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Marj Sewell, The Reid Family’s Journey to San Simeon

Donna Crocker told us that Marj graduated from San Jose State in 1954 before receiving her Masters from Santa Clara. At one time she worked in a Maraschino Cherry factory. Not many people can make that claim.

How many people do you know who can say they grew up with Hearst
Castle as their playground? Well we heard from someone who did just
that! Marj Sewell told us about how her family wound up in San
Simeon when she was a young girl. Her father William, an army brat,
moved from London to Canada to Australia before coming to the
United States. They took a train from San Francisco to King City where
they had to take a pack train across the mountains to the coast. Marj’s
father was thrilled to be hired to work on Hearst Ranch in 1927. As the gardener on the hilltop, he planted 500 begonias a year and worked in the 5 heated greenhouses where he grew orchids.

Marj was born in 1932 and the family, including Marj, her older brother, Keith, mother Lois and her dad lived in a house along the same road as the schoolhouse.

During the war the Army would set up a temporary encampment for war games out on the point. About 40-50 vehicles full of army guys came every month or so for two weeks at a time. On Saturday nights, the Army boys would play music in front of Sebastian’s and girls from Cambria would come to dance. The Army also provided the boys with first run movies and townspeople were invited to attend. Having the

Army there brought a sense of security as well as the “merriment” they brought along.

The Ranch, as Hearst referred to the castle, had the largest private zoo in the world. As kids, Marj and her friends would frequently see many of the 87 different animals including polar bears, tigers and lions. When driving up the hill, one would often encounter camels that would stand by the gate and spit at the cars going by.

Polar Bear’s enclosure

When Marj attended Coast Union High School, there were 87 students but
they had a full band and a drill team, something the school does not have today.

Marj gave a very entertaining talk and we learned quite a bit about what it was like growing up in San Simeon. If you would like to know more about this, local Michele Oksen wrote a book entitled “The Reid Family’s Journey to San Simeon: Memoirs of Marjorie Reid Sewell”. It is available at the Cambria Historical Museum and on Amazon.

Heide Santos, Growing Up European

Our Own Heide Santos gave us a heartbreaking and amazing snapshot of what it was like growing up in Germany during the Nazi reign. She began by saying that she was told Americans were well informed about what happened in Germany because they watched Hogan’s Heroes. Heide debunked that claim.

Before the war, Heide’s family lived a comfortable life. But, when the war broke out, bombs were dropped on her house just a month before she was born. Hers was a difficult birth and her mother spent 6 months in the hospital while Heide’s older sister (14) took care of Heide and her other sister (10). An American soldier, upon learning of the sister’s situation, wanted to help and brought them food. The family later tried to go to Regensburg but were turned away and wound up living in tents in Dresden

where they were given just one bowl of food per person per day. Heide’s mom went from 150 pounds to 100 pounds and eventually collapsed from hunger. Luckily, an American doctor helped her regain her health.

After World War II, the Allies partitioned the defeated Germany into a Soviet-occupied zone, an American-occupied zone, a British-occupied zone and a French-occupied zone. Berlin, the German capital city, was located deep in the Soviet zone, but it was also divided into four sections. In 1946, Heide’s father came and took them to the Russian area of Berlin in East Germany.

In 1948 a “Coyote” (human smuggler) took the family through a forest to West Berlin.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time and Heide
needed to end her story there. We are hoping she can return to finish telling us her fascinating story.

Mark DiMaggio, Field Studies Collaborative

Mark began by telling us that the Paso Robles High School Field Studies Collaborative is a pathway for students interested in supplementing their PRHS standards based education with field training and hands-on research. Students earn academic credit while conducting real-world scientific research outside of the school day.

VISION The Vision of the Field Studies Collaborative is to create citizens with a deeper understanding of the connections between human well-being, service to the community, and stewardship of the natural world.

MISSION STATEMENT The Field Studies Collaborative at Paso Robles High School creates transformative educational experiences through hands-on, field-based learning and research. In partnership with private and public entities, these extra-curricular, for-credit courses provide a pathway for students to improve leadership skills and prepare for college and career with rigorous, learn-by-doing research opportunities. CORE VALUES Perseverance, Work Ethic, Leadership, Creativity, Problem-solving, Collaborative Skills, Accountability

Benefits for Students

● Direct Hands on Learning Experience
● Growth in Leadership, Problem Solving, Group Work, Perseverance and Responsibility ● Students Learn Scientific Field Techniques
● Access to Experience Not Available in the Traditional Classroom
● Collaboration with Universities, Government Agencies and Non-Profits
● Opportunity to See Research Published
● Travel, Often to Remote Research Sites
● Explore a Field of Work Usually Unavailable to High School Students
● Wonderful Chance to Make New Friends
● Receive Academic Credit.
FSC Courses are Free to Students

A number of Mark’s students who have participated in various field studies spoke of their experiences. Students participated in a Marine Intertidal Monitoring Program through NOAA. On a 2-day trip to Mt. Wilson, another student told us about doing research in binary stars while another student recounted her experience on a 5-day backpacking trip to Joshua Tree studying the desert for affects of climate change. Twice a year, students go to Santa Cruz Island for 4-5 days to monitor the plant community. During their stay, they also learn to make stone tools like the Chumash used.

