Meeting Recap for July 9, 2012
Those of us who attended Monday’s Rotary Club of Sacramento meeting at the Double Tree Hotel may have witnessed a historic transition of power.
OK, that’s bit of a stretch, but work with me on this: How often has leadership of a major Rotary Club passed directly from one person whose name is exactly the same as his father’s to another who also has the exact same name as his dad?
That’s precisely what happened when Peter B. Dannenfelser II presided over his first meeting as President, taking over the role from Kenneth B. Noack Jr. Heck, they even have the same middle initial. That’s gotta be a first of some kind!
President Peter was welcomed into his new role by Past-President Beverly Brautigam, who highlighted President Peter's years of service to the community through various organizations such as Active 20-30 and the Relationship Skills Center (whose board he chaired last year).
Present for the historic occasion were Peter B. Dannenfelser, Sr., President Peter’s wife of 12 years (Lori) and several other family members along with District 5180 Governor Bob Deering.
Our new leader wasted no time setting some lofty goals for the year before he becomes Past-President Peter:
• Retain current members and add 54 net new members by year-end
• 100% committee participation
• 100% “Every Rotarian Every Year” participation
• Bring at least 70 members (and spouses) to the District Conference in May
• Initiate new literacy and Relationship Skills projects
• Continue the outstanding World Community Service and Projects & Priorities work
• Conduct fun and successful Golf for Kids and Bids for Kids events
• Increase our community exposure
• Enjoy our centennial celebration year(s)
Drawing on his more than 28 years as a practicing Buddhist, President Peter also unveiled the new levels for celebrations, opportunities and support:
• $1,000 – Enlightened (A person who perceives the true nature of all life, free from intellectual and emotional prejudice and leads others to attain the same state of life.)
• $500 – Bodhisattva (A person who lives their life to help others overcome their suffering.)
• $250 – Learned (A person who is not always and only reacting to their environment but acts with intention.)
• $100 – Grasshopper (A person not yet aware of their unawareness but living “Service Above Self” and wanting more. Not a bad place to start.)
Several Rotarians attained immediate enlightenment, several others showed that they were learned and a couple of them admitted to being grasshoppers. But there were no Bodhisattvas present—or at least, no one willing to try to pronounce the word in public.
President Peter also announced he would continue the practice of giving out dictionaries and providing gifts of wheelchairs in recognition of speakers but that he was lowering the penalty for cell phone rings to $100... to benefit a charity of his choice.
Past-President Beverly provided the thought for the day, President-Elect Thom Gilbert led a comma-less pledge of allegiance (“…one country under God…”) and Dick Osen led the singing of America the Beautiful.
Valerie Reynoso Piotrowski, owner of the new Elements Therapeutic Massage Spa in Folsom was the meeting sponsor and provided members with free back and neck massages. The Rotary Rooters provided the pre-meeting music and Bill Watson the wine for the pre-meeting reception.
Photos by Swentowsky Photography