12:05 Welcome
Flag Salute—Susan Scar
Inspirational Moment – Kathee Yee
Poem John O’Donohue
For Celebration
Now is the time to free the heart,
Let all intentions and worries stop,
Free the joy inside the self,
Awaken to the wonder of your life.
Open your eyes and see the friends,
Whose hearts recognize your face as kin,
Those whose kindness watchful and near,
Encouraging you to live everything here.
See the gifts the years have given,
Things your effort could never earn,
The health to enjoy who you want to be
And the mind to mirror mystery.
Lunch
Chicken tacos and cilantro lime rice , brownies for dessert
12:30 Visiting Rotarians/Guests
Dwayne Boccalli … lol
Thanks for meeting crew:
Greeter—Tessa Turner
Room Set up and Tech- Jerry Maryniuk and Clinton Haugan
Roving Mic—Janet Cambell
Moneyman – Dave Brubaker
Finer- Bill Hatch
Bag
Reporter – Renee Halbrook
Announcements:
- Next Week, beach party August 30, Sue Gilbreth Kathy Yee
i.Hope you signed up Larry Wilde and Denis Geurnsey’s beach house
ii.Food provided by QTime bbq by Cody Roddick
iii.30 without alcohol, 35 with alchohol
iv.Rotary West will join
- We are looking for a few people to help with Social Media. If you are interested, please let Wendy know. We will hire someone, but will feed them content
- We don’t have a president-elect yet. If you are interest, even a little bit, in being president next year, or a co-president, we need you! If you don’t think you’re the right person, but you want to suggest someone else, that would also be appreciated.
- Taste of Ojai—Brett Nighman
- Vendor committee is getting vendors
- Sponsor committee is getting sponsors
i.Money for grants and programs really comes from sponsors, tickets mostly cover cost of event itself
ii.Please get the words out about getting more sponsors
iii.Buy tickets, get friends to buy tickets, become a sponsor yourself
iv.We Need items for auction please contact Kathy yee, especially with things like vacation rentals, or guest houses. We are hoping for mostly bigger ticket items this year
- Ranger Quest Program at Nordhoff, Don Reed
- High school as well as 7-8th graders . We help students and tutors get perspectives. Faculty appears overburdened, lets help them out. Some training provided, mostly helping kids with homework so don’t worry if you need to brush up on your math skills. There will a mixer/Meeting with teachers and potential tutors . If you would like to participate, please contact Don Reed
- Fern Berishman – list of addresses, phone numbers, etc. Fern will be updating clubrunner, please make sure she has your correct details. Also , please consider sponsorship. Everybody knows somebody that could sponsor.
- Induct Sue Gilbraith and Bill Prather inducted Marilyn Gordanier into club today
—“you are a leader and you have the will and heart to be of service with others. “Sponsor is Bill Prather.
- Upcoming speakers
- September 6 our District Governor Sherry Sim will be here
i.Please come to this meeting and show support for our clubs
- September 13 Sheryl Knox, OUSD superintendent of schools
Museum Moment – OVN Toothbrush kit
3.5 “ long and 1” wide – over 60 years old
Ojai Valley Inn and Country Club changed into Ojai Valley inn in 1947 it was a military instillation for a bit before, the kit still has toothpaste in it!
Fining – Bill Hatch
Started by sharing that he is proud of his granddaughter, who, after pursuing many different interests, found some passion for Cello while attending Cabrillo middle school, taught by legendary local instructor Mario Bocalli (Dwayne’s son), and is now also pursuing tennis.
Confessions:
Jack Jacobs recently had a marriage anniversary, he thinks his wife should get saint of the year award
Christine Golden—has lots of things that are over 60 years old. Posting meetings on Facebook, no one knows who has the passcode to the website, she was instructed to ask Kevin Davis
Wendy Barker spent time with grandkids who didn’t cry for 2 whole days , even when she was on solo babysitting duty.
