Meeting for the Week of June 15th, 2015
This Meeting's Highlights
Speaker: Carol MetzkerProgram: Human Trafficking: Facing and Fighting the MonsterMeeting for the week of June 15th to 22nd, 2015
Greetings
Welcome from President Rushton HurleyAt some point each week, our club's members and Rotarian guests take time to consider how good people around the world are using their time, talents, and resources to make the world a better place for everyone.While our eclub doesn't regularly get together in the same place, we do make our way to the same site, and in coming here, we are glad to have you join us in this online space, and hope you will be inspired by what you find to make a difference in your own community.If you are visiting from another club, we are happy to provide a convenient and hopefully intriguing opportunity for making up a missed meeting at your club.If you are not a Rotarian, and intrigued by what you find in this meeting, feel free to let us know, and we'll help you learn more about Rotary. We welcome all who care for their communities and are willing to serve others, and can help you see what our club offers, or help connect you to a traditional club in your area.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.
Feel free to use our donation system for Happy Dollars, or you can mail a check made out to the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley to our treasurer: ℅ Allen Thompson, 13500 Cascade Ct., Bakersfield CA 93314.Stories
There are many members of this club for whom our focus on the power of stories - digital, visual, and otherwise - was a key piece of why we chose to join. So much of our lives comes and goes so quickly, and having a moment to see inside the power of another moment can be special for remembering what we value and how to make choices about our time.In this video, a camera company seeks to capture that thought, and for all of us who value the moments when we better understand the power of the moment, this is a strong message.
The Power of Images
from Camera Czar Keith"Here is another photo from my trip to the great Southwest a few years ago. This photo was taken at dawn near Mesa Arch in Canyonlands. It is another HDR photo and I just asked the people in the photo not to move for about 3 seconds as I clicked off 5 frames."
Happenings
What We Do
Barbeque Championships
The never-boring Rotary Club of Santa Clara will have its 2015 Silicon Valley Barbeque Championships on June 26th and 27th, and you should plan to participate in the festival of yumminess which also raises funds for their club's service efforts. More details on the event are at:
Our SAFN (Social Activities Force of Nature) Stephen Zhou is coordinating several volunteers from our club to help with one part of the program, so if you are interested in serving as a volunteer or a backup volunteer, contact Stephen (szhou@financialguide.com).
District Newsletter
Our district's May newsletter is out with a message from DF (District Governor) Ed Jellen about the progress of the last year, and a powerful story and video from Charlie Wasser about Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio. Find
Ed's message here and the polio story here on the district site.
The World of Rotary
Last week in Japan, I figured out Thursday morning that I had time at lunch to visit a local club in Kyoto. I went to Rotary's club finder page, and saw that there was one not far from my hotel.At this point, I must say I hesitated. The time in Japan was focused on seeing friends and places I haven't visited before, and I hadn't brought a particularly formal set of clothes. Knowing that Japanese Rotarians can be a rather formal crowd, I considered not going. It's not as if I needed to do a makeup, after all - being in an asynchronous eclub means it's -really- easy to keep 100% attendance.However, it occurred to me that if I went and had a single good conversation with someone new, along with getting to see a different club, the time would have been well spent. So off I went to the Kyoto South Rotary Club, which turned out to be a particularly formal one, and quite traditional, even by Japanese standards. All the 222 members of the club are male.One of the officers had in his title the term "niko niko," which means "smiling" - he was the lead greeter, it appeared. That said, he wasn't smiling. It occurred to me this might have something to do with the lack of women in the club.Over the course of the meeting, though, I watched them celebrate the birthdays of no less than nine members of the club, tell about various club activities, and then have as the program speeches by two of the club's members. While I couldn't understand all of what they said, it was clear they spoke from the heart. The first talked about what he'd learned from supporting a friend whose wife had been diagnosed with cancer. The second explained how he'd tried to avoid joining Rotary, but persistent friends had finally convinced him to join and even take a leadership position. On multiple occasions, his story had the group laughing, and it was clear that in both cases, these are people who care about the people with whom they've chosen to serve others.For our members, I challenge each and every one of you over the coming two or three months to visit another Rotary club. You'll see things that impress and puzzle you, and that's part of being in Rotary - learning how 1.2 million people around the world can possibly come together and claim the same brand.And if you're lucky, then like me as I visited Kyoto South, you'll leave with a new friend. Last Friday night, a baker, Hajimu, and I had dinner, and I learned how his grandfather had been the first Japanese baker to visit France over a century ago, spending several years there and bringing back to Japan techniques that established one of Kyoto's most successful bakery chains.Rotary is about much more than weekly meetings. One of the components of The Four-Way Test of all we say and do asks, "Will it build goodwill and better friendships?" My visit to Kyoto South was a chance for me to enjoy the goodwill and friendship that is central to Rotary.
