Meeting Recap for March 24, 2015
Posted by Rick Davis
on Mar 26, 2015
We had more fun at today's meeting than should be legal! The proximate reason was a unique joint session with our companion Active 20/30 and 1032 clubs, both of which were well represented. These cadet Rotary clubs are for the youngsters in the crowd (men and women, respectively, all less than age 40), who hunger to serve their community while waiting with bated breath for their opportunity to join those of us in our more august dotage.
The meeting began with a familiar routine of piano music and wine reception, courtesy of Dick Wertz on piano & Steve Johanson providing the wine. President Susan then welcomed Captain Brenner Campbell, Beale AFB Chaplain, who offered a fine invocation.
Levels of Risk brought out the generosity of Tim "Surfer Dude" Pinkney; Jeff Stone, representing Rotary Rooters; Todd Andrews; Jim Phillips; Dave Murphy; and Heidi Hershenhouse. Earlier, Norm Marshall proved eloquent as our meeting sponsor, although he complained that he could not sell his time to the Girl Scouts (which we did last week), so he had to content himself by speaking to the construction and consulting services he provides to many of our fellow members. A sad note, Norm. We feel your pain.
Three very special items: We introduced two new members--Rosemary Keiner, sponsored by Barbara Arnold and Susan Sheridan; and Doris Frazier, sponsored by Karen Diepenbrock and Jan Stohr. Welcome to both of you! We are glad to have you. Dave Higdon then stood to present our newest Sacramento Rotary Fellow: John Wood! John is former 20/30 and is very active in RCOS, including as a fellow The Pulse reporter. In his honor, we welcomed his wife, Sarah, and six other family members as our guests. Congratulations, John! Very well deserved.
Dave Higdon then stood again to introduce our keynote speaker: Paul Claiborne, who was born in 1902 and is the original 20/30 founder and president. Although creaking a bit at age 113, Paul (basically an avatar of Brian Van Camp) gave us a rousing history of 20/30 from its founding to its expansion into "hundreds of clubs, including as far away as Auburn," to its going international, following an errant tequila run to Juarez, Mexico, which everyone knows happened, but few can remember. Paul kept us well entertained and closed with a nod to the distaff side of 20/30, the "20/30-ettes" (now 1032). He wrapped up with the sage observation that behind every good man is a woman rolling her eyes.
Next, President Lauren Richardson outlined key initiatives for her 1032 Club. They just completed their annual crab feed (January), raising over $30,000. And they plan a new venture for September: the "Flabberdash Race," which will be a fundraising scavenger hunt downtown. Most fun, though, looks to be their Flamingo Flocking, which, for a modest fee, allows one an opportunity to annoy one's neighbors by planting a flock of pink flamingoes on their yard. A generous donation from the recipient, of course, ensures the subsequent safe removal, care and feeding of the birds. Details for all of this and more are available at www.sacwomens2030.org.
President Derrick Compton of Active 20/30 completed today's program by sharing his club's initiatives. A key one includes their Back to the Future-themed Annual Spring Party on 25 April at the Turn Verein Hall. He invited all of us RCOS elders to dust off our DeLoreans and have our chauffeurs drive us to the event. He also mentioned the 20/30 national convention in San Francisco (4-6 June) and especially their Special Kids Family Picnic (13 June). The focus of the latter event on kids in need makes it an important one to support. Look for details at www.active2030.com.
Both Lauren and Derrick added that it was an honor for them to be speaking before our Rotary club. They were right.
President Susan gaveled us to a close a bit early, but not without a sense of having had a very full session together. We are dark next week (31 March), but make sure to support Loaves and Fishes that day! (See John Swentowsky for details.) Our next meeting will be 7 April, hosting Chief Mark Wells of the Sac Metro Fire Department.
Rotarily,
Rick Davis