipient, Avis LaGrone, was presented with a smart pin. Paul highlighted her efforts in spearheading the Vietnam anti-human trafficking project, and despite awaiting back surgery next month, Avis has consistently driven impactful projects. She will present on the Vietnam project later this year.
Rotary Themes - United for Good and Better Together:
Paul shared personal stories about different areas of his life to highlight the themes:
Family: As the eldest of seven, Paul recalled living in Sweden and the time when The Sound of Music came out. He reflected on the importance of family and protecting loved ones.
Athletics: He was a competitive swimmer, trained by an Olympic coach, and learned about sacrifice through friends.
Career: As a current school superintendent, Paul is proud of his teachers who adapted to hybrid teaching during COVID.
Rotary: His Guatemala trip changed his life, and he is working on a new project in Africa.
Current Family: Paul emphasized that his wife Debbie, children, and five grandkids are “Better Together.”
Closing Remarks:
Paul expressed that he has never met a finer group of people than in this club. He acknowledged that he inherited a well-organized club and promised to do his best to continue the great work.
The meeting was adjourned.