Service Time
Helped someone else in the last week or so? If so, please tell us about it. How you help others might inspire our members and guests to see new ways to make a difference where they are.
Here's the form for sharing what you've done
- we look forward to learning about what you've done!
Happy Dollars
More than a third of our club donated to the Nepal relief efforts - thanks to all who participated in raising the almost $600 we sent to ShelterBox.Got something you're happy about? I'm happy to have made a new friend in Hajimu, and will toss in $5 to celebrate that. Think over the last week, and I bet you can come up with something to celebrate! Let us know below:
Fill out my online form.
Sharings
The Tidbit
from member Lisa Highfill
Last week's Tidbit from Lisa on how to set up your Chrome browser to accept voice commands to initiate a search got plenty of love in the comments section. She has another for you this week, and this time, you'll learn how to add the goo.gl URL shortening extension to Chrome. If that makes you go, "Huh?" then watch, and get a sense of how it works.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dknQBhk8FKwTo add this useful tool to your browsing world, you'll need your Google account and to be using the Chrome browser. Enjoy!
A Little Humor
from Jon Stewart on rd.com
If con is the opposite of pro, then isn’t Congress the opposite of progress?
Selected Comments from Last Week
We welcome the comments of our guests to add to those of our members each week. Here's a sampling of what showed up in the discussion section last week:
from member Chris Cochrane (Ontario, Canada)
Love the tidbits. I had no idea the depth of RAGs. The information keeps getting better...
from guest Susan Diening (Ontario, Canada) via email
Quite an exceptional site. I enjoyed the video on the Peace initiative in Australia with Peace Center graduates working with Sudanese youth in Melbourne. Soccer rocks!
from member Keith Marsh (California, USA)
I have been a member of the Water and Sanitation RAG for about 3 years. Lots of good information for clubs and Rotarians. If our club decides to pursue an International Service project in Water and Sanitation, this is a great resource. Another great Tidbit from Lisa and photo from Rushton.
from member Allen Thompson (California, USA)
Man, is it hot today in Bakersfield. Over 100F (38C) and a really good day to stay indoors and take in the new Rotary eClub meeting.Nice picture, Rushton, though I hope you're not offended when I say that Keith's are a touch better. I think Keith's camera equipment is worth more than my house. However, it is a great picture and I suggest you title it "Waxing Gibbous".Rotarian Action Groups sound like a great way to get deeply involved in a specific cause. I have been particularly interested in Clean Water for some time. I think I'll check out WASRAG http://www.wasrag.org/I love this week's Tidbit! As Lisa instructed, I turned the feature on and proceeded to say "Ok Google, what the (expletive deleted)". It shamed me with a factual response....HAHAHA!!
from guest Hardeep Singh (California, USA)
RAGs are great! I loved learning more about what they do. I attended the annual meeting for the Rotarian Action Group for Population and Development in Sydney last year during the RI convention, and it was a cool experience. I would love to be able to get more involved. Thanks for the informative presentation!
from member Shags Shagrin (California, USA)
Go Cavaliers! Go Warriors! Being from Ohio, near Cleveland (Youngstown) and now living in Walnut Creek, near Oakland, "my" team wins either way! Great meeting this week, Rushton.
This Week's Program
Last week
Zuhal Sharp of Rotary International introduced our club to Rotarian Action Groups
(RAGs), and a number of our more experienced members expressed their appreciation for the chance to better understand something they had known about but had not understood in detail.This week, one of last week's guests, Carol Metzker, will tell us about one of the most recently established RAGs, the Rotarian Action Group Against Child Slavery.Human trafficking—modern slavery—exists globally and locally. In greater numbers than at anytime in history, victims far away pick our coffee and cocoa beans, make common items we use each day and are forced into the sex trade. Nearby they work on street corners, in fields and in businesses right under our noses. By some estimates, there are more slaves today than were removed from Africa in the 400 years of the slave trade, so this is an issue of profoundly modern importance. In this presentation, Carol will help us understand how Rotarians are working against those who would enslave others.Carol is a writer, frequent speaker, and author of the book, Facing the Monster: How One Person Can Fight Child Slavery. An encounter with an 11-year-old girl rescued from slavery resulted in her leadership of projects to aid survivors of human trafficking locally and overseas, including volunteering at Dawn’s Place, a Pennsylvania residence for female survivors. Carol is a recipient of Rotary International’s Service Above Self award.
