Del Norte Rotary

NorthWind Official bi-monthly publication of the Del Norte Rotary Club of Albuquerque, New Mexico USA

Vol. 27, Issue No. 1 Editor: Ed Hughes July 23, 2014

Kathie Williams kicks off her year New board sets goals, promising flair, fun and fellowship Page 5

Rotarian of Year: Service above self for Gene Gaik Page 3

Events & programs for the coming weeks

Candid Camera: “What if they said that?” Page 6

July 23 — Wally Drangmeister, NM Oil & Gas Assn. 30 — Club Assembly August 6 — Marina Oborotova, “Russia and the Ukraine” 12 — Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m. 13 — Program: “Social Media and Business” 20 — Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, “Iraq Today” 27 — Dr. Mark Raterink, Expanding Choices, Inc.

Doing good in New Mexico and around the world

Back home BBQ

D el Norte Rotarians and their spous-es enjoyed the first social event of

the new fiscal year—a barbecue bash at the home of Dave and Maureen Ander-son on Sunday, July 20. The event was sponsored by the Club Service Commit-tee headed by Carol Wright. Everyone brought their own meat to grill, and there was plenty of food and drink enjoyed by all. It was just a taste of what is being planned for fellowships this coming year.

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind July 23, 2014 � Page 2

Rotary International www.rotary.org

President: Gary C. K. Huang President-Elect: K. R. Ravindran

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Rotary District 5520 www.rotary5520.org

Governor: Lonnie Leslie Governor-Elect: Tom Walker

Governor-Nominee: Dave Anderson Executive Director: Loren Kuehne

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Del Norte Rotary Club of Albuquerque

www.rotarydelnorte.org Club Officers

President: Kathie Williams President-Elect: Barbara LaGree

Vice President: Bob Rausch Board Secretary: Paul Christensen

Treasurer: Ruth Ronan Sgt.-at-Arms: Brooks LaGree Past President: Gene Gaik

Directors Club Service: Carol Wright

Community Service: Scott Stafford International Service: Kim Helm

Membership: Marty Padilla New Generations: Michael

MacDonald Public Image: Sonia Torres Programs: Donna Pedace

Vocational Service: Art Humphries _____

Office Information Edwin S. Hughes

Executive Secretary P.O. Box 3951

Albuquerque, NM 87190 E-Mail:

secretary@rotarydelnorte.org Phone: (505) 344-9162

Inside Del Norte Rotary

Tee up time for charity

“End Polio Now” donation on behalf of speakers President Kathie Williams presents a certificate to New Mexico author Joseph Badal, our speaker on July 9, indicating that the Del Norte Rota-ry Club will donate money in his name to the Rotary Foundation and its “End Polio Now” campaign to accomplish what Rotary set out to do more than 25 years ago— to eradicate polio around the world. The club plans to do this for every speaker who presents a program to our club in lieu of a token pen or Rotary 4-Way Test coin.

“World Polio Day” planned for October 25 Challenged by new RI President Gary C. K. Huang to “Light Up Rotary” by participating in a community-wide Rotary Day event, Asst. Dist. 5520 Gov. Earl Waid has set Saturday, October 25, as World Polio Day throughout Rotary District 5520. He is asking each club to set up a Polio Plus display and donation station in front of busy local retailers in their community. Our club plans to participate.

Albuquerque Walk to Defeat ALS set for Sept. 28 The New Mexico Chapter of ALS will hold its annual Walk to Defeat ALS on Sunday, Sept. 28, at Isotopes Park, and Del Norte Rotarian Mike Creedon will be forming a team of Rotarians once again help to fight the degenerative muscle control illness sometimes called the Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Last year, Del Norte Rotarian Jim Mehlberg’s team raised $20,000. With Past President Gene Gaik also being diagnosed with the onset of ALS, Mike hopes there will be a big incentive for Rotarians to rally and raise more than raised last year.

Tee time is 10 days away (August 2) at the Santa Ana Golf Course when the Del Norte Rotary’s Charity Golf Tournament will get underway to benefit the YMCA of Central New Mexico, the New Mexico Boys & Girls Ranches, the Heart Gallery of New Mexico and the Rotary Del Norte Foundation. Rotarians can sign up online at www.rotarydelnorte.org and pay at the door. Raffle tick-ets are on sale, and you don’t have to be present to win the prize of choice.

