Kiwanis

Program for February 21st

LAURELS FOR LEADERS!

Speaker – Paul Jablonski

WE WILL NOT BE MEETING AT THE BRISTOL! Join us at the DoubleTree Hazard Center for our 55th Laurels for Leaders Luncheon!

A word about our speaker…

Paul Jablonski is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). MTS provides bus and rail services to the southern metropolitan San Diego County, covering more than 3,240 square miles. In 2011 MTS carried more than 85 million riders on 80 bus routes and three Trolley Lines.  Currently, Mr. Jablonski is overseeing the $620 million project to renew the Orange and Blue Lines to replace the aging rail, station and catenary infrastructure and renovating all station platforms to accommodate the fleet of new low-floor trolleys. He has been aggressively renovating MTS bus operations – by replacing the aging fleet and bus yards with new vehicles which use clean Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and modern bus facilities. Under Mr. Jablonski’s leadership, MTS was named Outstanding Public Transit System in 2009 by the American Public Transit Association (APTA).

Mr. Jablonski has spent his entire working life in public transit.  He began his transit career while a student at the University of Massachusetts–Amherst as a driver for the campus bus system.  His past professional career positions include CEO and General Manager of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) in Cincinnati, working for the Capital District Transportation Authority in Albany, NY,  Director of Operations for the Cleveland Public School System, Senior Operations Consultant for ATE Management working for Dallas Area Rapid Transit, General Manager of the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority outside of Boston, and he spent five years in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s starting up and operating Jedda’s first city bus system as its general manager

Mr. Jablonski is a leader in the transit industry.  He has just been named Chair of the California Transit Association, a 190 member organization that includes all of California’s largest urban transit operators, as well as dozens of smaller agencies that serve the state’s suburban and rural areas while also serving as an APTA Board Member .  Mr. Jablonski is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts.

Notes from Meeting on February 14th & Happy/Sad Bucks

We began the meeting with a short & sweet invocation from Karina Sousa…

followed up with ‘This is My Country’ directed by Joe Sigurdson (always nice to see Joe). ..

I didn't know he was a soprano...

We have so many birthday’s and no birthday kids to sing to: David Gugerty, Tim Callan, Andrew Gregor, Don Green, Sandi Hill! We had one guest, Ryan Callan’s hot Valentine’s Day date, Heidi Callan.

Judy Leitner: very happy to report that Suzie did such a great job with Monarch and meatloaf!

Major Kiwanian Ken Umbarger was there pitching in as well! And great news -Laurels for Leaders Food Drive received 23,000 pounds of food. Mark McDonald: Mid- Year Convention thank you to all attendees

- Doug Frost: miraculously made it to the Mid-Year without wrecking his car/having a midlife crisis/losing his mind – Ken Coley: happy to be here because wouldn’t be here if he still was working in the flower business – Bruce Boland: gone for a month so we’re taking his money now that he’s back! Suzie Zlaket: $5 wonderful turnout for Monarch House, team effort with Mother Nature, rain stopped and 15 people there to help! Lynn Graver: Gomper’s Key Clubbers went to SD Rescue Mission yesterday and served dinner and going back again on Sat - Tom Bauer: next interclub March 14 at 12:00 in National City; Wine & Cheese Fundraiser for Kid’s Club is on Sat 25th of Feb at 3:00pm in La Mesa contact Tom Bauer!

June Prewitt: Shaun McArdle has had stroke and is doing okay – pray for him! Charlie Coleman: happy June is back & well and gets to see grandkids! Drue Jordan: high school best friend is out here with childhood sweetheart and have 16 degree weather back home!

"Nice weather we're having!"

The Joker Knows: Marilyn Copeland – King -$10  — Don Sturek – Jack – $10

I can't make 'em turn around folks...

Coley’s Flowers: Tim O’Reilly went home with the Valentine’s Day arrangement!

Travel Treasures: Corrine brought back some Switzerland treasures to auction off! Bruce outbid the crew for some delicious candy for $77; Tim O’Reilly went home with a special box of Luxemburgleyrom Springley (yes, that’s right, easy for us to say…) chocolates for $50 – and the Swiss chocolates with Swiss liquors went to Suzie Zlaket for $20!

Announcements

Club Board Meeting – 2/16 at 7:30am at the Burn Institute – We NEED a quorum so please show up if you’re on the Club Board!

LAURELS FOR LEADERS – 2/21 – 11:30am till 1:30pm – DoubleTree Hotel Hazard Center – SEND IN YOUR CHECKS!!!

