Scholarships

MAY 19, 2015

NEXT MEETING: May 26, 2015 Noon
Soda Center at Saint Marys College, Moraga
Program: Changes in Estate Planning
Presenter: Attorney at Law, Bill Dorband
Greeter/Invocation: Ron Mucovich

Queen Debbie reported that she will be at

Campolindo High School on Wednesday, May 20th
to present the Moraga Rotary Scholarship ($1,000)
to Kaitlin Steinleitner, and Elena Toohey &
Karen Orwig will present the $1,500 Mary Elena
Dochterman Scholarship to Anne Loose. An
extra scholarship in memory of Mary Elena
Dochterman is given to Tiger Garcia.
(Kaitlin is going to UC Davis, Annie to University
of Washington and Tiger to UC Davis.)

Saint Marys College Scholarship

~~CLUB MEETINGS COMING UP ~~

*June 2 Cooking with Kids

**June 9 White Pony Express
*June 16 Moraga and the Railroads, Sam Sperry
*June 26 **June 30 The Demotion of Debbie, (Evening Dinner
meeting - bring guests)
*Regular Noon Meeting

** Second Tuesday Evening

Our guests today:

Heather Davis Moraga Education Foundation
(MEF) todays speaker
Niki Peterson MEF President
Gary De Weese MEF also speaking today
Jon Nickens MEF & Moraga School District
Evie Michon Prospective Moraga Rotary
member
Club Members present today:
Angelo Costanza, Doug Damaschino, Cliff
Dochterman, Marv Ellenberg, John
Erickson, Roger Gregory, Lad Lynch, Frank
May, Kevin Reneau, Debbie Roessler, Tony
Schoemehl, Al Simonsen, Dick Vance and
Herb Wehmeyer

Debbie announced that a previous Rotary

scholarship award, Andrew Nguyen will be going
on to Notre Dame University to continue his
studies. Andrew is graduating with a degree in
Integral Programs and is the Valedictorian for this
years Commencement. He is the son of
Vietnamese immigrants in the San Jose area.
May all these graduates meet with success and
know that Moraga Rotary wishes them well!

Juvenile Hall
At a luncheon Moraga Rotary received the 2014
Juvenile Justice Award, along with recognition
awards from Candace Andersen and Karen
Mitchoff for the Moraga Rotary Annual Christmas
Stocking Project.

BUSINESS MEETING
The meeting was called to order by Queen
Debbie who was without crown this week. Herb
Wehmeyer gave the Invocation and led us in the
Pledge of Allegiance.

Board Meeting
Debbie reminded us that there is a Board meeting
this evening (5:00 pm) at the Trinity Center, School
Street. All agreed that a swift meeting would be
beneficial to all because of tonights basketball
game playoff.

Queen Debbie displays the recognition plaque given by

the County for Moraga Rotarys work with the Juvenile
Hall Christmas Stockings.

Moraga Rotary Field Day

Debbie thanked Tony Schoemehl for the smooth
Field Day event. Tony took the microphone and
reported that we had 309 students take part. This
was a few less than last year but any number on
the order of 300 is a large step beyond what we
used to have a few years ago. Tony said he was a
little worried about Rotarian coverage for the
events but the Saint Marys Basketball athletes
showed up (men, women and coaches) and saved
the day. Randy Bennett and the other coaches
are in for next year too says Tony who met with
Randy just a day after Field Day.
Camino Pablo took the honors as High Scoring
School winning all but one event. Brooklyn
McAlpin was top girls scorer and Robbie
Mascheroni, top boys scorer. This year Saklan
School had five students participating (they won
four medals) and Canyon School had one.

Rotary Baseball Event and Tour of

Joseph Alioto Hall
Debbie thanked Angelo Costanza for arranging a
very successful event between ourselves and the
Martinez Rotary Club. Everyone enjoyed the tour
and we spent a sunny afternoon watching the Saint
Marys Gaels defeat the UC Davis Aggies by a
score of 7 to 3.

The big, huge Crutches trailer in Orinda, Santa Maria

Church upper parking lot. Its about half full right now.

