Stephanie brought the meeting to order and following are her comments:
This morning we are talking about our Happy Face Music Festival and I would like to take the time to thank everyone here and on Zoom who have signed up to volunteer to help the event be successful. We cannot do it without the amazing volunteers and we absolutely cannot do it without our club being volunteers.
As you came in this morning and perhaps while you were greeted by Karen, you may have been asked if you have signed up or to sign up for the remaining positions and I am hearing that some of you did. Thank you! We still have volunteer positions left to fill and Kailey has the sign-up sheet at her table and she and I can help to get you signed up for a position.
I would like to capitalize on having the microphone and forcing you all to listen to me and ask for everyone who is able to volunteer to help with setting up the event site on Friday afternoon and / or Saturday morning, to please stand up so Kailey can take a photo of you and we can reach out to you after the meeting.
Now, anyone who is working the event and will commit to staying after to help break down the event, please stand up so Kailey can take a photo of you and we can reach out to you after the meeting.
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John Malan lead this morning's Invocation.
Nancy Hawthorne lead the Flag Salute.
Mike Mutal welcomed our Guests this morning and we had quite a few including:
Mr. Bernardo Perez
Mr. Dwight Thompson (Karen's assistant)
Mr. Hani Youssef (Simi Valley Unified School District Superintendent)
Mr. Ted Jeris
Mr. Eric Bordo
Mr. Eric Kaufman
Mr. Dan Drugan (Guest Speaker)
Ms. Leila Thayer-Malone (Alzheimer's Association)
Ms. Heidi Dinardo (City of Simi)
Ms. Linda Swan (City of Simi)
Mr. Mark Richardson
Ms. Lisa Hemmingway (Waste Management)
Bernardo Perez, second from right
Dwight Thompson, left, and Mark Richardson to his left.
Hani Youssef
Ted Jeris
Eric Bordo, center, and Eric Kaufman, right (I think)
Leila Thayer-Malone
Heidi Dinardo, left and Linda Swan
Karen Thompson was our greeter this morning.
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President Kathryn Scroggin
It was a very full agenda with a packed house so President Kathryn opened by getting right to business with that business being the Happy Face Music Festival on May 28th. She asked if we would all be willing to give up our time to provide bikes for disadvantaged kids, or to provide scholarships to deserving graduates, or provide a Thanksgiving meal to seniors, or clean water to those in need? The obvious answer, of course, is a resounding yes. By volunteering to help with the Music Festival you are providing all of the things that were just listed. That is Kathryn's challenge - volunteer to help on the Happy Face Music Festival so that we all can continue to give to improve and enrich the lives of others.
Kathryn said that we will be recognizing our 21 scholarship recipients, joined by their families and friends, on our Zoom call next week. Please remember that we are not meeting in person next week but via Zoom.
Kathryn also said that she also hopes to have the third place winner, and recipient of $100, in the Elementary Division of the Four- Way Test Essay Contest join us next week as well. Our Club is the only one in Ventura County that sponsored a student who placed in the competition. Congratulations to us and thanks to John Bagnall and John Baxter for coordinating that Essay Contest.
Kathryn's weekly quote goes way back to Aristotle. “What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good."
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Kathryn announced that Vince Dulcich is being recognized as an Exceptional Volunteer for our Club at the Simi Valley Community Council President’s Breakfast on June 4th. Congratulations Vince and very well deserved as your accomplishments are many!
Vince "I am Smiling" Dulcich
Our Guest, Leila Thayer-Malone, announced a Walk to End Alzheimers coming up in October and left us a flyer below. See Martha Macker if this is of interest to you.
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Cindy Jacoby let us know that the Scholarship committee ended up awarding 21 scholarships totaling $16,000 to graduating seniors. That's the good news. The not so good news is that Cindy is reaching out for help in handing out the certificates to the winners. You can assist by attending the graduation ceremony and, as a representative of our Rotary Club, present the certificate to the winner in person. Please email Cindy if you can volunteer. Following is the graduation schedule and Cindy's email:
Monte Vista - Wednesday, June 1st @ 6:00 p.m. - LOCATION - School at the North West Corner (Chessboard)
Apollo - at their graduation on Friday, June 10th @ 5:30 p.m.
These recipients and their families will be joining us via Zoom next week.
Leigh Seaton has arranged another Blood Drive on June 16th during our regular meeting. Please see Leigh to coordinate times.
And Leigh said that an arrangement has been made to credit the blood donated to Ayden Denne to help in his recovery. Yet another good reason to donate.
Ayden Denne
Leigh Seaton
Kathryn announced the following Club Meeting Schedule for the remainder of May and all of June;
- May 26th - A regular meeting held via Zoom
- June 2nd - In person at the Best Western.
- June 9th - In person at the Best Western.
