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DIGITAL EDITION   No. 42     August 21, 2013     EDITORS:  John Poremba & Jim Johnson     PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kris Anderson

Our Program For August 28th

CLUB ASSEMBLY

ROTARY CLUB OF SANTA ROSA

Charting the course for our club’s 94th year together

soberanis.peggyNext Wednesday at the Rotary meeting, you are charged to make personal commitments and decisions. We will follow up on the brainstorming session of five weeks ago—on July 17th. First, each of you will receive a consolidated summary of the comments we made five weeks ago. Look them over, refresh your memory, and decide how you would personally rank the top five suggestions. Which five will you carefully consider to be the most important? All of our suggestions will be prioritized that day. Together we will set this year’s course for the oldest and largest Rotary Club in this community and make an individual commitment to build on our club’s fund-raising success. Also at next week’s meeting, we are encouraged to choose two committees on which we pledge to serve. Online and in your new rosters study our club’s avenues of service and the committees, chairs, and individual volunteers who will make this year a success.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS….

September 4: Marcy Smothers’ Adventures in Food
September 11: District Governor Helaine Campbell’s First Visit
September 18th: Dan Schell vs. Libya & the United States

USEFUL LINKS

Visit our district at: http://www.rotary5130.org
Check out Rotary International at: http://www.rotary.org
Come see us at: http://rotarymeansbusiness.com
Check out the new Levi Stadium: http://newsantaclarastadium.com/

OPENING CEREMONIES

Greg Johnston gives the invocatiom

Greg Johnston gives the invocatiom

President Peggy called the meeting to order and Ray Giampaoli led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. For the invocation Greg Johnston read a poem that he had found in his Grandmother’s house. The poem called “Hugs” was a tribute to the power of the simple hug. Although Greg was greeted with a chorus of apprehensive groans as he approached the podium, his inspiring poem was actually moving and Greg asked that we all give a hug to the fellow Rotarian sitting next to us.  The plain truth is that hugs make you feel good. Thanks, Greg for encouraging the hugs. If you would like to share the poem that Greg found in his grandmother’s house, it is printed in full at the bottom of the program summary, just before President Peggy’s last words for the day.

Steve Reuter introduced our two visiting Rotarians, Vickie Lockner from the Santa Rosa Sunshine Club and Stevenson Atherton from the Rotary Club of St. Helena, founded in 1926, only five years after our Rotary Club.  Welcome fellow Rotarians.

Ann Gospe introduced the five guests who will be presenting today’s program, members of the Employers Assistance Team from the Economic Development Board: Tim Ricard, Ethan Brown, Christine Palmer, Paula Stacey and Kevin Kumertakei. Karen Ball introduced her guest Bart Eddy, a local printer.

SUNSHINE REPORT

Judy Glenn reported that Nick Knickerbocker’s wife Camille is home and recovering with the loving care of her husband. Our best wishes to Camille for a speedy recovery.

RAFFLE

Judy Glenn

Judy Glenn is a good sport

Carolyn Ivancovich announced that the raffle prize has grown to $350 and asked that Past President Ray Dorfman pick the winning ticket this week. Ray, as bright as always, reached into the wrong bag and drew out the Joker. Sorry Ray, you were supposed to pick a ticket and not draw a card! What are the odds that Ray would pick the Joker and still lose? After a quick rewind, Ray was sentenced to go back to the “Not so Rowdy” table, and Jock McNeill drew Judy Glenn’s ticket. All for naught—Judy could not replicate Ray’s feat by drawing the Joker.  She did however quietly leave with the $10 consolation prize.

WELLS FARGO TICKET AUCTION

President Peggy continued the casino atmosphere and raffled off two tickets for the San Francisco Comedy Competition being held next month at the Wells Fargo Center for the Performing Arts. Julia Parranto’s winning bid of $50 will go to Polio Plus and help eradicate polio. Thanks Julia for your generosity.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

President Peggy announced that our meeting next week will be the Club Assembly. As a follow-up to our July brainstorming meeting a consolidated summary of comments from that July 17th meeting will be sent to each Rotarian. You are encouraged to look over the suggestions. How would you rank the top five suggestions as the most important? Rank them in your own list of importance to you and your Rotary Club. Which five do you carefully consider to be the most important? We will complete the prioritizing at the Assembly.