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind July 23, 2014 � Page 3

Rotarian of the year: Service above self for Gene Gaik

A s an Army career officer, Gene Gaik knew how to command attention and how to run meet-ings—at least, the Army way. He instilled that in the way he ran Rotary luncheons as club president this past year, and how he kept Board meetings to just an hour. He never missed a

luncheon meeting or a Board meeting. “You could al-ways plan on Gene being there, and being on time,” said Kathie Williams, Gene’s “second in command.” But as Gene’s year progressed, so did a mysterious malady progress in his right arm, even in his speech, which was eventually diagnosed as the onset of ALS, a degenerative disease of the muscles. But he stayed true to his mission as club president. On July 2, after turning over the gavel to his succes-sor, he was named Del Norte Rotarian of the Year for having demonstrated first-hand Rotary’s ageless motto, “Service Above Self.” It was indeed a honor for Kathie Williams to make the ROTY award to Gene. “Service Above Self also means showing up even when you don’t feel like it,” said Kathie. “I can’t think of anyone who deserves this award more than Gene.”

ROTQ: Barbara LaGree and Donette Wagner both named

F or more than a year, Donette Wagner and Barbara LaGree teamed up as “co-chairs” of Rotary District

5520’s District Conference that was held in early May in Albuquerque. They did a pre-convention two-step to promote the conference back in April 2013, they met early for breakfast just about every week to plan out a four-day “work-and-play” session dealing with the need to spend money, but come on budget. They rounded up places to go and places to see in Albuquerque for the 1,000 or more expected to attend. And through it all, they seemed to enjoy the fruits of their labor. As the result, both were named on July 2 as Del Norte Rotary’s Rotarians of the 4th Quarter.

President Kathie Williams holds the Rotarian of the Year Award for Gene Gaik, who was honored on July 2—the day he turned over the president’s gavel to Kathie.

Rotary Recognition Club anniversaries in

July

July 1 Frank Bird, 19 years Greg Chalmers, 18 years July 11 Scott Stafford, 2 years July 12 Barbara LaGree, 9 years July 14 Sandy Seligman, 4 years July 19 Dave Anderson, 19 years July 30 Sonia Torres, 6 years

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind July 23, 2014 � Page 4

For the record: Guests of Rotarians and visiting Rotarians July 2: Guest of Rotarians: None. Club Guest: PDG. Kit Turpen. Visiting Rotarians: Rick Akins (Rio Rancho). July 9: Guests of Rotarians: Natalie Gaik (guest of Gene Gaik); Rich Preston (Chuck Brown); Sandy Rausch (Bob Rausch); Kelly Freeman (John Freeman); Leah Boast (Maria Montoya-Chavez); Mike Eskew and Dylan Powell (Ed Hughes). Club Guests: PDG Dick Jones. Visiting Rotarians: Dick Jones (Santa Fe). July 16: Guests of Rotarians: Matt Adams (guest of Billie Adams); Troy Brown (Chuck Brown); Tamara Ludwig (Michael MacDonald); and Sergio Meza (Scott Stafford). Club Guest: APD Officer Bruce DeHerrera and Jeff Siembieda (program). Visiting Rotarians: None.

Luncheon Notes: Meetings of July 2, 9 and 16

Blowin’ in the North Wind ... A breezy collection of luncheon bites from NorthWind Editor Ed Hughes.

July 2, 2014

S cribbling notes on the back of a napkin while wondering before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?. … Gene Gaik clanged the bell for the last time as president. Meeting starters included

Ruth Ronan playing “God Bless Amer ica,” Scott Stafford leading in the pledge of allegiance, and Carol

Wright giving the invocation. … Back from her Rotary Student Exchange tr ip to the East Coast, Line “Lena” Jakobsen of Denmark said New York City was “too rushed, too big, too dir ty.” … Terry Boulan-

ger said our incoming Exchange Student will be from France. … Maureen Anderson is still looking for more to sign up for Del Norte Rotary’s cultural trip to Popejoy Theater to see “Wicked” on Sept. 18. We need 20 to get in with discounted $65 tickets. … Steve Becker said J.J. Jimenez is “not doing well” and could use some calls or cards. In his Caring Hearts report, he also said Jim Mehlberg is “holding steady” and still going to work every day. … When Kathie Williams was sworn in as the new club president, Michael Madanick noted that her new badge was pinned on upside down. An omen for the coming year? July 9, 2014

