THE Express Rotary-West Newsletter 7/27/2010


July 27, 2010	Doing our best at Rotary Club of Ojai-West	Scribe: Bob Beeby

Call to Order	Sergeant-at-Arms Bryan Crawford gave a big helloooo and rang the bell to open the meeting;
Pledge	David May
Invocation	Sid Cohn
Setup	Bryan Crawford, Kathy McDonald, Pat McPherson and Nick Oatway
Greeters	Kathy Doubleday, Jim Chase, Pat McPherson and Nick Oatway

Thanks also to our Secretary Bill Shouse, and Treasurers Gayel Childress and Rene Briggs.

Guest Introductions

Zack May
Angela and Alexi May
David McCann David attended for the second time. Your scribe notes that David’s first meeting was also our President’s first, where the incoming Board was introduced with song and dance. David wanted to see more.
Dr. Arnold Breskey Our speaker
Bill Wilson Assistant to Dr. Breskey
Brady Crawford Son of Member Bryan

Club Announcements

Stephanie Midgett

Thursday, 29th: BOARD MEETING 7am EGGS’NTHINGS
August 21st NORDOFF GRID IRON BARBEQUE: Bryan
August 31st 5th Tuesday Picnic: Alice

President Stephanie commented that we have achieved many of our short-term goals.

"Several members during this month have brought to our club prospective members. This is one of the most important of our actions within our plan and I would like to recognize Tom Farmer and Cliff Norton for their efforts. Several more members are matching availability and interested people with schedules.

Without the report of our short-term win, our strategic plan would hold no measurement. Congratulation, Rotary Club of Ojai-West. Here is the first Happy Buck!"

Sid Cohn

Sid gave a brief presentation of the trip he took with Rick Turner to Guatemala.

Both returned safely from their trip to work on the water project.

Sid took many pictures and kept a journal so we will likely be hearing more at a future meeting.

Richard McArthur reported on last week’s band concert, the short-term challenge of the lost power (restored in time for the concert), the status of the letter sent to the City regarding use of the Bandstand.

He gave special kudos to the popcorn and drink team for successfully handling at least 70 unexpected but welcomed guests from Ojai Valley School.

Richard encouraged all RCOW members to share in the work and fun at the next concert tomorrow at 7:30P.

Grill Sgt. Bryan announced that the date and time of the upcoming BBQ is not yet final, but he will be sending everyone an email when it is.

Our program next week will feature Bob Ballard, of Hearts of Fire, the Empowerment Project for the Homeless through self-expression.

Waypoints

President Stephanie announced that Les Gardner’s birthday is today and Bryan Crawford’s is tomorrow.

Both were treated to the birthday song after some discussion of who was older or wiser.

Fine$

Dennis Jones

Finemaster

The Gipper

The first series of questions were a lot longer than the answers
and there were no true/false, yes/no or multiple choices.

Jane McClenahan	Jane did not know what conference Dennis attended in 1970 when he shook Reagan’s hand. CALIFORNIA BOY’S STATE
Bob Beeby	Your Scribe did not know what test Dennis and his friend Fred Ryan, Reagan’s Appointments Chief pass together on June 15, 1997. BLACK BELT TEST
Luann Fay	She got credit for a correct answer to the question “What did President Reagan send Dennis’ daughter in August 1990”. Luanne said birthday card and Dennis was looking for “LETTER”
Les Gardner	Les didn’t know how old Reagan would have been on February 6, 2011. THE ANSWER IS 100 and we all know Les hasn’t reached that milestone yet.
Kathy McDonald	Kathy, with help from the “Ladies” table “knew” Jane Wyman was Reagan’s first wife.
Dennis Guernsey	Dennis did not come up with GREAT COMMUNICATOR as Reagan’s nickname.
Bryan Crawford	Bryan knew Regan’s favorite candy was JELLY BEANS and was not docked for not identifying the brand as Jelly Bellies, made right here in Fairfield, CA.
Alice Gardner	Alice knew that one of Reagan’s unsuccessful opponents was Jimmy Carter but missed on the other one: WALTER MONDALE..

Happy Buck$

Rene Briggs		...for Paul Thomas, who saw the need and stepped in to avoid a crisis when there was a run on the popcorn machine by the OVS students;
Kathy McDonald		Kathy, for spending a great day with family at Lake Casitas during the hottest week of the year…so far;
Alice Gardner		...for planning to have two invalids recovering from surgery to care for at the same time. She mentioned her cat first and then Les, who is recovering from eye surgery and not permitted to bend over. Your scribe will not take liberties with this.
Jim Halverson		Dr. Jim, for his son Brad who completed “specialized training” and received the Army Achievement Medal.
Tom Farmer		Tom, for the privilege of taking a week off to babysit three girls.

Jane McClenahan for grandchild #8,
and the fun of taking care of little brother.

Featured Speaker

Arnold Bresky, M.D.

“Tune Up Your Brain, Tune Up Your Life.”

President Stephanie introduced our featured speaker by saying "With one in four families now affected by dementia in America, we’re fortunate to have one of the world’s leading memory doctors right here in our backyard.

