Meeting Recap for June 3, 2013
If you thought fairs were just places where you can buy kitchen knives with plastic handles that fall off first time you put them in the dishwasher, you’re very much mistaken according to Rick Pickering.
Pickering, the new chief executive officer of the California Exposition and State Fair, was Rotary Club of Sacramento’s keynote speaker Monday at the Red Lion Woodlake Hotel.
A Western Fairs Association Hall of Fame honoree, Pickering was CEO of the Alameda County Fair for 14 years and for four years prior to that was deputy general manager of the Orange County Fair.
So one might say that Pickering, who was introduced by past president and chair of the day John Frisch, has a fairly extensive knowledge of fairs. In fact, it would be fair to say he is a bit of an historian.
OK, that’s it. I promise: no more “fair” puns. It would be unfair of me to subject you to more of that sort of humor.
Anyway, Pickering pointed out that fairs, the first of which was organized by Elkanah Watson in Massachusetts in 1810, had a strategic value today’s fairgoer might not recognize.
Watson, a visionary who also proposed linking natural waterways to form the Erie Canal, created the first county fair to promote better practices in animal husbandry and agriculture.
What was strategic about that? Our fledgling nation needed to be more self-sufficient in food production because the war between Britain and France stifled U.S. trade with those two nations.
Fairs became a way for people to learn from each other how to be better at raising cattle, growing grain and so on—lessening dependence on foreign sources as we entered the War of 1812.
And as they grew and evolved, fairs became showcases for innovation—ways to do “target marketing” and show people the possibilities for a better life.
Among the most notable examples of this was the bitter competition between General Electric and Telsa / Westinghouse to showcase electricity by powering exhibits at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
What emerged for the public was a dazzling display of new electric devices ranging from light bulbs to motors to transmission systems.
Today, there are all kinds of ways to showcase innovation other than fairs, but Pickering still sees that as part of the value fairs add.
People come to the fair these days to have fun, have food, to see old things (and remember the past) and to celebrate the present.
And who knows? Someday someone may invent steak knives that really will cut through whole tin cans and whose handles won’t melt off in the dishwasher. It could happen.
By the way, this year’s California State Fair will be July 12-28 at Cal Expo. Details about attractions, hours and ticket prices are available at: www.BigFun.org.
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Normally, RCS gives out one Family & Community Service Award annually but President Peter Dannenfelser II decided to give out 10 this year: one to each member of the Rotary Rooters band, which has been such a great club supporter over the years. The band receives stipends for some of its “gigs” and including a $500 check presented to President Peter on Monday, has gifted more than $5,500 to RCS this year alone.
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Two new members were installed by President Peter: Rex Berry and Julie Adams. Berry was introduced by one of his co-sponsors, John Wood (Ron Crane was his other sponsor). Adams was introduced by Katrina Salazar, who along with Diane Woodruff was her sponsor.
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Past president Jon Snyder announced that President Peter’s demotion ceremony will be at 6:12 p.m. on Monday, June 24, at the Elks Temple downtown. Reservations are required and may be made online or by calling the Rotary office. There will not be a luncheon meeting that day.
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Past president John Frisch announced that there are still six seats available (at $200 apiece) for the annual Dive Bar tour on Friday, June 21. A bus will carry participants to six different bars—one per hour. The bus will depart the parking lot of the Rite Aid pharmacy at Watt and Arden at 2 p.m. and deposit survivors back at Rite Aid at 8 p.m. Contact the Rotary office if you are interested.
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Among the visiting Rotarians Monday (and easily winner of the prize for the person who traveled the greatest distance to be there) was Adrian Pang, president-elect of Rotary Club of Hong Kong. Pang was in town to watch his son Aaron (also in attendance) graduate from UC Davis.
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Amin Elmallah provided the thought for the day, Dick Osen led the group in singing “California Here I Come,” P.E.Thom Gilbert sponsored the pre-meeting wine reception and Paul Stone played the piano during the reception.