May 15, 2015
NEXT MEETING: May 15, 2015
Recent Developments in Indonesia
Don’t miss this special presentation by The Honorable Ardi Hermawan, appointed as Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in San Francisco on August 21, 2014. Consul General Hermawan arrived in San Francisco on November 10, 2014, and previously served as the Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta from 2012–2014. He has over 27 years of experience in foreign services, having served as Third Secretary of Political and Social Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of Indonesia in Paris, First Secretary for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Indonesia in Budapest, and Minister Counselor for Political Affairs as well as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Indonesia in Tokyo. He also had various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Head of Section for Northern Europe I, Directorate of European Affairs, Head of Sub-Directorate, Southern Europe Affairs, Directorate of European Affairs and Head of Division at the Human Resources Bureau of the Ministry.
Consul General Hermawan completed his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations at the University of Airlangga, Indonesia, a Graduate-Diplome in International Relations at RSPaC-ANU-Canberra and a Master of Arts in International Relations at the Monash University, Australia. He was born in Padang, West Sumatra and has three daughters with his wife, Yulina Puspasari.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
George Egan offered the remaining 4 tickets for dinner at for the Kennedy-Kings Scholarship Awards, held at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Concord, next Friday May 15th. 6-9pm. The Richmond Rotary was a major donor to the scholarship program.
The Culinary Clash! will be held at Kitchen@812. (812 San Pablo Ave. Pinole) on May 20th 2015 6-9pm. Tickets are $30 in advance, $ 40 at the door. For Tickets visit 2015culinaryclash.eventbrite.com
MEETING OF May 8, 2015
Welcome
President Stoney called the meeting on time to the 24 Rotarians and their guests present today.
Sid’s thought for the day was a definition. “Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.” Some of you might have noticed Sid looked a little different… he wore a Red Nose in celebration of “Red Nose Day” which is on May 21st (but Sid will be in Ireland on that day so he wore it today, very Irish!), established to raise awareness of kids in poverty.
Stoney welcomed new grandmother Pam Jones back from London, where she spent time with the newest member of the family, Penelope Lane (“Penny Lane”). Congratulations, Pam.
Stoney also acknowledged club anniversaries: Alan Blavins has been with the Richmond Rotary for 6 years this week. And it was only a year ago that Stacey Street graced our motley crew with her good-natured presence.
Visiting Rotarians
Neville Guard of San Ramon Valley was still confused by being singled out.
Rotarians with Guests
Jan Brown’s guess were Kathy Anderson & Byron Brown.
George Egan brought Ron Wilson as his guest.
Recognitions and Happy and Sad Dollars
- Ric Ambrose was happy, and rightly so, that the Richmond Art center has helped 17,000 children with art and craft classes. He thanked all the teachers. The Center is teaming up with UC Berkeley to reach even more children this year..
- Hank Corvell was happy to be on the board Of the Spenser Trust, which handed out $78,000 in scholarship funds to 14 local students.
- Doris Mitchell was happy her youngest was turning two. Her second oldest, a budding actor, had 2 speaking lines in the school play. Her oldest gave her a Mother’s Day present.
- Joe Bagley thanked Henry Moe for his school’s Golf Tournament last Monday.
- Nick concluded with sad dollars. He recalled that at the Teen Moms event last year Lynn Martin penned the most encouraging and authentic letters of all to the young mothers. We will miss the many contributions Lynn made to Richmond Rotary.
PROGRAM
Teen Moms gift bag assembly
Photos by Alan Blavins.
This fun and productive hands-on event forged direct connections between our members and 34 high schools students who have become mothers. Jan Brown described the history of the project and its importance for the teen moms who receive the gift bags we assemble. She then introduced Kathy Anderson, Teen Parent Coordinator at the YMCA. Kathy helps educate young teens on parenting and keeps them in school.
Nick did an excellent Vanna White impression as he took us through the filling of the bags. There were fewer than 34 members present so those members—mostly women—who could quickly compose personalized letters of support had enough time to assemble second gift bags. The gifts were provided by Bert’s Bees (baby shampoo and skin care products), Doris Mitchell (books and stuffed animals), Dan Tanita (dental hygiene kits), and the Linus Project (baby blankets). Richmond Rotary paid for all of her materials. Thank you all.
Once the bags were filled and the letters of encouragement written (the challenging part for many of us), the completed gift bags were gathered up. Jan, Don, Herb and Normie delivered the bags to the teen moms the following Tuesday, May 12th at Richmond High School.
Our thanks to Jan Brown who has deftly managed this highly successful project each year over the last decade. Thanks, Jan.
Alan Blavins, Rotating & Retiring Editor