Bellissima Presents the Music of Handbells with Rebecca Hendricks and Judy Zaretzka

Rebecca told us that a handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle - traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic – and moves the arm to make the hinged clapper inside the bell strike. An individual handbell can be used simply as a signal to catch people's attention or summon them together, but handbells are also often heard in tuned sets. Rebecca enjoyed playing handbells in the Bay Are for many years, with Bay Bells, Low Ding Zone, Bell Appeal, Arioso and various churches. Now that she lives in Cambria, she has presented workshops and concerts throughout San Luis Obispo County as a vocal and bell soloist, and also performs with ringing partners. She was very happy to be joined by one of her favorite bell ringing partners, Judy Zaretzka.

Rebecca explained that the original bells were made in England in 1701-02 to enable tower bell ringers to practice in more comfortable spaces than the often cold and wet bell towers. She also explained that bells can only be played in one direction. Handbells can weigh as little as 7 oz or upwards of 18 lb. Bell ringers often wear special leather gloves to protect their hands and to prevent oils from tarnishing the bells.

Rebecca said she can customize programs or presentations to audiences and events. She can be contacted at 40-307-9616 or by email at rhtrain@aol.com.

We were treated to a wonderful bell ringing concert. Thank you Rebecca and Judy.

HEATHER MARKHAM, INFANT ESSENTIALS

Donna Crocker told us that Heather began Infant Essentials in 2013. The organization provides items for homeless and low income families. Heather is a Cambrian, a member of University Women, was named a Hands On Hero by First Five and a Hometown Hero by KSBY.

The development of Infant Essentials was a journey I began in 2012, Heather explained, when she drove past a homeless couple here in Cambria, holding a sign "looking for work, food, money". She was caught off guard when she noticed that there was a baby in a stroller behind the couple. It happened to be her daughter Gwen's First Birthday and she was coming home from the grocery store having bought food for our 15 person family celebration dinner. she felt guilty for having all of the wonderful things that we have been blessed with, but also felt helpless because what could she offer them that would make a difference in their lives? She ran home and grabbed some baby snacks from our cupboard and brought them along with $20 to the couple. They were very thankful, but Heather didn't feel any

better.

Heather said that she embraced the moment and finally put her Community Health Degree back to work and began a needs assessment. She discovered pretty quickly that diapers are in high demand amongst the homeless community. Neither the Food Stamps nor WIC programs offer diapers or diaper discounts, and none of our shelters or day centers here in SLO have the ability to store or distribute goods like diapers. Having found this information she established a non-profit organization called Infant Essentials. The goal is to provide necessary comforts to homeless and low income infants 0-3 years old.

Heather received requests for diapers, pull ups, car seats, strollers, etc. from 14 agencies around the county that have identified families in need on the North Coast. There are currently 700 homeless diaper-aged children in SLO County. In addition to the homeless population, organizations such as RISE and Stand Strong contact Infant Essentials when they identify women with infants escaping violence.

Heather thanked us for the diapers and other items we donated at our meeting.

You can learn more about Heather’s work or make a donation at https:// www.infantessentials.org/ We were please to announce to Heather that our Community Service Committee voted to make a donation to Infant Essentials and Bob Kasper invited her back to accept a “Big Check” (along with an actual one).

MIke Mc Donough CCHD Adminisrator

Miguel Hernandez told us that he recently was elected to the Cambria Community Health District (CCHD) and is still learning the ropes. He introduced Mike McDonough who was hired in August 2019 as the new Administrator. Mike has 37 years in Emergency Medical Services as a field Paramedic and as an educator. Mike has a B.A. in Emergency and Disaster Management, a Masters in Health Sciences/EMS Leadership, and is working on a Ph.D in education and Transformative Leadership.

Mike told us that CCHD was created in 1947 with the objective of attracting physicians and dentists to locate their practice to the community. Community healthcare districts were originally created to bring healthcare to rural areas of California and provide jobs for war veterans. CCHD provides ambulance service to an 810

square mile area and responds to about 1500 incidents a year with an average of 600 requiring transport to the hospital. Since Cambria is so far from area hospitals, the paramedics are trained to provide more medical care than paramedics in larger cities.

In addition to providing ambulance and paramedic services, the District provides cpr training, health and wellness education and emergency preparedness education.

