El Cerrito Rotary: The Wheel March 25, 2010

Editors:  Gary Buffon & Michael Dougherty
Week of March 18, 2010     
(www.rotary5160.org)

President Tracy welcomed everyone to the Friendly El Cerrito Rotary Club.  Jim Spain led the flag salute and Joe provided the thought for the day.

Secretary John:   Introduced out visiting Rotarian Herb Stern from Atlantic City NJ.  Jack introduced his guest Matt Kelleher.  Andy introduced his two sons:  Harry and Jack.

4-Way Test Presentation:    Nancy led the 4-Way Test  recitation

Announcements:

• Gary B requested Chaperones for the Interact Blank and White dance on April 3^rd.  We need two hour shifts for the 8 to 12p dance.  Please help out if you can.  Contact Gary and let him know when you can help.
• Marty announced the need for one more bowler for the bowl-a-thon.  You don’t have to do any fund raising just come and bowl.  What A Deal!!
• April 17 is the District Assembly.   Sign up to attend.  Our district is making a lot of changes this coming year because we are model district and we get to do a lot of new and exciting things – Lets go and learn about them!!!
• Steve genie stone announcement:  If you have special rugs to be cleaned Norge Cleaner’s will pick up, clean and deliver the cleaned rugs back to you.

Happy dollars:   Nancy is happy about her parents being nearby and for Sonya help in help her.  She is also happy about selling tickets to dinner at the Hotel Mac and a play at the Masques Theatre across the street as to fund raise for one of her favorite charities.  Carl is $5 happy for Ilhami’s help in being a translator for a Turkish family for an event Carl held.  Lee is happy his daughter has graduated from College and that his son is doing well in Community College.  Andy is happy to be back.  Jack is happy wife Carole took advantage of the pillow cleaning service at Steve’s cleaners  and for Marty fixing a 52year old car for him.  Ilhami is happy about a new grandchild.    

Mark S is happy about the Chamber mixer and glad to see Andy and his two son’s as well as Nancy returning from moving her parents to CA.  Charlie is $20 happy for the clients Kathleen sent him.  Kathleen is happy that Charlie is willing to take on doing her tax return.  Michael C is happy about being at a Warriors game where they won.  Michael D was given a happy dollar by Mark S to tell us how his son is doing.   We learned his is 18 months old and is getting into everything and being quite happy about all that.  Tracy is happy about being cancer free after her last mammogram and gave a dollar to ask Jim Sheppard about the status of the twins – they are two months old and doing things that babies do.

Sgt at Arms Nancy:   Not on duty today

Today’s Program: 

Kathleen introduced Linda Schneider who is a trained Montessori teacher as well as classical pianist and composer who came today to tell us about chickens and fruit trees and how these two things had significantly and positively allowed her to impact a lot of urban folks by having them become more interdependent with nature and making a contribution to the community.  Linda told us about her experience when she first got a couple of chicks as part of a special situation when she was teaching and how these two chickens changed the lives of her students and herself as well as the surrounding neighborhood.  Then Linda worked in East Oakland helping the communities transform their living environment by using chickens, gardens and fruit trees.   She shared additional stories about the impacts that her actions have taken and the positive outcomes that resulted.  Linda’s efforts have resulted in thousands of fruit trees being planted in neighborhoods.  Over 1500 trees have been planted in the Iron Triangle in Richmond by the residents in that area. 

Linda answered many questions that stimulated discussion about roosters, chickens, planting trees. 

After her presentation there were five fruit trees raffled off to Rotarians.  Stay tuned for progress reports on these trees.

Thanks Kathleen for bringing Linda to speak to us.

Pres Tracy shows Linda Schneider the book presented to a grammer school in her honor

Today’s Lottery Winner:   Joe had his ticket drawn and won the bottle of wine.  Mark F had his ticket selected and pulled a blue marble winning $2.  Next meeting the pot is $80. 

Thought for the Week:

I am always ready to learn, but I do not always like being taught.

--Winston Churchill