June 5 Dr. Catherine Julliard June 12 Wild Animal Waystation

Next Week... May 29 "UCLA Chancellor" Gene Block Upcoming Meetings... June 5 "Medical Trauma Systems in Cameroon, West Africa" Dr. Catherine Julliard June 12 "Wild Animal Waystation" Karen Suter The Waystation is an exotic and wild animal rescue and sanctuary reserve. June 19 Billie Greer Director of Governor Schwarzenegger's Los Angeles Office

This Week...
ALLIANCE FOR SMILES at WVRC on May 22nd
The Pledge was led by PP HOMER NEWMAN.  LENNY introduced Smile, Sing A Song, and we done it twice.  SHANE WAARBROEK gave the Invocation, preceding it by reminding us that Rotary has grown into one of the largest forces for good in this world. “Dear Lord, I often marvel at the change that occurs by groups such as the WVRC who gather weekly for fellowship and doing good in this world, so we can effect meaningful change with like-minded individuals…let us remember that we are so very fortunate to be in a position where we are able to help others, and have this club and these friends to help us accomplish the important tasks we have set for ourselves.”  Well done, SHANE.

Our visiting Rotarian was Alonzo Hill, from Santa Monica, and he is with the FBI.  We later learned that our Speaker, Anita Stangl belongs to San Francisco Rotary, so we had two extra Rotarians with us today.  SUNNY was there with LENNY, and our two about-to-be Ambassadorial Scholars came along – Carine Allaf and Miloni Gandhi.  PEGGY BLOOMFIELD brought her grandson, Wyatt Bloomfield, who is the son of last week’s speaker, BILL BLOOMFIELD Jr. Wyatt is an attorney in Los Angeles.

We had two UCLA students with us, Natalie Hurt (nhurt@ucla.edu (707) 364-4014 and Anthony Vorster (avorster@ucla.edu (915)612-4014. They are representing OneHeartSource, which will provide shelter, hope, and education to some of the 1,200 street kids in Arusha, Tanzania.  These children have been orphaned by AIDS, and will be housed in a new orphanage in Arusha this summer. Their intent is to provide a safe haven, plus education to these children.  Without this opportunity, it is known that after release from Tanzanian Orphanages, 60% of females turn to prostitution and 80% of males are incarcerated within three years.  Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Anthony Vorster, 3146 Brackenwood Place, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762.  I told them that coming to see us so briefly is a tough task, and we certainly wish them well.

Announcements:
PDG ANDY ANDERSON told of a major donation of $20,000 to our Foundation by SALLY PHILLIPS, in honor of her husband and our past member, HOWARD PHILLIPS

June 4th is the next meeting of the Westwood Village Rotary Auxiliary, at the home of ELIOSE SISKEL, starting at 11:30.  President CHRIS, accompanied by his wife SHARON, who is flying in from Kansas City for the event, will discuss Rotary plans for the coming Convention in Los Angeles.

PEGGY BLOOMFIELD will install the new officers, with MARIE ROLF as the incoming President, and her Board includes ELOISE as Advisor, SHIRLEY MORE and PAT ANDERSON, Vice Presidents in charge of programs, KATHY GAULD, Corresponding Secretary, SALLY NEWMAN, recording secretary, and Margie, Treasurer.  MARIE will discuss some of the Auxiliary’s plans for the coming year, which begins with a Hawaiian Luau at the Encino home of LEO TSENG on Saturday July 26th.  All Rotarians and their spouses are invited to the meetings, which include lunch at a $5 donation.  Lunch Chairmen this year have been AVA PEOPLOW and ELEANOR MORE.  Starting in September, the lunches will be directed by AUDREY MCQUAY for Tuesday meetings and HELEN BEASOM for Wednesdays – the group rotates between the two days to allow more people to attend.  ROZ NELSON is the new telephone chair, and JESSIE ROBINSON is in charge of hospitality.

R.I. President Wilfrid J. Wilkinson will be honored on June 12th with a Vision Award. For further information, call (818) 610-0300.l

June 16th WVRC will host a Reception to honor Rotarians who are visiting us from around the world.  It will be from 5 to 6:30 at the Faculty Center, and the visitors will then move to a number of Rotary Host homes for dinner.  Everyone is invited to this Reception, so mark the date and remind your spouse, please.

Shortly after, on June 21st, the long-awaited Demotion of President CHRIS will take place at the Beach Club, starting at 6 pm.  Every member will be billed for a ticket, and guests will cost another $100. Note –YOU GOTTA GO – how else can you be sure he’s really leaving?

We next heard from our soon-departing Ambassadorial Scholars, Carine Allaf and Miloni Gandhi. Both of them were thankful for being chosen, and expressed their gratitude to us.

