Young John at hard work! Joy Dunne with World Vision orphans
By Rick Kaiser Dominique Zervas - Movie Review
January 24, 2022
Opening Welcome:
President Peter called the meeting to order at 12:32. There were 17 members attending via Zoom. Rick Kaiser presented the Pledge of Allegiance as performed in American Sign Language (and English) at last year’s Presidential inauguration. Steve Ban gave the invocation, adapted from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, which was a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King.
Ken Marzocco’s Minister of Fun topic ranged from football to sliced bread. Your reporter noted many incorrect answers but very little cash appearing on the table.
Movie Review by Dominique Zervas - "Summer of Soul"
The film for this movie was shot in 1969, but was only brought to the public when Questlove unearthed the many cans of film just a few years ago, and released it in 2021. It’s available for streaming on HULU.
Background
The period was a time of great upheaval: there was the Vietnam war; John F. Kennedy, Bobbie Kennedy, Malcom X, and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., were assassinated; 21 Black Panthers were being held in jail; and protests were happening all over the country, and there were riots in nearly every city, and especially in Harlem.
No one wanted another summer of riots in Harlem. Then Mayor of New York City, a Republican was a friend of the black neighborhoods; he went to the black neighborhoods and supported black issues. He visited Harlem on several occasions, including the day after Martin Luther King was assassinated. Black residents referred to him as their “blue-eyed brother.”
With the Mayor’s support and foresight, the efforts of the City’s Parks Department, , and the courage, vision and energy of lounge singer and promoter, Tony Lawrence—who produced and directed and directed it, the Summer of Soul was born.
It took place at Mount Morris Park over the course of six weekends in the summer of 1969; the same year as Woodstock.
There was no funding in place for lights or other equipment, so the stage was constructed to face the sun, and Black Panthers came to provide security. Ultimately, Maxfield House coffee and General Goods became convinced that it would be a great idea for them to come on board as sponsors.
Tony Lawrence also faced enormous challenges getting acts to come to perform; no artists booking agents were interested in this type of event. So Tony got the Mayor—Harlem’s blue-eyed soul brother—to vouch for what Tony was trying to create, and the artists cam.
Artists
Ultimately acts included:
Stevie Wonder, who was just 19 years old and already had several top hits
Nina Simone – introduced as the Queen of Soul
Gladys Night and the Pips
Temptations
Sly and the Family Stone, who led the change from Motown suit and tie guys
Herbie Hancock
Abbey Lincoln & Max roach
5th Dimension
Chambers Brothers
David Ruffin – with his hit “My Girl”
B.B. King
Ray Barretto
Mongo Santamaria
Dinizulu Dancers and Drummer, who came from South Africa to perform
Hugh Masekela
Moms Mably
One weekend was focused on gospel music, performers that weekend included:
Mahalia Jackson
Edwin Hawkins Singers Gospel Choir, which came from the Bay Area and sang “Oh Happy Day – stirring up the Pentecostal with their upbeat, contemporary sound
Papa Staple and the Staple sisters
Highlights
Besides the excellent artist line up, there were highlights that made lifelong impacts, personally and professionally, included:
Over 300,000 people attended the concerts; they included entire families—so many children attended.
The performance of My Precious Lord, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite song:
Jesse Jackson with Ben Branch, who were the last people to see Martin Luther King, Jr. alive. They came over to his house and were talking with King at the front door; King asked Branch whether he would be performing My Precious Lord, which he said was his favorite song. Immediately after saying that, his face was blown off.
So Ben Branch and Jesse Jackson ensured My Precious Lord was performed by the Ben Branch band.
Mavis Staples, who was in awe of Mahalia Jackson, was sitting next to her, when Mahalia asked her to join her in singing My Precious Lord. It was a magical moment of two phenomenal voices – Mavis Staples and Mahalia Jackson sharing a microphone—and Ben Branch, a dear friend of MLK, Jr., performing the Reverend’s favorite song.
Stevie Wonder, whose producers had been molding him as a sort of prep-school/suit and tie boy, stepped away from those producers and took control of his production to create his own style—wanting to touch on social problems; wanting the “lyrics to mean something.”
The concerts were filmed all summer; afterwards, they tried to find someone to produce the film, but Woodstock had happened and no one cared about a black festival, so the many cans of film stayed buried. It took 50 years for the movie to come to the screen.
I was lucky to see it at the Pickford on the big screen with great sound. I found myself smiling throughout the entire movie—the music, the artists, the dreams, the efforts, the people who attended…an excellent movie.
Club and Committee Announcements
The Scholarship Awards Committee is looking for 2 hosts for our upcoming presentation, February 14th in Humanities and Theater. Please contact Sandee at rcob@comcast.net if you can help.
John Dunne shared a final video from and about the Community Boating Center, encouraging members to get in their pledge forms.
Letters of resignations were received sadly from Jennifer Moehl (moved to Georgia and taken new job), Rich & Stephanie Bowers (both retired and planning to travel), Katherine Deets (business pressures) and Chuck Snyder (moved to Arizona and just joined the Sun Lakes Rotary Club with Dale Rings). These resignations were accepted with deep regret.
A Resignation was also received from James Pyles due to ideological differences. James’s resignation was regrettable accepted.
Paul Grey and Robin Halliday will attend this year’s Grants Training to fulfill the requirement.