*Tentative* Foundation Board Meeting – 2/22 at 8:00am at the Burn Institute

MARDI GRAS MASQUERADE – 3/3 – 6:00 till 10:00pm – STILL LOOKING FOR SPONSORS!! Tickets go up to $100 after 2/17/12!!

Kiwanis One Day – 4/21- Committee being formed right now and looking for general ideas of a place or a project where we as a huge group can swoop in and do a one day community service project – contact Corrine LeCates

Tom Bauer was our Chairman of the Day to introduce our speaker – Honored Ken who is known as Action Jackman – started helping on Special Investigations Unit – and in April of last year and throughout the year, Ken coordinated the actions of how to handle really tough situations . He has conducted follow up cases and is constantly on the news. Kenneth Jackman had a wonderful speech and thanked us and is flattered and honored.

Program for February 14th

California Highway Patrol

Speaker – Chief James Abele

Chair of the Day – Tom Bauer, SCS

Invocation – Karina Sousa

A word about our speaker…

Diversity is the key word in describing the Border Division. It contains many of the most-visited tourist destinations in California, including scenic ocean beaches, Disneyland, San Diego and the desert resorts.

Many of the enforcement issues faced by the Division stem from this diversity. Officers in Orange County deal with freeway commuter congestion, while their fellow officers in rural Riverside and Imperial counties may face problems with farm machinery on the roads. Illegal immigrants cram themselves into stifling truck trailers to gain entry to the US from Mexico, while the roads in developments of million-dollar beachside homes are often blocked by landslides caused by heavy rains.

Proximity to Mexico led the Department to open two state-of-the-art commercial inspection facilities in Border Division, one at Otay Mesa and the other at Calexico. Each facility cost $16 million. The facilities handle the increased truck traffic arriving from south of the border generated by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These facilities, located in San Diego and Imperial counties, operate jointly with the US Customs Service, inspecting thousands of trucks yearly to assure they are mechanically ready for California’s highways.

The Division also has a satellite office of the CHP’s Foreign Export and Recovery (FEAR) team, which intercepts stolen vehicles headed across the border for sale in Mexico and Central and South America. A Mexican Liaison Unit works with Mexican authorities to recover many more stolen vehicles that do make it across the border.

Gang activity on two fronts is a constant law enforcement problem for the Division. Gangs throughout the Division are involved in vehicle theft, transportation of contraband, illegal immigrants and drugs. The Division also has personnel assigned to drug intervention task forces, including the Imperial County Narcotics Task Force.

Notes from Meeting on February 7th & Happy/Sad Bucks

The meeting began with a beautiful poem kicking off Valentine’s Day by Lynn Graver followed by a song we DO all know, “America, the Beautiful” led by The Tidings once again. We had a few birthdays this week, none of which were there but we were able to sing a belated birthday jingle to Heather Robinson, who just turned 19?? As for guests, we had Richard Yamaguchi, our newest member Bill Graham who can’t get enough of us, and oh wait… GENE AUERBACH graced us with his presence…

Who is this mysterious world traveller?

Corrine LeCates: Fred surprised her for their Annual Anniversary Extravaganza with a trip to ZURICH, Switzerland! Lynn Graver: 4 key club students from Gomper’s & adviser coming to Laurels – SD High School will also have 4 key club students + adviser at Laurels! Bill Gibbs: still here! Doug Frost: no pictures on website! Ken Coley: $2 for Valentine’s Day Announcement: 2 fundraiser – candy and/or flowers; Mark McDonald: pay fine for Chuck Day for being the last one and only one in Bonita; Tom Bauer: happy $7 for thanking all those that came to Bonita Inter-Club – next Inter-Club 3/14 at National City – Gary Jander, governor elect, has 2 seats at Gala for Mid-Year in Riverside – KIDS Club Wine & Cheese Fundraiser 2/25, 3:00pm in La Mesa; Jonathan Tibbets: toss the phone in instead! $5 for ringaling! Connie Jamison: International Relations Commitee meeting tomorrow and anyone is invited – trip to Children’s Hospital in Tijuana 3/24! John Kizer: Kappi for cataract surgery next week!

Rachel Karry: exchange student at house, trip to Mazatlan,  Mexico at Mardi Gras (note mask)! …

Ethel Merriman: nephew & wife are in town “Madonna for an older performer is OK”

Charlie Coleman has the fine free badge this month! He knew he was going to be in the paper. He had the open floor and is really proud of his son Matt, who is a performer that travels through the US. He performed with 50 Cent, which apparently only the young people know who that is.

What, no pajamas?

