Erin Runnion - Protecting Kids

The Rotary Club of Irvine hosted Erin Runnion, Founder of the Joyful Child Foundation. The Joyful Child Foundation was formed in the memory of Erin’s child, Samantha, who at age 5 was abducted, abused and found murdered the following day in July 2002. Erin’s mission is to inform the community about child abuse and abduction and to train children how to react and respond to attempts to do them harm. Her hope if that by making the public aware and training children how to react and respond abuse and abductions can be reduced or potentially eliminated altogether.

Erin Runnion - Protecting Kids

The Rotary Club of Irvine hosted Erin Runnion, Founder of the Joyful Child Foundation. The Joyful Child Foundation was formed in the memory of Erin’s child, Samantha, who at age 5 was abducted, abused and found murdered the following day in July 2002. Erin’s mission is to inform the community about child abuse and abduction and to train children how to react and respond to attempts to do them harm. Her hope if that by making the public aware and training children how to react and respond abuse and abductions can be reduced or potentially eliminated altogether.

Long Beach Grand Prix

Connor DePhillippe, age 19, has been racing since he was five years old. He'll be racing in the Long Beach Grand Prix, and you're invited (more than 170,000 people are expended to attend) to join the weekend of fun which includes Practice, Sat., qualifying and the race on Sunday. Connor shared his long road to racing success.

From age 5-14 he raced go carts, at age 14 made the transition to race cars. He's worked his way up the circuit and this past May he won on a smaller oval near the Indy track, the night before the Indianapolis 500. When he won, he was given the opportunity to speak before the crowd, one of his most memorable races. Mazda is motor racing's major sponsors of racing. Connor raced in the Star Mazda race last year and won a $60,000 scholarship, which provides a transition and foundation from kart racing to auto racing, and got him to where he is today.

Auto racing is growing and provided the demographics nationwide. As the racers move up the ladder, win sponsors, they have the opportunity to race with more powerful race cars. Connor is looking for sponsors, unfortunately he did not win the most recent scholarship. But he has sponsors that are allowing him to race in Long Beach.

Auto racing requires physical and mental endurance, requiring the driver to be focued every minute and sustain durability, about 2 hours on a 3 mile racetrack with 17 corners. Connor endures 1.5 hours of training daily to get ready for a race. Formula cars are the pnnacle of the racing series. The cost is $400,000 per car to get to the game. Watch and route for Connor!

A Life in The Ukraine

Lucy's sister, Colleen and her husband are Missioniaries who have lived the last 17 years in the Ukraine helping poor and former Soviet countries build churches where there are none. The church is a place for families to get help, where people can come together. The villages where they help build churches are so poor, the average family income is less than $400/month. These people do not have a mindset for humanitarian care.

In 1994, after the Soviet Union separated, they and their two young daughters moved to a small village in the Krimea (a peninsula of the Ukraine which was owned by Russia). It was a barebones existence, with bare shelves at the grocery stores, long cold winters--they spent days in the kitchen (a separate building) which was the only room in the home that was heated. They also were at a deficit because they did not speak the language.

Before moving to Ukraine, she was a realtor in OK, her husband Jeff was an engineer. They decided to change their lives after Jeff went on a short term mission to Ukraine; he was a Russian linguist in the military.

They eventually moved to Kiev, to be near an airport. The perception of Russians of Americans is not positive, there is alot of antimosity to us. Today she teachers "Summertime Ar Classses", she learned art in college. The themes are teaching ladies to create prayer scapbooks to strengthen their faith.

Twice a year she tours the US visiting churches to share their story of Missionary work with others, and to raise money to continue their works around the world.

Breaking The Cycle of Poverty Thru Education

Irvine Rotary Club member Alex Ureche has a passion for helping children around the world, and he's put his passion to work to make a major different in many lives. In 2003, he and his wife created a non-profit organization to help educate children in developing nations. Alex says, "Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty." His program teaches English and literacy skills to help underserved kids compete in today's world. His organization has projects in Mexico, USA, and a special emphasis with projects in rural areas of Romania.

