Thought for the Day - In The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, there is a time when the family finds WeedPatch Camp which offers respite: greeters, support, and community, a far cry from their previous experience. Today we'll enjoy hearing from Genelle Sith of Wellspring Women's Center who provides respite for many in our community.
Tax & Accounting Minute - The IRS is hiring. Their goal over time is to hire 86,000 auditors, but so far, they've only hired 34 when their first-year goal was 3,600.
Happy Dollars - Dave Jones is happy that his daughter got a great job at UCSF. Carroll Dudley is happy to be officially retired. Dick Hall is happy he won't have to watch Jim Fritzsche dance after June. Lewie Donhost is happy that Jay & Vickie Boatwright have a new grandchild.
News - District 5180 is hosting a potluck picnic on Saturday April 13th at Elk Grove Park from noon to 4:00. Tim Hayes received 34 responses to the survey so far. April 20th is the planning meeting at his house. Amy Ruggles encouraged us to attend the Carmichael Rotary meeting next Tuesday where her friend Dr. Don Forrester will speak on climate change. If you want to attend, please let Dick Bauer know so he can save you space. Jerry Wright has been suffering with severe Covid since February. He's doing better and we hope to see him soon.
Speaker - Genelle Smith, Executive Director of Wellspring Women's Center in Oak Park received a $2,500 grant from our Club Foundation, and after her excellent presentation, Randy Smith presented her with Paul Harris Fellow recognition.
The Wellspring Women's Center was established in 1987 at 3414 4th Avenue in the historical Firehouse Building. The organization has seven employees and many volunteers. Its mission is to provide hospitality with dignity and love, using a prevention model, not an intervention model. There are even greeters at the door. Up to 200 meals are served each day. In the Children's Corner, 750 children from ages 2-8 have attended the morning school. Their goal is to provide respite, human connection, accompaniment, health services, mercy, family, and home. They do this through social work, counseling, bilingual services, wellness activities, health screenings, art, and cultural events. Some of the safety-net services they provide include diapers, hygiene kits, pads & tampons, and bus tickets. Their greatest need is hygiene items. Genelle finished with, "People forget what you do and say, but they'll never forget how you make them feel." Wellspring makes it easy to donate, listing what they need in the same format you'd find in a store wedding register. Take a look here to see if you have something to donate that can meet their request: https://www.wellspringwomen.org/ then click the green DONATE button on the right.
Raffle - Carroll Dudley won the gourmet chocolate, which he gifted to our speaker Genelle.
End time - 1:01 pm
Attendance (24) Don Brodeur, Lewie Donhost, Carroll Dudley, Jim Fritzsche, Hanns Haesslein, Dick Hall, Allison Hamaker, Tim Hayes, David Jones, Bill Loscotoff, Keith McBride, Maria Mengotti, Charley Rea, Amy Ruggles, Randy Smith, Bill Watson, Stan Roe, Rony Marques, Dick Bauer, Margaret and Richard Olebe, Vicky Boatwright, Mark Beil, and Frank Pease.
Upcoming Events:
4/9 Ettore's 7am
4/10 Speaker: Major Rio Rey - Salvation Army
4/13 District 5180 Potluck BBQ Picnic at Elk Grove Regional Park noon to 4
4/17 Speaker: Dr. Rich Wampler - An Inventor's Journey
4/23 Tuesday night joint meeting with Carmichael Rotary - Alan Gallaway, "Autism in the Workforce"
5/1 Speaker: Police Chief Kathy Lester - Security in Sacramento
5/17-19 District Conference in Reno NV at the Grand Sierra Resort
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