- June 16th - In person at the Best Western comprising of a regular meeting and joint Board meeting with the incoming and outgoing Boards. Leigh is also organizing a Blood Drive during this meeting.
- June 23rd - In person at the Best Western.
- June 30th - Dark.
Another reminder about Jake Finch's requests for Gift Cards. Her two requests had to do with, one, helping out the Simi Valley Unified School District students that are in need of assistance. School District resources have been stressed to the limit and help is needed to replenish those resources. That help can come to the District in the form of Gift Card donations for gas, groceries, etc. at places like Target and Walmart. $25 and $50 Gift Cards work best.
Jake's second request was more directed. Jake said that the District had just enrolled their first students, 8 and 14 year old girls, who have fled Ukraine with their mother. The family came here with basically the clothes on their back so are in need of everything. Gift cards to Kohls and Target would be very helpful. As an update, Jake said that an account has been set up and help has been coming in. But more is needed as more refugees from Ukraine have arrived here in Simi with school age children.
If you can help out, please reach out to Jake.
Also, a big shout out to Jesus Torres, who is providing legal services for these refugees pro bono. Providing a great example to us all!
Jake Finch
Tim Gray let us know of some immediate needs:
- The number 1 need is VOLUNTEERS! 40-45 are still needed.
- AUCTION ITEMS are needed for the Silent Auction.
- OUTSIDE GAMES, like Cornhole, are needed.
- Help with TICKET SALES is needed.
- There could be a need to help the Y'S MEN with their BBQ if some other food vendors don't pan out.
- Help will be needed to both SET UP AND BREAK DOWN the event.
Let Tim or John Tolson know if you need or want any paper tickets. Tim left us with Sell, Sell, Sell, Like, Like, Like and Share, Share, Share!
To recap, The Happy Face Music Festival will be held on Saturday, May 28th which is Memorial Day weekend. It will be a half day event at the Rancho Simi Park with no more than 2000 tickets being sold at $50 per ticket. It will follow a minimal concept with Food, Alcohol (both beer and wine), and Entertainment provided with only those 21 and over being admitted.
Deb Davila came up and recognized and thanked our many Contributors, Friends and Sponsors, the most current list being shown below:
Contributors
Jesus Torres
Stephanie Shannon
Steve Hise
Cesar Zambrano
Martha Macker
Kathryn Scroggin
Festival Friend
Demi Fox
Harry & Marilyn VanDyck
Prickly Plants – Dr. Steve P.
Elements Massage, Carolyn Boucher
Larry Borovay
Laura Jen Kin Berger & Herschel Berger
Karen Thompson
Chick-fil-A, Josh Alexander
Bernardo Perez
Mike Judge
Mark & Darci Richardson
BVI Apparel, USA, Savi Bhim
Simi Valley Democratic Club
American Pie Records
Bronze Sponsor
Sue & Bill Klepper
Peter Cicciari
Mike Mutal
City Auto Body, Gary White
Dan Gesell, CFP
Silver Sponsor
Don Schadt
State Farm, Eric Little
Northwestern Mutual, Deb Davila
Pinnacle Estate Properties
Milgard Windows
Ted Jeries
Pegasus Transit, Mary Paseta
Silver Plus Sponsor
Ventura Orthopedics, Dr. Gregg Hartman
Union Bank, Fernando Estevez
Gold Sponsor
City of Simi
Space Vector, Tim Gray
Pacific Beverage
Waste Management
99.1 The Ranch
Simi Adventist
Dr. P also assured us that the "Dr. P's Dawgs" he's serving the volunteers are not left over from the last Cajun festival. He said he was finally able to get rid of all of those at Oktoberfest.
Kathryn remarked that the Team Ginny Team remains strong, powerful and committed to finding that donor for Ginny
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Today's Guest Speaker was Mr. Dan Drugan with the Calleguas Municipal Water District. Suffice to say, Dan did not come bearing good news. We've all heard and/or read about it and Dan confirmed it. The seriousness of this latest drought is necessitating the need to reduce outdoor irrigation to one day per week starting June 1st and to reduce overall water consumption in general. There is the possibility, he said, that even the one day per week watering allocation could be cut. Dan talked in terms of historically low levels of rainfall, snowfall and reservoir levels and the absolute need to reduce our intake during these times of drought.
Dan mentioned that there are rebates available to homeowners to help offset the cost of converting grass to more drought tolerant shrubbery along with other programs to assist in reducing water consumption. He said a good source of information is www.waterwise.com.
Kathryn presenting Dan with the Timer in appreciation of sharing his time with us.
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No Wedding Anniversaries this week nor......
.....any Club Anniversaries.
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Our meeting next week, May 26th, will be held via Zoom.
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Please remember to bring a friend or an acquaintance to our next meeting. This is a GREAT way to grow our membership! And the guest's breakfast is taken care of.
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