President Christine Jensen rang the bell and welcomed club members and guests to the small, but mighty, Rotary Club of Arden Arcade. She thanked everyone for coming.
Pledge:
Debbie Hudson
The Prez asked Debbie Hudson to lead the pledge to our flag.
The Prez then led the club in reciting 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 the "late" Ben Fox to provide the invocation.
Invocation:
Ben Fox
Longtime member and community figure Stan Atkinson passed away. George Prather shared memories and noted Stan's impact, including a rare interview with Charles Manson. Members reflected on Stan's contributions to the community and Rotary. He will be missed.
Edie Lambert is pictured above with Stan at a 2017 Rotary Club lunch meeting.
Stan Atkinson retired in July 1999 after 46 years in television and radio.
He was the principal news anchor and reporter for KCRA 3 Sacramento for 23 years.
Then, he spent 5 years at KOVR 13 anchoring and reporting on the weekday newscasts.
For a good history on Stan, please utilize this link to navigate to a
Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Atkinson
President Christien asked everyone to bow their heads
in a solemn moment of prayer for the passing of
Rob Olmstead's father, Robert Olmstead II.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to
Rob and his family for the loss of his father.
... and Guests!
Rachel Hock
Assistant Principal
Aspire School
Reggie Johnson
RYLA Student
Aspire School
Elizabeth Robinson
RYLA Student
Aspire School
Heather Ladine
Capital Community Athletics
The Prez has a special presentation for her later in the meeting
News Out of Place
Interact Dinner
Debbie and Bruce attended the Interact end-of-year banquet. The banquet was student-organized with advisor support. Six of our Interact students attended, and Bruce and Debbie engaged with them. We have committed to help them this next year to get awards at next year's banquet. District Governor, Steve Turner, provided an impromptu speech for the event. Our club will be purchasing the sashes for graduating seniors ($10 per senior).
Lisa Asperger - Bell Ringer
Lisa rang the bell, happy to be back to share her recent trip to Ireland and Scotland. She had sunshine the entire time. She celebrated her birthday by hiking on a deserted Shetland Island.
Todd Eichman - Bell Ringer
Todd rang the bell to share that he survived his 24-day trip to Italy, Croatia, and Greece with his wife and mother-in-law. They visited Venice and Greece. It was a wonderful way to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary as well as Mother's Day. Mom in law did great.
Christien Jensen - Bell Ringer
Christine rang the bell for her daughter Rachel's upcoming 34th birthday.
Dave Ferrera - Happy/Sad Bucks
Dave announced that he is happy and sad as he is leaving Sacramento for the third year in a row to spend summer in Victoria, B.C. to avoid Sacramento heat and will be missing the meetings until October, when it gets cooler. Dave will be attending Rotary meetings in Vitoria. It will be fun to hear just how much he helped improve their club when he gets back.
Bill Hambrick - Happy Bucks
Bill was happy to have his annual three-day commitment to masochism, disguised as the Western States 100 running event, behind him. Over 750 people participated in this year's race... and none of them got eaten by wildlife... mosquitos maybe, but not mountain lions.
Matt Ross - Happy & Sad Bucks
Matt is happy and sad. Happy his daughter is back in town and has a summer internship at Sacramento State working with all of the athletes. Sad because he is her backup alarm clock. Matt, knowing his daughter, figures that if he wants her to be successful, and eventually move out of his house, he needs to help her get to work on time. She has to be at work at 5:00 AM so he has to wake her up at 4:00 AM.
Rolundia Mitchell
Extracurricular
Rolundia selected a nice bottle of Petite Sirah
We Made the Front Page of the Carmichael Times
The ribbon cutting ceremony for our last AED installation at Howe Park
was covered by Susan Maxwell
Better Late Thank Never... Happy Bell Ringing Revisited
D. G. Turner - Happy Bucks
Steve wanted to give happy bucks in honor of the amazing job the club, and especially Matt Ross, did in getting the AED program going and distributing them throughout the area, from Marysville to Elk Grove and everywhere in between. We did manage to garner a lot of TV time. Steve thanked everyone that attended the press events. Kudos to Matt for his experience in leading multi-club grants. We have a great reputation in leading them successfully.
