Meeting Notes and Club News

Prez Bill Peloquin rang the meeting into session as he stood at the banner-bedecked podium which proclaimed Rotary's Global Quest: "One New Member Every Month" and RI President Richard D. King's motto for this year "Mankind is Our Business."

Recruited as stand-in for a certain Bermudan, who arrived moments too late, Bob Savage gamely took over the complex job of leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Rick Crane offered the thought for the day, which was that "A Happy Person Enjoys the Scenery on a Detour." Rick reminded us that we need detours to avoid taking life for granted, and should endeavor to appreciate them.

To the accompaniment of by-then fully warmed-up Mike Oates, Messrs. Young, Peloquin, Savage, and Blackburn "sang" the Rotary theme song, which Bill liked so much that he ordered an encore. (Or did he find the first rendition so lame that he couldn't leave it at that?) Either way, the assemblage immediately countermanded that order. Evidently, the new administration's honeymoon period is already over!

VIP Owen Dean, Assistant District Governor and past President of the Sunrise Club, was introduced. Lee Myhre then introduced visiting Rotarian Rich Davis of that same Sunrise Club. More about him and it below. Lee also introduced guests: Josephine McAulay of McAulay and Wallace (Winston Creel), Pat House of the Muckenthaler (Bob McNutt), Steve Berry of the Buena Park city council (Phil Silverman), Jim LePack of the North OC YMCA (Alan Atwell), Mike Nomuna of Citizen's Bank (Les Christensen), Bob Hathaway of the Fullerton JUHSD Board (Mike Escalante), and Minard Duncan of CSUF (Mike Oates).

Tony Amato invited us all to Caff Hildago on Tuesday, August 7th at 5pm, to help send off Bob and Sue McNutt to their new residence(s) in Big Bear, from where Bob will continue his business mogul activities whilst listening to the chirping of blue jays and the wind through the pines. Light hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar will enliven the otherwise sad event.

Sunday, September 9th, is our opportunity to attend Rotary Day at the Big A (make that, Edison International Field of Anaheim) for a 1:05 game against the Twins. Field box seats, regularly priced at $22, will be only $11, with proceeds returning to our club. The order deadline is August 24th; a sign-up sheet will be available.

Speaking of the ole' beanbag, softball practice for this year's edition of the annual BIG GAME(S) against those other Rotary clubs of Fullerton will take place on August 8th and 15th at 5pm at Commonwealth School. Rich Davis of Sunrise was actually foolish enough to waive a new "Perpetual Trophy" at us and dare us to "take it back."

With Bill Gorman, MVP of his softball world series championship team, on our side, Sunrise is reputedly soliciting Barry Bonds as a "prospective Rotarian" to play against us. Well, Mr. Bonds is welcome so long as he stays for the picnic following... which will be family oriented, including a clown and balloon bounce, as well as a horseshoe tournament. Bring the kids! The event is Wednesday, August 22, at Wildcatters Picnic Park (same location as last year).

As usual, our fine master (speaking of the ole' windbag) assessed numerous arbitrary and capricious penalties, including "recognizing" Jim Young and Bob Jahncke for their pelagic attire. Other recognees included Bill Heaton, Judy Pappe, Dick Rocke, and Jack Hayes and Claude Jones (both tried and convicted in absentia). Jim Armstrong was likewise elsewhere, apparently recovering from the Program Committee efforts which made him Rotarian of the Week. Winston Creel was fined for selling Bob McNutt's house in one day!le w.b. finally finished his harangue by violating the Four Way Test yet again with another disdainful reference to attorneys -- this time regarding the number of them in our club. Not that this reporter, or the other 40% of our members who passed the bar, is the least bit sensitive to such remarks! A class action defamation lawsuit is being considered, however.

Ken Kaisch won the "opportunity drawing," but didn't know that our club was chartered in 1922, guessing 1926. Bob Jahncke contributed the $10 consolation prize.

Bob Bean presented Paul Harris Fellowships to Joyce Capelle (which she should have received last year), Dan Fisk, and Jim Thompson. We were also reassured to learn that Leroy Fulton is doing better after his leg fracture. Not yet known is whether he'll slide at the softball game.

Business concluded, Cyrise Smith, children's librarian at the Placentia library, gave us a lively pictorial presentation on her recent participation in the GSE trip to Australia. Those in attendance learned valuable tips regarding down-under mating rituals and how to identify the town hotel (unrelated information, to be sure!)

The meeting closed with this reflection: The grass may look greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed! To which this reporter would add a variation he heard recently...if the grass looks greener on the other side, it's because it receives more water.