May is Youth Service Month
 
The Rotary Club of
Ojai
 

Ojai Rotary Reminder Newsletter
May 12th, 2023

Carl A. Gross, Editor

Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world? Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship. 
Our 1.4 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.
 
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In the beginning…
 
 
 
Rotarians and Guests assembled en masse on this fair and sunny day. It was heartening to see a pretty full house of well-wishers and do-gooders assemble.  They were called to order by Presidents Kay and Marty welcoming us to “The most caring Club I know!”.
 
Bryant Huber ably led the Pledge to this Great Nation.
 
 
 
Inspirational Moment
 
Kevin Davis was welcomed back from his travels and delivered a heartfelt poem from the great Tennyson:
 
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy'd
Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those
That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when
Thro' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vext the dim sea: I am become a name;
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;
And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'
Gleams that untravell'd world whose margin fades
For ever and forever when I move.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!
As tho' to breathe were life! Life piled on life
Were all too little, and of one to me
Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
For some three suns to store and hoard myself,
And this gray spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.
– Tennyson, Ulysses
 
 
 
Suzanne Scar greeted our attendees.  Room Setup was accomplished by Bruce Hanson, while Dave Brubaker collected the drachmas on entry. Roving Mic was Bret “The Younger” Nighman who turned it into an aerobics workout.  Alas Catherine Lee and her netperson, Don Reed, had their fining plans thwarted by a full program and vowed, “I will save it for next time!”
 
Many thanks to all of you who make our meetings so special.
 
We welcomed our Visiting Rotarians and Guests warmly. There was zero zoom attendees.
 
Announcements
 
Community Service at Work: Dr. Fauvre reported on a Community Service Grant given to Judy Lucas. She proudly told Fred of her $2000 grant and her donation of $500 was used in funding a 7 acre piece of property in South Dakota.  They will plant Daisies and Elderberry plants which will generate a $300/month income in an impoverished area populated by Native Americans.
 
The 75th Anniversary Celebration plans are in full swing for Saturday, June 3rd from 4 to 8 PM at the Boccali Ranch in upper Ojai.  Many thanks to Tony Thacher, Cheree Edwards and their crew for putting this event together.  There will be a commemorative booklet going out soon and much more to come.  If you haven’t bought your tickets, do so now (Reduced to $75 per person).  Click here for the website.
 
Mark your calendars for this coming Friday, May19th.  We will be presenting the RCOEF (Rotary Club of Ojai Educational Foundation) scholarships to our graduating students at Boccali’s Restaurant (picnic area).  A sumptuous repast will be served by our host, DeWayne.  Thanks to David Watson, Mike Weaver and his crew for allowing us to make a positive difference in these students’ lives. For more information, click here.  We need several volunteers for the welcome table to check in students and their parents and help with name badges.
 
May 18th—Rotary Club of Ojai Board Meeting in the Library at Aquinas.
 
May 26th is “something different”.  We will gather at Kent Hall (Behind Ojai City Hall) for Vocational Speed Networking.  This is an opportunity to network and share services by the members.  A box lunch provided.  Sign up with Kay soon.
 
June 2nd, we are dark prior to the 75th celebration.
 
June 23rd will be our Demotion Party for Kay and Marty. Demotion of Co-Presidents Extraordinaire Kay Bliss and Marty Babayco 
For newer members, this is a light hearted celebration of our Rotary year to honor outgoing Presidents and to "pass the gavel" to next year's leaders. 
The party will be at member Bob Davis' home on Gridley.  In keeping with one of the themes for Kay and Marty's year, it will be “something different”.  
Let me know if you would like to join the party planners for this; the more the merrier! 
Have a great weekend,
Stay tuned for details!
 
~Betsy
 
 
On Arbor Day, we were hosted by Ojai Valley School Upper Campus.  Trees were planted and $450 raised by the Club to plant more trees.  During the Thomas Fire, much of the campus burnt, including numerous trees.  Like a Phoenix from the ashes, the school has rebuilt and is thriving. Thanks Brian Schlaak and our own Al West for helping with the replanting efforts.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brian Whitaker, from the Ojai West Rotary Club announced the 35th Annual Wine Festival at Lake Casitas, Saturday, June 17th.  He is looking to our Club for volunteers to help with the reception and ticket booths. Contact Co-President Lillian Talley for more information.   Tickets for admission are $95 up to June 16th and $105 the day of the event. Best to buy the tickets at the Attitude Adjustment Shoppe and avoid the internet fees.  The Rotary Club of Ojai West meets this Tuesday, 7:30 AM at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Bristol and Ojai Avenue. Their speaker will be the Chief of Police.
 
