J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

Meetings, Speakers & Coming Events

Jan 27 Ken Macias, CPA

Feb 3 Greg King, Executive Director Always Knocking

Feb 10 Tom Knox, Vietnam Military Experience

Feb 17 Dan Hall, American River Parkway Foundation

Feb 24 Rich Eytchson, Exec. Dir. CPR

Mar 2 Carol Van Bruggen, Africa Hope Fund

Mar 9 Herb Brown, Special Agent, FBI

Mar 16 Mike Pereia, NFL Referee

Mar 23 Jerry Meshulam, Rotaplast

Meetings are at the Double Tree Hotel at 7 Just Last Week By Dave Christenson AM, Friday Mornings Our meeting started with the announced the Festa Restaurant “usual” video. Guy led us in Night will be Wednesday January singing happy birthday to Dick 25th at Espanol Restaurant. Lou Goodell. Patrick Robrecht reminded us we need more blood president of the Active 20-30 Club dripping. gave us a look at the activities of Past Rotary District their club. Past Active 20-30 Governor recognized Larry President gave a nice Suddjian for all his work on the endorsement. Many of our Rotary Foundation. Larry and his Rotary Club of members were recognized for wife Candi received two pins for Point West their participation in 20-30 being Major donors to the Rotary including past Man of the Year Founded, April 1985 Drew Houghton. Bea Maurer more on 2

J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

Rotary Club of Point West – 2011-2012 Board of Directors 5180 District Governor President, Jennifer Curtsinger; Secretary, Doug Weill; Treasurer, Drew Houghton; Administrative Assistant, George Daniels, Past President, Gary Hardesty, President-elect, Mike Cendro

Directors

Club Service I Don Levin Club Service II Trish Harrington Community Service I Greg Garcia Community Service II Toney Sebra International Service Desiree Wilson Publicity/Membership Lori Curry Vocational Service I Jamie Nelson Vocational Service II Mary Lyn Kagan Sergeant at Arms John Koogle, Karl Forste, Justin McWilliams and Bill McIntyre

Governor Jack Taylor’s Visit our website for more information newsletter is available at rotary5180.net/my rotary http://pointwest.clubwizard.com

Just Last Week continued

Foundation. They have works with private landowners the Buttes with fellow Rotarians donated over $10,000.00 to the and the public for the Rich Fathy, Bob Burger and Buzz Foundation. President Elect preservation and exploration of Wiesenfeld. The weather that Mike Cendro reminded us that the Sutter Buttes. The Sutter day caused the guide to have a Fireside Chats are coming Buttes are arguably the smallest little navigation problem which soon. All members are mountain range in the world. made a 6 mile hike into a 10 mile required to attend. Members The Foundation leads hikes hike with a final destination far need to check the schedule through the Sutter Buttes to from where they planned. and RSVP your host. explore its natural wonders. It Rich Fathy introduced also has a connection with the our speaker Mike Hubbratt of Native American who lived in The Middle Mountain and around the Buttes. The Foundation. This Foundation is question segment ended with a unique organization that Dan Hall describing his tour of

your Rotary members and families at Wise Presidential Words our Annual PWR Bowling Bash on Saturday, February 25th sign-up with Last chance to sign up for Desiree or Tom Knox. Who will Festa Restaurant Night at Espanol prevail this year, the Dashing Drew (59th and Folsom Blvd.). Sign up with or the Tony Toney? You must be Bea for Wednesday, January 25th, 6-8 there! pm. District Assembly is coming Tom Knox is raking up the up on March 24 at Inderkum High bucks for the Million Dollar Bowling School. This event is open to all Bash. Don’t miss a great time with Rotarians and runs from 8 am to 3 pm. New Board members should go.

2

J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

Who Are These Guys Anyway?

