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INSPIRE

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SAVE LIVES

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FIGHT HUNGER

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EMPOWER

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MENTOR

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Join us on a Wednesday convenient to you and experience the fun and friendship of the Rotary Club of San Jose!

Contact our Executive Director, Leslee Hamilton for more details (408) 297-6101.

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“Service Above Self”

Rotary is a service organization of business and community leaders united worldwide. Rotarians are making a positive impact in our local and global communities.

The Rotary Club of San Jose

Benefiting the community and our world through action, integrity, service, and fellowship.

The Rotary Club of San Jose is the largest, most active and well-known service organization in the community. We are a leadership organization working together to make a difference. Our members include local business, nonprofit, professional and civic leaders. We form lasting friendships through our shared Rotary experiences including weekly meetings with interesting speakers, committee meetings and projects, social events and group service projects within our community and internationally.

Diversity & Inclusion

Having a diverse and inclusive Rotary Club means we value and welcome individuals of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, and races to our Club. We invite younger people, women, and minorities who support Rotary’s values, ideals, and mission to join our members in service to our community, and we strive to give all members equal opportunities to serve as leaders within our Club.

Service is the life blood of our Club, and it all happens through our Committees

The Speaker for September 23: Kerri Kasem

MY STORY: PROTECTING THE ELDERLY FROM ABUSE

1 to 2 million Americans age 65+ report having been abused by a loved one or someone they depend on for care.
Only 1 in 14 incidents of elder abuse are ever reported to authorities.
Only 1 in 25 cases of financial exploitation are ever reported, meaning there may be at least 5 million financial abuse victims each year.

Kerri Kasem, whose father Casey Kasem was the radio host of American Top 40 and the voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo, lost all contact with him when he developed dementia and his wife became his guardian in 2013. His phone and computer were taken away, his staff was fired, and no family or friends were permitted to see him. Hopeless, helpless, frustrated, and angry, Kerri learned that she had nowhere to turn - protective services and law enforcement couldn't help. Undaunted, Kerri created a foundation and launched a personal crusade, which has since led to 20 states adopting elderly visitation laws - and counting. Join us as Kerri Kasem, daughter of Casey Kasem, shares her very personal story and struggle against the silent epidemic of elderly abuse in America.
ABOUT KERRI KASEM
Kerri Kasem, a multimedia personality, producer and writer, has anchored music, talk and entertainment programs for radio and television. A media professional for over 20 years, in February 2010, she joined Premiere Radio Networks for the launch of Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx and The Side Show Countdown. In April of 2014, she left Sixx Sense to form the Kasem Cares Foundation, a non-profit organization which and has successfully passed bills in multiple states to stop elder abuse. Soon after her exit from Sixx Sense, Kasem joined Gurvey’s Law on 790KABC.
In addition to co-hosting Gurvey’s Law, Kasem co-hosts the syndicated Red Carpet Radio for Cumulus Media heard on 300 across the US and Get Mortgage Fit heard on 70 stations. In the summer of 2014 Kerri made her return to TV hosting segments for ABC’s Rising Star. Kasem previously served as co-host of the nationally syndicated Racing Rocks with Riki Rachtman for nearly seven years. She has produced and hosted shows for MTV Asia, National Lampoon® and Sprint. Her credits include hosting, MTV USA and Asia, America’s Funniest Home Videos and Coming Attractions on the E! Network, FOX News, SiTV’s The Rub and UFC programs Ultimate Knockouts 3, Ultimate and Ultimate Knockouts for the UFC and SPIKE as well as a motorcycle travel show for SPRINT called SEE America. She has also co-hosted mornings with Alan Stock on KXNT in Las Vegas and The Solomon Free Money Hour on Angels AM-830, she co-hosted Protecting Your Family with attorney Naz Barouti and spent six years on 97.1 FM TALK in Los Angeles and has also been featured in dozens of magazines.
Kasem founded the Kasem Cares Foundation to establish and fight for the rights to have visitation and reasonable access to an ailing parent, especially when under the care and control of an uncooperative spouse or sibling. The Kasem Cares “Visitation Bill” has been passed in 11 states so far CA, TX, IA, UT, LA, VA, AL, WI, IL, AR and NE with 9 other states adopting a version of the Kasem Cares bill to make it a total of 20 states.
On April 27, 2014, her father Casey Kasem’s birthday, she was awarded a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for her foundation’s “dedication to fighting elder abuse and protecting the integrity of the family unit through advocacy.” On April 23, 2016 at the Kasem Cares Conference on Aging, Assemblyman Mike Gatto gave Kasem Cares the California Assembly Certificate of Recognition. Kasem is also an ambassador for Youth for Human Rights.
She has made guest appearances on, The View, Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Access Hollywood, The Doctors, Piers Morgan, Good Day LA, Fox and Friends, Greta Van Susteren, etc.

