What is the Four Way Test? You probably would not know unless you are a Rotarian what the "Four way test" is.  It is a code of conduct for all Rotarians and it goes like this: •1.       Is it the truth? •2.       Is it fair to all concerned? •3.       Will it build good will and friendship? •4.       Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Herbert J. Taylor, president, Rotary Club of Chicago, 1939-40 and Rotary International 1954-55. He lived from 1893 to 1978. During a business crisis in 1932, he wrote the "Four Way Test," shown below. It was adopted as part of Rotary International in January of 1943. Today, all Rotarians live by this test in the performance of their business.  Rotary is a service club and provides service and aid to domestic and International communities.  O... 01/15/2011

The January 13, 2011 Newsletter has been published to the Villa Park Rotary website. A copy has been included below. You may also read it on-line by visiting http://www.RotaryClubofVillaPark.org/Newsletter.cfm   Villa Park Rotary Newsletter  Double the Pleasure     Today we had the pleasure of meeting twice in one day, once at our regular AM session and then later at our ChristmasHanukkahNewYear Party  at the Orange County Mining Company.  Our morning meeting began with an invocation by Paul Hudson.  Jeannie Hankins then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.  The Rotary Four Way Test was led by Bryan Nash and we concluded our opening exercises with the singing of our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.   Guests: Moose Steubing Larry Dick Gerard Edery Judge Frederick Aguirre- today... 01/15/2011

Rotary Club of Villa Park Newsletter Happy 2011- Let's Get to Work and Grow Together!!   President Greg Mills welcomed us all back after a week off with a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.   Jim Glenn reminded us in his invocation to count our blessings as we prepare for another year of helping those less fortunate.  Lesslie Giacobbi led us in our Pledge of Allegiance followed by our weekly recitation of the Rotary Four Way Test led by Bryan Nash.  We concluded our opening ceremony with the singing of America The Beautiful.   Guests: Presented by Greeter Pam Dunn Larry Holcombe- guest of Bob Bell Marsha Leeg- visiting from Nevada until the great Spring thaw. Jim Dougherty- our "Perpetual Visitor" Birthdays: Bob Kreisberg- celebrated his 61st birthday on New Year's Day.  After telling ... 01/14/2011

Do you you tell the seller the correct listing price or tell him what he wants to hear? Do I get the listing overpriced or wait for the next realtor to lose it by Ron Accornero ? This is always a decision regarding price when we take a listing.  Should I tell the seller what his home will sell for?  In many cases the seller will probably wait for the next realtor to give his presentation.  He heard the home down the street sold for $500,000 and he thinks his home is worth $550,000.  This kind of seller needs to be identified and approached differently. As realtors we should maintain high ethics and morals and not tell a Seller that a home will sell for a price that we believe it will not sell for.  We should not tell a seller that the price the seller has selected is a great price and w... 01/12/2011

  Rotary Club of Villa Park Newsletter Happy 2011- Let's Get to Work and Grow Together!!   President Greg Mills welcomed us all back after a week off with a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.   Jim Glenn reminded us in his invocation to count our blessings as we prepare for another year of helping those less fortunate.  Lesslie Giacobbi led us in our Pledge of Allegiance followed by our weekly recitation of the Rotary Four Way Test led by Bryan Nash.  We concluded our opening ceremony with the singing of America The Beautiful.   Guests: Presented by Greeter Pam Dunn Larry Holcombe- guest of Bob Bell Marsha Leeg- visiting from Nevada until the great Spring thaw. Jim Dougherty- our "Perpetual Visitor" Birthdays: Bob Kreisberg- celebrated his 61st birthday on New Year's Day.  After tellin... 01/08/2011

Club of Villa Park Newsletter   Rotary Club of Villa Park Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!   Our meeting began with an invocation by Craig Beinlich who reminded us that our Rotary Motto of Service Above Self is much like the Golden Rule.  Bill Baker in his Christmas best attire complete with red vest, tie and holiday socks led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by Bryan Nash and our weekly recital of the Rotary Four Way Test.  Our song this week was Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer.   Guests: Jim Dougherty- "Perpetual Visitor" Karen Anger- Guest of Marianne Koepnick Bill Campbell- Magician, among many other vocations and today's speaker.   Birthdays and Anniversaries: Lisa Stepanski- December 19th - Tom Davis- December-December 20th Jim and Lorraine Glenn celebrated their 56th We... 01/04/2011

