Meeting Recap for August 26, 2013
You could say Adrian Ballinger’s career peaked early. The 34-year-old Squaw Valley resident has been climbing since the age of 11. But he would tell you his career is about “summiting,” not “peaking.”
Ballinger, Rotary Club of Sacramento’s guest speaker Monday at the Red Lion Hotel Woodlake, is founder of Alpenglow Expeditions which provides guided treks to places like the top of Mt. Everest.
Introduced by Past President (and ardent climber) Ken Noack, Jr., Ballinger brought with him a dazzling array of slides and videos from a remarkable 2011 expedition to the Himalayas. During that expedition, Ballinger became the first person ever to “summit” three 8,000-meter peaks in three weeks, climbing Mt. Lhotse (8,516 meters) and Mt. Everest (8,848 meters/29,029 feet) twice. Ballinger, who has been a full-time guide for 15 years, has led more than 100 international climbing expeditions on five continents.
He not only has summited Everest six times, but also four other 8,000-meter peaks and was the first to ski down from the summit of 8,156-meter Mt. Manaslu (he didn’t say why).
Among the more fascinating photos Ballinger brought with him were those of the base camp at Everest—a virtual tent city in which he says there are 1,000 to 1,500 people on any given day.
Located at the 17,500-foot level (5,334 meters), the base camp is 3,000 feet higher than the peak of California’s Mt. Whitney and provides a place where climbers can rest and acclimatize. Ballinger’s white domed tent has some interesting amenities; things you wouldn’t expect to find 17,000 feet up in the Himalayas—such as Wi-Fi, plasma TVs and a slot car race track. The latter is a favorite of the Sherpa guides, the hearty natives who help get climbers to the summit. So are the heaters that help ward off nighttime temperatures than can quickly dip to 25 below. One of the more amusing pieces of video showed the climbers using oxygen masks atop Everest while a few feet away, the Sherpa were relaxing and smoking cigarettes after the climb.
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President Thom Gilbert began Monday’s meeting with a toast to Rotary Club of Stone’s Corner in Brisbane, Australia, where the Rotary International convention will be held in 2014. Stone’s Corner sergeant at arms Tony Newton led the toast to Rotary Club of Sacramento, saluting us for our 100th anniversary. Stone’s Corner is celebrating its 60th. There are more than 160 Rotary Clubs in Queensland. The toast to RCOS came exactly 17 hours before our meeting. This was also timely in recognizing the RI Conference is in Australia in 2014. (Lucky PE Susan Sheridan)
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Mark Huffman and Jeff Stone provided another Centennial Moment, recounting the colorful history of our own Rotary Rooters band.
Founded by Aubrey Hubbard and named by John Noonan, the band has been around nearly 30 years, has played more than 1,400 gigs and raised thousands of dollars for RCS. And to underscore the point, Stone presented the club with another check in excess of $500. Jeff and the Rotary Rooters received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the presentation.
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President Thom announced that our club’s centennial dinner with be on Saturday, May 17. Details will follow later, but get it on your calendar now.
Past-President Jon Snyder revealed that we are currently trailing Point West Rotary in the annual blood drive and urged members to step up participation.
The planned trek with Jim Phillips to Yosemite last weekend had to be postponed because of the Rim Fire. It has been rescheduled to Sept. 28. Those interested should register on line or call the Rotary offce to sign up. Gary Bazlen announced that the deadline for the minimum 10 campers to sign up for the new family camping trip at Sly Park is this Friday. The camping trip will be Sept. 20 at Sly Park—if enough people sign up. Todd Andrews reminded members of the New Member Reception, which is coming up Sept. 10 at Rio City Café in Old Sacramento. The next Rotary Theater Night will be Oct. 5 according to Tom Chase. Dinner at Lucca will be followed by the play “Pride and Prejudice” at Sacramento Theatre Company.
Host sign-ups will be going out this week for the Sept. 30 Brown Bag luncheons. Meeting hosts are needed. Interested members can contact the Rotary office.
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Mick Miklaus was back in attendance, still recovering from his softball injuries and celebrating the birth of a new granddaughter with a $100 boast.
Umpqua Bank was the meeting sponsor. Bill Badham turned over his time to retired Air Force General James Hopp, who talked about the Aerospace Museum at McClellan Park and their educational Take Flight – Math Tutoring Program.
Bill Niemi and Tim Mattheis introduced each other to the club as part of President Thom’s ongoing “re-introduction” program. Jeff Curcio sponsored the pre-meeting wine reception, during which Paul Stone played the piano and was accompanied on the ukulele by Bill Shubb. Past President Peter Dannenfelser II provided the invocation and Jim Craig the final thought. New members Brian King and Barbara Thompson acted as greeters.
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There is no meeting next Monday. The club will be dark for Labor Day.