Since Jocelyn’s school had the day off today, it was the fourth day of our holiday weekend. And since it was a Tuesday, that meant both girls could join me at my weekly Rotary luncheon meeting. Coincidentally, I was today’s speaker finder, having invited San Jose City Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio to speak to the club.

As the week’s speaker finder, I also have the responsibility of leading the Pledge of Allegiance and providing an appropriate thought for the day. At the last minute, Jocelyn and I came up with an inspirational passage from the book she is reading for her Book Report this month: Helen Keller from Scholastic’s “In Their Own Words” series.

We each looked through the book and selected a passage to read aloud to the club. I went first, introduced the book report topic, and read a selection about books themselves:

Of books, Helen wrote: “They tell me so much that is interesting about things I cannot see. And they are never troubled or tired like people.”

Jocelyn selected something that Helen once said about war and international peace. We both thought it was appropriate for Rotary:

“I look upon the world as my fatherland,” she wrote, “and every war has for me the horror of a family feud. I hold true patriotism to be the brotherhood and mutual service of all men.”

We finished the meeting with a similarly-inspired closing thought, this one provided by Mark Twain in the same book:

Mark Twain once heard a man feeling sorry for Helen because of the “dullness” of her life. Twain was quick to correct that idea. “Blindness is an exciting business, I tell you,” Twain declared. “If you don’t believe it, get up some dark night on the wrong side of the bed when the house is on fire and try to find the door.”

Jocelyn and her friends — with a little help from Felicia — completed their second Ice Cream Specials fund raiser earlier in August, raising $98 to benefit the Washington School RotaCare medical clinic in San Jose. As a token of appreciation, the clinic presented both girls with certificates after giving them a tour of the facility earlier this evening.

It was an impressive — although tiny — facility, operating a weekly free medical clinic on school grounds in the middle of a poor (and largely Hispanic) neighborhood not far from our home. The waiting room was jammed with children and adults, many of whom had lined up all day for the chance to see a doctor.

This picture is also available on Flickr.

Last year, Jocelyn put together an “Ice Cream Stand” on the weekend before school started to welcome everyone back for the summer and to raise a little money for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Ice Cream Specials

This year, she did it again — with Felicia’s help and a new non-profit recipient …..

Jocelyn & Felicia (and their friends) raised $98 for a local free medical clinic, sponsored by a couple of Rotary Clubs in San Jose.

The RotaCare Medical Clinic, housed in the Washington Elementary School, which isn’t very far from our house in Willow Glen, provides free medical care to people who have the most need and the least access to medical services. It is a coalition of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, interpreters/translators and other volunteers who provide free medical care to the medically underserved in a collaborative effort with Rotary Clubs, hospitals, clinics, community and social service organizations and service groups. And now Jocelyn and Felicia, too ….

This picture is also available on Flickr.

Original Title:”Most Incredible Thing Ive Ever Seen”

Oh my God! No time to blog …. and the keyboard changed again … but this is the view from my room in Cappodocia region of central Turkey. I am not kidding. This picture doesn’t even do it justice. … more later …..

Cappadocia is an incredible region of staggering geological formations and equally impressive human adaptations of the volcanic rock formations. Centuries ago, early Christians seeking refuge from Roman oppression, carved homes, churches, and entire villages into soft tufa rock layers that had accumulated from volcanic eruptions over time.

We stayed at the Museum Hotel, atop the natural fortress near Urgup. During our two days in the region, we saw the famous (and completely natural) “Fairy Chimneys,” toured an immense underground city, and spent time at a caravanserai along the ancient silk road.

And did I mention the ballooning?

Today’s activities began with a bus ride to a ferry terminal in southern Istanbul, which officially marked my first visit to the mysterious continent of Asia. We crossed the Transcontinental Bosphorus Bridge at 8:25 am EEST.

We rode the ferry across the Sea of Marmara to the city of Yalova, near the epicenter of the 1999 Izmit Earthquake. During my presidency, the Rotary Club of Campbell & San Jose West was an international co-sponsor of a municipal water supply project to replace the original pumping station, which was destroyed in the earthquake. Today we participated in the ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the completed project, which included the provincial governor, Rotary d?gn?taries, and local citizens \in the celebration. We followed that with an amazing lunch of fresh fish, calamari, shrimp ceviche, and Raki.

We’ll be in the Asian part of Turkey for the remainder of our trip, departing Thursday morning for Cappadoccia, where we’ll spend two n?ghts before driving to Ankara for a flight to Izmir and Ephesus.

Since we’re changing hotels, I don’t know if I’ll be able to post for a few days … Check back when you are curious.

Oh boy ?s ?t hot here ?n Istanbul! It was a balmy 36 Celsius today (that’s 96 to you and me), and the humidity was equally extraordinary.

We spent the day touring famous locations ?n Istanbul, ?nclud?ng the Dolmabahçe Palace, Blue Mosque, the Church of Hagia Sophia, the Roman Hippodrome and undreground c?sterns, and the Grand Bazarre.

For dinner we boarded a spec?al Rotary Yacht for a cruise of the Bosporus, which runs through the m?ddle of Istanbul linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, and separat?ng Europe from Asia. D?nner was ?ncredible (lamb!) and the views were awesome, too.

The computer connection is slow, so you won’t be able to see all of the 500+ pictures I’ve taken so far, but it’s a start: Check out the 2007 Turkey Photoset.

Today was our visit to the playground site (co-sponsored by the our family and Istanbul Yesilkoy Rotary), built in rural Ihtebaglari, overlooking the Sea of Marmara in Thrace. The play structure is complete, but work continues on landscaping, volleyball courts, trees, and a basketball court.

Ihtebaglari is a town of 400 people living in 174 households, located in a wine-growing region outside of Sarkoy. The city’s ancient name is Arabli, and Ihtebaglari means “Vineyards of Ihte.” With no place for their kids to play, parents have been working for years to convert government-donated land into a recreational park. Without outside funding, the land would have reverted back to the government. The Yesilkoy Rotary Club has hosted health fairs in the town, and has additional plans to establish a local Rotary volunteer corps to maintain the playground and expand it’s program outreach.

The ch?ldren and parents of the v?llage were very thankful for their new play space. I was particularly touched by one solitary mother who caught my eye, pressed her fingers against her lips and then touched them to a swingset, clearly thanking us for making the playground possible. In addition, we distributed many donated youth soccer jerseys and shoes/cleats for the children.

Many of you may already be aware that I am traveling July 21-31 to the Anatolian Peninsula, including Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Izmir. It’s by far the furthest I’ve ever traveled, and also the longest I’ve ever traveled without family in my own modern era. I, of course, will be fine. It’s you all that I’m worried about.

So, I’m going to try to keep you updated, assuming the Internet cooperates. Perhaps there will be periodic blog updates right here. And perhaps I’ll be able to upload pictures to a special 2007 Turkey Trip photoset on Flickr. Or perhaps not. Stay tuned.

Our family’s commitment to our local Rotary Club and to Rotary International is an important part of our identity. The girls enjoy attending events, and appreciate the value they bring to our community.

In Friday night, the Rotary Club of Campbell & San Jose West hosted a recognition dinner for 2007 Paul Harris Fellows, in honor of charitable donations made to The Rotary Foundation. This is a picture of David pinning a PHF pin to Karen’s shirt. The girls attended the dinner, too.