The Service Fund Grant committee is looking for more requests with $6,000 remaining to be spent. A Grant must have a member sponsor. Simply submit a 1-page document describing the Non-Profit and their needs and submit to Paul Grey.
Doug Cole has 4 meetings opened for the remaining year to fill, after cancelling the upcoming Rotation Day March 7th, due to COVID for the second time.
Felicity Dye reported that she has been working with Bellingham Bay, the Ferndale Rotary Club and us to form a committee to do Short Term Exchanges. It will be called the Whatcom County Multi Club Youth Exchange. More to follow.
Shauna Naf pointed out that we don’t have a “Service Committee” and we really need to have more service activities. This led to a great discussion and Felicity suggested that we link with the Rotaract Club on projects they may have. She will contact the president. It was also suggested that we check with previous Major Projects recipients and inquire about their needs. Shauna recommended Teri Treat and Ward Naf to Co-Chair this and Peter offered to help also. Shauna suggested the name of “Hands On Service Committee”
You will still receive an email from Sandee each week prior to the Monday 12:30 meeting if you are unable to attend in person (you can start logging in at 12:00 for short socializing) with the link for that privacy-protected meeting. If you have not done so, please download the Zoom app on your computer (you need a camera and microphone on it), iPad or phone. There is no cost to you. If you do not have either, you can also call in. On the invitation, there are US phone numbers you can call and enter the meeting ID number also indicated on the invitation. HERE ARE ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS.
Four Points is now requiring a Contract thru March 2022. We will continue to evaluate other locations for a permanent location. Lunch will be $22 for a sit-down meal. We must notify them by Wednesday at 4:00 pm each week prior to the Monday meeting as to the number of members attending. We are sending out meeting “Invite's” weekly and members are asked to sign-up ASAP. You can also sign-up by going to the event section of our website at bellinghamrotary.org. If you sign up for a meal at the meeting, you will need to pay the $22 even if you don't wind up attending the meeting after numbers are turned in. If you plan to attend but not eat, PLEASE indicate that on your sign-up so we don't overorder meals and still make sure there is enough seating.
Four Points also will not collect the payment weekly, so the Club will collect payments prior to the meeting or at the door.
We urge members of the RCOB to set up a Venmo account for ease in payment of Meeting lunches, Happy Bucks, Minister of Fun, Dues or donations to the club. Our account is @RCOB-Bellingham. If you do not have a Venmo account you can set up an account with your computer then download the app. on your phone (just Google "Venmo" and you will find all the information you need) You then attach it to a debit or credit card (a fee on your end) or attach to your checking account at no cost. Payment will be sent directly to the RCOB checking account. When you use it for the first time it may ask you the last 4 digits of the RCOB phone number which is 0282. Give Sandee a call if you need help. 360-734-5532
Other payment options are to bring a check in the correct amount to the meeting made out to RCOB or cash in the exact amount to speed up the payment process. There is also the PayPal option as usual and we are set to take payments at the meeting. We have a QR Code that you can simply click on to pay thru paypal also.
Website and Phone App instructions:
Here is a tutorial on how to login for the first time. (Click here) Go to bellinghamrotary.org first. In order to login you need to know your user name and password in your Clubrunner account. The user name is Yourfirstname.Lastname.264 unless you have changed it. Example: Sandra.Lindhout.264 The password is initially set by Clubrunner at 264 unless you have changed it. Sandee can see your Username from her computer but not the password. She can also change your password for you from her computer at your request if you run into problems.
Once you have originally created your User Name and Password you can download the ClubRunner Mobile app on your phone:
Please contact Sandee at 360-734-5532 or rcob@comcast.net if you run into any trouble.
Guests:
Our Arizona branch of the RCOB joined us, Chuck Snyder and Dale Rings!!
John Dunne introduced his wife Joy, who joined us on zoom to hear John's program.
Other members who were on Zoom: Corey Chaplin, Ken Marzocco, Monty McAllister, Bob Morse, Dave Blair, John Pedlow, Roland Trenouth, Del VandeKerk, Greg Baker, Loch Trimingham, Dennis Williams, Dick Tucker and Vinson Latimore.
Program:
Program: RCOB member John Dunne: “A personal history of the Viet Nam war.”
During the American involvement of the Viet Nam war from 1965 to 1975, over 560,000 personnel were involved. (A show of hands noted two other Viet Nam veterans in attendance, Steve Hagar and Tom Grinstad.) John’s story was simply one of many. He received his draft notice in 1971 after completing medical school. He had been opposed to the war and was not eager to participate. Nonetheless, he became a PMO, a Preventative Medical Officer in the 3rd Calvary at Bien Hua.
At fire base Melanie he dealt with an outbreak of bubonic plague, a result of poor sanitation, rats and fleas. At another base there was a massive outbreak of shigellosis. We learned how fortunate John was by inadvertently foiling a maze of mine trip wires while entering a base after a mission.
His new wife (and nurse) Joy was hired to work in a World Vision orphanage hospital near Saigon, thus they were able to spend time together. John had interned in pediatrics and was called to extra duty at the orphanage.
His summary on US involvement in Viet Nam is this: Attempting to apply western mores into foreign cultures is bound to fail. His final slide was titled, “The Complexity of our Involvement,” which compared our involvements in Viet Nam and Afghanistan. The cultural dynamics were similar, the motivation was similar, the duration was interminable and the outcome was similar. “Can we learn anything from this?” [ed. note: we damn well better]
