A Sacramento scorcher of the day turned into a delightful triple-play at this week’s meeting of the Rotary Club of Sacramento. Let’s get to it!
A thematic thought for the day:
Mik Miklaus walked up to the mic with an actual home plate in hand, which, as it turns out, is 17 inches wide – whether you’re the littlest little leaguer or a major league superstar.
“What do we do,” Mik asked, “if a ballplayer can’t throw the ball over the plate? If they break curfew, or show up late? Do we hold them accountable – or change the rules?”
Rotarians, he posited, lead by example. Rather than “widening home plate,” or lowering our standards, Mik challenged us to refine our skills and become better players.
The pop-fly: An award we thought had already happened
Maggie Brinkoetter Hopkins reminded those assembled that back in March, we had been unable to bestow the Jean Runyon Award because the honoree had been out of town.
Finally it was time to reveal the winner of this year’s Jean Runyon Award: PP Susan Sheridan.
Susan’s “career stats” are impressive. They include 9 Paul Harris and 11 Eddie Mulligans over 29 years of membership in our club; serving as club president in 2014-15; and launching the Sacramento Century Challenge, which has raised more than $700K for at-risk youth in our community over the past 10 years. Her service to the broader community is equally meritorious, and if you want a good time, ask PP Diane Woodruff to tell you more about the bungee jumping.
Much to the glee of the Runyon committee members, she was indeed surprised!
Another RCOS tradition: Golf 4 Kids!
Bryan Murray recapped the 104th Golf 4 Kids, which raised funds for Luther Burbank High School Independent Living Program, the Ralph Richardson Center, and the Sacramento State Transition Program.
This program is the longest-running fundraiser in any Rotary club in the world. A committee of stellar Rotarians put together a day of golf which was greatly enjoyed by participants, as well as a dinner and auction at Fairytale Town. Ultimately, Golf 4 Kids was able to raise $15,000 for each recipient.
More awards: on a regional level, this time
President Todd Koolakian shared that at the Rotary Multidistrict Conference, we earned five organizational awards.
- Gold Award for Community & International Service
- Bronze Award for Administrative Excellence
- Gold Award for Public Image
- Bronze Award for Membership and Vocational Service
- Bronze Award for the RCOS Foundation.
Club Announcements
- For President Todd’s demotion – instead of lunch, on 6/25, please come to Centro Cocina at 5p for a postwork celebration. Keep an eye on your inbox for the RSVP.
- American River Cleanup is coming up on June 22nd, reported Megan Masten
- John Swentowsky asked last month’s Loaves and Fishes crew to stand and be recognized. Next Loaves and Fishes is August 29.
- Ruth Tesar shared some photos from a June 2 club cycling ride as a preview for the Sac Century event on September 28.
- Mik Miklaus shared photos from the fireside at Jeff Stone’s home. Over the year, more than 50% of the club has participated in a fireside – and more are coming next year.
A throw to 2nd: another surprise honor – this time, it’s international
President Todd Koolakian asked Clayton Lee and John Phair to join him on the stage. Acknowledging their work in international service, which has in garnered recognition at the highest ranks of Rotary International, President Todd shared that, effective this week, our club has a new service pin joining the ranks of the Eddie Mulligan and the Paul Harris – the Lee-Phair, with donations supporting the work of the ISC.
It’s a hot day…let’s go Skiing!
Not surprisingly, a number of Rotarians were excited to get a start towards their Lee-Phair pins today:
- Dave McKie thanked the Armed Forces Committee for their work on Armed Forces Day and noted that this meeting marked the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Midway – the beginning of the US Offensive in the South Pacific. He gave $100 in honor of the anniversary.
- Sarah Hodge gave $25 in honor of Susan Sheridan and the Sac Century
- PP Linda Geery congratulated John, Clayton, and Susan on their recognitions for service today and donated $100 towards each of their Eddie Mulligans.
- Matt Page donated $100 to his Lee-Phair in honor of his son making the East Sac All Stars League
- Dennis Smith gave $100 towards Susan’s next Eddie Mulligan
- PE Bobby Reed gave $100 for Golf 4 Kids in honor of both his children being named to the 11U All Star League
- John Wood gave $100 each to Clayton Lee and John Phair’s Lee-Phair awards
- PP Brian Van Camp gave $100 towards Ruth Tesar’s Eddie Mulligan in gratitude for fun had on the Sac Century Preview Ride.
- Steve Shiflett gave $100 towards his first Lee-Phair
- John Phair gave $200 towards “the Phair”
- And President Todd gave $50 to his first Lee-Phair…and apologized to Giant fans for their team’s recent beating at the hands of Todd's Yankees.
And a tag-out at home – the joy of hearing Leron Lee talk baseball
PP Kevin Smith-Fagan introduced our speaker of the day, native Sacramentan Leron Lee. Lee grew up playing little league at Hagginwood Park, then was a star athlete at Grant High School. He was a first-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1966 draft, and played eight seasons in the Major Leagues with the Cardinals, Padres, Indians, and Dodgers. He then spent 11 seasons in the Japanese professional league, and still holds the league average for the highest-ever career batting average. Leron Lee capped his career with a 1989 World Series ring as a hitting instructor with the Oakland Athletics.
Leron shared stories of his colorful career, kicking it off with the story of Ten Cent Beer Night in Cleveland, an infamous riot where drunken fans charged the field in the 9th inning – and which took place exactly 50 years prior to our meeting. Lee was a lovely, gentle storyteller, sharing funny anecdotes about baseball greats like Gaylord Perry and Billy Martin – but what resonated most with this reporter were his opening words. Pointing back to Mik Miklaus’ Thought for the Day, he said “my grandmother would beat me at all games – checkers, cards, you name it. And then she’d always ask me ‘did you lose, or did you learn something?’ In all my time playing baseball, I never lost – I always learned something.”
The greeters for this week were Dick Noonan, John Phair, and Bob Rediger; Steve Huffman served as the wine sponsor; John Swentowsky was your photographer, and Megan Wygant was your Pulse reporter.
Professional photos courtesy of John Swentowsky, Swentowsky Photography.
