Newsletter 122409

A room feels warmer when filled with holiday trees, lovely lights, and sunshine filtering through the windowpanes along with many people chatting, laughing, enjoying a wonderful meal, making new friends and greeting old friends.  What a pleasure to attend a Berkeley Kiwanis luncheon.  If you haven't been lately, come on over and enjoy the comraderie. The Berkeley City Club is quite an enjoyable place to be!!  

 

 ½ Pres. R. Bliss led the meeting; it is interesting to come just to see which ½ Pres. will be in charge!!  Each has her individual style- and they are working so well TOGETHER!!  What we have found out is that even they are not always sure who will be leading the meeting.

Greeting us at the door were ½ Pres R. Bliss & F. Bliss.  Our ever faithful B. Rice led us in GBA and E. Levitch gave a thoughtful invocation, thanking in particular for having survived another year.  P. Khong agreed to carry around the fine box.     

           

COMMITTEE REPORTS OF IMPORTANCE

1.      Interclubs took place at Alameda with V & B Carpenter,  E. Goodman, and both  ½ Presidents.  The December DCM at the Carpenters found F. Bliss, P. Khong, and both 1/ 2 Presidents along with V & B! 

2.      P. Khong informed us that things are "quiet" with the Key Club groups.  Take-overs of BK are being planned!  No report from our Circle K this week- many have gone home for this break from school.

 

 

3.      D. Haughin promoted her Sees Candy sales and there were some after the meeting. 

4.      D. Haughin also reported on a very successful Holiday Auction with a net of right around $5000.  The best part of it is that we all had a great time!!

5.      J. Egeberg announced a work party for the morning of the 23^rd (that's the day this rag is being written!) putting together holiday baskets in front of the Berkeley Police Dept.  Hope some of us got there at 6:30 to help out.  As well the fire dept., police dept., and the Marines Toys for Tots will be collecting gifts right up to Dec. 25^th.  Toys can be taken to any fire station in Berkeley.

    

          Several notes of interest coming along for you to enter into your BRAIN!!

Dec. 29:  Our REGULAR meeting will be a roundtable held at the Round Table pizza parlor on University Ave., just down the street from McDonalds.  Meet at 12:30- park at ACE, but let them know you are parked there.

Jan. 1:  HAPPY NEW YEAR

Jan. 4:  Cooking at YEAH.  and BRING SOCKS!!

Jan 6: LTG official visit to Alameda Club. S. Hearn has offered to attend with LTG & B Carpenter- we need one more for an interclub.

our holiday auction!)

Jan. 16:  Governor's Visit- 9:00-1:30 on a Saturday.  More information to come.  This event really is known as the Regional Training Conference.

Jan 16:  San Leandro Crab Feed fundraiser.  In the evening.  Let's interclub!!

Jan 23:  Alameda Chili Cook Off- Let's interclub!!

 

 

 

 

JJJJJJJJJJLL$$$$ were numerous, as usual!

E. Levitch J to be here, J for the Carpenter's union. B. Rice for having to have notarized a document stating he still is alive in order to continue receiving his retirement monies.  J. Egeberg L that his K pin is at the dry cleaners, J that he now has chewing capability and J that his daughter has been accepted at the University of Western Australia for a course in Marine Biology- and just Merry Christmas.    B. Carpenter J for Elsa Jenny and J that Nick Haughin sealed the Carpenter deck.    S Hearn very J that her grandchildren's present arrived in time!!.  B. Fay J?? for getting soaked in the rain. V. Carpenter J for peace in the home for a few days!!  F. Bliss gave an informational $ that he can notarize documents!!      

 

NEW MEMBER!!!

Best event of our day was the induction of a new Bliss member!!  A proud Dad F. Bliss had the pleasure of advising his daughter about the goings on in Kiwanis.  (This editor suspects that she already has some knowledge of this!!).  He gave Elsa Jenny a copy of our bylaws (in such small print that only a young person could read it!), and a Kiwanis decal which she may "wish to put on her car".  Mom R. Bliss had the fun of pinning her daughter.  Elsa Jenny is a middle school math teacher, presently on a year sabbatical doing service.  She has already spent time with YEAH and Christmas caroling.  WELCOME, Elsa Jenny!!

