DIGITAL EDITION   No. 91   August 27, 2014     EDITOR: Sam Saunders     PHOTOGRAPHER: Kris Anderson

Our Program For September 3rd

ENERGY CHOICES IN SONOMA COUNTY

 

This week we will have representatives from Pacific Gas & Electric and Sonoma Clean Power to discuss the choices we have in selecting our energy provider.

Our presenters will be Geof Syphers from Sonoma Clean Power and Matt Spence from Pacific Gas & Electric.

As the Chief Executive Officer, Geof Syphers is responsible for the vision, strategy, and leadership of Sonoma Clean Power. With nearly two decades of experience developing and managing renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, he has been a consultant to utilities, public agencies and private companies. Mr. Syphers graduated from Sonoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in applied physics, and received a master’s degree in energy engineering from the University of Massachusetts. A licensed mechanical engineer and a pioneer in the green building field, Mr. Syphers managed utility energy efficiency programs and consulted on over $1 billion in completed California developments. His projects have earned top awards, including the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award.

Matt Spence is a PG&E Corporate Account Manager for the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program and is the primary relationship manager between PG&E and all active and new CCAs. Prior to his current role in CCA, Matt was a PG&E Account Manager working with medium and large business customers in Sonoma and Napa Counties as the primary PG&E point of contact and assisted these customers with Energy Efficiency programs. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, and is currently earning his Executive MBA from Sonoma State University.

 

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

September 10: COPE
September 17: Chop’s Teen Club
September 24: Changing the Game

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
Learn more at: https://sonomacleanpower.org/
Get your tickets at: http://worldpillowfightchampionships.com

BANG A GONG

President Mark Burchill opened the meeting with a light touch of the bell and a declaration that we are the club where fellowship meets service.    The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Past President Steve Olson.   Past President Kathleen Archer delivered a timely reminder about earthquake preparedness as the Thought for the Day.  She and Wayne Rowlands  volunteered in Napa last weekend to help serve hundreds of meals to earthquake victims from the Salvation Army mobile canteen truck (that our club helped sponsor).   Our official greeters today were Past President Fred Levin and Sam McMillan.

GUESTS OF ROTARIANS

Our guests included:   

Troy Aldrich of Marquis Auto Body as a guest of Past President Rich de Lambert.

Steven Dunn and Eric Martin of Oaks of Hebron were guests of Mike Kalloff & Jack Geary.

Steve Shaw, attorney, was the guest of Mike Kallhoff and Jack Geary.

SUNSHINE REPORT

President Mark announced that former member Mary Bodily passed away recently and our club will make a donation in her memory to Canine Companions for Independence.

ROTARIAN MAGAZINE QUESTION

Nona Lucas posed the question “Why does America’s hot water systems cause foreigners to think we are spoiled?”   No one in the audience had the correct answer, so Nona answered it.  Ans: because our hot water systems are dependable and safe!  We also have superior toilets.

ROTARY MEANS BUSINESS

One of our own, Tim Delaney, stepped up to the mic and described his business, JDH Wealth Management, started fifteen years ago.  His mission is to build trust, make sound investment recommendations and educate his clients.  He says that he puts his money where his mouth is by investing in things he recommends. He urges all of us to avoid “investment pornography” which is all the latest investment hype (street smack) that tries to get the markets motivated and gets fools quickly parted from their money. Good advice, Tim.

THE UN-RAFFLE

Speaking of wealth management, there was no raffle drawing because neither of two contestants could answer their questions posed by President Mark.  Both Ann Gospe and Past President Norm Owen were speechless (that was a rare and priceless moment).

The pot thickens and is now $41.  Bob Sorensen conducted.

TA DA – ANNOUNCING

President Mark advises members to check out the single-page multi-color print out on each table that shows our monthly club activities, including upcoming speakers and events.  He also flashed us a slide of former member Gordon Shurtleff who still supports our (his) club by donating $100 to our local club foundation.  Gordon is on his third term as President of the Torrey Pines (La Jolla) Rotary Club.  Gordy, we remember you and miss you!!

