Meeting for the Week of Feb. 23rd, 2015
Greetings from President Rushton Hurley
Hello, members and guests!It's Sunday afternoon, and I am at a conference in Fairfield, California, about an hour and a half from my home in Santa Clara. The closing keynote is Lisa Highfill, one of our members, and, as it happens our program presenter for this week. On the screen from one of her slides is this quote:I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.- Maya AngelouTake a moment this week to make someone feel better, perhaps by knowing that you are one of 1.2 million folks dedicated to making a difference for all in need.Guests, we welcome your comments, as well, and ask that you consider contributing the cost of a meal to the service projects our club is putting in motion.
While we do not yet have our online payment system in place, you are welcome to mail a check made out to the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley to our treasurer: ℅ Allen Thompson, 13500 Cascade Ct., Bakersfield CA 93314.
Anniversary
Happy Anniversary to Rotary! from Membership Chair Shags Shagrin
Did you know that February 23 marks an important date for us? The 23rd is the 110th anniversary of Rotary International. On that day in 1905, Rotary founder Paul Harris formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Since then, Rotary has continued its commitment to service by providing clean water, improving maternal health, awarding scholarships, fighting diseases, and improving lives around the world. Be proud that you are a part of this long-standing organization!
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Rodeo School
We have a lot of members who are new to Rotary, and this next video is to give them a sense of how we as an organization support ways to help those in need - in this case, disconnected youth in rural Australia.
I suspect that even the veteran Rotarians in our club might be surprised to learn of this one!
Happenings
Our Club
Last week, Chris described work he has done using digital media to raise funds for a good cause, and we promised in the program to provide that video. So, here you go!The team (from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec) doing the lip dub is raising funds for the university's Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre. This fun lip dub was sponsored for each view to the tune of $2.50 up to a million dollars. People shared the video widely, and they made their target very quickly. And how many times has it been seen? As of writing, it's just shy of a half million views on YouTubeWhile it isn't still raising funds, it is still sending a nice message about the centre and providing nice exposure for Medicom, the company that did the sponsoring.Innovative sharing for a good cause - way to go, Chris!
When we do our first fundraiser using this technique, we'll be looking at less per view with smaller targets. And when it's ready, what's your role? To share what we create with everyone you know! For details on the planned videos, check the recorded hangout in last week's meeting.
Service Time
Please let us know about any service activities you've done via this survey.
District 5170 News
Keep April 17th-19th free if you can! That's the weekend of our district conference, and there will be many an option for connecting with other Rotarians, learning about cool service efforts, enjoying great food, hearing famous speakers, and enjoying entertainment from a wonderful choir and a circus group! The registration form is here, and we welcome your taking part in whatever your schedule and distance allow. Note that there are plenty of pieces of the weekend that don't cost anything.Local Rotary clubs' efforts in Silicon Valley were recognized by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors this month. District Governor Ed attended the Board's proclamation. “It is a great honor to be acknowledged by the SCC Board,” said Ed Jellen. “Every year the collaborative effort of 4,000 Bay Area Rotarians donate on average $1.5 million dollars and thousands of volunteer hours and expertise to help sustain vital community programs.” Read more about the honor here.
The World of RotaryRotary's Avenues of Service
from Membership Chair Shags Shagrin
We channel our commitment to service at home and abroad through five Avenues of Service, which are the foundation of club activity.
Club Service focuses on making clubs strong. A thriving club is anchored by strong relationships and an active membership development plan.
Vocational Service calls on every Rotarian to work with integrity and contribute their expertise to the problems and needs of society. Learn more in these downloadable PDFs: An Introduction to Vocational Service and the Code of Conduct.
Community Service encourages every Rotarian to find ways to improve the quality of life for people in their communities and to serve the public interest. Learn more in Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective Projects (PDF) and the Community Service presentation (PPT).
International Service exemplifies our global reach in promoting peace and understanding. We support this service avenue by sponsoring or volunteering on international projects, seeking partners abroad, and more.
Youth Service recognizes the importance of empowering youth and young professionals through leadership development programs such as Rotaract, Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), and Rotary Youth Exchange (all are web pages).
The Power of Images
Our club photoczar Keith this week shares a shot he got a few years ago: Arch Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore (map). "I took this several years ago on a hike from the Bear Valley Visitors Center. It is about eight miles round trip. To access the arch, it is necessary to climb down the cliff and avoid the incoming tides."It's a nice reminder that some of the best things in life require a little extra work from us - a little time, a bit of a hike, and careful consideration of the challenges. The payoff is worth it, isn't it?I know there are more of you in the club who carry a camera around, and invite you to share some of your work via our meetings. Member John Lozano shared a gem we'll share with you next week! Find a good one, and send it my way (rushton@gmail.com).
