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Escondido Sunrise Rotary; “Armed Services YMCA; Supporting our Military and their Families at Camp Pendleton”… November 21, 2019  

President Brian led the meeting…

We honored our flag and our nation with the pledge led by Past President, Rich Aeling…

An invocation was offered by Past President, Jim Ponder…

Lo and Behold… President Brian has had his bell rifled… (or stolen for you all that need help with colorful descriptors)…

So, for Christmas, the President is hoping to receive the ‘No Bell’ Prize… Maybe the bell will be returned at the Christmas party… If someone gets it as a gift, the Prez cannot ‘steal’ it… Oh Brian, what are we to do with you???

The President missing his bell…

 

Visitors and Guests:

Joe Holtz introduced his guest, Pete Bergren, a retired Naval Officer (former F-4 Phantom pilot in Viet Nam) and a Board member of the Armed Services YMCA, today’s program… Welcome Pete!

Birthdays:                

November    28:    President Elect,Chris Miller…

 

Anniversaries:

November 29:    Past President Scott and Pam Putnicki, 45 years!! Congratulations!!…

Rotary Anniversaries:                        

A Correction…     From last week; Past President Dave Herbert, 23 years…                     Congratulations Dave, and thanks for serving together                     with us all those years…

                

Dates to Remember:

 

November        23:    Tijuana House Build; with Project Mercy, this is a                         project that really brings a great benefit to a family                         in one day… The Saturday project will begin with                         car-pooling from     Cocina early in the AM…

            28:    Thanksgiving Day; No club meeting, enjoy your                         families and loved ones… Be Grateful!!

            30:    Salvation Army Bell-Ringing at Major Market… Sign                         up with John Schwab… Also December 14…

December        4:    Rotary 5340 Golf League at the RB Inn; shotgun                         start at 12 Noon… Sign up with Past President Scott                 Putnicki or Chris Miller    

            7:    Bikes for Kids; bike build project at Aelott Air                             Conditioning… Members can contribute to                             purchase additional bikes at $70.00 each. Contact                         Rich Aeling or Treasurer Bob Burson, and you will                         be billed for the donation… 

January         11:    A Saturday Night with the San Diego Gulls; tix are                         $80 for the on-ice suite… Get your tix from Past                         President Rich Aeling… only a few tickets remain                         unsold.                    

Announcements:

Dr. Joe Holtz, Membership Chair, announced the opportunity and goal for each member to bring a guest (and a potential member)… The Club will buy breakfast for the guest on the first visit…

Joe Holtz sharing information about new member recruitment…

 

Past President George Beitner reminding members of our support for Fisher House at Camp Pendleton… Encouraging members to bring hygiene and toiletry items from hotels when we travel…

 

 

John Schwab reminded the members again to sign up to ring the Salvation Army bell at Major Market… Two dates are available, Saturday November 30 or Saturday December 14…

 

 

Rotarians Having Fun and Rotary Events and High Fives:

President Brian showed us all some ‘old time’, heavy equipment woodworking tools… Remember Brian, measure twice… then twice more…

 

 

Past President Jack Anderson was conscripted into ‘piracy’ by his grandson Nate… “Papa, I’m the pirate and you’re the Captain!”

 

 

And, Jack and Judi with grandson Luke at a soccer championship game…

 

 

 Some early photos from the Tijuana House Build project… Thanks to Past Presidents Rich Aeling and Mark Hoekstra for their leadership on this project and to the After Five Rotary… Also to Mike Meziere for his team’s support… And for the great coordination from Project Mercy…

 

 

 

High Fives:

Past President Dave Herbert reminded us of the local history; the battle of San Pasqual and other local history…

Also to remind us that on Sunday, December 1, the Battlefield Museum will be open with re-enactors showing the battle activities that took place on the site many years ago… The museum will be open that day from 10 AM to 4 PM and the activities will take place from 11 AM to 3 PM… Lots to see and do…

 

 

Program: 

Joe Holtz introduced our program; Samantha Holt of the Armed Forces YMCA at Camp Pendleton. Samantha is married to a retired Marine, and very connected to the military life affecting the Marines and their families at Camp Pendleton.

There are Armed Forces Y branches in San Diego, 29 Palms and Camp Pendleton, and approximately 12 other locations around the country serving Marines and their families. Their mission is to support military and military families as they deal with deployment separation and family needs that impact military families.

Samantha Holt speaking to Sunrise Rotarians…

 

 

 

Samantha shared information on all of the programs that serve Marines and their families at Camp Pendleton, a total population of nearly 40,000 Marines and dependents… She shared that many of the programs that are provided to support the Marines and their families are provided by staff support and many volunteers. Many programs benefitting the families include after school programs at the on-base elementary schools, Christmas programs, parent-child learning programs, and child care at the Naval Hospital for families that are taking a child to the doctor and need short-term care during the appointment time for a sibling.

Samantha highlighted many of the programs serving the Marines and their families, including: Camp Flashhh, serving special needs children of Marine families; Summer camp programs for all children; Operation Kid Comfort, supporting families of deployed Marines; Project Liberty Call, providing event tickets for Marines; Father-Daughter and Mother-Son dances; Ball-gown support for the Marine Corps Ball and for high school proms; and Secret Santa programs for Marine dependent children…

One of the big programs she mentioned was Thanksgiving Dinner at homes, especially for the young Marines at the School of Infantry… These Marines, in early stages of training, are the ones that are most lonely during major holidays. Hundreds of volunteers invite the Marines to their homes for Thanksgiving dinner… A great outreach to the Marines from the community…

 

Samantha Holt of the Armed Services YMCA pictured with President Brian, Dr. Joe Holtz and Guest, Pete Bergren

 

 

Next Week’s Program:

EDCO Sharing with us the information on their planned Anaerobic Digester project… EDCO and EDI are long time supporters of our Grape Day 5K, so please come out and support their program, their project and their ongoing partnership with Sunrise Rotary on our community events…

OpportunityDrawing:   

    Grand Prize:    $282…Past President Jack Anderson…had the                             winning ticket… Not so lucky Jack, thanks                                      for leaving the pot to grow for another                                 meeting…

    Lunch Money:    $16… Past President George Beitner…