A NEW Year!! Our new president met us at the door looking bright and cheery in a yellow sheath ( ala Jackie Kennedy) greeting us with her engaging smile. 

     After acknowledging the new step- stool that Bruce Dunwoody made for her, the meeting was called to order.  Incoming President Bob Beeby gave the Pledge of Allegiance.  Member Cliff Norton gave a very special invocation as requested by our new President...

Guest Introductions 

Oliver McLeod son of Member C.J.
Sheila Murphy  the Santa Paula Club
Sharon Cline, seen with Member Austin
Pat Torres, seen with Member Lou
Gail Jeffreys,  at right.  friend of Member Rene Briggs
Clara Dunwoody, spouse of Member Bruce   Don Midgett, spouse of President Stephanie
Janis and David McCann Friends of members  John and Maud Kenyon
Dr. Fred Fauvre The Friday Club Living Treasures

Club Announcements

      "The Montreal Convention was everything one might hope for. Inspiring , great education, valuable projects shared,  fellowship, creativity, important updates. The realization that Rotary is so much bigger than one person, one club or even one country (but all ideas) came because of individuals, a club, a country.

      18,600 Rotarians gathered and Don and I would talk about this for months to come if you give us a chance. My humble and very sincere gratitude for the generosity of our club in supporting  their president-elect and spouse to attend this valuable and memorable experience.

 This just goes to show you that WE can accomplish anything together and have FUN doing it."

   Stephanie said that this year's Wine Festival was indeed another record breaker, with attendance over 4,000.  Numbers are still being tallied, and Director Angela May will give us a wrap-up when they are completed.

     Also, a new page of Wine Festival photographs by volunteer Steve Adams is on line.

Special Presentations

Past President Reggie Wood gave Stephanie her President's pin and official badge,  and presented her with her plaque for being on last year's board and all of her volunteering for the past year.        "For upholding and furthering the principles and ideals of the Rotary way of Life."

Happy Buck$

Austin Cline		Austin was happy that July 4th was over!  Sharon is very active on the Independence Day Committee.
Dennis Guernsey		...Happy that his son is home from Afghanistan,  and his wife had a birthday.
Alice Gardner		Alice had a fabulous time at the family reunion!
Cliff Norton		Cliff happy to be here.
Halina Garbacz		... very happy to have her daughter and two grandchildren visiting.
Bob Pergson		Bob was glad to have had a safe trip to Oregon with his sons.
Don Midgett		Don thanked the club for sending him the Montreal International Rotary Convention with Stephanie.
Reggie Wood		Happy that someone else will be taking the gavel for a while.

Out and About  -- Ojai's 4th of July was on the 3rd.

Gayel Childress, center.	Howard and Edie Smith.
Sheryl and Richard McArthur	Ray Smith, photographed by Richard.

Introduction of this year's Board of Directors

     To the tune of YMCA the board pranced in or rather danced in and we were treated to the talents of each member, all wearing different chapeau's. Great Fun!! 

Board members presented were (left to right):

     Bryan Crawford, Reggie Wood, Rene Briggs, Les Gardner,  Bob Beeby, Jim Halverson, Bill Shouse, Steve Frank, and Gayel Childress.  

Not present for Dancing With the Stars were Ross Atkinson, Jane McClenahan and David May.       This promises to be an active and fun year.

Click to see the Windows movie.
Click to see the Apple movie.

(These are long 2- minute downloads.)

The second fine Rotarian member serves in the Friday Club, Dr. Fred Fauvre.       As chairman of the Rotary Clubs of Ojai Living Treasures, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with him.       His Intention of service is his bond. His word you can take to the bank.       For most of you, you are already quite aware of his work.

     It will be four years in August when I walked into the Attitude Adjustment Shop and met the incoming President of the Rotary Club of Ojai West, Alice Gardner!  She was quick to smile, to talk about the club and to invite me to a meeting.  I would go to several while Alice was away at Convention.  I would hear the  banter between Steve Frank, Ross, Jim Halverson, Dennis Guernsey and also, Bruce Dunwoody…..anyone that can be that  funny at 7am at a  meeting was the club for me.  It only got to be more fun when Les was added to the mixture.  Alice made sure I had a great intro to the club by asking me to help her with programs.  I was hooked.  A great mentor, a start in  a great service organization--I had always done my volunteer work outside of a service organization--and some awfully great people to do it with. 

