Next meeting
Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Courage in the Face of Cruelty &
Zimbabwe Project

James Alexander

PLEASE NOTE: In-Person & Zoom meetings returned!  Please register.

–> Debi Zaft will email you the link for online, once you have paid.  Use this link to pay.  CLICK HERE!

Wednesday June 29: Debunking!
Wednesday July 6: President Kris Anderson’s First Meeting
Wednesday July 13: A Community Garden

Click here for the current calendar (Subject to updates).

UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS  

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 recording )
Please note it is only available to view until: 6/30/22

Opening Ceremonies:

President Ray Greeted members and guests. Susan Nowacki led us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test.  Her reflection was words from a wise Cherokee elder who reminds us of the differences of the western settler who says, “I have rights” whereas the Indigenous people say, “I have obligations.”  Instead of thinking we are born with rights let us remember we have obligations to serve past and present generations and the planet itself.

Visiting Rotarians:

Mike and Pam Hogan from the East/West Club and Emily Boheta from a club in Kenya

Guests:

Dennis Ball and Carla Rodriguez

Sunshine Report:

Jeff Gospe is having surgery on Friday a tumor on his right kidney that may be cancerous, but it should be Ok for removal. In the meantime, Ann Gospe had to be banished from the house because she has Covid. She got it on the way to the International Convention in Houston. Kris Anderson, who traveled with her did not get it. The odd nature of Covid.

Raffle:

Per Bill Hatcher there was $55.00 in the pot and 8 marbles. Dave Bermen got the opportunity go for the blue marble, but he did not get it. It was out of the pocket and into the pail for that $10.00 consolation prize. Unfortunately, there were two new wild polio cases in Pakistan this week. Keep filling those little pails!

Announcements:

We had a thank you card from Sequoia Elementary School this week for the dictionaries we delivered in January.

Casey Carter finished 40 spin classes in less than 60 days. She had a bet with Jeff Kolin and won. She is donating to Polio Plus.

Jeff Gospe said that the $25,000 grant is on its way to Ukraine for more first aid kits. $32,000 is going from the Healdsburg Club.

On Monday, June 20, the second Peace Pole will be installed at the French American Charter School at 5:00pm. We are welcomed to come to the installation. The school is on Sonoma Avenue.

President Ray is selling the 100^th Anniversary Club pins.  Only 18 are left so purchase one before they are gone. They are $18.00 or two for $30.00.

Giro Bello:

Matthew Henry gave us an update now that we are only 10 days away. We have 440 riders and that may be closer to 500 by the time of ride day. Still need trucks to haul trailers. Need people to do clean up on Sunday, SAG drivers. Right now, we have $28,000 in sponsorships, $44,000 in rider and jersey orders. Registration ends on Sunday June 19 at midnight.

A Project in Kenya:

Emily Boheta from a Rotary Club in Kenya is visiting with Mike and Pam Hogan of Rotary East/West Club. She was here to promote her club’s “Rise to Shine” project which helps children, especially girls, get an education. Education is a luxury in Kenya. She was one of the lucky ones who got a scholarship to go to school. Without an education, girls are often pregnant and married at an early age. She is helping another girl. One year’s tuition is $650.00. She brought brochures for us to get more information on the program.

Today’s Program:  Our newly elected District Attorney, Carla Rodriguez, on elder abuse.

Today, June 15, is World Elder Abuse Day. Abuse can be financial, physical, and mental. It can be all three. The elderly are fragile people who need help and are vulnerable to people who say they will help, but then take advantage of them (see the article in today’s Press Democrat). The elder gives the abuser access to their bank accounts and their homes when they believe the person is there to help, but it becomes a nightmare of abuse and neglect. People need to be watchful of the family and elderly neighbors (neighbors’ sense there is something wrong but are afraid to call the police). If you see something, say something. They have a phone number (707) 565-info where you can call and get directed to the proper agency. The number of scams on the elderly is unending. Casey Carter told us about her own issue with her sister abusing their mother. Contractors (bad ones) take advantage of the elderly.

Carla also talked about some of her goals for the DA office. Homicides are up and she will be working with law enforcement as to why and what to do about it. Ghost guns are everywhere, so laws need to be changed regarding ghost guns.

Fentanyl is a huge problem. It is too easy to buy. It is in pills to sleep and diet pills. People innocently take these pills and die. Fentanyl is cheap and easy to buy. It is mixed with other drugs. The fentanyl is coming from Asia and the cartels

Mental health, drugs and alcohol abuse are the reason many are homeless. The zero bail laws now have people back on the street that would have gone into a rehab program through drug court. Due to the zero bail, there is no drug court any longer. An unintended consequence of changing the bail laws so that people are not locked up in jail. We need more drug facilities and mental health facilities.

Wage theft is a new term to us, but it is not new. the DA’s office is going after employers that do not pay their employees what is due to them. That could be non-payment of overtime, not paying for hours worked, paying less per hour than what is agreed, etc.

She wants more transparency. She would like us to be able to go onto the website and be able to find anything and everything we would want to know that is going on in her department.

Program Slides

(no program slides this week)

Additional Pictures:

(Click images to enlarge)

Governor, District 5130

Dustin Littlefield

Secretary

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

Board of Directors

President Elect, Kris Anderson
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
Club Director, Casey Carter
Community Service I, Member Involvement, Rio Ray
Community Service II, Youth, Andrea Geary
Vocational Service, Carolyn Fassi
International Service, Dan Balfe

DIGITAL EDITION No. 461 June 15, 2022  EDITOR: Kris Anderson PHOTOGRAPHER: Debi Zaft PUBLISHER: Richard Lazovick