Visalia Breakfast Rotary - Visalia Breakfast Rotary News

Our inbound Youth Exchange student, Caro from Germany, dressed up this morning for an activity on the Mt. Whitney campus.

Well, look who's back! It's nice to see Terese Lane is back and somewhat mobile after a long absence from the club. Here she is talking to County Center Rotarian, Dan Veyna prior to the start of the meeting.

Ed Kuykendal presented AgWise, our business of the week. Among other farming activities, Ed and his team professionally grow Almonds for farmers throughout the valley. Ed wanted to remind everyone to pay attention to farming and water issues because they do affect the economy of the valley.

John Ramirez was inducted this morning as one of our newest members of the Aviators Club. John, who has been a principal at many schools was once caught mowing lawns with his father by some students and their father. The father thought that John may have been let go and was now earning his income by mowing lawns, which John obviously explained that he was just spending time with his dad. Welcome "Moonlighter" to the club.

Traveling Rotarians included Rich Rumery who just got back from a Jazz weekend somewhere (just can't remember right now). He brought back some books and toys for the kids and clearly a new fashion statement for President Matt.

We had an excellent and moving presentation from the Suicide Prevention Task Force of Tulare County. Here Noah Witaker discusses the program which was followed by a very moving story about suicide from Carla Sawyer. The Sawyers lost their son recently to suicide and it really reminded everyone how devestating suicide is.

September 21st

Letter from Outbound Youth Exchange Student, Zoe Kirkpatrick, in Ecuador

Hola!
Wow, it's been a month! That's pretty crazy. I am loving Ecuador!!! The people are nice, the views are beautiful, and the food is absolutely amazing! When I first got here, I thought I would be so homesick, but I already feel so at home here! I will say, though that my first night here I felt more lonely than I ever have in my life, but all that went away in the morning, and it hasn't returned since. On the plane ride from Miami, I was sitting next to another Rotary student, and as we got close to landing we both started freaking out. It was so funny. We were looking out the window at Quito, saying, "Oh my God we're going to be there for a whole year!!!" We were so scared. But now we're both very happy here. It's pretty hard not to be. My family made me feel very welcome right from the start. The day after I got here we went to Mitad del Mundo (the equator), and I conveniently forgot my camera (Luckily for me I'll be going there again on one of the Rotary trips), and the day after that we went birdwatching somewhere on Pichincha. The birds here are beautiful. The different kinds of hummingbirds alone could keep me fascinated all year long. My friends here tease me because they'll catch me zoning out all the time watching the birds. I could do it all day. I think maybe that's how I make up for not having any pets. I miss my cats!!! It's so weird to live in a house with no pets whatsoever. It's so quiet and empty at night. I actually miss my big smelly dog waking me up to go out in the middle of the night. But I'm getting used to it. Whenever we go to someone else's house, I am all over their pets. Haha. Speaking of animals, I got to go horseback riding a while ago for the first time in a very long time. It was really fun once the horse decided to be nice and listen to me. My host-mom's brother took me and my brother to a horse school where he does bullfighting. I'm looking forward to seeing a bullfight one of these days, but only because he told me they no longer kill the bulls. I don't think i could handle watching it if they did.
We had our Spanish Orientation camp about a week after I got here. That was really cool. There were about 30 exchange students there, all from the Quito area. Most of them were from either Germany or the U.S., and there were about 8 from other countries. Everyone got along really well together, and we had tons of fun. Every day we had group Spanish classes, and at the end of the week, each group had to do a skit in Spanish. It was hilarious (and yes, there is a video on facebook). I can't wait until the next Rotary get-together. Manavi beach trip!!!
My mom took me to el mercado artesanal (artisan market) a while ago, and it was so cool. I am definitely going to spend a lot of money there this year. They sell some pretty amazing jewelry and things. I am also definitely going to gain weight here. I've always said that would happen, because all the exchange students do, but now I know it's definitely true. I eat so much here, and it's all so different and delicious! Oh well, it's good enough that it's worth a few extra pounds- as long as I don't get to big for my school uniform. Haha.
School here = a headache a day. It's really hard, and not even just the fact that it's all in Spanish. I have to take Calculus, and I pretty much fail at math, and things like Biology and Chemistry I am struggling to remember, and Physics....yeah. Plus, it's really hard to concentrate and pay attention in class, because the students are so...rude, I guess. They will constantly talk and walk around in class while the teachers are lecturing. It's very different from school at home. I'm glad this year doesn't really count for me, but I am also kind of glad to have it as a refresher before I start college. It's funny: before I started school, I was so excited because I was getting really bored at home with no friends, but now that it's started, I'm so over it. But I did make friends there, and everyone in my class is really nice to me.
I think that pretty much covers it (and by that, I mean it doesn't even begin to cover it, but I am pretty much just rambling on). I still haven't been to a rotary meeting, but hopefully I will get to one soon (in Ecuadorian time, who knows when soon will be). I have met my counselor, and he's really nice. His name is Jurgen. He's German, and he runs a tourism business that does Galapagos tours. He's been really busy with work lately, because he's building a ship in Guayaquil. I think I might et to go to Guayaquil with him sometime to see it when it's done. That would be cool.
I hope you all are doing well, and that all the inbounds there are enjoying themselves! Until next month!
Chao! *kiss on the cheek* (yeah that tradition is definitely coming home with me.)

