UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Jan 31: Constance L. Rice

Advancement Project LA

Feb 7: John Marquis

CFO Vallarta Supermarkets

Feb 14: Paul & Denise Fejtek

Steps to the Summit

CALENDAR IT NOW

Feb 2: LA5 and Sheriff's YAL

host 165 kids at Disneyland

Feb 5: Associates 1st Wednesday

Feb 23: Day At the Races

organized by Denny Dynes

VISIT WWW.ROTARYLA5.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SPEAKERS & EVENTS

Rotary Club of Los Angeles

established 1909

January 31, 2014

rotaryLA5.org

Again Another Full House at LA5

I t was hard to miss the handsome 7-foot 2-inch gentle-

man who confidently strode into the Friday lunch to loud applause, and this time the welcome was not for

Prez Ken. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke briefly to the audience of almost 200 and then took questions for 25 min-utes. Many members gave lengthy extemporaneous speeches

to express their connection to the six-time NBA Most Valu-

able Player and 19-time NBA All-Star.

Prez Ken used the occasion to repeatedly remind everyone

that Abdul-Jabbar is a Bruin. Abdul-Jabbar praised his late UCLA coach John Wooden as a “giant of a man who prepared

us for life.” “An education will be with you long after your

sports career is finished.”

Paul Netzel holds The Rotarian magazine which features an article by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on “The Three Rules of Retirement.” The three formed a quick pick-up game in the

parking garage after the meeting.

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Despite her failure to bring an iPad or other offerings to Prez Ken, LJ Rivera assured guest Hannah Walker that she would still be

welcomed with open arms.

If you missed seeing the gang last week

Kelly Bland, Past President David Bland’s daughter, and Maureen Tepedino have 100-watt smiles that light up the room.

Joe Grant and Jack Dibb were the Lord of the Badges. Everyone should be toasting you, Jack, for being there every week.

Felix Keats gave Kareem a hardy welcome and shared an old Russian joke: “Kareem? Feh. Sovetskiy Soyuz yavlyayetsya cham-

pionom basketbola.”

Inspired by memories of Kareem leading UCLA to NCAA Tourna-ments, Lance Ito accepted Leon Elster’s invitation to the pick-up

game in the parking garage following the meeting.

Ron Markham, Managing Director of Unispace, donated an iPad and iPad mini for the raffle. Kudos to Prez Ken for developing yet

another new fundraising avenue for LA5: pre-fining guests!!

Ben’s Lunch Advice

World-class Gastronome Ben

Tunnell departs Friday to judge the St. Louis Chefs de Cuisine

Association cooking competition. Mark Gold, the accomplished City Club chef, promised to pre-

pare an outstanding lunch if Ben would book a late flight. Ben agreed and now everyone can

enjoy this special meal.

Diners: please RSVP to guarantee your seat!

ENTREE: Steak Frites with Buttered Broccoli.

VEGETARIAN: Mushroom Medley Risotto. 4 El Rodeo

In February we go back to

The California Club

Meet once more

at City Club

T he January 31st meeting will be held

at the newly renovated City Club on the top floor of the City National Bank. It is

across the street from the California Club but the parking entrance is poorly marked

and confusing. Please follow these directions.

1. Travel south on Flower Street about 50 feet past Fifth Street and stay in the right lane. Look for the RED VALET PARKING sign mark-

ing the entrance to the City National Plaza un-der ground parking. The picture at right shows the sign below the giant arrow. NOTE:

some members looked for the giant red arrow last week. The arrow is imaginary and does

not exist. Look for the red entrance sign.

2. Take a ticket from the automated entry gate.

3. Drive forward about 75 feet to the valet park-

ing reception.

4. Leave your car with the valet. Turn left and

walk to the 555 South Flower building.

5. Take the escalator up one floor to the lobby, then take an elevator to the City Club pent-

house on the 51st floor.

Get a validation when you check in at the LA5

table to reduce the parking cost to only $8 for up

to three hours.