Matt Ross - Bell Ringer
Matt was so impressed with Steve Turner's tribute and Prez Jensen's comments that he felt honored to acknowledge them by ringing the bell.
Bruce was pleased to introduce Elizabeth (Lizzy) and Reggie (Reggie) selected as the top two finalists out of five candidates, from our club to attend RYLA this year. Both are Juniors attending Aspire Alexander Twilight Secondary Academy. Each will be attending for one week and going at different times. Both students gave brief introductions. Bruce is looking forward to their return after the camp so the club can see the difference the camp makes in these students.
Time two Induct
Joelle Fondale
Inductee, Part 2 of 2
D.G. Steve Turner
Induction Governor
Emmette Swarat
Inductee, Part 1 of 1
Joelle Fondale Induction, Take Two
Joelle may be the first club member in the history of the club to have her induction be conducted in two parts. Part 1 was a special presentation conducted during the Annual Student Scholarship Lunch as a way of educating the students and their parents as how members join our club. The ceremony was abbreviated for the occasion. The club wanted Joelle to experience the full induction ceremony, hence Induction Part two, interrogation!
DG Steve: Joelle, can you tell us about a book that you've recently read?
Joelle: The last two books I've read are both fiction, one being The Woman. Has anybody read it about the Vietnam nurses that went over to Vietnam? It was excellent, but it was historic fiction. I'm currently reading The Frozen River, another historic fiction book about a midwife in the late 1700s.
DG Steve: We do not promote our own business as Rotarians, except when we first join. It's really important that we get an opportunity early on from you to talk about your work. This is the time you can give us a pitch on type of sales stuff and sales and buying that you do as a Realtor.
Joelle: I've been a real estate agent for over 30 years. I started out in the property Management world and I'm still there a little bit. About 10, 12 years ago we needed a broker, the property management office and I went down that avenue and once you get your broker's license you can sell real estate. So, some of my owners in the property management business needed me to sell their homes and I fell in love with that side of the business. I moved on to Keller Williams about 10, 12 years ago and started doing resell then. It's one of my passions. I absolutely love it. I love the interaction with people and getting a real close bond with them and really helping them either find their dream home or sell their home and finding their next dream home. I'm still with Keller Williams and we still have our little mom and pop property management business which is single family homes basically.
DG Steve then turned his sights on Emmette Swarat. Steve is his sponsor and is happy that he has decided to join Rotary. Steve has known Emmett for a few years. Steve has joked around about the background checks we do in Rotary to make sure we get the right folks, he actually assured the club, in this case, he really did Emmett's background. Emmett works for an amazing five state operation called Wisdom Western States Information Network. They help support law enforcement to make sure that investigations are coordinated amongst five different states. They also work with other large multi state organizations throughout the country. Wisdom focuses on Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii and Alaska. Steve's role in this is help do backgrounds on all of the criminal analysts and folks that come into the organization. Everybody in that organization has been through a California post background including their human resources reps, the Folks that take care of personnel. Steve got to do a background on Emmett, and got to see how amazing he is. He's become somebody that Steve works with on a regular basis. He is a big point of contact as they're bringing in new employees and making sure we have everything we need. Steve could tell by his character that he would be a great Rotarian. Emmette and his bride to be came out to the poker tournament, had a great time, got to meet folks, asked a lot of questions... while most of the club members were a little under the influence. Emmette felt he got really good answers.
DG Steve: I'm going to help everybody else get to Emmette like I know him. We're going to start with adjectives. Emmette, please provide three adjectives to us that describe you and who you are.
Emmette: I would say kind is probably my favorite adjective. I like to go out my way to help people in any way I can. Sometimes it's just as simple as I'll go grocery shopping and I'll see maybe a homeless person up front. I'll get him a sandwich from the deli and give it to him on my way out. Just kind of quiet acts of kindness there. I would say intelligence, another adjective. I've tried to really develop that over the last few years. Try to get as much schooling as I can, looking at different projects. Obviously, human resources involves a lot of strategy, a lot of human aspects. I try to work with the staff as much as I can to make them feel comfortable and supported. So any way I can try to make that happen. The third one, I probably feel like it's a given but strong. Spent most of my life working out because of football and other collegiate sports. So I try to help people move and do heavy lifting whenever I can.
