the acrimony and tension in
today’s political climate.
MORAGA ROT
ARY
NEWSLETTER
July 24, 2018
Next Celebration: July 31th, 2018
Noon, Moraga Country Club
Program: Tyler Krochmal --
Special Olympics
Greeter/Invocator: Debbie Roessler
Aug 7 – Mike Maroso -- St. Mary’s Athletic
Director
*Aug. 14 – Lisa Gregor -- Understanding
Lupus
* Dinner Meeting @ 6:00 pm – Moraga
Country Club
President Ron Mucovich opened
the meeting with a ring of the bell,
and called upon a surprised
Debbie Roessler to give
the Thought for the Day and lead
the Pledge of Allegiance to our
Flag. She recovered from the fact
she didn’t remember it was her
turn and talked about her and
husband Lou’s recent trip to the
Rotary International Convention in
Canada and how nice it was to
have over 5000 Rotarians
enjoying each other’s company
and how it was a sharp contrast to
The lone guest, besides the
speakers was Al Simonsen’s
youngest daughter Kristine
Shargel who accompanied her
dad to the meeting.
.
~~CLUB RECOGNITION AND
CLIFF’S VISITOR~~
Dianne Wilson reported that
former Rotary International
President Rick Kinge came to
Moraga Royale last week to visit
with our own Cliff Dochterman
(himself another former RI
President). She said it was an
honor to host two of the most
accomplished members of Rotary
and said that Rick also sought her
out to congratulate her for our
Moraga Rotary honor of being
named District 5160’s “Best All-
around Rotary Club of the Year”
for 2017-18.
Debbie Roessler also reminded
the club that there was an
upcoming dinner to honor Rick
King at the Blackhawk Museum on
Friday, November 2 and that there
would several current or former RI
Presidents in attendance (see list
below). The $150 charge would
mostly go to Rotary International
and so it was for a great cause
and any club members should
consider attending.
The Past & Present Presidents
who will be attending Rick King’s
dinner are:
1. Rick King
2. Cliff Dochterman
3. Gary C.K. Huang
4. M.A.T. Caparas
5. Frank Devlin
6. Ravi Ravendra
7. Barry Rassin - Current RI
President
~~ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
HAPPY BUCKS~~
Ron Mucovich said that he
attended our Business Member
meeting last week and was very
impressed with the Shelter Inc.
Presentation (they will also come
to our regular club meeting in the
next few weeks and make a
similar presentation). He said he
was so impressed he has decided
that the club would make the usual
contribution we make in honor of
our speakers to go to Shelter Inc.
during the course of his
presidency.
Michelle Robbins gave a couple
happy bucks in recognition that
her 3-week battle with the flu was
over and she was feeling much
better.
She also alerted the club that her
church St. Mark’s (on Moraga Way
in Orinda) was hosting an event
this Sunday (July 29) from 7:30
pm to 9:30 pm called “Jazz in July”
and said the admission was $20
for the event, with plenty of good
music and company.
President Ron presided over the
Fine Free Hat auction for August
and after an opening bid by Kevin
Reneau, it turned into a spirited
bidding contest between Debbie
Lou and Doug Damaschino, with
Damaschino eventually winning
with a $60 bid. Debbie seemed to
feel relieved as she remembered
she didn’t have an event, after all,
in August.
Alka. Doug and John
Alka Mulakahari was honored as
she recently celebrated her 35th
wedding anniversary. President
Ron asked her to talk about what
she likes about her husband AND
what her husband disliked about
her. Alka said marriage takes work
and sacrifice and said that her
husband may think she talks quite
a bit. What can you do when you
have something important to say?
She also gave a donation to
recognize her recent trip to India
where she visited several Rotary
meetings.
President Ron also reminded the
club that the Rossmoor Rotary
Club was hosting their annual
fundraising dinner, which has a
cajun theme this year, on October
13. The fee is $150 and it is a
benefit for the local Alzheimer’s
Association.
Treasurer Lad Lynch reminded
everybody that annual club dues
of $150 are now payable, as
are everyone’s voluntary Paul
Harris sustaining payment of
$100. Please make a check for
each payment, both payable to
Rotary Club of Moraga.
~~MYSTERY ROTARIAN~~
Ron provided a clue for the club
and asked for guesses as to which
Rotary member was in the
founding Skyline High School
(Oakland) graduating class. After
several wrong guesses, Debbie
Koo guessed that it was Debbie
Roessler and she was rewarded
with an extra raffle ticket, though it
ultimately didn’t pay off for her.
~~THE PROGRAM~~
Our speaker today was Linus
Eukel, the Executive Director of
the John Muir Land Trust, who
was accompanied to the meeting
by Krista Vossekuil, the Trust’s
Associate Director, Development
and Communications.
Linus talked about the Trust, which
was established in 1989 with the
mission to acquire, protect and
care for East Bay open spaces.
Since that time, the 501-3c Trust
has spent 10’s of millions of
dollars to acquire open space and
protect it in perpetuity, including
many properties near Moraga.
Linus Eukel Addresses the Club
The Carr ranch property adjacent
to Moraga was recently purchased
and has now been opened since
October 2016 for nature hikes with
panoramic views and vistas. Linus
also said they are getting ready to
announce the acquisition of the
Painted Rock property in Moraga.
That property was owned by
former Moraga Rotarian Roger
Poynts and his estate headed by
spouse Nancy Christman provided
the property to the Land Trust
following his death in 2016.
Linus said that the JM Land Trust
was run tightly and was proud of
the fact that 87% of the donations
made were delivered to actual
purchase or maintenance
programs, He said that some
acquisitions were done quickly, but
that most took years to
consummate and that one recent
example had beginning
discussions almost 30 years ago.

