We race for charity - Annual Rotary Great Race

We award college scholarships

We mentor youth - Annual Rotary Enterprise Leadership Conference

We crack crab to raise funds for local and international grants - Annual Rotary Crab Fest

We volunteer in our community

We have fun together

“Together, we see a world where people unite & take action to create lasting change -

across the globe, in our communities, & in ourselves.”

Follow & tag us on social media: @losgatosrotary

Meeting Notes from September 26, 2023

Meghan Burton began the meeting at 12:30

Claire Vickers presented the Blossom Hill Kindergarten classes who sang three rousing choruses of You’re a Grand Old Flag.

Inspiration: Barry Cheskin: Lessons from Abraham Lincoln.

Get out of the office and circulate among the troops.
Persuade people by making friends.
Admit when you are wrong.

Guests and visiting Rotarians: Matt Mullikin, Rick Rauscher, Thomas Lettiere, Heather Sexton, Lissa Kreisler, Mike Egleston and David Hom.

Rotarian in the Wild: Jean Marc Blanchard at Henry Cowell State Park.

Grande Center For Education, 2nd Annual Fall Benefit: Gae La Torre and Irene Upson represented our club as the center thanked us for our continued support, including the purchase of a new school bus (as part of our Centennial Celebration) for the school in rural San Salvador.

Charities foundation Mission Statement: The mission of the Los Gatos Rotary Charities Foundation is to provide high impact support focused on youth and those in need-locally and globally-through enduring partnerships.

Volunteer Opportunity: Rebuilding Together: Date is October 28, together with Los Gatos Morning Club. Time is 8am-5pm until the project is completed. Address is Timber Cove MHP-127 Timbercove Dr, Campbell. The contact is Kirsten Bridges. We need as much help as we can get and sign ups close Sunday, October 1.

First Tuesday Happy Hour: Tuesday, October 3, 5:30-7:30pm. Location is the home of Marie and Don Rector, 236 Harding Ave LG. Please bring an appetizer to share. Desserts will be provided.

Red wine will also be provided, so if you like white wine or another beverage, please feel free to bring it. Significant others, potential members and friends are all welcome to join us.

We Care Committee: If you know of a Rotarian that is ill, mourning or otherwise in need, please reach out to Lydia Norcia.

Meeting Notes from September 19, 2023

Meghan Burton opened the meeting and Dan Snyder led the pledge of allegiance.

Barry Cheskin shared some inspiration on leadership, drawing from Captain Picard from Star Trek. 1. Speak to people in a language they understand. 2. When you are overwhelmed ask for help. 3. Don’t play it safe.

Visitors and Guests

Adam Arella from Arella Sports

Dessy Bonev, Stefka’s daughter, UCSC student

It’s time to think about Crabfest!

This is our biggest fundraiser and our philanthropy depends on it! Suzanne Boxer Gassman and Greg Gentile are chairing it this year.

Lisa Cheskin is looking for donations for the auction. Sport events, restaurants, vacation homes, etc. Do you have season tickets or a vacay home? Talk to her! We need everyone on board!

The Moot Court club at LGHS needs a sponsor. Interested? Contact Dan Snyder.

Rebuilding Together

On October 28th we will be painting a trailer home to help someone in need. To sign up, click here before Oct 1.

Contact Kristen Bridges with any questions.

Dawn Hogh from Cancer CAREpoint undated us on our grants. We have supported them since 2010, giving $35,000 over the years. Our most recent grant was for the wig bank. They have provided 145 wigs to women since the beginning of this year. Wigs cost $120-$150 each at wholesale prices, which is too much for many patients. No one wants to be identified by their disease. Patients get a boutique experience and we make this possible. She thanked us for our support.

Ann Peterson from Live Oak Adult Day Services updated us on our grants. They have been around since 1983, taking in those with mild to moderate dementia during the day to enhance their life quality and give them socialization. It also gives the caregivers a much-needed break. We helped them open their 4th location right here in Los Gatos. Our club helped them furnish it with our grant and we also provided volunteers to help set it all up. She thanked us for our support.

Meeting Notes from September 12, 2023

Meeting called to order by President Meghan Burton.

Pledge led by Doug Brent.

Inspiration from Barry Cheskin who has been talking about leadership during his inspirations. This week he was reflecting on his visit to the Kennedy Library and Museum during a recent visit to Boston. During the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy was faced with unbelievable challenges but these three rules of leadership got him through without causing a disaster:

Stay calm
Never lose focus
Take your time

Visiting Rotarians:

Kim Foster Rotary Club of Oregon city. Kim is past president of his club and exchanged flags with Meghan.

