It's kind of cool being the head of the publicity committee (actually, I'm the entire publicity committee, but that's another issue) for my Rotary club. Nobody breathes down my neck to make deadlines, my words appear in the newspaper (and sometimes my name as the source of the photographs), and the club members appreciate the work I do.
Yesterday there was a lot to appreciate - 14 articles published in the past 21 days, most of them with photos. There are four more stories to write this week (Friday's project) and others in the works. Hopefully it's helping the club and the overall effort.
On a sadder note, we had a memorial for Marc Aaron this past Sunday. Lots of people turned out to drink beer and eat (his recipe) hot wings at the Tilted Kilt (owned by his best friend Tony). And I understand there's already been a decent initial donation to the Marc Aaron fund set up at the Temecula Valley Bank in Rancho Bernardo.
Finally, four of us sat down after yesterday's meeting to strategize a new website and other technological issues. Seems we're going to test Club Runner, which will help us get our site back on track. We're also going to develop an electronic newsletter (Martin and Michael working together, instead of it just sitting on Martin's shoulders) and begin implementing YouTube, FaceBook, LinkedIn and other technologies.
Kendra is getting off to a good start - I'm very impressed with her already, and she hasn't even taken office yet.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
A busy few weeks
Wow - three weeks flew by really fast, and nobody even noticed I hadn't made an entry in my blog. Should I be relieved that nobody's breathing down my neck, or upset that nobody reads the silly thing. Well...either way.
Sent out a bunch of publicity, including this:
RB Sunrise is there for Joslyn Center
Ever eager to help the RB Community, the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary has contributed $1,000 to the Joslyn Center of RB.
The Joslyn Center for Senior Citizens sponsors everything older residents could possibly want in a community center. From exercise programs to tax help, seniors in RB know they’ll find it all under one roof.
Operating entirely without tax support for operating expenses, the Joslyn Center sometimes finds it a challenge to meet their budgetary needs. “We usually don’t have any extra dollars for upgrading old equipment or buying new.” says Arlene Cawthorne, Executive Director of the Center. She adds “We are planning on using this $1,000 donation to purchase new computer equipment to improve our efficiency as well as providing additional services for our membership.”
“We’re delighted to be able to help the Joslyn Center meet such a critical need” says Steve Sayler, president of the RB Sunrise Rotary Club, noting “Rotary always tries to be present when there’s a need anywhere in our community.”
The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at www.rbsunrise.org.
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The memorial service is being held for Marc Aaron this saturday at the Tilted Kilt, owned by his friend Tony Laureti. 4-8 pm, by Petco Park. I miss Marc - he was one of the good guys. There will be a notice about the service and the memorial fund in the Pomerado Papers this week. It reads as follows:
A “CELEBRATION OF LIFE” in honor of Marc Aaron will be held from 4-8 pm on May 18th at the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, 310 10th Avenue, by Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
Originally from Philadelphia, Aaron passed away on April 15th after a short illness. The president of Bob Worner, Ltd., he was active in the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce, RB Sunrise Rotary, BNI and numerous other community groups.
A memorial fund has been set up for his family. Contributions should be made to the HELENA AARON IN MEMORY OF MARC fund, and mailed to Temecula Valley Bank, 16469 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92128.
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This weekend we'll also have our club's reverse drawing. Tickets are only $100 each, and we're selling 200 of them. I just bought lucky number 175 for my daughter. More later - gotta go walk the dog.
Sent out a bunch of publicity, including this:
RB Sunrise is there for Joslyn Center
Ever eager to help the RB Community, the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary has contributed $1,000 to the Joslyn Center of RB.
The Joslyn Center for Senior Citizens sponsors everything older residents could possibly want in a community center. From exercise programs to tax help, seniors in RB know they’ll find it all under one roof.
Operating entirely without tax support for operating expenses, the Joslyn Center sometimes finds it a challenge to meet their budgetary needs. “We usually don’t have any extra dollars for upgrading old equipment or buying new.” says Arlene Cawthorne, Executive Director of the Center. She adds “We are planning on using this $1,000 donation to purchase new computer equipment to improve our efficiency as well as providing additional services for our membership.”
“We’re delighted to be able to help the Joslyn Center meet such a critical need” says Steve Sayler, president of the RB Sunrise Rotary Club, noting “Rotary always tries to be present when there’s a need anywhere in our community.”
The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club can be found online at www.rbsunrise.org.
=====================
The memorial service is being held for Marc Aaron this saturday at the Tilted Kilt, owned by his friend Tony Laureti. 4-8 pm, by Petco Park. I miss Marc - he was one of the good guys. There will be a notice about the service and the memorial fund in the Pomerado Papers this week. It reads as follows:
A “CELEBRATION OF LIFE” in honor of Marc Aaron will be held from 4-8 pm on May 18th at the Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery, 310 10th Avenue, by Petco Park in downtown San Diego.