DG Steve: Please tell us a little bit about your fiance, Dion?
Emmette: Oh, where do I start with this one? Thank God she couldn't be here today. She is amazing. She's very supportive. She's also thoughtful. She allows me to be my best self in every way possible. She's got a lot of patience. I do a lot of kooky stuff sometimes. So, thank God, she puts up with that. She's intelligent and challenges me in ways that I didn't know were possible before I met her.
DG Steve: What does a typical weekend look like for you?
Emmette: I get off at 5:00 PM on Fridays, I blackout by 9. I reawake on Monday at 6am and I get to work. DG Steve: I actually have more facts than that. We can use mine or we can use yours.
Emmette: Which facts do you have. DG Steve: From the Dark Web?
Emmette: Oh, yeah, it's just usually a lot of friends and family. I try to visit my mom and my dad every weekend that I can help out around the house. In fact, actually just Sunday I was over there fixing their lawnmower. Had to clean out the engine. Investing a lot in the yard lately. So trying to do a lot of yard work. Sports, baseball, football. I have three dogs at home. I have two pit labs who are very cuddly and I have an Aussie who winds at all times. I take them on walks. I love playing with them. In fact, actually we just spent this weekend also not only fixing lawnmower, I taught the two pit labs how to dive in our pool. And I got to watch the Aussie fall in into the deep end.
DG Steve: Have you played any practical jokes on a friend, family member or one of your dogs?
Emmette: I don't know if it's a practical joke, but it's kind of a story if that's okay. About the time I was 18, I was driving around my parents minivan, me and my sister and my cousin went to a varsity football game because I just graduated and want to go back and you know, watch the team play one more game. And as we were leaving the field at like 11 o'clock at night, I realized I had a headlight out and there was a police checkpoint. So being the 18 year old self that I was, I wanted to avoid a ticket. I went down this side country road and realized at a certain point I'd gone too far. There's no street lights, I can't see anything anymore. So I pull into this person's driveway and go to put in reverse and I swear to God, rear view mirror, there is Michael Myers standing in my Rearview mirror. So again, doing what any rational 18 year old should do, I put that minivan in reverse and I punched it and I hit Michael Myers with my car. And then my sister freaked out. She's like, what did you hit? I was like, Michael Myers. We got out and it was in fact not Michael Myers. But, unfortunately, I destroyed this person's mailbox. So I left my notes, told them I'd be back tomorrow to fix it and went home.
DG Steve: Did you go back?
Emmette: I did go back and fix the mailbox the next day. The mailbox will never be the same.
DG Steve: What would you like to do in Rotary?
Emmette: I think a great feature would be teaching young people about financial literacy, helping keeping them out of debt early, making sure that they are staying on top of payments, understanding how to get a good credit score, opening credit cards, applying for loans, managing a budget would be really good, especially if you're looking for apartments or houses for rents.
DG Steve: That would be an amazing project. President Elect Matt, Would that be something we could do?
Prez Elect Ross: Maybe. Actually, I could probably use that.
DG Steve: Service above self, it's our principal model in Rotary motto. It conveys that philosophy of unselfish volunteer service. It's part of the echoes of the Rotary Club of Art and Arcade. We choose to embody this through a metaphor of when you come into the doors, you've got to check your code of self interest. Until you do, you'll not be able to get to your sleeves, roll them up, and do the good work of Rotary.
DG Steve invited Joelle back up and asked everybody to stand and then inducted Emmett Swarat as a member of the Rotary Club of Arden Arcade.
DG Steve presented the District Governor's pin to Emmette. "It doesn't have any name or motto or dates or anything like that, so it hopefully will last you a 20 year lifespan, it is magnetic. If you lose it look inside the dryer and it will be stuck to the inside."
DG Steve then gave him his welcome packet and taught him the secret handshake. The secret word is "secret." He also gave him his new red badge and the Rotary challenge coin with the four way test on it. Al is our sergeant in arms and he is our helper for all of our red badgers. He may fill you full of stories that might never have actually happened. The Red badge comes from the old red coats we used to wear for new members. New members would wear the red coat so folks knew you were a new member and would help you with your duties about introducing yourself to everybody, helping with reading, attending a board meeting ahead of time and a few other duties. After you're done with your Red badge duties, you'll get a Blue badge. That means you've gone through those steps and are fully done with that process of coming into your club. But the first step for becoming fully into the club, first step to becoming a Rotarian at Arden Arcade is we would all like to welcome you and enjoy a enjoy shaking your hand for both you and Joelle, by every member of the club. The club member then stepped forward and welcomed Emmette and Joelle into the club by shaking their hands.
