President Doug Person had some issuer getting Rotarians to pay attention but did succeed in officially calling the meeting to order. He called on Fritz Brauner to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Next up was the Invocation. Charlene Drummer spoke about the shared values between the military and Rotary International, emphasizing service above self.
Doug asked for a Sunshine Report. He inquired about Bill Tiedeman. A couple of members noted that they had seen him on Burlingame Avenue and he looked well. Hopefully he will be able to attend meetings soon.
Announcements:
Jennifer Pence informed us that the date for our fall fundraiser has been set. We will be hosting a fun event on Sunday, November 2 at TopGolf Burlingame. The scheduled time will be 4PM to 7PM. The festivities will include two hours of golf, plus buffet dinner, soft beverages – and prizes! There will be a no-host bar, as well. Sponsorships are key to the success of this event so please reach out to potential donors. Raffle items are also helpful.
“Don’t Miss This” was brought to us by Jay Miller. The article he highlighted from the August issue of the Rotary magazine was how Rotary can provide a “family” for those new to an unfamiliar place.
Jennifer Pence and membership chair Al Royse did the honors to welcome and introduce our newest member, Jesús Nava. Jesús was a member of out club a number of years ago. Welcome back!
Program:
President Doug introduced our speaker, Rick Harrell, Director of Heroes’ Voices. He was a former opera singer and music therapist. Rick founded Heroes’ Voices, a nonprofit that uses music and poetry to support veterans facing service-related challenges. He shared his journey from opera to veterans' support, highlighting how music therapy has transformed lives, including a veteran who rediscovered his passion for guitar. Rick emphasized the program's impact, noting reduced anxiety and stress among participants and the healing power of music for veterans. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve those who have served their country.
Rick shared his experiences conducting in-person programming for veterans, including guitar workshops and music therapy sessions at various locations such as the VA in Menlo Park, The Pathway Home, and San Francisco's Veterans Building. He described how these programs helped veterans with PTSD, including a notable instance where a guitar provided to a veteran led to a scientific study on music and PTSD.
Rick showed two very moving videos, demonstrating the impact music can have on the brain.
Rick discussed the topic of veterans and the challenges they face, highlighting improvements in diagnosis and the lack of community support until recently. He also mentioned his connection with Martin Guitars, who have been donating instruments and merchandise to support his guitar lessons program.