Dr. Bresky is an award-winning author, lecturer, and Preventive Gerontologist, who had spent over a decade in the trenches seeing thousands of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Dr. Bresky’s sole mission is to teach caregivers and memory sufferers the skills and tools to improve their brain health and memory wellness."

First, we were all invited to visit Dr. Bresky’s website.

Alzheimers and related Dementia are the 6th biggest killers in the US. . Signs of Alzheimer/Dementia generally begin around age 50. That number will skyrocket inevitably as the baby boomers age.

1 in 1,000
1 in 20
1 in 5
1 in 2

65 or younger;
65
80
85.

Genetics and lifestyle are the factors controlling onset, but nobody is immune. The cause of Alzheimer/Dementia is 30 percent genetics (so don’t blame your parents and 70 percent lifestyle (where you get to blame yourselves).

Failure to manage risk, meaning dealing with stress and working toward a healthy lifestyle, including
Obesity
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Diabetes
High cholesterol

Dr. Bresky told us "Do not count on the federal government, the medical system or the pharmaceutical companies to help you."

The brain is capable of maintaining function and growing new cells. But it takes work, and “USE IT OR LOSE IT’ applies. You must take responsibility for your own brain health by:

Fun and laughter – laugh, even a forced laugh nine times per day.

Relax, meditate and pray.

Listen to music. Bresky recommended Mozart Piano Concerto # 21.

Sleep from 11:00P to 7:00A every day.

Get physical exercise – walk 15 minutes a day before 10:00A or after 4:00P. Do not wear sun block, a hat or glasses. The brain needs vitamin D3 and this is a natural way to get it

Eat the Mediterranean Diet. This reduces the chance for Alzheimer/Dementia by 30 percent;

Stay hydrated by drinking six eight-ounce glasses of water per day;

Exercise your brain by doing numbers or pattern recognition games.

Do at least one act of kindness to others every day. Feeling useful is a good reason to go on living.

Dr. Bresky concluded the program by suggesting…

”Take two tunes and call me in the morning.”

President Stephanie thanked Dr. Bresky and presented him with a complimentary copy of our club's disaster preparedness DVD.

Out and About

Taylor, Rita and Tom Farmer wait at Bonnie Lu's
on a busy Sunday morning.

Correspondence

In Memoriam -- Margaret Harvey

Margaret Harvey, Phil Harvey's wife, had been ill for some time. She passed on Friday.

As a Club we will send a card and possibly flowers to Phil.

Margaret will be missed by many.

Greetings from The Ojai Big Chili Cook-off

I’d like to start by thanking you for your participation in last years Ojai Big Chili Cook-off. It was a great first year. We had 40 Chili and Salsa cooks and over 2000 very happy attendee’s. We learned a bunch and will be improving many things in this year’s event. Also, having experienced it once, we will be much better organized.

I know it’s a big commitment on the part of our cooks, which is why we offer a lot more prize money than most other chili cook-offs. Last year we awarded 11 prizes to our 40 cooks totaling more than $4,000. That’s pretty good odds! Many of the contests were pretty close – swaying a couple of judges or collecting a few more voting tokens would have put many of you “in the money”.

We also have a much smaller entry fee than the average chili cook-off – only $25 to enter as many batches of chili and salsa as you want into our judged competition.

As you are already aware, our site on the shore of Lake Casitas is a great place to spend the day. Many consider it the best event venue in Ventura County. All of this is, of course, my pitch to get you to participate in this year’s event, which will be held on Saturday, October 2nd from 12 to 6 pm.

We have already received quite a few cook applications and a lot of inquiries from the tasting public – so we have a good head start on last year’s cook-off. Our hope is to turn this charitable fundraiser in to an annual event that is good for our community, our attendee’s and our cooks. Most of you said you would like to do it again, and I would love to see all of you give it another shot. Our shady spots will go on a first come first serve basis.

The best place to find out information about the event is on our website. We have a downloadable cook application and a cook’s letter there as well.

I am really looking forward to Round Two of the Ojai Big Chili Cook-off. The event centers on our cooks and the people come to taste your creations. We hope to see you there. Please send along any suggestions that will help us improve your experience.

Thank you again,

--David May

Billboard

We are thrilled to announce that...

Sgt Pepper will perform this Thursday, July 29, 2010 at the
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California,
from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

We will perform in the Air Force One Hanger. This is part of the Library’s Sunset Concert and Dinner series.

Parting Thought

How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile
because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?

And with that, we are adjourned!

Your Scribe today was

Bob Beeby

The Lineup

August

3	Bob Ballard of Hearts of Fire
10	"Acorn Angelo" , Angelo Spandrio -Oak Seedlings
17	Captain Steve Lazenby, Update on County CERT trainings
21	Year’s first BBQ (Nordhoff Grid Iron BBQ)
24	Craft Talks, Lavon Roberts, Pat McPherson
31	5th Friday Picnic

September

7	Hank Bangser, Superintendent of OUSD
14	Brenda Spandrio, Ambiance-Solutions
15	Ojai Valley OK Drill
17	Orry Nottingham,PE,LEED commissioning services.
22	New CERT class begins
24	Big Chili Cook-off meeting

October

12	DG Deepa Willingham’s official visit.

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

Parting Shot...