“Starbucks says they are going to start putting religious quotes on cups. The very first one will say, ‘Jesus! This coffee is expensive!'”

A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”

To those of you who received honors, awards and distinctions, I say well done. And to the C students, I say…… you, too, can be president of the United States.”

“Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed.”

“Facebook just sounds like a drag, in my day seeing pictures of other peoples vacations was considered a punishment.”

 “My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where the hell she is.”

And speaking of family, I have a plaque in my office that says “Money isn’t everything, but it keeps the kids in touch.”

 

Juan Raigoza excerpted 16 year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg's statement to world leaders a the United Nations; it follows:

 

"My message is that we'll be watching you.

This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!

People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!

For more than 30 years, the science has been crystal clear. How dare you continue to look away and come here saying that you're doing enough, when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight.

You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you.

We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.

"Thank you."

Mitch Postel reports that his group of volunteers, perhaps spurred by the desire to get out of 95 degree heat, painted more than twice the number of park benches the Coyote Point rangers set up for them. Congratulations to the group.

Anne LeClair continues to have an outsize influence from Austin, Texas. Here she is with new grandson James Beckett Saxton. As Mary Martin put it in Peter Pan, "I've gotta crow!"

THRIVE CEO Georgia Antonopoulos dispelled some of the misconceptions about the non-profit world in San Mateo County: There are more than 6,000 in Silicon Valley and the City of San Mateo is host to most who work in social services in this area.

Thrive, the Alliance of Non-Profits for San Mateo County works with more than 200 here, including some of those very well known to Rotarians: Samaritan House, PAL, CASA, CORA and many more.

Good afternoon guests and fellow Rotarians.

My friends, this week I had the opportunity learn about a woman by the name of Molly.  Molly is 78 years old, white haired and petite, living in a long-term care facility here in San Mateo….in part because of our club’s financial support, Molly’s life was saved.  How, you wonder?  We support the Ombudsman, an organization that works with Police Departments and Adult Protective Services to protect the frail residents that live in long-term facilities.  While visiting Molly, an ombudsman grew concerned that Molly’s medications were not being properly administered.  The ombudsman was correct, the situation was rectified, and Molly’s life was saved. 

I’ve been a member of this Club for about four years.  I didn’t know much about Rotary prior to joining.  I vaguely knew about Rotary’s longtime fight against Polio, figured that I’d meet some fantastic people, and that I’d learn more about our community.  I really had no idea about the scope of what this Club does.

I do now.  It’s enormous.  It’s estimated that last year the members of our club supported over two-dozen charities and volunteered about 2500 hours!  And if that’s extrapolated over 3 or 4 years…

Wow…that sounds like quite a bit, doesn’t it?  How is that possible?  Well, just take a look around this room – consider the work that Alan, Juan, and their committee do with the Fun Run for scholarships… the time Rosemary Azem and John Barrett devote to Int’l projects...the efforts of Mike Peterson, Joan Rosas, and others with the Dictionary program…Margaret T., John R., Don L., Sue L., Kristi S., etc., for students…Dick Bennett, Paul Rogerville, and Erin Sinclair with the Community Service program…and other projects that aren’t as high profile – just yesterday, Mitch Postel refurbishing picnic tables at Coyote Point Park - Bob Binn and Nick Rogers lending their expertise to maximize our investments…and there are many more…

All of these people and their commitment to our community inspire me in the couple of things I’m involved, and much more important, their efforts – and those of many others - should be a great source of pride for all of us as Rotarians. 

We are all inundated with requests for financial support.  Most of us probably give in a bit of a “vacuum” – we make a gift and perhaps later read about the good it does.  What we all want, I imagine, is to know that our funds are truly helping those in need, that we are having a tangible impact.

That’s the unique thing about giving through Rotary – giving through our Club provides a unique opportunity to make a real difference in our own community.  We see how we help others - we meet the scholarship recipients; we see and feel the appreciation of the non-profit EDs when they receive the funds. 

That ability to become more intimately involved with our community and make a real difference is part of the reason we joined Rotary.  This is borne out in the responses to the survey that President Anne sent out earlier this year - why do people join this Club??

Community involvement, fellowship, and breadth of service opportunities.

The feeling that we are sharing an experience with like-minded folks who share the thrill of serving our community

That feeling – that we’re sharing an experience – is an added benefit that we get when we give as Rotarians.  It speaks to our sense of common mission.  This is what we do.

A few minutes ago, I mentioned just a few of the ways in which we support our community. I would now like to speak with you a bit more about one of them - our Community Service program.  Specifically, I’d like to do 3 things:

Thank you for your generosity

 

First of all, thank you.  I’ve had the great pleasure of speaking with persons from some of the organizations that have received support through our Community Service program.  On their behalf – and that of the literally thousands of people who have benefitted from this generosity - I convey their most sincere thank you.  We’re literally changing the trajectory of people’s lives. 

Our gifts to the Community Service program assist a variety of people in need, such as the Ombudsman program I mentioned earlier – the one that helped save Molly’s life.  Our gifts also support pediatric patients via the San Mateo County Health Foundation, seniors through the Lesley Communities, kids under 5 via CuriOdyssey, the indigent in our community through Samaritan House, and many others.  A few examples:

Our generosity supports a young lady, “Cathy,” through CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).  Cathy’s parents were drug addicts.  When Cathy was just nine years old, they would take her on drug deals, and she would sometimes have to watch them using.  She found her way to CASA, and now as a teenager she’s gone to high school and is doing things that normal high school students do…Our Club’s support has literally changed the trajectory of Cathy’s life.

Our generosity supports people like “Jamie” through CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse), CORA is the only agency in San Mateo County with the sole purpose of serving victims/survivors of domestic violence/abuse…Jamie was in a relationship but it became abusive; fortunately, she was able to leave.  When Jamie got a new boyfriend, her ex became violent. At one point, he confronted them with a machete…Jamie received free legal representation and importantly, had an advocate with her in court to help allay her fears about being close to her abuser.  She’s also able to receive ongoing therapy and counseling.

Your generosity has helped a family (they’ll remain nameless) through NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness.  Among other services, NAMI offers Support Groups for families with loved ones with mental illness.  The family of a young man who was afflicted said that the support groups are invaluable in sharing each other’s journeys and knowing they are not alone.  They were losing hope, but the support group restored their will.

Stop for a moment, and think about Molly…or Cathy…or Jamie…and think about how your generosity has changed their lives.…now, conversely, let’s imagine their situations without your support…what would have happened to Molly?  What would have happened to Cathy? what about the little kids benefitting from the STEM program at CuriOdyssey – what gifts may have not been discovered?  In addition to the financial support you provide these individuals, and others like them, you also give them something perhaps just as important - the knowledge that all of us - and many other people like us - care.

The mission is ongoing, and the needs of those in our community remain urgent.  Last year we were able to support just 14 charities of the 24 that applied for support…and we were able to fund $32,000 of the $100K was requested.  Just imagine the effect we could have…

….so we ask you to make your own gift on behalf of the Community Services program.  Dick and Paul are making their gifts, as am I, and we invite you to do the same.  Your support makes a real difference, and all gifts, regardless of amount, are greatly appreciated and tremendously beneficial. 

If you cannot give, we ask for your thoughts – for Molly, for Cathy, for seniors in the Lesley Communities, the people at Samaritan House…as well as all others who need the support the Community Service program offers.

I thank you very much for your time, for your consideration of this request, and most importantly, for your support, in so many ways, of this Club and our community.  Enjoy a great afternoon.