Wednesday,
December 14, 2005 -- Chartered 1979 -- Publishers Jeff
Kasper & Joe Bechelli
ÒWith
Great Power Comes Great ResponsibilityÓ –Ben Parker
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CLUB DASHBOARD |
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UPCOMING SPEAKERS |
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December 14th |
Club Elections |
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12/14 |
Pearl Harbor Heroes
– Live & in-Person! |
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December 17th |
Salvation Army Bell
Ringing |
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12/21 |
OFFSITE, Cambridge Community Center, 1146 Lacy Lane,
Concord |
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December 21st |
Cambridge Offsite Holiday
Gifts |
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12/28 |
CLUB DARK |
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December 28th |
CLUB DARK |
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1/4/06 |
TEPO / The Ethiopian Philanthropic Organization |
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Jan. 8-15, 2006 |
Wakayama Reunion - Maui, HawaiÕi |
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1/11/06 |
Sally Shoal - Kenya Water Wells |
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Jan. 22-23, 2006 |
Reno Train Trip |
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1/18/06 |
Club Assembly |
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ELECTIONS HELD TODAY! Members step up to serve! |
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As
we vote to select our ClubÕs officers for the coming Rotary year, The
Advocate takes time to thank them, in advance for their service. No matter what capacity theyÕve
offered to serve, it will take time out of their already busy schedule, and itÕs
really appreciated. The slate
was put together in record time by president-elect Matt Chan. Due in no small part because most
members he contacted offered to serve right away. In
the past month alone, our actions have affected the lives of over 500
families. (180 blood drive, 250 gift cards,
60 Cambridge, 40 Teen Challenge)
Using the current US Census statistics, that means close to 2,000 or more
individuals. Thank goodness we were spending our
time helping, and not begging for people to serve. Any
questions about the power of one Rotary club? |
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PROPOSED SLATE President Matt
Chan President-Elect Greg
Grassi Past-President Sam
Vesser Secretary Nancy
Glenfield Treasurer Beri
Kasper Sgt At Arms Phil
Winslow Community Service Theresa
Azevedo
& Kathy Lafferty Club Service Jeff
Kasper Vocational Service Heather
Hougey International Service Dan
Peterson Membership Scott
Singley |
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BLOOD DRIVE AT MDHS NOVEMBER 17th MORE BLOODY THAN EXPECTED! The
blood drive at Mt. Diablo High School on November 17th was very
successful. Over 80 Seniors signed up to donate life. Of those, approximately 60 were
eligible. That means we helped
save 180 lives! Not bad work for just a few short hours! RING MY BELL! Start
warming up now, as weÕre planning to ring the bell for the Salvation Army on
December 17th. Scott
Singley passed around a sign-up sheet at the meeting of November 30th. If you didnÕt get a chance to do so
already, please let him know what time slot you would like. SHOP ONLINE AND BENEFIT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION If you like to shop
online, donÕt before visiting the CareClicks.com link at Rotary
InternationalÕs web site: http://www.rotary.org/shopping/careclicks.html By
using this link, Rotary will get a percentage of your purchases, without it
costing you a dime! CLUB LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO BE HELD IN ANTIOCH ON
JANYARY 17th Mark your calendar for
January 17th, which will be the next District Leadership
Conference. The conference is
open to all Concord-Diablo Rotarians, and is without cost to you. Please see Sam Vesser if youÕre able
to attend. |
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OPERATION ÒSAMÓ A SUCCESS! Thanks to everyone who
contributed to Operation SAM – the cards, DVDÕs and everything else are
greatly appreciated and will make some service men and womenÕs holidays
special, even if they canÕt be home with their families. 250 FAMILIES HAVE A BETTER HOLIDAY THANKS TO
CONCORD-DIABLO ROTARY! On November 16th,
a total of 250 AlbertsonÕs Gift Cards were donated to be given directly to
families in the Cambridge neighborhood.
