When the pandemic forced the Rotary Club of Petaluma to virtual meetings each week, members immediately rallied and set up a program to buy their weekly lunches from local restaurants.   Since April, Petaluma Rotary Club lunches have generated over $12,000 to local restaurants and caterers. 
 
Club President Elias Husary got the project started late in April working with Gerard Guidici of Sally Tomatoes Catering.  Each week, members sent the number of meals they wanted for Thursday’s weekly club meeting.  Every Thursday morning, Husary set up a folding table at his property in downtown Petaluma and members drove thru to pick up their order.
 
“I love how you start project not knowing where it might go, but this project evolved, picking up momentum every week. Rotarians meal orders go to support local restaurants, with some members donating meals to someone less fortunate downtown. “  Elias Husary, club president 2019-2020
 
Newly installed club president Anne Gealta and Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Onita Pellegrini have kept the project going.  The list of local restaurants and caterers to the weekly rotation continues to expand an. Local businesses supported by the Rotary Club of Petaluma Lunch Project include
Sally Tomatoes, Riverfront Café, Sugo, Dempsey’s, Wild Goat Bistro, April’s Pantry, Rosen’s 256 North, Lombardi’s, Cucina Paradiso and Flamez
“This is a hard time for our local restaurants as they deal with takeout, delivery and dinning out. We want to support them during this time to insure we all make it to better times. They have been there for us and we want to be there for them now. “  Onita Pellegrini, club member & executive director, Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce
 
“This is just one of the many ways Rotarians give back to the community.  When we began this “lunch program”, it was mainly to keep our favorite restaurants afloat and gave us the means to enjoy a fabulous lunch while zooming in for our weekly meetings.  We are so grateful to all the restaurants who have participated and are thankful for the wonderful meals they have prepared for us!”  Anne Gealta, club president 2020-2021
 
Seeing the benefit of this program to our area restaurants, members of the club have purchased gift cards from a variety of local merchants that have been compiled into three Pride of Petaluma Bounty baskets valued at $1,200, $800 and $600.  A donation of $100 will earn one chance in a drawing to win one of the baskets. 
All proceeds from the $100 donations will go to the Polly Klaas Theater Renovation Project.  For more information on the Pride of Petaluma Drawing, please contact Mike Ambrosio at 678-577-4418.