Written By: Kevin Smith-Fagan
One of the club’s happiest and most treasured traditions was renewed at the club’s annual Daughters Day celebration.
President John Lemmon (Knox, Lemmon & Anapolsky, LLP) called the meeting to order and immediately handed the gavel to his daughter Liz Tucker, who, as a middle school administrator, seemed particularly equipped to guide our club as the Daughters Day chair.
President Liz’s head table included sergeant-at-arms Amaya Barnes, the granddaughter of Steve Heath (Capitol Health Network); Libby and Abby Pavelchik, granddaughters of Roy Alexander (Sacramento Children's Home); Brooke Brandenburger, daughter of David Brandenburger (Newmark Cornish & Carey) and granddaughter of Steve Brandenburger; Bella Solis, daughter of Eric Solis (Solis Financial Strategies Group of Wells Fargo Advisors); and Eden Wild, daughter of Ivan Wild (The Salvation Army).
Brooke offered the Thought for the Day, and Abby led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Eden and Bella assisted Amaya in arms sergeantry.
Steve Ruland (Ruland's Office Furnishings) who chaired the club’s holiday toy and fund drive for the Salvation Army, proudly announced the club had raised $1,497 and barrels of toys, and he presented a ceremonial check to Ivan Wild.
President Liz invited President John to the podium, so he could introduce special guest Kailey McCarthy from the Peace Corps. Kailey thanked the club for supporting her service in Costa Rica. She described the new children’s library the club made possible in the community of San Francisco de Peña Blancas.
After a lunch break, sergeant-at-arms Amaya awarded prizes to three daughters of distinction - the one who traveled furthest to attend the luncheon (Cecilia, daughter of Hugo Bogren, having arrived from Madrid), the one who has attended the most Daughters Day events, Cynthia Towne, daughter of Ed Towne (and with an incredible 57 years of attendance), and the youngest (three-week-old Ella Grace, the great-granddaughter of Bob Gaines).
The club’s Four-Way Test singing quartet took the stage and harmonized through a pair of holiday favorites, with John McIntyre (Mercy Foundation) singing alto, Dick Osen the tenor, Kevin Smith-Fagan (KVIE) as baritone and Kevin Williams (KVIE) handling bass.
Always a highlight of Daughter’s Day is the levying of fines. Here’s who got fingered and why.
- President Liz fined her dad, President John Lemmon $50 for dragging her to Home Depot every Sunday of her childhood
- Amaya fined her grandfather Steve Heath $100 for requiring her to miss last year’s Daughter’s Day for a much-needed ankle surgery
- Mary Teichert slapped a $100 fine on her father Past President Fred Teichert (Teichert Foundation) for imparting an exemplary parenting model, which is now monopolizing her time as an engaged mom when she could be working on her Christmas cards
- Roy Alexander got nicked for $100 by granddaughter Libby for episodes of cracking her toes and pulling out her teeth, and he got stuck with another $50 fine by his newish adult step-daughter, Kristi Simmons, for having recently introduced her as his “two-year old daughter”
- Ashley Brandenburger levied on grandpa Steve Brandenburger a surcharge of $25 per granddaughter in attendance, for a $75 total
- Bob Gaines got hit with a $50 fine by great-granddaughter Caroline for spoiling the secret of family Christmas gifts (pajamas)
- Bob Gaines’ son, Ted Gaines, paid a $100 price at the hand of daughter Kellie for the outrage of forcing her to wear a safety helmet when skateboarding and snowboarding.
The Galena Street East performance troupe entertained the audience with a spirited holiday musical revue of song and dance.
In drawing the gathering to a close, Libby and Amaya thanked several key contributors to the day’s success:
- Bob Gaines and family for enhancing the table decorations
- President-Elect Diane Woodruff and Club Manager LaToya Wong for registering guests
- Becki Roberts for hosting the sparkling cider, and for her pivotal role in making Daughters Day a success, along with Past President Susan Sheridan.
Amaya led the room in singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and with that, President Liz adjourned Daughter’s Day for another year.
Our next club luncheon is January 9, 2018. Happy holidays!
Thank you John Swentowsky (Swentowsky Photography) for the photos!