Maybe the club was on better behavior with FBI Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel on the dais. But even so, we enjoyed a colorful meeting that ranged from getting loaded in Tahoe to biochemistry to picking up trash.
In her thought for the day, PP Linda Geery quoted Maya Angelou: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Ken Lux, head of the nonprofit group Flights to Freedom, spoke as a guest of meeting sponsor PP Tim Pinkney about his organization’s important work. Flights to Freedom volunteer pilots fly rescue missions to extricate victims from human trafficking. A fundraiser on June 29, 5:30pm at the Aerospace Museum will bolster their amazing efforts; learn more at myflightstofreedom.org. The club observed a moment of silence for longtime club member Dave Higdon, who passed away last week. Details on funeral services will follow.
It’s graduation season, and three newly minted high school graduates were present who benefited from the club’s YIP mentoring program. Lizeth, a West Campus graduate, is headed to Sacramento State to study social work. Paola, also a West Campus grad, will study biochemistry at Tulane with plans to become a surgeon. Cyncire, a basketball star at Sacramento High, will study nursing at Howard University. These three are shining examples of the transformative impact our YIP program makes. Congratulations, Lizeth, Paola and Cyncire!
Visiting Rotarian Julie Turner from New Zealand exchanged club flags with President Todd Koolakian.
President-Elect Bobby Reed reported on his recent trip to the Rotary International conference in Singapore, extolling the virtues of the RI convention and encouraging club members to consider going to next year’s edition in Calgary, June 21-25, 2025.
Club Announcements
- Day of Service – on June 14 from noon to 4pm, club members are invited to engage in service work at three local nonprofits, Volunteers of America, Children’s Receiving Home, and CLARA Studios, said President Todd
- Todd’s Demotion! - on June 25 at 5pm at Centro Cocina, in lieu of a regular lunch meeting, we’ll gather to kick out Todd in style
- American River Parkway Cleanup - on June 22 at 8:30am, club volunteers will clean up Discovery Park and signups are needed, announced Megan Masten
- Installation of PE Bobby Reed - we’ll kick off Bobby’s term at a special luncheon on July 9 at the community clubhouse in McKinley Village; keep an eye for the invitation, said Bobby.
This week’s edition of Todd’s Tuesday Trivia, in which we learn oddball facts about fellow club members, featured fresh trivia nuggets presented by Jim Culleton and Elfrena Foord.
Some highlights:
- Once upon a time up in Tahoe, 15-year-old Jeff Setzer worked on a Janis Joplin concert and ended up pounding Southern Comfort with Janis.
- Rick Davis once met with Mother Teresa, although the two did not binge on cheap whiskey
- PP Wes Yee’s dental office is housed in a building his family has owned since 1928, with his dad’s dentistry and then Wes’ office spanning nearly a century in that very building
- Jeff Stone, both a softie and a shrewd investor, owns a home across from McKinley Park his grandparents built in 1923, the home where his late dad and club member Paul Stone grew up.
Rotarians demonstrated their generosity during "Let's Go Skiing" when Sarah Hodge, Tim Pinkney, Elfrena Foord, Robyn DeLong, and Paul Keefer found plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Chair of the Day Jeff Stone introduced guest speaker Sid Patel, the new FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento field office. Sid talked about his journey from boy immigrant from India to his FBI career, and he outlined the work of his Sacramento FBI station, which serves 28 counties. Before arriving in his new job, Sid worked in FBI counterterrorism and investigated the 2015 terror shootings in San Bernardino, and he handled hostage negotiations in the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. His goal is to foster a culture of service among his FBI field offices, he said.
President Todd made sure to thank wine sponsor Dee Hartzog, who poured the vino along with Steve Shiflett. Greeters were Matt Page and Leo McFarland. PP Kevin Smith-Fagan was the Pulse reporter, and photos were snapped by Virginia Wade.
Photos Courtesy of Virginia Wade
5
