Copy of October 29, 2024 Lunch Meeting (Nov. 03, 2024)

November 5, 2024

Rotary Club of Arden Arcade

Lunch Meeting

President Christine Jensen

Presiding

Club President, Christine Jensen, opened the meeting by ringing the bell and welcoming everyone to the Mighty Rotary Club of Arden Arcade. The Prez asked Linda Bigler to lead the pledge to our flag.

The Prez led the club in reciting the Four-Way Test and asked Al Cady to give the thought for the day.

Visitors and Guests

The Prez noted that there were no visiting Rotarians. Al Frumkin had the pleasure of introducing his guest, Chris Figueroa. Chris is the only landscaper that was capable of meeting Al Frumkin's exacting standards and expectations, so much so that he was invited to go to Montana to hunt the illusive elk. The intrepid hunters are featured below. There are no pictures of elk as they never even saw one... let alone attempt to end its life. The problem turned out that Al's hunting partners double-Chrissed him.

Al Frumkin

Expedition Leader

Chris Lewis

Logistics

Chris Figueroa

Field Guide and

WiFi Hunter

Tim Cahill - Bell Ringer

Tim was pleased to announce that he actually had an excuse for not being at the meetings for the past month. He and Laurel we off to Europe helping shore up the German economy. They had a great time.

Big Al Frumkin - Bell Ringer X 2

Big Al was ringing the bell, first in honor of Chris Lewis, probably the best thing he has done in Rotary over the past 20 years. He went to Montana Forty years ago and Al's life changed. He had never touched a gun or a compass but went on a elk hunting trip. He had no appreciation for God's beautiful land. It changed his life forever. Al thought that this would be his last trip as he turned 80. However, Chris Lewis took care of him and he was able to make it through the woods with his help. It turned out they had a great time walking through the woods as they did not see

any elk, nor hear any shots fired. They didn't even see any elk in the back of trucks. That did not matter as they had a great time. The first bell is a thank you to Chris for all he did to help him. Al has been hunting for 37 years. This is the first year that he missed his wife while being away. The second Bell Ringer is in Lisa's honor.

Chris Lewis - Happy Bucks

Chris Lewis' was happy that Chris Figueroa was able to join them today. Chris L. asked Chris F. to share with the club what his sign name was during the trip. Chris F. noted that it was WiFi, because he was always looking for wifi. Al's name was "Wise owl" Chris L. was Falcon and Chris F. second name was Tofu. The secret word is Tofu.

Joe Green - Happy Bucks

Joe was pleased to share that he is now Sac State's newest athletic partner. They had a great tailgate session this last weekend with them. It was a lot of fun. We will see where it takes his little business.

Unknown Female - Happy Bucks

Glad that the political texts are going to stop after today.

Linda Bigler

Last Week's Word - Old

Linda won wine

and she is happy

Sgt. At Arms, Cady, wished to issue fines of $1 each to Debbie Hudson and Chris Lewis for failing to notify the club that Debbie had changed her name from Hudson to Huson, as exhibited on the Bell Ringer board. Debbie claimed she was a victim and should not be fined. Al just didn't care. Chris L. quietly paid his $1.

Debbie Hudson

or is it

Debbie Huson

Bell Ringer Board

I'd like to solve...

Debbie Huson.

I,m sorry,

that is incorrect!

John Gabriel - Blue Books

We are redoing the Blue Book. We want the information to be accurate. Many of you have already confirmed the information on your page. He is going to update Club Runner at the same time as the Blue Book, so you must fill in all of the information. This process does not require the listing of addresses. John will ask if you want the address published. Please answer his specific questions with specific answers and not general OK as he may have to contact you again. John needs to hear back from everyone about the listings on the page and not just OK.

Al Cady warned the club that they must listen to John because he was a principal at one time. Two of our club members claimed John as their own principal when they were in school... John holds his age well, and issued detentions right after the meeting for his two former students.

Matt Ross decided to donate Happy Bucks in honor of John going to middle schools to recruit new members.

The Prez noted that we will be selling advertising for the Blue Books to help cover the cost of printing them. Full- and half-page space will be sold. Keep in mind that these adds will be in the books for ever and ever. The Prez will send out particulars very soon.

Holiday Party

We have a flyer for the Holiday Party. Lisa Asperger has been working hard and doing a great job on the parry. She needs conformation on attendance. Please email her at lisaasperger@gmail.com by November 12. Dinner is $75 per person which includes a buffet dinner, desert and two drinks of very, very good spirits at Locked Barrel.

Rotary International

Several club members have avoided receiving an email from Matt because they have already made a donation to Rotary International. You too can avoid his emails just by donating. You know you are going to donate... do it now, and Matt will leave you alone.

Laurell Ruff Holiday Party

Tuesday, December 3rd. The BBQ crew needs to be there very early, the rest need to be there about 10:30 AM. We have the children coming from four different schools,

as was the case in years past, pre-covid. This is a great event and we need everyone to help. The highly esteemed and highly sought after position of Santa is still available. Al Frumkin has offered to fill the spot if no one else wants to do it.

Coats and Hoodies for Kids

Carroll Cook announced that he delivered 52 coats and hoodies on Wednesday. He also bought 10 more yesterday. They are making deliveries of the Coats as shown below.

Carroll did inform the club that puffy coats are not appreciated by the older, more fashion conscience, school students. They like hoodies. So now it is Coats and Hoodies for Kids. That doesn't quite roll off the tongue like Coats for Kids but times change and change we must. The hat was passed to purchase more coats.

Dr. David Ferrera - Induction

District Governor, Steve Turner, was honored to induct our club's newest member Dr. David Ferrera. Dr. Ferrera lives close by, not far from Steve.