Originally from Philadelphia, Aaron passed away on April 15th after a short illness. The president of Bob Worner, Ltd., he was active in the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce, RB Sunrise Rotary, BNI and numerous other community groups.
A memorial fund has been set up for his family. Contributions should be made to the HELENA AARON IN MEMORY OF MARC fund, and mailed to Temecula Valley Bank, 16469 Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92128.
===================
This weekend we'll also have our club's reverse drawing. Tickets are only $100 each, and we're selling 200 of them. I just bought lucky number 175 for my daughter. More later - gotta go walk the dog.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Stars Shine at the RB Sunrise Rotary Club
Today's press release - anything to find an angle, eh?
The Stars Shine at the RB Sunrise Rotary Club
First it was Michael Rennie, a 16-year-veteran of the not-for-profit arts world and Associate Director of the Poway Center for Performing Arts Foundation, who joined the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Club.
Then it was James Stewart, 28 years at Hewlett Packard and networking in search of his next success, who started attending the Tuesday morning breakfasts.
Suddenly, there were famous names in the room. Who’s next? Gary Cooper of the Cyclery of Rancho Bernardo?
“That’s the nice thing about the RB Sunrise Rotary Club – it doesn’t matter how much fame (or lack of it) you have – we happily accept you into our midst and treat you like family from the very beginning.” says membership chair Debbie Abel.
Rennie, who is frequently mistaken for his namesake from the movie The Day The Earth Stood Still joined the RB Sunrise Rotary for the networking, the camaraderie, and the opportunity to give back to the community. “This” he says “is the nicest bunch of people you’d EVER want to meet in your life!”
Stewart echoes the sentiment. “Okay” he admits “I didn’t star in Philadelphia Story. I was nowhere near the set of It’s A Wonderful Life.” But he confesses “I have been making some wonderful friends in that room, and believe becoming a Rotarian was one of the smartest moves I’ve made in the past few years. These people make it a wonderful life!”
Ironically, Mr. Rennie’s connections could probably open an acting career for Mr. Stewart. His response: “I’m kind of like the way they described Fred Astaire when he first tried out for a part – ‘Can’t sing, can’t act, can dance a little’.”
“Only in my case it’s true” he laughs. “I won’t even sing in the shower.” Stewart then turns serious to announce for the record, “I would take an acting job as Sean Connery if one came along, provided I didn’t have to do his stunts or otherwise get beaten up.”
None of this seems to matter much, though, to the members of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary. Says club president Steve Sayler, “Whatever your name is, and whatever your skills, we’ll find a place for you at our table.”
Rotarians James Stewart (left) and Michael Rennie Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Farewell to Marc Aaron
I just hung up the phone with past president Carl Kruse, who called to tell me that Marc Aaron died at 3pm PST today.
We are looking into doing a memorial for him, since he will be buried in Philadelphia.
He was expected to last three days after his brain surgery - instead he last 11 weeks. He was my breakfast buddy, sitting next to me almost every week for two years. He was my friend. I shall miss him something awful.
We are looking into doing a memorial for him, since he will be buried in Philadelphia.
He was expected to last three days after his brain surgery - instead he last 11 weeks. He was my breakfast buddy, sitting next to me almost every week for two years. He was my friend. I shall miss him something awful.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
A Visit To Suffern, NY
I'm in New York this week, attending to a little business and a little pleasure.
Decided to tear myself away from everything else to do a makeup meeting at the Suffern, NY Rotary. It's an 80-year-old club with 35 members and a nice bunch of folks - just what you'd expect from RI.
There were some interesting coincidences to this make-up meeting. For instance:
* Several years ago when my brother-in-law passed away, my wife's sister was asked to take care of the children. Money understandably became tight in short order, and this club adopted my sister-in-law's family for the holidays.
* I sat next to a fellow at lunch whose good friend goes to my temple in San Diego.
There were the usual connections to be made, of course. One guy had a business lead for me, I had a real estate connection for someone whose daughter just moved to SD. Like that.
There were some other points of interest, too. This club gives out about 2,500 saplings to elementary school kids (each year) - an idea I'm getting more details on in hopes we can do something similar. However, they don't do much on publicity (we talked about ways they might improve that). They pray at the beginning of the meeting, which didn't appeal to me, and haven't gotten into the Rotarians At Work program yet (though they were all over the idea).
The similarities were more than the differences, though. They do the dictionary project, had the local firefighters in to speak to us and give a presentation, collect happy dollars (they actually pass the bucket to each person to contribute. However they don't spin the wheel).
