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January 7, 2025
 
Rotary Club of Arden Arcade
Lunch Meeting
 
President Christine Jensen
Presiding
Club President, Christine Jensen, opened the meeting
by ringing the bell, wishing everyone a Happy New Year and
welcoming everyone to the Mighty Rotary Club of Arden Arcade. 
Pledge: Heather Wulfert
The Prez asked Heather Wulfert to lead the pledge to our flag.
She then led everyone in the recitation of the 4-Way Test:
1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
She then asked Dave Ferrera to provide the invocation.
Invocation: Dave Ferrera
Visitors and Guests
Welcome to Rotary at Piatti's 
Who could ask for a nicer welcoming crew? Out lovely Red-badgers,
Rolindia Mitchell, Rachel Hock and Marisol Cabrera
were enjoying the sun while greeting our guests and members.
 
 
 
Guest - Andrew Ross
 
Matt Ross had the pleasure of introducing his Rotaria- in-Training son, Andrew. Andrew is attending Sac State as an engineering student and his father let the club know that Andrew will be looking for an engineering position just as soon as he graduates in a year or so.  Matt is planning ahead and making sure that Andrew gets a job as soon as possible, as he has designs on making Andrew's room his man cave, just as soon as he is employed and leaves the house.
 
 
Guest - Efren Del Rio
 
Richard Goore introduced Efren Del Rio as a visiting Rotarian.  Efren recently moved to our community and was formerly a member of the Gridly Rotary Club.  He is shopping around, looking for a new club to call home.  Little does he know, his search has ended.
 
 
Guest - Doug Bergman
 
The Prez sort of introduced our guest speaker, Doug Bergman, and promised to do a complete introduction later in the meeting.
 
 
 
Rolundia Mitchell - Bell Ringer
Rolundia announced this is her first Bell Ringer, and because it was her first time, she wanted it to be very special and memorable.  Thinking ahead and knowing this was the right time, she felt the need to take a moment and figure out a good reason to ring the bell.  She set aside time with a yellow lined notepad, a pencil, a glass of wine, and a fire in the fireplace.  She soon realized that she was enjoying the spirit of the holiday season and knew, then and there, that she would ring the bell for her favorite season of year.  This season begins with Halloween and ends with Valentine's Day, before it changed into the season-to-be-melancholy.  She is ringing the bell for the extended Holiday Season... including groundhog's day.  We look forward to the February 18th meeting to see if she will be offering up Sad Bucks.
 
 
Ben Fox - Bell Ringer
 
Ben noted that he was absent for most of the meetings last year.  He was busy closing the toughest commercial real estate deal of his career. The sale of the Residence Inn on Howe Avenue finally closed.  It was sold to a client of his and will be converted into affordable housing.  
 
 
Jenny Davini- Bell Ringer
 
Jenny is ringing the bell to celebrate the great time she had with her son in L.A. and that he is out of college now.  It was a wonderful time.
 
 
District Governor, Steve Turner - Happy Bucks
 
DG Turner  shared that he had a meeting, of a professional nature, with a former club member, Jason Borg.  Jason has moved his office back into our area.  Steve invited him to revisit our club as a guest of Steve's, in hopes of his returning as a recycled member.
 
Editor's note: The club needs to proceed with caution when dealing with the Borgs. Resistance is futile... just ask 7 of 9.  The secret word is Borg.
 
 
Emily Ballus - Happy Bucks
 
Emily was happy to report that the Fulton El Camino Park District's Measure Q, ballot/bond initiative, passed.  This will allow the district to move forward with much-needed improvements that will benefit the entire community.
 
Matt Ross - Happy Bucks
 
Matt was giving Happy Bucks for Mike Grace.  If you haven't read the newsletter, you are missing out.  You could have gotten great tidbits on Nebraska from Mike.  You would have learned about the international tractor convention that draws 100,000 people.  You would have learned  alot and he didn't even know it happened at our last meeting. The Prez offered Mike a chance to explain.  He attempted to sum up the post by saying "Read the newsletter."  He then went on to explain that "Matt was attempting to make the case that volleyball was a sport because there were 10,000 people packed into a space where volleyball
happened to be playing, and therefore volleyball was a really a sport based upon turnout... in Lincoln, Nebraska.  As there is not much else for people to do in Lincoln, Nebraska, I'm not sure that that is the strongest argument in favor of proving volleyball is a sport." What Mike did not mention was the list of things to do in Lincoln, Nebraska that included a quilting museum and a Zombie scavenger hunt. He countered Matt's numeric proof of sport with the statement in the newsletter, "Attendance at the International Farm Tractor event brings in over 100,000 people and that does not make it a sport. "  
 
