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Bret Bradigan, Editor |
August 27th, 2010 |
August is Membership and Extension Month
Upcoming Programs and Events
September 3rd-Dark-Labor Day
September 10th-Katie Haydon-Creativity at All Ages
September 17th-Libby Atwater-Ethical Wills-Write Your Own Biography-Jeff Loebl is coordinating
September 24th-Dorjee Tsewang-Tibetan Aid Foundation
In the Beginning.....
The final Friday of August was made complete by the gathering in goodwill at Soule Park Clubhouse of the Rotary Club of Ojai.
Members were ably, and amiably, greeted by Frank Finck and Bill Hatch.
Ian McLean led us in the flag salute.
The invocation was movingly made by Dana Huffman.
President Mike Weaver gaveled the proceeding into some semblance of order about 12:30 p.m.
Mike Weaver closed out the proceedings with the quote, “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic .”
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Guests included Karen Ghormley, Bill Buchanan and Bill Buratto, the program presenter.
Announcements:
October Classic: Walk, Wheel or Run for Your Life. Ojai Valley Community Hospital, Saturday, October 2, 2010 at Nordhoff High School, Ojai 5K & 10K Events. Free Kids Relay. For more information or to resister, visit www.octoberclassic.org or call (805) 640-2317, or see Dr. Fred Fauvre.
Dave Neville announced that packets of Taste of Ojai tickets were available for each member to sell. As the club's largest fund-raiser, it was imperative that everyone get out and spread the word and sell their tickets. The goal is 600 tickets. The event will be held Sept. 25 on the 10 th hole at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa .
Randy Roth said that the club was picking up checks for the Rotary International 's Pakistan flood relief. Checks should be made out to RCOF – Rotary Club of Ojai Foundation. He described the need as dire; an area the size of the United Kingdom underwater, with more than 17 million people displaced, and 800,000 people so isolated that they could be reached only by helicopter.
Al West said the fund-raising goal of $25,000 for the Shari Skinner Memorial Scholarship fund had been reached, paying tribute to a past president and founder of Ojai Community Bank.
Mike Weaver reminded the club that the Mexican Fiesta would be held Sept 12 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
He also mentioned that the club would be dark next week, for Labor Day weekend. The program for the next meeting, on Sept. 10, would be presented by Katie Haydon, and titled, “ Creativity for All Ages.”
Jack Jacobs , membership chair, in reflection upon August as Membership Month, wondered aloud how many people in the club knew why two members had recently resigned — Lara Moga and Laura Whitney. One of his goals for the committee was to conduct exit interviews, find out why the members were leaving, and to remind them that they were welcome to rejoin. And he said he learned that Moga had taken a job in another city, and that Whitney was too occupied with other commitments to fully participate in the club's activities.
Mike Weaver auctioned off a Rotary shirt to Mark Cohen for $100.
Fining: Colin Jones
Colin Jones , as he was about to launch into the fining session, was presented by Mike Weaver with his Paul Harris Fellowship, plus one.
Jones then took confessions from the following:
• Roger Phelps, who was giving a talk on diabetes Sept. 11 at the Women's Club.
• Maggie Cerminaro confessed to a trifecta; celebrating her 21 st wedding anniversary, looking for work as a tech consultant and tutor, and to acknowledge that her daughter would be modeling handbag for Ojai Terrain, owned by friend and former Rotarian Nancy Seidman Darooj.
• Don Reed , celebrating a birthday.
• Peter Bowen, celebrating his 17th wedding anniversary.
• Don Scanlin celebrating his 54th wedding anniversary.
• Allan Jacobs , just returned from a trip to Sweden .
Colin then ably extracted the lucre from the following, under the heading of “Memory Check.”
• Nathan Kaehler, who valiantly narrowly missed guessing that 1970 was the final year in which cigarette ads were aired on television.
• Nic Frank, for missing that the first vending machines were installed in 1888, and dispensed chewing gum.
• Bruce Brockman, for “Rosebud” being the final word of Citizen Kane .
• Bret Bradigan, for not knowing that “ Shangri-La ” was the earlier name of presidential retreat Camp David.
• Dana Huffman, missing that the height of the Statue of Liberty was 141 feet.
• Cathy Lee – disposable diapers first appeared on the scene in 1961.
• Peter Haggerty avoided a fine for naming off in a suspiciously familiar manner all seven dwarfs.
• Randy Roth was fined for not knowing that Jimi Hendrix 's first high-profile gig was opening for the Monkees in 1966.
Food for Thought
Program: Bill Buratto
Bill Buratto, Chief Executive Officer of the Ventura County Economic Development Agency, came to speak about another role, as chair of the Green Coast Innovation Zone.
Introduced by Mike Weaver, Buratto had his own confession, that he was celebrating his 35th anniversary. Head of VCEDA since 2001, Buratto has 32 years experience in non-profit groups. He said VCEDA's role was “to look at Ventura County from 30,000 feet” for trends and opportunities.
The Green Coast Innovation Agency formed about 18 months ago from meetings with agencies, nonprofit groups, educators, business leaders as the economy was being challenged on all fronts - housing and finance meltdowns combined to shake century-old assumptions.
The Zone includes the four counties of the central coast – Ventura , Santa Barbara , San Luis Obispo and Monterey. Sharing common profiles and interests – transportation, military bases and large universities, these four counties also recognized that innovation was the key towards a sustainable economy and expanded opportunities.
The Agency identified four areas of the economy that were primed for innovation, especially in transforming to alternative energy sources and green building practices: Agriculture, tourism, military bases, and government. Local contractors and manufacturers could employ new home-grown technologies and industries nurtured through incentives, legislative efforts, grants, bonds, networking and investments.
He spoke about the city of Simi awarding a bid to a local lighting company, which manufactured low energy use LED lights, to provide light for City Hall and other facilities.
Buratto also mentioned that this four-county Green Zone stood poised to benefit from investments because of its abundant potential for wind power and wave energy projects. And the way this profitable transformation to the next economic system could be achieved was through collaboration and communication.
A couple of examples he offered were the agreement Pacific Gas & Electric made with Vandenberg Air Force Base to build a wave energy project, and University of California at Santa Barbara 's Institute for Energy Efficiency . Local companies that have been leading the way included Ojai Energy Systems/LibertyPak, which uses lithium-ion battery technology to provide energy for films shoots on remote locations, and Continental Wind Power, a wind turbine company looking to build a plant in Ventura County.
Buratto fielded a few questions, including one from Martin Pops about nuclear energy, doubting that a new plant was ever likely, and from Jim Combs about these industries “cross-pollinating” to create their own momentum and success.
Final Thoughts
"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
Steve Jobs