Andrea Perdichizzi Rotary Club of San Jose

Steve Solberg Rotary Club of Santa Cruz and Boy Scouts

Guests:

David Hom Los Gatos High School

Mary Jane Vitkovich Retired

Laura Meyer Retired

Cary Wilson Darling Fischer, just moved here from Houston

Rotarians in the Wild

This week’s picture was Barbara and Marty Fishman and family (with elephants) in Botswana. Looks like an amazing trip.

September Birthdays:

Erin Harnett September 6

Meghan Burton September 11

Gae La Torre September 16

Gary Allison September 20

Paul Christensen September 20

Nancy Consentino September 27

Nicholas Welzenbach September 27

David Karwowski September 29

Meeting Notes from August 28, 2023

President Meghan Burton brought the August 29, 2023 club meeting to order at 12:30, and Mike Norcia led all in reciting the pledge of allegiance.

John Pencer provided the inspiration. For some time we have all known the three keys to healthy longevity: exercise, diet and sleep. More and more, a fourth key to healthy longevity is coming to the fore: social connection. Not the Facebook kind, but the kind of in-person social interaction we have at Rotary meetings. John reported that for a senior, loneliness is more harmful to health than the impact of smoking would be. So, connect and come out to a Rotary meeting!

Mike Norcia brought a guest, Teri, who is on the path to becoming a Los Gatos Rotarian. Welcome Teri!

In reviewing club business, Meghan noted:

The Rotarian in the wild this week was a photo of Tom Picreaux on a tour of Glacier National Park.
Meghan also thanked the not-so-wild Rotarians: Jeff Blum, Dick Konrad, Jeffrey Barnett and John Walker for representing our club at a Monte Sereno event at Lake Vasona where we were prospecting for new members. DG Hung Wei also stopped by our booth.
Meghan then showed off the picture of this week’s St. Luke’s eggs by Kathy. This week it was a tropical theme. Meghan noted that the St. Luke’s team specifically commented that these eggs brighten the day of those who receive them each week.
With a photo of the news article in the The West Valley Outlook, Meghan talked about the value of the SafeRide program - getting kids who need to get home to actually get there, and anonymously. And, pointed out that in the article, it said: “Special thanks to the Los Gatos Rotary Charitable Foundation for its $500 donation to provide partial funding for the SafeRides program.”
First Tuesday will be at the home of Randy Cobb and Kathie Benko in Los Gatos on September 5th. Members, spouses, significant others and prospective members are all invited! Look at Meghan’s email later this week for more details.
There is an opportunity to help with food distribution at Second Harvest in Campbell at 8:30AM on Friday, September 15th. Again, look at Meghan’s note this week for more details. The Rotarian contact for this event is Rachelle Lopp.

JOIN US

We meet every Tuesday at 12pm and welcome visitors.

See our "Weekly Meeting Schedule" to the right for details.

Meeting Location:

Shir Hadash
20 Cherry Blossom Lane, Los Gatos, CA, 95032

Questions? Contact:

secretary@losgatosrotary.org

Mailing Address:

PO Box 1018

Los Gatos, CA 95031

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District Event! Avenues of Service
West Valley College

Sep 30, 2023
9:00 AM - 1:30 PM
First Tuesday
Home of Marie and Don Rector

Oct 03, 2023
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Volunteer Opportunity! Rebuilding Together
Oct 28, 2023 8:00 AM
Fall Fundraiser
Cinelux Los Gatos Theater

Nov 11, 2023 10:30 PM
President's Brunch
Cinnabar Golf Club

Dec 03, 2023

Evening Social - NO Lunch Meeting

Oct 03, 2023

Kyle Santoro

Oct 10, 2023

Documentary Filmmaking

Hung Wei, Rotary District Governor

Oct 17, 2023

Joe Simitian, SCC Supervisor

Oct 24, 2023

County Update

View entire list...

We assembled back packs full of essential back-to-school supplies for Uplift Family Services in August.

We helped assemble 24,000 meals with Rise Against Hunger at Saratoga High School in April.

We assembled activity kits for isolation patients at El Camino Hospital for our February service project

We helped prep materials for solar kits for Lighting For Literacy at our December service project

We collected a record number of toys for Toys For Tots in 2022!

Above, volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank!

Filling backpacks for Back-to-School drives. The Rotary Club of Los Gatos participated in 3 back to school drives this year: Pacific Clinics, West Valley Community Services, and Jewish Family Services.