High Gear January 25 2017
Posted by Rosalie McCloud on Jan 25, 2017
Rotary Club of Burlingame welcomed a full house as the sun showed every indication that it was about to burst forth! A glorious afternoon erupted! There was a full complement of Rotarians, distinguished guests, guests of the club, and a few just short of submitting their applications for membership. Welcome all! We were a particularly fabulous-looking group today.
PLEDGE AND INVOCATION
President Stan called to order the 759th meeting of our club. Some disremembered every detail of 251-349. Jennifer Pence led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Alden Cunningham delivered an invocation.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests of the Club
Introduced by Frances Boscacci and visiting from the Rotary Club of Mill Valley (and President-elect) was Bob Roberts. Bob will be our speaker on March 8 and will tell us about his work in Peru.
Also introduced by Frances was Socorro Leal Schwiderski, a former colleague of Frances from the world of finance, now a political assistant at the Embassy of Brazil. Doug Winnett introduced his wife Catherine. Mike Horwitz introduced City of Burlingame Councilwoman Donna Colson. Jordana Peil introduced her daughter, Ashley. For her third visit, Cheryl Fama introduced Nancy Bush, Senior Vice President Relationship Banking, United American Bank, San Mateo. Marilyn Orr’s guest was Abdul Maiwand. Jennifer Pence introduced guest Alan Mattlage. Sheryl Young introduced Barbara Kaplan. Rachel Ni attended for her second visit.
Visiting Rotarians and Guests of the Club
Great friend of our Club, we were happy for the return of Jackie Speier, Member of Congress, 4th District, California.
Jackie was born in San Francisco, took the name Jacqueline at confirmation after Jackie Kennedy, attended Mercy High School in Burlingame. She received a B.A. from U.C. Davis and a J.D. from U.C Hastings in 1976.
Speier entered politics as a congressional staffer for Congressman Leo Ryan. Part of a congressional visit to Jonestown, Guyana in 1978, Jackie was shot and Congressman Ryan killed by members of Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple. Five in the party died. After being shot, Jackie waited 22 hours before help arrived. That same day, 90 of the remaining members of the Peoples Temple died in Jonestown in a mass murder-suicide.
Jackie won her first election in 1980 when she ran for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and defeated a 20-year incumbent. She was re-elected in 1984 and was later selected as Chairwoman. Midway through her second term on the County Board of Supervisors, Speier ran for the California State Assembly from a district in northern San Mateo County. She was re-elected five more times, the last as the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Jackie was elected to the California State Senate in 1998. She also ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 2006.
Jackie is currently serving in the House of Representatives, a position to which she has been re-elected three times. We were honored to join in congratulations to Jackie’s daughter, a Senior at Mercy High School, who has been awarded the Hearst Broadcast Journalism Award. It is noted that Jackie’s daughter was diagnosed with several conditions as a child, including ADHD. Congratulations to all! “It’s all about our kids,” said Jackie. “All have great potential.”
Jackie is often asked, what exactly does a representative do? Besides flying cross-country regularly, as she has already done twice this week, Jackie told a story about our own Jon Grant of the Foster City Club. Jon and wife Linda were traveling in Africa and purchased a giraffe bone in a shop and wrapped it in bubble wrap. They were arrested in Tanzania for possession of this bone and were required to take a mortgage on their home for the $70,000 it cost them to free themselves and satisfy the local government. Jon contacted Jackie, who was able to help. Now, she is looking into the wisdom of continuing $400 million/year foreign aid to Tanzania where tourism is a magnet. Note to self: carry Jackie’s contact information!
The audience was hoping to hear Jackie’s thoughts on the first five days of the new administration. Environmental concerns are great. Beijing and Los Angeles are experiencing very poor air quality. California must be vigilant and heard. High-speed rail is a must to relieve transportation gridlock in California. The Caltrain Electrification Program is anticipating a $647 million disbursement from the federal government. There is a sixty-day period clocking now in which the administration can halt this critical funding. All cars for the electrified system are to be constructed in the United States. This project could be in jeopardy!
One hour on high-speed rail gets you from home in Fresno to work in Silicon Valley. In your car, it’s an hour from San Francisco to Silicon Valley. Middle-class home ownership was not helped by the adjustments in FHA Premiums.
You are invited to the 10th Annual Rotary of Millbrae Community Lunar New Year Banquet to celebrate the year of the Rooster. To be held at Zen Peninsula Restaurant, 1180 El Camino Real, Millbrae 6 - 9:30pm February 10th. $60 per person or $550 for a table of ten (before January 27th). To RSVP or for more information contact Sue 650-622-5601
One hour on high-speed rail gets you from home in Fresno to work in Silicon Valley. In your car, it’s an hour from San Francisco to Silicon Valley. Middle-class home ownership was not helped by the adjustments in FHA Premiums.
There are 400 Section 8 vouchers that go unused. These vouchers guarantee rent; yet, landlords prefer non-Section 8 tenants. Airport noise is an issue.
Infrastructure could be a bi-partisan issue. There is some trillion dollars being discussed; other voices are thinking more like $600 billion. Still, there are common interests and some communication.
New immigration guidelines are being disclosed; children of undocumented residents are frightened to death.
Jackie planned in advance that this would not be a political speech. She did share that the past five days have been shocking – and it’s just starting. In a 1,400—word inauguration speech, 86% of the worlds were of two syllables. Ugly words included blood, carnage, tenements.
THANKS SO MUCH, JACKIE. COME BACK SOON!!!
You are invited to the 10th Annual Rotary of Millbrae Community Lunar New Year Banquet to celebrate the year of the Rooster. To be held at Zen Peninsula Restaurant, 1180 El Camino Real, Millbrae 6 - 9:30pm February 10th. $60 per person or $550 for a table of ten (before January 27th). To RSVP or for more information contact Sue 650-622-5601 or Gary 65-678-0715 or email millbraerotary@sbcglobal.net or go to www.Millbraerotary.com
More photos of our rotarians and guests
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Marilyn Orr’s guest was Abdul Maiwand. |
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