Capital Community Athletics (CCA) Grant Recipient Award
The Prez asked Ben Fox and Heather Ladine to please come up. Our own member, Ben Fox is on the board of Capital Community Athletics. Ben brought CCA as speakers to a recent meeting, which many of you were here when they came and shared their program with us. We encouraged them to apply for our community grant. We used to have two community grants a year, but the board decided it was more impactful to make a larger impact on an organization than to give out a bunch of small grants.
The Prez presented Heather with our community grant, the big check of $5,000, followed up with the real small check with big numbers.
Heather: on behalf of Capital Community Athletics, thank you for your generosity and being willing to support them. We will be using this money to put towards one of their newest teams that just got started. The 8 and 9 year old boys are ecstatic. Many of them have been waiting a couple of years to be able to get on a team. They are thrilled to have a new coach step up at the beginning of this year, saying that he would like to take the lead and coach a new team. He'd previously been an assistant coach that had kind of been groomed for that position. They're so excited that their team's going to be able to continue this fall. This will help support very practical things like their uniforms, field rentals, referee rentals. Any of you that have had children or maybe grandchildren in organized sports know how expensive it is. Thanks to your generosity, we're able to subsidize the cost greatly for these young refugee youth to be able to participate. So thank you so very much.
Ben: It's just a great honor of pride that when I say, oh, I'm a member of Rotary, we do real things. What I love about CCA is it is such a picture of what Rotary is, but which is this massive international, across the globe organization that also has local impact. And here we are with CCA with families and youth coming from across the world to live here now in Sacramento. So what a unique opportunity to help fund an organization that is doing international impact right here in Sacramento. I'm really proud to be part of this club. Thanks so much, both of you for all you do.
Prez Jensen noted that Tim Cahill's daughter, Christine, will be doing her presentation about grants at Point West on June 17th. The meeting will be conducted by Past President Thomas Goode.
District Award's Night & Chillie Cook Off
The award's night this year is on a Monday, June 9th at 6:00 for the amazing price of FREE. We are serving wine and beer and need people that know how to pour both responsibly. Volunteers are being requested for this fun event at Safetyville Sacramento, that little town designed to make everyone feel like giants. Everyone is encouraged to attend in honor of the first time in years, maybe forever, that our club has completed the 52-page questionnaire, and is a shoe in for winning at least the penmanship award. This would be a great place to wear your new hat, brim forward.
The Prez sincerely wants our club and the members to receive acknowledgements for all of the good work it does, and it was an honor for her to spend the hours, and hours, and hours, filling out each of the 52 pages with impeccable penmanship, in order to ensure credit is given for the good work done by our club.
Palm Street Pub & Grill
Another signup sheet will be passed around for members to identify their meal choice for the Prez's last meeting of her term on June 10th at the Palm Street Pub & Grill.
Blue Book Advertising
The Prez noted that we have a lot of new pages to be added to the existing and new Blue Books for all of our new members. To help cover the cost, advertisement pages are being sold. This is a pay one time, and have your ad in the Blue Book forever, offer. You can invest in a one page, or half page advertisement. The cost per month, when taken over a 25-year life of the book is pennies per day, almost free. The investment qualifies as a business expense and is completely deductible... if you don't believe me, and you shouldn't, ask your tax advisor.
Prez Jensen: So, that's it for wrapping up the end of the year. While I'm in Calgary, Tom Goode will be your substitute president. President Jensen rang the bell and closed the meeting at 12:50 P.M. extoling everyone to go "Share the Magic of Rotary."
Respectfully (more or less) submitted by,
Mike Grace
Reporter, Photographer and Editor
Hellen Weight
Ombudsman and Content Supervisor
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
Service Above Self
Tuesdays at 12:00 PM
Piatti
571 Pavilions Lane
Arden-Arcade, CA 95825 United States of America
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