Rotary Club of Altadena
OFF THE ROTARY WHEEL January 03, 2019 AN AWARD-WINNING NEWSLETTER
ThisThis WeekWeek Happy New Year/ Nick Santangelo Half Year Craft Talk very Happy New Year to all Altadena poem to say goodbye Rotarians and their loved ones! I to the past year. by Sarah Program Host: O’Brien, AAhope the holiday season has been a According to the President Mark Mariscal festive one and 2019 will be a year of health, Financial Times, Burns sent Auld Lang Syne happiness and fulfi llment for all. to two publishers. The fi rst, James Johnson, This week, we We are halfway through our Rotary Year published it in 1796 with a Scottish melody have a craft talk and our Club Assembly is coming up. As Burns was not a fan of. Three years after from Nick Santan- we refl ect on programs and achievements Burns died, George Thompson published it gelo, one of our of the fi rst 6 months, we look ahead to and set it to the tune of “Sir Alexander Don’s newest members work still to be done, awards to be given, Strathspey.” (Strathspey is a type of dance.) He was born and much more… Our various Committees This is the same melody used to this day. in Garden Grove, will present reports and goals and invite The song became so popular in Scotland California to parents from Scandinavian volunteers to get involved. All are welcome that Scottish immigrants sang it wherever and Spanish backgrounds. A few months to contribute ideas and suggestions! they went, spreading the song around the after his birth, he was adopted by Nick With each passing year comes continuity world. For example, during the famous and Gloria Santangelo, allowing him to and change. We honour the traditions that 1914 Christmas truce during World War grow up in a safe and typical Southern have endured and become the fabric of I, both British and German soldiers sang California life playing basketball, body- our Club ‘culture’, whilst at the same time “Auld Lang Syne.” In 1925, Charlie Chaplin surfi ng at the beach, and tossing frisbees embracing our newer members who have had characters sing “Auld Lang Syne” in endlessly. His parents signed him up for brought with them fresh insight, experience The Gold Rush, even though it was a silent organ lessons (there was one in the house) and enthusiasm for the vision we share - “of fi lm. In 1928, Lombardo and his band, the when he was 8, and he has been playing a world where people unite and take action Royal Canadians, played their fi rst New the organ ever since. to create lasting change – across the globe, Year’s Eve broadcast. The following year, Nick married in 1982, moved up to Los in our communities, and in ourselves”. they performed the fi rst ever nationwide Angeles, and grew to love the diversity, (Rotary International) broadcast from the Roosevelt Hotel and culture, art, and movies that LA had to On a lighter note, on New Year’s Eve, as performed live from the hotel every year offer. His musical involvement accelerated the clock strikes midnight and we turn from Please turn to In Tune p. 3 rapidly. one year to the next, many of us gather to Music was great, but he had to fi nd sing “Auld Lang Syne”. This is much older GreeterGreeter ofof thethe WeekWeek something solid to do to pay the mortgage. than any other popular song we sing during January 03 He was hired to work on the Red Line Boyd Hudson the holidays. It dates back to 1788, when subway and eventually was hired by the January 10 it was published by Scottish poet Robert Carpenters Union, which enabled him to Ed Jasnow Burns, who lived from 1759 to 1796. Over January 17 Please turn to This Week p. 4 220 years later, we’re still using the familiar Julius Johnson ProgramProgram ReviewReview
A Lifetime of Feminism and Activism
hat’s what our of an institution called Willowbrook State newest mem- School. This was a truly horrifi c place where TTber, Jennifer children with Down’s Syndrome, and other Hall Lee, revealed mental issues were treated with unspeakable to us in her craft talk. Raised in Staten cruelty. Jennifer’s mother, a social worker Island — the least known borough in New at the school, tried to get the media to do a York City — one of her early memories is story on Willowbrook, and fi nally succeed- ed in getting Geraldo Rivera to interview Sparks is published 48 weeks a year and is the her, and all hell broke loose. offi cial publication of the Rotary Club of Altadena. Lee recalled that there was a Town Hall The deadline for submission of articles is Friday at 6p to current editor email, fax, or delivery. meeting at Holy Family Church to discuss Rotary Club of Altadena - #7183 her mother’s efforts to start a group home Chartered: February 14, 1949 P.O. Box 414, Altadena, CA 91003 for children with Down’s Syndrome. The www.altadenarotary.com meeting was packed, and everyone said Meets: Thursday, 12:10p Altadena Town & Country Club terrible things about her efforts. The priest 2290 Country Club Drive • Altadena, CA did nothing to intervene. This caused Lee’s 626-794-7163 Rotary