Camp Royal

Angelo Costanza identified this years campersNicki Ahazee and Peter Moore from Campolindo
High School. (For information Camp Royal is the
Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA)
Conference organized each June in the mountains
of northern California. The 71 Rotary Clubs of
Rotary District 5160 have been providing this
Crutches For Africa
leadership learning opportunity since 1979. About
Roger Gregory told the Club that the event is
150 outstanding young leaders are hosted each
nearly at an end. Sometime this week the trailer
year. This is a premier leadership training
storing the walking aids will be moved to a
opportunity provided to worthy young people by our
warehouse at the Port of Oakland. At some point
Rotary Clubs, as part of Rotarys New Generations
Joy Alaidarous, President of Rossmoor Rotary will mission.)
give us a call and ask for help to unload the trailer
at the warehouse, wrap/tie the walking aids for
Thank-Yous
shipment, and load them into a shipping container. Our Club received a nice, hand-crafted note from
This will be a good point to toss in any more
the students and teachers at Los Perales
walking aids we collect in the last days of this
Elementary School thanking us for the magazines
project.
our club provides.
Orinda Rotary and the Orinda Chamber of
Commerce also thanked us for participating in the
2015 Trivia Contest and Dinner. In an attempt to
energize us for next years competition, Debbie
noted some little known trivia she recently came
across:

Kent cigarettes, trying to cut down on tar &

nicotine created an asbestos filtered
cigarette in the late 1950s.

Dick Vance had a Happy Buck for the laugh he got

when Angelo Costanza had to ask one Field Day
participant if they were a boy or a girl. So funny!

In 2008 a Brazilian priest tied helium filled

balloons to a lawn chair and floated off into
the air. He had a GPS and a cell phone but
couldnt get service. Seven days later he
was found floating dead at sea.

John Erickson had some Happy Bucks for Craig

Crosleys Citizen of the Year Award Dinner. John
said Cliff as the Master of Ceremonies recognized
Kiwanis for planting daffodils every spring So
Rotarians can come along, pick em and sell them
by the bunch.

The Swedish warship Vasa sank one mile

after launch in 1682. Seems the ship was
built by workmen using four different rulers
one of which marked off a foot in 12 inch
increments and another eleven inches per
foot.

Tony Schoemehl had some Happy Bucks for the

womens Coach at Joaquin Moraga who directed 4
or 5 girls to help hold the Rotary Event Tents
steady in the gusting wind while they were being
set up.
Debbie Roessler had $5 Happy Bucks for Never
having become a teacher She says each year
as Field Day comes to an end and 300 or so
yelling/excited kids leave, she is so very glad she
never went into teaching.

The Salvaged VASA

Fines, Happy Bucks, Trips, Etc

Barbara Bruner had a birthday yesterday. She
went out to dinner with friends and family
beforehand. Shes planning a trip to Yosemite in
the future to celebrate. Barbara is the owner of the
Fine-Free-Hat for May so she goes fine-less.
Frank May had $10 Happy Bucks for Field Day.
When Frank was setting up the Long Jump pit one
of the JM staff, Coach T, said, Ill help you. Did
you have some kids go here? When Frank said
yes and named his sons Coach T said, Wait a
second. I remember both of them. Coach T has
been at Joaquin Moraga for over 30 years. These
teachers are amazing!

Marv Ellenberg had some Happy/Unhappy Bucks.

He says his granddaughter graduated in
Engineering (thats the Happy). But after four
generations of Berkeley grads she went to USC.
Marv also had a HB for next weeks presenter Bill
Dorband, who will speak on the recent changes in
the laws concerning Tax & Estate Planning
including Living Trusts. Marv says, If you havent
updated your will since 2012 then you should do
so. Sounds like sage advice. This weeks
Newsletter editor made an appointment to talk with
his attorney next week before flying off to the
Rotary Convention in Brazil.