Choose your committees: At next week’s Rotary meeting, we will choose on which committees we would prefer to serve. The club expects each Rotarian to sign up for at least two committees and commit to help with our club fundraisers. The strength of your committee depends on you and the other members of your committee and the work you do for the strength of that committee’s dedication and work, the camaraderie, and success in service.

Ray Giampaoli give his Craft Talk

Ray Giampaoli give his Craft Talk

Ray’s Craft Talk: With great stage presence and a flare for public speaking, Ray Giampaoli presented his craft talk. Ray is married with three sons. He has been in the mortgage industry for 25 years and has worked from the entry level of the business to be vice president. Currently he is a branch manager with responsibility for loan origination. A graduate of Cardinal Newman High School, Ray attended California State University at Sacramento where he earned his degree in Business Administration. He served as a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve for 14 years. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, hiking, and backpacking. He professes to be a great fan of John Wayne movies. “What’s that, Pilgrim?” Ray looks forward to serving his community and meeting all of the Rotarians over the next year.

PROJECT AMIGO LETTER

From Mercedes Monserrat Rincon Cortez: Complete text follows “Hugs”: Greg Johnston’s invocation this week at end of bulletin.

RECOGNITIONS

Top of the world? It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, President Peggy dug deep into the archives and produced several very entertaining looks at our fellow Rotarians. Ray Giampaoli was recognized for reaching the summit of Mount Whitney two weeks ago. Ray’s photograph with a great smile at the top of the mountain was a joy to behold. The summit is at 14,508 feet and Ray appropriately pledged a penny for every foot above sea level. The sum of $140.50 was distributed between Ray’s Paul Harris Fellowship, the club, and our Club Foundation. Thank you, Ray, and keep climbing. How about Mount Shasta next? Same height, right?

Layne Bowen was pictured playing his fiddle at the Legends Bar and Restaurant in Bennett Valley. Layne took this opportunity to promote his band’s appearance at three different venues around Sonoma County this week. For the opportunity to be recognized for his musical virtuosity and for his flagrant self-promotion, Layne pledged $100 to his Paul Harris Fellowship. Keep on playing, Layne, we are fortunate to have such an accomplished musician in our club.

Beefcake? Digging back fifteen years in her photo files, President Peggy produced a beefcake photo of Sam McMillan, Will Haymaker, and John Poremba, all three dressed as Hawaiian dancers. These three handsome specimens of manhood (dare we say “hunks”?) performed at a going-away party at Wild Oak Saddle Club for long time Rotarian Gordon Schurtleff complete with what appeared to be odd-looking coconuts! !  Sam pledged $100 to the local foundation; Will donated $50 to the club; and John pledged $100 to our local foundation with a stipulation that President Peggy promise to make the picture go away. No guarantees, John.

Remember Spring Flings? Finally a last photo from the past captured Debi Zaft and Joel DeSilva at a Spring Fling some years ago. Debi & Joel each pledged $25 to the Club, and thanked our new president for the memory.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Past President Debi Zaft announced that this week’s social will be held at the home of Joy & Bob Parker on Thursday, August 22 at 5:30 pm. Thank you, Joy & Bob, for opening up your home to our Rotary Club. Debi also announced today that Debra and Ray Dorfman have volunteered to conduct the live auction at next year’s Casino Royale. Our annual fund-raising event will be held on a Saturday night, January 18th in 2014! So mark your calendars: You do not want to miss the Dynamic Duo of Debra and Ray—in action! That’s at Rotary’s Casino Royale in only 4½ months!

PROGRAM

Ann Gospe introduced our program presenters from the Economic Development Board. Authorized by the Board of Supervisors last year, the Economic Development Board (EDB) established the Business Assistance Team to assist business with startup, retention, and expansion in Sonoma County. The Business Assistance Team has as its mission to provide assistance services directed toward the creation of new jobs and employment opportunities while improving the diversification of economic activity and strengthening the County’s tax base.

Speaker Ethan Brown

Speaker Ethan Brown

Ethan Brown, Project Coordinator, detailed how the new EDB office offers free and confidential assistance for individuals & businesses seeking information regarding the startup and/or operation of a local business. It can help identify financing options and incentives, assist in navigating the permit and regulatory processes, help find qualified employees and refer to technical assistance providers. It also helps businesses adopt environmental practices that are sustainable as well as profitable through the Sonoma Green Business Program.