Int. Pres...... Ian H.S. Riseley mother to leave the Catholic Church forever. journey, crossing into Mexico at Brownsville, Dist 5300 Gov...... John Chase Subsequently, her mother decided it was Texas. They made it to Mexico City, where Offi cers Sarah O’Brien, Pres...... Bus. 626-796-5000 time to leave Staten Island. So, the two of they were advised not to continue to Costa Mark Mariscal, Pres. Elec...... Bus. 310-902-6547 them packed up their Volkswagen Beetle Rica. They continued on to Puebla, south Steve Kerekes, V. Pres...... Bus. 626-351-8815 Jim Gorton, Sec...... Bus. 323-816-6713 and set off for Costa Rica, the place her of Mexico City, where they decided to drive Mike Noll, Trea...... Bus. 626-683-0515 mother decided she wanted to go. While up to the top of a volcano. When they were Directors Mark Mariscal • Ed Jasnow driving riving through the South, Jennifer’s ready to leave, the car wouldn’t start. After John Frykenberg • Dennis Mehringer mother backed into a ditch (apparently be- giving them a scare, the car fi nally started, David Campbell • Sarah O’Brien • Mike Zoeller Chairmen cause Jennifer stopped backseat driving.) and they proceeded down a road alongside Mark Mariscal ...... Administration Four African-American men stopped to a steep cliff. David Smith ...... Foundation Please turn to Program, p. 3 Charlie Wilson ...... Asst. Foundation help, and lifted the car out of the ditch. They Frank Cunningham ...... Membership refused to accept any payment. Jacque Foreman ...... Public Awareness Congratulations Jacque Foreman ...... Acting Publicity The two of them continued on their Jacque Foreman ...... Sparks/Website Birthdays Mike Zoeller ...... Club Projects 7 - Helen Zivkoviche (M. Hill) Doug Collifl ower ...... Community January David Smith ...... International Vocational Service 16 - Sarah O’Brien To be Announced ...... Asst. International Program Chair: To be Announced 27 - Ann Rider Hill Tony Hill ...... Youth Contests/Awards 03 - Nick Santangelo, Craft Talk Anniversaries Mike Zoeller ...... Youth Projects 10 - Mid-Year Club Assembly John Frykenberg ...... Vocational 03 - Jim & Karen Gorton Editor, Design & Typesetting ...... Foreman Graphics 17 - To be Announced 04 - Mike & Carol Zoeller Photography ...... Jacque Foreman 24 - To be Announced 22 - John & Joan Frykenberg
2 Sparks - Altadena Rotary Club Newsletter Program hairmen’shairmen’s CCornerorner brought to you by Mark Mariscal for David Smith, International Chair Being International means We do Things Locally
ll of us are most critical and widespread humanitarian each area and suggests how Rotary clubs aware that needs, and Rotary has a proven record of and districts and their service partners AARotary is an success in addressing them: can address these needs both locally and international orga- • Peace and confl ict prevention/resolution internationally. It is titled Rotary’s Areas nization. However, • Disease prevention and treatment of Focus . In order to locate the document, the work of Rotary • Water and sanitation you must go to
On Wednesday, December 26, club receives NO FUNDING from the members Julius Johnson, Dawn Digrius Rotary International organiza- and Paula and I went out to Irwindale in tion. Monies are raised from the Districts, Clubs and m e m b e r donations. W e s p e n t 5 h o u r s w o r k i n g inside a big industrial b u i l d i n g operated Dawn Digrius (l) and Paula Mariscal decorating the bottom by Phoenix of the fl oat Float Dec- o r a t i n g . There were at least 10 other fl oats be- ing built and dec- orated while we were there. Julius helped cut vege- tables that were being placed on the fl oat (brussel sprouts and fi gs) Upper (l to r) Robert Smith (Fiance of Dawn), Erica Julius Johnson (center) with four unidentifi ed fl oat while Dawn and from Walnut Rotary Club, Celeste Novak (she and her workers my wife, Paula, mom are friends of mine and helped the club) and then me. Lower (l to r) Dawn Digrius, Ann Novak, and the late afternoon to work on the Rotary worked down below glueing Paula Mariscal International Float. The opportunity came as parsley that was very finely place the parsley. The task was challenging part of the invitation from the Rotary Float diced onto the body of the huge crocodile but we all did our part. Committee as part of their annual appeal to (you won’t miss it going down Colorado A shout out to two local Altadena Districts, Clubs and Rotary members from Blvd. on Tuesday). Dawn’s fi ance Robert and friends who helped out — Ann Novak and around the world to help participate in this I climbed high up on the scaffolding and her daughter Celeste (10 years old). Celeste Marketing Opportunity to promote what glued the same material on the upper body has told me that she cannot wait for school Rotary is all about. of the fl oat. At times, we had to lay on our to start back so she can share her terrifi c Let me remind you that this organization stomachs and bend down to glue and then experiences with her classmates.
