Written By: Kevin Smith-Fagan
Efforts to care for struggling people in our community were the focus of the club’s April 17 luncheon.
Meeting Sponsor Dee Hartzog donated her time to Court Appointed Special Advocates of Sacramento County, represented by Carol Noreen. Carol spoke about the powerful impact that over 250 CASA volunteer advocates make in the lives of abused and neglected children, both by representing the children’s interests and by showing human care that is lacking in those young lives.
The club warmly inducted two new members.
Marlene Fitzwater of Health Communications Research Institute was introduced by Kathy Herrfeldt (Home Care Assistance), who co-sponsored Marlene with Robyn DeLong (Coldwell Bank Realtors). In addition to running HCRI, Marlene is a retired professor both from UC Davis School of Medicine and Sacramento State. She is launching Joshua’s House, a residence for terminally ill homeless in our community.
Jamie Furlong of Legacy Investment Real Estate was introduced by Tim Mattheis (WMB Architects) and sponsored by Tim and by her grandfather Mead Kibbey. A numbers whiz who studied economics and mathematics at USC, Jamie’s artistic side is evident in her passion for the slow food movement and high-end boutique floral design.
Club Foundation President Jeanne Reaves (Jeanne Reaves Consulting) recognized several club members for their Paul Harris contributions, presenting pins to Robyn DeLong, Len Simpson (2020 Financial Advisors) and John Dowdell (Dowdell Financial Services). Past President Beverly Brautigam (Brautigam Financial Services) was honored for her Eddie Mulligan giving.
Announcements and Acknowledgments
- Millie Stone was thanked by President John for a gift that funded the club’s snazzy new nametags
- Diane Mizell, and Jeff Setzer (Setzer Forest Products) were saluted by President John for a recent Fireside reception, which Diane organized and Jeff hosted at his home
- Joe Grant (Vantage Points LLC) and Tom Bacon (Bacon Commercial Real Estate) got shoutouts for their efforts making last week’s Brown Bag Day a success
- Community Project Day is this Saturday from 9AM-4PM, and Rotarians are encouraged to come and help renovate a home for seven low-income military veterans at 6800 Cunningham Way (near the Little Saigon neighborhood); the work will be upkeep and painting and lunch will be served, with Jackie Kirkwood (Goodwin Cole) leading our effort
- Armed Forces Day will be celebrated by the club on May 15, and day chair Past President Thom Gilbert encouraged club members to submit relatives’ names so those service members can be recognized at the club luncheon that day
- our annual Golf For Kids outing has been moved from August to next May, Bob Miller (First US Community Credit Union) announced, to allow better spacing between G4K and the Sac Century fall fundraiser.
Let’s Build Something Together:
- Clayton Lee $100
- Theresa Rodgers (St. Francis Catholic High School) $100
- Becki Roberts (Central Valley Community Bank) $100
- Robyn DeLong $100
- Jim Relles $100
Lunch speaker Julie Bornhoeft serves as chief marketing and development officer for WEAVE, the primary provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County. Julie outlined three key areas of service for WEAVE: mobile advocacy, offering victims access to 31 WEAVE locations that eliminate barriers caused by transit issues; legal services, helping victims with restraining orders, divorce proceedings, visa issues and other legal concerns that bind them; and financial abuse, to free victims from the economic manipulation that batterers employ to control and harass their victims. In Q&A, Kathy Herrfeldt spoke of WEAVE’s valuable training session with Kathy’s employees, who learned how to spot victims of domestic abuse.
The day’s wine sponsor was Paul Bystrowski (Hub International). Paul Stone and Jeff Stone (Hub International) shared duties in providing piano entertainment. The door greeters were Clayton Lee (CKL Trust), Alice Sauro (Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera) and Past President Rob Scherer (Dale Carnegie Training). Past President Peter Dannenfelser (Architectural Arts) provided the Thought for the Day.
Thank you John Swentowsky (Swentowsky Photography) for the photos!