John Rush, our fantastic Foundation President, came to announce the proposed bylaw change and we all voted in FAVOR of this change!

We started a NEW Vacation Item Auction! It’s a new program within our group where anyone that travels or goes on vacation & brings back a trinket that we will auction! Gene Auerbach provided items to auction off from Memphis, TN (wait, wasn’t he in Israel?!). He brought a shirt that sold for $20 to Bill Gibbs. Gene then told us the Peabody Mallard Duck Story and brought us a duck to auction off! The duck sold for $26 to John Kizer & $28 for Bill Gibbs & John Kizer gets to take it home!

Wanna buy a duck?

Our Chairman of the Day was Suzie Zlaket who we all love!

Chuck Day conveniently obscured by flowers

Diana Lindsay was our speaker who came to talk about Borrego Valley’s “Sky Art.”

10 years ago Ricardo Breceda sold exotic leather boots after a debilitating accident. In 2001, everything changed due to Jurassic Park 3 and the construction of his daughter Lianna’s, life-size T. rex. The Sky Art Sculptures are located in the Galleta Meadows Estate in Borrego Valley. Avery, who owned the Estate, wanted all the fossils from Fossil Treasures book and in 7 months, Ricardo built all 60 animals!! He makes every sculpture better than the last and was never an artist before this point. It has now developed to be a place of inspiration, for photography, science & classes, plus it’s a great place to have fun!! According to Kizer, it’s a fantastic place to visit for the day, enjoy some Blue Bunny Ice Cream & have lunch at the beautiful golf course.

The Joker Knows:

Tim O’Reilly – $2 (first time he bought a ticket and he WON! maybe next time he’ll get the joker!)

Karina Sousa – $5

Coley’s Flowers: Bill Gibbs won (surprise surprise) and gave them to our speaker! We should start calling them Gibb’s Girls’ Flowers

Announcements

Club Board Meeting – 2/16 at 7:30am at the Burn Institute – We NEED a quorum so please show up if you’re on the Club Board!

Serving Dinner at Monarch School  - 2/13 – 4:00-6:00 – Need volunteers!! Contact Suzie Zlaket!

LAURELS FOR LEADERS – 2/21 – 11:30am till 1:30pm – DoubleTree Hotel Hazard Center – SEND IN YOUR CHECKS!!!

Foundation Board Meeting – 2/22 at 8:00am at the Burn Institute

MARDI GRAS MASQUERADE – 3/3 – 6:00 till 10:00pm – STILL LOOKING FOR SPONSORS!!

Kiwanis One Day – 4/21- Committee being formed right now and looking for general ideas of a place or a project where we as a huge group can swoop in and do a one day community service project – contact Corrine LeCates

Program for February 7 

Sky Art Sculptures of Borrego Valley

Speaker – Diana Lindsay

Chairman of the Day – Suzie Zlaket

Invocation – Lynn Graver

A word about our speaker..

Biographer and historian Diana Lindsay has been writing about the Anza-Borrego region of Southern California since the 1960s.  Her master’s thesis in history and geography from San Diego State University was published as Our Historic Desert: The Story of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park by Copley Books and the Union-Tribune Publishing Company in 1973. It was followed in 1978 by The Anza-Borrego Desert Region—an area guidebook co-authored with Lowell Lindsay and published by Wilderness Press that is now in its fifth edition. Several other publications followed over the years including Anza-Borrego A to Z: People, Places, and Things.

An award-winning photographer, her images have appeared in print in several monthly publications and books. Her investigative reporting skills were developed while working at the Texas tri-state newspaper, the Amarillo Globe-News, where she also wrote a popular hot-line column for many years.

Her latest publication is Ricardo Breceda: Accidental Artist, a lavishly illustrated book about the metal sculptor who has created over 120 life-size sculptures in Borrego Valley surrounded by the magnificent Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. In this book, Lindsay recounts how Breceda has become a renowned artist in ten short years with no previous art training or even interest in art. The book features over 250 full-color photographs that depict the sculptures under many lighting conditions that bring these figures to life.

Breceda has taken a primitive welding art form of Mexico to new provocative heights by creating startling sculptures of astonishing artistry and craftsmanship. Until a few years ago this gifted artist, dubbed “the Picasso of Steel,” was an injured construction worker and a boot salesman. An accident unleashed his hidden talent while his entrepreneurial skills prepared him to take advantage of opportunities that came his way. This book is the fascinating journey of how this artist came to be. Inspired by science, history, nature, whim and fantasy, the amazing figures have become a tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world.