 

SPEAKER NEWS:

 

B. Barnwell introduced our speakers.  Ruth Morgan, Anna Weng and Cheyenne were with us to speak about Project What, a Community Works program for teens (ages 15-20) with parents who are incarcerated.  Project What! raises awareness about the impacts of parental incarceration on children, with the long-term goal of improving services and policies that affect these children.  WHAT! stands for We're Here & Talking, which is exactly what this team is doing.  The program employs young people who have experienced parental incarceration as the primary curriculum content developers and facilitators for trainings.  Project What! Was launched in 2006 and in the first year the youth were instrumental in researching, creating and piloting a training curriculum for teachers and social workers.  Young people employed can earn from $8 to $12 per hour and are asked to commit to one year.  They must also be willing to speak to groups.  This editor went into their site and noticed that under "upcoming events" was listed their presentation to the Kiwanis Club of Berkeley!  Thank you, Bob, for bringing us this interesting and informative group.  Cheyenne was most willing to share her story with us.       

 

 

 

 

 

 

I leave you with the following

SAQOTW

 

Do your little bit of good where you are;

it's those little bits of good put together

that overwhelm the world.

Desmond Tutu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WISHING YOU ALL

A MOST PEACEFUL

HOLIDAY!

 

 

 

 

 

SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY

 

NOTE:

 

MEET US AT OUR ROUND TABLE

MEETING AT

ROUND TABLE PIZZA

December 29, 12:30pm

 

Editor:  VC

Newsletter 121509

RETRO EDITION! from 2007 (only the names & other equally minor details have been changed)

 

_____________________

Twelve drummers drumming

Fa-la-la-la-LAAAAA…

It was a brisk and windy day, snow flurries swirling everywhere (or was that on Monday Night Football?)…yes, a perfect setting for "chestnuts on the fire" (only things missing were the chestnuts and the fire) …..But it didn't keep many people from coming out and enjoying a perfect setting for the

Berkeley Kiwanis Club's always festive annual Holiday Auction!

 

 

 

Eleven pipers piping

To start with, the City Club did it right and looked beautiful. Then the Kiwanis team put another layer on top of it, with its own touch. The tables were

filled with offerings too great to meet the eye. Exotic cookbooks, strange and rare wines, unusual

candies and concoctions, hard-to-find antiquities and inequities, and a mind-boggling array of treasures, large and small, old and new,  unique and ordinary, hot and cold, tall and short.

Ten lords a-leaping

Half Prez R. Bliss was poised to kick off the event in fine form and awaited the City Club's finest to set up the gourmet buffet. Oswaldo and troops showed up shortly. Meanwhile, perennial MC  J. Rosano barked orders all around (ignored by most as usual) and made seemingly important announcements over the mike. (the other 8 lords were standing by)

Nine ladies dancing

Yes, they were dancing and prancing -- Chair D. Haughin, Asst Chair V. Carpenter, Honorary Member S. Silveira, R. Bliss, S. Hearn, B. Lowman, L. Hannawalt and others were scurrying around, busy as elves, hanging stockings, gay apparel, and sugar plums all over the place (not to mention boughs of holly, figgy pudding, and frankincense, incense and nonsense).

 

 

 

 

Eight maids a-milking

As said, the tables were filled with great treasures, many of which were hand crafted by the amazing L. Hannawalt, jams, preserves, and other creations by V. Carpenter, S. Silveira, R. Bliss, and others, all of which drew handsome offers.

Seven swans a-swimming

The silent auction took off with much anticipation and intense bidding. To the rescue came the famous

UCB Circle K (there were at least 7) having been poised to run and run, and did more than keep up with the fast-paced auction, and handled the check-out table for fast final payment and processing, when we finally filed out, drained of energy but filled with satisfaction.

Six geese a-laying

We had some very generous donors, ranging from the Berkeley City Club, Tilden Park Golf Course, our local professional sports teams, Cal Bears, Northside Travel, Berkeley Ace Hardware, and local restaurants.

Five golden rings

There were some very special guests today. First, we had esteemed representatives from our favorite sister clubs, not to mention the likes of Oakland, Alameda, Albany-El Cerrito, San Leandro, and Hayward-Castro Valley. And of course, there were very special guests and spouses. BUT LAST AND NOT LEAST, we had some very special B. K.'ers that we don't see often, of the likes of L. Iodice and others.

Four calling birds

Well, it seemed like there were four, but was it really two – of the best barkers in the world. Both S. Silveira and J. Rosano traded volleys and vied to finish this auction on time (thereby outdoing our sister club in Oakland last week). Well, needless to say, our venerable auctioneers met and exceeded this amazing challenge, even closing a few minutes ahead of time.

