DIGITAL EDITION No. 28 May 8, 2013 EDITOR: Mike Truesdell PHOTOGRAPHER: Nicole Le
Our Program For May 15th:
HIGH-TECH GADGETS AT ROTARY
The latest in consumer electronics from Magnolia & Best Buy
The ownership of high tech gadgets proves to some that we have progressed to the next level of civilization. Or does it? In today’s world of technology, every alternate day new gadgets replace what we bought only yesterday. What Android phone should I buy tomorrow? If “Bitcoins” are the future of currency, can I actually spend them? Is ‘Facebook Home’ really the future of living online? The new 4K television sets have fantastic resolution. You can buy one for $20,000, but no program has been produced in 4K. Is it a good buy? Magnolia and Best Buy will blast you into tomorrow. Next Wednesday at Rotary.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS….
May 22, 2013: A Visit to Project Amigo
May 29, 2013: French Group Study Exchange Team
June 5, 2013: Astronomy—the Study of Celestial Objects
Rotary’s new tent accompanied our club’s volunteers to the Wells Fargo Center
ROTARY’S BLUE & GOLD
Our Club’s beautiful new Rotary Awareness tent made its first appearance last weekend at the Wells Fargo Center along with our club’s volunteers for the Wine Country Century cycling event. If you participate in the Human Race this weekend, look for our blue & gold Rotary tent. Next weekend; at Petaluma Rotary Sunrise’s Backroad Challenge 3rd annual cycling event. Maybe you would like to help promote Giro Bello and man the tent at the Wednesday Night Market on 4th Street in downtown Santa Rosa.
OPENING CEREMONIES
President William Rousseau called the meeting to order by inviting Rick Allen to lead the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Kris Anderson stepped forward to offer as an invocation, four thoughts from the magazine The Week that focused on Leadership, Change, Intelligence, and Success. Then, as a reminder of our way of thinking, speaking, and acting as Rotarians, President William invited all assembled to recite with him…
Rotary’s Four-Way Test
Of the things we think, say or do
I. Is it the TRUTH?
II. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
III. Will it build GOOD WILL and better friendships?
IV. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
VISITING ROTARIAN
Past District Governor (1996-97) Norm Owen took the microphone to introduce our lone visiting Rotarian of the Day: Special guest, from the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa East, Kate McClintock, representing the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation.
GUESTS OF ROTARIANS
When Ted Wilmsen stood to introduce his brother as his guest for the day, President William remarked, “Surely Ted invited his brother to help his chances to again win the raffle pot!” We all caught our collective breaths while the Wilmsen Brothers performed what must have been The Wilmsen Family Comedy Routine. Then Rich de Lambert’s guest from State Farm Insurance, Brandon Ulrich, was introduced by a passing stand-in of the missing De Lambert. Jock McNeill introduced Dick Jenkins’ personal assistant, Tee, and Club Secretary Jack Abercrombie introduced his guest, mortgage loan consultant Carolyn Ivancovich. Finally, Dr. Barry Silberg introduced our guest speakers, Bruno Ferrandis, Music Director of the Santa Rosa Symphony, and Alan Silow, the Symphony’s executive director for more than eleven years.
Deborah Smith looks quite happy as Jose Guillen counts out the consolation prize
THE RAFFLE
Jose Guillen immediately took control of this week’s raffle, announcing that “This week’s raffle was not won by Ted Wilmsen” but rather by Debra Smith. Who immediately extracted her 24 percent piccolo morso from the tiny $41 jackpot. The rowdy table erupted in laughter when Ray Dorfman exclaimed, “Well, there goes the open bar!”
ROTARIAN OF THE MONTH
Once President William regained control of the meeting, he announced the Rotarian of the Month for April to be Yale Abrams, selected for his club service on so many Rotary projects and activities; most recently his leadership and organization on our club’s “Hands-On” projects. Congratulations to one more outstanding Rotarian & Past President—Yale “Superman” Abrams.
