DIGITAL EDITION No. 29 May 15, 2013 EDITOR: Jim Johnson PHOTOGRAPHER: Nicole Le
Our Program For May 22nd:
THE FOUNDERS OF PROJECT AMIGO
Rotarians Susan Hill, Ted Rose & 27 years of student scholars
About 13 years ago, The Rotary Club of Santa Rosa became a sponsor of Project Amigo with donations for scholarships for middle and high school students. The initial donations were small but over the next ten years grew to a total of $5,000. In the past three years, Project Amigo was designated as our anchor project by our World Community Service Committee, each year receiving 33 percent of the committee’s funds. In 2012-13, this amounted to $4,000 for high school student scholarships! Our Rotary Club now has over 100 disadvantaged students in middle & high school grades and 30 students at the University of Colima, Mexico. Since 2002, more than 64 percent of Project Amigo scholars who entered college have completed their degrees.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS….
May 29, 2013: France’s Group Study Exchange Team
June 5, 2013: Astronomy—the Study of Celestial Objects
June 12, 2013: Our Oceans Today with Lance Morgan
OPENING CEREMONIES
President William Rousseau called the meeting to order by inviting Kris Anderson to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Penny Tibbetts continued our tradition of inspiration through quotes by asking us to link some famous quotes with four historical icons: Michael Jordan, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, and Aristotle. Penny seemed surprised that we knew all the answers, collectively, even the icon who advised us to “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”
VISITING ROTARIANS
A hearty welcome to Brooke Terhune and Sara Giometti from the newly-named “Evening Rotary Club of Santa Rosa”. Sponsored by Sonoma County’s “Mother Club”—the original Rotary Club of Santa Rosa—the former New Generations Club was one of the first of the new-format Rotary Clubs when it was founded in March 2011. As so many of our club’s “Older Generation” knows, it is always great when the kids come home for a short visit.
GUESTS OF ROTARIANS
With the Flamingo Ballroom overflowing with the recipients and guests of this year’s recipients of the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Foundation Scholarships, we should still recognize the guests of our fellow Rotarians: Rick Windham, guest of Doug Johnson, Brandon Uhrich, the guest of Rich de Lambert, and Greg Johnson’s two guests from Varenna—Jeff Cave & Karen Orlando.
SUNSHINE REPORT
Penny Tibbetts gave us the good news that Nick Knickerbocker was back home and recovering from his recent surgery.
THE RAFFLE
Speaking of Mr. Knickerbocker, have you noticed that the weekly raffle hasn’t been the same since he’s been missing in action? On May 1st Ted Wilmsen emptied $910 from the Raffle Jackpot, and last week Debra Smith walked away with one-fourth of the tiny $41 Jackpot. This week, CPA Judy Glenn did the best she could and Tim Delany earned a measly $10 with his eight of spades. Yep, things are beginning to look up, raffle-wise, now that Raffle Guru Nick will be back in charge soon.
LAST MINUTE FOOTNOTES
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- The first five college scholarships from the Santa Rosa Rotary Foundation were awarded at this week’s Rotary meeting. Another five scholarship winners will be presented next week. Scroll down for more details
- For two late breaking polio updates from Africa, scroll down to the end of this week’s bulletin
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
President William stunned us with the news that District 5130 will raise the club’s annual dues from $39 to $55 per member as of July 1st. The substantial increase in dues to our Rotary District will be discussed at a special board meeting on Monday afternoon, June 3. A district representative will attend our board meeting. All interested Rotarians are welcome to attend the meeting at 5 pm in the Salvation Army conference room, 93 Stoney Circle. First come, first seated…after our hard-working board of directors.
Urgent Giro Bello Meeting: 12 noon next Thursday, May 23rd. All Rotarians who want to be actively involved in the club’s 3rd annual cycling event should attend the extremely important planning meeting at the offices of DeMeo, DeMeo & West, 565 West College Avenue
Jackie McMillan proudly presented a beautiful tropical banner from the Rotary Club of Honolulu to President William. Further recognition was postponed due to today’s busy schedule.
Debi Zaft announced that she has scheduled the Rotary Magazine Quiz at next Wednesday’s meeting. To qualify for the prize drawing you must be prepared to answer this question last month’s May issue of The Rotarian magazine: 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.)
Social Director Debi Zaft reminded us that Rotary’s next social will be held on Thursday afternoon, May 23rd, at Kunde Family Winery starting at 5:30 pm. The tasting room is to your left, between the cities of Kenwood & Glen Ellen at 9825 Sonoma Highway. Debi also reminded us that Kunde has an abundance of wines awaiting our arrival. She suggests we bring appetizers for all of us to share.
2013 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
SANTA ROSA ROTARY CLUB FOUNDATION
Over the last 91 years, the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa has touched the lives of many thousands of people in Sonoma County, the state of California, the United States, and throughout the world. Rotary was the first service club in the world, and service to others has been our purpose since we were founded.