Mike cautioned us that people tend to think 911 will be around forever but this is not happening everywhere. As a public entity, CCHD is supported by taxes but that does not cover all

the expenses. So, the board has created a trust to help ensure that the district will be able to continue to provide the badly needed emergency services. The board is also working on identifying a helicopter landing site so patients can be transported quickly. Miguel also told us that they are working to see if an Urgent Care facility could be brought to town.

Thank you Mike for taking the time to educate our Club on the Community Healthcare District.

DR. JIM BRESCIA, SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SCHOOLS UPDAT

Donna Crocker told us that Jim Brescia is the SLO County Superintendent of Schools
and a clinical faculty member in the Educational Leadership and Administration
Program at Cal Poly. He has served as the County Superintendent of schools since
2015 and has been re-elected to serve a second four-year term. He enjoys teaching
organizational theory, educational leadership, educational finance, school site
leadership, and instructional evaluation. Dr. Brescia’s writing and research interests include school leadership, instructional leadership, problem-solving-based training of educational leaders, and, most recently the issue of recruitment and retention of teachers. He is an avid supporter of Career Technical Education and Arts in Education initiatives.

Dr. Brescia told us that there are 34,000 K-12 students in SLO County schools, including 3 charter schools. The schools provide almost half a billion dollars in economic contributions to the county.

He explained that students in our county need to be prepared for future careers that increasingly require creativity, critical thinking and complex problem solving.

Arts Outreach: Jim explained that Paso schools participate in an Art & Design Program where students work directly with artists to learn to deal in public in a gallery setting and get advice from the artists. Students get to display and sell their art at the Paso Robles USD Art Gallery in Studios in the Park. Students work in the gallery on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.

Career & Technical Education (CTE) is a program of study that involves a multiyear sequence of courses, integrating core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students a pathway to postsecondary education and careers. The technical, academic and employability skills that students gain in CTE programs, through career and College Pathway courses, work-based learning, career and technical student organizations and duel enrollment, are essential for college and career success.

Career and College Pathways: Aligned with industry standards, labor market demands and college expectations, the Pathways are sequenced into three levels of courses: Introduction, Concentration, and Capstone. Due in part to the strong business partnerships the courses have with local industry sectors, Pathway Completers are poised to enter the workforce in their desired career, whether it is immediately after high school graduation, or after completion of trade school, Community college program or university degree.

Dual Enrollment applies to students in Grades 9-12 concurrently enrolling at Cuesta College while in high school. Over the past several years, Cuesta College has implemented dual enrollment courses at every SLO County public high school, serving more than 3,000 students annually.

Thank you Dr. Brescia for such an informative presentation. It appears our students are in good hands!

Dan Dow, Justice System Update

Sue Oberholtzer told us that Dan was first elected District Attorney of San Luis Obispo in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018. Throughout his career, he has focused on sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence cases. Dan served in the US Army since 1989 and currently serves as Lieutenant Colonel JAG officer in the CA National Guard at Camp Roberts. He was deployed to Iraq in 2010 where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Dan is married to Wendy (also a Rotarian) and they have two children Chloe and Jedidiah.

Dan began by telling us that it was great being with “another Best Rotary Club”. The Mission of the District Attorney’s is to bring justice and safety to our rights of crime victims. In addition to prosecuting, the District Attorney’s
office is responsible for keeping the community safe, helping and protecting the rights of victims.

District Attorney Dow leads the office staff of 110 employees which makes the District Attorney's Office the largest law firm in San Luis Obispo County. There are 37 attorneys, 16 victim advocates dealing with people in crisis, 38 support staff and 17 investigators who help attorneys prepare for trial.

In the justice system, the Judge ensures fairness, the defense advocates for clients seeking the best possible outcome and the DA seeks the truth: a just outcome for the victim and society. Domestic violence accounts for 10% of the crimes in SLO County and last year the DA’s office handled over 1,000 cases. Just in the past week, 3 defendants were sentenced: Levente Lazar received life without parole for murder, William Martinez Perez got 100 years to life for 3 counts of child molestation (under 14 years old), and Tyrel Hebert received 4 years for intimate partner violence and child abuse.

Human trafficking has become a top priority for the DA’s office. They are trying to catch people paying for sex and publish their names in an effort for reduce the demand for sexual exploitation of children. 99% of prostitutes in the county are victims of human trafficking,

Thank you Dan for a very informative program and for agreeing to return to get into more details about Human Trafficking.

PAULA WINLAND VAN ZYL, ZAMBIAN SCHOOL PROJECT

Paula began by telling us that she has been living in Zambia since 2005 and has been wanting to build a school in the town of Mwandi. Moyo Lunga Community School opened on January 14, 2019 for pre-school and 1st grade. We have 2 pre-school class rooms and the morning and afternoon 1st grade total enrollment is over 70 students. This is a community school so the PTA fees that we charge are modest. For those students who cannot pay the parents or guardians work at the school keeping the land clear of weeds and debris as well as cleaning the toilets and class rooms and giving the teachers any assistance they may need. This school is the first of its kind in Mwandi Royal Village. The only other primary school in the area was built in the 50’s for around 300 students they now have over 1000 from 1st to 7th grade. This community school was very much needed and is working exactly like a community school should.