Todays Speaker
Roger Gregory introduced todays speakers from
the Moraga Education Foundation (MEF). Heather
Davis led off with a comment about what a
pleasant time she and Niki Peterson had at this
years Moraga Rotary Night at the Races dinner
event and auction. Niki added that, They both had
a great time and went home with some interesting
new things.
A discussion of MEFs history followed. The Fund
was started in 1981 and focused completely on the
Moraga School District. In 1999 Campolindo High

School was added. Heather asked if any Moraga

Rotarians were involved with MEF and Tony
Schoemehl said he was an MEF Board Member.
Many Rotarians had children and grandchildren at
the schools impacted by MEF fund raising. Over
the last ten years MEF has contributed over $13
million to the schools.
Heather noted that California State school funding
was cut in 2007/08 and we are still trying to get
back to pre-2007 levels. A full return is not
expected until 2020/21 which is why giving to MEF
is so critical And MEF allows us a measure of
local control on school programs.

either but this year, with a renewed focus on the

Endowment they would say, To the Endowment
please!
In conclusion, Heather noted:
- There is renewed enthusiasm for the
Endowment.
- MEF impacts 3,120 student every day.
- MEF looks forward to the opportunity to
partner with community members & leaders.
- Truly good things can happen for the
schools in our community.

Recent surplus funds coming in to the State of

California due to the business upturn are not
expected to raise the funding for our schools as
much as might be expected because funding
guidelines favor other schools. Heather made the
point that, MEF impacts every student Every
Day!
Heather turned the discussion to The MEF
Endowment Foundation. This is an effort to set
aside a significant sum in investments to provide an
ongoing stream of funding and cover our schools
for a rainy day. She introduced Gary De Weese
and John Nickens who are involved in the
Endowment Foundation. Gary walked us thru the
funds used by the Endowment and explained how
the goal is to have $1,000,000 in the Foundation
funds in about several years. Right now the
amount is about $470,000. MEF plans to put a
minimum of about $50,000 per year into the
Endowment.
Over its history the Endowment funds have grown
at the average rate of 10.7% and this year to date
its been 5%. Gary showed a graphic
representation depicting what would happen if you
assume a 7% annual growth rate and put in either
$60,000 or $100,000 in new funds each year. At
the fifteen year point the former input equals about
$2,500,000 and the later equals $3,500,000.

Queen Debbie with Niki Peterson Chairperson of MEF

President.

Raffle: The raffle this week was won by Cliff

but the white marble did not appear.

Next week: Our meeting is at noon in the Soda

Center on the Saint Marys campus The
Lad Lynch asked, Then if Moraga Rotary makes a Greeter and Invocator is Ron Mucovich.
donation to MEF, what do you prefer? Should it be
given to MEF in general or to the Endowment?
Heather and Gary answered that they always say

Dont forget your greeting week!! Sign up with

Herb Wehmeyer for your slot in the future. Heres
the current list:
6/02 Gary Irwin
6/09 Louise Schopke
6/16 Tony Schoemehl

Last Friday Social

Lad & Leslie Lynch will host the social at their
home (415 Belfair Place, Moraga). This will be fun!
The usual 6:00 pm time on Friday, May 29th.
Thank you Lad & Leslie!

CALENDAR OF FUTURE EVENTS

May 29 TGIF Social @ the home of Lad & Leslie
Lynch

June 20 Rotary Bocce Bash in Martinez

June 23 Board Meeting 5:00 pm @ Trinity Hall
June 30 Demotion of Queen Debbie!
July 11 District Awards Dinner in Woodland
July 18 - USO Show At the Reservoir
Aug 7-9 OMPA Swim meet food booth

MORAGA ROTARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2014-15

President Debbie Roessler
President-elect .......Roger Gregory
Past PresidentNora Avelar-Martin
Secretary.........Kevin Reneau
Treasurer....Lad Lynch
Community Service Chair.. .Barbara Bruner
New Generations...Rich Render
International Service ChairTony Schoemehl
Rotary Foundation...Nora Avelar-Martin
Public Relations Gary Irwin
Membership.......... Frank May
Director at Large.John Erickson
Director at Large ...Marv Ellenberg
Director at Large....Cliff Dochterman
Director at Large ...Linda May
President, Rotary InternationalGary Huang
District Governor.Pam Gray
Assistant District GovernorMark Roberts
Newsletter Editor for April -- Roger Gregory