Incoming president Larry told me he's never gone to a club where they spin the wheel (I invited him to do a makeup at our club). Interestingly, when I brought a flag with me from our club, the president told me she'd never had anyone give her a flag, and they didn't have one to give me to bring back. Larry will get one to me before I leave town to close the loop.
The food was good, the company enjoyable, and the $15 well invested. I'm very glad I went.
Decided to tear myself away from everything else to do a makeup meeting at the Suffern, NY Rotary. It's an 80-year-old club with 35 members and a nice bunch of folks - just what you'd expect from RI.
There were some interesting coincidences to this make-up meeting. For instance:
* Several years ago when my brother-in-law passed away, my wife's sister was asked to take care of the children. Money understandably became tight in short order, and this club adopted my sister-in-law's family for the holidays.
* I sat next to a fellow at lunch whose good friend goes to my temple in San Diego.
There were the usual connections to be made, of course. One guy had a business lead for me, I had a real estate connection for someone whose daughter just moved to SD. Like that.
There were some other points of interest, too. This club gives out about 2,500 saplings to elementary school kids (each year) - an idea I'm getting more details on in hopes we can do something similar. However, they don't do much on publicity (we talked about ways they might improve that). They pray at the beginning of the meeting, which didn't appeal to me, and haven't gotten into the Rotarians At Work program yet (though they were all over the idea).
The similarities were more than the differences, though. They do the dictionary project, had the local firefighters in to speak to us and give a presentation, collect happy dollars (they actually pass the bucket to each person to contribute. However they don't spin the wheel).
Incoming president Larry told me he's never gone to a club where they spin the wheel (I invited him to do a makeup at our club). Interestingly, when I brought a flag with me from our club, the president told me she'd never had anyone give her a flag, and they didn't have one to give me to bring back. Larry will get one to me before I leave town to close the loop.
The food was good, the company enjoyable, and the $15 well invested. I'm very glad I went.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Rotarians At Work Day 2008 - project announced
This announcement just went out to the local press about our efforts on Rotarians At Work Day.
RB Sunrise Rotary Helps Repair Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead…Again!
Supporters of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary club will be spending Saturday, April 26, 2008 performing maintenance, repair and clean-up work for the Sikes Adobe Farmstead. The club members selected this project as their contribution to Rotarians At Work Day, and will be out there starting at 9am.
The only thing is they did the same work less than three years ago.
In June, 2005, The RB Sunrise and Escondido Sunrise Rotary Clubs invested significant time, energy and treasure to refurbish the property on the border of Escondido. Under a blazing summer sun, dozens of Rotarians, family, friends, and area historians worked to create and set in place a working replica of an 1870 windmill.
“It’s a day I won’t soon forget” says past president Mark Berdan, recounting how member Randy Williams was swinging at the top of a crane at great risk to his life and limb. “Rotarians do what needs to be done, when and where it needs to be done.” observes Berdan, noting “sometimes our enthusiasm gets away from us.”
Located in the San Dieguito River Park, the Sikes Adobe Farmstead is an official State Point of Historical Interest. Originally built in 1870, it is one of the oldest structures in the county and one of the few remaining adobes in the region. “Sikes Adobe Farmstead represents a legacy of Old California and our ranching and farming history.” says Sikes Adobe Museum Manager Anne Cooper.
The Sikes family was one of the first families to settle in the area in 1869, and their farm represented the beginnings of agricultural development in post gold-rush San Diego county. The owner and head of household, Zenas Sikes, was the first postmaster of the town of Bernardo, where he also served as president of the Grange.
And this past October’s Witch Creek Fires destroyed almost all of this registered historical landmark. “The house is a major loss” says club president Steve Sayler. He points out that while some adobe walls remain, the cumulative damage of the fire and this past winter’s rains were devastating.
“A beautiful sewing machine was brought in the day before the fire” points out charter member Rex Teets. “That was lost, along with books, maps, a history of the Sikes Family. It’s a huge loss for our community, and we aim to help set things right.”
And while it won’t be perfect after the April 26th event, the Sikes Adobe Farmstead will be in much better shape than it is right now. All courtesy of the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary and the Rotarians At Work program.
Rotarians At Work started in San Diego and is quickly gaining traction around the world with the objective of having all 33,000 Rotary clubs on the map working on community improvement projects simultaneously.
The Rotarians At Work program was conceived by former District Governor Bob Watson, and is being organized and run by District 5340’s 2006 Rotarian Of The Year Jim Roth. Roth is a member of the RB Sunrise Rotary.