Krista Vossekuil, President Ron and Linus Eukel
At the end of the presentation, the
Trust had a goodie bag to give to
one lucky member and Herb
Wehmeyer drew the lucky ticket
and the bag was his.
~~THE RAFFLE~~
Frank May had the winning
ticket worth $10, but barely missed
drawing the lucky green marble.
~~CLIFF’S CORNER~~
Subject: First Polio Immunization
People often ask how Rotary ever
became involved in polio
immunization. In Rotary's first
70 years nearly all service projects
were relatively small tasks in one’s
community to benefit children, the
aged, the handicapped or those in
need.
In 1978, the Rotary International
President,
Clem Renouf, of Australia, decided
that Rotary ought to consider
undertaking some projects much
larger than any club or district
could ever handle. He appointed
3 Rotarian educators to a special
"Health, Hunger and
Humanity Committee" to create
such a new program. I happened
to be one of those committee
members. Then, a strange thing
happened. As we explored
various plans and options, a
ground-swell of opposition
developed among some of the
most distinguished leaders of
Rotary. They spoke about Rotary's
mission was to do small tasks of
service in one's city or community,
It was claimed that "big corporate
projects” were against the basic
principles of Rotary Clubs. The
3-H idea was under heavy attack
throughout the Rotary world.
To test the potential of the 3-H
program, our committee asked
Rotary Clubs to submit ideas of
large projects they would promote
if they had $1 million dollars.
Among the proposals was one
from Dr. Benny Santos of The
Philippines, who described the
need for polio immunization in
their nation which had the highest
rate of polio in the Pacific Rim.
I said, "That's it. If we immunize
6 million children in a couple
weeks, we would have an
immediate success story. It would
prove to the critical leaders of
Rotary, the value of the 3-H
program!"
The Rotary International Board
approved an allocation of about
$700,000 to buy
vaccine; Philippine Rotarians
mobilized the nation; all children MORAGA ROTARY DIRECTORS 2018-2019
President Ron Mucovich
were immunized; the first 3- Co-Presidents-elect Debbie Koo &
Evie Michon
H project was a success; and Past President Dianne Wilson
Rotarians knew how Co-Secretary Vickie Devlin &
Evie Michon
to eradicate polio.
Treasurer Lad Lynch
Soon, all Rotary leaders were Foundation Chair John Erickson
Youth Service Chair Rich Render
dreaming of providing polio Public Relations Gary Irwin
vaccine for the entire world. Newsletter Editor Frank May
Community Service Chair Tony Schoemehl
And the rest of this amazing Co-Chair, International Services Barbara Bruner
humanitarian story is Co-Chair, International Services Linda May
Membership Chair Debbie Koo
history!
Director at Large Mary Sue
Erickson
Director at Large Roger Gregory
Director at Large Debbie Roessler
Advisor to the Board Jim Campbell
Advisor to the Board Cliff Dochterman

District Governor 5160 Jon Dwyer

President, Rotary International Barry Rassin

Newsletter Editor – Kevin Reneau

Greeter/invocator schedule:
7/31 = Marv Ellenberg
8/7 = Vickie Devlin
8/14 = Roger Gregory
8/21 = Herb Wehmeyer

Calendar of Future Events

●Sept 9: Orinda Rotary: Dancing with

the Cars
●October 18: New Orleans/Zydeco
Festival provided by Rossmoor Rotary.
●October 23: Official visit of DG Jon
Dwyer
●Nov 2: Tribute dinner for PRIP Rick
King, with RIP Barry Rassin, and
several Past RI Presidents.
●May 17-19, 2019: District Assembly for
four districts at Peppermill Casino in
Reno.
●June 1-5, 2019: Rotary International
Convention in Hamburg, Germany