Pledge of Allegiance: Past District Governor Steve Wright lead the pledge.
Thought for the Day: Al Royse gave a detailed history of Halloween, explaining its origins in Celtic paganism and how it evolved through Roman and Christian influences. He traced the holiday's development from ancient celebrations in Ireland and England to its adaptation in America, noting its commercialization in the 1950s and its current status as a $9 billion annual celebration. Al also discussed the origins of trick-or-treating, which he traced back to medieval practices in Cumberland and Scotland. Al loves to Trick-or-treat with his grandkids!
Visiting Rotarian: Past DG Steve Wright
Announcements:
The upcoming Topgolf Event is this Sunday Nov. 2. The event will take place Sunday from 4 to 7 PM and is $150 per ticket. This will be a really fun event for you and your friends or family, no golf experience required! Will include a buffet dinner, auction and fellowship having fun shooting golf balls to targets below on the range. Sign up on the Rotary web site or email Jennifer Pence.
Jerry Winges reminded all of our Club’s commitment to provide at least 500 bags of instant mashed potatoes to support CALL Primrose’s Thanksgiving food drive. In our area there are 500 to 600 families that depend on Call Primrose weekly to help feed their families. With the current government shutdown and reductions in government funding, food subsidies are more important than ever. We need 500 bags of 4 oz (or 8 oz) size instant mashed potatoes by November 12. These are available at Safeway or from Amazon, on sale for as little as 87cents to one dollar a bag. Please bring as many as you can afford to our next two meetings or contact Jerry for a pick-up and more information. Alternatively, please support with a check or cash and we will purchase for you. Thank you!!
On December 11th there is a major Rotary International event at the War Memorial Bldg. in San Francisco celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Rotary was a major partner in starting the UN in a quest for Global Peace. Registration is open through RotaryUNA.org, with various price points for participation. Rotary International President Francesco Arezzo and many other dignitaries will preside. Our club will be hosting a table display about our 5 global grants in India, along with many other clubs hosting tables about their international projects in the 7 areas of Rotary focus. This is an event not to be missed!
Rotary Grants Presentation
Past District Governor Steve Wright discussed the various types of grants provided by Rotary, including district grants, global grants, and endowment funds. He highlighted the importance of the Polio Plus initiative in eliminating polio worldwide. Steve also shared details about the Zone Institute, a training event for district governors and nominees held last week in Albuquerque NM. Bobba Venkatadri and Paul Watermulder flew to Albuquerque to represent our Club’s fifth international project for digitization of 2 additional Tribal Girls Welfare schools in rural India. Steve described Bobba’s moving presentation and re-presented a trophy Bobba received for his great speech at the Shark Tank Event. Steve concluded by noting Rotary's role in the formation of the United Nations in 1945 and its continued involvement as a leading NGO at the UN. He encouraged us to attend the December 11 Rotary/UN event in San Francisco.
Shark Tank Summary
Paul Watermulder shared his experience attending the Zone Institute with Bobba. He gave a stirring summary of Bobba’s life from rural poverty to CEO of 2 companies. He described Bobba’s speech at the Institute as “he brought the house down!” Paul spoke about Bobba’s humble and dedicated commitment, and our International Service Committee efforts in the life-changing power of digital education for 800 girls in each of 5 schools. He encouraged members to continue supporting the Global Grants initiative and how our efforts have made our club a leader in the Zone and in District 5150 for international service projects.
Program:
Jennifer Pence introduced our speaker: Antonio López, San Mateo County Poet Laureate
Antonio spoke about the importance of poetry and service in times of social change. He highlighted the shared missions of poets and Rotarians to create inclusive spaces and promote community building. He shared his personal story as the son of Mexican immigrants, emphasizing the value of education and community support.
Antonio told of his personal journey from growing up in Palo Alto as a busboy who learned English to becoming a city council member, emphasizing how education and poetry played crucial roles in his life. He described how poetry is about appreciating different ways of speaking and listening, drawing an analogy from a conversation about policing in different cities. He also discussed his experience running for and serving on the city council, highlighting how listening to residents' concerns was central to his approach as an elected official. He emphasized that poets are not mystical figures but simply dedicated listeners who take seriously the task of capturing what is being said.
He shared his experiences as a poet and writer, emphasizing how poetry connects people and humanizes experiences, particularly in a fragmented world. He highlighted the importance of storytelling and empathy, using examples from his own life and community in East Palo Alto. Antonio read several poems, including "Las Chachalas de Carried," which explores themes of inheritance and resilience. He encouraged the audience to find beauty and joy in everyday life and to continue serving others with gratitude and faith. He challenged the audience to continue their charitable work and to recognize the potential in youth and underserved communities.
President Doug closed out the meeting after thanking Antonio and presenting him with a certificate noting that Burlingame Rotary is donating polio doses in her name.
Hear from BHS students as they share their experiences hosting Italian exchange students through a Rotary-supported partnership with Udine, Italy. In addition, two students and Principal Jen Fong will recount their remarkable experience representing the United States at the International Summit
on AI in Schools held in Naples, Italy— an event that brought together 23 delegations from six continents, hosted by the European Union and the Italian Ministry od Education.
