El Rodeo Rotary Club of Los Angeles Est. 1909 www.rotaryla5.org 2010-11 Number 37 June 17 This Friday’s Program Erin Runnion, Mother of Samantha Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation Erin Runnion is the Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for public benefit organization dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse and abduction through programs that unite and uplift communities in the protection and wonderment of all children. Samantha was a beautiful, bright, joyful little girl whose life was cut short as the youngest victim of the “summer of abductions” in July, 2002. Erin is dedicated to ensuring Samantha’s tragic death continues to be a catalyst to engage adults in our collective responsibility in protecting our nation’s children. As the Co-Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, as well as The Surviving Parents Coalition and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Associa- tion to PROTECT Children, Erin has become a highly respected spokesperson, spreading her message in frequent media appearances and keynote addresses, and presentations for both government and private organizations. The Joyful Child is a consultant to the Orange County Department of Education for abduction prevention education. As such, Erin trains Ambassadors to deliver the Joyful Child’s Adult Education for Child Protection series to schools and other com- munity groups. In May of 2008 The Surviving Parents Coalition endorsed the combination of The Joyful Child’s programs in partnership with the radKIDS Personal Empowerment and Safety Education Program; together, these programs are called the NOT ONE MORE CHILD Safety Education Initiative. Erin developed an implementation model for the Initiative that cultivates the community-wide support needed to recruit teachers and parents to offer sustainable, low-cost programs throughout southern California. The Surviving Parents Coalition aims to make this a national Initiative with safety education integrated into all public education. Honors include The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s 2003 Hope Award, A Certificate of Valor from The De- partment of Justice, People Magazine’s 2004 Heroes Among Us Award and Redbook Magazine’s 2005 Mothers and Shakers honor as well as many local community group and PTA awards. Erin was additionally honored by People Magazine in the 2007 Heroes Among Us Awards as a founding member of The Surviving Parents Coalition. Erin resides in Orange County, California with her mother, Virginia Runnion, her husband and Joyful Child Co-Founder, Kenneth Donnelly and their three children: Paige, Conner and Rose. The Joyful Child Foundation has helped Erin transform her grief into compassionate action by honoring Samantha so that we may build a safer world where not one more child is victimized. Don’t miss our amazing program this week at the California Club! Upcoming Programs & Events June 18 Cub Scout Urban Camp Day VIP Reception for President’s Ball June 24 President Gerry’s Demotion July 1 & 8 Dark July 15 President Megan’s First Meeting
Transcript
El
Rodeo
Rotary Club of Los Angeles
Est. 1909
www.rotaryla5.org
2010-11
Number 37
June 17
This Friday’s Program
Erin Runnion, Mother of Samantha
Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation
Erin Runnion is the Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation - In Memory of Samantha Runnion, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for public benefit organization dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse and abduction through programs that unite and uplift communities in the protection and wonderment of all children. Samantha was a beautiful, bright, joyful little girl whose life was cut short as the youngest victim of the “summer of abductions” in July, 2002. Erin is dedicated to ensuring Samantha’s tragic death continues to be a catalyst to engage adults in our collective responsibility in protecting our nation’s children. As the Co-Founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, as well as The Surviving Parents Coalition and a member of the Board of Directors for the National Associa-tion to PROTECT Children, Erin has become a highly respected spokesperson, spreading her message in frequent media appearances and keynote addresses, and presentations for both government and private organizations. The Joyful Child is a consultant to the Orange County Department of Education for abduction prevention education. As such, Erin trains Ambassadors to deliver the Joyful Child’s Adult Education for Child Protection series to schools and other com-munity groups. In May of 2008 The Surviving Parents Coalition endorsed the combination of The Joyful Child’s programs in partnership with the radKIDS Personal Empowerment and Safety Education Program; together, these programs are called the NOT ONE MORE CHILD Safety Education Initiative.
Erin developed an implementation model for the Initiative that cultivates the community-wide support needed to recruit teachers and parents to offer sustainable, low-cost programs throughout southern California. The Surviving Parents Coalition aims to make this a national Initiative with safety education integrated into all public education. Honors include The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s 2003 Hope Award, A Certificate of Valor from The De-partment of Justice, People Magazine’s 2004 Heroes Among Us Award and Redbook Magazine’s 2005 Mothers and Shakers honor as well as many local community group and PTA awards. Erin was additionally honored by People Magazine in the 2007 Heroes Among Us Awards as a founding member of The Surviving Parents Coalition. Erin resides in Orange County, California with her mother, Virginia Runnion, her husband and Joyful Child Co-Founder, Kenneth Donnelly and their three children: Paige, Conner and Rose. The Joyful Child Foundation has helped Erin transform her grief into compassionate action by honoring Samantha so that we may build a safer world where not one more child is victimized.
Don’t miss our amazing program this
week at the California Club!
Upcoming Programs & Events
June 18 Cub Scout Urban Camp Day
VIP Reception for President’s Ball
June 24 President Gerry’s Demotion
July 1 & 8 Dark
July 15 President Megan’s First Meeting
President’s Message
It was a conspiracy!
Well . . . I thought we had seen about everything this year that could occur at a Rotary meeting. But having the meeting taken over by Past Rotary International Director Paul Netzel, District 5280 Governor Doug Baker and Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith tops them all!