Paula told us they have 3 wonderful qualified teachers. Peter, who she sponsored through college to be a teacher, is their acting head as well as 1st grade teacher. Lydia and Bridget are the pre-school teachers. All the buildings and furniture were donated by many groups and individuals.

They plan to take this school to 7th grade and are always looking for donors to help us build as well as help with the running costs of the
school. The PTA fees only cover about 1 1⁄2 months of expenses. They must pay the teachers, electric, water, hand soap, toilet paper and all
the other running costs. At this point they do have a group coming in July 2019 that are raising funds to build 2nd grade but they always need help with furniture and other things needed to open that class, as well to continue building on to the school. The community is behind this school 100% . “The need was so great these kids deserve the best we can give them. Life in this village is not easy. and without an education that starts early in life they are lost. Our hope and mission is to keep building on till we get to the 7th grade to provide quality education to all”, Paula said.

Check out the gallery of photos at https://www.homes4aidsorphans.com/gallery/ gallery.html to get a true picture of the work that is being done by this amazing group of volunteers.

MARA PURL, MILFORD-HAVEN & CAMBRIA

Donna Crocker introduced our speaker, Mara Purl, author and actress.

Mara shared with us short version of her journey to the Central Coast. What brought her to Cambria was an invitation from Jim and Olga Buckley to spend a summer co-starring in a professional production of Sea Marks at the Pewter Plough Playhouse. It was then that she realized that Cambria was too creative, too eccentric, too fantastic not to write about it!

Back in Los Angeles, she was cast as Darla Cook in Days of Our Lives. But Cambria was never far from her thoughts. She got interested in the longer form of storytelling. And realized that a small coastal town would be a perfect framework for a story of her own. During the run of the play at Pewter Plough, she was invited by Wally Wallenbrach, the owner of our local radio station K-Otter, to do a radio drama. By the time she accepted his invitation, the radio station had been sold but with support from Wally and our very own Bruce Howard, she was able to sell her show to the station.

Now she has to decide what to name the show. It would be based on Cambria, but she was unsure whether or not she should use the name Cambria. First, this was now a town full of friends, some of whom had already agreed to become cast members. Second, although she had experience as a journalist, this would not be a documentary. This would be drama. To protect the town and her friends and to give herself artistic freedom she decided to create a fictional town that had suspicious resemblances to Cambria. Mara created two main characters: one would be the head of the Environmental Planning Commission – at the time, there was no such thing; the other would be a builder-developer. They were
constantly at loggerheads. She then created two more main characters. One would
be an artist who painted wildlife and landscape; the other would be the heir to a
coastal oil company. Despite romantic interest, their lives were moving in opposite
directions.

While searching for a name for her fictitious town, she discovered that Cambria is a name for Wales. So she looked to the country of Wales for ideas. She located a town by the name of Milford-Haven and it was on a coastline very similar to Cambria. She commissioned local artist, Warren Talcott to create a visual representation of Milford-Haven and turned the radio show into a series of printed books.

Amazingly enough, word of her books drew the attention of the BBC, who was
interested in broadcasting her show in Great Britain! Mara realized that she would need to promote her story in Britain and Wales so she and her husband headed there. She was amazed to discover so many similarities between Cambria and Milford-Haven. Both towns had produced whale oil and were involved in ship building. With the demise of the whale oil trade, both towns turned to tourism. The people of Milford-Haven, Wales, welcomed Mara with open arms because she was helping to put their town on the map through her books.

Thank you for a very interesting presentation. You can read more about Mara Purl and her books at MaraPurl.com.

Cambria Film festival

Dennis Frahmann told us that the Festival showcases independent films from around the world that celebrate romance, romantic comedies and the complexities of love. The 2020 event will be their third year, the festival is 4 days long, there are 3 venues and more than 50 films will be showcased.

In 2019, nearly 2,00 seats were filled and VIP tickets sold out a month in advance. The 2020 even promises more films, lunchtime talks with the filmmakers and a Festival
Lounge. More than 3000 entries have been received from around the world.
And, for the first time, individual advance purchase tickets will be available.

Dennis invited us to a free screening of What’s Up Doc on October 16 at Cambria Center for the Arts. They will also be previewing some of the new films and you can get a jump start on purchasing tickets.

See https://cambriafilmfestival.com/ for more information about tickets and sponsorships.

DG Savi Bhim

Savi began by telling us that, in 1945, the United Nations invited people from the United States, the Soviet Union and Britain to come together to discuss how to avoid war. The majority of people in attendance were Rotarians. November 9, 2019 is Rotary Day at the United Nations which celebrates the two organizations’ shared vision for peace and highlights the critical humanitarian activities that Rotary and the UN lead around the world.