Non-Rotarians are also invited to donate time or resources, as well as to visit the house and see what construction methods were used in that era. It is easily accessible off Route I-15, exit Via Rancho Parkway and go East. Travel 100 yards and turn right on Sunset Drive. Another 100 yards and turn left into the long dirt driveway.
More information about the RB Sunrise Rotary is available online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/. More information about the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead is available online at http://www.sdrp.org/.
Prior to the Witch Creek Fires of 2007, the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead was a piece of living history, showing the very roots of the Rancho Bernardo community.
Much of the 5.7 acre complex was destroyed or damaged this past October. The historic significance of the buildings, maps, and even the wallpaper demands the community pitch in to refurbish this registered landmark. The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary will be out there at 9am helping do the right thing. Will you?
RB Sunrise Rotary Gets Worldwide Recognition
Okay, I couldn't resist the temptation. Maybe that's why I'm the publicity chair for my club. So I sent out this announcement to the press this morning. I don't think there'll be a dry eye in the house by the time people are done reading this story and watching that video.
RB Sunrise Rotary Gets Worldwide Recognition
The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary and Poway Rotary clubs have been recognized by Rotary International for their efforts in helping victims of the Witch Creek fires this past fall.
A five minute video is prominently displayed on Rotary International’s home page (http://www.rotary.org/). The presentation discusses funds the Poway Club raised, and the substantial “on the ground” support provided by members of the RB Sunrise Club for fire victims.
“Four of our members lost their homes, and there wasn’t a moment’s hesitation among the members of this club. Every one of them was there to help in any way they could.” says president-elect Kendra Jeffcoat (who lost her home in the fire). She adds; “Their support was overwhelming.”
“Rotary became the eyes, ears, and pulse for Rancho Bernardo following the fire,” says club member Jim Roth. “Families who lost everything looked to us for leadership and help.” And from financial contributions to time spent sifting through the rubble for anything of value, the help was there.
The video ends by telling the tale of former RB Sunrise Rotarian Mike Miller, who had resigned from the club a week before the fires. “We were happy to get out of our burning home alive” he says “and as soon as word got out that our house had been destroyed, I started getting calls, notes, and emails. Everyone from the club I had just left wanted to come and help us. It didn’t matter to them that I had resigned – they wanted to help.”
A tear comes to Miller’s eye as he tells the story. “Rotarians are very special people. My family was in pain, and nothing else mattered to them except that they were in a position to help us, and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” The outpouring of practical and emotional support he received from Rotarians so moved him that he decided to rejoin the club a few days later.
“I will never leave this club. Ever!” he says now. And knowing what Rotarians can do when they set their collective minds to do something, it’s easy to understand why Miller feels his club is so special.
And now Rotarians around the world will also have a chance to see what’s so special about our community.
More information about the RB Sunrise Rotary is available online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/. More information about the Poway Rotary is available online at http://www.powayrotary.org/.
RB Sunrise Rotary Gets Worldwide Recognition
The Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary and Poway Rotary clubs have been recognized by Rotary International for their efforts in helping victims of the Witch Creek fires this past fall.
A five minute video is prominently displayed on Rotary International’s home page (http://www.rotary.org/). The presentation discusses funds the Poway Club raised, and the substantial “on the ground” support provided by members of the RB Sunrise Club for fire victims.
“Four of our members lost their homes, and there wasn’t a moment’s hesitation among the members of this club. Every one of them was there to help in any way they could.” says president-elect Kendra Jeffcoat (who lost her home in the fire). She adds; “Their support was overwhelming.”
“Rotary became the eyes, ears, and pulse for Rancho Bernardo following the fire,” says club member Jim Roth. “Families who lost everything looked to us for leadership and help.” And from financial contributions to time spent sifting through the rubble for anything of value, the help was there.
The video ends by telling the tale of former RB Sunrise Rotarian Mike Miller, who had resigned from the club a week before the fires. “We were happy to get out of our burning home alive” he says “and as soon as word got out that our house had been destroyed, I started getting calls, notes, and emails. Everyone from the club I had just left wanted to come and help us. It didn’t matter to them that I had resigned – they wanted to help.”
A tear comes to Miller’s eye as he tells the story. “Rotarians are very special people. My family was in pain, and nothing else mattered to them except that they were in a position to help us, and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” The outpouring of practical and emotional support he received from Rotarians so moved him that he decided to rejoin the club a few days later.
“I will never leave this club. Ever!” he says now. And knowing what Rotarians can do when they set their collective minds to do something, it’s easy to understand why Miller feels his club is so special.
And now Rotarians around the world will also have a chance to see what’s so special about our community.
More information about the RB Sunrise Rotary is available online at http://www.rbsunrise.org/. More information about the Poway Rotary is available online at http://www.powayrotary.org/.
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