What do I need to change in 2011?By Ron Accornero It is the time of the year where some people sit down and write their new year's goals.  I am not one of those persons, but there is one subject that I like to preach about and hope more people will convert to my way of thinking.  That subject is our eating and what we eat.  I see many people who are over- weight and many who are having problems with heart disease.  Too many of the foods that are on the shelf in markets are processed and are not good for us.  There are too many fast food stores which deliver high caloric foods and not good for our heart.  Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States along with diabetes.  We are raising our children on this diet and our children are over-weight and will probably grow up wit... 12/26/2010

The December 23, 2010 Newsletter has been published to the Villa Park Rotary website. A copy has been included below. You may also read it on-line by visiting http://www.RotaryClubofVillaPark.org/Newsletter.cfm           Rotary Club of Villa Park Newsletter Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!   Our meeting began with an invocation by Craig Beinlich who reminded us that our Rotary Motto of Service Above Self is much like the Golden Rule.  Bill Baker in his Christmas best attire complete with red vest, tie and holiday socks led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by Bryan Nash and our weekly recital of the Rotary Four Way Test.  Our song this week was Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer.   Guests: Jim Dougherty- "Perpetual Visitor" Karen Anger- Guest of Marianne Koepnick Bill Campbell- M... 12/24/2010

Where should I invest my money? By Ron Accornero Real Estate is where we should be investing our money in these times. Prices for Real Estate are down approximately 35%, Interest rates are down and the lowest in 40 years, loans are getting easier to come by and good properties are abundant. What else do you think needs to happen? I don't think that much else has to happen other than having more consumer confidence.  The media can help us here by printing more positive news articles about real estate.  Even with all the talk we hear about banks releasing a large number of REO's from foreclosures I don't think the market will become flooded with properties.  I have been hearing this talk of releasing properties for three years and it has not happened yet. At the present time you can buy ... 12/19/2010

Want a great ad for your newsletter? By Ron Accornero Newsletter s is one of the best ways to farm.  The secret to a good newsletter is to put something in the newsletter that would catch someone's eye and they will read it.  Interesting articles are key to getting your newsletter read and helping your farm clients to remember your name. Everyone is interested in saving money on their home.  Why not include an article in your newsletter about "Helping to reduce your property taxes" This will catch their eye and accomplish what you want to accomplish in your farm. An article like the following may be a winner. "If you brought your property in 2004 through 2007 you may be a candidate for a property tax reduction.  Properties purchased at the market high are now down 35% yet you are paying... 12/18/2010

The Water is running!  By Ron Accornero Listen to your home.  There are signals that tell you something is wrong.  Being on top of these signs can save you big money in the long run.  Just like a medical problem, early detection can eliminate an expensive problem. Do you have a larger than normal water bill?  You didn't fill the pool or over water the lawn?  You may have a slab leak; a running toilet, a leaky faucet or your neighbor is filling his pool.  What do you do?  Shut off all the water in your house and go out to the main meter box and look at the gauge to see if it is moving.  Check it over a period of time to detect movement.  If the leak is on the street side the water company pays, but if the leak is on the home side you pay.  If you have movement in your meter you may want ... 12/18/2010

The December 16, 2010 Newsletter has been published to the Villa Park Rotary website. A copy has been included below. You may also read it on-line by visiting http://www.RotaryClubofVillaPark.org/Newsletter.cfm       Rotary Club Of Villa Park Newsletter Welcome New Rotarians Will Warren & Tom Grundy   Wow, today's meeting had a full agenda with presentations, new member inductions and announcements.  Our invocation was read by Dr Linda Bartrom-Olsen and was ghost written by Jay Applebaum, who had to go in search of a camera to record today's events.  Millie Alexander on her way to witness a Charger Game(hopefully a big win) in San Diego led the Pledge of Allegiance,  followed by a rousing version of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.  Bryan Nash then led us through the Rotary Four Way Test... 12/16/2010

Is there a Paradise on earth? By Ron Accornero When I sit in my backyard by my pool after a day of selling real estate I think, how can it get much better than this.  The weather in Southern California is fantastic with 350 days of sunshine, 10 days of rain and 5 days of wind.  The lows average 40 degrees and the highs average 80 degrees. There are probably 10 days a year where you need to wear a jacket. Each evening I settle down in by backyard  to read the paper and relax. I read about the temperatures back east in the low 20's and think about how lucky I am to live in Orange County California and absorb  this beautiful  weather and peruse my beautiful backyard still full of flowers and vegetables still growing in abundance here in December.   I wonder why the whole east coast doesn't... 12/16/2010