Chartered June 25, 1909

Club Leadership 2013-14

Ken Chong, President Alan Bernstein, President-Elect Jose Vera, Vice-President Elizabeth Wheeler, Secretary Don Robinson, Treasurer Jay Richardson, Past President

Club Service Arthur Kassel Paul Richey

Community Service Margaret Karren Jim Hoyt

Funding Todd Johnson Al Shonk

International Service Laine Wagenseller Rick Sarmiento

Membership and Retention Charisse Older Erick Weiss

Vocational Service John Miller John Jaacks

Youth Service Anthony Calloway Paul Jacques

Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Ekstrand Barry Hytowitz Steve Sommers

Executive Director Jon Gibby JON@ROTARYLA5.ORG

Rotary Club of Los Angeles 523 West Sixth Street, Suite 718 Los Angeles, CA 90014 Telephone 213.624.8601 Facsimile 213.624.2694 WWW.ROTARYLA5.ORG

District 5280 Governor Doug Baker

El Rodeo Marc Leeka, Editor Peter Weinberger, Sr. Reporter Tony Medley, Photographer

El Rodeo 5

Rotarians You Want to Know:

Paul Jacques

P aul Jacques has worked at the

American Film Institute for 15 years. As Vice President Infra-

structure, he handles everything from landscaping to janitorial crews to construction projects and leasehold im-

provements. His day job isn’t half as ex-citing as his night hobby: he’s a rock 'n roll guitar player, of-ten backing his wife Erica (her band is called Erica Lake and

the Angry Dolphins) or in the band Honkystomp

known for mixing the gen-res of hard rock, country

and funk.

Paul says, “I joined LA5 in 2011 and, without a doubt,

the most satisfying things I have done are the hands-on service projects. Whether it

is AbilityFirst bowling or the Angel City Toy give-away, the service projects

energize me with more Ro-tary Moments than I can

count!”

“I’m now involved with the Youth Service division be-

cause it is critical to incor-porate service into a young person’s DNA. Giving back

is how we grow. Instilling those values in the next

generation will have impli-cations for positive change beyond our grasp. We all

can set an example and show young people what

they can become.”

If you haven’t met Paul yet, then please introduce your-

self at the next meeting.

Paul’s Favorites

The best city I have ever visited is

Madrid.

If I had one last restaurant meal in LA, it would be Arroyo Chop

House in Pasadena.

I am currently reading Red Letter Revolution by Shane Clairborne

and Tony Campolo. The last book I read was The Fountainhead by

Ayn Rand published way back in 1943. Few books so successfully

address the tug between good

and evil.

I know it is junk food but my guilty pleasure is almost any type

of sausage with nice hot mustard.

Three albums I would take to a

desert island: After Midnight, the exquisite 1957 release from the

Nat King Cole Trio; Frank Sina-tra’s second collaboration with

Count Basie It Might As Well Be Swing; and Johnny Cash’s very

dark but very rewarding The Man

Comes Around.

I graduated from high school in

1984. When I hear "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" on the radio,

it takes me back again.

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Lunch Prices Slashed to

Lowest Price in 10 Years!

P rez Ken, committed to bringing more “occasional” Rotarians to the

Friday LA5 lunches, announced a stunning new meal plan that sent

many old-school Rotarians reeling. “How can

they do that,” said one senior Rotarian who asked not to be named in this article. “How

can they offer fancy lunches at the best meet-ing in town for such a ridiculously low price? They’ve gotta be losing a bundle if people

show up.”

President Ken responded, “The lifeline, the vi-

tality of our LA5 club depends on member participation. We’ve got members who pay dues yet they won’t make a quick 35-minute

trip to downtown LA on Fridays to meet and

interact with their fellow members. What I

what to do is eliminate one more expense that separates members from experiencing fun and

camaraderie with their fellow members.

Ken continued, “We have smoking great speakers and a room filled with the best-

connected people in Los Angeles. You’ve got friendship and networking all in one place.

Who won’t benefit from being here?”

This is what you have to do: reserve lunch on the RotaryLA5 website by Wednesday 3 p.m.

each week to get the new $31 lunch price. You will save money only when you reserve in ad-

vance and you also save on guest lunches.

For those who disdain technology, the walk-

up lunch price will be $37.

And, for those who make a reservation and then do not show up — you will be charged for the meal price. Sorry, we’ve got to make

sure LA5 breaks even on the lunch costs.

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Carmen Estrada-Schaye and Rita Lee organized the Los Angeles 5 Art Competition this year. Prez Ken and Don Crocker hold the winning art submission that received the most votes from club members. (left to right) Stacy Panfilo, Rosalind Piedrasanta, Elizabeth

Brooke, Aranzazu Pena, Carlos Segovia and Andre Lopez. Elizabeth received a First Place award of $400 and will represent LA5 at the district art competition. Andre received $200 for his Second Place entry and the others received Honorable Mention awards and $50.