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Every year when a new club president begins their year, our past presidents are invited to join in the festivities and pass the gavel to the new president.  Each one of them discusses their own year's theme as well as any accomplishments during their tenure.  Today we had the pleasure of welcoming 16 past presidents participate including our very first one Sal Fasulo!
Meeting Responsibilities
Aug 15th, 2019
 
Greeter
VanDyck, Harry
 
Greeter
Vines, Mel
 
Attendance
Wilson, Chas
 
Invocation
Whalen, Bob
 
Flag Salute
Whipp, Jeff
 
Guest List
Alexander, Josh
 
Aug 22nd, 2019
 
Greeter
Anderson, B.J.
 
Greeter
Anglin, Jim
 
Attendance
Chapin, Ed
 
Invocation
Bibb, Bob
 
Flag Salute
Brill, Bob
 
Guest List
Bruce, Linda
 
Aug 29th, 2019
 
Greeter
DeGonia, Jarrod
 
Greeter
Dominick, Lee
 
Attendance
Donnelly, Bob
 
Invocation
Dulcich, Vince
 
Flag Salute
Echegaray, Carlos
 
Guest List
Fox, Bill
 
September 5th, 2019
 
Greeter
Fox, Demi
 
Greeter
Gonzales, Greg
 
Attendance
Grinstead, Joe
 
Invocation
Hart, David
 
Flag Salute
Hartman, Gregg
 
Guest List
Hawthorne, Nancy
 
Upcoming Events
Holiday Boat Party
Dec 13, 2019
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
 
View entire list
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Gregg Hartman
August 1
 
Richard Perini
August 8
 
Geovanny Ragsdale
August 10
 
Kailey Wagner
August 12
 
Jim Lowry
August 20
 
Peter Cicciari
August 20
 
Rich Lawrence
August 22
 
Sophie Klepper
August 22
 
Laura Jen Kin Berger
August 29
 
Mel Vines
August 31
 
Anniversaries
Chas Wilson
Phyllis Wilson
August 6
 
Herschel Berger
Laura Berger
August 12
 
Laura Jen Kin Berger
Herschel Berger
August 12
 
Arun Sharma
Rajni
August 14
 
Mary Paseta
Ivo
August 23
 
Bill Fox
Joyce
August 26
 
B.J. Anderson
Ken
August 30
 
Join Date
Linda Bruce
August 1, 1993
26 years
 
E.P. McKnight
August 2, 2018
1 year
 
Bruce Bromberg
August 4, 2016
3 years
 
Bob Brill
August 10, 2017
2 years
 
Rich Lawrence
August 10, 1995
24 years
 
Mel Vines
August 12, 2004
15 years
 
B.J. Anderson
August 15, 1991
28 years
 
John Malan
August 16, 2012
7 years
 
Dan Jaeger
August 28, 2008
11 years
 
George Kerr
August 30, 1990
29 years
 
Paula Williams
August 31, 2000
19 years
 
Executives & Directors
President
 
President-Elect
 
Past President
 
Secretary
 
Treasurer
 
Club Service
 
International Service, Co-Chair
 
International Service, Co-Chair
 
Community Service
 
Vocational Service, Co-Chair
 
Vocational Service, Co-Chair
 
Youth Services,Co-Chair
 
Youth Service, Co-Chair
 
Family of Rotary
 
The Rotary Foundation
 
Director at Large
 
Director at Large
 
Director at Large
 
Director at Large
 
Director at Large - Cajun Chair
 
Parliamentarian
 
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
This was the first meeting for our new President Deb Davila! This year's theme is Rotary Connects the World. Deb talked about how we, as a club, connect through our various activities.  She described our club as one big family! She said that we connect during our many Family of Rotary events, our work projects and how we are there for each other.  She talked about how each of her service directors are connecting our club with the community, with the country and with our world.  She also shared photos from her Rotary International conference in Hamburg, Germany last month.
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Welcome to Our New Member
Carlos Echegaray
District Governor Savi Bhim had the honor of inducting our newest member Carlos Echegaray and giving him his first Rotary Pin!  Read below for more information about Carlos!
Paul Harris Fellow
Elaine Freedman has the pleasure of receiving her 8th Paul Harris Fellow this morning!
Josh Alexander received his Blue Badge!
Past President Mike McCaffrey thanked Mike Mutal for his work this past year.
Highlights of Today's Meeting
President Deb made a few announcements this morning:
1. Ron Hyrchuk has resigned from our club to take care of his wife.
 
