Service Clubs

Karen Hubbard

Thanks to the leadership of outgoing president Kermit Floyd and the

generous support of Burbank Noon Rotarians, at a recent meeting of the

club, Julie Ann Larsen, treasurer of the Burbank Center for the Retarded,

was presented with a giant symbolic check in the amount of $20,000, for

which she expressed the gratitude to everyone -- clients, families, staff

and trustees.

The center will use the equipment grant funds to purchase a

commercial-size refrigerator, a nine-unit wall cabinet, a

state-of-the-art main office photocopier, a small photocopier and letter

machine for use by teachers, a digital camcorder and several other

miscellaneous items.

Prior to the presentation, Maria Di Liberto, program supervisor, and

Lonna Grant, manager of operations, described the centers’ evolution over

the years and the values that govern its program services.

Rachel Galperin, executive director, likened Kermit Floyd and the

Rotarians’ passion for giving to a recent Newsweek magazine essay by Jack

McConnell, in which he recalled from his childhood the question his

father posed daily to each of his seven children: “And what did you do

for someone today?”

It was that question that spurred McConnell to come out of retirement

from an exclusive community on Hilton Head Island, S.C., to establish

Volunteers in Medicine, a clinic providing free medical care to the

island’s poor native population.

Thanking the Noon Rotary for its generosity, Rachel Galperin quoted

England’s former prime minister, Winston Churchill, who said, “We make a

living by what we earn, but we make a life by what we give.”

Congratulations, Burbank Noon Rotary. What a fine thing you’ve done!

*

This columnist had the pleasure of being a guest at the recent Burbank

Sertoma Clubs’ Scholarship Awards luncheon.

Guests at this meeting included Maurie Thomas, Sertoma international

director; Bob Engel, Los Angeles-Hawaii governor; and George Carter, past

international vice president.

Lorilei Kelley, Burbank Sertoma scholarship chairwoman, presented

certificates and awards to Frank Leroy Reed, from Burbank High School,

and Keith Jarbo, from John Burroughs High School. They received the Sally

Beaton Memorial scholarships of $1,500 each.

Alonzo Villasenor, from Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, and Nazo

Koulloukian, from Providence High School, each received Burbank Sertoma

Club scholarships of $1,000 each.

My thanks to the Sertoma Club for inviting me to this special meeting,

and my personal congratulations go to these very deserving recipients.

Congratulations, too, to the Burbank Sertoma Club on receiving

regional recognition at the Pacific West Convention in Sacramento, where

it received a first-place award for the club bulletin.

*

According to Chairwoman Marsha Jackson, the Burbank Kiwanis are hard

at work with plans and preparations for their annual gala July 14 at the

Lakeside Golf Club. Paul Moyer, KNBC-TV Channel 4 news anchorman, will

serve as master of ceremonies.

Best of luck, Kiwanis, on this major fund-raising effort!

*

I am looking forward to attending Burbank Sunrise Rotary’s upcoming

scholarship presentation meeting, where three $1,000 cash awards will be

presented to local high school seniors. Details will appear in my next

column.

* KAREN HUBBARD’s service club column appears every other week. She

welcomes information about club projects, fund-raisers, meetings and

awards given and received. Reach her by e-mail at kehubzclubnews@juno.com

or call/fax 842-4370.