Meeting was called to order by club president Jim Ripley. Ripley gave an update on the CIA awards, according to Cathy Gach, contributions are now up to $12, 570, with the goal of reaching $20,000. He announced next week’s board meeting at 10:45, “so all my board members and anyone that wants to attend, be there or be square.”

For our Commencement Ceremonies, Nadia Kohlwey gave us our Patriotic Moment. She led the club in the American Pledge of Allegiance. Jay Kramer gave us our Invocation, he read a prayer from Clement of Alexandria from 215 AD. “Be kind to your children Lord. Be a gentle teacher, patient with our weakness and stupidity. Give us the strength and discernment to do what you tell us and so grow in your likeness. May we all live in peace that comes from you. May we journey towards your city sailing through the waters of sin. May you give us your praise and thanks because you have shown us that all things belong to you and all blessings are gifts from you to. The essence of wisdom, the foundation of truth, be glory forever. Amen”

Proposed new Member: Jin Sung, Executive Director of Oasis, proposed by Dan Ouweleen

Today’s guests include Krister Lindkvist from the Sweden Rotary Club, Julie Eppich guest of Farrell Hirsch visiting from Napa California, Lana Erlansuh from Radiant Futures, Lorri Smith guest of Dan Ouweleen, and Sandra Rhone guest of Louis Kuntz. Welcome all guest to the Fullerton Rotary Club.

Our Song master today was Rebecka Forrester, who led us in “When your smiling” by Ol’ Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra. She did a wonderful job engaging with the members, lots of smiles and laughter filled the room.

Today’s Announcements, Leslie McCarthy announced the Fullerton Rotary Club’s Halloween Party on Monday, October 16th. Costumes are optional, and prizes and dinner will be provided, more information coming soon or email Leslie McCarthy. Dick Ackerman announced an update on the Fukui Exchange, which begin on again next summer. “It will be part of the last two or three weeks in July to the first week in August.” Applications will be coming out in the next month, so watch for that email. There will be four kids that will be sent to Japan this year, anybody with kids or grandkids will be interested in this program. Raco announced a Veterans event on Saturday, October 7th, at 5 pm, at the Boys and Girls Club of Fullerton Auction. Guest speaker is homegrown, graduated from Sunny Hills High School, he was also appointed and graduated from West Point Academy in New York State. Colonel John Choo who was the Boys and Girls Club youth of the year in 1991 and the Southern California youth of the year, “He is going to be our guest speaker and I’ve watched the young man grow from high school to what he is today, and he is a dynamic speaker.” If you’d like to attend, please contact Raco, Brett Ackerman.

Today’s Fine Master/Recognition Master was Howard Mickley, “We are all smiling now, by the time I am done, we shall see,” he said. “Let’s see if we can extract a few nerves here,” he meant business. Monica Fernandez was asked to stand and be recognized for her 9th Rotary Anniversary. She was fined $5 and thanked for her service. Bob Jahncke was asked to stand and be recognized for his Rotary Anniversary on September 15. He was fined $5. Raco was asked how much money he had in his wallet, he said he had a credit card. “Do you know why I am picking on you?” Raco made some incorrect guesses until he got it right, his wedding anniversary on Sept. 17. Howard fined him $5. Patrick Hartnett was asked to stand. Apparently, he put a wager on the Packers vs Bears game last Sunday. They settled their wager and only a Martini was on the line. For his Fine Master segment ending, he asked if anyone had any brags and then played truth or dare questions with each table. “Please give generous and often, thank you.” Great job by Howard Mickley, he generated some revenue during his Fine Master segment.

Today’s Program at Hand was a New Member Craft Talk with Fullerton Rotary South member Tim Howells. Mr. Howells wanted to break the ice, so he told a joke to begin, “We’ll play a little BBC Jeopardy, the answer is Ireland for 100, the question is Patio Furniture.” Zoot Velasco answered, “what is Gaelic for outside couches.” He was close but the questions was, “what do you call a drunk Irishman that stays out all night.” Tim Howells is a 66-year-old family man who has been married for 37 years. He has three children, TJ, an architect that lives in Chicago, Megan, and Matthew, who both work for Tara’s Chance in Fullerton, “most of you know my youngest son, Matthew. He is a pretty good guy.” Tim says that his life is based around his family and sports. Mostly around the three different sports, golf, baseball, and basketball. After graduating from CSUF in 1980, he backpacked through Europe, and when he returned to America, all of his friends had jobs, all he wanted to do was play golf and teach. He decided to get his PGA card so that he could teach golf. “So, I used to teach and when I got out of the game, I used to work in a golf course where I gave golf lessons.” That is how he met his wife, “that’s what I wanted out of the game, whether she knows it or not.” He says that after 37 years, he still plays golf to this day. With basketball, Tim has been a high school basketball official for almost 32 years. He officiates basketball on the high school level. “Been fortunate enough to work at CIF playoff games, a couple of CIA championship games and I worked at the state finals about eight years ago, which is quite an honor.” In basketball, two of his biggest accomplishments in basketball officiating were in 2014, he was recognized by Orange County Athletic Directors Association as a sports official of the year, which he says meant a lot to him. And 4 years ago, the CIF Southern recognized him as being the basketball official of the year. As for baseball, Tim says baseball changed his life. As a youngster, he was a bat boy for the California Angels, “because of that, I worked in the clubhouse as an attendant.” He worked at Angels Stadium from 1972 to 1986. “Not only did we win most of the time working there, but you got to meet some really pretty cool people.” He told a story about how he spoke to Frank Sinatra on the phone while the Angels were playing the Red Sox, “Saturday night game, the phone rings at the clubhouse, which is weird because nobody calls a club house during the game,” Tim says. The person on the other line asked for a player who was on the field playing a game, “and he said, “Tell him Frank called, and I have a plane waiting at Orange County Airport.” He was notified that he was speaking to Ol’ Blue Eyes. Tim has a passion for baseball, as he has an unlimited number of stories to tell, from meeting Hank Aaron who finished his career in the American League for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1975, he asked Tim to grab him a bag of seeds, “I am thinking to myself, ‘you’re Hank Aaron!’” He also remembers President Richard Nixon having a party for the Angels, a “Western White House” party that he got to go to. “But anyway, there were fun times down there.” He credits his wife with helping him co-found Tara’s Chance, a non-profit dedicated to providing developmental therapeutic and recreational programs for disabled and disadvantaged at-risk children through horses. President Ripley awarded him with a certificate in his name to Working Dogs for Warriors, a non-profit dedicated to training and pairing service dogs with military vets and service men and women.

Last thing on the agenda was the 50/50 drawing. Lucky ticket holder 8274033 wins the money. “Thank you very much for coming. Next week, some of you are old enough to remember, Shari Lewis, so her daughter will be here sharing some inside information on her mother. So, invite a friend, please hit that like button and subscribe. With that, we’ll call this meeting adjourned.”

Tell a Friend and Share Rotary
9/13/23	New Member Craft Talk - Tim Howells
9/20/23	The Legacy of "Shari Lewis and Lamb Chops" - By Mallory Lewis and Lamb Chops - Farrel Hirsch
9/27/23	"What if it all goes right?"- Amy Scruggs TV Host / Recording Artist / Media Coach / Best Selling Author
10/4/23	Election Issues and Predictions - Barbara Stone Entertains an Informs our Rotary Club
10/16/23	Halloween Party at Twisted Vine Fun & Fellowship
10/18/23	New Member Craft Talk SHHS Principal Craig Weinrich ' "It's All Actually about the Principal"