Meeting Recap for August 20, 2012
Picture a veteran sports reporter who has covered half a dozen Olympics, interviewed hundreds of great athletes and knows the “back stories” and their drive to achieve greatness.
Got the image in your mind? Who are you picturing? Older guy? Al Michaels? Bob Costas? Here’s a hint: She is far more than just another pretty face.
Beth Ruyak, longtime local TV reporter and host of the new local talk show “Insights” on Capital Public Radio, was RCS’s guest speaker Monday at the Woodlake Hotel.
Ms. Ruyak, a sidelines reporter at Olympics (summer and winter) from Barcelona to Salt Lake City, was introduced by her new boss, CPR General Manager and Rotarian Rick Eytcheson.
“I’m so excited about the new show,” enthused Beth. “It’s going to be smart conversation and some laughs. But what I love most is that it will give me the opportunity to tell stories.”
On one level, her stories are a myriad of sports memorabilia from Barcelona, Lillehammer, Atlanta, Nagano, Sydney and Salt Lake City.
She saw Roseville’s Summer Sanders’ win her fourth swimming gold medal in Barcelona and reported on the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan drama at Lillehammer.
But on a deeper level, the stories Ruyak tells are about people who have “dug really deep to reach the highest heights.”
“The same things that work for Olympians can work for all of us,” she said. “You need to have a dream and the passion to pursue it and you can achieve your destiny—whatever it may be.
“Over the years I’ve found that it works best if you commit to the dream and the passion, but are a little bit flexible about the destiny.
“I know that when I see someone frowning on the Olympic medals platform, the outcome was a different destiny than they wanted—but not necessarily a bad destiny.
“Sometimes they are beginning to picture a new destiny” (e.g. the medals platform at the next Olympics) “and sometimes they are missing the point they already achieved something great.”
Ruyak’s new show airs daily at 8 p.m. on KXJZ (90.0 FM).
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Bill Dickinson of the Salvation Army was welcomed as a new member of RCS, the first sworn in by President Peter Dannenfelser. Dickinson was sponsored by Oleta Lambert and John Frisch.
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Mary Healy was the (anonymously) sponsored meeting sponsor, alerting Rotarians to several upcoming events at the Sacramento Zoo, where she is director.
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Kelley Moran provided the thought for the day, citing “He Who Serves” by British poet Edgar Albert Guest. Dick Osen led the club in singing “America the Beautiful”.
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Dave Higdon sponsored the pre-meeting wine reception, during which Elfrena Foord provided musical entertainment.
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Generous contributions were made by the following members “celebrating” life:
Dan McVeigh - $500 (1/2 to EM & PH)
Wes Yee - $200 (EM)
Rick Davis - $200 (EM)
John Frisch - $100 (EM)
Jim Leet - $100 (EM)
Dave McKie - $100 (EM)
Hal Bartholomew - $100 (EM)
The Pulse reporter, Steve Heath
(This report has been approved/endorsed by President Peter)