If you aren’t one of the representatives from these companies it is likely that you don’t know why we are so grateful to their contributions. These four companies are Club Sponsors. What that means is that each of the companies has contributed at least $1500 annually to Point West Rotary. This is a great way for your company to contribute to PWR. For more information contact our President or a Board member. Classic Steve McQueen movie immortalized three tunnels at Luft III POW camp, a fourth has been found By Claudia Joseph It has lain hidden for nearly 70 raised off the ground so guards years and looks, to the untrained could spot potential tunnellers, but eye, like a building site. But this the Germans did not count on the insignificant tunnel opening in the audacity of British Spitfire pilot soft sand of western Poland Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, represents one of the greatest played by Sir Richard examples of British wartime Attenborough in the 1963 film. He heroism. And the sensational story was interned at the camp in March became the Hollywood classic, 1943. With him were about 2,000 , starring Steve other RAF officers, many of whom McQueen. were seasoned escapers from We are standing in the other camps, with skills in notorious POW camp Stalag Luft tunnelling, forgery and III, built at the height of the Third manufacturing. Reich, 100 miles east of Berlin. Ten From them Bushell hand- thousand prisoners were kept picked a team for his ambitious under German guns here on a 60- plan: to dig their way out of acre site ringed with a double captivity. barbed-wire fence and Three tunnels nicknamed watchtowers. (continued) They slept in barrack huts

3

J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

Tom, Dick and Harry were marched out on January 27, 1945, as To prevent further escape constructed 30ft underground using Russian forces approached. attempts, the Germans filled in Harry homemade tools. While Tom was ‘It has been very emotional,’ with sand. So effective was the discovered and destroyed by the he said. ‘It brings back such cover-up that when the remaining Germans, Dick was used for storage. bittersweet memories. I am amazed prisoners wanted to build a memorial The third tunnel, Harry, by everything they have found.’ for the 50 men who died, the exact became the stuff of folklore on the A widower with six children, site of the tunnel could not be agreed night of March 24, 1944, when Allied he has vivid memories of working on on. prisoners gathered in hut 104 before tunnel Harry, performing guard duty Now, for the first time in 66 crawling along the 100ft tunnel to a and acting as a ‘penguin’ to disperse years, the archaeologists have brief taste of freedom. Only three the sand excavated from the tunnels, pinpointed the entrance shaft to escaped; 73 were rounded up by the whose entrances were hidden by the Harry after compiling a map of the Germans and 50 were summarily huts’ stoves. camp using aerial photography. executed. They were called penguins What was most surprising for Few could have blamed their because they waddled when they the team was the structure within the devastated comrades for sitting out walked. shaft. The bedboards were the remainder of the war. Yet far ‘We would put bags around interlocked to line the tunnel but the from being dispirited, a few men our neck and down our trousers, fill sand was so soft that plaster and began work on a fourth tunnel them with excavated sand, then pull sandbags were used to prevent it nicknamed ‘George’, which was kept a string to release it on to the field engulfing the tunnel. Amazingly, the so secret that only a handful of where we played soccer, all in a very ventilation shaft, which was made out prisoners knew about it. nonchalant way,’ Gordie said. of discarded powdered milk tins, was Now, for the first time in 66 ‘One of my jobs was to look still intact. years, the archaeologists have out of the window at the main gate 24 Dr Pollard, 46, who co- pinpointed the entrance shaft to hours a day and write down how founded Glasgow University’s Centre Harry after compiling a map of the many guards went in and out,’ he for Battlefield Archaeology, said: ‘I camp using aerial photography. recalled. ‘Another was warning was surprised at just how emotional I Incredibly, George has just watch. If the Germans came into the became when we found Harry. We been uncovered after a team of compound, we would pull the were the first people to see the engineers, archaeologists and laundry line down and everyone tunnel in decades. But it came to a historians excavated the site, a would stop what they were doing and point when we realized we couldn’t project filmed for a Channel 4 resume normal duties. The guards progress with the excavation. As documentary Digging The Great were not exactly brilliant. They were soon as you drive a shaft into the Escape. taken from what we called 4F – not fit sand, it is so soft it starts to collapse. ‘You have to admire these for frontline fighting. It shows just how skilled those men,’ said chief archaeologist Dr ‘I’m thrilled by it all,’ added prisoners were.’ Tony Pollard. ‘The Germans believed Frank, who was shot down on his After abandoning Harry, the that the deaths of those 50 men would second mission: a bombing raid on team set their sights on finding the have acted as a deterrent for future Ludwigshafen oil refinery. ‘It’s like a secret fourth tunnel rumored to have escapees. But these men were even war memorial for me. I don’t want been dug underneath the more determined.’ people ever to forget the 50 men who floorboards in the camp theatre. With us at the site are two of died. The escape was thrilling and Using ground-scanning radar them: Gordie King, 91, an RAF pilot exciting but those men paid the price equipment, they found – beneath who operated the pump providing for it.’ what would have been seat 13 – the the tunnel with fresh air on the night Inevitably security tightened trap door to a space that gave real of the Great Escape, and Frank after the Great Escape and an insight into how the earlier tunnels Stone, 89, a gunner who shared a inventory was taken by the Germans would have been built. room with the ‘tunnel king’ Wally to gauge the extent of the operation. To the left, between the floor Floody, an ex-miner in charge of the The roll- call of hidden items is joists, was a storage area for digging. They stand, heads bowed, astounding: 4,000 bedboards, 90 equipment – Klim tins, tools, a trolley reminiscing about their former double bunk beds, 635 mattresses, and the ventilation pump – and colleagues. It is the first time Gordie, 62 tables, 34 chairs, 76 benches, abandoned sand. A few feet away who was shot down on his first 3,424 towels, 2,000 knives and forks, was the entrance to the tunnel shaft, mission to Bremen in 1942, has 1,400 cans of Klim powdered milk, returned to the camp since he and 300 meters of electric wire and 180 the remaining prisoners of war were meters of rope. (continued)

