Past President Bob Doerr conducted the meeting in Doug's absence.
Past President Phil Siegle led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Thought of the day:
Jeff Krolik improvised brilliantly and recalled a flight announcement! "We will land somewhere in Denver whether airport or somewhere else as long as we are safe and that's life”. He emphasized the value of clear communication and avoiding unnecessary panic, drawing parallels to client interactions.
Sunshine Report:
Wishing following Rotarians a speedy recovery
Fritz reported om Mike Kimball. He is in great spirits, as always, but is struggling with a few health challenges.
Jennifer has been in contact with Cary Koh. He has been MIA due to severe back pain issues. We are thinking of him and miss him. A card was circulated to let him know.
Announcements:
Past president Bob Doerr announced that newest school project in India dedication will be held on October 10. All are invited to travel to India to help celebrate.
Jeff Krolik reminded us of the upcoming fundraising event scheduled for November 2nd at TopGolf. The ticket price is $150. There are various sponsorship levels available. Jeff emphasized the importance of driving corporate sponsorships and encouraged attendees to review a spreadsheet of previous supporters to reach out to potential sponsors.
JenniferPence discussed the need to contribute raffle items, with a deadline set for October 15th for donating. Every Rotarian should bring a bottle of wine valued at $50 or more. Gift cards are also a perfect donation.
Jay Miller presented his “Don’t Miss This” highlighting an article in the latest Rotary magazine. It explored the use of time banks, time being a valuable currency. Do read it!
Student Guest
Jennifer introduced scholarship recipient Joy Yeo, a third-year student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She shared her college experience and career aspirations!
Joy outlined her future plans, including launching a new entrepreneurship-focused fraternity at Cal Poly and pursuing a career in consulting, product management, or marketing.
Program:
Following Joy's presentation, Jennifer introduced our speaker.
Josh Matthews is a performer and teacher with extensive experience in theater and education and was invited to speak about his work with the Medical Clown Project.
Josh shared his journey from community theater and local commercials to becoming a medical clown, highlighting his education at the Duarte International School of Physical Theater and his work with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit in New York. He described the unique aspects of medical clowning, which involves improvisational performances in hospitals and clinics, emphasizing the shift from ego-driven performance to audience-focused entertainment. He also discussed his transition to the Bay Area, where he joined the Medical Clown Project founded by Jeff Raz, and his role as its artistic director for the past two years.
Josh, a medical clown with 7 years of experience at Laguna Honda in San Francisco, described their organization's work bringing laughter and compassion to hospital patients. He explained that their ensemble of 8 performers, including 7 hospital clowns and an artistic director, serves around 7 healthcare organizations across 12 locations, with main contacts being activities therapists and child life specialists.
Josh shared a personal juggling demonstration before inviting the audience to sign up for their newsletter. He then got Fritz Brauner trained.
Christine Krolik belatedly delivered a solemn reflection on September 11th, remembering the passengers of Flight 93 who heroically prevented further loss of life by crashing the plane.
The meeting ended with a presentation of a certificate recognizing the recipient's contribution to Rotary's polio eradication efforts, which will fund five immunizations for children worldwide.
From Workers to Owners: A New Path to Shared Prosperity
Find out why Michael Brownrigg’s new venture, Apis & Heritage Capital Partners, won the 2025 Skoll Award for Social Innovation His talk will introduce you to the concept of using broad-based employee ownership to lift up working Americans everywhere. We hope it will leave you more hopeful about the future of our economy and our country.