It all started with a toilet, says Alex. In 2004 in a village his grandparents lived in Romania, he got stuck in Romania on a trip. First they help build a toilet, and it went onto build a computer lab in the small local school. He was hooked...In 2005, the big project, $2000 seed money from a friend led to building a school in Romania. The school was finished (total cost of $20,000) in Oct. 2005; locals were hired to help build the school, workers make so little money they were thrilled to contribute and make some money doing it; parents of the kids worked hard and also pitched in.

Additional projects in Romania include English programs for 250 kids; 2008 an English Lab was dedicated; 2009 - 12 English Labs were built, funded with matching rotary grants. The Rotary Club in Romania has sister clubs- Romanian Kids have an opportunity to join Rotaract where they can share with kids from around the world thru Rotary.

In 2009, Give A Smile: Dental Screening in Romania provided 200 kids appointments with a dentist, some had never seen a dentist before. Dentists came from Holland and Bucharest to join in the event.

Twice a year, a Shopping Spree for Kids gives them the opportunity to buy presents for others; the poor are good at giving to others.

The results of the English programs: Mentoring 25 kids from school to college, otherwise they have no opportunities at all. These kids have become the shining stars, successful kids are going to top schools.

Mobile Media Center: Last year Alex's organization gave the Romania's a Bookmobile for kids, taking the show on the road, including internet access and books they can borrow.

Upcoming projects vary including: building a rugby field, leadership camps for kids, building a community center, literacy projects, and empowering and finding work for parents.

Visit www.children-aid.org to learn more.

Irvine Community Service Awards

The Irvine Police Department came out in force to our meeting today for the IRC Community Service Award. Chief, Dave Maggard, also President of the California Police Chief Association, Commander Barry Aninag, Sergeant Amy Quiorz, Officer Tanya Ayalde and Dan Young, a special coordinator for the Irvine Police Department Community Partnership with Irvine Rotary, were on hand.
Young explained that Irvine Police Department has a program designed for public safety to help families register people that might be susceptible to danger wandering off with dementia. It is called the Return Home Registry. They get the endangered person’s name, personal information, description and emergency contact information of those caring for the vulnerable population. Also a juvenile run away program too. It is a new program that is successful.
Sergeant Amy Quiorz discussed an incident on 12/27/11, Tuesday night, in Irvine. Officer Tanya Ayalde and Sergeant Amy Quiorz were working the Tuesday night shift called “alpha”, also known as the grave yard shift that they work Mon.-Thur. from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. Normally they have a briefing of the days events, assignments and boards of events from other local police agencies in O.C.
Of significance was a report of an 81 year old man with dementia, who had been missing for 18 hours from Santa Ana that his family had reported missing. At 10:30 p.m. on 12/27/11 a call went out to Ayalde and Quiorz that there was a suspicious person outside the block wall fence at the Husken’ family’s residence. The father Todd Husken’s called the Irvine P.D. because his daughter, Joli had heard some strange noises in the brush behind their home near Irvine Center Drive. There was an elderly man hidden in the bushes but he won’t respond to them. He was very cold and shaking. The police came to the Husken’s home and found the missing elderly man that was lost and disoriented. They called the man’s son and took the elderly man to the hospital. The Irvine P.D. later called the Husken family and thanked them for being such great citizens helping this disabled man. The conditions were such that this man would might never have been found as he was hidden by view of any road way or walk way.

The Irvine Police Chief said that there was a new project in Irvine’s Great Park the ground breaking of a 5,000 new residence plan. It would move more resources into Irvine even though Irvine is in good financial condition it is still difficult times.
There was a question about the movement of prisoners out of prison and also being transferred into County jails. There is impact in O.C. but the impact drastically varies from county to county. This was mandated by federal judge because the prisons were failing to give adequate health care to the prisoners. Some non-dangerous are released, others that need rehab are placed in facilities that help their addiction issues. The goal is less parole and more probation supervision. Like ankle braclets but it depends on the conviction. Releasing non-violent and non-sex offenders. So far the State has 35,000 people released from prisons into the communities of California.