10-9-2014
F: Max Kellogg I: Javier Nunez God Bless America: Roz Kolger
Guest of the Club: Jason Lassen who is an actor, photographer, and magician is a guest of Wynne. He took photographs of the Ride-on/SMA Event at the Odyssey.
Guests: Javier Nunez introduced Bobbie Arias and Robin Gomez from Communities and Schools who will later be presenting our program.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Marc told us of the Taste of Encino event this weekend from 10-5. He will be confirming times with those who have signed up. It is on the west side of Balboa.
Richard distributed a letter where he outlines the problems of billing for meals and dues. On November 6th he will present a plan where we switch to each of us paying for what meal we eat – now raised to $22.00 each meeting – on the day we come. He will bill quarterly – rather than monthly for the dues of about $17.00 a month and $10.00 for the recognition project. Rich managed the welcome table today, explaining the new system that will make the treasurer’s work easier.
Les invited us again to come to the Harvest Festival at Victory Outreach on Halloween In costume. He has 18 volunteers and needs about 25. Some of us will be taking blood pressures, while others will be judges for the costumes and working in other areas of the party on games and the jolly jumper. Les has Flyers for the Halloween event.
The Castaways has a wine and 7 course dinner on the third Monday of each month for $60.00.
Rich went last week to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Frank had spent his early life there and knew that IS the fame of that town.
The District Foundation fund-raiser includes 12 raffle tickets for only $100.00, though some of us are buying just one or two tickets in support of that fundraising.
November 6th will be the Club Assembly. We need to vote on the bi-laws of the club Foundation and choose 9 members (only 4 of which can be on the board). Wynne asked for volunteers and Guy Dave and Diane’s names were added to Les who really did volunteer. (Your editor may have missed some.)
The USC-UCLS Bowl board will be here next week and spaces can be purchased for $20.00 each.
HAPPY BUCKS:
Javier contributed $20.00 happy bucks for getting time to come to the club this week.
Wynne threw in $1.00 in gratitude for waking up this morning, and Bill added $2.00 for “whatever.”
PROGRAM: Javier introduced Bobbie Arias, the Chairman of the Board of Communities and Schools, and organization he founded about 20 years ago after retiring as the Executive Director of Education for USC. He thanks us for having acknowledged two of his students a few months ago. Communities and schools works to redirect the lives of kids who have problems and to help them overcome the obstacles to education. He brought with him Robin Gomez who had become a teen mom and had no high school diploma. She ago her AA from Mission College, graduated from CSUN, and went to graduate school at USC.
Robin, now a case manager for Communities and schools, came there as an intern and worked to get grants and to prepare community events. She has helped Marie Valencia with Christmas Lives. So many children do not even think of college or their future. She had worked at Mission College for 10 years helping students from Birmingham and other high schools enter college.
But she learned that kids have problems with financing housing, getting food, paying electric bills, so she went on the get her degree in Social Work, so she could help with more than just the school problems. Communities and schools has worked for 20 years to give at risk kids love, affirmation and encouragement They find ways to get jobs – like Stacy’s pet store – to supplement their incomes. Many jobs are in music, but Communities and Schools gets Federal, State, and local money as well as contributions from individuals, or organizations running a golf tournament.
Bobbie uses his connections with music to do fund-raisers.
RAFFLE:
Judy had $90.00 – because Dave booth $10.00 worth of tickets at the last minute (Bill added $5.00, but it didn’t help him.) Dave won not only the $45.00, but also got a folder to get better organized. Max has an emergency kit for their car.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Wynne gave special recognition and many thanks to Rich Miller who took over the work that Emilio had so ably done ever since the union of the three clubs. Especially difficult has been working out the finances, and Rich has come up with a way that can simplify the complex billing system, and to be fair to the members who eat here as well as the ones who miss meetings and/or do not get lunches.
