Next Week: We are dark.  No meetings 6/26/14 (due to the Debunking Dinner on 6/27/14), nor on 7/3/14 (due to the July 4th Fundraiser and Parade on 7/4/14).

Prez John Cottle welcomed all to today’s meeting, and we began with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Our guests were:

Scott Menzies, speaker for our program today.

  • Scott Menzies, our speaker for the day and guest of Matt O’Halloran
  • Wheatley Allen, honorary Club member

Wheatley Allen shares a Thought for the Day.

Thought for the Day: “There are no mistakes if you learn from them.” – Buckminster Fuller.  (Shared by Wheatley Allen)

Happy Dollars!

  • Liliana is happy that everyone survived the week-long solo visit with their grandson!
  • Guenter is happy to have visited prospective universities with his granddaughter.
  • Harold gave happy dollars for a recent visit from their 13-year-old granddaughter.
  • Matt is happy that we’re talking about wellness in our program today!
  • Dean happily celebrated Betty Cottle’s birthday with Prez John yesterday, and was also verrrryyyy happy to have watched the Dodger’s no-hitter game!
  • Tom Honer shared happy news of seeing Hillary Clinton speak at a recent conference in Chicago.
  • John C is happy to celebrate another birthday tomorrow (!) and to be able to add more red paint to the fundraiser thermometer sign at Rotary Park!
  • Bruce is happy that he will see Hillary Clinton at a book signing event next week…
  • Wheatley is happy to borrow a dollar from Tom to pay back the dollar he borrowed from Sean!
  • Sean’s sister had her first baby, which he is very happy about.
  • Donna is happy in a bittersweet way about the empty nest — son, daughter and aunt!
  • Susan is happy because life is great!  Indeed.

Sunshine Report

Wilma reports that Julie M. is doing well, and also that John Turnbull has fractured a vertebra, and is considering surgical options.  Please keep him in your healing thoughts!

Announcements

Tom Honer gives a Rotary Park fundraising update.

  • A sign-up sheet was passed around for the Debunking Dinner to be held on 6/27/14, with a social hour starting at 6pm and dinner at 7pm, at St. Anthony’s Hall.  Please RSVP to John C if you were unable to sign the sheet.  The event has a luau theme, so dress in your best Hawaiian gear!
  • July 4th events are coming together wonderfully, as Bonnie reports. Please contact her and/or watch your email for assignments if you are able to participate.  All hands on deck!
  • Tom shared an update on fundraising for Rotary Park.  Details forthcoming at the Debunking!  All donations are welcome and needed….
  • A sign-up sheet was passed around for T-shirt orders.  If you would like a beautiful Rotary Park T-shirt, please contact John C or Bonnie.
  • Heather reminded everyone about the ‘career change symposium’ she will host at her house, next week on Tuesday evening, 6/24/14.  Details coming to your email inbox soon!

Rotary Moment

Dean shared a moving video about how Rotarians everywhere change the world.  “Service Above Self” was the overarching theme.  Dean asked members to send him links to videos about Rotary that they think the club might enjoy.  Dean also got creative with passing the collection jar for End Polio Now — the first three donors of $10 received a half-dozen free range chicken eggs!

Guenter Riegler receives his Rotarian of the Month award for his exemplary photography services!

Rotarian of the Month

Prez John C called Guenter Reigler up to the front of the room, to surprise him with the Rotarian of the Month award for his outstanding service in club photography!  An honor well deserved — thank you, Guenter, for providing great photos every week!

Our Program

Matt O’Halloran introduced our speaker for the day, Scott Menzies of the Perfect Circle T’ai Chi studio in Fort Bragg. Scott shared several video clips while describing his work and his philosophy on T’ai Chi and other practices.  Scott began studying T’ai Chi (Taijiquan) in Taiwan in 1999, following his Peace Corps service in Nepal.  Some highlights from his presentation include:

  • Peace-making (from a martial arts perspective) is Scott’s highest priority.
  • T’ai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) is a martial art with Daoist underpinnings. Its practice builds strength, stamina, balance.

    Speaker Scott Menzies and Rotarian Matt O'Halloran demonstrate the Push Hands technique.

  • Non-violence and pacifism are not the same thing. Non-violence involves taking action from a place of internal peace and harmony.
  • Developing focus, awareness and equanimity is important, as is being capable and proactive, while being peaceful and compassionate.
  • Fearlessness and bravery are not the same thing.  Fearlessness is the goal.
  • From some scroll paintings: “One Understanding, One-Hundred Understandings.”  “Within movement, seek silence.”
  • Scott and Matt demonstrated the “push hands” technique.
  • The Perfect Circle studio is located at 330 N. Franklin St. in Fort Bragg, and can be reached at 962-3009.  Two five-week sessions for both new and experienced T’ai Chi practitioners start on June 24 (Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m.), and June 25 (Wednesdays 3-4:30 p.m.).  Check out their Facebook page!

Raffle Winners: Roger Schwartz, and Donna Schuler.  The pot was up to $153.  No one drew the joker, so it continues to grow!