• Dick DeGrey has been our club's unofficial Historian for many years.  A volunteer is needed to take over this job, which includes collecting newspaper articles about the club and other mementoes.  Dick has always made a wonderful album for each retiring club president with copies of all the newspaper articles, other brochures and programs that track the president's term.  Call Prez Daryal if you can step into Dick's shoes for awhile. 

• Century Club donations provide a major source of funding for our Foundation projects.  Please be generous! 

• December 1^st will the the First Annual Bad Hair Day.  Get creative; even Frosty can participate.  Hint:  the hair doesn't have to be your own.

• Attendance at our Board Meeting on November 4^th was disappointing and no official business could be settled due to lack of a quorum.  Those attending agreed the Dining for Youth fundraising event will not be held this April,  The silent auction (which was part of the Dining for Youth event) will be merged into the Wine and Gourmet Food Tasting fundraiser in September.  This decision will need to be confirmed at the December Board Meeting.   (All officers, board members and committee chairs are expected to attend the monthly Board Meetings.  Please contact Prez Daryal or Secretary Bill Scherkey prior to the Board Meeting to be officially excused.) 

The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have the others on your side.

- Margaret Carty

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Diane DellaValle reminded us to sign up for the Holiday Party on December 12.  Information flyers and the sign-up sheet are available on Prez Daryal's Utility Table, or call Harriet Hammons for more info.

2. Bachy Bachmayer reminded us to be generous and make a contribution to Childrens Hospital by dropping some cash into the tub on our lunch table.

3. Paul Westmoreland announced two upcoming interclubs.  Next Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. we will meet with the Sunland Tujunga Kiwanis Club for dinner at the Sterlings Restaurant in Sunland.  On Thursday, November 18 there will be an interclub with our LCHS Key Club at 12:15 p.m.  Call Paul if you haven't yet signed up but would like to attend either of these meetings.  with this much advance notice!

FROSTY'S SLA REPORT

Frank Williams needs transportation help to come to our meetings.  Howard Backer has offered to pick Frank up each week, but Frosty is looking for other volunteers to "fill in" as needed.  Shirley DeGrey is still filling Dick's life with her lovely piano music; our calls are appreciated after 11 a.m.

THE PROGRAM

Tom Gilfoy introduced Jean Severson as the Power Behind the Scenes at the Pasadena Symphony.  Jean, in turn, introduced the Music Director and Conductor of the Pasadena Symphony (and her boss), Jorge Mester.  The thirty minute program went by much to quickly, as Jorge immediately had all of us involved in defining the job of an orchestra conductor.  It was a perfect demonstration of how he involves his musicians in a collaborative performance rather than ruling with an iron wand.  We thoroughly enjoyed Jorge's humorous stories and could really imagine him leading PDQ Bach without trousers, making a presentation to a Hungarian Society in New York speaking Hungarian (his native language) with a Mexican accent (he grew up in Mexico but speaks five languages), receiving the riveting attention of the orchestra musicians during a performance when his zipper was down … to name a few.  Jorge encouraged questions from the floor and touched on many topics.  The most difficult pieces in a performance are the most well known, as it is necessary to get a fresh look at the piece and let go of "bad interpretation habits."  Jorge tied his answer to this question into the announcement that the Pasadena Symphony has been chosen to reopen the Ambassador Auditorium this December with two performances of  Handel's Messiah (on Dec. 17 & 18).  Jorge has already spent 24 hours on the telephone conferring with an Italian music historian to interpret Handel's music and "take it back" to the way Handel originally wrote it.  We were all delighted to be invited to a rehearsal of the Pasadena Symphony this week and sit right in the midst of the musicians.  The Pasadena Symphony has eight season programs each year and is considered a world class orchestra.  Most of the musicians are professionals who work for the studios; playing with the Pasadena Symphony is their real creative outlet and they bring a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, skill, and experience to the orchestra performances.

HAPPY & SAD BUCKS

Jack Dawson … Happy he worked at the polls and will donate his $80 stipend to the Foundation.

Mary Gant … Happy she worked at the polls and will donate her $80 stipend to the Foundation.

Glen Pettit … Happy or Sad (not sure) because he is leaving on a trip to Korea.

Mark Alexander … Sad because Citizens Bank was robbed again this morning, but Happy the three suspects are already in custody  due to quick thinking by a bank employee and a customer.

Dave Spence … Sad that none of his Presbyterian buddies from the AM Club didn't have any Happy or Sad Bucks for our club, and Happy he (Dave) was so astute he hired our City Manager.

Dick Barley … Sad ($2 worth)  that Jim Ackland was our president last year and Daryal Gant is our president this year.

Paul Westmoreland   Happy Burt Rutan (from Dinuba) won the $10,000,000 prize.

Ed Moulton … Happy to have today's speaker.

Melinda Thompson  … Happy for the help from Bob Martin and Mary Gant who wrote the two bulletins while she was on vacation, and Happy her (and Bill's) vacation around the southern California deserts in a rented motorhome was wonderful.

Glen Pettit … not sure if he's Happy or Sad as he is leaving for Korea in a few days.

Doris Horwith … Happy/Funny because she was offered a $200 rider on her business insurance for terrorism coverage.  No much chance of being bombed in Tujunga, apparently.

Hal Thomas … Happy he was asked to be part of a Veteran's Day program at the high school.  There were two sessions in the high school auditorium and Hal was the only veteran from WWII.  He wore his uniform (which fit very well, by the way) and was cheered by the students.

FACTS AND FICTION

Opening: flag salute by Paul Westmoreland and inspiration by Jack Dawson

Guests:  Don Mazen and La Cañada AM Kiwanis Club members Jeanne Edwards, Dick Barley, Fraser Draper, Dave Gilstrap, Jon Barstad, Marge and Tony Rewie. 

We've Missed You and We're Glad To See You:  Jim Ackland, Bill Scherkey, Melinda Thompson.

Birthdays:  Bob Wallace joined the Century Club for his birthday on November 13 (and anniversary on November 28); Prez Daryal has a birthday on November 14 and donated his $80 stipend for working at the election polls (since he already joined the Century Club).  Attendees applauded Prez Daryal's proposal to send letters to those haven't attended a meeting during their birthday month … subtly suggesting a Century Club donation.  Treasurer Howard Backer piped up that the letters weren't necessary; he could just send those members a bill. 

Fifty-Fifty Drawing:  Tom Gilfoy

Frosty's Challenge:  There was no challenge today, but Frosty told us there are three presents you don't want to get:  clothes with a tage that says "one size fits all" an item that says "fun for all ages" and an item that says "removes unwanted hair."

 Knock Knock Joke:  No one had a Knock Knock joke today, so our speaker told us the story about Soup or Sex?

Jelly Roll Revelation: 

Past Prez Jim Ackland recently returned from a 20 day vacation in France.  Prez Daryal suggested a $1/day donation which Jim agreed to make.

The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada meets every Wednesday at Noon

Van de Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens - 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada, CA  91011

P.O. Box 33, La Cañada, CA  91012

Website:  http://lacanadakiwanis.org