Editor's note:  The Editor has been served a "cease and desist notice" from the Lincoln Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, cosigned by the Lincoln Nebraska Rotary, Kiwanis and Lyon's Clubs, International Tractor Manufacturers Association,  Future Farmers of America, Former Farmers of America, and the Spinsters Green Thumb Gardening Club of Lincoln Nebraska.  The internet is a powerful tool... be careful how you use it. 
Bruce Stimson
Last Week's Word - Zombie
Bruce won an I. O. U. 
to be redeemed once
Al Cady gets back from
his Canadian Pilgrimage.
 
New and Improved Blue Books
President Jensen announced that it is never too late to be a Blue Book Sponsor.  New sponsor pages will be added at least once a year, most likely in July, right after the change in presidents.  A big thank you to our five sponsors.  By the way sponsors, if you have not yet paid your sponsorship fees, you can settle up with Jenny at any time. 
 
 
Blue Book Quiz of the Week
Which sponsor has the full page add?
 
!!! THIS JUST IN !!!
District Governor, Steve Turner negotiated a special prize for the winner of this year's Rotary District Speech Contest... two tickets to the Disneyland Conference, complete with airfare, overnight accomodations and admission to Disneyland.  The winner will also be giving their winning speech to the conference attendees.  Prez Jensen noted that DG Steve was the main driver behind this.  Great Job DG.
 
District Conference
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, you all know that this year's District Conference is being held at Disneyland for one day only, on Saturday April 12, 2025
 
Registration is Now OPEN for District Conference 2025 
Hosted by Districts 5180 and 5300
 
The Magic of Rotary will be in full swing at the 2025 District Conference at Disneyland Hotel Resort, 1150 W. Magic Way, Anaheim, on Saturday, April 12, 2025, with a full day of outstanding speakers, breakout sessions, music, food and fun.
 
In addition, before the start of our opening session at 12:00 Noon on Saturday, a special Disney Leadership Institute training session will be held at 9:00 am for those interested in attending.  
 
There are also a couple optional events hosted by District 5300 that you are invited to attend if you want to arrive Friday afternoon (see the conference registration link for more information on the two optional events).
 
Every club member that can make it should be there to support our District Governor.  This is an important conference and it will be one of the best offering in the past several years... and we can play at Disneyland the following day.
 
 
Big Al Frumkin Update
 
Bob Mutchler shared that he spoke with Big Al and he has had a pacemaker installed and is going in to have his corraded artery cleaned out. He is very, very, positive and sounds better than he has in a while.  
 
 
 
Chris Figeuroa is Approved
 
The Board has unanimously approved the membership application for Chris Figeuroa pending club member approval.  Evidently, the fact that Chris is the second Chris in our club, and that he is a friend of Big Al's, did not negatively influence the boards decision to approve him. As there were no objections, Chris will be inducted to the club at the next meeting.  Chris has been a bundle of energy, attending every meeting since his first visit.  
 
 
Dyer Kelly Coats for Kids Update
 
Carroll Cook provided a season's-end accounting for the Dyer Kelly coat program:
     Carroll purchased 90 coats
     Cosco donated 3 coats
     Macy's Coat Grant, procured by Rolundia,  112 coats
          Total Coats delivered to the children at Dyer Kelly - 205
The day of delivery was a bit of a zoo, to say the least.  Carroll gave a big thank you to Rolundia for stepping up to assist with the program, she was a tremendous help. Thank you Carroll for another great year of warmth for the students at Dyer Kelly Elementary School.
 
It's Dictionary Time Again!
 
Bill Hambrick shared that the dictionary delivery program continues to grow, along with the student populations at the local schools.  We have ordered 650 dictionaries.  This means there are a lot of licking of stickers to be done and copious amounts of wine will be needed to wet the tongues of the sticker-lickers.  You will not want to miss the social event of the year when everyone gets together to lick and stick the labels to the very nice dictionaries.  The sticker party will be at Rob Olmstead's house.  Date, time and address will follow.
District AED Grant
 
Matt Ross shared that we have started to spend the District Grant funds for the AED project.  The AED for Mission Oaks RPD has been purchased.  We need help with the PR kickoff at Mission Oaks the end of January or the beginning of February.  The San Juan USD's AED will be installed in February and Fulton El Camino's RPD AED will be installed in early March. Volunteers will be needed to help with a health screening event on March 9th in Davis.  These screening events usually find 2 to 5 students with heart irregularities that need attention.  These screenings save lives. Talk with Matt if you can help.  A sign-up sheet will be passed out to the club
 
 
Poker Tournament 
 
Rob Olmstead was very pleased to announce that all of the premier sponsorship categories have been sold for this year's poker tournament.  Republic Services has come in as a sponsor this year.  We can always use table sponsors and there are still tables to be sponsored.  Go to the new and improved website for tickets and sponsorships.  Thanks to Heather Wulfert, the site is up to date.
 