From their website:
 
The 35th Annual Ojai Wine Festival is the longest running wine festival in Ventura County, and they have it dialed! Overlooking scenic Lake Casitas in the Ojai Valley, The Ojai Wine Festival is an idyllic venue to taste award winning wines & amazing craft beers. A bountiful selection of wineries and craft breweries will be represented along with ciders, seltzers and spirits. Discover a tempting selection of gourmet food trucks selling delicious culinary cuisine. Patrons can shop to their heart’s delight among the arts and crafts booths. Bid on the Silent Auction featuring fine wines, private tasting parties, VIP tours of wineries, artisan crafts and much more. Join the dance party on the lakeside dance floor and groove to music by Santa Barbara’s hottest dance band, Area 51. BUY TICKETS NOW! Since 1987, the Ojai Wine Festival has earned over $1.4 Million for Rotarian Community Service and international projects. Locally the Rotary Club of Ojai West Foundation focuses their efforts on enriching the education and health of our local youth as well as aiding additional civic needs. Our International Projects promote peace, fight diseases, provide clean drinking water, save mothers and children in need, support education and help grow local economies.
 
 
 
A Paul Harris Fellowship was awarded to Jane Spiller for all her support and help with our Rotary Club of Ojai.  This makes her a PHF +1. Congratulations!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kathy Yee introduced Skylar and Conner, local high school students who participated in a recent RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) program at Camp Ramah. This weekend event is life changing and challenging for our youth. They come away with a new sense of confidence and ability to be leaders. For more information on RYLA, click here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kara Hooper gave us an update on our Community Grant Programs with a video presentation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Special Presentation: First Sanford Drucker Lifetime Achievement Award
 
 
 
Bret “the Elder” Bradigan invited Dr. Fauvre up to the podium for a special award. Bret outlined Fred’s passion and commitment to the Living Treasures Program, each year, opening his home to the Board and coordinating the annual election of Living Treasures from the community.
 
Yours truly followed with several anecdotes about Fred, his commitment to his patients, healthy living, and his toughness. 
 
Congratulations and well-deserved, Fred!  Please come to the Living Treasures Induction Ceremony at the patio behind the Ojai Valley Museum on June 20th at 4 PM.
 
 
 
The Program: Get Acquainted Talks
 
 
Deirdre Daly introduced two of our newer members who shared their story.
 
Bret Nighman, our former actor, outlined his life and how he ended up in acting as a profession along with a political administrative career.
 
Having a speech impediment, it was suggested that he go into acting as a youngster.  One of his auditions required him to skate.  In the audition, he fell on his derriere, but was given the part because that was what they were looking for. He did two shows as a lab assistant on Quincy, ME (starring Jack Klugman) but was canned because a medical examiners office would not hire a teen as an assistant.
 
Bret joined the Screen Actors Guild.  Offers included “James the Younger” in Jesus Christ Superstar, no go on Ordinary People.  He was offered the part in Blue Lagoon with Brooke Shields but didn’t take it because of the nude scenes.  He saw the show later and, to his chagrin, they had cut out all the nude parts. He attended Santa Barbara City College and University of Santa Barbara, majoring in Political Science.  He became an assistant to the Deputy Mayor and the Mayor. He managed academic departments at UCLA.
 
In acting, they say, “Don’t give up your day job.”, and that is good advice.
 
He lives with his husband, Brad, who works in administration at Monica Ros School.
 
Bob Eisler followed with his history.  He had a panoply of professions. For this poor reported, it was like drinking from a fire hose.
 
Bob gave his get acquainted talk where he discussed being an emerging pianist and retired philosopher, theologian, physicist, florist, tap dancer, aerospace engineer, biomedical researcher. neuroscientist, patent prosecutor, and motorcycle gang member. He resides on Saddle Mountain where he is president of his HOA and lives with his life partner, future ukulele player, and fellow Rotarian, Liz Sampson, and a sheepadoodle that has an independent approach to doggie discipline.
 
 
 
Thanks for sharing your life with us.  Who’d a known?
 
Final Thoughts—Life Hack
 
“When someone tells you about the peak year of human history, the period of time when things were good before things went downhill, it will always be the years of when they were 10 years old—which is the peak of any human’s existence.”
And…
 
“The chief prevention against getting old is to remain astonished.”
 
 

You are invited to visit us at an upcoming meeting.

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