Halfway through the 20th Century, the educational requirements of the United States began to change American lives. Those changes continue and accelerate in well into this century and accelerated population changes in the United States that impacted lives, families and traditions, especially in certain parts of our country. Most of us have experienced the results and our Rotary Club has responded to concerns about young people, education, and new demands on society. In 1965, after being the first and only Rotary Club in Sonoma County for 44 years, we sponsored the first of 26 Rotary Clubs in Sonoma County, either directly or indirectly
The Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Foundation is the charitable arm of this Rotary Club. It accumulates capital to fund worthwhile grants locally and internationally, create and award scholarships, and fund dozens of local projects every year. Each year, this foundation’s volunteers delivers free dictionaries to every third grade, we awarded 11 college scholarships worth almost $20,000 to outstanding, worthy local students, either to enter college, vocational training, university, or to transition from Santa Rosa Junior College to a major university.
INITIAL ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS – MAY 15TH, 2013
The remaining Rotary Scholarships will be awarded at Rotary-May 22, 2013
Roberto Rosila-Mares
The Spence and Shirley Flournoy Memorial Engineering Scholarship. Major-Aerospace Engineering. University choice: Cal Poly
Emily Goldfield
The Stanley L. Lance Memorial Youth Leadership Award & Scholarship. Montgomery High School. Major-Math, physics, or international relations. University choice: Stanford
Briga Mullin
The Joseph Dorfman Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Ray Dorfman in honor of his father. Major-Biochemistry. University choice-U. C. Davis
Duc Pham
The Joseph Dorfman Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Ray Dorfman in honor of his father. Major-Biology with PhD in Pathophysiology. University choice: Cornell University
Adali Hernandez
The Jack Levar Memorial Scholarship. Major-Communications & Public Relations. University choice-Sacramento State
ENHANCING OUR ROTARY IMAGE
Negligent Rotarians not wearing their obligatory Rotary pins were chastised again by President William at this week’s Rotary meeting. $2 each! You might ask, “What’s the big deal if we don’t wear that little gold pin?”
Each of us represents all of the Rotarians who have served this community since 1921. After more than 90 years, it is our responsibility to focus on enhancing Rotary’s brand—our public image—here in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. For almost a century, as members of the world’s first service club, generations of business leaders have dedicated themselves to doing all that they could to improve our local communities, the families, individuals, young students, adults and older citizens that are born, grow up, and spend their lives & resources in this community. Each of us in Rotary is most aware of all that we accomplish as Rotarians.
But part of our obligation as Rotarians is that we owe it to ourselves and our fellow Rotarians—past, present, and future– to share that news with everyone that we know & meet. Is it supposed to be a secret that we are Rotarians? Are we ashamed to wear a Rotary pin? How many of our friends, family, and business associates know we are Rotarians and what that means to our personal and business relationships? Does your website, Facebook, and Twitter reflect the Rotary brand through your choice of colors & graphics? Help raise awareness of Rotary in our community by showing your Rotary colors, wearing your Rotary pin, and telling others about the remarkable things that Rotary does for this community and has done for almost 100 years.
TODAY’S PROGRAM
The knowledgeable presentation team from Best Buy & Magnolia Audio Video gave us a summary of the major advances in high-end consumer electronics, home theaters of our dreams, and entertainment centers created specifically for outdoor living. Plus a hands-on preview of the still-to-be-released Sony 4K Ultra High-Definition television.
POLIO PROGESS IN AFRICA
Thousands of health workers and volunteers mobilized public support for polio eradication and immunized children against the disease recently during National Immunization Days in Côte d’lvoire (Ivory Coast). Volunteers distributed vitamin A supplements and de-worming tablets to improve public health, which is another objective in the polio endgame strategy.
TYPE 1 POLIO IN SOMALIA
A case of type 1 polio has been reported in the Banadir region of Somalia, the country’s first case since March 2007. In response, an immunization campaign took place May 14-16, aimed at reaching more than 350,000 children in the Banadir region. Rotary also mourns the loss of a friend in the polio eradication effort, Abdul Waheed Khan, who died tragically in an attack in Pakistan on May 13.
Rotary District 5130 Conference Schedule
Friday, May 31
1:00 pm–6:00 pm Registration Opens
2:00 pm–3:30 pm District Business Meeting
5:15 pm–6:00 pm Wine Tasting in the courtyard
6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Ballroom Doors Open
Call to Order
DG Michael Juric
RI Representative Noel Bajat
Dinner Served Cabaret—Truffles & Port
Saturday June 1
8:15 am Ballroom Doors Open
8:30 am Call to Order
8:40 am Breakfast served
Rotaract Keynote Speaker Nerve Macaspac: Nature of Conflict
10:20 am Breakout Session: Service Projects in a Conflict Zone
11:50 am Doors Open
12 Noon Call to Order
Group Study Exchange Team Presentation
Keynote Speaker Francesca Giovannini:
A World Free of Nuclear Weapons
In Memoriam
1:50 pm Breakout Session: Peace Panel Discussion
6:00 pm Ballroom Doors Open
6:15 pm Call to Order
Dinner Served (Black Tie Optional)
Introduction of District Governor’s family
Keynote Speaker RI Rep Noel Bajat
Award Celebration
Pin Exchange DG/DGE
9:30 pm Adjourn
Sunday June 2
8:45 am Ballroom doors open
9:15 am Call to Order
Brunch
Closing Remarks RI Rep Noel Bajat
Interact Awards Presentation
Youth Exchange Student Presentation
Closing Remarks DG Michael Juric
Adjourn Conference
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