Newsletter - Archive  Mar 10, 2010

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P.O. Box 620700                                                   Riki Intner                                                                   Dave Hyman 

Woodside CA 94062-0700                                District Governor                                                       Club President

                                                      http://wpvrotary.org                                          

Regular Meeting                                                                                   March 10th 2010

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Wednesday with breakfast by Encore Performance Catering, fellowship, project updates and an interesting speaker from the community. Guild Hall, Woodside Village Church, 3154 Woodside Road, Woodside, California  Guests are not only welcome but encouraged!

Club News:  Update on the Guatemalan library project  Newsletter Editor, Joan Fuetsch, had the opportunity to meet last week in Antigua, Guatemala with the staff of the Xolsacmalja library as they were all in town for a brainstorming session with other Riecken library personnel.  On the advice of Riecken country director, Paul Guggenheim, rather than telling them that the funds were being made available for their internet connection we suggested that they put together a proposal including a budget and that I could then submit it to the Rotary Club.  They are expected to also present a proposal as to how the community will pay the monthly internet connection charges going forward.  I am happy to report that, because there are more men than women using the library, that the new president of the board is a woman.  Her name is Juana, she is single and she too has a niece named Elena so we have a lot in common. I do have better and more teeth, however. 

In one short year the library has become very well known throughout their area and has even attracted international attention.  Over and over the staff expressed their gratitude for the library and also indicated that they are very eager to expand their offerings.  At the moment they only have three computers which is already a challenge and will be more so when they can offer internet.  (Think future Rotary projects.)  I have been invited to their first anniversary celebration towards the end of this month.  I am hoping to catch a ride with someone rather than spending four or more hours each way on a very crowded chicken bus.  For more on the library and life in Guatemala check out my blog:  http://ricebeansandtortillas.blogspot.com/.  

From left to right: board member, Juana, Urbano (library director paid by Riecken), myself, the cultural director and the librarian.

 This Week's Program:  Brian McLeran on Rotary Projects District #5150 Past District Governor, Brian McLeran, will talk about the district dictionary project and an upcoming project trip to Vietnam.

Last  Week's Program:   (courtesy of Last Week Editor, Dean Babcock) Bob Buelteman introduced his daughter, to deliver her talk entitled “Jane Ganahl on Jane Ganahl.”  Jane was born in Miami when Bob was flying the PanAm clippers to South America. Jane graduated from SJSU in journalism and soon went to work for the Hearst papers.  She started by writing ad copy, but used every opportunity to tell the editors “I am a writer.”  She finally got to do some interviews and write some human interest copy. Filling the Sunday edition was always a chore, so one of the editors said she could  write a column for a couple weeks on life as a “Mid-life single.” The first Sunday nothing happened.  The next week she received dozens of emails from other mid-life singles, nearly all of which asked “How do you meet men?”  They let her go on with the colmn and it lasted for years.  She was an advocate for women and helped start an organization supporting those who needed help adapting to single life after divorce. She has written a book on her life experience, sold the rights to a TV producer who has been wiped out by the recession. She has taken the rights back and is pursuing production on her own.  She is a bright, forceful gal and Bob has every right to be proud of her.

Next Week's Program:  Healthcare 

Lee Michelson of the Sequoia Health District will be our speaker.  Bring your questions on this timely topic.

Coming Events:

Next Board Meeting:  Tuesday, April 6th, 7:30am, Church Library 

Rotary Means Business:  Wednesday, April 7th, 2010, 5:30 pm Encore Performance Catering

5150 District Assembly:  Saturday, March 27th 2010, Redwood High School, Larkspur

District Conference:  San Francisco, April 16-17, 2010, www.rotary5150.org

Rebuilding Together:  Saturday, April 24th 2010

Pancake Breakfast:  Saturday, May 1st 2010

Announcements:   Have you had a look at the Rotary International website lately for what is going on in Rotary's world?  www.rotary.org   How about finding out about what is going on in the district?  www.rotary5150.org