TOGETHER, WE

TRANSFORM

TOGETHER, WE

CONNECT

TOGETHER, WE

INSPIRE

TOGETHER, WE

SAVE LIVES

TOGETHER, WE

FIGHT HUNGER

TOGETHER, WE

EMPOWER

TOGETHER, WE

MENTOR

Attend a meeting

Join us on a Wednesday convenient to you and experience the fun and friendship of the Rotary Club of San Jose!

Contact our Executive Director, Leslee Hamilton for more details (408) 297-6101.

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Fill up an application and join community leaders. Become a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose.

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“Service Above Self”

Rotary is a service organization of business and community leaders united worldwide. Rotarians are making a positive impact in our local and global communities.

The Rotary Club of San Jose

Benefiting the community and our world through action, integrity, service, and fellowship.

The Rotary Club of San Jose is the largest, most active and well-known service organization in the community. We are a leadership organization working together to make a difference. Our members include local business, nonprofit, professional and civic leaders. We form lasting friendships through our shared Rotary experiences including weekly meetings with interesting speakers, committee meetings and projects, social events and group service projects within our community and internationally.

Diversity & Inclusion

Having a diverse and inclusive Rotary Club means we value and welcome individuals of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, and races to our Club. We invite younger people, women, and minorities who support Rotary’s values, ideals, and mission to join our members in service to our community, and we strive to give all members equal opportunities to serve as leaders within our Club.

Service is the life blood of our Club, and it all happens through our Committees

The Speaker for April 24, 2024: Honorable Pat Lucas

Pat Lucas has recently retired from the California Superior Court for Santa Clara County, where she served for 20 years including a term as presiding (chief) judge. She presided over complex civil cases, civil and criminal jury trials, a civil pretrial docket, and direct calendars in the criminal and family divisions. Pat supervised the Court's civil and family divisions, and served in a pro tem assignment on the Sixth District Court of Appeal. Before she took office in 2003, Pat practiced complex civil litigation for over 20 years, most recently with the Silicon Valley firm of Fenwick & West where she chaired the litigation group.

For many years Pat has taught California judges, and she served as the Dean of the California Judicial College. She has also taught judges in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Pat teaches lawyers through the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), and promotes education among the bench and bar through her participation on the boards of the William A. Ingram Inn of Court and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. She has taught at several California law schools and as a Fellow of the Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin. She currently serves as a neutral, handling mediations and arbitrations at Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS).

Pat is proud to be a graduate of University of California Berkeley School of Law, a third-generation San Franciscan, and a mother and a grandmother.

Lunch Order for April 24th Meeting

The Party He

lpers will provide lunch ($25) at Wednesday's meeting. The buffet lunch menu includes: Lemony Chicken Breast with Artichokes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Matzo Ball Soup, Quinoa Salad, and Spring Green Salad.

Please order by Monday, April 22nd at 12 noon. Plan ahead and order early!

Important note: If you have a 10-pack, you still need to register, so we have enough food.

Click here to place your lunch order.

ROTARY FISH DAY 4/20/24

ROTARY FISH DAY
April 20th, 2024

Volunteers Needed! (no fishing experience necessary!)

Date: April 20, 2024
Time: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Location: Ed Levin Park, Milpitas
Please bring: Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
*Continental breakfast, fishing vest and fishing equipment provided
Bonus: Famous Rotary Tri-tip BBQ Lunch

Sign up here: bit.ly/RotaryFish2024 or

Todd Trekell
408.603.9403
todd@hunterproperties.com

Blind Wine Tasting April 30

The Culinary & Hospitality Committee is hosting the 6th Annual Blind Wine Tasting
April 30, 5:00 - 7:30 pm
Joseph George Fine Wines - 1559 Meridian Ave, San Jose, CA 95125
Cost - $60, register here - limited to 60 tickets
Please contact Sandra Jewett at 408/410.0298 if you have any questions.

Exite-ment Committee

Do you like Fireworks? Do you like Parades? Do you like Baseball? We need you on the Exite-ment Committee! We are only 2 1/2 months away from our new Fireworks program which we are sponsoring at Excite Ballpark in cooperation with the San Jose Giants on July 3 and 4. In addition, we are organizing a VIP party at Excite Ballpark on July 3 for the game and fireworks show, and for our Club's participation in the annual Rose, White & Blue Parade on July 4. Yes, we can use your help - so please contact Excite-ment Committee Chair Jeffrey Hare and let him know what you want to help with: Parade or VIP Party -- or both!

JeffreyHare@gmail.com
408-391-8321 (Cell)

Rotary Staff Update

Lisa Reigel has taken over the bookkeeping responsibilities from Teresa McCarthy, whose last day with us will be April 24, though we hope to see her at the June 5 BBQ. Lisa is working half time.

Tori Berninger will be filling in for Marie, who is doing well enough that she visited the Gordon House last week. Marie is looking forward to returning to work later this summer. We are thrilled to have Tori take on tasks such as coordinating the weekly lunches, managing the new member process, and working with President Karen on Wednesday meeting agendas. Tori will be working in the office Mon-Thurs. Many thanks to President-Elect Heather for the referral!