The cards will give the families the freedom to purchase whatever food
they would like to have. BILL ME, BILL YOU You should have received
your two bills for your Rotary dues and lunches. Please pay them as soon as possible. ALL WRAPPED UP ON DECEMBER 8th Special thanks to Al &
Betty Browning, who opened their home for the annual Cambridge Gift Wrapping
Party. The party was a great
success. Thanks as well to everyone
who took time out of their busy holiday schedule to participate in the fun
event! CAMBRIDGE OFFSITE MEETING TO BE HELD DECEMBER 21st
Once weÕve wrapped the
gifts, weÕll hand them out at a special luncheon prepared by the parents of
the Cambridge students at the Cambridge Community Center on December 21st. This is a great meeting to
bring a guest to, as they will see Rotary in action! |
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2005-2006
Officers and Directors President Sam
Vesser President-Elect Matt
Chan Past-President John
Newman Secretary Nancy
Glenfield Treasurer Beri
Kasper Sgt
At Arms Phil
Winslow Community
Service Theresa
Azevedo
& Heather Hougey Club
Service Jeff
Kasper & Joe Bechelli Vocational
Service International
Service Pat
Kievning Membership Scott
Singley HOFFMEISTER NOW A PAST MAYOR On Tuesday, December 6th,
our own esteemed member Laura Hoffmeister, who has served as the Mayor of Contra Costa
CountyÕs largest (and best) city, turned the reigns of power to Susan
Bonilla at the CityÕs annual
reorganization meeting. In one of her last acts as mayor, Laura recognized
three Pearl Harbor Survivors in the audience, as well as honored the Blue
Star Moms. TEEN CHALLENGE GIVING TREE GIFTS A HUGE SUCCESS! Our club cleaned up the
tree, taking all the ornaments from the Teen Challenge Giving Tree, and
exchanging them for real gifts for those in need in the program. Two representatives from the
organization visited the club on December 7th to personally thank
all the members who made the programÕs residents dreams a reality. Congratulations on a job well done! . KILMURRAY A REAL JOKER! Maureen Kilmurray struck it lucky and pulled the joker out of the
deck of cards at the November 30th meeting. Not wanting to keep the ALMOST
$400 in winnings to herself, she
promptly donated a wheelchair! CONGRATULATIONS Maureen on your luck, and THANKS for your generosity! A DIFFERENT
CHRISTMAS POEM The embers glowed
softly, and in their dim light, I
gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in
rest. Outside the snow fell, a
blanket of white, Transforming
the yard to a winter delight. The
sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were
heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure
and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect
contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream. The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled
my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I
didn't quite know, Then the sure
sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a
tremble, I struggled to hear, And
I crept to the door just to see who was near. Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary
and tight. A soldier, I puzzled,
some twenty years old, Perhaps a
Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child. "What are you
doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow
from your sleeve, You should be
at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.. To the window that danced with a warm
fire's light Then he sighed and
he said "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night. Sleep without fear as you turn out
your lights." "It's my
duty to stand at the front of this line, That separates you from the darkest of times. No one has |
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DONÕT MISS A MEETING! If you miss a meeting, here are some nearby Rotary Clubs
that can help you keep your 100% attendance and meet new friends:
You can get the details of
each clubÕs meeting place and download a copy at the clubÕs web site: www.CDRotary.org asked or begged or implored me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in
December," Then he sighed,
"That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembered." My dad stood his
watch in the jungles of 'Nam', And
now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's
sure got her smile. Then he bent
and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag. "I can live
through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home. I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little
to eat. I can carry the weight
of killing another, Or lay down
my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." "So go back inside," he
said, "harbor no fright, Your
family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't
there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you some money, prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that
you've done, For being away from
your wife and your son." Then his eye
welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home
while we're gone, To stand your
own watch, no matter how long. For
when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we
will trust, That we mattered to
you as you mattered to us. |
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