     I have to say I was a little intimidated when an unsmiling Richard Haas said he had Googled my former name (Don and I had only been  married for two years) and said he wanted to know if I had run an exotic dancing dive . Of course, I said “WHAT?”  There was someone named Stephanie Loving that did...  Richard thought the expression on my face was hilarious.

     The next year I would serve as Secretary under President Paul Blatz. It was a busy but great year.  Programs, Community Service and the chance to work with a Rotarian I mark as one of the two truest I have had the pleasure to work with and know: Lou Torres. It was under his leadership in Community Service that I would have a chance to work on a project that had been a passion of mine since 9/11.  Of course I am talking about the DVD project on CERT/ disaster preparedness  People Like You.  He truly supported and lead the opportunity to have the DVD actualized, as  did my mentor Alice and Les, and other great members on the committee like Reggie, David May, Ray Smith, Rob Long.  Today, I know Lou and I  will always be friends or mostly I will pester the life out of him  

     I met this next member early on but had never sat next to him at anything that required being serious. What a mistake. He had a plan. He wasn’t satisfied that I nearly choked on wine with his quips at Taft  garden. No, he wasn’t satisfied until I WAS given dirty looks by other members because I was laughing. Yeh, but I got him back. He is now our club Secretary, Bill Shouse.

      Rene Briggs will serve again this year with Gayel Childress as co-treasurers. You can often find both of them  first in line to volunteer for some pretty hard work on barbeques, work days in the park, band concert nights as well. Rene has two children Loc and Maren Briggs and three adored grand children. Her occupation is Financial Services and bookkeeping . Having joined Rotary in 1986, Rene has served as President, International Chair, Wine Festival Chair, and Community Service Chair. Her mentor was Joe McAllister .  Rene is a member who mentors others and has a real talent for it.

     Gayel Childress serves with Rene and continues with the Family of Rotary making sure our members know we are thinking of them, especially in difficult times. She has a daughter Gayun, and three Grandchildren; Sorelle who loves to help us during the band concert Ranija, and Rhan. I am excited as the two little ones will keep me Company in the Children’s march on the 14^th. Gayel's contribution To the community includes the new savings program with Meiners Oaks School and also in school art classes. You will be hearing more About these programs later. She joined in 1998 first with the Friday Club, and then with us a year later.  (Weren’t we lucky !)   Her mentors were Allen Jacobs and Paula Spellman.  

     Now, what in the world can I say about this guy……Except that it Is an honor to have been on his board and to call him friend.  He has Served as Chairman of Community Service, Sergeant at Arms, a Director at Large and of course our very successful current Past President, Reggie Wood.  Reggie has two beautiful daughters, Jocelyn and Melissa and as a self-employed designer and builder, he brought green construction to the Ojai Valley. Reggie joined Rotary West in 1996 and lists Joe McAllister as his mentor. He gave me Three choices for his acceptance this year: Mandatory/Required/and I want to.  Thank you Reggie !!

 Jane McClenahan does wonders!  Not only has she served as Secretary, Chair of the Wine Festival, International Chair, Board  Member, Club President , District Governor, but has now taken on Administrator and Rotary Floating Classroom  Docent Chair.  Jane and accomplished husband Jack have three daughters, Terry, Laurinda and Sally,  with 7 and ¾  grandchildren. Jane Joined in '86 then again in 88 . her mentors have been John Gray and Les Gardner. Jane gave her acceptance to serve this year to help and to have fun !

     One of our 3 troublemakers, Ross Atkinson has agreed to serve this year as Membership Chair. His statement for Acceptance is “You get out of it what you put into it, and it was Time to put into it again. That, and Stephanie made me.”

     Ross had just finished the Program chair position as successful as it had ever been  done and I knew he would be great . Of course He too has served as President, Secretary, Vice President, and on the Board several times since joining in 1994.   He is married to wonderful  Patty with son Scott and Elyse with the memorable singing voice!  Ken Fay was his mentor. It is seriously great to have him onboard!

    Steve Frank. I have told him several times that it was his humor and also sincerity that helped my decision to join Rotary West.  Steve has served as President, is a Charter Member and says he has had too many positions to remember. Yes, now he is a construction worker with the Village People. Seriously  he has agreed to serve as Public Relations Chair.  His family includes wife Karen, who serves as one of our best docents,  daughter Briana and son Andrew. Lifeline Medical Transport is his business. John Gray was his mentor. He is Public Troublemaker Number Two and I am truly grateful for him!