Past President Steve Olson kicked off a matching fundraising challenge on behalf of the John Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund with the local club foundation.  The first $3,500 of contributions received for that fund will be matched $-4-$ by the club foundation.  This challenge is to boost the fund balance to make it self-sustaining for future scholarships.  For a limited time only (through October 31).

Past President Don McMillan calls on all Rotarians to volunteer at the next club fundraiser – The Pillow Fights in Rohnert Park on Septebmer 27.  Don has provided a list of needs and for sign-up, which will be available at all club meetings from now until then.  Sign up today.  You do not have to fight over this, you know. But, if you do, bring your pillow.

The United Way’s Day of Caring project on Wednesday, September 10 needs volunteers to help clean and paint the Catholic Charities Homeless Shelter onMorgan Street in Santa Rosa.  Those interested should contact Past President Yale Abrams, Nona Lucas, or Mike Kallhoff.

Our guest, Steve Shaw, announced that the Sonoma County Mayors’ Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities is having its annual awards breakfast on October 15 from 7:30-9:30am at the Flamingo Hotel.  Visit www.sonomacountymayorscommittee.com to learn more on how to support this event.

PROPOSED NEW MEMBER

Steven Dunn, District Director Boy Scouts of America
Sponsored by: Fred Levin

SURVEY #2 RESULTS

President Mark shared the results of his recent membership survey and the responses  showed that the most popular program this Rotary year was Buzzy Martin.   Tips for improving meetings were: more fellowship, more craft talks, more humor, thought provoking, controversial or innovative programs and having less cluttered slides on the screen.  Lastly, let’s avoid using cell phones during the meeting.

MORE MOOLA FOR THE CLUB

President Mark is not the moola moving machine that other club presidents have been. Nonetheless, he is seeking members to rat on one another.  It is dangerous business and one former rat is now in a witness protection program (responding to the survey results).

Kim Murphy traveled to Machu Pichu in Peru and paid three times: once for the trip cost, once for becoming exhausted/ill on the 12,500-ft  mountainous Inca trail hike and then again at this Rotary meeting.  She sprang for $50 to the club and $100 for her husband’s Paul Harris Fellowship. But, at least she is one step closer to emptying her bucket.

ROTARY BUX BY MARK

President Mark dispensed his brand of monopoly money to Casey d’Angelo for his loud tie (do ties talk?) and to Dan Schell for his play on words “Inca Descent” and “Incandescent” in reference to Kim Murphy’s Peruvian adventure.  I guess a light bulb went off in Dan’s head.

JOHN BROWN MEMORIAL VETERANS SCHOLARSHIP

It has been nearly three years since John Brown passed away and the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Foundation established a college scholarship for a military veteran in memory of John. Each September around John’s birthday the foundation conducts a fund raising campaign to grow John’s scholarship fund. Thanks to the generosity of many, many Rotarians the fund has grown to nearly $25,000 as of June 30, 2014. The club foundation would like to increase the fund to at least $50,000 in order to make the scholarship self-perpetuating.

The club foundation recently established a matching fund program to help grow John’s fund. The foundation will match dollar for dollar the contributions from Rotarians with a total cap of $3,500. The matching fund program will end on November 1, 2014. A similar program was held last year and over $7,000 was raised.

Please consider making a donation to the John Brown Memorial Veterans Scholarship Fund. Your check should be made payable to the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Foundation and mailed to PO Box 1513, Santa Rosa, Ca. 95402. Questions should be directed to Steve Olson.