DG Savi told us that Rotary turns dreams into reality. She told us she is proud that so
many clubs in our district are providing scholarships for Tech Trek, a math and science
camp for middle school girls This program allows middle school girls recommended by
their science, math or technology teachers to attend a week at UCSB with more than 80
other girls from across the state. Hands-on classes in the STEM fields and project-based work groups make this preview of college a unique opportunity for the participants. She thanked our club for our donations to Piyali Learning Center which helps change a life and gives young bright girls in India the opportunity for an equally bright future. Savi said, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”.

Savi also thanked us for our support of RYLA and told us how the Youth Empowerment Summit (YES) is like a mini RYLA and gives kids who can’t go to RYLA a chance to experience some of the leadership skills that RYLA graduates learn. She encouraged all clubs to consider a YES program. One of the students who went through the YES program initially did not want to go. He was depressed and was considering suicide. After begrudgingly attending, he went on to attend RYLA and is now studying to become an Orthopedic Surgeon.

Rotary is well on it’s way to defeating polio thanks to Rotarians who give up their time to travel around the world administering the vaccine. Savi told us of a Rotarian who was administering vaccines and had just finished vaccinating a young girl when he felt something tugging at his pants. He looked down to see a young boy in a wheelchair. The boy, who had polio, looked up at him and said “thank you for vaccinating my sister".

Savi also encouraged all of us to follow the 4 Way Test in everything we do because when you follow the words of the test, you will be happier and you will actually make a difference.

Thank you DG Savi for a very inspirational talk that obviously came from your heart!

Leadership SLO

Julian Crocker introduced our speaker Sandi Sigurdson by telling us she began her tenure as the executive

director of Leadership SLO in January 2010.

A graduate of Leadership SLO Class I, Sandi has twice served as a member of the SLO Chamber of Commerce board of directors, has served the City of San Luis Obispo as a planning commissioner, worked for the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (ECOSLO), later serving on its board of directors and lead the San Luis Obispo Symphony for 15 years leading the orchestra on 2 world tours and 2 national tours that included performances at Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Sydney Opera House. Sandi is past president of the Central Coast Planned Giving Council. In 2004 she was honored by Cuesta College as a Woman of Distinction along with the much more distinctive Donna Crocker. Sandi served as president of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras. In recent years Sandi served on the board of Middlehouse, a men’s sober living home and returned to serve on the SLO Symphony board of directors

Sandi is married to Steve McGrath; they have three children and four grandchildren. “Turns out,” she notes, “grandchildren are waaaay more fun.” Before entering nonprofit work, Sandi spent 15 years in hotel and restaurant management, starting as a maid and dishwasher, including a stint at Cambria Pines Lodge.

Sandi explained that Leadership SLO’s mission is to grow passionate and effective leaders for SLO County. She had us participate in an exercise called 1-2-3-ALL, A Liberating Structure.

1 We were asked to each think of a great leader in our life. In 60 seconds silently write down what you’ve observed in that leader in the way of: values, characteristics, skill or qualities.
2 We were then told to turn to a person next to you. You have 2 minutes to discuss your leadership notes. Leave time for each of you to share.

4 Now we shared our leadership thoughts in groups of four. We had 4 minutes to do this. ALL We then “reported” our observations to everyone at the table.

Anyone can apply for a Leadership SLO class. Sandi told us that year after year we hear from class members and

graduates that their experience was eye-opening....exciting...thought-provoking...and even disturbing, in

revealing unique challenges facing unique populations in San Luis Obispo County. For more information, go to http://www.leadershipslo.org/applicants/directors-welcome/ .

Moving the Santa Rosa School House

John Ehlers explained that it was actually Ken Cooper who spearheaded the effort to form the Cambria Historical Society back in 1971. Ken told us that he purchased the Blue Bird in 1971 and, when he was going through some of the items left behind by the former owners, he came across some photos of Bing Crosby and Wm. Randolph Hearst on horseback in the Pinedorado Parade and thought he would like to donate them to the local historical society. After asking around, he discovered that there was not a local historical society but that Paul & Louise Squibb had a lot of local

history memorabilia. Ken spoke to Louise Squibb and asked her if she would donate her items to the town. She told him she had already decided to give them to the SLO Historical Society since there was no society in Cambria. Ken told her he would start one. Being somewhat skeptical, she turned down his request. Undaunted, Ken began his quest to form a Cambria Historical Society. He contact Joan Broadhurst, an attorney who just moved to town and asked her how much it would cost to incorporate. Joan responded that the cost would be about $1200. So, Ken set out to raise the needed funds and, with Joan’s expertise, the Cambria Historical Society was incorporated in 1990.

John Ehlers also noted that Rotarians Nancy Carr, Linda Finley, Dennis Rightmer, Roger and Sue Robinson have been very involved with the society in the past.

