By Bill Paul
eBulletin Editor

(REDONDO BEACH) August 1, 2012 – President Nancy opened today’s luncheon recounting some of the announcements at this week’s first district breakfast.  Among the announcements: Tickets are available for Dodger night September 15^th.  Tickets and reservations are also available for the upcoming Paul Harris Celebration October 27^th, 2012 at the Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. She also announced an upcoming club social event titled “Ride the Rails” scheduled for September 18^th.  Club members are invited to take Amtrak for a day at the races at the Del Mar Racetrack.

Marc Chomel was introduced as a special guest today.

PDG Vicki Radel followed the introduction. She’d been originally asked to swear in President Nancy Campbell and few weeks ago but was unable to do so due to illness.  Today she repeated the ceremony with Nancy.  Radel then asked all female past-presidents of our club to come to the podium.  Five of the six women past-presidents came forward.  Vicki asked them to recollect the highlight of their presidential year.

“I got to know people in our club better,” said Colette Paul, president during 2007-08. Colette also hosted D.K. Lee, president of Rotary International during her presidency. “I was president during Rotary’s 100^th anniversary and there were lots of activities in connection with the anniversary,” said Gayle Bailey, RI Year

2004-05.  Pearl Davis, RI Year 1995-96 noted she dressed as Santa Claus for a children’s activity.  “I was the first Jewish woman Santa Claus,” she recalled.  “I think inclusion,” said Vickie Radel, RI Year 1994-95. “The theme during my year was multicultural harmony. We held the first barbeque and picnic at the Lagoon and attracted several clubs for which we received the biggest multi-club award from District 5280.”   Not present was Kathy Stephen, RI Year 1997-98 who has moved to Atlanta.  And we didn’t hear from Nancy Campbell as she has just started her year as president.  The first female member of our club was Gaye Swain in 1987.

Family of Rotary: Pearl Davis announced the Matt Kilroy’s mother has passed away.

Finemaster Steve Aspel fined Larry Hashimoto $40 for his recent trip to Africa, Jim Parker $20 for the 12 dives he made while on vacation in Fiji, Ernie O’Dell $40 for not wearing his Rotary Pin, and President Nancy $5 just for the heck of it.

Terry Bichlmeier announced that the Redondo Beach Unified School District will house the 11,300 books our club is seeking to distribute to area children.  The books are written for 3^rd to 8^th graders.

Our luncheon speaker today was our newest member, Rotarian Paul Hayashi, who gave a craft talk.  See following article.

Raffle: “Lucky” Paul Salmo’s number was drawn but he wasn’t lucky enough to draw the green and white marble.  H Instead he received the consolation prize of $10.00.

Nancy concluded our luncheon at 1:30 p.m. with her signature three trivia questions (actually, only two as she misplaced her notes): 1) What city has hosted the Olympics three times?  2) Who accepted an Olympic gold medal from the King of Sweden in 1920, and what did he say?  Click here for the answers.