Weekly eBulletin, Aug 28 - Sept 3, 2013

Posted by Bill Paul

on Aug 31, 2013

Weekly eBulletin August 28, 2013
Written by Bill Paul

(REDONDO BEACH – August 28, 2013) –Today’s invocation was by Steve Aspel while Jeff Weigel led us in the flag salute.

During the invocation, Steve paid tribute to his long-time friend and colleague John Parsons. Steve said he and John first became friends and playmates in kindergarten.

He was followed by Jeff who was doing one of his blue badge duties. A new member, Jeff preceded the flag salute with a bit of trivia, a history lesson as it were, about the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Pledge was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, and Christian socialist. When originally penned it said nothing about the United States of America, referencing only “the republic for which it stands.” Weigel said, “The Pledge has been amended four times since then.” Then the kicker! Weigel said that for half a century after Bellamy penned it, “Americans saluted the flag and said the pledge of allegiance with their right arm raised.” At the time it was known as the Bellamy salute.


Students pledging the with Bellamy salute, circa 1941	Students swearing the Pledge on Flag Day, 1899.	Students pledging with hand-over-heart.
Photos courtesy Wikipedia. Click HERE to get the full Pledge of Allegiance story.

Early in the 1940s after the U.S. got into a shooting war with a nasty little guy in Germany, the Bellamy salute didn’t go over to well with many patriotic Americans. Recognizing the salute was too similar to the Nazi salute, in 1942, during the height of WWII, the United States Congress discontinued it. In its place Congress instituted the practice of the right hand over the heart to accompany the Pledge of Allegiance.

Visiting Rotarians: Steve Goldsmith formerly of the Hawthorne Rotary Club, and Roger Schamp of the PV Sunset Rotary Club.

Guests: Carol Kaleneavick attended today as a guest of Gayle Albin-Bailey

Meals-on-Wheels by Mel Nichols and Bill Gard

Family of Rotary: Club members were asked to sign a condolence card for the family of John Parsons. To ensure everyone signed, Pearl Davis stood at the check-in table and cornered each member as they arrived. She also sent the card around to each table for any latecomers. Way to go Pearl.

Announcements: President Karen Weigel passed around a print out of of the club photo directory from ClubRunner. She asked members to update their information so corrections can be made on the club website. Contact Dave Whitehead if you haven’t already done so.

Redondo Beach Police Reserves Award Banquet: September 25 starting at 6 p.m. $50 per person. See Mel Nichols.

District 5280 Annual Picnic at the Seaside Lagoon, Sunday, October 6. Karen announced that Paul Hayashi and his son are designing and building a paper boat for the boat race at the event. Paul will be looking for volunteers to help decorate the boat soon.

Rotarians of the Month – Book Buddies Program: Terry Bichlmeier and Paul Hayashi were instrumental in creating this program and completing a successful pilot program that included eight of our Rotarians reading to YMCA summer campers. The Book Buddies program is a collaborative effort between Rotarians, high school service clubs, the YMCA and the Molina Foundation.

Rookie Party: Recent new members of the club—Jim Sharvin, Chantel King, Scott Young and Jeff Weigel—are planning a surprise party for the club. Date, time and concept to be announced.

President Karen asked club members how many past-presidents are currently in the club. Alotta folks scratched their head before one member replied “26.” Karen then asked what was significant about November 7, 2014. The answer, she replied, “That will be the 90^th Club Anniversary.” She announced the program that day would feature current past-presidents of the Redondo Beach Rotary Club talking about what they were most proud of during their year at the helm of the club.

Now a third trivia question Karen did not ask. Who was Ernest Perkins? Click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page to find out. (Hint - 2425)

Long-time member and past president Ali Adham is moving to Florida. Today was his last meeting at the club. President Karen asked Ali to offer any comments he felt appropriate. Ali opened his comments with a tribute to John Parsons. He said that John encouraged him to take on the presidency of the club, which he did. Ali followed John in the club presidency in the 1999-2000 Rotary Year. He also regaled us with an incident sparked by prankster Steve Aspel. Evidently, Steve created an Arab costume and gave it to Ali at his demotion party. “But I’m not an Arab,” Ali replied, “I’m Persian.” Never-the-less- it brought a hearty laugh at the time, and again when Ali recounted the story today.


Ali Adham	Steve Goldsmith

Program: Steve Goldsmith, Executive Director of Centinela Youth Service (CYS) and a past president of the Hawthorne Rotary Club, presented a program about the Victim Offender Restitution Service (VORS). “Centinela Youth Service started 35 years ago and is designed to help kids stay out of the juvenile detention system,” he said. “We’ve helped over 5,000 kids so far. It is a mediation system.” He explained the system is based on what he called restorative justice and not retributive justice. “We seek to unpack the event of the day that led to the juvenile’s arrest, from each point of view – both the juvenile and the victim. We ask the juvenile what it was like when your mom or dad came to get you, after you’d been caught.” According to Goldsmith, a study conducted found that 85% of participating youth offenders did not re-offend after a VORS mediation.

He asked Rotarians at the luncheon to volunteer to become VORS mediators. “It requires just a few hours of your time each month, which are scheduled around your availability,” he noted. Contact Steve Goldsmith at 310-970-7769 or by email at steve@cys-la.org. Visit the Centinela Youth Services website.

Raffle: Wayne Bradshaw’s number was drawn for the raffle. He showed up at today’s luncheon after a long absence. It didn’t do him any good as he didn’t draw the green marble. Ten bucks, Wayne.