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Terry R. White led us in the flag salute and Mark Rogo performed the
Invocation.
Our Guests were
Judy Wessling, Sarah Mallory from Councilman
Paul Koretz's office and Lenny's other son.
Our Merchant
Minute presenter
was Brittany from the Napa
Valley Grill.
Napa Valley Grill has $4 valet parking and:
· 3:00
to 5:00 happy hour
· 11:30
to 3:00 lunch
· 5:30
to late dinner
They have semi private rooms for meetings or large groups- and a
very reasonable minimum.
Announcements:
· Next
week is spouse's
week and
a special
surprise--make sure to show up to find out what!
In addition, bring your calendars to sign up for dinner with a Past
President.
· Tuesday,
March 12 District Breakfast- New
Generations will host-contact Don Nelson to join our table.
· There
is going to be a Rotaract Ethics conference/competition for
Rotaractors and a contest for Uni high school local winners in
music, speech, dance and art.
· March
9 Reading
to Kids at Magnolia Elementary-sign
up on the
website.
· District
Conference May
3, 4, 5 in
Santa Barbara-enjoy the special room rate.
Program Chair Sally Brant introduced Gil Garcetti (former LA
District Attorney): "Why My Son, Eric, Wants To Be Mayor of
Los Angeles" Eric Garcetti asked his father to step in today
when he was invited to a live TV interview at LAX.
Today, Gil will be standing in for his son, Eric, who is running for
the office of mayor of Los Angeles. Eric Garcetti is currently
serving as the Councilmember representing the 13th Council District.
He was Los Angeles City Council President from 2006 until 2012.
A fourth-generation Angeleno, Eric was born at Good Samaritan
Hospital and was raised in the San Fernando Valley. Both sides of
his family first settled in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights neighborhood,
on one side after escaping the violence of the Mexican revolution,
on the other amidst the persecution of Jews within the Russian
empire.
Eric studied urban planning and political science at Columbia
University, where he received his B.A. and M.A. in International
Relations. He also studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University
and the London School of Economics and was a Rockefeller Foundation
Next Generation Leadership Fellow. He taught public policy,
diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College and the University
of Southern California before being elected to the City Council.
Eric has been widely recognized for his groundbreaking policy
initiatives. His environmental work was honored with the Green Cross
Millennium Award from former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev. He
won a Tiger Award from the Valley Industry and Commerce Association
for spearheading business tax reforms. Caroline Kennedy and Senator
Ted Kennedy, on behalf of the Kennedy Library and family, presented
Garcetti with the prestigious New Frontier Award, which is given
annually to an elected official under 40 who best embodies John F.
Kennedy's vision of leadership and idealism.
Like his father, Eric is an avid photographer; he is also a jazz
pianist and composer and is an officer in the U.S. Navy reserve. He
lives in Silver Lake with his wife, Amy.
Gil Garcetti opened by sharing a few personal things about his son,
Eric, such as he was a published photographer before his father and
that this campaign has been going on for a year and a half!
The elder Garcetti asked that you look what Gil has done not just
what he says and where he served as councilman. He wants to
replicate what he has done in his district for the city --
implementing after-school programs, a citizenship academy with over
300 participants in Hollywood who learn how government works
to improve your communities, bring back jobs, clean up graffiti,
reduce crime, etc.
Though he is hardly an unbiased spokesman for his son, Gil Garcetti
made a compelling argument that his son should be elected major.
His presentation was free of name-calling as he focused on Eric's
accomplishments and other positive qualifications.
Next week, Carmen Trutanich tells us why he
would like to be elected City Attorney again. Be sure to show
up for the special surprise.
-YYE Aly Shoji
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