For those of you who were not there, LA5’ers Chief Peggy York and Judge Lance Ito were the scheduled guest speakers. They received a standing ovation when being introduced and another ovation when they finished before the allotted time. Before yours truly could get up to thank them, Paul Netzel took over the po-dium and began giving an introduction for RIP Ray. About that time I saw President Ray and Governor Doug making their way through the audience. The theme from Jack Webb’s Dragnet police show began playing over the sound system as President Ray got up on the stage. He apprised everyone that the “Rotary Police” had arrived. He then began to “interrogate” and roast me for events that had occurred during the time we worked together on the LA2008 RI Convention. Ray chided me for canceling the date he had committed for his “white glove inspection” of LA5 in January so he could speak at the District’s luncheon instead. He in-formed me, however, “No good deed goes unpunished!” Sure enough, he meant what he said.
I always tease Ray about going “from the mailroom to CEO in Rotary.” He began his Rotary career as an Ambassadorial Scholar. He took a steamship from New Orleans to Capetown, South Africa, and spent one year there.
After President Ray spoke, Governor Doug presented the District’s Club of Excellence 2010-11 banner while making President Ray hold it up. It is taller than Ray! Governor Doug explained that it is a great honor for LA5 to have earned that award because it was given by Members from other Club’s in our District.
Ray and Doug had a lot in common this year with western themes. A portion of Ray’s theme was based on “Cowboy Logic,” a song by singer Michael Martin Murphy that had some great messages for success that correlated with the Four Way Test. Doug’s favorite country group was Asleep at the Wheel and a song enti-tled, “Big Balls in Cowtown.” I am still not quite sure what the message is in that song, but I learned a lot, and it was my pleasure to work with, and for, these two Cowboys!
What a great day it was. It was a perfectly orchestrated conspiracy by Jay Richardson, Jon Gibby, Jennifer Gregg, Peggy York, Lance Ito, Paul Netzel and Doug Baker. I was completely overwhelmed, while having feelings of great pride for our Club and our accomplishments.
It was an honor to have President Ray visit our Club. He had left Seattle at 4:40 am on Friday morning and Governor Doug picked him up at LAX, brining him straight to our meeting. Ray then went on to speak at a three-District Conference in Cathedral City Friday evening, and then left on Saturday morning for Evanston. For the last two weeks of his RI Presidency, Ray will continue his travels around the world, visiting over 50 Countries, traveling 400,000 miles, visiting 200+ Rotary projects and acknowledging the tremendous work that Rotarians do. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated senior leaders as Paul Netzel, Doug Baker and Ray Klinginsmith.
Urban Camp Day
Calling all Cub Scouts and Rotarians who
thrive on working with youth!
Where: Where: Where: Where: Join us at the Urban Scout Experience, 2333 Scout Way, Los Angeles, CA 90026.
When: When: When: When: Saturday, June 18, 2011, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
What: What: What: What: Race your space derby competition rocket, climb the rock wall, and more!
Cost: Cost: Cost: Cost: $5 includes Space Derby rocket kit, medal, patch, t‐shirt, and $5 prize money.
After the EventAfter the EventAfter the EventAfter the Event
Lunch will be provided by the LA5 Rotary Club and Rotary Clubs of Greater Los Angeles
sion Directing from the Communication University of China.
She earned a M.S. from Boston University in television produc-
ing.
Her hobbies include tennis, dancing and writing. She is in the
process of writing a book. Jay Richardson is her sponsor.
Paul John Jacques
Paul, a native of Detroit, Michigan is
Vice President of Infrastructure for the
American Film Institute. He earned the B.A. in English from
USC, and is currently enrolled in the Pepperdine University
MBA program.
He plays guitar, banjo, bass and the Mandolin. Rick Sarmiento
is his sponsor.
Welcome aboard, Weiling & Paul!
LA5 member Ben Turner seen at the St. Vincent Meals on Wheels
Project. He was out on the street raising money for the Community
Service Fund. At least, that’s what he said.
Last Friday’s Surprise Guests
UGANDA HUMANITARIAN SERVICE PROJECT
LA5 continues its humanitarian work with spectacular International Service projects. Kudos to LA5
members for completing one such project in Uganda. In partnership with ViNA (Village Network
Africa), the Rotary Club of Kibaale, the Inglewood Rotary Club, the Lawndale Rotary Club and the
Crenshaw-Watts Rotary Club, latrines were built at a two schools that serve sixteen villages in the
surrounding Kibaale District, Uganda.
The latrines are for the use of all students in the schools, but they primarily benefit young women.
Young girls tend to drop out of school once they reach puberty, due to lack of sanitation facilities
in village schools. We have learned in Africa & India that educated mothers tend to stay in their
village and thus end the cycle of illiteracy, so this project is not only about hygiene, but more im-
portantly education and future literacy. The President of the Kibaale Rotary Club reports school
enrollment has increased since the completion of the latrines.
Kibaale demonstrates how Rotarian synergy works. The Claremont Rotary Club also worked with
ViNA to build sixteen water wells around the same sixteen villages. Here again is another aspect
of advancing education rather than only providing clean water for the village community. Without
the wells, young students would spend substantial time retrieving water, and they ultimately miss,
or drop out of school. Together, these Rotarian projects managed a complete transformation in
the lives of these Ugandan villagers.
Members of the LA5 International Committee continue to work on several other humanitarian
projects. Projects include distribution of wheelchairs in Santiago, Dominican Republic and reno-
vating the Forensic Ward of the Mental Hospital at Angoda in Sri Lanka. LA5 maximizes the use of
Rotary Foundation awards and District Designated Funds, with about 85% of monies for projects
coming from these sources.
Rita LeeRita LeeRita LeeRita Lee
Editor’s Note:
Rita Lee is the Chair of the International Service Committee for LA5. She coordinated our Club's participation in the District's Dominican Republic International Service project.
Rita has also contributed her art work to Club fundraising activities, and originated the artwork for "Rotary Cares" cards. Thank you, Rita!