 The Man of a 1,000 jobs who accomplishes them all is back on The Board . Les Gardner is Service Chair. Got a question, need A wise perspective? The bigger the problem the easier he solves It!

     He divides his time between his successful business, the Attitude Adjustment Shop, all the while helping community  businesses and  fundraising efforts succeed, and  the love of his life, Alice while making sure Rotary West is being cared for!  Amanda and Angela are their daughters and there are  four grandchildren. He is active in their lives, especially his grandson Ed who is has joined  the Young Marines.  

     Les joined Rotary in May of 1986. He has served as President, Board member and as he writes, O&E Specialist (odds and ends). When he told me he would accept the position because he wanted to help the President accomplish her goals, both Don and I knew that I could absolutely count on him.

     Everyone is waiting for me to name troublemaker number three . Well, I just can’t. What if he decided to give up the Rotary Foundation because I was being a wise guy?  What would we do?   Jim Halverson has earned the Rotary Club of Ojai West accolades from the whole District for the Foundation work he has done. His student-of-the-month awards are truly inspiring for us all.  Having joined Rotary in 1987, Jim has served as President, Foundation Chair, International Chair, and Board member several times. No Jim you are never Getting off the board. Sorry.  Robyn is his smart and fun wife (It was her decision to go see Donny Osmond in Las Vegas!)

and children Brad and Jenna make up this happy Physician’s life. He has given much to the community in theater and has just Earned an emmy for his YMCA. We are threatening him that the Board will try out for Music Man next Year. Jim, not the 3^rd Troublemaker,but close. Very close.

     Fundraising. Wow. Seriously tough. David May. Seriously capable. David wanted you to know that he was pretty sure we exceeded last Years Wine Festival event (and every other year) in gross and net revenue. He reports that in general everything went very well !

     Now isn’t that just like David to leave a message for us all to be happy about! David and his loving family Angela, Zack and Lexi can be found at almost all of our events. Especially if it means hard work . He supports others as well. 

     David continues As a United Pilot. He joined Rotary in 2003 and cites Rene Briggs and Mike Caldwell as his mentors. It is just like David that when I asked him to serve on this board  he agreed because I asked him! He did not agree to dance though. He did say that at the first rehearsal he had not laughed as hard in four years !

     When the awards were passed out recently at  Reggie’s demotion party,  Bryan Crawford was named Rotarian of the Year.  I believe there wasn’t a person who didn’t agree. Bryan Crawford time and again puts SERVICE ABOVE SELF throughout the year and in all events!  And if Nikki can be there to help you can be sure she will be right there with him. Brady and Addyson are already learning to mimic their parents by pitching in!

     Bryan is a successful Insurance agent. He joined Rotary in December 2007 and has served as Sergeant at Arms, and Club Service Director. Bryan cites David May as his hero and mentor!  On his acceptance to continue to serve this year he wrote  You would not let me say no!   Well. Why would anyone let him go?

     Members of Rotary club of Ojai West , this is your Board of Directors. Together with chairs of club committees, we will fulfill our mission to begin the second quarter-century,  maintaining and expanding our current projects while identifying and developing new opportunities to sustain a greater segment of both our community and international efforts. Our  goals are in direct alignment for fulfilling Rotary‘s three areas of emphasis this year: Membership, Public Awareness Of Rotary, and Community and International Service. Our Strategic plan will be reviewed next week during our Club Assembly.  

     Today, I feel truly fortunate to serve the club as President in its 26^th year, But even more so because of the members who have agreed to serve on the board . Here are members who have experience, years of Rotary work behind them, they are former Presidents, great leaders and they know how to have fun !  

Parting Thought

 "I would like to thank our club members, Bryan, set up folks, greeters and especially you our friends, members and spouses for your presence today."   -- Stephanie Midgett

Your Scribe today was Lavon Roberts

The Lineup

October

Literacy Month (July) 
 Membership and Extension Month (August)
 New Generations Month (September)
 Vocational Service Month (October)
The Rotary Foundation Month (November)  

 Parting Shot...

	Yankee Doodle Dandy. Waiting to join the July 4th parade.     © 2009   Daly Road Graphics

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