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Escondido Sunrise Rotary; “The Robotic Team from Classical Academy; Students Learning to Build and Operated Robots”… February 6, 2020

President Brian led the meeting…

We honored our flag and our nation with the pledge led by Bob Portillo…

An invocation was offered by President Elect Chris Miller…

The Bell is Still Missing !!

President Brian has this propensity to not secure his precious President’s Bell.  

It’s missing again… Kind of like a greased pig contest at the County Fair…”It keeps slipping out of his hands”…

Notice the photo on the bell… “Save me Brian”… Can President Brian recover his bell???

 

 

Visitors and Guests:

Jeff Erwin was a guest of Past President Mike Muehl again… Welcome back Jeff!

Elana Rhinehardt was visiting… And is interested in re-joining Escondido Sunrise… Welcome back Elana!!

Bring a Guest…A reminder; Membership Chair, Joe Holtz invites all club members to bring guests… The Club will cover the cost of your guest’s breakfast , so put out the welcome mat and invite someone who will enjoy our fellowship and service.

 

Birthdays:                

    None this week

Anniversaries:

    President Brian and First Lady, Nancy… 55 years!! Congratulations…             Especially to Nancy… A real saint for sure!!

 

Rotary Anniversaries:                        

    None this week            

 

Dates to Remember:

 

February        20:    Fisher House support; bring items to club meetings                         or to Past President George Beitner’s shop…

            26:    Sunrise Rotary’s 40th Anniversary… No specific                         plans yet, but President Brian is trolling for                             members to help     plan a celebration… Perhaps a                         dinner meeting??

                Contact the Prez with your ideas…

Rotarians Having Fun and Rotary Events:

Past President Mike Dunlap shared a letter from the Cooperative Education Organization in Guatemala… Our $2,500 contribution to their educational effort helped provide middle school text books…

 

 

While we were snoozing last weekend, there was a big football game… A few adventuresome Sunrise Rotarians placed money in the Super Bowl pool… And, we weren’t in the pool to see what would happened during the half-time show… Not football for sure, nor family friendly…

Past President Rich Aeling delivered the ‘spoils’ from the two football pools that were available to ESR members… Past President George Beitner was the big winner, and President Brian gained some lunch money…

Past President Rich Aeling announcing the lucky winners…

 

 

President Brian shared again about Escondido Sunrise providing support to Fisher House at Camp Pendleton. Fisher House serves the families of military members undergoing medical treatment at the Naval Hospital on board Camp Pendleton…

ESR members can help by donating hotel hygiene items and consumable household supplies such as paper towels, toilet tissue, cleaning supplies and the like…  Bring items to our meetings or deliver to George Beitner’s business, All Star Signs at 1924 Mission Road, Escondido…

The President also announced that Escondido Sunrise will contribute $500 to the project to purchase needed supplies.

 

Announcements:

Past President Scott Putnicki reported that the next District 5340 Rotary Golf gathering will take place on February 12 at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course. The format is a two-person scramble… Tee time is 12 Noon… Confirm your participation with…

 

High Fives:

None this week

 

 

Program: 

Past President Rich Aeling introduced Mike Meziere, a local equipment manufacturer who also supports our Tijuana House Build each year with Project Mercy… In his spare time, Mike is the robotics team coach at the Classical Academy High School.

Mike shared that the value of the robotics team is much stronger than just creating an ‘artificially intelligent creature’, but also that the students learn the values of American-made manufacturing, engineering, and team work… All of which are critical work-force skills for students. Mike introduced three members of the team; Raj, Don and Mary… And, he introduced the ‘Caiman’ robot that is used at Classical pep events and indoor sports events…

‘Caiman’ is the Classical mascot, a symbolic crocodile…

 

 

 

Raj shared much about the team’s competition events… The team is required to build their robotic competitor to very specific standards as to size, power pac and capability. 30 students are on the team, each with varied duties that all support the opportunities for competition.

Raj, from Classical Academy HS speaking to Sunrise Rotarians…

 

 

 

A variety of local competitions are held, with winning or high-scoring teams earning points that eventually lead to regional and national level competitions. The student skills that are developed through the process included engineering, creativity and persuasion. The cost of supporting the team at the various competitions can be as large as $25,000 per year, especially considering travel to regional competitions… 

The team is in their fourth week of the ‘season’ and an upcoming local event will be held soon in Del Mar. A regional competition will be in Las Vegas in March.

At the conclusion of the presentation and demonstration with the ‘Caiman’, President Brian announced that Escondido Sunrise Rotary will contribute $500 to the team’s season…

President Brian pictured with Classical students; Raj, Don and Mary and coach Mike Meziere…

 

 

Next Week’s Program:

City of Escondido 5-Year Plan…

 

 

OpportunityDrawing:   

    Grand Prize:        $392    And the lucky ticket was Past President                             Scott Putnicki’s… No luck this time Scott…

    Lunch Money:        $13 And the Lucky winner is Floyd Farley…