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 DEMOTION DINNER: 2022   
The 2021-2022 Demotion Dinner was held at the    Southwestern Yacht Club−site of many of the PLRC's Friday luncheons in years past. Pictured left are the outgoing club president Gus Goldau, and incoming president Rob Cenko.
 
They are flanked by Gus and Shannon Osborn, upon her receiving the Rotarian of the Year Award. The criteria for this award are listed here. Past PLRC award winners are listed here. 
 
The "shadowy" group, the novely-named "PLRC Singers," rendered their version of the Beverly Hillbillies theme song, with Gus as the satirical object of their classical presentation. Dick Thorn did an inspiring speech about Gus the man, which was a memorable job of describing Gus. (Photos by Margaret Varissimo and Bill Slomanson.)  
A number of individuals were awarded the highly coveted Gus Goldau Golden Thumbs Up Award.  
 
 
This caricature was sketched by the previous week's luncheon speaker−the San Diego Union Tribune's Steve Breen. It was affectionately signed by all club members. It includeds one message in Chinese, in honor of Gus's birthplace in Shanghai.

Club members attending the 2022 Demo Dinner were able to savor the beauty of the second-best  yacht club in San Diego :-), the near-by Southwestern Yacht Club. Entryway picture by David Demangoes: 
 
 
 
DEMOTION DINNER: 2023 
Soon to be past President Gus Goldau welcomed
the robust turnout to the 2023 Rob Cenko Demo- tion Dinner. Gus set the stage for the annual skit about our outgoing President. The Uniform Code of Military Justice was created by Congress in 1950. Rather curiously, Gus shared that, if taken as a prisoner of war, service members are expec- ted to provide only their name, rank, identifica- tion number, and date of birth. But one had to wonder why Gus was providing such details at Rob’s Demotion Dinner.   

PLRC has a tradition of encouraging new members to introduce themselves at our meetings. We affectionately call this event "Who Am I." Gus then recalled when Rob came on board and was given the lectern to tell us about himself. Rob allegedly gave the shortest presentation in the annals of Rotary history. As Gus stated: “We don't know much more about him than a pris- oner of war offers to his captors."                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Pink Panther (aka Dick Thorn), dressed as the defective detective Inspector Clouseau, began to seek out the elusive Rob's real identity. Was Rob just a Babe Magnet?
  
Inspector Clouseau’s sleuthing initially focused on the on-the-surface, deceptively nice guy Rob: 
 
 
But further inspection revealed something far more sinister: 
  

 With this important revelation behind us, Gus then proceeded to share the real story:

          “In all seriousness, Rob has been an outstanding president this past year. He
            may not have given us his life story, but he has given us his heart and dedi-
            cation. Rob, you've led our club with passion, integrity, and a whole lot of
            caffeine, I suspect. Your leadership has inspired us all to reach new heights.
            and make a difference in our community.
 
            Rob, I want to express my gratitude to you for your tireless efforts in guiding.
            our club. Your commitment to Rotary's mission of service above self has been.
            truly remarkable. So, you have shown us that actions speak louder than words.
            You tackled every challenge that came our way, from organizing fundraisers to
            coordinating community projects.
                                                                                                                                                                     
                 As we bid farewell to your presidency, we want you to know how much we appre-
            ciate your leadership and the positive impact you've had on our club. We are
            grateful for your unwavering dedication and the countless hours you've devoted.
            to making our community a better place.”

Gus then passed the baton---and presented an appreciation
plaque to the now past president Rob Cenko.           

At this juncture, Gus turned the meeting over to Debra Gookin, PLRC’s incoming President. After being sworn in, Debra closed the Demotion Dinner with a toast:

          “In conclusion, as we celebrate Rob's so-called. 
        ‘demotion,’ let's remember that Rotary is not.
         just about titles or positions. It's about the 
                           people who come together to make a differ-
                           ence. Each and every one of you contribute to
                           the success of our club. So I'm honored to be
                           a part of this remarkable community.

                                       Thank you all for joining us today to honor Rob
                           Cenko and his incredible leadership. Let's raise
                            a toast to Rob, to Rotary, and to the future as
                            we continue to serve others and create a better
                            world together. Cheers!”
                                                 
                                                           

Note: Thanks to Debra Gookin for her Power Point presentation & Ray Blavet for extracting the above sleuthing pictures for use on this webpage. 

