Next Meeting is via Zoom – December 9, 2020

Let’s give a big welcome to Doug Johnson, our District Governor!

District Govenor – Doug Johnson

All in-person meetings are currently on hold.  Instead, we will be holding online meetings using Zoom.  Please be on the look out for an email with the link from either Jeff or Debi.

Wednesday December 16, 2020: Mike McGuire, State Senate
Wednesday December 23, 2020:  Club Is Dark For Holidays

Keep checking back.  New Programs coming soon!

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

Watch The Meeting:  Did you miss the meeting?  Here is a link to the recording of last week’s meeting:
Click here for this weeks recording
Please note it is only available to view until 12/13/20.

Opening Ceremonies:

Pledge:  Carolyn Fassi

Reflection:  Tim Fawcett on his “gratitude.”  1.  He is alive!  The fall from the ladder could have been so much worse. 2.  His parents have now passed on, but he has 4 siblings.  3.  The support of the Rotary Club after his accident.  4.  Casey Carter for her loving support.

Visiting Rotarians:  Jackie McMillan

Visitors:  Jack Tibbets (for those who do not know, his mom was in our club until she moved away)

Sunshine Report:

For those who may not have already heard, former member Bob Sorensen (member since 1970 and Doug Chase’s father-in-law) passed away at the age of 97 last week.  There is already a scholarship called the Chase/Sorensen within the foundation should you care to give a donation in his honor.

Ann Gospe just had major surgery for a hernia.  She is already home but will be moving slowly for a few weeks…may not be able to sling those bags of onions and carrots at the Redwood Empire Food Bank for a while!  We wish her a safe and easy recovery!

If you have not seen The Press Democrat, Ed Anderson and his wife have both passed away within days of each other in November

Recognitions:

Rio Ray got his blue badge!  Woohoo!

Paul Harris Recognitions:

Paul Harris Awards started in 1957 to recognize those Rotarians who gave $1000 to the RI Foundation.  It now includes donations to Polio Plus.  The following got new, replaced or additional Paul Harris Awards:

Steve Reuter lost his award when his home burned down in the Tubbs fire of 2017.  RI replace it for him.

Keven Brown completed an award for his wife Jeri Yamashiro Brown and a Plus 1 for himself.

Norm Owen, who just lost his home in the Glass Fire lost his Award Plus 8 and it is being replaced as well as his Bostock ward.  Norm and Bev Owen have been a Rotary Major donor for many years; that is a $10,000 contribution to Rotary.

For your information, 70% of our club has a Paul Harris Fellow Award. If you don’t have yours yet, contact Vickie Hardcastle, Dan Balfe, Jeff Lolin and/or Ray Giampaoli for more information.  At this time for every $100.00 you add to a Paul Harris you will get it matched with Paul Harris Points.  Donate $500.00 the point match is $500.00 and you are a Paul Harris Fellow!  Limited time only so act fast!

Fines!

Yes, someone’s phone went off in the meeting….Ray Giampaoli!  He is donating $50.00 to the Club’s administrative budget.  Thanks Ray!

Announcements:

Bell ringing is happening this weekend at the Oliver’s Market on Stony Point Road.  Check with Rio if he needs any more ringers, but you can do your shopping on Saturday and Sunday at that store and put a donation in the kettle.

Rio Ray also announced that he needs helpers for toy sorting on December 14^th, 1:00 to 4:00 at the Salvation Army Office.

District Governor, Doug Johnson, will be attending our meeting on December 9^th.  Please show up and give him your undivided attention.  He will be available for questions.

Poinsettia Sale/Pick Up is next Wednesday, December 9^th form 11:00 to 4:30 at Ginny Cannon’s house, 732 Benjamin Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95409.  As of Wednesday’s meeting, only one was left (probably gone now, but you can ask Ginny).   Club members will be delivering another 50 poinsettias to Vigil Lights Senior Home that day.

Need a gift idea?  Give a subscription to the Rotary magazine to people you want to bring into our club!

Something Rather Cheerful:

Vickie Hardcastle was out for a walk when she ran into someone who was familiar with the New Gen Trade Academy put on by the Lyme Foundation and was just gushing about how successful the program has become.  FYI our club donated $10,000 to the Lyme Foundation in 2019.  Nice to see our donations make an impact!

Foundation Report:

Kris Anderson announced that the Foundation gave the club $6000 to pay for the remainder of the dictionary project for the school year.  That is $6000 back into the club!  the foundation also gave the Salvation Army $3500 for bell ringing. $2000+ for our Covid projects this summer.

Meat Auction:

An email went out to all that the pig we bought from the Junior Livestock Auction has been butchered and various packages are up for auction.  See Sam McMillan if you are interested.  As of Wednesday, there wasn’t much left.  Checks get made out to the Rotary club of Santa Rosa.

Nominating Committee:

The nominating committee met after the meeting on Wednesday to select the next president elect, elect and four directors.  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY POSITION, PLEASE CONTACT PRESIDENT JEFF.  If you don’t let us know you are interested in a position, the nominating committee may not know.

Today’s Program:  Jack Tibbets; Councilman and Executive Director of St Vincent De Paul.

Jack came to talk about 3 topics, homelessness, Covid and fires.

Fires

No doubt about it, climate change is not helping with our fire “incidents.”  The Glass area burned areas not previously burned.  Clearly in 2017 the county was not prepared.  Since that time, they have learned a lot about evacuations.  They now have cameras in many locations so if a fire does break out, they can spot it sooner.  They understand the wind and wind direction so they can predict where the fire might go.  Vegetation management is a biggy.  Oakmont should have burned in the Glass Fire.  The crews were diligent in holding the line to protect Oakmont, but there was a herd of goats on the north edge of Oakmont that really helped.  Fire Harden, not a term real familiar yet, but will be.  Owners must do their part to “harden” their homes/properties against fire.  The Sonoma County PACE program is offering SCEIP loans to do the stuff that will harden you home against fire.  Planes for aerial attacking fires are great, but we don’t have enough in the state.  Not every county needs one, so maybe Sonoma, Lake, Napa and Mendocino  could find the resources for one to share.

Homelessness

There has been a 7% reduction for the previous year despite fires and Covid.  Thank yous to the nonprofits and cities for their support.  With more hotels, Los Guilicos, and other sources of housing we are seeing an impact.  Caritas Village is under construction. About 2800 homeless in Sonoma County and another 300 could be off the streets next year.  the most harden of the homeless have either mental illness, addiction or both.  The passing of Measure O in November should help too

Covid

Jack said his is so amazed that we are not in a recession despite Covid, but we might still.  All eyes on Washington DC. Santa Rosa used their funds from the Cares Act to pay for childcare.  If the parents were free to work, the less likely they would lose their jobs.  Working capital is what they need in the next round of funding, if we get the funding

Additional Pictures:

Governor, District 5130

Doug Johnson

Secretary

Debi Zaft P.O. Box 505 Santa Rosa, CA 95402

Board of Directors

Club Service I, Membership, Julia Parranto
Club Service II, Club Meetings, Casey D’Angelo
Club Service III, Fundraising, Diane Moresi
Club Service IV, Member Activities, Anne Gospe
Club Service V, Information Technology and Records, Pete Lescure
Community Service I, Member Involvement, Rio Ray
Community Service II, Youth, Andrea Geary
Vocational Service, Carolyn Fassi
International Service, Dan Balfe

DIGITAL EDITION No. 385 December 2, 2020  EDITOR: Kris Anderson PHOTOGRAPHER: Kris Anderson PUBLISHER: Richard Lazovick