John shared some fun facts about Cambria’s history:

Many of us have been complaining about the construction in Highway 1 this summer. Did you know that, in the late early days of Hearst Castle, in order to transport visitors from SLO to San Simeon, one had to stop 19 times to open cattle gates.
Local shop owner, George Lull, went to the county to get a permit to build what is now the main structure at the Bluebird Inn. When he was asked what the address of the property was, he said 1880 Main St., since the year was 1880 and it was the first number he came up with. From that time on, all Main St. addresses were based on the 1880 address.
Have you noticed some of the buildings on Main Street in the East Village are below street level. That is because, in 1927, when the highway was build, they raised the level of Main St. so it would match the highway.
The Santa Rosa School House:

• The Cambria Lions Club donated the structure to the Cambria Historical Society several years ago. CHS has now obtained a lease on the 6 acre parcel at the East edge of town informally known as the old dog park. This location provides an authentic bucolic setting for the Schoolhouse and a contextual welcoming for the entrance to the East Village. CHS plans to restore the Schoolhouse interior to its original design, furnishing it with vintage school desks, chalkboards and educational materials. It will be open to children and adults as a school museum where we will regularly offer interactive activities, exhibits and educational experiences. These experiences will recall how people lived and learned in the 1800s and early 1900s. Donations are sorely needed. A GoFundMe page has been set up (gofundme.com/sos-save-our-schoolhouse). Anyone making a $1,000 donation to the Vintage PTA will have a plaque with their name on it at the schoolhouse.

Inspiring Investment in Nature

Julian Crocker introduced our speaker. Andrea Wogsland came to Cambria in 2019 to start her new position as Executive Director of Greenspace - The Cambria Land Trust. She brings
with her a background facilitating land conservation, environmental business design, community outreach, and environmental education. After working for a conservation-driven
investing firm and the local land trust, who operated the organic farm closest to New York City, Wogsland became a Project Partner with Southwest Strategies, a top public affairs firm in
California, spearheading an eco-tourism project. She galvanized the simmering need for healthy food in a community located in the South Bay of San Diego by leading the business
planning effort to start a grocery co-op market. The co-op now has over 300 owners. Since 2016, she has served as the Development Director for an animal welfare non profit organization in Santa Barbara County, CA with several environmental education programs. She serves on the board of directors of Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association, a cooperative non profit organization with California State Parks and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration for the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.

November 2019.

Wogsland attended Parsons School of Design’s business program for Design & Management in New York City.

Greenspace kicked off our #3000 Trees Initiative at our Earth Day celebration on April 21, 2019. More seeds got a jumpstart the following week when Greenspace participated in Cambria Grammar School's STEAM night. As of May, 35 families have stepped up to sow and care for a rack of 98 Monterey Pines in Super-Cells until they are ready to be planted with their sibling trees this fall. In total, our community is growing approximately 3,800 seedlings.

Growers are relaying that seed germination is already emerging anywhere from
one courageous leader to a family of 48 in greenhouse conditions. While the germination rate may vary between seed lots, we are on the path for our projected planting in

She also told us about Pocahontas Park (on the corner of Wilton Dr. & Newton) which is being used to demonstrate the prosperity of native plants. By exhibiting native plant growth, we hope to show Cambrians that a beautiful garden can be achieved with the addition of native plants. This inspiration scales to a larger audience through education events and volunteer involvement.

We learned about the Nature Club which focuses on exploration and discovery, the different age and generation groups being together allow for different needs and perspectives to be viewed by all. For example, the 15 year old is a role model for the 4 year old, who gives a helpful perspective through young eyes, and for myself, being an “elder,” I might share my thoughts and experiences with young parents.

The State of Cannabis: California

Julian Crocker introduced our speaker, Brandi Moody, telling us that she has worked in Wine & Spirits, Hospitality, the Cannabis Industry and as a Market Research Consultant.
Brandi began by telling us that the legalization of cannabis was a long time coming. In 1996, Prop 215, otherwise known as Medical Use of Marijuana Initiative or the Compassionate Use Act, was approved.

It was not until 2016 Prop 64, The Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, was approved by voters. Prop 64 permits adults 21 years of age and over to possess and grow specified amounts of marijuana for recreational use. Brandi told us about some of the regulations tied to this proposition:

A license is required to grow or sell cannabis.
All cannabis must be in a child resistant package.
Advertising on tv, radio or billboards is not allowed.
Packaging cannot have cartoon characters or any other images that might appeal to children.
Up to 6 plants can be grown on private property.
There is a 15% tax on sales and that can be in addition to other cannabis tax, sales tax. In San Jose the taxes
imposed on cannabis total 40%
What to know about Cannabis:

Cannabis and hemp are cousins but hemp does not contain the beneficial components of cannabis.
Hemp is imported and not tested.
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana's psychological effects.
CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. While CBD is a component of marijuana (one of hundreds), by itself it does not cause a “high.”
Thank you Brandi for such an interesting and informative presentation.

