The Meeting
Jack:  Foundation Chairman
  • The Winners of the 1000 pt. Paul Harris Fellow winners are:  “You got points”.  Len, Shiela, Shannon, and Sandy
  • Dick wanted to talk about how we got “points”.  Jack decided to explain.  After a while we decided we didn’t need to know.  We picked on Jack for a while…because we love him.
  • Joe is busy organizing the Mayor’s breakfast.  Keith Erickson is the Key Note Speaker.
  • Ed Foundation “Guys Night Out” Friday, Mar. 21, 2014
  • Floyd Carr’s Nephew is trying to get something going on a Scholarship in Floyd’s name for the Ed Foundation
  • Memorial Service for Julia at Chevron Park on Friday the 28th from 2 to 4
  • Tom is recruiting for member’s “or friends or spouses” for the NCAA  “Brackets” which is $10 with ½ going to Paul Harris, and rest going to prizes.   It is great fun and makes for a much more lively few weeks for the March Madness.
  • Cooper is selling raffle tickets for the Little League.  A 9 day  Trip to the Canadian Rockies is the prize and it sounded great.  Tickets are $5.
The Program – Elyse  
When have a problem and you are locked out of your car…who do you call.  Elyse!.  She comes to help, and she is glad to do it.
When your Speaker can’t make it at the last minute, who do you call.  Elyse!  She comes to help, and SPEAK, and boy is she glad to do that!
When there is a podium available, she will find it.  See a microphone and she will grab it.  Tell her what to day, and she will say it.  Let her make it up, and she is so very glad to do that as well!
Every time I think about Elyse, I smile.  She makes me feel good.  I have never, in all my life met someone who is always of such good cheer, even when your situation is bad.  She is a classic,  and the phrase:   “there has to be a pony in here somewhere” -- was written for her.
She is a “half full” kind of girl, and we (I) am so lucky to know her.  Thanks for being you all these years as we age in Rotary together.  Anyone who has had a chance to work with you on a project, sit with you at a Fellowship Event, or just plain have a chat when it is just you and one other, know that to be true.  You are a dear friend.
Elyse filled in at the last minute to be the Program.  Before you say “WOW” be mindful of the fact that she has lots of Programs in her head.  Ask her to talk for 15 minutes about a Stick, and she will give you 20.
Elyse talked about Re-Keying the Queen Mary.  It is fitting that Queen Elyse (she likes to be called that) re-keyed the Queen Mary.  Queens helping Queens.  I hope she made a nice profit.
But you know, one of the reason’s she is so successful in her business is,” I never get a sense that she does it for the money”.  She does it for the pure pleasure of being “the best”; and what she doesn't know, she will find out.
She spoke about her upbringing in a “Man’s World”.  She said she was a “Tom Boy”.   Let me add an adjective to that and say she is a “Beautiful Tom Boy”.  She talked about all the problems she had and all the mistakes she has made, including those made in rekeying the Queen Mary.  But, you know what, none of that was viewed as negative or whining.   She laughed at herself and I believe she viewed all of these difficulties as opportunities to learn, and help others.
Speaking of helping others, she has held just about every office in Rotary including the first Female President -- and she has done that twice.  Tom wanted that honor.  She has been President of the Chamber; I know she has won a speaking contest with a Womens organization in El Segundo; and was woman of the year.  I had to follow her one time after she gave her award winning speech.  Not an easy act to follow.  I didn't win "Woman of the Year".  Tom wanted that as well.
Also, how about the job she has done in a leadership position for all these years in Interact.  She has helped shape the lives of many a young a adult out in the world today, and I am sure they are all grateful for having had the opportunity to work with Elyse…and so am I.  Over the course of a year many of them come back to Elyse to say hi, and thanks.  They are grateful.
Thanks Elyse.
PS.  Elyse also taught us all how to pick a lock.  Most of us did it fairly easily in a few minutes which either makes Elyse a great teacher or her Students great crooks.  Probably a combination of the two.