PROJECT AMIGO LETTER OF THANKS

The following letter was translated by Ryan McMillan (son of Don McMillan):

24 / August / 2014

Hello dear godfathers Santa Rosa Rotary Club, is a pleasure to greet you again, because I want to tell you about my vacation, but first want to thank you for following me supporting the scholarship is very important to my family and to my further in the program, it is a help too large, I will always be grateful for this opportunity, thank you. now I want to tell you about my vacation, since my last letter to them just tell you about my qualifications. June 11 was the last day I went to school, on my vacation I helped my mom to do the work of the house, and in my spare time I read the book “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire “, one of my favorite books, I also studied a little English with my books from high school and high school, I translated some words of a book that gave my tutor Penny Ferry in English courses, the book is called “Coyote winds”, still not finished. On July 5, my uncle Alfonso died, he was the husband of a sister of my maternal grandmother Mercedes was very painful. In the last 2 weeks of vacation I went to Colima, my aunts and nephews, though it was hot I felt comfortable, I only went because my sister Rita was working, we went to a birthday party, very funny. Then I went home to get my school stuff. On August 11, I returned to classes, new materials such as Probability and Statistics, Operating Systems and Systems Analysis, are a bit more complicated, Programming is easier than the semester above, but the assessment is 50% practical and 50% project. Wednesday is the day more tired because they give me 3 hours of math and are the first few hours, then give me 2 hours of probability and statistics and is like math, and my departure is at 1:30 pm but at the last minute is programming and let us practice and we have to stay on them. But no matter how heavy is my schedule and the materials I’ll make effort to keep going, because I only need one year then go to a professional, and decide on a career, my overall average of 4 semestersis 9.13, I want a career in medicine but everyone tells me that it is difficult to enter, my friends tell me that I can get in and yes I trusted in me, for I can achieve my goals. On Sunday August 17, Karla and my nephews with my Angel Aunt Patty came to Guild Suchitlán, because they will live in my house, since they entered kindergarten, were very happy to go, and I’m glad to be here because I love them and want the best for them, but sometimes they are disobedient and take my stuff to play. That’s all I wanted to tell, I was pleased you return to them to write, again thank you very much for following me support throughout this time, I will always be grateful, I wish them well, and send you a hug, MANY THANKS.

Sincerely,

Monserrat Rincon Mercedes Cortez.

PROGRAM

Wayne Rowlands introduced us to Pedro Toledo, President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County (“HCC”) and to Rene Meza, also of the HCC.  Together, they educated us about HCC and what it is doing in local Latino business community to enhance the quality of life for its 250+ members and the Latino community at large.

2014 is the 25^th anniversary of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and in that time, they have established scholarships for twenty students annually, provided legislative advocacy services, partnered with other local non-profits and businesses and schools for mentoring, initiated small business start-up support services and now have three major fundraising projects.   Their upcoming event is the annual golf tournament at Windsor Golf Course on September 12.  Contact Rene at 707-529-8651 for more information.

The HCC and Rotary District 5130 have a joint social mixer scheduled for September 18 at At Home Nursing location – see our Rotary Club webpage for info.

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is serving a narrower segment of the business community than other chambers generally serve.   HCC helps to ease the language and social barriers that would otherwise keep Latinos from starting their own businesses and getting out of the cycle of poverty.  It seems that HCC serves their members well and is a compliment to services that other chambers may provide.

THANKS TO

Fred Levin and Sam McMillan as the official greeters today.
Steve Reuter as the lunch ticket collector today.
Karen Ball and Steve Marburger as the lunch ticket sellers today.
Bob Sorensen for conducting the Un-Raffle.
Cathy Vicini for being our microphone jockey for the day.

OFFICERS

Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Officers

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

President Rotary International

Gary C.K. Huang, member of the Rotary Club of Taipei, Taiwan

Governor, District 5130

Kevin Eisenberg, member of the Rotary Club of Calistoga

Attendance Secretary

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

Board of Directors

Karen Ball, Tim Delaney, Debra Dorfman, Tim Fawcett, Bill Hatcher, John McHugh, Jack Tolin, Cathy Vicini