The Meeting Summary for September 15, 2020

Rotarians and guests gathered online for our 5,2567th meeting, waiting briefly for President Fernando Zazueta who was having computer problems -- the 2020 equivalent of being stuck in the parking garage. But we got started with the marimba sounds of “La Sandunga.” President Fernando also wished a happy birthday to Anna Rose.

Next, Terry Austen provided our inspirational thought about the power of mentorship. Recalling a Kaiser San Jose housekeeper in the nursing department who impressed him with his work, Austen said when that housekeeper was laid off, he found him an internship in the public affairs department and kickstarted a new career. “Always be great in what you do,” Terry said, “you never know who’s watching.”
We received a committee update on the Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Committee, which annually gives out four $5,000 unrestricted grants to Santa Clara County artists in memory of Leigh Weimers, a longtime Rotarian and Mercury News columnists. The committee’s next honorees will be featured in our program Oct. 14.

We introduced a new member, Rick Callender, who is the new CEO of Valley Water. Rick talked about his past growing up in San Jose, working with elected officials like Ron Dellums and Susan Hammer, and his new role at Valley Water, where he is in his 25th year.
Clarence Stone gave us an update from the Foundation board, which he pledged will be more collaborative and transparent. This is the first of four or five presentations Clarence expects to give this year on the Foundation’s work. He passed things over to Sarah Clish, who talked about our community grants program, which provides capital equipment funds for community organizations that have included Grail Family Services, Uplift Family Services, San Jose Taiko, and Child Advocates of Silicon Valley. This year’s deadline to apply is Oct. 1. Sarah brought on Kathleen King with the Healthier Kids Foundation, who talked about the benefits of our community grants, which funded her organization’s screening programs for both hearing and vision.
President Fernando made a couple of announcements, congratulating David Ginsborg on a recent award from the International Association of Assessor Officers and explaining the significance of Sept. 16 as Mexican Independence Day.

He then introduced our speaker, Stanford professor Albert Camarillo, who talked to us about the history of Juana Briones -- a California pioneer who was a significant businesswoman in San Francisco during the 19th century. Here are a few highlights from his talk:
-- Traditional California history starts with the Gold Rush in 1849, including the American migration to California by groups like the Donner Party and the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Fourth-graders learn about the Missions and Rancho families, but this created a “Spanish fantasy” version of California.
-- Camarillo first learned about Juana Briones after he was asked to give a presentation about her in the 1990s and later happily participated in the Juana Briones Historical Foundation, a group he had brushed off previously before he knew about her history.
-- Briones’ parents -- as children -- were part of the historic Portola expedition and De Anza expedition. She was born in 1802 in Santa Cruz as one of 11 children and later grew up in the Presidio in what’s now San Francisco.
-- She purchased property in San Francisco, owning a market that provided goods for all the ships that were coming in to dock at the Bay. In essence, Camarillo said, she was an entrepreneur who launched San Francisco’s first startup. She also was a folk healer and humanitarian, hiding sailors who jumped ship until her brother could take them to safety across the Bay.
-- Unlike most Mexicans who lost their land when California became a state, Briones -- who didn’t even speak English -- won a court case to keep her property, which includes 640 acres in Palo Alto and Los Altos Hills.
-- While the Juana Briones House -- the oldest home in Palo Alto -- was torn down in 2011, she still has a park and a school named for her in the area.
-- Camarillo said her life should make us rethink what we know about California history and consider the other missing figures in our local history. Juana Briones, he said, may be the most important figure in Santa Clara County history up until the 20th century.