Dr. David Ferrera

Induction Ceremony

District Governor

Steve Turner

New Induction Interview Ceremony

District Governor, Steve Turner had the pleasure of asking David Ferrera a few questions to help the club get to know him better.

D.G. Turner: Please list three adjectives to describe yourself?

Dr. David: Tall, Dark and Handsome

D.G. Turner: I want to take you back to the beginning of the meeting and the 4-way Test

D.G. Turner: Talk to me about a book you are currently reading or have recently read?

Dr. David: The Autobiography of Elon Musk

D.G. Turner: Tell us a little about your family?

Dr. David: I have been married to my wife Evelyn for 53 years. He moved here from Seattle to do his residency. He has a daughter who lives in Carmichael and two grandkids. One in Nashville and one in Fortworth.

D.G. Turner: Tell us about your vocation. What kind of doctor are you?

Dr. David: I could never decide what kind of doctor to be so I did everything. After a while I got burned out and transitioned to doing clinical research. Recruiting patients for clinical trials on medication before it was approved for distribution.

D.G. Turner: Besides your work, what else are you passionate about?

Dr. David: My passion is travel. He enjoys hopping on a plane and exploring new locals.

D.G. Turner: What do you like to do no weekends?

Dr. David: Besides Netflix? It depends on the weather. If the weather is nice I walk or ride my bike or gardening. Poor weather lends itself to tube time.

D.G. Turner: Do you play any practical jokes on friends or family?

Dr. David: When he was going to propose to his wife, he went to a pawn shop and got the ugliest ring he could find and gave it to her. She was hesitantly appreciative saying "Oh!". He then gave her the real ring and they have been married for 53 years.

D.G. Turner: What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

Dr. David: Getting inducted into their club is an accomplishment. Deciding to join this club was a difficult decision. First, I am reminded of what Groucho Marx said, I would never join a club that would have me as a member. Number 2, I have met a lot of you and... it is a low bar. I had a revelation the other day, I have to join this club, the food is great!

D.G. Turner: What is your early memory about what Rotary is?

Dr. David: I knew very little about Rotary until I went online looking for something to devote my twilight years to and give back to the community.

It was at this point that DG Turner presented Dr. Dave with his Red Badge and then told him about wat he was expected to do in his first few months. He was then presented with a special District Governor's pin. We have a saying "The pin will get you in." Wear your pin and you can get into any club meeting around the world. He then was the first one to shake Dr. Dave's hand and welcome him into Rotary International. Everyone followed suit and did likewise.

Laurel Schell joined us via Zoom

Laurel is a volunteer with the Amarok Society and helps with communications and presentations to groups.

Feheem, 11-year-old boy and lives in Daka near the Capital City of Bangladesh.

He can attend school for free but his parents can't cover the cost of school uniforms, supplies and books. Even if they could, they need to help earn money to support their families. Even if they could go to school, they would find themselves in a one room building with 75 other students facing one teacher. The teacher is not paid enough to live on so has to take on private tutoring jobs. Class time gets in the way of earning more money so the free school classes are often not very long and they don't produce much results. Serious students need to hire private tutors. Faheem’s parents also grew up destitute and don't see the need to send him to school or to a tutor, even if they could afford one. Faheem spends his day helping at an auto repair shop to help support his family.

This is a world-wide problem with 76% of the children in the world facing a lack of education. These children are locked out of education and into a life of poverty, exploitation and violence.

The Amarok Society has come up with a solution to this problem, teach the mothers to teach the children. Each mother commits to teach five children in the community. This model is sustainable and is changing the culture to one that values education. These mothers become champions for women's and children's rights and education. They are making their slums safer and better places in which to grow up.

This is Adiri, an 8 year old girl

Adiri's mother, Kamya, was married to a grown man at the age of 11 or 12. The exact age is unknown because her parents can't remember. Bangladesh suffers from a restrictive dowery system that makes it hard for parents, as the bride's family pays the grooms family a dowery. The older the bride, the higher the dowery. The poorest of the poor can't afford high doweries and have to marry them off very young. It is the exception for a girl to make it to the age of 18, most are married by the age of 13. Kamaya was forced to take care of the household and start having babies right away. Kamaya is now one of the teachers four Amarok and she is teaching Adiri and other children in the neighborhood. Each of their 25 mothers teach at least five children and each child teaches at least one other child what they are learning.

Adiri is now teaching her grandfather how to read and write. This is a major societal change where a man is submitting himself to receive an education from a female child. Adiri is already changing her world. What could she do after going to a university.

The Amarok women are upsetting the societal balance. They help and support each other. They are challenging the societal norms and are making a difference in their world, educating their children and pushing back on child marriage. They have eradicated child marriage in their community. This was not a goal of the Amarok Society. It was an outcome of the women's education.

What happens if we don't help the Faheem’s of Bangladesh? Extremist are providing alternatives for these young men. Without an education they grow up desperate, hungry, frustrated and angry. Without purpose and hope they become members of extremist groups. Extremism feeds on death and destruction and it can't be defeated with guns. The answer to this problem is an educated mother, willing to make a difference in the life of a child.

Amarok Society gives the mother a reason to live and she passes that on to her children and other children in the community, helping to improve their lives and defeat extremism. Peace and prosperity through education is possible and within their grasp.

President Jensen thanked Laurel for a very informative presentation. She told the club that we are continuing to support Salina, our Amarok sponsored mother, with a $1,000 check.

The Prez thanked everyone for attending and she the encouraged everyone to go share the magic of Rotary and rang the bell closing the meeting at 1:03 pm.

Respectfully (more or less) submitted by,

Mike Grace