The Meeting Summary for October 16, 2024
From the Hammer Theatre in downtown San Jose, President Heather called the 5456th meeting of the Rotary Club of San Jose to order and welcomed fellow Rotarians and guests.
President Heather then gave us reminders of the following upcoming events:
- The International Feast is this Friday, October 19 at the Gordon House. You still have time to reserve your tickets on the club website.
- The Climate Action Committee will be distributing plants on Monday, October 21 & Tuesday, October 22 at Martial Cottle Park to encourage native pollinators. Please see the club website for more information about your participation.
- There is a “Paws Pack Walk” on Saturday, October 26 10 a.m. at Vasona Park. See club website for details.
- There is “Pickleball for Polio” event on Tuesday, October 22 at the JCC in Los Gatos from 6 p.m. to 8p.m. This event will raise money to eradicate Polio.
- Our Thanksgiving Program provides an opportunity to share meaningful moments of gratitude; please contact Lenoir Kieve if you are inclined to share your thoughts.
- If you notice a Rotarian missing from meetings, think about reaching out and checking in. President Heather gave a shout out to Charlie McCollum who is currently facing some health challenges.
President Heather then kicked off THE LEIGH WEIMERS EMERGING ARTISTS AWARDS by playing the ceremony’s video jingle created by Pod Help the Outcasts, 2018 Emerging Artists winners. Rotarian Lisa Mallette then took over as mistress of ceremonies. Lisa gave a shout-out the Sarah Clish and her committee members who make this a signature art event for the community as well as our club. Lisa reminded us that 44 artists have thus far been honored by $206,000 in grants from the Rotary Club of San Jose. Then Lisa gave heart-felt introductions the following four winners who showcased their superior talents. (Details about the 2024 winners can be viewed at https://weimersawards.com/award-recipients)
1. Petra Persolja is a thrilling pianist from Slovania who now makes San Jose home. She will use her grant to purchase a keyboard. Ms Persolja transfixed the room as she played Rachmaninov: Prelude in G Minor.
2. Alicia M.P. Nelson is an actor born and reared in San Jose. She self-describes as an actor, clown, and art educator. In order to reveal her versatile talent, she did a faux audition for the tragi-comedy, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
3. Yen Yi Chung is a visual artist who left her home in Taiwan to study painting in San Francisco. She found herself isolated during the recent pandemic and took that time to connect to the city through her bold and energetic geometric oil paintings.
4. Bennett Roth-Newell is a polished jazz pianist, composer and educator who has lived and worked in the South Bay for 15 years. His grant will be used to promote his new album, It Will Always Work Out. He had the the crowd cheering as he performed the title piece to that album accompanied by drums and an electric guitar.
President Heather gave special thanks to the management and staff of the Hammer Theatre, San Jose State University, Party Helpers, Lisa Mallette, Sam Wool and of course Geri Weimers, Sarah Clish and the entire committee. A donation to Trash Punx was made in their honor.
Next week our speaker will be Chuck Cantrell speaking on Why Does Race Matter?
This entertaining meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Karyn Sinunu-Towery, Rotary Meeting Summaries committee.
To see all pictures, click here, thanks to Hal Hendrickson & Jorge Taborga, Photography Committee.
Video is available here, thanks to Tori Berninger.