ROTARY MAGAZINE QUIZ
Debi Zaft alerted us all: Be prepared at the next meeting to answer the following Magazine Question:
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- What country’s political and religious leaders boycotted the polio vaccine in 2003 and is now the only place in the world where polio cases are increasing? Here’s a clue: Last year, in 2012, 122 cases were reported—more than twice as many as reported in 2011![/list]
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wayne Rowlands announced that next week’s Rotary program will focus on what’s new in high tech gadgets—a presentation by Best Buys and Magnolia Audio/Visual.
Social Director Debi Zaft gave us the great news: Rotary’s next social will be held on Thursday afternoon, May 23rd, at Kunde Family Winery starting at 5:30 pm. Kunde has an abundance of wines, so bring appetizers to share..
Vicki Hardcastle announced the officers and directors for the club’s local foundation –for the coming Rotary year that begins July 1st.
Matt Everson reports that we had a good turnout of volunteers last Saturday at this spring’s first big cycling event—the Wine Country Century. Our club’s next commitment for volunteers is the 3rd Annual Backroad Challenge next weekend, May 18th sponsored by the Rotary Club of Petaluma Sunrise. (According to rumor, it’s a swap: We help them and they help us).
Matt Fannin encourages all of us to think about the businesses we patronize in our business and in our social lives. Talk to them about the importance of our Rotary Club’s major charity fundraiser—the Third Annual Giro Bello. It’s only eight weeks away. We need more sponsors for the spectacular cycling event on Saturday, July 6th. Contact Matt Fannin for more Giro Bello posters and flyers for posting around the business community and for more information and assistance you need in signing up new sponsors. And remember that Beautiful Ride through West Sonoma County could use more riders. Alert your bike buddies to register now…the more the merrier…and the greater the fun!
Following today’s numerous announcements, President William captured everyone’s attention by displaying a garden rake; apparently left behind at the New Directions School worksite by a Rotarian crew member helping Yale Abrams with this a hands-on project. After the usual flippant repartee with the rowdy table, President Bill announced that the rake would become his…if no one claims it.
ROTARY’S STUDENT LEADERSHIP CENTER
Norm Owen returned to the stage to formally introduce the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation’s Kate McClintock. President William and Eileen Carlisle presented Kate with two checks totaling $10,000—a $5,000 gift from the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Foundation toward the SRJC Rotary Leadership Scholarship with an additional $5,000 from our Rotary Club for the Rotary Center for Student Leadership at Santa Rosa Junior College. All 18 of the Rotary Clubs in Sonoma County will contribute to support the Student Leadership Center
The May Birthday Bunch
MAY BIRTHDAYS
Our enthusiastic birthday chair, John McHugh, invited all May birthday celebrants to gather ‘round fellow Rotarian Dick Jenkins, also celebrating his birthday this month (It’s good to have him back.). Since the musical director for the Santa Rosa Symphony was listening, the crowd sang in perfect rhythm and tone to the four birthday boys of May—Dick, Matt Fannin, Don McMillan, and Dan Walker.
TRUE CONFESSIONS
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- Although Past D.G. Norm had returned to his lunch table earlier, promising that that he would remain quiet, he immediately popped up to confess that that he and his wife Beverly just celebrated 53 years of marriage. He donated $100 to the Club Foundation.
- Jeff Gospe added $75 to the Paul Harris Fellowship he had begun five years ago for his now-Red-Badge spouse, Ann.
- Complaining about taxes and 1099 statements, Ted Wilmsen reduced his $100 gift from last week to $85 this week. (Didn’t know we could do that!).
- Will Haymaker chipped in $15 for no other reason that he is the new owner of a brand-new luxury automobile…a Lexus Hybrid. (Come on, Will, $15! For a Lexus?)
