Meeting Recap for August 27, 2012
(pictured above: Aerospace Museum, Car Collection, Dale Carnegie & Senior Gleaners)
On Monday we held our first Brown Bag Day meetings for President Peter’s term. Steve Shiflett and Barry Goldberg are the co-chairs this year.
There were eight different locations for members to choose from and 100 people signed up to enjoy a meeting “Paul Harris style”.
A BIG thank you to the following Brown Bag Day hosts: Chris Ann Bachtel, Bill Badham, Gary McDonald, Brian Van Camp, Valerie Reynoso Piotrowski, Ernie Farrington, Mary Healy & Rob Scherer.
---
Chris Ann Bachtel reported that her group was given a tour of the “Private Car Collection” which featured about 25, mostly American cars (Cadillac, Dodge, & Chrysler). The private museum was designed to reflect the era of the cars with vintage signs & décor. The owner, John White, described the history and his personal involvement with each of the automobiles, some he had seen as a child 65 years earlier and finally bought them at auction in recent years. The collection made an impression on all who attended.
---
PP Rob Scherer at the Dale Carnegie Brown Bag reported that the 19 participants in his group began with interesting introductions, where many shared their most meaningful reason for being a Rotarian.
The session included a four minute video (by Koy Saelee of the Dale Carnegie office) on digital & social media in today’s world. Each person then shared their most utilized digital form of communication with the upside & downside of the digital age and social media. A lot was learned on how it is used and how it affects their lives. A reminder of caution was presented by our law enforcement Rotarians present. Great discussions and lots of fellowship were shared by all.
---
Mary Healy reports that Zoo Board President Starr Hurley joined the 14 Rotarians in front of the North American River Otter exhibit to learn more about the happenings at the Sacramento Zoo. Animal Care staff gave a demonstration of how Operant Conditioning is used to help care for the animals. Frederick Malcherek, our RYE student from Germany, and Liz McClatchy assisted in the demonstration by holding the target for the otters. The group learned about the Zoo’s next big project, Small Wonders of Africa that will feature six new kinds of animals including monkeys, bats, aardvarks, guineafowl and mongoose.
Questions ranged from where does the money come from to how do you handle breeding programs (answer, of course, “very carefully”).
---
Steve Shiflett reported that the meeting at Senior Gleaners was not only the first Brown Bag Day ever at this facility, but also the first for their CEO and newer club member, Gary McDonald, who skillfully combined fellowship with a member's professional or personal interests. Steve really appreciated the opportunity to learn about the Senior Gleaners history, mission and internal organization. This outstanding organization, founded in Sacramento in 1976, has over 500 community volunteers, ranging in age from 50 to 99. These volunteers process food donations feeding needy low income families in the greater Sacramento area. For 33 years Senior Gleaners has successfully supplied food to 135 charitable organizations in Sacramento County and the outlying areas, helping to feed over 3.5 million needy people. Over 25 million pounds of food are collected from stores, farm fields, & food processors each year.
---
Maynard Nelson & Hal Shipley reported on the Brown Bag at the chambers of Judge Brian Van Camp. Maynard said Judge Van Camp talked about his recent trip to China and South Africa and about their concerns and interest in the American Court System. Per ED Hal it was one of the most interesting sessions he’s had the opportunity to attend. They are especially interested in our use of a jury in the decision making of criminal cases in their county. The Judge succinctly pointed out that in our system, the jury determines guilt or innocence, that his job is to interpret and administer the law. The major difference in their approach and ours is that their judge does both, they do not have a jury involved. He also gave each attendee the opportunity to discuss their involvement in serving on juries. It was a very educational program and also gave us the opportunity to know our fellow Rotarians better. ED Hal gives the Judge an A+ on his Brown Bag Day.
---
Elements Therapeutic Massage Studio – Folsom owner Valerie Piotrowski hosted eight Rotarians for a Brown Bag Day that featured a delicious lunch catered by Great Harvest Bread Company of Folsom, featuring fresh whole grain bread products and homemade pastries made daily. Following lunch, the Rotarians each received a complementary 55-minute therapeutic massage in one of the nine massage rooms, each themed with the elements of nature, including a natural waterfall and objects of the sea. Elements is open seven days a week, with special offerings for new clients and Rotarians.
---
Steve Heath reported that Rotarians attending the Brown Bag Day session at Bill McAnally Racing in Roseville received an update from life-member Ernie Farrington on efforts to re-establish the Soap Box Derby in our region and also got the opportunity to tour McAnally's NASCAR racing operations. Farrington heads a group of volunteers who have been trying to find a permenant location to build a permanent Soap Box Derby racing hill. The area once had such a facility on the grounds of Aerojet but after years of inactivity, the site was leveled to make way for real estate development. Now Farrington and his colleagues are focused on a location in Rocklin near the Oracle facility. Representatives from the City of Rocklin attended the Brown Bag session and expressed willingness to work on finding a permanent site for a new racing hill. McAnally is supportive of the efforts and preliminary plans call for an event such as a classic car show to accompany future Soap Box Derby regional championships.
---
Bill Badham was the host for the Aerospace Museum Brown Bag. The group that attended there was treated to an "up close and personal" tour of the exhibits and aircraft. General James Hopp and Museum Curator Barry Bauer led the program.