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The FOGHORN
ROTARY CLUB OF HALF MOON BAY
March 20, 2025
HMB Boys and Girls Club
Bella Evans and Rolando Madrid
Article by Joe Brennan
Ginger introduced speakers Bella Evans and Rolando Madrid
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Bella Evans is the behavioral specialist at the local Boys and Girls Club. She spoke about working with the adolescents who are struggling to balance the pressures of school, social media and and their changing relationships with friends and parents. She has a degree in social work and is working toward a Masters. She delivered an informative power point presentation. She is a confident and knowledgeable person, her welcoming and understated manner came through which I am sure serves her and the Boys And Girls Club well.
She welcomes every student by name when they arrive making them welcome and enforcing the feeling of being noticed and belonging. This required memorizing the names and faces of 1,100 students!
She works one on one with students as much as possible for more focused help and quicker results. She described some of her activities like going for a walk around the track as talking is easier in that kinetic setting. Also spotting when a child needs help yet are not or cannot ask directly for it. She explained that her staff trainings are a big part of her job and a big part of the program’s success; making a plan, building a team and delivering the plan.
Another element which has worked wonders is the animated Disney/Pixar film “Inside Out” which deals with emotions, growing and adapting in a fun to view format. This has helped many as they twirl on the challenging and sometimes scary emotional wheel they all find themselves on.
Brief Q&A
What are some of your greatest on going needs: On going emotional needs of the kids; what is healthy?
Bullying a big problem, verbal is common but not physical
Phone free time is an important aspect of program
Visits by Rotarians are welcome
Favorite story: Boy in seventh grade distraught, in with wrong crowd…loosing enthusiasm. Gentle intervention was successful in the end - So happy he has found his way
Rolando Madrid , Senior Program Director of the Boys and Girls Club followed up expressing his gratitude for the funds Rotary granted from our Lobsterfest.
He spoke about the real need for awareness and ability to head off trouble. Engendering fortifications in students to address the growing anxiety caused by social media & AI. He pointed out that for large families with many small incomes the Scholarships provided by Rotary made the sessions possible to great good effect!
Rolando has been a Rotarian and is considering joining Rotary Club of HMB now that he is working in our community :-)
Our two speakers were awarded certificates of 15 Polio inoculations in each of their names.
CLUB MEETING, March 20, 2025
Pledge of Allegiance -
Inspirational Thought -
Guests Principal of Hatch Elementary School Paige Richards visited our meting. She was impressed by our Teacher Welcome Meeting and wanted to say Thank You and learn more about Rotary.
Pres. Irwin's Weekly Quiz -
President Irwin Cohen’s weekly Quiz about The Constitution: How many articles? - 7 What is article One? - Legislature Where was it written? - Philadelphia How many amendments are there? - 27 Floor note from Paul Wrubel about “under God” which was added to the Pledge of Alligiance under President Eisenhower - Paul prefers the Preamble To The Constitution over the pledge… |
Announcements and News -
Mike Osborne will be meeting with the nurse from Rotary Care which works out of the San Mateo County clinic in ShorelIne Station. We will be sending an exchange student to Italy and we will be hosting one from there, details to follow - John Evans |
Eric Shapira had two more stents on 3/18 and is recovering uncomfortably.
Emergency Plea for Interviewers on April 7th & 8th at high school 8:30am, contact Charisse if you are interested/available. |
A bit more Club business before adjourning:
- Nancy Wolfberg went through our assignments for Lobsterfest, August 23
- Wine Pull = two bottles from each member of $25 value each or greater.
Marble Game -
Photo Gallery