- Julia Parranto combined triple confessions and contributed $100 to the club and another $100 to boost her Paul Harris “net worth”, plus sharing the welcome news that her troublesome neighbors are moving
- And with bargain time running out, Kim Murphy donated $15 to the club in appreciation of Dr. Barry Silberg’s excellent work on her facial reconstruction—his specialty—after her malignant skin cancer was removed. (Comforting to know that neither Kim nor Barry are members of Rotary Means Business.)[/list]
Darren Elliott, President Rousseau, Jeff Gospe and Anne Gospe
NEW MEMBERS INDUCTED
Norm Owen returned to the podium to officially induct the club’s newest Rotarians: Ann Gospe and Darren Elliott, sponsored by Jeff Gospe and Robert Pierce. By virtue of the Gospe wedding vows, it was clear to Norm and all who sponsored whom. Here’s a hearty Rotary welcome to the club’s newest Red Badge members, Ann and Darren!
TODAY’S PROGRAM
Rotarian and Santa Rosa Symphony board member Barry Silberg introduced the Santa Rosa Symphony presentation calling on Music Director Bruno Ferrandis to share details of upcoming and recent concerts at the new Green Music Center on the SSU campus. The link to the website says it all, but without the charming accent Bruno brings from Paris! As usual, he performed for Rotary with great style and clarity, especially when he explained sadly that his plans to bring his wife and young children to Sonoma County with him because no one noticed that their young son’s passport had expired until they arrived at the Paris airport. Even more tragic was that his musician wife was to perform at SSU but “…man adapts to new situations”, he observed philosophically.
Speakers Alan Silow and Bruno Ferrandis
As Bruno skillfully summarized the highlights of Symphony’s second season as the resident orchestra for the new Green Music Center, many of our fellow Rotarians remember when the symphony’s new conductor spoke to our club not long after his arrival in Santa Rosa seven years ago at an outdoor barbeque by the Flamingo swimming pool, when his accented English competed with the sounds of the outdoors. On both occasions, I remember being most impressed, thinking how difficult it would be to speak and perform in languages not your own. He is also fluent in in Italian, Spanish, German, and Russian.
Santa Rosa Symphony executive director Alan Silow gave a brief history of development of the Green Music Center and its association with the orchestra and with Sonoma State University, emphasizing what the associations mean to their futures. He quoted the axiom that “The best way to predict the future is to invent it” and reminded us of the long, close relationship that the symphony has had with the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa over the years. Four board members are active members of this Rotary Club with Yale Abrams’ 30 years being the longest. If you would like to know more about the remarkable new addition to this community, access their website: Green Music Center.
Following the presentation, we had ample time to ask questions of both Bruno and Alan, with Bruno’s response to being asked what his hand movements mean when he conducts being the most fascinating. “Each of my hands have a specific place in the orchestra’s performance. My right hand controls the beat and the rhythm while the expressive movements of my left hand control the expression and poetry of the music.”
It was a good day for evocative quotes. One of Alan Silow’s pearls went back to Kris Anderson’s invocation about leadership: “Management is doing things right, and Leadership is doing the right things!” President William closed the meeting with a quote from the late Bob Marley: “One good thing about music is that when it hits you, it causes no pain.”
OFFICERS
Rotary Club of Santa Rosa
President: Bill Rousseau, President Elect: Peggy Soberanis, Secretary: Jack Abercrombie, Treasurer: Cecil G. Humes, Sergeant at Arms: Jack Geary
President Rotary International
Sakuji Tanaka – Rotary Club of Yasjio, Japan
Governor, District 5130
Michael Juric – Rotary Club of Windsor
Attendance Secretary
Jack Abercrombie P.O. Box 505 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 707-538-4770
Board of Directors
Matt Fannin, Jose Guillen, Paul Hamilton, Nicole Le, Diane Moresi, Vinay Patel, Robert Pierce, Carmen Sinigiani, Creed Wood, Marnie Goldschlag, Past President