What is the difference between prequalify, preapproval, loan approval and final approval? When receiving an offer on a property I have listed I like to see a preapproval from the lender to give to my sellers to show them that the possible buyers have been prequalified.  Many agents do not understand the meaning of preapproval and think that the buyers have been approved for the loan.  This is not correct.  Preapproval or prequalify means the buyers have sat down with a lender  and have analyzed their credit report, income and debt and how much the buyers are borrowing and have been given a letter of approval  showing that at this particular loan the buyers appear to have the ability to be approved for this loan.  They may not even fill out a loan application at this point. When the purc... 12/11/2010

A Christmas Story:  How one person, one new neighbor can make a difference on a street    Last January new neighbors moved in across the street from me.  They had a fine Italian name just like mine, so I was sure they would be good neighbors.  I was told that they were Master Chefs, and this was also excellent news just in case I needed any help with getting something together in my kitchen or wanted to verify any Italian recipes I had.  While I had met them, waived to them, and taken the requisite move in gift, I did not know them.   A few days ago I wrote about the little town, Villa Park, California, and Santa's New Route in Villa Park this year.  Our tiny city, located in Orange County in Southern California is often referred to as Orange County's Hidden Jewel.  There are just over ... 12/10/2010

The December 9, 2010 Newsletter has been published to the Villa Park Rotary website. A copy has been included below. You may also read it on-line by visiting http://www.RotaryClubofVillaPark.org/Newsletter.cfm   Rotary Club of Villa Park Newsletter Holiday Greetings Club Assembly Report   Sr. Pastor Stan Van den Berg opened our meeting with holiday blessings for Hanukkah and Christmas. Steve Stern led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Bryan Nash led the Rotary Four Way Test.  Our song was The Dreidel Song.    Guests: Jim Dougherty- Irvine-Newport Club- Perpetual Visitor" Marsha Leeg- Visiting from Nevada Will Warren- Union Bank- prospective member Steve Lopushinsky- Orange Rotary Dan Cregg- up for reinstatement Connor McCam- Orange Lutheran Student Larry Dick- Orange Club Tom Gundy- p... 12/10/2010

The December 2, 2010 Newsletter has been published to the Villa Park Rotary website. A copy has been included below. You may also read it on-line by visiting http://www.RotaryClubofVillaPark.org/Newsletter.cfm     Rotary Club of Villa Park Newsletter Happy Holidays By Invitation Only - December 9th 5-9PM Come Shop For the Holidays and Bring Your Family, Friends and Neighbors   This week's meeting began with an invocation by Mark Schmidt.  Diane Rothi leds us in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a rousing version of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer suggested by new grandpa John Broussard.  Bryan "Eddie" Nash led us in reciting the Rotary Four Way Test.   Guests: Jim Dougherty- "Perpetual Visitor" Will Warren- Union Bank and Prospective Member Rick Barnett- Marines for Thanksgiving Betty... 12/03/2010

How to beat a traffic ticket in Court? By Ron Accornero Think it can't be done! Think again and read this article. I have been to court three times and have won each time. The first ticket was for backing up at a stop sign, the second was for speeding with laser detection and the third was for going through a camera controlled red light.  Most people who show up in court to fight the ticket bet that the police officer that issued the ticket will not show up.  Most of the Police are paid to show up in court so more of them are showing up.  It still happens where they do not show and that will dismiss your case. But if you decide to fight your ticket be prepared to have at least 3 or 4 items which will help you to win your case. The first thing you must do is to pay the bail and request a... 12/02/2010

Call up google and buy the keyword. That is one way to get on the first page of your google search but there are other ways to do this. My experience with web site builders is that they will build you a great web site and claim high rankings but you lucky if you end up on the fifth page. After my experience with two or three builders and no first page placement I went to Smart Dog where I could build my own website and make changes myself. The first thing I had to do was study about keywords and what were the top keywords for my particular area of interest. When I found the right keywords I entered them into my website observing the rules of entering the keywords into my website. The next thing I did was to put a lot more text on my first page and made sure it aligned with what I do. I.... 11/26/2010

The November 18, 2010 Newsletter has been published to the Villa Park Rotary website. A copy has been included below. You may also read it on-line by visiting http://www.RotaryClubofVillaPark.org/Newsletter.cfm     Rotary Club of Villa Park Newsletter Happy Thanksgiving   This week's meeting began with a Sioux Indian Invocation by Kirk Parker.  Greg Mills led the Pledge of Allegiance and Bryan Nash the Rotary Four Way Test.  We sang the Star Spangled Banner our nations National Anthem.    Guests: Chuck Liebelt- Docent at the Bowers Museum and today's speaker Will Warren- Union Bank in Villa Park - 2nd Visit Dan Cregg-  2nd Visit and looking quite well.   Announcements: Pam Dunn-  By Invitation Only event- Thursday December 9th 5-9PM                      You can send Pam an email list o... 11/19/2010