4

J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

and at its bottom a separate chamber, But the piece de resistance was a which archaeologists believe was the clandestine POW radio crafted from a radio room. biscuit box and cannibalized from two After abandoning Harry, the team radios smuggled into the camp. set their sights on finding the secret fourth According to Roger Bushell’s tunnel rumored to have been dug plan, thousands of German soldiers and underneath the floorboards in the camp police would be deployed to hunt the theatre. escapers, preventing them from fighting Down a single step lay the tunnel the Allies. But after 76 men had escaped, itself, intricately shored with bed boards, the remainder were caught leaving the wired for light and equipped with the tunnel by German guards. Seventy-three trademark trolley system used to shift of the men who got away were rounded both sand and men quickly and silently up over the next few weeks and 23 were New Member through the tunnels. It looked like a returned to the camp. The other 50 were Application miniature railway with trolleys running on shot in the back of the head by the guards tracks linked by rope and pulled along by at the side of the road. Only three Craig Heiser wants to men at either end. escapees, Norwegians Per Bergsland and ‘George turned out to be an Jens Muller, and Dutch fighter pilot Bram become the latest new absolute gem,’ explained Dr Pollard. ‘We van der Stok, succeeded in reaching member of Point West found the shaft and excavated the tunnel safety. Bergsland and Muller got to Rotary. Craig is an which ran the entire length of the theatre. neutral Sweden and Van der Stok made it automotive technician It was incredibly well preserved, with to Gibraltar via Holland and France. and owner of University timber-lined walls, electrical wiring and ‘Afterwards the morale in the homemade junction boxes, and was tall camp was very depressed,’ said Frank, Automotive on Fulton enough to walk through at a stoop. The tears in his eyes. ‘It was eerie. We had a Avenue. He is married craftsmanship is phenomenal. You can period of mourning and held a memorial to Amy and they have even see the groove on the top of the service. People just wandered around the two children, Meghan manhole cover, where it would swivel and camp quietly.’ and Dylan. slot into the floorboard above. ‘A mass of doom enveloped the ‘It was built at a time of whole camp as so many of us had friends His personal heightened security at the camp. It is a who were shot,’ added Gordie. ‘My close interests are his family, fighting tunnel, not an . It friend Jimmy Wernham, who came from his business, his was heading for the German compound the same town as me, was one of those friends, and making from where the prisoners hoped to steal who didn’t come back. things better in life. He weapons and fight their way out. ‘Before he went out, he took his The men knew the end of the war ring off and gave it to his roommate Hap also bungee jumps! So was nigh and they were playing a Geddes, who wasn’t going out, and said, jump on over to Craig dangerous game. To see what most of the “If anything happens to me, I want you to and introduce yourself prisoners never saw was a real thrill. The take this ring and give it to my fiancée.” and get to know him. Germans obviously discovered Harry but After the war, Hap took the ring back to Craig would like to be they never had a clue about George.’ Dorothy and struck up a relationship with The massive collection of artifacts her. He ended up marrying her. He is still involved with PWR’s found inside the tunnel included alive and living in Canada.’ various activities such trenching tools; a fat-burning lamp Frank added: ‘I hope that what has as the golf tournament, crafted from a Klim tin; solder made from been revealed will remind everybody softball, Salvation the silver foil of cigarette packets for the what we went through and how we met Army, Brewfest, and a wiring system; a belt buckle and the challenges. It was a privilege to be briefcase handle from the escapers’ fake involved.’ host of others. uniforms as well as a German gun near For questions or hut 104. They also uncovered the axle and concerns please contact wheels from one of the tunnel trolleys, his sponsors Tony Park identical to the one used in Harry, and the and Dick Oliver. remains of an air pump; a kind of hand- operated bellows which drew fresh air from the surface down a duct to the tunnel.