Don Reed 2 days ago 3 to the fourth power 34 year birthday. Had to go to the ER unfortunately hit a nest of yellow jackets, took Benadryl , his Blood pressure fell below 100. He is grateful to have such good care through the Ojai ER.
Meet and Greet for Andy Gilman mayoral candidacy at Kay Bliss’s house on August 28 at 7 pm
Fining:
Highest temperature Death Valley 134
Don Reed – highest average temperature in the world—no idea
Dallol Ethiopia – average air 94 degrees
Brett Nighman – 2 places with highest surface temperature
- Guessed Planet Mercury
- Answer was Lut dessert in Iran, and the Sonoran Mexican border at 177 degrees
- Ren Adams—what year and who invented the first latex condom?
- Guessed 1916 by Bill Condom
- Actually 1855 by Charles Goodyear
- August 23 1966—what photograph – Rosa Parks ( no) First photo taking of the earth from the moon
- Fern Berishman –August 23 1904 what invention known better if one spent time in Mammoth—a chair lift ?. (answer was tire chains)
Speaker Intros by membership committee co chairs- Sue Gilbreth and Bill Prather
Marilyn Mosely Gordanier – new member
Introduced by Bill Prather—first inducted into our club today . She and Bill have enjoyed the same dance classes for many years
“It’s weird to look at your own life and encapsulate it. “
Born in Los Angeles in Temple Hospital near Griffith Park
Moved to Brooklyn NY when she was 8 months year old. Tried to be Californian anyway
Moved to a project in Carnarsie…Her father was a carpenter, mother was a homemaker.
Notice her brother’s Davy Crockett hat, mom cut out the middle and he wore it forever . Marilynn sported a Toni home permanent so she could enjoy curly hair
Lived in the projects for 7 years. Howie Schultz (later CEO of starbucks) also lived in the same projects and, was one of her brother’s friends.
She attended Jefferson high school and then Queens College.
Her father was carpenter and then later a teacher, and an artist. One of his student’s said “Mr Sterling don’t ever walk into our neighborhood at night because you have too much gold in your teeth”
Marilynn Moved to Ojai where she started Oak Meadow school on the campus of Happy Valley School, which was a homeschool with Waldorf influence
At that time she was a single mom with 3 kids under the age of 5, she managed to go back to school, and create a new program.
She lived on Besant road
Daughter Ramaa and grandchildren Isabel and Brody . Ramaa is a TV and movie director
Went to Laurel Springs at age 14 after attending some public school.
Her son Michael attended Nordhoff , the Air Force academy and then Harvard , became the head of logistics, involved in a lot of top secret work. He died by suicide 7 years ago.
Rafaeel , another son, became a visual effects artists, he works in Mission Impossible movies, where he makes everyone look beautiful. He makes Brittany Spears look 20 lbs lighter with a press of a button.
Mina and Leafie, are Marilynne’s grandchildren who attend homeschool through Rock Tree Sky and Valley Oak Charter School
Her husband was Lee Gordanier—who worked for the state department for 17 years, then worked in oil in Stewart,BC, Alaska. He was riding a Motor cycle down the coast all the way to Costa Rica to start a hotel, but the motorcycle broke in Ventura,so he stayed and married Marilyn and they started Laurel Springs together
Her brother is Lee Sperling-- the well known artist
She started Laurel Springs School, with her husband Lee and friend Ellen Hall
Laurel Springs became a place where children find their passions and talents in an online and asynchronous environment.
Currently hosts 6000 kids in 74 countries 94% of whom go onto college including many student athletes, actors and dancers.
They hold an in person graduation with 200 students from 34 countries . Graduation was held in Florida this year
Kids tend to be friendly and don’t segregate based on age
At one point 26 students from Laurel Springs created the “We can make a difference video” –which won the global 500 UNEP contest. Marilynn wanted to take all 26 students to Mexico City to receive the prestigious award, so she went to Congressman Gallegher – who created a press release, and helped them get free tickets from American Airlines for all the kids. KUIT followed the kids throughout New York, and their trip and awards were on broadcast on ABC
Marilynn served as chair for United Nations Environmental Forum, and has worked with United Nations over a long time
Serving Humanity WorldWide
She worked with Michelle Kwan , her favorite Olympic ice skater, and current ambassador to Belize.