For more information:* Join the Rotarian Action Group Against Child Slavery and/or learn more about Rotary projects including the School4Freedom (S4)* Look at the Facing the Monster front page video for a quick overview (4 mins) about human trafficking/modern slavery* Through the Polaris Project, see how each US state stacks up with cases, legislation; find resources and programs for educators, law enforcement, etc.* Find out how many slaves are in which countries at the Global Slavery Index site
.* Share the video about the Amsterdam red light district, Stop the Traffik, shown in the program* Be brave - find out how many slaves you are unknowingly keeping at work, find out what items you use/eat could be produced with slave labor at
.* Learn more about Schools4Freedom through its informational slides and document and at the Voices4Freedom website.Phone Numbers:In the US, if you see dangerous behavior (a 13-year-old knocking on the cab of a truck at a truckstop at night, or an agricultural worker being beaten), call 9-1-1.If you suspect human trafficking, call National Human Trafficking Hotline (US) - 1-888-373-7888.
I Attended!
Fill out my online form.
Share this
Meeting for the Week of June 8th, 2015
Meeting for the Week of June 22nd, 2015
Catherine Liu
I have to say that I am shocked to know there is such a monster. I am even more shocked that there are so many people are impacted.
Agreed – it’s disturbing how inventive predators can be in how they ensnare vulnerable people.
Carol Metzker
You’re not alone in your realization, Catherine. There are lots of people who don’t know that it exists or that it’s prevalent under our noses, and they don’t know what to do to take action. Please share what you’ve learned.
Carol, this is such important work you and the Rotarian Action Group are doing. Thank you for sharing this with us, and I hope we’ll be able to help out tangibly!
ShagsCA
Great meeting! Keep up the great work, team!!! And we’re now open to accepting new members, so please have friends and colleagues visit our eClub and see what we do.
Hardeep Kaur Singh
Great meeting! Very informative presentation. So glad there’s a RAG to fight against human trafficking, and that Rotarians are doing what they can to put an end to this.
Also, I’m looking forward to the Silicon Valley BBQ championship event!
Martin Brockebank
enjoyed hearing Carol .. interesting because our speaker on the 22nd July is the founder of RACSRAG Mark Little form the RC of St Edmund, Norwich UK. also it is great to “attend” your meeting and we have now emulated your model to help build better communication with our members – your asynchronous meeting inspired us Rushton and helped us move forward – thanks.
We must keep in touch! :-))
Carol Metzker
Yes, let’s keep in touch! Have your box of tissues at hand when Mark speaks.
Martin Brockebank
Mark is a friend and lives about 5 miles from me … his club is in my district and I see him quite often at District meetings and sometimes visit his club as I am the district membership chairman. … small world. when I spoke to him last week he sends his regards to you. :-))
Carol Metzker
It is a small world! I’ll put program on my calendar and see what happens with work. -)
Martin Brockebank
to join the meeting simply click https://zoom.us/j/470985565 [best to do it before the meeting as the first time click installs it] thereafter no problem.
Martin Brockebank
I forgot to say that he is speaking to us on 22nd July at 19.30 BST online using video meeting software. If you wish to join us then use this link [not sure of the time zone difference though but we will be adding the recording to our website weekly meeting [clubhouse]
Wendy Grose
great program. I don’t think we realize how close human trafficking is to us in the United States either. This is something that must be stopped. No one deserves to be treated with so little regard for their life. We all deserve respect.
Keith Marsh
Another powerful presentation. Also a great tidbit by Lisa. I plan to use it and have installed it on my Google Chrome.
Yvonne Kwan
What a powerful presentation. Carol, thank you for shedding light on an issue that is so often pushed under the carpet. It’s extremely disheartening to know that human trafficking is happening on such a huge scale (35.8 million people?!), but you and RACSRAG provide much needed hope. Thank you for the wonderful and vital work that you guys are doing.
I am speechless, Carol. What an important work you are doing. Rushton, congratulation also for the awareness work you are doing with kids… Powerful message!! Thank you very much!!
Andrew Taw
Thank you, Carol, for such an powerful presentation. I’m constantly humbled by the renewed understanding that we live in a world that contains both slaveholders and the members of RACSRAG. In these times, I’m often reminded of a haiku by Kobayashi Issa that goes something like this:
In this life,
we walk on the roof of hell
gazing at flowers.I think it’s a lovely thing that people like yourself and so many others have opted to gaze around rather than to look down.