Carine. whose Counselor is ANN SAMSON, will be going to Jordan, plus spending some time in Egypt, while Miloni will be in Singapore.  Miloni has Co-Counselors, CHRIS BRADFORD and SHANE WAARBROEK. WVRC provided both of them with business cards, with their photo in color, identifying them as Ambassadorial Scholars.  This is new, as far as I know, and a very good idea. They both will be excellent representatives for WVRC.

It’s time for another tip of the chapeau to two of our members.  First, DICK ROBINSON, along with his wife, JESSIE, attended the Air Force ROTC Banquet at UCLA last Friday.  DICK presented a sword to Famara J. DeJesus, and at my urging, noted that he (DICK) had flown B-24’s during the war.  Thanks to you and JESSIE — it's a fine example of our continuing support of the Air Force by representing WVRC at this presentation. My second Hat’s Off is to ED WRIGHT, who stepped in for me as Editor last week – The Windmill was well done, and I thank him for his help.

PEGGY BLOOMFIELD introduced our Speaker, Anita Stangl. She is the immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of San Francisco – which is the second-oldest Rotary Club in the World.  She has lived in the Bay Area most of her life, and her field of endeavor is education and non-profit management. Anita is the founder, President and CEO of Alliance for Smiles, which is dedicated to treating cleft palate and related disfigurement victims in the third world. She has her BA and MA from San Francisco University, and was one of the first women admitted to Rotary, in 1987.  She has traveled extensively in Central and South America, and China, advocating non-profit services.

Anita began by reminding us that the Rotary Club of San Francisco will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary on November 9th of this year, and everyone is invited to attend.  Her organization was started 3 (?) years ago, and in that short time, they have performed surgery on one thousand children, all in China.  In the U.S., for example, children with cleft-palate defects begin treatment almost immediately – the earlier surgery can take place, the more successful it will be.  And they have a host of specialists at their disposal.

In the third world, these services are not usually available, and this can create serious problems with speech, for instance.  The figures in China show that 1 of every 350 children are born with cleft palate and related defects, which is a very high percentage.

They have gathered a diverse team of specialists to perform the surgery in China, and a major part of their effort is directed at teaching the local physicians their techniques.

She repeated an allegory, which was used at the 100th Anniversary of Rotary in Chicago. There was a hummingbird, who saw a tremendous wildfire bearing down on her world. She took a drop of water in her beak, and deposited it on the fire – to the contempt and disapproval of everyone watching. Her answer – “I’m doing what I can”. That is the motto of Rotary, and of Alliance For Smiles.

There are only two Rotary Clubs in China – Shanghai and Beijing.  The government will not allow them to expand, and thus they are not ‘chartered’. But how can any parent whose child has had their life so improved, look upon the U.S. as being evil or bad? 85% of the Chinese have no health care at all, and thus they must pay for any hospital treatment. This is extremely limiting, in a country with so many poor people.  And the social stigma of cleft palate and related mouth problems is so severe that Anita has met parents who were told not to return to their village with their untreated children.

An excellent video was provided.  Among its most effective messages was showing before and after photos of children who have had the needed surgery. It truly does change their future life. There was a very touching testimonial from an obviously poor peasant, who spoke of what the surgery had done for his granddaughter. We were reminded that He profits most who serves best – a lesson we cannot afford to forget or ignore. The message conveyed hope, compassion, and humanity – again, characteristics we can all embrace.

The team they provide needs four operating rooms, four plastic surgeons, five anestheologists, a head nurse and four operating room nurses, three recovery-room nurses, two pediatricians, a dentist, a speech pathologist, and several Rotarian helpers. Anita was available for questions afterward, and she welcomes our support, of course. She can be reached at 2563 Third Street, #237, SF 94107, (415) 647-4481, or anita@allianceforsmiles.org. 

Anita, we thank you for your excellent presentation – and a last note.  She was calling a cab for her return to LAX, when who else but LEO TSENG stepped forward to offer her a ride. LEO has a grandchild who has a similar problem, and he wanted to talk to her at length enroute to the airport. Another tip of the chapeau is deserved here, LEO.

Thought for the Day – Memorial Day Weekend:
From its origins as “Decoration Day” after the Civil War in 1868, Memorial Day now honors all those who have died in service to our country.  Please take a moment this weekend to remember our men and women in uniform serving our country around the world, and thank them for their service and sacrifice.

—YOE, Ernie Wolfe

WESTWOOD VILLAGE ROTARY CLUB 2007 - 2008
OFFICERS: President  Christopher Bradford President Elect Sean McMillan Vice President Ed Gauld Treasurer Mark Block Exec. Treasurer Don Nelson Secretary Shane Waarbroek Executive Secretary Ernie Wolfe Past President Michael Gintz	DIRECTORS: Community Service Chair Mark Rogo International Service Chair Elliott Turner Membership Chair Steve Scherer Vocational Service Chair Sherry Dewane Youth Service Chair Ann Samson ..... ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT: Wilfrid J. Wilkinson DISTRICT 5280 GOVERNOR:     David Moyers Palos Verdes Sunset Rotary