Meeting was called to order by President Joe at 12:20 p.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Barry Hyman.

INSPIRATION

Barry Hyman gave the inspiration with a quote from Aristotle about Excellence and also with the announcement that our Foundation contributions averaged at least $100.00 per member, even a little more!  Thank you, Barry.

FLAG EXCHANGE

We had a flag exchange with the San Jose Rotary Club President and also with the gentleman from Barcelona.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

President Joe stressed our need for someone to step up as President-elect.  Stuart needs help, the club needs that position filled, and Joe wants us to get serious.  Joe also wants us to get serious about recruiting new members, for which each of us is responsible.  

Pau Hana May 29 at Manoli’s restaurant from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.  (Happy Hour is from 4:30 to 6.)  No payment in advance; we’ll each run our own tab.  

Gloria reported on our two scholarship winners who will visit the Club in June.

Guest Paul Janes-Brown promoted the July 29 lunch with speaker Rick King and said tickets would be on sale until July 22.  

We had many guests from California including Allan Pacela of Los Olives and Kit Seymour  and Ken McLaughlin of Oakland, both with Rotary Club San Jose North (Kit is President Elect).  Also, Alex Barth, Jim’s I.T. guy from Pacific Grove, was a guest.  Jim was happy to have him! Adrienne and Joe Cox from Las Vegas, Red Blodell from Sun Valley, Idaho, and Ramon Marco from Barcelona, Spain rounded out this impressive guest list.  As always, it was great to see Alice’s husband Joe, Honorary Member Fran and the return of Marc Tolliver!!  Marc who was treated (or subjected to) to a Rotary chorus of “Happy Birthday.” 

MENU

HAPPY DOLLARS

Cynthia was happy for Marc Tolliver’s birthday, an event which launched us into song and launched Marc into making a very generous contribution to the Happy Dollar pot.  Gloria was happy to report that she had lunch with Karen Thomas, who is moving back to California, and with Barbara Stiles, who is doing fine and may come to see us.  We hope so!  Joe is happy to be back.  Charlotte is happy because 1) her cat turns 13 today … and the cat is happy too and 2) Barnes&Noble is processing her book for their on-line bookstore.  CONGRATS, CHARLOTTE.  Jim is happy that his I.T. consultant came to Maui for a visit.  

PROGRAM

Click to see video

Our speaker was a very inspirational Keith Ranney who subscribes to a global volunteer database called myVolunteer Page.com.  He describes himself as a volunteer management consultant under the dba “Art of Volunteering.   He discussed his own journey through physical pain and reaching out for tools to bring himself and others out of what he terms “habituation.”  To focus on a higher cause, people need to recognize their established habits, step away from those, and be aware of others without judging.   

As volunteer coordinator for the Maui Film Festival, he attributes his success to motivating volunteers to realize “it’s not about ME”.  The volunteers are encouraged to be present in the “now” moment and to warmly greet the festival attendees with no personal baggage or pre-judgment.  Also, he says it helps to “brand” the event to enhance loyalty to the cause.  Keith’s T-shirts (“I Volunteer at the Maui Film Festival”) are well known and are a source of pride to those who wear them.  Keith says his job is made easier by the use of sustainable practices, such as an on-line volunteer registration system so that he can focus on other matters.  Those other matters include producing a “no waste” film festival as well as ensuring suitable food quality.

We watched a short film, “This is Water”, which points out that we can choose what we think about, and we can choose to think differently about other individuals.  “What is Reality?”  “Who and what’s really important?”  Unless you’ve questioned your learned beliefs, then your choices really aren’t your own.  Real education has to do with simple awareness.  And the alternative is unconsciousness.  

We all enjoyed this enlightening presentation and certainly would welcome Keith’s return visit!

MAGIC MARBLE

Mark....your Magical...but your marble wasn't...

The meeting closed with the Four Way Test led by Don Gross.

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Note from Kim:  If you are the speaker seeker for June and July, please let me know who the speakers will be and a brief bio and topic of their program. You can email to kimadobson@aol.com 

Please call or send newsletter corrections and suggestions to Stuart Karlan: 891-8457, stuart@well.com.