It's Noon and I'm still in my pajamas

Well, last night was the demolition party for club president Kendra Jeffcoat, and what a night it was. Starting with the cocktail hour at the Radisson Suite Hotel in Rancho Bernardo, the RB Sunrise Rotary Club showed they're always up for a grand old time. And though it got a bit cozy in the room, the 60-some members, spouses and guests all had a great time. Kendra even brought her dog Trevor for the occasion.

Past President Carl Kruse acted as Master of Ceremonies, and there was much of the usual fun and frivolity from one of these events. Past president Steve Sayler said a few words - I wonder what they were. Then President-elect designate nominee in waiting Mike Miller said a few words, and he's wondering what they were.

From there we went into a skit poking fun at Jay Jeffcoat, Kendra's husband and resident member of Kiwanis, starring Jim Roth and Carly Bohnsack. President elect Nasrin Barbee carried on in a blonde wig about what a selfless person Kendra is.

Then we were on to a video showing Kendra's entire life (though given that almost everything the woman owned was lost in the Witch Creek Fires 18 months ago, most of what was in the video had to be fabricated. I'm still not sure if she was really a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model or if, maybe, they were making that part up!)

Turning to a serious portion of the proceeds, Carl Kruse brought on councilmember Carl DeMaio to officially declare yesterday "Kendra Jeffcoat Day" within the city of San Diego. Of course, it was after 7pm by the time we heard about this, so it probably should have been called "Kendra Jeffcoat's 15 minutes of fame", but there it is. Why don't they tell you it's your day at 6am so you can make the most of it?

Carl (Kruse) was also busy getting swag from Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Rainbow Girls (who helped set Kendra on her path 40 years ago) and a ton of other people. All this was witnessed, by the way, by our district governor, governor elect, governor designate, governor designate elect, and the pool boy working next door who just happened to wander in to see what all the hollering was all about. Nice job, Carl!

As the party-goers munched on steak and salmon, salad and dessert (and drank a LOT of wine, which is probably why they didn't notice the pool boy!), new officers were installed for 2009-10. The outgoing officers were thanked (with more wine!) and Kendra was showered with gifts, including at least two books of jokes. Given her track record in the humor department, I frankly found it surprising that only two of us gave her joke books.

Lots and laughing, joking and good-natured ribbing were trumped, though, by the evening's last three events:

1) Jay Jeffcoat was made a Paul Harris Fellow, which makes him a Rotarian in spirit, even if he insists on calling himself a Kiwanian.

2) Kendra made one of the nicest speeches I've heard in a very long time - one that obviously came from the heart about how much working with this club had meant to her and how the past year has changed and improved her life.

3) Carl read a poem. Unlike the past when he would write a poem of his own, though, Carl read the following:

“Heavenly Father, up above
Help me live the words I love,
Help my Rainbow Dreams come true
In everything I say and do,
Bless those who have faith in me
That the girl they want, is the girl I’ll be.
And when the sunset ends the day
Our living Rainbow will guide the way.”
Amen

This is a poem that Kendra wrote when she was involved with Rainbox many years ago. To this day, "All of our girls still say it at every meeting". reports Sara Lee Martin of Rainbox.

When Carl was done there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It's no wonder I love this club so much!