M ore note scribbling while taking attendance and wondering if all the world is a stage, where is the audi-ence sitting? … Caring Hearts Report: Long-time member Carolyn Vatuone, who has suffered from

brain cancer this past year, passed away in Arizona on July 5. She had been undergoing treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. Debbie Righter underwent surgery this week and has been given a six-week leave of absence for recovery time. … Exchange Student Lena Jakobsen was given a guitar as her going-away gift at her going-away party before departing for home in Denmark. And yes, Terry Boulanger said any donations to help pay for the. $150 instrument would be welcomed. … Membership director Marty Padilla formed teams of five, each member representing a leaf and each team representing a tree (ash, cedar, cottonwood, etc.) to compete for most prospective new members being invited to Del Norte Rotary meetings in the next 60 days. Are there real-ly 14 species of trees in New Mexico? … Speaker and author Joseph Badal says the new wave of e-books is giving readers a new wave of bad writing. “There is a good reason that we used to have agents and publishers to weed out bad writing,” he said, though admitting he can make more money avoiding agents and publishers. July 16. 2014

R andom note-taking while wondering if you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done? … Maribeth Gunning was back filling in behind Ruth Ronan as our music leader . … Art Humphries and his

Vocation Committee is looking for mentors to work with UNM Rotaract members. … Carol Wright said 25 have signed up for our club’s first fellowship BBQ on July 20 with only short notice. “Everyone is hungry for a party,” she said. It will be hosted by Dave and Maureen Anderson. … Speaker Jeff Siembieda of the Gilden New Mexico Bowl said “We aren’t the Rose Bowl, but we have some of the most exciting football around.”

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind July 23, 2014 � Page 5

O ne just knew the new fiscal year was going to have a different flair. It came when 2014-15 Club President Kathie Williams began to introduce her new officers and board of directors and their deputies to join her at the head table. They kept coming and kept coming. It looked

as if she had recruited half of the club to take on lead-ership roles for the coming year. “If we are to continue to be known as The Greatest Rotary Club in the World, then we need to have every-one involved,” said Kathie. “We have members who haven’t been asked to be on committees, and who are itching to have something tangible to work on—other than just attend luncheon meetings,” she said. Kathie conducted a survey among members to see how they perceive what the club is doing or not doing, and that gave her new board some good ideas on what

is working well and what is not. As the result, each member of the board was asked to come up with goals and measurable objectives for the coming year. “We should never forget that Rotary’s motto is Service Above Self, and we need to demonstrate that in everything we do, from service projects to having fun and making time for opportunities for fellowship,” she said. Among the biggest changes is having each club director name a deputy to fill in when they are not able to attend a board meeting or chair a committee meeting. She also plans to revamp the club’s bylaws, and hopes to add the club’s program

chairperson (Donna Pedace) to be an official member of the Board. Much of Kathie’s and the Board’s new plans will be presented at the Club Assembly on July 30.

Kathie Williams kicks off her year New board sets goals, promising flair, fun and fellowship

Inside Rotary: What’s going on in Del Norte land

Kathie Williams is inducted as Del Norte Rotary’s new presi-dent by three past district governors, Bobby Wallace, Andy Anderson and Kit Turpen, far right.

Sonia Torres, with mike, and the rest of the new Board of Directors talk briefly about their goals for the coming year at their installation on July 2.

Officer of the month APD Officer Bruce DeHerrera is the epitome of someone who really cares about people and anticipates the needs of citizens when it comes to keeping neighborhoods safe and earn respect for the de-partment, said APD Chief Gorden Eden, in his citation for Bruce DeHerrera being named Officer of the Month for July. Here Officer DeHerrera receives a standing ovation from the Del Norte Rotary Club on July 16. Next to him is Rotarian Mark Rudolph, and Club President Kathie Williams. He was also presented a gift certificate for two at a local restaurant.

Del Norte Rotary NorthWind July 23, 2014 � Page 6

Candid Camera: “What if they said that?”

“Now that you can’t see the words on the Four-Way Test banner, I want my officers and directors to

recite the 4-Way Test.by heart while standing in front of their fellow Rotarians. Ready?”

“You have a $3,000 master grill and you don’t

know where the on button is?”