Carol Metzker
The haiku gave me goosebumps.
Martin Fox
Great program Carol. You and the team are doing great work. Rushton – loved your story about attending the Rotary meeting. A great reminder that I need to start visiting Rotary Clubs again. At one point in time, most of my Rotary makeup meetings were done in East Africa and I made so many amazing friends. Keith… Thanks to you, I finally understand the wonders of HDR. I took identical shots with HDR on and off – what an amazing difference. Lisa… Holy cow, you just saved me a lot of time with that extension. I’ve been going to Google’s url shortener website each time to shorten the url (thank you, thank you, thank you.)
This was an eye opening presentation and definitely brought up some emotions. Thank you Carol for bring this to light for me and I plan on showing that video to others to share the cause
Carol Metzker
Delighted that you will share the video!
Andrew Knaack
Happy Fathers Day to all the parents in the club!
Thank you for sharing Carol. I attended a conference recently about child sex trafficking and wage theft in Silicon Valley. It amazes me how many heinous things can happen right under our noses that get swept under the rug. With the Super Bowl in Santa Clara quickly approaching it is good many local Rotarians to be aware of signs, as the Super Bowl is hot bed for human trafficking.
Richard Knaggs
I am astounded at the numbers of people in slavery. Thank you Carol for opening my eyes to this.
mahmood khan
I was aware of human slavery and Trafficking but I had no idea of the number – 38.9 MM – WOW. We cannot tolerate this. The part that disturbs me the most is that the victims don’t know it is “not a way of life”. This is not only a problem of policing but of education, creating opportunities and providing work opportunities. These are the fundamentals of making a just society.
I like the 10 year target to eliminate human trafficking. I will check out the Carter Center for their program.
Thank you Carl and all in making me aware of this problem and it’s scale (the largest humanitarian issue – bigger than slavery).
Perhaps we should start a local awareness program.
john lozano
Carol, thanks for your presentation. I appreciate your information and giving ways to help. Keep up all the great work you are doing!
Lisa Highfill
What a powerful meeting. Thank you for sharing the work you are doing.
Carol,
Words are not sufficient enough to describe the amazing work you do for the world. Thank you.
Human slavery and trafficking can be a difficult subject to grasp for those of us who live in the United States, especially when we do not see it openly on a day-to-day basis. For many of us, it hides in the shadows and in many of our towns and cities without us even knowing it. Internationally, it’s much more prevalent and conspicuous. Your talk was very educational. The world needs people like yourself leading the charge to make this world a better place. Keep up the great work!
Carol Metzker
Mitty, thank you. Take a look at the US map of cases of human trafficking in 2014… you’ll get a better sense of what we’re dealing with here in the U.S. http://www.polarisproject.org/storage/documents/2014statistics.pdf.
Paul Mosso
Thank you Carol for all the hard work that you do on such an important topic! I knew this problem existed but never to this great extent (38.9MM people). I’m on board with Rotary focusing our efforts to eradicate this problem in the next decade. I already purchase fair trade coffee and made in the USA goods, but I’m going to start doubling my efforts to seeking out even more fair trade goods to be more socially responsible.
Carol Metzker
Thanks, Paul. So glad you’re already purchasing fair trade coffee. Bw, there’s some amazingly good fair trade chocolate out there, too.
Meg Taylor
Carol, I’m so excited about the work that you’re doing. Bravo! I started a nonprofit, Lending Promise, which provides microcredit to women in Nepal and India. Although I’ve served more than 1,500 women so far, the one who I feel the most gratified about helping is a woman who I know to be a former sex worker (slave). What a great feeling, to be able to contribute to a person’s freedom. All the best to you and those who are working alongside you in this great effort.
Carol Metzker
Thank you! What an amazing story about help the women who was commercially sexually exploited.
Carol Metzker
Hi, friends. Thanks so much for your responses and entering the conversation about Rotarians working to end human trafficking/modern slavery. I invite all of you to learn more and share more…to take action to end this injustice. (It’s actually not as hard to take steps as you might think.) If anyone feels personally led to help with the School4Freedom, please let me know.
About us
Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization dedicated towards bettering humanity through service and fellowship.
Delivering innovation, entrepreneurship, and education since January 2015.
Recent Meetings
8,000 Interactors Fighting Human Trafficking July 4, 2016
Something Special June 27, 2016
Lighting for Literacy June 20, 2016
How to Raise Money Using Video June 13, 2016
Project HAND UP – Using Puppets to Teach Health Education June 6, 2016