Project manager Tim Ricard spoke to the need of business for expansion. 80 percent of new job growth comes from existing businesses expanding their operations. Through extensive outreach interviews, data collection, analysis, and proactive response, the program can provide early detection of problems and create solutions to keep jobs in Sonoma County. It helps to identify opportunities to help companies grow and expand; while providing policy recommendations to local leaders in support of expanded job growth. Since its inception, the team has visited 185 local businesses and received 225 requests for assistance.

Christine Palmer, Program Manager, reviewed the free tools available to assist business designed to address challenges often faced by businesses. These tools allow access to industry trends, market demographics, site selection and reaching new markets. Many of these can be customized for a business.

“HUGS”

(From Greg Johnston’s grandmother)

It’s wondrous what a hug can do
A hug can cheer you when you are blue
A hug can say, “I love you so”
Or, “Gee I hate to see you go”
A hug is “Welcome back again”
And, “Great to see you! Where’ve you been?”
A hug can soothe a small child’s pain
And bring a rainbow after rain
The hug! There’s just no doubt it
We scarcely could survive without it.
A hug delights and warms and charms
It must be why God gave us arms
Hugs are great for fathers and mothers
Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers
And chances are your favorite aunts
Love them more than potted plants
Kittens crave them. Puppies love them
Heads of state are not above them
A hug can break the language barrier
And make your travels so much merrier
No need to fret about your store of ‘em
The more you give the more there’s more of them
So stretch those arms without delay and
Give someone a hug today

PEGGY’S CLOSING QUOTE

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure”.

Bill Crosby

PROJECT AMIGO LETTER
Received recently from Mercedes Monserrat Rincon Cortez

Dear Godparent from Santa Rosa Rotary Club,

I hope everyone is doing well, I’m excited to be writing this letter to you guys but before I start talking about my summer I would like to give everyone thanks for supporting me in my education with this scholarship that truly means a lot for me.

I would like to share with you guys my summer, how I mention it to you guys in the previous letter I started summer on June 7th and I have a couple months of vacation. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find a job and I’m a bit sad since I wanted to start saving money to help my parents out. I went job hunting for several days but, everywhere I went you were required to be at least 18 years of age or older. I even went to grocery stores, clothing/shoe stores and at last I went to pizza shacks and had no luck. My mom said don’t worry you will have better luck next summer, my family truly supports me. My sister Rita had a bit more luck than I; she found a job at a restaurant in Comal during the last week of summer. I’m happy for her because even though she gets home tired she’s thankful that at least she has a job and has money.

I also read a couple books during summer; I love to read specially fiction books, things that aren’t real. I read a book called “The Chronicles of Narnia”.

On Wednesday August 6, “Project Amigo” gave me a backpack with school supplies, money for my uniform along with shoes. I also received my first scholarship from “Cielo Escolar” since I start school again on August 12. I will be starting my 3rd year in school but this time I’m excited to start but, at the same time a bit nervous because there’s new subjects as well with new teachers and classmates. This year it will be a bit different than others because I will be attending school with my sister Rita and my friends Maria Elena, we will be able to help each other with different subjects with homework we receive. By the way the backpacks are really pretty. I’m really happy to be part of “Project Amigo”. Now that I mention to you guys that I will be attending my 3rd year I just want to thank you guys and “Project Amigo” for giving me the opportunity to continue with my education. This scholarship has by far been the best thing that has happened to me. My family and I are truly thankful and happy with every single one of you. It’s great that you guys give students like myself these types of opportunities without knowing much of us, I will always be really thankful.

I just wanted to let everyone know how important you guys are in my life, and that I love you. Again a huge thanks and I hope you will be able to respond to this letter that I’m sending with lots of love to my godparents.

Sincerely,

Mercedes Monserrat Rincon Cortez

(Thanks to Maria Hernandez for the translation!)

OFFICERS

Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Officers

President: Peggy Soberanis, President Elect: Mark Burchill, President Elect Nominee: Jose Guillen, Past President: Bill Rousseau, Secretary: Jack Abercrombie, Treasurer: Cecil G. Humes, Sergeant at Arms: Jack Geary

President Rotary International

Ron D. Burton, member of the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, USA

Governor, District 5130

Helaine Campbell, Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise

Attendance Secretary

Jack Abercrombie P.O. Box 505 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 707-538-4770

Board of Directors

Debra Dorfman, Matt Fannin, Jose Guillen, Doug Johnson, Nicole Le, Robert Pierce, Jack Tolin, Creed Wood, Cathy Vicini