6 Steps to Lifetime Mobiity and Brain Health

ulian Crocker introduced our speaker, Leslie Kasanoff, DC, a fellow Rotarian from Los Osos who helps people who want natural treatments.

Below is directly from Leslie’s website:

I have spent my professional life in health care; initially beginning my career as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. “Then, there I was; called on to assist at the bedside, for a bone marrow biopsy. The frail, elderly lady looked, to my 22 year old eyes, to be 110.”

The pathologist thrusted a blunt-ended needle into her sternum (bone) and I cringed, averting my eyes. The blood-curdling screams seemed to suck all the energy from the room; seemed to suck any compassion he had from his heart as he maneuvered & manipulated that needle inside her sternum to obtain that sample.

Finally, after what seemed hours, the screaming stopped, he handed the sample to me, where-upon I made the requisite microscope slides and brought them & the remaining sample back to the lab. As I handed the sample to

the technologist, I told her the story. She looked back at me with sad eyes, “But, Leslie, they don’t even treat leukemia in people that age.”

I was appalled and devastated! Here I was, technically still a student, just weeks from graduating after 5 long and grueling years. I instantly understood that in my then current position I was helpless to effect change in her life or in the system that put she and I in these positions. I knew, in that instant that I needed to be outside of that system in order to effect change and to truly help people heal.

My science background allowed me to quickly separate the chaff from the grain & see what made sense and had real scientific support and what didn’t, regardless of who published it. Fast forward to the fall of 2018, I left Community Health Centers (where I had
taken a position to serve mostly those with limited access to healthcare), went on a Fall Foliage Bicycle trip thru New England, reuniting, for part of it with 2 of the cyclists that accompanied me on the trip nearly 40 years earlier. That trip
helped me reaffirm that we can still do whatever we want, regardless of age and circumstance if we have the inspiration to put the pieces of the puzzle
together . So on my return to the Central Coast, I recommitted myself to helping women, families and seniors find simple natural answers to common health problems.

I help debunk the myths surrounding diet, exercise, genetics and lifestyle.

I’ll help you find balance so you can holistically manage your health and move forward with clarity at a pace that’s comfortable yet challenging.

I even help my clients navigate the thorny confrontations of telling their physicians that they are choosing a drug- free path and wanting to elicit cooperation.

my journey to get to france

Julian Crocker introduced our speaker, Brina Latham, a junior at Coast Union High School who will be participating in the AFS Student Exchange Program this coming semester. Julian explained that AFS Intercultural Programs began as the American Field Service (AFS), which was formed in 1915. Shortly after the outbreak of World War I, young Americans living in Paris volunteered as ambulance drivers at the American Ambulance Hospital of Paris.

Brina told us that she would be spending the first semester studying in
France. She has always been interested in other cultures and wanted to be able to
immerse herself in the French culture. She selected France because it is a very open
minded country, it is beautiful, as is it’s language. She also told us she has a passion for art,
especially French art. She is excited to see the different forms and expressions of their art.
Her goal is to experience as much as she can and share what she learns when she returns
home. Brina did not study French in school but has learned the language on her own. She
also had to double up on classes here since she will only be taking electives during her semester abroad.

There is a lot of paperwork involved just in order to be accepted into the AFS Program. Her mom, Michele, who encouraged her was so proud when she was accepted. She had to raise $16,000 in order to cover the expenses involved. She started a Go Fund Me Page and held a fundraiser at the Vet’s Hall.

She will be staying with a host family in a town smaller than Cambria. The family consists of the parents and their young son and daughter. The family enjoys travel so Brina is hoping to see as much of France as possible during her stay. She has been communicating with the host family, who have sent her a number of photos.

Dennis White told us that between AFS and Rotary, 20,000 students have been sponsored to study abroad. He then introduced Sharon Bisso who has been spearheading the AFS Program for Cambria and Cayucos students. Sharon told us that she has worked with some amazing students

over the years, working closely with Marcia Hilger. She retired in 2007 from her job as an English teacher at CUHS but has continued her involvement in AFS. She is
now working with 2 students who want to go to Japan.

Our Community Service Committee was pleased to present Brina with a check for $500 to help her with her expenses while overseas. We hope she will come back to tell us all about her adventures.

Every vote counts

Donna Crocker introduced our speakers, Ann Havlik, Co-President of League of Women Voters, Vera Wallen, an active member since 2001 and, Emily Penfield, Past President and current Cambrian. Donna explained that the League of Women Voters was founded by the Suffragette Movement which led to women in California getting the right to vote in 1911.

