Our June 30 lunch was at Seascape. We had 22 attendees in person, none on zoom but it is recorded.
Ralph Miljanich visited us from Santa Cruz Rotary
Justin Deng was Bill Witmer’s guest. Justin’s daughter is an Aptos HS recipient of our scholarship this year. He is recently retired…whatever that word means.
Rick Klevins attended his first meeting after the board approved his application.
Al led us in the Welcome Song on his keyboard.
Nelson brought our projector again so that Seascape won’t try to tag us with a $50 projector fee.
Al advised that hours of visiting Bill Weston at Dominican Oaks are 10am and 2pm, NOT 10am to 2pm, as your author wrote in the most recent Hub.
Jimmy Kutch is also newly placed on Injured Reserve as he fell and broke a hip.
Dr. Art provided the thought for the Day.
Nelson told the joke of the day- An oxymoron walks into a bar, the silence was deafening…..thanks Mrs. Clinton….
The Board approved the slate of officers for the incoming regime. We need a volunteer for Sgt. At Arms. Please talk to Craig about that asap.
Dagmar gave the most memorable announcement of the year about the July 9 beach cleanup, which will be at Rio del Mar starting at 10 am.
Showing rousing patriotic fervor, she wore a thong- bikini US flag long t-shirt. It was suggested that photos of her adoring/adorning the flag be used in our recruitment efforts.
Almost equally as compelling haberdashery- Rotary capes will be available for wearing at the beach cleanup. Choose your own super-power.
Dagmar also brought prosecco and offered a toast to outgoing/demoted President Ken- thanks Dagmar and thanks to all the fabulous members who make this club so special. As Dagmar pointed out- while most other clubs struggle (ironically) to get members to volunteer for the myriad of activities and offices, our members volunteer willingly and readily, which exemplifies the spirit and purpose of Rotary. (except Sgt at Arms, come on guys….) We also need more folks to help break down the beer booth at the end of the 4th of July afternoon…..
Kate was the detective and probed the attendees’ knowledge of 4th of July facts, clearly drawing on her skills experience as a teacher. Overall, members scored a B-.
President Ken can further explain Palsgraff vs. LIRR to anyone significantly bored with life…
Our guest speaker was Martha Denny. Her connections to the club were that she met Anissa drinking (surprise!) and she recognized Dr. Dover because he saved her baby’s life!
Martha owns a local accounting firm. She is married with several kids. But her story is far from typical- she escaped dire poverty in Jalisco as one of 13 kids in a farming family with no beds or running water. Her Dad worked in the US and sent home spare money. As a child she made trinkets to sell to tourists, her brother sold chiclets. She was thrilled to be one of the only kids in the family to go to school- in her one pair of shoes and one uniform. As the efforts to process her applications through US Immigration stalled over years, she was smuggled into the US in the trunk of a car when she was 15. She graduated with a 4.2 GPA from Aptos HS in 1998 despite never having spoken English before getting here.
It can take more than ten years to obtain citizenship here. She got her citizenship when she was 30- as a birthday present to herself.
Martha spoke movingly about her passion for education and the motivation for her, and many other immigrants, to come to the US because it offers hope and opportunity. She extolled the virtues of the education system here, and dismay/disappointment at the number of kids and families who do not take advantage of it and do not appreciate the paths to success that are available here. She also derided stereotypes against Hispanics, noting that they still exist: when she recently treated her 3 Caucasian employees to a spa day in Monterey recently, the spa staff served her employees first- she also was recently told
” You look like you earn minimum wage.” Ugh.
Martha fielded many questions from the members, some of which were about sensitive political and personal topics and engendered engaging discussions. She showed poise and compassion. It was surprising that with all of her worldly knowledge, she did not know the answer to Eric’s question- where are chiclets made? Fun facts- they were made in the US until 2019 (now being made in Mexico). The name is derived a Mexican/Spanish word derived from an Aztec word meaning sticky.
Our next meeting is Jul 6 at Seascape under the new regime of co-President’s Kendra and Laura, neither of which will actually be present that day, how ironic. So the mice (you) can play while the dictator cats (Kendra & Laura) are on vacation! But be warned, on July 14, Hail to the new Chiefs!
Also, first board meeting of the new regime will be on July 21, 10:45am.