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Hello all from Jolly old England.
I must say that except for the funny language they speak over the pond here, it is surprisingly very similar to being at home. The most noticable difference to me, at least, when we got here was the lack of trash cans. I carried an empty water bottle with me for about an hour before I could find a place to dispose of it properly. Also, the food is not as bad as what I had been lead to believe. I haven’t had a bad meal yet!
The convention was very good. Highlights for me, as well as many people I had spoken to were the speeches given by Mia Farrow and Dr. Jane Goodall. Very moving and very inspiraional. Deepa also spoke to the convention about her PACE project. Deepa also gave a very good and moving presentation. Deepa’s problem was that she followed Dr Goodall so about 25% of the audience left after Dr. Goodall’s speech.
Miss being at our Rotary meetings and am sad that I will miss this Thursday. I will see you on the 4th!
Jeff
Today we learned about Husam Hishmeh’s business, Domino’s Pizza, and his passion for pizza! Domino’s Pizza began in 1967 by two brother’s in Michigan and is currently owned by the same entity that owns Burger King and Sealy mattresses that Mitt Romney (former Presidential candidate owns). Pizza restaurants and delivery is a $35 billion/ year industry in the United States with over 69,000 pizza joints in the US! Domino’s Pizza drives over 9 million miles/ year delivering pizza’s and have over 8,000 franchises worldwide. In 1985, Domino’s Pizza opened over 950 stores in one year and was the fastest growing business in the US. If you ordered a pizza in a different country you might may not have the same toppings that are available to you here. For instance, in Japan, Domino’s offers squid as a topping! The most popular toppings on a pizza here is the “PMS”, pepperoni, mushroom, sausage. Also, your delivery driver make arrive on a bicycle or motorcycle and not in a car. Even in downtown Los Angeles, pizza’s are delivered on bikes. The busiest pizza delivery days of the year are on Superbowl Sunday and on Halloween. If you order your pizza online you can save 15% – 20% and earn points for future discounts.
Husam began working for Domino’s over 21 years ago and today is the Vice President of Operations for the Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo stores. It all began when his brother was working as a store manager for Domino’s in Santa Paula when he was offered to purchase the store from the Rotarian owner. Husam’s brother quickly saw opportunity in acquiring more Domino’s stores and next purchased the Fillmore location and Ojai location, then later the Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo stores. Husam’s whole family is involved in the business, from Nick, a computer engineer that handles all of the IT issues, to Tareq, and attorney, who handles all of the franchise law concerns. Each family member has their own responsibilities and takes the exact same salary from the business, which enables them to avoid conflict. The Hishmeh family supports each community it has a presence in and is a significant financial contributor to several non-profit organizations such as Rotary and the Boys & Girls Club. They are a dynamic family and business and deserve our applause for their community involvement and efforts. Thank you Hishmeh Enterprises!
Best Regards,
Nikki Sloan
Click on the link below to get the June 2009 edition of the District 5240 Middie. Our Pres. Deborah Roberts went and did it again and got herself published!
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Click the link to get the Breeze for June 11, 2009
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Click on the link below to get this issue of The Breeze
June 4, 2009 Breeze
Bill Hendricks, photography teacher and photography director of Ventura College, shared with us today photographs of his travel to Cuba. Since 1993, Bill has traveled to Cuba over 40 times. Bill has obtained one of the few licenses available to travel to Cuba under a “religious cultural exchange program.” He travels and photographs authentic religious rituals, particularly photographing the Santeria religious practices. He shared emotionally charged photographs of post chicken sacrificing, individuals crawling on their knees to their church to pay penance and pray to the Babalu Ai god.
Bill also shared with us the changes that he has seen in the Cuban culture since his travels began. Changes include the freedom to express religion more freely in public, more readily available gasoline for consumers (he used to have to bring a bicycle to ride in the streets due to the absence of available gasoline), Cuban Americans can now visit their families once every 3 years and the opening of paladars. Paladars are family owned and operated restaurants in an individuals home that serves 4 – 6 people in a family style setting. The average working Cuban makes $50/ per day in income. He believes that the embargo will shortly be lifted that will allow free travel into and out of the country which will dramatically change the current communist country’s economy.
Best Regards,
Nikki Sloan
Nina Kobayashi and Max Copenhagan were members of this year’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) that traveled to Thailand.
The Rotary Foundation’s GSE program is a unique and vocational exchange opportunity for business people and professionals between the ages of 25 & 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country’s culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships and exchange ideas.
In a typical 4 week tour, applicants participate in 5 full days of vocational visits 15- 20 club presentations, 10- 15 formal visits and social events, 2-3 days at the district conference, 3- 4 hours per day of cultural and site tours, and 3- 4 hours per day of free time with host families. In 2010, the GSE team will travel to Bangladesh and Rotary Foundation is seeking 4 non-Rotary members that live and work here to be a part of the memorable experience.
Nina and Max visited 12 cities in 23 days in Rotary District 3360 in Thailand. Most Rotary meetings in Thailand required them to karaoke!!! Singing karaoke is viewed as a leadership trait, therefore they pre-planned, memorized and rehearsed karaoke songs for each meeting. Nina and Max recalled their favorite experiences such as Thailand toilets (a hole in the ground), fried fish morning, noon and night for meals, ant egg omelets, toilet paper as table napkins, and motorcycles with 3 or 4 people riding on one cycle. They took vocational visits to a banana factory, banks, schools, silk factory, and the US consulate. Additionally, they visited the Hall of Opium, where the history of opium was explained and corrected, Buddhist temples, and the “long neck” tribe where woman wear rigid rings on their necks to protect themselves from tiger attacks while their husbands are hunting. Almost every club referenced their focus to provide recycling programs and address large trash problems in the country in addition to providing clean water to rural areas.
Best Regards,
Nikki Sloan
I would like to thank all of you for your support in allowing me to serve you as District Governor for 2011-2012. I have admired the many Rotarians in our District that are dedicated to improving our Communities and our World. I have seen the passion you have that motivates you to sacrifice personally for the goals that Rotary has to offer. I am glad to see so many of you sharing the same passion I have for Rotary.
I feel fortunate to have found such a great organization; one that has given me the opportunity to reach out and help so many throughout our World. I have seen firsthand the deep appreciation in the eyes of those we have helped by changing their lives and giving them hope and a new beginning to life. I would like to share with you the experience I have had in Rotary and in life that has given me the desire to work with you in reaching as many people in need in the World and our Communities as possible.
I have committed my life to Rotary because Rotary has given to me something I never imagined I would have; a purpose and reason for being here by giving me the opportunity to reach out and help thousands/ millions everywhere from home to around the World.
It is a privilege and honor for me to serve all of you; the Great Rotarians of our District. I look forward to working with you in seeing our dreams and goals come true. Through Rotary, I have developed many friendships that will last a lifetime. It is sincerity and a desire to serve others that unites us. I look forward to meeting all of you throughout the District, Our District, and the BEST DISTRICT in Rotary.
Sincerely,
Wade Nomura
District Governor 2011-2012
Click the link below to get the current edition of The Breeze.
The Breeze
It is with a heavy heart that I must report that Ann Smith passed away last night. Many of our club members are aware that Ann has been battling some rather serious health issues for quite awhile now.
Ann was a member of our club for 3-1/2 years and was a lot of fun to be around. Ann made a trip to Nicaragua about 2 years ago to see the country and our projects. Ann will be missed and our thoughts and prayers go out to Ann’s family.
Jeff
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