The newsletter for the active Venice-Marina Rotarian                                                           November 7, 2002


THE MESH


Editor's note:  On the third try David got me this report and I was able to get it to open.  Thanks for your patience.   

 

     PAUL HARRIS FOUNDATION CELEBRATION BALL

 

 

ROTARY DISTRICT 5280 held its 18th Annual Dinner Event on November 2, 2002, to celebrate and raise money for the Rotary International Foundation. The evening theme was “FAIRY TALES DO COME TRUE WITH ROTARY”.  Representing the Venice Marina Rotary Club were these members and their spouses: Club Foundation Director Dr. Vince Scott and wife Beverly, Sibyl Buchanan and husband Mitchel, Alex Gorby and wife Nina, Vince Smith and Dr. Gwendolyn Hughes, and David Maxwell and wife Joanna.

 

The event was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on November 2, 2002.  The schedule of events included: Tours of the Cathedral, Silent Auction, Speeches, Live Auction, Raffle Drawing, Dinner and Dancing.  Silent Auction winners included our own Vince, Vince and Gwen!!!  There were over 150 Silent Auction items and six (6) Live Auction items. Alas! None of our members won a raffle drawing prize-Sorry, Prez Willie!  We will know later how much money was raised for the Rotary International Foundation.  The brochure listed major donors to the Permanent Fund, which included our own Kaz Smith and her deceased husband John.  Congratulations!!!!!  Former Club Member Valerie Pierce Lewis was listed among members of the Bequest Society.

 

Silent Auction items contributed by members of our club included: Hacienda Hotel @LAX (2 nights) donated by the Adiba Shaby Scholarship Foundation, Los Angeles Marriott (2 nights) donated by the Adiba Shaby Scholarship Foundation, 2 First Row Seats Laker Tickets 2002-03 Season donated by Playa Vista-Sibyl Buchanan and Casa Escobar/Peter Escobar donated 4 bottles of Wine and Spirits, which were a 3.0 Liter Double Magnum Rosemount Estate Chardonnay 1999, a Kahlua Especial Liqueur & Bacardi Run Limon & Orange, 1 liter Tequila Mico and 750ML Shakespeare Vodka.  THANK YOU ADIBA, SIBYL AND PETER!!!!

 

President Willie selected a well-situated table for our Rotary Club.  Our members and their spouses were very near the dais, but not too close to the dance floor. Several tables were outside the main ballroom hall due to an overflow crowd.  This event was sold out two (2) months ago.  I would estimate that some 750 plus Rotarians and spouses attended this event.

 

Everyone enjoyed their tour of the new Cathedral.   This Paul Harris Celebration Ball is the first major event to be held inside the conference center. Cardinal Mahoney gave the invocation.  The Cardinal, who is an honorary Member of LA 5, was the guest of District Governor Rick Mendoza. Included in the event program were three (3) pages of facts and history of the building of this cathedral, which was authorized by the Pope in Rome to be built in 1904, one year before Paul Harris started ROTARY!!  Our Club paid $100 for a full-page ad in the program, but there were no ads listed in the program except for a car deal.  Dr. Vince was mystified.

 

Funds from this event go to the Rotary Foundation, where Rotary helps those less fortunate in the World.  Rotary does make “Fairy Tales” come true for people around the World.  Our individual contributions to the Foundation Funds are important for other people.  Remember the way the funds are handled insures that 100% of our contributions go to projects, not to overhead costs.  Try to give some money each year to this event according to what you can afford-$10, $50, $100, etc.- these sums all count.

 

Dr. Vince Scott, who has been our Club Foundation Chair for many years, does an excellent job partly due to the continuity of service, but mainly due to his attending to details and his efforts. THANK YOU DR. VINCE!!!! Vince told me that our club was the instigator for the first dinner event 18 years ago.  He will make a report of this bit of history to our Club, when he makes his annual report.

 

Yours in Rotary,

 

 

DAVID MAXWELL