Yes, I’m transcribing from last week, plus a report on today. PP MIKE NEWMAN gallantly stepped forward for Prexy TED, who spent the week at his family’s farm in the suth (that’s Southern for South, OK?). PP MIKE was surrounded by fellow scholars. PP CHRIS GAYNOR, LENORE MULRYAN, PP GEO. DEA, Susanne Karpilovsky (our speaker) and DON NELSON, her counselor, at the Head Table. PP RON LYSTER led the Pledge, and then a special Song, composed by who else than PP JIM DOWNIE, which I now quote:

Oh give TED a gun where the turkeys do run, and he’ll shoot at the fowls all the day…But often is heard some despicable words only feathers float down in the hay…Bang Bang goes TED’S gun, but the turkeys continue to run…where often is heard some despicable words as nude turkeys run safely away!

The song leader was JACK HARRIS, and the composition of course was in anticipation of TED’S teaching his ten-year old twins how to turkey hunt - I’m sure the kids were properly impressed. If there were visiting Rotarians, they were introduced by KEN KILPO.

PP MIKE allowed as how he was looking forward to returning TEN YEARS after serving his time, and accordingly moved the podium to the center of the stage, etc. MIKE noted that he had run the inbound scholar program for the past nine years, and last year he chaired the outbound scholar selection committee. His fellow Head-Tablers were each involved with Rotary Scholarship, and PP CHRIS GAYNOR commented on his time as inbound scholarship chair. PP CHRIS noted that during his year as President, PP RON LYSTER rewrote our WVRC Foundation By-Laws (this in spite of RON’S MIT and USC training, apparently), and of course our continuing Foundation Guru is none other than PP STEVE DAY. LENORE MULRYAN continues to do her excellent job as coordinator of the selection process, holding several information meetings and then helping to select those who are chosen. As a quick reminder, these Rotary Scholarships are better than a Fullbright, and thus, most well worth achieving. PP GEO. DEA has long been involved with these scholars, and his interest continues today. DON NELSON, now that he has been released from his FOURTEEN YEARS as Treasurer at Westwood Methodist, is serving as Suzanne’s Counselor, and thus introduced her as our Speaker.

DON noted that Suzanne was born in Australia, but moved with her family to South Africa when she was five. A few years later they immigrated to the U.S., settling in Chico where her father was a professor. She is now a naturalized U.S. citizen, and graduated from UCLA Cum Laude in English Literature. Her expectations upon being selected were of living the student life in Paris – but her actual experience was much more far-reaching. She thanked both her Counselors, LENORE and DON, for their continuing support while she was in France, and her host counselor, Dr. M Parizot, was always available when called upon. She spent her first month in an intensive language program in Tours, and even stayed with the Parizot family during her stay and before beginning her studies at the Sorbonne.

She spoke at three Rotary Clubs, her host club being Bois-Colombes, with about 25 members. They were quite interested in her reactions to the events of 9/11, and later in her views about the problems in the Middle East. She also spoke at her dorm, explaining what Rotary is all about – since most of her fellow foreign students had no clue. This led to other speaking engagements at other college dorms and gatherings – she indeed was a Rotary Ambassadorial exponent! As a published poet, she was invited to read her compositions, and this led to the formation of the Poetry Group, which she enjoyed during her stay. She participated in several Rotary fund-raising events, which she enjoyed. Her studies at the Sorbonne were on French Literature and Philosophy, and these will be most helpful as she proceeds toward her doctoral studies.

One of her most rewarding experiences was to vacation with a French family in Scotland. Later, she learned that they were skeptical about Americans – but after being with her for a few days, they accepted the fact that we really were OK, after all. This was of course very flattering to her. She came home even prouder of the U.S. than when she left, since she missed our genuine desire to help people, our solid work ethic, and our unbridled creativity. Suzanne, thank you for sharing your wonderful Ambassadorial adventures with us – you are an example to all of us stay-at-homes.