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Program for Friday October 4, 2002

John Armstrong, Contra Costa Times

John Armstrong is the editor and vice president/news of Contra Costa Newspapers, publisher of the Contra Costa Times (and West County Times, San Ramon Valley Times and Valley Times) and 13 weeklies in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

Armstrong directs a news staff of more than 250 reporters, photographers, editors, designers and support personnel. He came to CCN in 1995 after 17 years as a publisher for Tribune Co. in Southern California. He started in journalism in The Associated Press, for which he served 15 years as a newsman, editor and executive.

John and his wife Sandy live in Walnut Creek. They have four grown children and six grandchildren.

Door Duty: Joe Kelman and John Medlock

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Program for Friday October 11, 2002

William Terry

Door Duty: David K and Tom McGowan

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Program of September 27, 2002

Arliss Dunn, Manager of Administrative Services of Richmond-based Rubicon, gave an inspiring presentation of Rubicon's success as it continues to serve its mission: to help people and communities build assets to achieve greater independence. Rubicon began in 1973 as a grass roots alternative to institutionalizing individuals with mental illness, by teaching the ordinary tasks of living independently along with job training. It was founded on the premise that an individual can't be successful without a job. Period. Today, Rubicon's three businesses, Landscape Services, Home Care Consortium, and Rubicon Bakery contribute to nearly half of the agency's $15.8 million budget and provide training and employment for its program participants. In addition, Rubicon has responded to special needs of its program participants by developing permanent housing for low-income, disabled, or homeless individuals and families. The latest of these developments is on Treasure Island. Doug Wood of Rubicon joined Arliss in making a pitch for Rubicon's Baking to Make a Difference benefit on Sunday, November 3 at the Rubicon Bakery (23rd St. and Florida, Richmond). Tickets are $25 and all proceeds benefit Rubicon. See its web site at www.rubiconpgms.org for details. Thank you Arliss and Doug. We are fortunate to have your organization in our midst.

Happy / Sad $$$$$$
David K. is happy to see Father Chris (Woerz) back in the Rotary fold… Dr. Herb (Cole) points out that our President is a prolific letter-to-the-editor writer and should surely pay for it (David agrees) …Dan Ercolini is a winner (yes, his softball team won the League Championship and moves on to the playoffs)…John Nicol pays a fond but sad tribute to Mike Weill, son of a former Rotarian…Dave Ninomiya just got back from Spain and Portugal where wood is more expensive than marble… Father Chris has been working hard to prepare for Salesian's 75th anniversary … Werner Schwartz is happy to have someone to pick on now that Father Chris is back…Barbara D'Anneo is about to be a happy grandparent for the first time…

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Last Meeting:
Prez David called us all to order and visiting Rotarian, Barbara D'Anneo, led us in the pledge. Our Prez has a bundle of wit and wisdom to share: "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist." (Indira Gandhi) and "Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home." (Phyllis Diller) (?!)

Visiting Rotarians:
A warm welcome to Visiting Rotarians and guests: Barbara D'Anneo (Assistant to District Governor and member of Berkeley Rotary) introduced us to her brother, David Moore. Jim Young introduced us to his guest, John Milsap, visiting from Walnut Creek Rotary.

Sunshine Report:
Wherever Hans Shaper may be, David K. (Kuchenthal) will find him and then spread some Rotarian sunshine. More next week.

Guests:

Announcements
Next week's meeting is once again at La Strada restaurant.

Bart Wallace, our diligent speaker coordinator, has a new (temporary) job in …Guam! He will be there for 11 months and our club will miss him. His position on the board will be filled by runner-up, Mark Howe. Lucky Mark is also rotating into the Flywheel scribe position for October and November, so be kind to him…Speaking of Lucky Mark, our gracious winner of last week's high profile raffle has turned his share of the winnings (all $826) back into the club. Thank you Mark for your generous contribution! …This is the last chance to fill out a GSE application that might give a fortunate young businessperson or college grad a Rotarian connection in Austria this year. Rotarians and their families are not eligible…Be aware that you need a ticket to attend District Rotary's widely publicized Bavarian Bash on October 5! See George Egan this week before you make that drive to Dixon…If you have a legitimate Windows system in hiding, Richmond Rotary can find it a new home in a Peres school computer. Contact Dan Ercolini … Transition R Us: The paper flywheel (beautifully layed out and printed by Sue Johnson, formerly of Crabtree Graphics) will eventually give way to its web version (beautifully prepared for the web by our own Jon Lawlis). For now, if you want to print the web version, look for a checkbox (under Page Setup on a Mac) in your print software or browser preferences that reads something like: "fit to page." Copies of the Flywheel are always available at our meetings and will continue to be mailed to those requesting it …From Secretary Joe Nusbaum: "Our attendance percentage has been low. I know many of you attend committee meetings and other functions such as Peres School, membership meetings, board meetings, etc. Please forward to me the date that you have done outside work for Rotary or made up at another club, so that I may credit you."

Recognitions
Congratulations to love birds Charlie and Clavell Fender for celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. And a happy birthday to Barry Gordon who still looks 21 but is something over that

Richmond Rotary Lotto
Rotary Raffle: Dan Ercolini continues his amazing wining streak by finding the one and only orange ball and the chocolate cake that went with it (courtesy of generous Prez David).

The meeting was adjourned at 1:30. See you next week at La Strada. Please come!

Respectfully submitted,

Jan B. Nimble
With special thanks to format/production editors:
Sue Johnson (printed version)
Jon Lawlis (web version)