Escondido Sunrise Rotary; Meeting to Serve our Community in Person and via Zoom; and “Surviving the Holocaust, Part 2”… November 18, 2021
As we all try to conduct our professional pursuits in new ways, it’s appropriate to remind ourselves of who we are as a Serving Organization… Our accomplishments, our fellowship and the reminder of our many successes is valuable as we seek new opportunities to serve…
As a Club, we honored our nation with a salute to our Flag led by Past President, Scott Putnicki…
And, an invocation was offered by Past President, Jack Anderson…
Guests and Visitors:
None this week…
Now, some Sunrise Rotary member milestones…
Birthdays:
November 18: John Schwab
19: Geni Holtz
28: Past President, Chris Miller… His last Rotary meeting with a ’50’ designating his age… “Say it ain’t so, Chris”
December 1: Julie Muehl
Happy Birthday Blessings to all of you…
Anniversaries:
November 29: Past President, Scott and Pam Putnicki… 47 Years! Congratulations!!
Rotary Anniversaries:
November 21: Past President, Dave Herbert… 25 Years
It’s been great serving together all of these years, Dave!!
Sunrise Rotarians Serving, and Announcements:
Mark you Calendars…
Note some service opportunities coming up…
Salvation Army Bell-Ringing Update…
Kim Henson reviewed bell-ringing assignments… Thanks to all who have volunteered… And, thanks to Kim for her leadership…
Holiday Projects on the Horizon…
Some projects that will help some children in the community… ‘Bikes for Kids’ is coming up, as is the ‘Target Shopping Adventure’…
Community in Unity Returns on December 9…
Past President, Kevin Svetich shared specific information regarding the PJ Drive for kids and family members at Ronald McDonald House. Kevin reminded us that some of these youth are teenagers receiving medical care… So, sizes matter… Bring the PJs to a club meeting or to the Community in Unity event…
Past President, Rich Aeling shared information on the “Bikes for Kids” project…
With the cost of materials, and shipping… The cost will be $100 per bike… With our grant from the District, we are asking Sunrise Rotary Members to contribute $100 per bike for a total of 100 bikes for our project to benefit Marine Corps families at Camp Pendleton…
Look for an email soon to provide details and a way to donate.
Thanksgiving Meal Distribution…
Rich also shared information about the Thanksgiving Day meal distribution assisting members of the East Rotary Club…
Sunrise Rotary Christmas Breakfast December 16…
Past President Rich Aeling also shared info on the Christmas Breakfast… Reservations are required as the breakfast will be catered… Look for more details on the gift exchange…
Target Shopping with Kids from the Boys and Girls Club
Past President, Mike Muehl shared information on the Target Shopping project the afternoon of December 16… Volunteers are needed and the kids will have an opportunity to spend up to $200 for gifts for their family members…
Youth Protection Certification…
A reminder, if you are planning to serve on the Holiday Projects with youth present, you need to go online with District 5340 and complete your Youth Protection Certification…
Rotary Foundation Award…
President Richard presented Past President, Jeff Epp’s Paul Harris Fellowship Plus 1 award… Congrats Jeff!!
Rotarians Having Fun and Serving…
All kinds of fun and service and fun…
Pictures are worth a thousand words…
Some Great Turtle Action in San Felipe…
John and Marie Schwab witnessed the best ‘turtle action’ ever of the time in San Felipe…
A Catalina Getaway…
Past President, Jim and Carol Ponder enjoyed a quick getaway trip to Catalina… “26 miles across the Sea…”
A Trophy on the Last Day of Hunting in Montana…
Past President, Mike Muehl always brings home the “trophy kill”… Although it was the very last day of the hunt…
Hi Fives:
A Sunrise Rotary ‘Traveler Treat’ for the President…
Past President, Mike Dunlap recently visited Puerto Vallarta and returned with some ‘Presidential Booty’ for President Richard…
Past President, Susan Maney is Recovering at Home…
Past President, Dave Herbert reported that Susan is recovering at home with therapy… Good to see you healing, Susan…
Another Hoekstra Grandbaby Ready to Meet the World…
Past President, Mark Hoekstra shared that his daughter will be induced the week of November 24… The Proud Gramps will hear the news while on a desert getaway…
The Valley Center Rotary Club Honors Outstanding Students...
Past President, Chris Miller proudly announced an award received by his daughter Samantha from the Valley Center Rotary Club... (A singing Club... What??)
Program…
Past President, Mike Dunlap introduced Scott Peck for his followup presentation on his parents’ surviving the holocaust…
Scott Peck spoke to us several weeks ago and he concluded his two-part presentation today… Scott recounted for us his parents’ experiences as they survived the holocaust…
Scott Peck speaking to Sunrise Rotarians…
Scott had shared his mother’s experience last time, so was bringing us the historical view of his father’s survival during the Holocaust. Scott’s mother faced the gruesome reality of prison camps in Poland, and encountered the infamous Dr. Joseph Mengele on more than one occasion…
His father on the other hand, having been raised in a small village in the Ukraine, didn’t experience a prison camp as much as he came face-to-face with Russian brutality and Nazi hatred. His father was not the gentle spirit like his mother, and on more than one occasion lied to conceal his real identity…
At age 16, he left school and ended up in Budapest to work. Fluent in many languages, Hungarian and Russian to name two, he changed identities to protect himself; at one point stealing papers and posing as a KGB Officer…
At various times, his father was injured, and ultimately received care from American doctors in the American Zone in the Ukraine. Initially unwilling to align with any group other than his fellow Ukrainans, he finally trusted the Americans…
He was ultimately sponsored for immigration to the US by an aunt. The advice he received from his aunt was, “This is America, all people work and all speak English… He learned to speak English watching American films… His work included a broom factory for many years, then he became a finish carpenter…
Neither of Scott’s parents spoke much of their wartime experiences… But they both succeed in acclimating to America…
Scott Peck pictured with President Richard…
The Opportunity Drawing is Back…
Tickets are available at each Sunrise Rotary meeting…
14 cards left this week…
Big Pot: $804… And, Gerry Fay had the lucky ticket… But, no luck with the card; sorry Gerry…
Lunch money was $31 and Past President, Jim Ponder had the lucky ticket…
See you in person on December 2…
Next Week’s Meeting:
The presentation topic is a surprise… Come and enjoy the fellowship!
Thanks for Attending Today’s Meeting…
Support for our Escondido Community …
Our great community and the success of its businesses is all of our responsibilities… Support the businesses that are doing all they can to survive during this challenging time… Take out some chow… Be ready to support them when the economy begins working again…
The ‘Giving Arch’ on Grand Avenue and Centre City Parkway reminds us that Escondido is a caring, giving community…
To all; be safe and be well…. God Bless those men and women that carry the load at our medical facilities, and God Bless our first responders… May our governmental leaders be wise, thoughtful and smart as this pandemic is overtaken by our hard work and collective support…
In Person and Online Meetings:
Technical Support for Online Meetings:
Our meetings will begin as a hybrid setting with in-person and on-line opportunities…The meetings will be technically managed by President Richard Agnew… Thanks for that Richard… And, Richard is prepared to support all of our attempts at joining the on-line meetings… Look for his email with details and links to log on to the upcoming Zoom meetings…
Watch for emails defining the next meeting. The system works fine, dependent upon your technical support available through your PC or laptop…
SEE YOU SOON… AT The Escondido Chamber of Commerce, 720 N. Broadway; IN PERSON… OR ONLINE… Next meeting; Thursday, December 2; 7:30 AM… Check President Richard’s email for the Zoom Link…