Notes from Meeting on January 24th & Happy/Sad Bucks

The meeting began with a lovely invocation from our very own June Prewitt followed by a song we all know so well, the US Air Force Anthem, sung by The Tidings. We’re sending birthday wishes to 3 YP’s this week: Pam Novellino, Elly Garner & Heather Robinson. As for guests, we were graced with Richard’s presence as well as our newest member, Leo, who just filled out his application! Everyone needs to remember his name since Charlie embarrassingly forgot.

John Kizer: Gene Auerbach travels more than he does & wants to stay out of town as much as he can this year so he can avoid fines from Madame President;

Jay Jeffcoat: had nephew’s graduation celebration at his house with 16 people!

Bill Gibbs: still here! June Prewitt: 5 for granddaughter & great granddaughter visiting, 5 for them leaving; Judy Leitner: 5 for Suzie Zlaket for the Monarch Dinner on February, she only has to make rice! Lynn Graver: Monday, Feb 13th Gomper’s Key Club going to be at SD Rescue Mission serving dinner for the homeless and need to come to the dinner and drive the students back & Sat, Feb 18th also going to SD Rescue Mission and need transportation and Tues, Feb 21st need help taking them to Laurels for Leaders to help volunteer;

Ken Coley: announced See’s Candy Fundraiser – see Ken for order forms, picking up next 2 Tuesdays so let him know! Flowers by Coley will also get in on the Valentine’s Day fundraising, let the sales person know and they will give us 20% back for whatever; Mark McDonald: thank you who attended Dorothy Frels Memorial Service last Saturday;

Brian Krause: Laurels for Leaders single best event for twice as long as Karina on the planet and Justin Frisco joined Krause family to do SDSU 5k; Charlie Coleman: $30 had to put down golden retreiver of 13 years and $5 for fine; John Kizer: received box from Walter Zitlau’s family with a bunch of snapshots of club events over the last year and left with June if you want to look through it!

We auctioned off the Fine Free Badge at the meeting. Brian Krause & Charlie Coleman had a bidding war and Charlie was the winner of the badge for $30 – he definitely needs it!

Brian Krause, Chairman of the Day, stepped in as President last week and has been receiving a lot of grief at this meeting as well!

Be on the lookout for this known felon!

He was there to introduce Tom Karlo from KPBS. Tom started off by telling us a funny story about a younger & thinner Brian Krause running through a red light in a KPBS van! He then dove into the development of KPBS since he started in 1973. When he first started, the mission was to serve audiences that were undeserved and could not have access to the content anywhere else.  Then developed a news operation and now officially the #1 listened to radio news station in San  Diego. The reasons they were growing was due to investing from local news & also because the commercial model was declining. In October 2007 when the fires hit they shut down all of the programming for 6 straight days and solely focused on the fire whether it would be road closures, where you can get help, etc. It was the first time they took the web team and did both side by side. They started a Twitter Account & took the Google Mapping Tool to plot the fire and road closures corresponding to the fires. They were the first to ever use the Google Mapping Tool and this revealed that it was necessary to work across multiple platforms. They created a new vision & direction from that experience and converged the divisions to one main division so they can produce a story and place it on all mediums. They even have an iPhone app if you’re interested — If you want quality local journalism it’s going to have to be funded within the local community. Across all multi-casting channels and social media, they reach 1.2 million a week!

"...and then, after Brian hit the lady in crosswalk, he crashed right into the KPBS building..."

The Joker Knows: Eldon – $7  Ron – $5

Coley’s Flowers: $30 and gave them to Corrine – she said she’d give him a big kiss and the bidding continued!

Presentations

Corrine presented a check to Chris Redfern of the Audubon Society!

Jennifer Sutch from Be the Match Foundation came to talk to us about the organization and how we can help. It supports the life-saving mission of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) – together they help patients who need a marrow or cord blood transplant find a donor and receive the treatment they  need. They need help by being part of the Be The One Run which is open to all ages on November 17th in Long Beach. The Foundation is hosting a reception on Saturday February 4th at the Manchester Grand Hyatt to honor Amy Strelzer. More info: go to www.bethematch.org

Announcements

Interclub – February 2nd – 7am – Bonita Golf Course

Laurels for Leaders – Feb. 21st -11:30am till 1pm – Doubletree Hotel Hazard Center – Please send your checks to June!

Mardi Gras – March 3rd – Ball Residence 1311 Plum Street – To purchase tickets click here! Or send a check to the Kiwanis office made out to the Kiwanis Foundation! Tickets are discounted at $75 UNTIL February 17th so get your tickets ASAP! It WILL sell out!