Rotary Club of Los Angeles

Est. 1909

www.rotaryla5.org El RodeoEl RodeoEl RodeoEl Rodeo

2010-11

Number 16

December 10

Dr. Amir Hussain

American Muslims:

Separating fact from fiction

Make plans to attend this Friday’s pro-

gram. It will be one of the most

unique of this year.

With an introduction by Sheriff Lee

Baca, Dr. Amir Hussain will speak on

American Muslims: Separating Fact

from Fiction. Dr. Hussain is Professor

of Theological Studies at Loyola Mary-

mount University.

He teaches classes on world religions,

and his academic specialty is Islam.

His current courses are: Religions of

the World as part of the First Year In-

stitute at LMU and Islam and Inter-

religious Dialogue. He is editor of the

Journal of the American Academy of

Religion, the premier journal for the

study of religion, and is the author of

the introduction to a book on Islam for

North Americans entitled, Oil and Wa-

ter: Two Faiths, One God.

Among the issues to be addressed on

December 10 are: terrorism and vio-

lence, Sharia law, the proposed

mosque near Ground Zero in New

York City and Madrasas (Islamic)

schools. There will be time allowed for

questions from the audience.

This is a very timely topic for our na-

tion, and also for our club. Every

member of LA5 should attend this pro-

gram.

See you this Friday at the Omni Hotel.

Join us next Friday, December 17th, at

the Omni Hotel, when we have our

annual Holiday Program. This will be

an especially exciting one. LA5’s Gen-

eral Stayce Harris will present the Tus-

kegee Airmen with a special scholar-

ship check.

Also, the Beverly Hills High School Madri-

gal Singers will provide us with holiday

music and cheer.

Please join us for our last meeting of

the year, December 17th, at the Omni

Hotel.

SPECIAL SPEAKER

THIS FRIDAY:

Upcoming Programs

Friday

December 17

Holiday Program

General Stayce Harris with a special

scholarship presentation for the

Tuskegee Airmen

and the BHHS Madrigal Singers

We will be

DARK

Friday, December 24th

and

Friday, December 31st

President’s Message

The 60th Annual USC-UCLA Rally Day hosted

by LA5 was successful even without the Head

Coaches! Well known dignitaries included:

Bobby Field, UCLA Senior Associate Director

of Athletics; JK McKay, USC Sr. Athletics Direc-

tor, Cade McNown, UCLA Quarterback from

1995-1998 who led the Bruins to wins over

USC in 1995, ’96, ’97 and ’98; former USC Ath-

letic and Academic All American John “JJ”

Jackson. Other players who participated in

the program were from UCLA: Mike Sherrard,

Cory Paus and Skip Hicks; and, from USC

Brandon Hancock and Chris Hale. And, of

course, the UCLA and USC Cheerleaders, UCLA

Mascot Joe Bruin, and the USC Trojan March-

ing Band also provided entertainment.

Over 200 were in attendance to include: Dis-

trict 5280 PDG’s Dennis Benko and John Cole-

ville; District 5280 Governor Elect, Brad Robin-

son and wife, Catherine; District 5280 Gover-

nor Nominee Lew Bertrand, District 5230 Gov-

ernor Elect Greg Owen from the Long Beach

Club; Rotaract District 5280 Governor Cheryl

Wong; and, Rayan Hill, President of the USC

Rotaract Club. Members from the Wishire, El

Segundo, Pasadena and Long Beach Clubs

were also in attendance.

A very special THANKS for your Service Above

Self goes out to the program Co-Chairs Ken

Chong and John Rocca, along with the super-

lative performance of the programs Emcee,

Gary Hankins! Also we owe thanks to our

Club Service Division for their tireless efforts

at every meeting; our Executive Staff, Jon

Gibby and Jennifer Gregg; and, to Carole

Donahue for taking pictures for “Meeting

Memories.”

Our Rotary Club of Los Angeles awarded the

traditional $5,000 Athletic Scholarships to

each school. Thank you LA5 Members of for

your support!

The Rotary Club of

Los Angeles

Est. June 25, 1909

CLUB LEADERSHIP

President Gerry Turner President-Elect Megan O’Rourke V. P./Program Chair Jay Richardson Secretary Christina Chanpong Treasurer Don Robinson Immediate Past President Marc Leeka

DIRECTORS

Alan Bernstein John Green Christina Hurn Art Kassel John Langfitt Diane Netzel Gus Oppermann L J Rivera Barrie Segall Carol Shafer Margaret Todd Nobel Trenham Jose Vera Elizabeth Wheeler Club Fellowship Carol Shafer Elizabeth Wheeler Communications Noble Trenham Funding Art Kassel