 

 

Three French hens

As the Silent Auction tables were winding down, with a fervent frenzy, the Live Auction got off with much anticipation and ado. There were so many

grand prizes, it's impossible to record here. Top prizes included 3 gourmet and exotic dinners hosted by generous Kiwanians, such as an oversized barbeque extravaganza on the Carpenter's deck

 (won by J. Egeberg), an Italian gourmet bash at Villa Leonardo  (won by J. Piercy, aka the "Christmas Grumpy"), and the perennial favorite JR's Cioppino Feast (won by D. Leonard). Then there was something that caught a lot of attention, the grand opening of the Paradis Remodeled Kitchen (however, we're not counting that because nobody believed it).

Two turtle doves

A night's lodging and dinner at the City Club (won by K. Euston), and the Jeff Tedford Football (meaning next season will be what this season was supposed to be), won by B. Rosano .

And a partridge in a pear tree!

This year's Holiday Auction may just have been the best ever! Even though so many dedicated members contributed to it, event chair (the amazing) D. Haughin deserves special recognition.

Yes, although many accolades go to many others, as recorded above, it is hereby proclaimed that

Denise Haughin is our special partridge for 2009!

 

Newsletter 120809

Well, another sparsely attended meeting!  We had to sell 5 left-over meals this week.  Where are

all you Berkeley Kiwanian regulars?  Ed, Borden, Jeff, Linda & Will, Bettye, Bob, and some of

you recent inductees??  Maybe next week??  Brrrr, was it cold today!!!

 

Today was a real multi-facet meeting.  First, we had both of our ½ Presidents at the head table,

With the "gimp" one doing the actual presiding.  Oh, you didn't know that Roberta broke her

foot again!  Next time you see Frank, ask him how many steps are there in his home.

Anyhow, after lots of introductions, we were able to sing "happy birthday" to a couple of our

attending members, namely Bill & Sandy.  We even acknowledged Circle K's Diane for her

19^th b'day.  With B. Rice not in attendance, our viola virtuoso provided our musical back ground.

 

Reports:

1.       Inter Clubbing----------We had a couple this past week  

a.        We had 9 members attending the Oakland Auction on Monday.

b.       We had 8 of us attending Circle K's Banquet Monday evening.

c.        VC is doing her thing at Alameda tomorrow night.

 

2.      Community Service----------We worked in the YEAH kitchen Monday evening.

             a.     There are 4 dates where we can assist again.  Dec. 19, 20, 21 & 30.  If you

                     can give a couple hours on any of those dates, let Sandy know, as I'm sure

   she can use your assistance.

 

Somewhere in here there was a wild and wooly discussion regarding Tammy's

new kitchen.  I believe it was stated that the rehab will start in two weeks,

but the finished product won't be available until sometime in April.  So much

for the annual St. Patrick's Day feast, I guess!

 

3.       Sponsored Youth------Speaking of April, the Key Club Convention  will be in

Sacramento on April 9, 10 & 11.  They will need help with transportation.  Talk to Phuoc.

 

4.       Fundraising------------lots of discussion regarding our upcoming Holiday Auction

next week on Dec. 15^th.  We need everyone's participation at this event.

This is one our main fundraisers for the year.  Bring yourself, your family & your

friends.  COME ONE, COME ALL?  (as they say)

 

5.       Other---------We will be passing the hat for our servers holiday gift on the 22^nd.

So, bring a little extra cash that day.

 

 

 

Program:

 

There we were, with pre-cut cards, and tons of stick-ons, fabricating holiday cheer for the

kids at Children's Hospital.   We looked like a bunch of little elves busily creating one-of-

kind cards that will go and hopefully cheer up some very sick kids.  Today we were doing

the outside and then I understand, that the CK guys & gals will be doing the insides with all

sorts of cheery phrases and sayings.

 

When all of a sudden there we were in an unannounced Board Meeting.  (well unannounced to

this scribe!)  Most of the meeting was contained at the front table, as the other tables were

busily creating these holiday cards.  I didn't see an agenda, so not really sure what transpired.

I do know, this-------------they did:  OK'd the minutes, accepted the budget report, and then went

on to discuss a number of items, all of which was blurred out by the glee and joy of those of us

sticking little things on colored paper.  It will be very interesting to see what the Sec. comes up

with for minutes!!

 

Don't forget--------------Next Tue. Is our own holiday auction and we need you and your friends

to attend.  This is always a fun event not to be missed.

Also, have you gotten your holiday candy yet?  Denise has lots, including certificates.

 

Well, that's it for this week.  You were missed, but that's your fault, not ours!  Hope to see lots

of you next week, without fail.  As usual, Sharon and I will be out to empty your wallets anyway

we can.   My screen says it is 42 degrees outside right now and it's only 4 pm.  Gonna be real

chilly tonight, so bundle up.

 

 

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

From JR  and the rest of the elves