September 16th

Regular Club Meeting

Bob Dickey was our stand-in President this morning due to President Matt's absence. Bob spoke about some of our auction items coming up at the Golf Fundraiser October 16th and that includes one unique item that had an interesting outcome from last year. We will once again have the F-18 Pilot-For-The-Day Package which includes a full tour of VFA-125's hanger, ready room, flying the flight simulator and even getting a chance to land on the carrier, and then top that off with a trip down to the end of the runway to watch them practice carrier landing at about 30 feet away from where you are standing. Last years winner, Tom Broderson, took his sons out to the base and one of them, with the help of some of the pilots, is now enrolled in the officer candidate school with the goal to become an F18 pilot.

Anthony Fultz does his craft talk for the club.

Representatives from the McDermott Field House in Lindsay gave an awesome presentation to the Club today. They will be hosting some boxing matches this year and are helping the community of Lindsay's ecomony during these tough times.

September 10th

Regular Club Meeting

This morning we had a challenge from a friend of Karen Tellalian's, a Rotarian from Texas, to sing the Barney song, "The wheels on the bus go round and round" live at the beginning of the meeting. Actually this was very good training for Mark Brackett, but thank goodness that we are not a singing group.

Doug Udlock is inducted into the Aviator's Club this morning with call sign, "Splashdown". Apparently, Doug was quite the trouble-maker back in the navy and was caught stealing a pedi-cab with some buddies and driving it down to the warf and off the pier while stationed in Taiwan.

Michael Sheltzer was also inducted into the Aviator's Club with the call sign "B.U.R.N." (Bringing Up Rear Now) for his current training status for triathlons. Mike is actually a very accomplished triathlete that is taking a temporary break from the sport.

Anthony Wicks handles our Business of the Week for Compass Spine. He is a surgical consutant for Compass and they offer all types of implant devices.

Our program today, former Cyclist of the year, Kevin Foster aka "Captain America" told us the story of his life and what he is planning on undertaking next. It sounds like he is quite the accomplished cyclist and film maker as well.

September 9th

Letter from our outbound exhange student in Norway, Daniel Lovik

1st month in Norway:

I am truly lucky as I have gotten to come to a such beautiful place in the world- Stathelle, Norway. I'll give more details of the beauty here later on but first let me tell about my travels and the beginning of my adventure.

My trip to Norway was extremely easy and smooth. I got on a plane in SF with my mom and brother walking me to the terminal, flew 8 hours to Amsterdam where I had 3-4 hours to look around the Schipol airport, then flew another hour to Oslo where my bags were easily found. I walked to the lobby and found my first host family holding a sign with my name. They were very different then I had imagined them and it's too bad that the smoke cigerettes but they're nice anyhow. They have generously let me use their downstairs complete with a bathroom and living room- all to myself. (And from my room I can see the ocean merely 200yds away!). I didn't stay with them for the first week I was here though because in Norway all exchange students stay the first week with their club counselor to build a relationship with them. The Wednesday of that week my counselor hosted a dinner/get together with all my host families so I knew who I'd be living with over the course of my exchange. Two of my families are grandparents and the last family's son is where I used to be- Tulare county. I'm glad I'm here rather then there.

The air is clean and clear here and it doesn't get nearly as hot. The weather is more volatile here. In the morning it could be sunny or rainy and total opposite by the end of the day. I've been running and swimming at my liesure when the weather permits and that has been nice, especially because when I run it is in skogen, or the forest. And it's not just some trees that are loosely called a forest, it is the real thing with tons of underbrush and tall mature trees blocking the sun when you go in on a path, and it's not just one forest, all around are wooded areas! My school is in one and that is totally awesome. Where I swim is only a minute walk from where I live and the water is very refreshing although a little salty. Jellyfish have started showing up though so I haven't been swimming as much lately.

School is going far better then I had imagined, in some ways. Some really nice kids have befriended me and that's been great, but they speak English very well. Amongst themselves they only speak Norwegian but they can basically just as easily speak English so I'm not being forced into Norwegian. With them I've gone to a festival in the nearby big town called Skien, and also a biology trip, and both have turned out to be helpful in terms of language practice. They're very nice people and I wish that I had been able to go to school with them back in the US. One of them, Adriann, is even helping me after school somedays with learning Norwegian. My school schedule is fairly difficult but it's being made slightly easier because I've already graduated in the US so some of the courses are review, they're still in Norwegain though. . The school system here is very relaxed compared to Americas and I'm appreciating that while I'm sitting on 3hour breaks in the middle of the schoolday and seeing the teachers dress comfortably. The students are inherently more disciplined than anything I've seen before which is very respectable.

So, everything for me is better than good. I'm very glad to be here and thanks again to all those who helped me get here. At this point in my life I don't think that I could be in a much better place.

Tusen takk og ha det bra,

Daniel Lovik

September 3rd

Regular VBR Club Meeting

Mark Brackett, the Chair for the Chili Cookoff and Softball social announces some of the event details to the club. The four Visalia clubs will be joined by the two Tulare clubs for a Chili Cookoff competition, a softball game and a barbeque.

Ally Villacis, our new inbound exchange student from Ecuador, joins us today, which also happens to be her birthday. Happy birthday, Ally!

Ed McMahon (Frank) is joined on the "couch" by our newest Aviators Club members, "DropZone" and "Chutes". Anthony Fultz and Reggie Johnson both had interesting stories about jumping out of aircraft.

Gary Giraudi, one of our newest members gives his craft talk.

Another new member, Jesse Casillas, also gives his craft talk today.

Joe DeRose, a Board Member of California Law Enforcement's Wish Upon A Star charity was our program today. Joe spoke about the charity which grants wishes to children with life-threatening or high risk illnesses.