Thank you for your patience during this transition time.

Memorial Service for Jim Little

Memorial services for Jim Little will be held on
Friday, April 19th at 12 p.m.
at Darling & Fischer, Campbell Memorial Chapel,
231 East Campbell Avenue, Campbell, California.

Guests may also stream the service and share memories here.

Save the Date - Rise Against Hunger

Join President Karen and the Disaster Relief Committee on Sunday, May 19th to pack meals for international famine relief.

Many thanks to Mike Blach for hosting the event at his warehouse - 2244 Blach Place, SJ 95131 (in back).

Sign up to follow.

Meeting Summary for April 10, 2024

Meeting #5424 of our Rotary club was enthusiastically kick-started by Past President Fernando Zazueta who filled in for President Karen Philbrick. It's remarkable to note that our club was founded back in 1914! Sarah Clish invited club members to sing along to "America the Beautiful."

The Disaster Relief Committee was recognized for serving as the greeting line. A special thank you was given to Pat Reilly for leading the "Getting to Know You" exercise.

Alex Shoor and Kelly Dippel served as our traveling microphones, facilitating introductions of guests and visiting Rotarians. Birthday greetings were extended to the week’s birthday members.

Terri Chapman provided an update on the Disaster Relief Committee's activities. We are partnering with Rise Against Hunger for a food kit assembly event on May 19th at Blach Construction. The event is family-friendly, and volunteers are encouraged to bring their kids. The kit assembly will take place from 10am to 12pm, with cleanup at 12:30 pm. Past President Fernando expressed gratitude towards the Disaster Relief Committee and its dedicated members.

Past President Fernando presented blue badges to members Ana Antonio and Dagmar Schildwach, welcoming them into the Rotary family.

Todd Trekell provided an update on the upcoming Fish Day Event, expressing gratitude to those who have signed up. The event, scheduled for April 20th, exposes over 100 third-graders from three elementary schools (Washington, Mt Pleasanton, and Evergreen Elementary Schools) to the outdoors and teaches them how to fish.

Volunteers will have a preview event a week before, providing insights into the world of fishing. Kaiser has graciously become a $2,500 sponsor for this event, and a tri-tip lunch will be served at noon for all volunteers.

Joe Quilici shared information about the Blind Wine Tasting event scheduled for April 30^th at Joseph George Wines (Bert George). Participants can form a team or join individually to sample wines and guess their types while having a fun experience.

Past President Fernando had a taste test with a blindfold, playfully mistaking apple juice for wine. Everyone is encouraged to sign up and invite friends.

It was announced that memorial services for Jim Little, a valued member of our club, will take place on Friday, April 19th, at 12 p.m. at Darling & Fischer, Campbell Memorial Chapel, located at 231 East Campbell Avenue in Campbell.

The Fun and Friendship Committee is seeking members to host a fireside in May. It is an excellent opportunity to get to know fellow club members and enjoy socializing in a more relaxed setting.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg was introduced by Charlie McCollum. Supervisor Ellenberg represents District 4, which includes West San Jose, Campbell, Santa Clara, and the unincorporated community of Burbank and has a diverse population of nearly 400,000. She highlighted the county's responsibilities, including managing a health system, overseeing budgets, and being the fourth-largest employer in Santa Clara County with 22,000 employees. The county also manages regional parks, restaurant inspections, and road maintenance, among other tasks.

Supervisor Ellenberg debunked several myths related to homelessness, emphasizing that the solution lies in creating more affordable housing. The county, however, is not directly involved in building homes, as that responsibility falls on the cities. She mentioned the progress made through Measure A, which has led to the construction of 5,127 affordable housing units across 56 projects in 11 cities.

Additionally, the county has managed to permanently house 17,000 individuals, preventing many from losing their homes. Supervisor Ellenberg stressed the need for homelessness prevention through rental assistance, guaranteed income programs, and stopping the influx of homelessness.

Regarding mental health services, Supervisor Ellenberg mentioned the shift from state institutions to county responsibility between the 1960s and 2004. With the passage of Prop 63 in 2004, resources were more appropriately allocated to mental health services. She emphasized the seriousness of the mental health crisis and the need for a comprehensive approach that includes outpatient care and support programs. Supervisor Ellenberg also discussed the county's financial challenges, including a structural deficit of $250 million. She mentioned the ongoing recovery from the purchase of O'Connor and Saint Louise, as well as the COVID-related expenditures that resulted in the county having the lowest COVID rates and receiving assistance from FEMA.

Finally, Supervisor Ellenberg was thanked for her informative program, and a contribution was made on her behalf to Loaves and Fishes.

Rotarian Ed Correa will be the speaker next week, providing insights on Cybersecurity.

Meeting Summary prepared by Maggie Padovani.
Photos taken by Kathleen Thomas.
To view a video of the full meeting, click here.
To view all the photos taken, click here.