5

J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

New Member Application Just a Bit of Bus Art - Enjoy The Board has just approved Mark “Marky” Mraule, a resident of Roseville, for membership in Point West Rotary. Marky is married to Emily and they have one son, Kasey. Marky has a bachelor of science in agribusiness and a master of business from Cal Poly SLO. Marky is a commercial banker working for Rabobank on Highland Point Drive in Roseville. His interests are basketball, charity, sporting clays and the outdoors. So if you haven’t met Marky yet, stop by at the next meeting and introduce yourself. For questions regarding his application contact Bud Ackerman and Larry Challis, his sponsors.

6 J Curious Issue No. 26 – Jan 20

Did you know???? Newsletter articles or announcements are • You can sign up for electronic delivery accepted at any time. For of a weekly Rotary International email. short articles or • You can read articles from The Rotarian announcements, copies are magazine on-line. okay, if they are longer, • Just sign up on line at Rotary electronic versions are International. required.

Rotary THE FOURWAY TEST International President, 1. Is it the TRUTH? Kalyan 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? Banerjee 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all?

Missed a Meeting? The Object of Rotary

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the Here are some of the nearby clubs. A complete list is ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in at www.rotary5180.org/clubmeetinglocations or if you particular, to encourage and foster: can’t make it to a meeting in person, make up on-line

at www.rotaryclub.org to experience e-Club. FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; MONDAY 11:30 am – South Sacramento – Casa Garden Restaurant SECOND: High ethical standards in business and 12:00 pm - Sacramento – Radisson Hotel 7:00 pm - Fair Oaks – F. O. Comm. Clubhouse professions, the recognition of the TUESDAY 7:00 am - Sacramento Breakfast – Gonul’s J Street worthiness of all useful occupations, and the Café’ 12:00 pm - Arden Arcade – Community Service dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as Center Marconi Sheriff’s Substation an opportunity to serve society; 6:30 pm - Carmichael – Café’ Capri Restaurant WEDNESDAY 7:00 am - Rocklin Loomis Basin – Whitney Oaks THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in Golf Club 12:15 pm North Sacramento – Double Tree Hotel each Rotarian’s personal, business, and 5:30 pm Midtown Sacramento – Café’ Bernardo THURSDAY community life; 7:00 am Roseville Sunrise – Carrows Restaurant 12:00 pm East Sacramento – Salvation Army FOURTH: The advancement of international 7:00 pm Folsom – Rotary Clubhouse at Lew Howard Park understanding, goodwill, and peace FRIDAY 7:15 am Natomas – Hamilton Inn and Suites through a world fellowship of business and 12:15 pm Granite Bay – Piati’s Restaurant 2:15 pm West Sacramento – Pheasant Club professional persons united in ideals of service.