L J Rivera Diane Netzel Membership Jon S. Gibby Barrie Segall Christina Hurn Jose Vera Service Projects John Langfitt John Green Gus Oppermann New Generations Margaret Todd Alan Bernstein Sergeants-at-Arms Anthony Bourg Anthony Calloway Robert Donahue Executive Director Jon S. Gibby jon@rotaryla5.org Executive Administrator Jennifer Gregg

FOUNDATION BOARD

Chairman Al Shonk Vice Chairman Ben F. Tunnell III Secretary David L. Bland Chief Financial Officer Donald R. Robinson Director Nancy Howard Director Marc Leeka Director Ed Matveld Director Gerry Turner

Rotary Club of Los Angeles Office 900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 418 Los Angeles, CA 90017 Telephone 213-624-8601 Fax 213-624-2694 Website www.rotaryla5.org District 5280

Governor Doug Baker Website www.district5280.org

After rousing music from the USC

band, and cheers from both UCLA and

USC squads, LA5 enjoyed a delicious

meal and some spirited, but good

natured, ribbing back and forth from

representatives of both schools.

J.K. McKay of USC reminded us how

important this football tradition was

to his entire family. One year after

defeating the Bruins, his father built a

swimming pool for them. On the year

the Trojans lost, the McKay family did-

n’t even get a Christmas tree!

From the other side of the field, UCLA

quarterback, Cade McNown, told of

how exciting it was to play on a team

that defeated the Trojans all four years

that he played.

Thanks to everyone, especially Ken

Chong and John Rocca, who helped

put the program together, and to our

own Gary Hankins who served as

Master of Ceremonies. Congratula-

tions to USC for their victory last Sat-

urday night.

UCLA/USC Pre-Game Rally Wrap-Up!

John Rocca, Ken Chong and Executive

Director Jon Gibby. Not pictured, Execu-

tive Administrator Jennifer Gregg. Many

thanks for their long hours of getting

this very fun program together.

The men of the hour: USC’s Sr. Athletic

Director, JK McKay, President Gerry

Turner, UCLA’s Sr. Athletic Director,

Bobby Field, and Gary Hankins.

Gary Hankins auctioning the USC autographed

football held by Carol Shafer. Denecia Jones was

the proud winner.

Ken Chong held the UCLA

autographed helmet that

Maddy Alfano had the win-

ning bid.

Members of LA5 are asked to bring an unwrapped toy

to our meeting on either December 3rd , 10th or 17th.

LA5 is a sponsor and also involved in an awesome cam-

paign this month in partnership with KABC7, and the Los

Angeles Firefighters.

For 18 years, KABC7 and firefighters from Los Angeles,

Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties,

along with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, have

joined forces to run the "Spark of Love Toy Drive".

This campaign collects new, unwrapped toys and sports

equipment for the underserved children in our communi-

ties. Toys collected in the respective counties are dis-

tributed locally. Last year alone, "Spark of Love" collected

over 500,000 toys within all five counties, and we want to

top that total this year. So please help the firefighters ig-

nite a spark of love in a child's heart.

These minor acts of generosity will have a major im-

pact on the lives of poor children in our own commu-

nity.

Thanks for your support! Kathy Turner

Co-Chairs

Don Robinson and Lance Miller

Angel City Celebration & Giveaway Rotarians & Volunteers Are Needed!Rotarians & Volunteers Are Needed!Rotarians & Volunteers Are Needed!

Please note the information included below. This project

was announced last week, but will actually take place this

coming weekend.

The Angel City Celebration & Giveaway is an effort by

the City of Los Angeles, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,

to reach out and assist 3,000 families in underserved com-

munities of South Central Los Angeles. The city has se-

cured toys, food and clothing for many people in need.

Rotarians and volunteers are asked to help distribute toys

and clothing on Saturday, December 11th.

The RSVP date was December 5, but if you are inter-

ested, contact Marjorie Heller at 2marjoriehel-

ler@gmail.com to see if there are places left where you

can help..

Location

Bryant Temple AME Church

2525 W. Vernon Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

3 blocks west of Arlington Ave on W. Vernon Ave

Parking

• Parking lot is located on the South East corner of the

Vernon & 4th Ave. Vernon Ave will be narrowed to one

lane each direction from 6:30am to 1pm.

Saturday, December 11 from 7:00 am to noon

• Breakfast and orientation start 7:00 am at the Volun-

teer Center

• Jobs include distributing toys, food, clothing, security

and greeter etc.

• Giveaway starts 8:30am at the back of the Church &

YWCA

Attire

This is an outdoor event; please dress appropriately.

This w

eeken

d!

Don’t Forget!! Don’t Forget!!

Photos courtesy of

Carole Donahue and

Frisbee Davis.