CLUB PRESIDENT WENDY’S SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS

Wendy’s opening speech has a primary focus of strengthening relationships in four major areas.  The first one is between our club members. Here are some of her ideas.

STRENGTHING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CLUB MEMBERS:

A strong successful club consists of members who know and like each other. And while we  already do a great job with this through service projects, club meetings, and social events, here are just a couple of ideas on how we might get to know each other even better:

1. At least once a month, let’s have an interactive program, where members work in small groups on a variety of topics, and where everyone gets to contribute.

2. Every week, let’s have one or two members spend five minutes sharing something about themselves outside of Rotary—something about their families, their jobs, or the work they are involved in with other volunteer organizations.

3. In keeping with our goal to have no single-person committees, let’s all join a couple of  committees. Having everyone involved in several committees will not only provide us with more opportunities to get to know each other, it will also provide a bridge between committees, which could lead to better collaboration within the club.

In Loving Memory of Bruce Keim - June 1, 1932 - June 22, 2011

Know Your Fellow Rotarian (Originally published Aug 17, 04)

When I interviewed Bruce Keim for a bio he listed some of the highlights in his life, and one of them was walking on the roof of the U.S. Capital! Some others were: flying in the Goodyear  blimp; watching the Senate and House of Representatives in action; being in Honolulu on Dec 7th, 1941; visiting the New York World's Fair in 1940 and the Montreal, Seattle and Spokane World's Fairs.

He has traveled to London, Afghanistan, Russia and China, been around the world three times, and visited all 50 states and capitals, and all US territories except Guam. Only continent he hasn't be to is Antarctica. Aw!

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska to a father who is a professor of Civil Engineering, he has attended 13 schools and graduated from San Francisco State. His jobs have included cannery worker,  Sears, real estate, Pan American Airways; US Army Reserve Civilian, and owner of World Vista Travel Agency in California.

His mother was a church organist and he enjoys classical music, operettas, musicals, Dixieland,  ragtime, country, folk and Latin. Before her stroke his wife worked with him for the airlines.  They were married for 38 years, the last 10 of which she was a stroke survivor. She was a Paul Harris Fellow and Benefactor.

Rotary has been important to Bruce. He has served in his club in San Pablo as program chair,  membership chair, international chair, VP, PE and President, and at the district level been area rep, asst. Gov, Ambassadorial Scholar Chair, plus a whole lot more.

Besides being a Paul Harris fellow himself, he has given four to family members, and is a  benefactor and member of the bequest society. He has attended four International Conventions. A year ago he developed an infection in his right leg that required six months of hospitalization. His cousin Will Keim, who lives in Corvallis, suggested Stoneybrook as a rehabilitation and retirement place, so he sold his house in San Pablo and moved here this summer.

You can thank Ken Elwer for inviting him to join our club!

--Peggy