As always it seems that Craft Talks are the backbone of our Rotary Club presentations because they define our members and highlight the things they have accomplished. First up today was red badger Eszylfie Taylor who is truly a unique individual. Eszylfie’s father was born in Ghana, West Africa and named him Eszylfie, which means “Son of God”. He was born in Altadena and attended Altadena Christian School then went on to Maranatha High School where he was an outstanding athlete. He became “All C.I.F.” in football, basketball and track. He received a scholarship to play ball in Oklahoma City but transferred later to (Mt. Sac) Mt. San Antonio College in Pomona. Eventually moved up to Portland to Concordia University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in business administration. He was the number one advisor for New York Life in LA and the top African American agent before leaving and opening his own brokerage last year. He owns Taylor Insurance and Financial Services in Pasadena, which specializes in estate planning and takes pride in helping clients prepare an exit strategy for retirement. He helps clients eliminate debt, maintain income and prevent them from running out of money in retirement. Eszylfie is married to Kristen Taylor and has three daughters.

Our other craft talk was given by Victor De Los Santos, whom you no doubt have seen at our Rotary meetings in his blue surgical scrubs; that would be because he is a dentist who specializes in cosmetic dentistry and has for the last 26 years. He has been rated among the top dentists in the Los Angeles area since 2011. Victor shared several “before and after” slides of his handy work, even bone grafts and implants, crown and bridge replacements, working with celebrities and victims of crimes and typical families. Victor replaces veneers, implants for patients missing teeth, removes black lines and works on facial structure. He shared that many times the work he does changes lives, for instance Miss California 2013 used his services, even a salesman who had lost confidence due to poor teeth regained it due to Victors’ help with implants and his smile. Victor has three offices in SoCal, Arcadia, Long Beach, and Los Angeles. He is also very proud of the fact that he recently, along with his two sons, “Ran With the Bulls”, and returned unharmed, with all their Teeth intact. Victor reminds us that taking care of our teeth is important and says, “you don’t have to floss your teeth, only the ones you want to keep”.

Thanks Eszylfie and Victor, and welcome to the greatest Rotary Club in the world!

(Pat Dolphin)