PP Marsha Hunt was the Fabulous Host for today’s well attended ZOOM meeting. She began by welcoming everyone to the warm and friendly WVRC talking about how the Club has been around serving up friendship for 92 years. She then congratulated Club member Carol Rosenstein on making the front cover of Rotary Magazine this month, we think a first for the Club, before turning it over to Jim Meyer to lead everyone in the pledge. PP Ron Lyster gave us all a history lesson in his thought for the day leading up to an Irish prayer for everyone listening who is planning to travel soon. PP Maestro Ed Gauld serenaded us – FINALLY – with, “Take Me Out to The Ballgame” in recognition that the season has begun while PP Nancy McCready reminded all of us of the Four Way Test. PP Marsha introduced WVRC’s special guest for the day, District 5280’s District Governor Nominee, Makiko Nakasone who will be our leader for the 2023/24 Rotary year.
Announcements:
- The May 19, 2022, in-person meeting will be held at the Collins-Katz YMCA where all members have a volunteer opportunity prior to the meeting. The YMCA will be handing out boxes of food to those in need and, could use some helpings hands. So come early 9:30ish to help hand out food!
- Donations are still being accepted for Ukrainians displaced by the war. Go to the WVRC.net site to donate as here are three options to choose from.
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Makiko Naksone reminded members of the upcoming District Assembly training that will take place at the Proud Bird by LAX on May 22nd. Everyone is welcomed to attend.
- Volunteers are needed for an event with Music Mends Minds on Wednesday May 4th from 1pm - 2pm. Please contact Carol Rosenstein to sign up.
We were then treated to a wonderful presentation on two of LA’s shining jewels, the Getty Centers. John O’Keefe introduced our speaker for the day, Dodger fan Cori Garfias, the Groups Sales and Tourism Assistance for the J. Paul Getty Museums in Los Angeles. Cori has worked for the Getty Museums for over 8 years. She is a graduate of Cal State Northridge in music industry studies and, is currently getting her master’s in library & Information Science online from San Jose State University. She enjoys cooking, concerts and playing with her dog Huckleberry.
Cori began by telling us about the man, J. Paul Getty, the Museums, and the Programs at each. J. Paul was born in 1892 and became millionaire by the age of 23 in 1916 by working along side his father in the oil business. He had five wives and five sons and, he spoke Arabic which helped him immensely in dealing in oil. J Paul purchased the land in Malibu for the Getty Villa in 1945 where he built his home and had a small home art gallery he liked to show off to his friends. When his collection became too large, he developed the idea for the Villa. The Villa contains currently over 44,000 Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities. The design of the building was inspired by Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum and, the architects were Robert E. Langdon, Jr and Ernest C. Wilson, Jr. Construction began in 1970 and the Villa as it is known, opened in 1974. This museum was never visited by J. Paul who died in England in 1976 and is now buried on the grounds.
In 1983 the Getty Trust purchased land in Brentwood for $25 million dollars to construct a larger campus known as the Getty Museum (not Villa). It hired Richard Meier as the architect in 1984 and the museum opened in 1997. It contains artwork from the Middle Ages to the early 1900’s. Annually both museums bring in approximately 1.8 to 2 million visitors annually and are the most popular cultural tourist attractions in LA.
There are five Getty programs, the Trust worth between 6-9 Billion dollars; Research; the two Museums; Conservation Institute and, a Foundation made up of 1200 employees spread all around the world. The Getty focuses not on number of pieces in its collection but, the best of the best. The Masterpieces. They do a very good job of it too!
Both museums have beautiful gardens, four at the Villa (outer peristyle, an herb garden, inner peristyle, and the East Garden) and, at the Getty in Brentwood, the central garden and cactus garden. All are opened the public where they are encouraged to stroll or even, sit, and have lunch.
We learned from the questions that the Getty organization does not sell its work; does not charge an admission fee, only for parking; focuses on exhibitions that stay true to J. Paul’s legacy; has a large contingency that decides what to purchase and how much to spend; has two programs for involvement, the Volunteer program and the Docent program; is a wonderful place to work; you should get to it in a natural disaster as it is the safest places to be; and, does not appear to be expanding any time soon as getting buy-in from neighbors and, permits from the City are not easy to do (sounds familiar).
Most importantly we learned that with these two museums, LA does have the most beautiful jewels of the world. If you have not been, you need to go. I also encourage you to listen to the presentation given today on the WVRC.net website through Youtube because I could not fit all the wonderful information we learned today, in this Windmill.
PP Diane