OCTOBERFEST
The world’s largest beer festival, Munich Germany's
“Oktoberfest 2020," was canceled. San Diego’s alterna- tive, the Point Loma Rotary Club's Octoberfest, is sec- ond to none. Most of PLRC's 2023 cohort is pictured left. As Lloyd Weaver remarked: “It was a wonderful party! Thank you, Shannon, for hosting. We needed more costumes!” Two of the 2022 Costume Czars → Gus Goldau, in his Washington Commanders regalia−and Lloyd Weaver, the Harry Potter grandfather who lived.

The third contender for Best Costume, in both 2022 and 2023, was Dick
Thorn, doing The Bavarian Chicken Dance with former PLRC President Karin Haggard (left). As Dick put it: "This was truly a fun evening. Good friends, great food, and live entertainment. Who knew we had singers? Thank you, Shannon." His 2023 version may have pushed his Best Costume candidacy over the top.

Judy Byram no doubt won Best Quote: “Shannon Osborne's Hofbräuhaus ist wunderbar für Oktoberfest! Many thanks to Shannon (and her late husband Ken) for so many fun
years−and to Dick Thorn for inspiring the Chicken Dance in lederhosen!” 

Hostess Extraordinaire Shannon Osborne is herein surrounded by her Court! Gus Goldau's reaction was that "the PLRC Octoberfest is always a fun event. Good costumes, good food, and libations. The original music is a novelty that was introduced last year. It will hopefully continue."                                                                                       
The Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover band is pictured left. As fiddler James Morrison advises: “Our group’s name is Roseville−named after the Point Loma neigh- borhood, originally home to Portuguese fishermen.
Photos by Bill Slomanson
 
COMEDY NIGHT 
On March 11, 2022, the PLRC conducted its 19th annual Comedy Night. It benefits vital local charities. They assist future leaders from Point Loma schools, seniors, and critical international programs −including Shelter Boxes for survivors of disasters across the globe. (See PLRC's above Shelter Box program.) 
 
This event featured several professional comedians. Comedy Night is an ideal opportunity for club members to gather for an evening filled with great humor. It will once again be emceed by the PLRC's lone Honorary Member, Tony Calabrese (pictured left). He is back again, as our inspiration, event creator, talent scout, and master of cere- monies. Tony is an immensely popular and award-winning comedian.
 
Point Loma Rotary Club contributes all the proceeds of every Comedy Night to member supported club programs. In addition to public sales, each PLRC member is asked to sell $200 worth of tickets. The various donation levels include GOLD: $50 ▪ Name and a full-page ad in the event program ▪ Com- pany Banner to be display-ed displayed on the stage as guests are seated ▪ The opportunity to distri- bute promotional items to audience members ▪ Prominent name recognition on all event publicity, and ▪ Five tickets with VIP reserved seating ($125 value). SILVER: $250 ▪ Prominent name and logo re- cognition ▪ A on flyers distributed throughout ▪ Name and a full-page ad in the event program ▪ Com- pany Banner to be displayed on the stage Half Page ad in the event  program ▪ Four tickets ($100 value). BRONZE: $100 ▪ A Quarter Page ad in the program ▪ Two tickets ($50 value). SUPPORTER: $5. Donations are tax-deductible. 
 Tony is currently the PLRC's only Honorary Member. He has hosted the club's Comedy Night for two decades. As a thank you, Gus Goldau and Dick Thorn presented Tony with this plaque on behalf of a grateful PLRC in March 2022.    

The event venue is the United Portuguese S.E.S. Hall, 2818 Avenida de Portugal, Point Loma, San Diego, CA 92106 (pictured left). The outer parking area gates open at 7:00 PM. The program begins at 8:00 PM.  
 
CRISTMAS PARTY (2023)
Once again, Ray Volker graciously hosted the PLRC’s annual Christmas party at his extraordinary residence. The event was well attended−and well stocked with food furnished by the club and various members. Given the geo-political trauma dominating the news media, this was a welcomed opportunity to share an evening of well wishes and camaraderie. Club members celebrated the blessed nature of the holiday season, on this not-so-silent night, via the cheerful chorus led by Lloyd Weaver.
 
DISTRICT 5340 SOCIALS                                                                                                                 
The District Governor hosts periodic district-wide mixers. Their objective is to introduce Rotary to potential members. The first 2022 event was held in North County. The second was located at the Legacy Hotel-Convention Center in Mission Valley.  
   
District (and PLRC) PLRC mixers and social events often forge life-long friendships. They facilitate a collective view that we all should serve and give back to others. Together, we enjoy drinking and din- ing, with a diverse group of like-minded good Samaritans−whose underlying raison d'ê·tre is raising funds for multiple philanthropic causes. Members also graciously open their homes to provide an enjoyable evening of food, drink, and lively conversation with club members and families.