High Gear: September 15, 2014 Featuring Tom Mohr

Invocation:  Dave Behling asked us to think about others including those less fortunate and hungry in our world.  Thank you, Dave.  With a strong “I!” Chuck Voltz started the pledge of allegiance to our great nation.

    

Announcements: Our big fundraising BBQ/Golf Tournament is October 20.   This is our major fundraiser for the year so please support it in as many ways as possible.   Mike Horwitz gave a very positive update for what will be a fun and entertaining day.   Volunteers for game day are needed as are even more golfers/sponsors/auction items.   See our very appreciative and appreciated Mike to help out.

Father Mike Mahoney just got back from a biblically dry trip to Ireland.    The only wet blankets he ran into were in England.  We know the feeling, Father Mike.  Michael Griffen is a young looking attorney and our newest member.  President Mary interviewed Michael and it was awkward in a “Mrs. Robinson” sort of way.   (The HG’s decision to join the Prez Club is looking more and more like a solid investment.)

 

Barry “.3” Parker made a looonnng pitch to try get us to support Rotary International.   Barry wants us to sell a lot of raffle tickets by October 24.   You’ve got to have goals, Barry, so good for you.   I want to be 6’4” with a full head of hair.  Stay tuned to see how it works out for both of us.        

 

Newscast Schedule:  Jennifer Pence will be delivering our monthly Newscast on September 29 and she is busily looking for material and rehearsing her kazoo playing.  The HG knows she is “busily looking for material” because she spent a lot of time during the meeting looking at her phone.  Researching the next Newscast is the only possible good excuse for such behavior.       

 

Are you reading this?  If yes, then you’ve been told that on September 29 the Club will be meeting at Poplar Creek in San Mateo.  You’ve been told…whether you’ll remember is out of HG’s metaphoric hands.

Program and Speaker:  Mike Heffernan introduced former Burlingame Rotarian Tom Mohr.  It was great to have Tom back with us if only for a day.  Tom likes our Club because it is full of heroes (his word) who do good work for our community.  Tom specifically called out for special notice Joe Galligan and Tom got that one right:  Joe’s work on all our behalf is tireless.  Tom gave us an update on the current state of our community colleges and related topics.  There are 112 community colleges in our state that serve about 2 million students.   The colleges are doing great work for an otherwise underserved student population.  Student loan dept has exploded and is very problematic for our state and nation.   The impact of this debt is hurting our entire economy, not just students and their families.  With a high level of debt service weighing down families and individuals, spending habits change in ways that cost us all.   People are delaying starting families, buying homes, and marrying as a result of fears caused in large part by student loan debt according to Tom.  For-profit schools are being investigated for predatory lending practices (among other things) by 32 states including California.   Tom briefed us on the troubling practices of these institutions.   Encourage students to go to community colleges or state schools instead, and find time to hug an English professor.   Thanks for joining us, Tom.  Come back real soon.

 

         

          September 22:      Dave Parker – Original Lone Ranger

          September 29:      Dr. Maggie MacIsaac, Burlingame School Superintendent

                                                (Note:  Meeting at Poplar Creek in San Mateo)

October 6:            Dr. Dan Ullyot – Hepetitis C, What’s New