NEXT MEETING: November 18, 2016

METAS: Preparing Students for College, and Life

Metas, a program at Contra Costa Community College, prepares approximately 250 WCCUSD students every year for a successful college experience through culturally relevant academic courses, personal development and college readiness workshops, and parent involvement. College students and young professionals serve as tutors and mentors for preschool, elementary and high school students.

One hundred percent of Metas seniors graduate from high school and attend college. Dr. Mayra Padilla, the program director will tell us how the program has evolved over the past 28 years to stay relevant and responsive to our community needs, helping students realize their personal and educational goals

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Here’s a shocker: the Holiday Auction is only 3 weeks away, yet only about ONE THIRD of our members have submitted gifts for our critical fundraiser. What are you guys waiting for? Don and his band of anxious elves are sweating this one, so do us a favor. No, do yourself and your community a favor. Click here now and make your donation today. Please.
• Too much stress, Bucky? Then put this on your calendar: Rotary Holiday Cocktail Party, December 9 from 5-7 pm at the Richmond Art Center. (2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond).
• Pam Jones announced our club fundraiser for the YMCA/Richmond Fire bikes for kids. $49 will buy a kid a bike and a helmet. The YMCA of the East Bay will match each contribution. Please see David Brown. Or better still, push your mouse over to the right column of this page, then head south. See the 2 kids on bikes? You can take it from there.
• Mark Howe reminded everyone that the annual Rotary Auction item Mark-Stoney BBQ with Hawaiian style (Don-Shana) will be November 12. Onolicious!

MEETING OF November 11, 2016

Welcome

Past President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order and asked Dan Tanita, DDS, to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Alan asked for silent prayers for freedom, peace, and justice one Earth and Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered a quote for the day: “Why do we choose from just two people for President and from over fifty for Miss America?”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

• Sid Chauvin brought his wife Zelpha.
• Hank Covell’s guests were his wife Doreen, Ed and Yoshemi Downer.
• Jon Lawlis brought his fiancé Darlene Quinville.
• Alan Baer’s guests were his children Stephanie and James Baer and his nephew Donald Anderson.
• Bob Dabney brought his wife Cheryl Maier.
• Jack Freethy, Jane Del Simone, and Jan Feagley were our visiting Rotarians from El Cerrito Rotary.

Recognitions and Happy and Sad Dollars

• David Brown had happy dollars because they just moved his parents into a Cadillac-level assisted living home.
• Sid Chauvin was happy because he voted a winner (your scribe made this intentionally vague).
• Alan Baer had happy dollars for Henry Moe and Interact.

PROGRAM

The Search for the Nile Perch

Past President Alan Blavins introduced himself as the guest speaker. He told us all about a stunningly scenic fishing trip in Uganda with his son that involved an endurance race of way too many airplanes and things that were supposedly airplanes. While near Murchison Falls National Park, he fished for a monster fish, the Giant Nile Perch (up to 250#!). He saw many beautiful, and not so beautiful, animals including: baboons, hippos, bald eagles, giraffe, antelope, elephants, water buffalo, tse tse flies, catfish, jacana birds, and ginormous crocodiles.

Stephanie Baer also shared an inspiring D5160 Interact End Polio Now video.

 

- -Shana Bagley Howe, Rotating Scribette