Sparks - Altadena Rotary Club Newsletter 5 Bikes Delivered December 13
It was approximately 8 am on December handle bars of the rows and rows of bicy- when I had to leave to get to my Rotary 13 when I pulled into the parking lot at cles. (Remember, we had assembled 250 meeting.
the Salvation Army’s 960 Walnut building. bicycles back in November.) As usual, There was already a long line of families I didn’t see Frank Cunningham Cox found waiting to pick up their bikes. come in, but suddenly he was there. himself re- T h e pairing bi- volun- cycles that t e e r s had prob- w e r e lems or had paired up n o t b e e n in teams assembled of two — p r o p e r l y. one to get But this year the bicy- new mem- cle(s) and b e r A m y o n e t o was helping walk the him. There Rene Amy and Craig Cox were already recipient outside and down to the w a s o n e inside, and there was a lot of activity. Some door where the bicycle would be received. bike that was refusing to be assembled. Before the bi- There was a problem with the handlebars cycle could be not seating properly. Try as they might, they handed off to couldn’t get the handle bar assembly to lock the family, it’s se- in. They fi nally had to conclude that there rial number was was a manufacturer error and leave the bike recorded, and unassembled, waiting for a new part to be the bicycle is ordered. given a license As I was number. preparing to leave, I saw that Presi- dent Sarah and Isabel had arrived. of the volunteers were fi lling bags with a I told those in I apologize if helmet and a bicycle lock while others were charge that I could I missed see- taking the bags and hanging them on the stay until 11:30, ing and mentioning any one there. 6 Sparks - Altadena Rotary Club Newsletter Sparks - Altadena Rotary Club Newsletter 7 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Deputy Program
Back in the 1800s, the Sheriff would look to the community to form a posse and deputize citizens to assist him in the apprehension of horse thieves, murderers, or other criminals. Thankfully, we have thousands of full-time deputies to perform those duties today, but, in 2018, just like the 1800s, the Sheriff is looking to the community to fi nd citizens to volunteer and help by becoming reserve deputy sheriffs. Reserve deputies undergo the same training and background checks that full-time deputies receive. It’s a year-long process, but, after graduation, reserve deputies can perform a wide array of duties and service to the community. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Program is one of the largest in the country, with over 600 all-volunteer sworn reserve deputy sheriffs. Last year they worked 182,000 hours keeping the citizens of Los Angeles County safe. Those 182,000 hours represent millions of dollars in savings to taxpayers. Patrolling our communities is only one of many functions performed by reserve deputies. Lifesaving search and rescue missions are performed every week by reserves as part of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Search and Rescue Program. Last year reserve deputy sheriffs performed 684 missions throughout the county, saving countless lives. Another opportunity for reserve deputy sheriffs to serve is by becoming a member of the Sheriff’s Department’s Posse. Posse members work patrolling trails and various community events on horseback. Reserve deputies also help solve crimes by working in many of the Sheriff’s Department’s detective units, such as Homicide Bureau, Narcotics Bureau, Fraud and Cyber Crime Bureau, and Special Victims Bureau. We also have reserves who ride street and off-road motorcycles for the Department. Reserve deputies come from all walks of life and from a wide variety of professions. The common thread of all is a burning desire to give back to their community and assist their fellow citizens. If you are interested in signing up — just like citizens did over a 150 years ago — there is a reserve deputy academy scheduled to start in February 2019. Please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Forces Detail at 323-526-5100 and ask for Assistant Director Mike Leum to get started.
8 Sparks - Altadena Rotary Club Newsletter