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Program for Friday September 26, 2003

TBD

Door Duty: Henry Kelman and Donald Miller

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Program for Friday October 3, 2003

TBA

Door Duty: John Medlock and Father Nick

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Program of September 19, 2003

Ridgeway Banks, Inventor

Marc Howe introduced our speaker, inventor Ridgeway Banks. Ridgeway told the story of the alloy metal NiTiNol - Ni for nickel, Ti for Titanium and the rest for Naval Ordinance Laboratory. The material was discovered in the late '50s at the NOL while developing shielding material for Polaris missiles.

NiTiNol is an alloy with a memory. If bent out of shape while cold, it will return to its original shape when heated, and with a very high psi force. Ridgeway has spent many years working with this metal, and conducted several lab demonstrations. Dr. Dan pointed out that this memory quality has been very useful, in fact revolutionized, orthodontics. The other Dr. Dan remarked on the application of this alloy in eyeglasses, due to its elasticity. And after watching the demonstration of NiTiNol wire bending rapidly back into shape, Don Lau commented, "Hey, this is Viagra for wire".

FYI
Membership Committee Chairman Jon Lawlis described his program focus this year. We currently have 74 members. Meeting attendance has been a remarkably low 35%. Dr. Werner and Charlie Wong are serving as our sales team this year to promote membership, and we all need to give them support by recommending new members, and by bringing potential members to meetings.

Paul Hodgen, Director of Community Service, presented his plans for the year as well. Paul had a handout of activities this year that will include:
Continue the Peres School Project
Christmas Dinner Dance, bring donation gifts
Christmas in April, or something close to it(we've already painted half the homes in Richmond)
Community Services Committee meetings will be held on the first Friday of each month prior to the regular meeting, at 11:45 AM - 12:15PM at the Mira Vista. Paul passed out a form for members to indicate they will participate on to the Community Services Committee. The form is also to be used for donations for Peres School Classroom sponsorship.

Important Dates
10/18/03 Brazilian Carnival in Dixon
11/28/03 No Meeting. Happy Turkey!
12/05/03 Holiday Auction and Club Elections
12/11/03 Holiday Party at Mira Vista CC
01/25/04 Annual Reno Train Trip
02/20/04 Help celebrate Rotary's 99th B'day
06/04/04 D-Day meeting on The Red Oak Victory

Where to Make Up
San Rafael   Monday       12:15 Seafood Peddler
Albany        Tuesday       12:30 Mira Vista G&CC
El Sobrante Tuesday       12:15 Joe's of El Sobrante
Berkeley     Wednesday 12:15 His Lordships
Hercules     Wednesday   7:15 am Hercules Senior Center
San Pablo   Wednesday 12:15 San Pablo Casino
El Cerrito    Thursday       12:15 Mira Vista G&CC
Pinole         Thursday      12:30 Outback Steak House
Vallejo        Thursday      12:15 World Holiday Inn

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Last Week
On a spectacular afternoon in Richmond, Prez Stoney opened the meeting with a silent Prayer for Freedom and Peace on Earth. Don Lau capably led the Pledge of Allegiance. The Prez gave the Thought for the Day: "The secret of being a bore is to tell Everything" - Voltaire.

Guests
Rotarians with Guests were Paul Allen, who brought his brother Trip. Trip works with Paul at MBA Polymers. Prez Stoney's guest was Thomas Cameron, and after a bit of a reminder, Prez Stoney also introduced his other guest, Paul Washington. Our Prez is setting an extraordinary example bringing potential Rotarians as guests to our meetings, so I guess if he loses one out in the loge seating once in awhile, it's no big deal.

Announcements
The District Rotary Conference this year is a Brazilian Day to be held in Dixon starting at 11 AM on 18 October. We have a very dynamic District President this year and Brazilian Day will be a memorable event.

Recognitions
Prez Stoney recognized the youthful Jim Young for his recent birthday and Jim was generous enough to share his age(a shocker!). Jim intends to celebrate at a Doobie Brothers Concert and donated a Ben Franklin in the name of Polio Plus.

Happy/Sad $$
Hank Covell was happy to announce the 47th Annual YMCA Breakfast. Countering the premise that there is no such thing as a free lunch, Hank offered to buy Breakfast for any Club member attending.
Dan Tanita used happy dollars to announce he has sponsored a second Dental Clinic at Nystrom Elementary School. Dan also provided an update on the Peres Clinic - temporarily closed due to building remodeling - and the serious need for free dental services at Nystrom. Dan just keeps on making good things happen in our community.
Tom Butt announced the Richmond on the Bay activities at Marina Bay over the weekend. He also noted that the Point Molate property will be turned over to the City of Richmond next Tuesday at a signing ceremony. Tom is another good force in our community making things happen.
Your scribe had happy dollars for the successful Christmas Auction "Sail on the Bay" with Jim Young and family. The weather was great, the company superb and despite the navigator placing us in the middle of a St. Francis Yacht Club race, there were no collisions at sea. After a tour of the Sausalito waterfront, we sailed out the Golden Gate, down the City Front, around Alcatraz and Angel Island, and then to Winehaven at Point Molate. Thanks for your significant contribution to the Club coffers, Jim.
The always incisive Past President David Brown observed the absence of a donation from a Club member who was one of the BIG winners in the Big Boat Race Series last weekend. Program Chairman Marc Howe admitted the gaffe and agreed to a donation AS LONG AS he doesn't have to tell the story about why he was asked to change boat berths at Marina Bay.
John Nicol had happy dollars - he is recovering well from his anatomical altercation with a doorway.
Vice President Herb Cole had dollars to donate because last week's program chairman was a lot better to look at than this week's chairman.

Raffle
Jan Brown won the chance to draw from the bag. But she withdrew something white.

Semper Paratus

Door Duty Reminder
10/10/03 David Kuchenthal
10/17/03 Donald Lau and Bud Martin
10/24/03 Jonathan Lawlis and Norman Lundberg
10/31/03 Leslie Levy and Oscar Lugo