 
 
United Cerebral Palsy
 
President Christine introduced our guest Speaker, Doug Bergman,
CEO and President of the Board for United Cerebral Palsy, UCP.  Doug's aim for this meeting is to provide a greater awareness of the services UCP has to offer the greater Sacramento Area Community and how they go about providing them. Doug grew up in Indiana and was pleased to have Indiana mold him from childhood through college into the person he is today.
Doug has been with UCP for 19 years.  Before coming to UCP he had a career with Conoco Phillips for 20 years.  After working in the corporate world for Conoco Phillips,  he felt it was time to give back to the community and make a difference at UCP. 
Developmental disabilities are those ailments that can not be cured.  Diseases have the potential to be cured, but not developmental disabilities. These are things that people have to live with, and UCP attempts to help them with that process. The Sacramento UCP serves the five surrounding counties.
UCP turns 70 in April.  Their first transportation van was purchased with 1 million S&H Green Stamps in 1971. In the 1950's and 60's the only option for children with developmental difficulties was to live in a center and be taken care of.   Today, they are much more than their name. 
Cerebral Palsy is only 11% of their services today.  UCP now works with all developmental disabilities.  UCP employs 976 employees in Sacramento, four program divisions and 14 programs serving over 3,000 individuals a month with developmental disabilities in eight counties in Northern California. The following are some of the many services UCP provides our communities:
 
2,000 families are served by the Respite Department.
While the clients have physical disabilities, they are mentally smart and aware.  One client who is confined to a wheelchair spends time sending letters to soldiers in Iraq, because they need our support.
This is their newest program.  Every child needs to recreate and make friends.
These camps require a lot of volunteers and need to be supplemented with paid staff as necessary, so this is an expensive program.
Coming soon... Saddle Pals, their therapeutic horseback riding program, will soon be back.  This program is returning after being gone for a while due to a lack of funding. A new way to fund the program is being developed and the program should be back next fall or in the spring of 2026. The local horseman's association is providing 10 acres and a no fee 10-year lease for the program.  There will be infrastructure development to support the program and that takes funds. This will be local to Sacramento as opposed to other programs that are further away from the city core. 
The national average for effective funding from donations is 65%.  Good programs run in the 80% range.  Excellent programs are in the 90% category. UCP returns 90% of donations directly to the client services. UCP has developed streams of income linked to services they provide through contracts with governmental agencies.  This allows UCP to continue to provide free services and maintain a high rate of return for the donation dollar invested. 
The events listed above are their major fundraisers.  The Humanitarian of the Year program has raised over $400,000 for the event in the past.  Funds from this year's events will help establish Saddle Pals.
 
Doug likes to run UCP as a for profit business rather than have the attitude of a non-profit.  He wants to make sure that the program is sustainable and attempts to minimize dependance on donations.  He strives to show a profit at the end of the years as it reduces the need to raise even more funds to help support the next year's programs.  Any profit realized gets reinvested into the programs.
 
 
 
 
 
The Prez thanked Doug for his presentation and gave him a challenge coin as our way of showing appreciation to him for his time.
 
Charter Night is Coming
 
Al Cady is chairing Charter Night.  It will be our 70th anniversary/birthday party, and will be an event you will not want to miss.  More information to follow. 
 
The Prez thanked everyone for attending and she the encouraged everyone to go share the magic of Rotary ringing the bell, closing the meeting at 1:02 pm. 
 
Respectfully (more or less) submitted by,
 
Mike Grace
 
DISCLAIMER - Some of the information provided in some of the articles, and possibly included in some of the "quotes" from club members, may have been a fabrication of a demented mind.   It is up to you to determine fact from fiction.  Individuals objecting to all or any part herein, are encouraged to go to Hellen Weight to lodge a formal complaint.
 
Club Information
Arden-Arcade
Service Above Self
Tuesdays at 12:00 PM
Piatti
571 Pavilions Lane
Arden-Arcade, CA 95825
United States of America
Phone:
(916) 801-7090
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