What a Wednesday we had this week, starting off the morning with Golden Valley High School Interact students, then closing out the evening with a Club Social & Fireside Chat. Thank you, Past President Ron Nelms, for steering the ship while I was tied up with my day job. [My spies tell me you haven’t lost your touch!]
Bree Goodmon, thanks for your good work with our Interactors (aka Future Rotarians)! And Pat Thompson and Michele McClure, thank you for putting together an extra special social. Of course, activities like these are only as good as our attendance…way to go, SHOWING UP, BBRCers!
If you haven’t yet completed the anonymous Member Satisfaction Survey that was emailed (twice) over the past week, please take 4 or 5 minutes to do that. We have responses from about half of the club’s active membership. More would be better! This survey was created specifically for our club; it’s not administered by the District. Your board of directors wants to hear from you!
We have a lot of impactful and fun activities coming up. Watch for details on the dictionary distribution for 3rd graders, Christmasshopping at Target with elementary students (with help from our Interactors), bell ringing for the Salvation Army (on December 5), and the Christmas Party at Sheriff Woody’s (on December 6).
Finally, based on what I’ve seen on social media (and in my in-box), our 30-Day Challenge is going strong! I love seeing all the fun places our members and their Rotary pins are spending time…and the different ways you are “repping Rotary”! Keep it up!
That’s it for now. Go out and share Rotary with a friend!
Breakfast Rotarians for many years have enjoyed a great opportunity in sponsoring our high school Interact Clubs at Foothill and Golden Valley High School. Much of the credit goes to our Youth Service Directors as well as the on-site Interact Club Advisors. These adult leaders have given so much to foster the purpose of Rotary into the hearts and minds of young students. It is our hope that through mentoring efforts, Interact Club members will grow to become future leaders with a penchant for community service. Yes, Service Above Self! This Wednesday morning we had the occasion to have an off-site meeting at Golden Valley High School. We thank all who coordinated the meeting to make it a success. Hat’s off to teacher and Honorary Rotarian Jennifer Yamauchi and our own Bree Goodmon, Golden Valley Interact Club Advisor and Youth Services Director respectively.
No guests and no visiting Rotarians, but plenty of Breakfast Rotarians took the drive to GVHS to meet and get acquainted with the Interact Club members and hear the good works they have been up to under Jennifer. And speaking of good attendance, I lost count of how many Interact Club members that were present. I lost count after 30… But, how can you blame them, meet Breakfast Rotarians, scrumptious food from Mossman’s and cinnamon rolls the size a 45 RPM record. You remember those don’t you?
Speaking of remembering, do you remember our most recent Past President Ron “Buford” Nelms? Yes, in the absence of President Cheryl Scott, Past President Ron came in to pinch hit. He knocked it out of the park demonstrating he has not lost his MOJO, even performed without an operating “mic”.
Celebrating birthdays were none other than two of our Interact Club members, Vanessa and Karen, both seniors at GVHS who stood for the ceremonious birthday song. Happy Birthday, girls! Past President DeniseHaynes gleefully celebrated her 14th Rotary membership year wearing a really cool Rotary Club- labeled shirt to commemorate the 30 Day Challenge we are actively competing in.
Jennifer Yamauchi introduced student club President Esmeralda, who did a pretty darn good job directing her portion of the meeting. Esmeralda welcomed all of us to GVHS and for supporting the club through the school year. Esmeralda coached us into all participating in an “icebreaker”, since we sat at mixed Interactor/Rotarian tables. A competitive game of “Rock-Paper-Scissors” began at each table until a winner from each table surfaced. The winners from each table competed with other table winners until the final two winners out of approximately 60 people participated. I would not have mentioned the number of people participating, or even mentioning this silly game if it were not for Jerry Starr, Yes, Past President Jerry Starr who made it all the way to the final round. Yeah, you guessed it. Don’t ever bet on a young buck over the senior farmhouse stallion, as Jerry won in classic fashion over one of the students!
President Esmeralda then drew our attention towards the morning’s project. At each table where we were seated, there were community service topics written out for display, each different, each significant to the Interact Club. These topics represent the Interact Club’s areas of service, much like our own Breakfast Rotary areas of service. Over the remainder of the meeting we had the opportunity to have student “subject matter experts” rotate to each of the tables to educate us and solicit responses from the more experienced Rotarians how they can enhance the level of service and program effectiveness for students in the Interact Club toward each of their service areas.
We were recipients of learning about GVHS Interact Club’s pursuit of the challenges of “Feeding the Homeless”, “The Impact of RYLA”, J.J. Legacy’s high school “Got the Dot” program, and even “Pumpkin Unloading”. Through this interactive (Interact) process, we learned from the students and the students learned from us. Rotarians had a great opportunity to provide insight into the students’ club projects, and offered ideas for resources to help the students’ projects become more impactful. In the matter of time it took to share ideas, I am pretty sure we will be helping the Interact Club fulfill their fundraising efforts next year. Hint: Since Darin Blunt is not slinging Girl Scout cookies anymore, homemade tamales could be in our future. Cool, I heard there is even a veggie version offered. Yum Yum
We want to remind one and all that on December 6th, the gracious David Spalingerhas offered hishome for our Breakfast Rotary Christmas party, so mark your calendars. Let’s make this year’s party one that you will not soon forget. Sign-ups are now available. Plus, we will be experimenting with a new way to have fun. We are going to hold a “Table for 8” decorating competition, all tables have been claimed. Look forward to fierce competition for the prize.
Mark your calendar. On December 5 we will be ringing bells for Salvation Army. Signups will soon be approaching, so see Kathy Andersen for more info!
Dave Spalinger and Mindy Wilmot are available to accept your annual Foundation Pledges, see them ASAP. Let’s be a leading club in our District 5240, making a difference around the world!
This week we will be back at the Petroleum Club before Thanksgiving break.
Keep wearing your 30 Day Challenge Swag and see you at our next meeting.
Hello Friends!
Speaking of remembering, do you remember our most recent Past President Ron “Buford” Nelms? Yes, in the absence of President Cheryl Scott, Past President Ron came in to pinch hit. He knocked it out of the park demonstrating he has not lost his MOJO, even performed without an operating “mic”. 
Jennifer Yamauchi introduced student club President Esmeralda, who did a pretty darn good job directing her portion of the meeting. Esmeralda welcomed all of us to GVHS and for supporting the club through the school year. Esmeralda coached us into all participating in an “icebreaker”, since we sat at mixed Interactor/Rotarian tables. A competitive game of “Rock-Paper-Scissors” began at each table until a winner from each table surfaced. The winners from each table competed with other table winners until the final two winners out of approximately 60 people participated. I would not have mentioned the number of people participating, or even mentioning this silly game if it were not for Jerry Starr, Yes, Past President Jerry Starr who made it all the way to the final round. Yeah, you guessed it. Don’t ever bet on a young buck over the senior farmhouse stallion, as Jerry won in classic fashion over one of the students!
We want to remind one and all that on December 6th, the gracious David Spalinger has offered his home for our Breakfast Rotary Christmas party, so mark your calendars. Let’s make this year’s party one that you will not soon forget. Sign-ups are now available. Plus, we will be experimenting with a new way to have fun. We are going to hold a “Table for 8” decorating competition, all tables have been claimed. Look forward to fierce competition for the prize.