Please click here to view this week's broadcast.

Submitted by Sal Pizarro, Meeting Summaries Committee.

BBQ Fun

Rick Alpers creating yet another memorable Rotary BBQ. Maybe Rick started on the drive through BBQ preparation a little too early in the morning!

Baylands Golf Tournament

Baylands Golf Tournament

1875 Embarcadero Road

Palo Alto, CA 94303

Date: Tuesday, September 22, 1 pm Staggered Start

Format: Play your own ball

Price: $39 per player - includes green fees, prizes, and food

Prizes: TBD

Space is Limited to: 12 golfers

Deadline: September 21st

Questions: email Sandy Swanson

To register and pay online, please click link HERE

The Inaugural District Book Club

THE INAUGURAL DISTRICT BOOK CLUB will have its first meeting on September 30th at 6:00pm.
This bookclub is meant to be a District fellowship opportunity for our members to do something together.

We are hoping to read books by Rotary authors…and have the authors moderate the book club session.
For now we of course are meeting on zoom.

To register to attend, please go to:
Registration is now live at https://events.rotarydistrict5170.org/

If you are an author--
If you or someone in your club is a published author and want to participate and be the book chosen,
please fill out the Author's form.
https://form.jotform.com/202315461356146

All information about the bookclub can also be found on the District website under.. Calendar.. district event registration.

The first Book club will feature Rotarian Katie Cooney.

September Birthdays

New Member Rick Callender

Rick Callender is the Chief Executive Officer of Valley Water. Appointed CEO by the Board on May 26, 2020, Mr. Callender oversees an integrated water resources system that includes the supply of clean, safe water; flood protection; and environmental stewardship of waterways for Santa Clara County’s 1.9 million residents.
Mr. Callender has worked for Valley Water since 1996, serving most recently as the Chief of External Affairs. As the CEA, he led Valley Water’s efforts in strategic external communications to the media, community, and the public. Mr. Callender also oversaw all government relations efforts on local, regional, state, and federal levels, as well as public policies that directly affect Valley Water.
Prior to joining the district, Mr. Callender worked as a Special Assistant to former City of San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer, as a Field Campaign Organizer for the California Democratic Party, as a Congressional Fellow for the United States House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Energy, and as a Congressional Fellow to Congressman Ronald V. Dellums. He also served as president of the San Jose-Silicon Valley NAACP from 2000 to 2008.
Mr. Callender earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Technology with an emphasis in electronic and computer technology from California State University, Chico, completed all coursework for his Master of Arts in Public Administration from San Jose State University, earned his Juris Doctorate from Northwestern California University School of Law, and is a member of the California State Bar. He has also attended and graduated from eight executive leadership programs at different universities throughout the nation.

New Member Edwin Tan

Edwin Tan, Ph.D. is driven by a desire to serve his community. He currently serves as the Director of Advocacy and Community Relations for San José State University. His goal is to establish and strengthen external partnership for SJSU, as well as help in the implementation of strategic initiatives. Edwin serves as a Board Member for the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coaltion; an organization that is focused on eradicating human trafficking in the region. Additionally, he serves as the President of the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Democratic Club. Since moving up to the Bay seven years ago, Edwin actively mentors youth and young adults in the community. Originally trained as a developmental psychologist, Edwin conducted research and taught the University of California, Irvine and in Indonesia. Not being content with just producing research, he wanted to know how to translate research into policy. As a Congressional Fellow for the American Psychological Association, Edwin began what would become a nearly four year career working for Congressman Michael M. Honda. He ultimately served as his Senior Chief Advisor and District Director. He helped to oversee various issues areas, including: education, judiciary, transportation, and human trafficking. He then went on to serve as the Director of Advocacy and Development where he was able to fuse his background in policy and in healthcare by effecting change through advocacy.