Selected Comments from Last Week
from member Keith Marsh (California):Great program, Chris. It's exciting to hear about new ways of raising awareness and funds for Rotary projects.
from member Allen Thompson (California):Another great meeting for the best Rotary club! Wonderful program, Chris. The possibilities seem endless. So how do we start? Let's get going!!Montana. That's my special place. Big Sky Country. The wide open spaces and close neighbors who live hundreds of miles apart. It's a small town with very long streets. The crisp clean air and untamed rivers. Modern conveniences and the ancient traditions of the Apsáalooke and Blackfeet people. In two weeks, I'll show you what I mean.And who was that dashing young bard who spoke of termites and parlor floors?
from member Martin Fox (Utah):Loved your program Chris. In my work around the planet, I've witnessed the people and organizations that use video effectively build massive global movements - accelerating positive change beyond anything I could have predicted. What I couldn't do was figure out how to do it for the organizations I've been involved with. Your explanation of sponsored views connected so many of the dots. I can't wait to help move this forward. Cheers.
from guest Beth Finch:I enjoyed looking through the page. Always wondered what an online club looked like. I love the videos! This is typically Silicon Valley... the graphics and the images are done well.
from member Gene Tognetti (California):Chris had some great ideas regarding ways to raise some $$, and I'm looking forward to contributing to the effort! I have had the opportunity to work some with middle school students creating videos, and would love to continue learning how to create high quality work that helps our club. Regarding 'meaningful places'... to me, the Tuscany region of Italy speaks to me pretty deeply. My ancestors (on both sides...) are from small towns between Florence and Pisa, and when I was lucky enough to visit, it absolutely felt like home.
from member John Lozano (California):Chris, I enjoyed your ideas and enthusiasm about video production. The thoughts about making video for both sharing what we do and fundraising prompted more ideas for me. I am excited to see what the group can do locally and internationally. I look forward to working on some projects with this club.As far as special places for me? I would have to say recently I visited Panajachel, Guatemala. There is something special about the people and the landscape. The life there is simple and Lake Atitlan provides a great backdrop for the sunrises and sunsets.
from member Yvonne Kwan (California):Great presentation, Chris! I love the idea of a video fundraiser, and I think you hit it on the mark with 13-second videos. With attention spans getting shorter and shorter, this is definitely smart. I can't wait to see the final product!re: special place in the world -- I would have to say my special place in the world is Japan. While I haven't had the chance to travel there yet, I fell in love with the culture at a young age (so much so that it influenced me to minor in the language in college), and it's been at the very top of my bucket list ever since.
from member Tracy Poelzer (British Columbia):Great meeting! Video, poetry, Japanese art - we had it all!Rushton, you asked about place in the world that had meaning to us. The one that comes to mind for me is Berlin, Germany. My family has done several home exchanges to Europe, and our first was in Berlin. It was an amazing city. Despite having a rather depressing history, the people in the city have risen up and found ways to redefine themselves, their culture, and their identity without forgetting their past (which they do not want repeated). It's a really interesting place to visit!I loved the video trailer about living on $1 a day. It is easy to forget how lucky we are to live in comfortable homes with food, clean water, and many comforts. What an interesting project these four young men took on!Chris' idea about using video to help raise funds for our club is incredibly innovative! I can attest to the power of video to engage people, especially the young ones I work with in schools. The statement, "Your mind can only absorb as much as your rear end can withstand" made me laugh because of the truth in it (and also because of Chris' delivery!). It is so important to get your message across in a concise, interesting, and meaningful way. I can't wait to learn more about this from the talented people in our group!
from member Richard Knaags (Western Cape, South Africa):Chris can you do a master class with my Reporters club at my school on video creation. They showcase events in and out of school. It would really be valuable to them.
from member Chris Cochrane, program presenter (Ontario):Thank you for all comments.Side note for doing a personal Hangout. When recording a Hangout one stares at a blank computer screen and you see nothing and hear nothing. Imagine talking to yourself out loud in a room alone. Any verbal or visual rambling is from lack of immediate feedback. It takes time to adjust.Love the extra content Rushton and others always find. Please post any video ideas that may help us continue to make a difference.
This Week's Program
This week we hear from another of our new Rotarians, Lisa Highfill. Lisa is a former 5th grade teacher and serves now as the technology coach for the Pleasanton Unified School District here in the Bay Area, working with teachers to develop new approaches to helping students to see new possibilities for their learning.In this talk, Lisa describes a project that she did with her students a few years ago, and how she let the students guide the process. The experience explores how what students know coming into a topic can determine if and where they can take the their learning to action.We'll start with a short video about opportunities and challenges related to serving a community, and the questions about how to help others, and how to help others help themselves.
Lisa's program:
Those of you interested in learning more are invited to take a look at the project website.
I Attended!
To register your attendance, members, do both the survey below and leave a comment with thoughts on the meeting and/or word of what's happening in your life.Guests, please leave a comment below. If you are a Rotarian from another club wanting verification of your attendance, feel free to fill out the survey. If you type your email properly, you should receive a nice message you can pass along to your club's secretary.See you next week!President Rushton
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