Did a commercial with Michelle and daughter Ramaa for her education project : Educate Girls Now which provides online education for girls in Afghanistan .
Marilynn was Invited to speak at the Vatican and meet the pope . Since she forgot her id, she showed credit card for identification purposes, and since she looked so nice, they let her in anyway.
She is a board member of “Captain Planet Foundation“ which supports school garden programs , and helps teenagers become leaders in their own projects
Locally she works with David White, with Food for Thought, which creates school gardens for Ojai USD
While working through Girls in Afghanistan
she helped a distressed girl in Afghanistan emigrate to the United States, with the help of a local Rotary Club, so she could pursue education here.
Bob Davis, a longtime Rotarian
Started his speech with his tradition banter like:
“I am Totally unprepared and Winging it”
“Everyone who is here, is here for a reason. Except me I am a horrible example”
“Deep down I am really shallow’
“There is a hell of a distance between wise cracking and wit. Wit has truth, Wise Cracking is just cathelestics with words”
His Parents came to Ojai in 1937
They Rented a cottage at Cottages among the flowers
The bought “Crooked Creek Ranch” which was 30 acres on the East Ed.
Bob was Born in 1939
His mother died in 1940, so he was essentially raised by a series of housekeepers
Father was 10 years old when Wright brothers flew (1903)
Bob attended Monica Ros School and then Ojai Valley school for 6 years
A friend of a friend was the headmaster of Cate school
Started 8th grade of Cate school
At that time there were 80 students in 5 grades
Varsity football team and JV football team they were 0 for everything
Varsity soccer and JV soccer
Bob switched to Philips Andover – prep school to finish out high school
He stated that he not a great student
Bob attended Claremont Men’s college in Management Engineering and then transferred to Cal poly Pomona in Fruit industries, later called fruit production
Joined the Air Force and was first stationed in Ocoda Michagan where he met his future wife Margaret. They married and moved to Karamursel Airbase in Turkey.
First 1 ½ years in Turkey as newly weds
Worked for a bit In Michigan
Detroit press, trains
1967 Had his first daughter Rachel
1969 Nan was born
Nan taught at San Antonio, now handles financial for farm
1970 Rob – also helps with farming
County of Ventura—asked by county supervisor to help with planning
Joined Rotary in 1972 back when Attendance was very important
1986 Bob Davis was president of Rotary-he asked for one day of perfect attendance. Bob says that the meetings were really run by then Secretary Jack McClanahan
Bob was president of the Ojai festivals in 1985. Enjoyed being president of Rotary because it was easier, and got him out of his previous engagement.
Getting sponsors for the Ojai Music Festival was a tough sell – since the board wanted the same conductors and the same songs year after year, while the theory of ojai music festival was to push the boundaries of the musical world in Ojai.
Bob has spent 60 years farming in the Ojai valley
“Hell no not the end of farming”
“We can do it with the help – or people leave us alone—"
He is grateful to have his family help with the operation of the farm.
Really became Rotarian in 2001, when he went to Ghana.
Finished his speech by saying , in true Bob Davis Fashion
“I only did it for the oranges”.
Give Speaker Gift
Today’s Recommendations:
Kathy Yee recommends the series Shogun streaming on Hulu and Disney. Wendy watched it too, really good, It’s full of intrigue, wonderful acting and beautiful sets
Brett Bradigan – recommends the book “Takeover: Hitler’s Final Rise to Power by Timothy Ryback” -- A fast paced read about Germany from April through November in 1932. Think it couldn’t happen here? Think again –BB
Please continue to send in recommendations.
Meeting Adjourned
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