The new generation fires up
What is the future of service clubs and other nonprofit supporting organizations here in our community?
Today so much of our communication and networking is Internet based. I have wondered if the Internet would cause service clubs to totally dry up and quit being a support for our community. I saw that the decline of networking and local community events largely supporting our charities would dramatically change without the club meetings.
Then, I thought we might have Facebook and Twitter Clubs using Webinars to meet. Just imagine a super club meeting from your desk or telephone. I was having trouble with that concept of enthusiastic community meetings.
The thoughts of losing service clubs here have been pushed back. I was invited to the first annual barbecue social dinner mixer to celebrate the starting of the Glendale New Generations Rotary Club. The event was hosted by the Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club President Jorry Potts. More than 50 fired-up people attended the event, with me being the oldest person in the long line for great food.
Peter Kasabian, the chairman of the club’s Leadership Team, introduced the many new leadership team members who are organizing the club. Alisa Davtyan and Vahagn Panosyan of the leadership team were given special great thanks for coordinating the barbecue with Jorry Potts and Peggy Riddle, membership vice president of the Sunrise Club.
Kasabian then told of the great opportunity to network with other members in the club and the club’s vision to serve the community. He also related his personal story of twice helping in a homeless children’s center while he was at Glendale Community College. He announced that the club would begin having regular meetings every Thursday evening in Glendale at 500 N. Brand Blvd, Suite 1200, starting May 12. He invited everybody with an interest to please attend to learn more about the club’s vision for the benefits to the members and to the success of the club for the community.
Surprise — the New Generations Club has already started a Facebook page: Glendale Rotary.
Glendale New Generations Rotary Club next networking meeting is at 6 p.m. May 26 at Sequoia Financial Services, 500 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 1200, Glendale. For more information, call Riddle at (818) 265-5155.
Free photo IDs for Columbus students
Sixty Columbus Elementary School students were given free photo identification cards by the Northwest Glendale Lions Club at the school’s Open House Night on April 28. The Lions have been working on the photo project for many years, but since Polaroid dropped its KidCare program, the Lions Club has taken over the entire project.
Lions club member, Steve High, set up a complete photo studio and laboratory at the Open House. High is a manager at Bel Air Camera & Video in Westwood, and they donated all the equipment to take, process and print the photos that night for the students ID card. Each student got six pictures and the student picked out the one to be glued into the ID card. The ID card also contained the students name, height and weight for security ID purposes.
Joining High on the photo process was Lions Club President Ted Walters, and Lions Ross Adams, Verna Breitbach and Jack King.
Northwest Glendale Lions Club meets at noon every Thursday at Shakers Restaurant, 801 N. Central Ave., Glendale. For information call Adams at (818) 243-4458.
BRUCE CAMPBELL can be reached at (626) 403-1010, cell phone (626) 664-2223, or bruce4results@verizon.net.