2. Cajun net income will be shared next week.
 
3. There will be a Simi Sunrise Charitable Foundation meeting next week, July 17 at Mike Mutal's house. 
 
4. At the board meeting next week, which everyone is invited to attend, a discussion will be had about changing the meeting venue since the cost is going up here at the Grand Vista Hotel.
President Deb also called up Paula Williams to thank her for her many years in our club and all the new members that she has brought in over the years.  Paula will be moving to Seattle soon and she will need the Simi Sunrise umbrella to stay dry!  She will be missed our Paulicious!
President Elect Nomination Process
Chas Wilson talked about reviewing the President Elect Nomination (PEN) process on Monday, July 22 at his house (240 Sinaloa Road) at 7 p.m. The meeting will look at the following 4 areas;
1. Nominating Committee Composition
2. Minimum requirements for a PEN
3. Process changes
4. Floor nomination process
STAR Meetings Coming Back for New Members
Maggie Kestly announced that we will be starting the STAR (Special Training for Action in Rotary) meetings again each month on the board meeting days.  These meetings are for new members - 2 years or less -- to learn more in-depth information about Rotary, our club and the impact we make in our community and around the world. The first one will be next week!
Family of Rotary Kayak Trip - July 27
Dan Jaeger talked about the upcoming  Kayak event and BBQ on Saturday, July 27.  It will be held in Santa Barbara and you don't need to kayak -- you can come and enjoy the day! He also talked about now drowning! Details to follow.
Potato Party Planned
Laura Berger told everyone to mark their calendars now for a really fun event planned for Saturday,
August 8 at Kim Schulte's house!
Haunted House Planning Has Begun
Richard Perini said plans are underway for this year's Haunted House.  He will need volunteers to help build again this year!
July 18 - Board Meeting
 
July 27 - Kayak Trip and BBQ
 
August 10 - Potato Party
 
December 13 - Holiday Boat Lights
Simi Sunrise Charitable Foundation.card are now being sold!  The new cards are being sold for 10 for $100 or $10/piece. Remember, they can be used for all occasions -- birthdays, condolences, get well and more!
 
Please contact Cindy Jacoby to purchase cards - cindyjacoby3@gmail.com.
PROGRAM
President Deb's First Meeting!
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MEET OUR NEWEST MEMBER
Carlos Echegaray
 I am originally from Venezuela, a country located to the north of South America, country of a mixed culture, Venezuela is also known for its beautiful women, as it is my wife Mariana, with whom I have shared 19 fabulous years of my life, giving me the love and necessary support I ever need, to be able to fulfill all our goals as family. We have two daughters, one of them is Victoria Mercedes, she is a Jersey girl, she is 16 years old, she loves music and medicine TV shows. My other daughter is Elizabeth Carolina, she is a Californian Girl, she is only 4 years old and she loves to talk, play and do gymnastic at Platinum. In fact, my two daughters also received their Venezuelan heritage and they turn out to be beautiful inside and out.
 
Although Mariana and I met in Venezuela and had a beautiful life over there, as she was practicing as a doctor in dentistry and I was a recognized lawyer, we were forced to leave the country due to the installation of the socialist regime that was being established in Venezuela back in year 1999. Socialism left us without a homeland, but we were adopted by the United States, where we had the opportunity to start over in the State of Florida in 2003. When we arrived we did not have much, scarcely a money to survive, we did not know how to speak English, we did not know the American system or culture and as additional condiment to the immigrant’s soup, we had the responsibility to give security, education and stability to our daughter Victoria, who at that time of approximately 6 months.
My first job wasn’t that great, I started throwing newspapers for the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel. My wife had a little more luck and her first job was in a dental office owned by Venezuelan and Colombian owners. At that time, we both focused on working, saving some money and educating Victoria. After a year of our arrival, I was finally able to complete the translation of my Real Estate book from English to Spanish, which gave me the opportunity to understand the language more. I took my Realtor exam for the Florida license 2 times in Spanish and guess what? (I failed) and when I got back home to tell my wife, it was very sad, but my face spoke for itself and we both known that if we did not improve, our goals would not be achieved. So, I decided to take the exam in English and guess what? … I finally became a Real Estate Agent and began to advise and grow a list of clients and sales. Now with my new income and my wife efforts, led us to achieve our goals of buying our house in Port St Lucie, Florida, where we lived for 6 years.
 
Then, when everything was fantastically good, we see a new development on television news informing the people that US was entering into an economic recession. The recession became to have a real meaning for us since nothing was sold in those times. But I already a few years before had the opportunity to completed a master's degree in Paralegal studies, which helped me work for several law firms in the foreclosure process and secondary market loan contracts, which is why I was hired in California by the Bank from America here in California, which hired me. However, I always continue studying, and after finishing my master's degree in Paralegal Studies, I began to study USA laws and obtained my Juris Doctor degree from Concord Law School in 2013, so my good friends called me Doctor-Doctor.
After all that and to make the story short, my wife and I managed to relocate in this beautiful city of Simi Valley about 8 years ago, here our beautiful Elizabeth was born, I was able to establish my Real Estate Broker license here in California (now I sell houses in Florida and California). This 2019 I created EH Worldwide Realty together with my business partner Miguel Herrera.
 
We are so grateful to the US for having us here. We still doing our best to improve our lives to be always a better family every day. Who knows what other things will happen to us, but I am sure that we will overcome them the same way we overcome all obstacles so far. God bless America! and keep this great country away from socialism, if someone does not know what socialism is, my family and I and millions of other Venezuelans are living proof of what it means. 
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Welcome Guests
Past Presidents:
Sal Fasulo
Elizabeth Gilbert
Paul Miller
Dick Strayer
Assistant District Governor Terry Marvin
Tony Davila
Melody Johnson
Wayne Snyder
Manuel Vielman
Karina Zambrano
Olivia Andazola, Iggy and Guillaume Myers
 
Past Presidents
Terry Marvin
Tony Davila
Melody Johnson
Wayne Snyder
Theone Geres
Karina Zambrano
Olivia Andazola, Iggy and Guillaume Myers
Mike's Demotion Party!
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