Ann Havlik began her presentation by telling us how her mother, Emily Penfeld first got interested in voting rights. When she was in 2nd or 3rd grade, one of her classmates came to school dressed in a beautiful dress. Everyone wondered why she was so dressed up. She explained that her grandfather asked her to put on her best dress that morning because they were going someplace very special. Her grandfather, an immigrant, explained that he was allowed to vote for the very first time and wanted her to come with him on this special occasion.

From that moment, Emily realized what a privilege it is to have the right to
vote. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Ann explained that the League of Women Voters' goal is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide.

We are a nonpartisan political membership organization, which:

acts after study and member agreement to achieve solutions in the public interest on key community issues at all government levels
builds citizen participation in the democratic process
engages communities in promoting positive solutions to public policy issues through education and advocacy
The League has fought to get women to vote. It is amazing that women of color and Native American women did not get the right to vote until 1965!! They are now pre-registering high school students, as young as 16. When they are eligible to vote, the League will send them a notice reminding them about the upcoming election and encouraging them to vote for the first time.
For more information, go to http://www.LWV.org.

My Fascination with Hawaiian Music

Donna Crocker introduced our speaker, Madison Makanaokahaku Scott. She told us how 9 years ago, the curiosity of this amazing blind girl drew her to the voices of Hawaii.

Madison greeted us with “Aloha” and told us she was excited to share her story. She asked, “How in the world did a blind, native Cambrian get interested in Hawaiian music?” She and her parent one evening took a walk in the moonlight. While discussing the moon, she decided to look for songs about the moon and she downloaded many songs in different languages. Meanwhile, her dad, Curtis, was telling a co-worker, Uncle Pico, about her quest for songs and he asked if she ever listened to any Hawaiian songs about the moon. Once she listened to a few songs, some on English and some in Hawaiian, she was hooked. “It was love at first listen”, said Madison. She began to wonder if she would like other Hawaiian songs so “Uncle Pico” gave

her about 5,000 songs.

'Ōleloʻia ka moʻolelo (the story is told). Madison was always fascinated with languages but the Hawaiian language really clicked with her. Being home schooled, she had the freedom to learn any language she wanted and she decided on Hawaiian. In 2011, Madison and her family took their first trip to Hawaii. Since then, they have been back 6 times and will be heading back in mid -August and plan to stay until mid-October.

She has taken voice lessons from Ruth Flemming, piano lessons from Emily Fitzgerald and jazz lesson from Charlie Shoemake.

Madison recently completed her second CD and offered it for sale after our meeting.

For those who were not able to attend Friday’s meeting but would like to hear some of the songs Madison sang, you can go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEW1qxxb9nM

Thank you Madison for an inspiring and beautiful presentation!

Viva Update

Pres. Roger started things off my thanking everyone who participated in the Avenues of Service projects during his presidency year and applauded their accomplishments.

PE and VIVA Chair, Chuck Forester pointed out that, without the proceeds from the
VIVA event, the Avenues of Service would not be able to do much of what they have done during the 2018-19 year. He asked that everyone pay attention to the slide show and do what they can to help this year’s VIVA be the best one yet! There are many ways to help.

GRAND RAFFLE: Sue O. pointed out that we have 500 Grand Raffle tickets to sell. We need to sell $7500 worth of tickets just to break even. So, please tell your friends, family, neighbors what a great deal this is and get those tickets sold. If you have any rack cards left over, please give them to Sue.

EVENT TICKETS: Linda Sherman told us that event tickets will be available on line beginning June 28. Go to Cambria Rotary and click on the VIVA logo. That will bring you to the VIVA page where you can purchase tickets and bid on silent auction items. Those not attending the event can still bid on Silent Auction items on-line until a couple of days before VIVA. Their bids will be entered on the bid sheets.

LIVE AUCTION: Reluctant Live Auction Chair, Bob Kasper asked us to get creative this year. Do you know anyone in “the industry” that could get backstage passes to see a filming, can get a limo to take people wine tasting, a vacation rental or airline miles. So far the J Patrick House (thanks to former members Linda Ennen & Ron Castadio), has been donated and will be used as a trade with the Oakhurst Club for a Yosemite package. We will also be offering Tree Bones and he is working on a possible Dodger package. But he can not

do it all himself. Anyone willing to help Bob, please let him know.

SPONSORS: Patty Griffin is, once again, leaving no stone unturned in her quest to get a lot of sponsors for the event. Today, Philip Sullivan presented VIVA with a $2500 check for a GOLD sponsorship from Pacific Premier Bank. Thanks Philip!

SILENT AUCTION: Sue Robinson told us that the VIVA Committee is trying something new this year. All members are being asked to join with fellow Rotarians to put together silent auction items. She and Sue O. passed around a list of silent auction ideas and asked for members or groups of members to sign up to donate a basket. Otis, Dr. Joe, Heidi and Janet Meyers signed up for “A Bit of Italy” basket and Elaine & Heide signed up for a “Crafty Ones” basket.

If anyone would like to help out with VIVA, let Chuck know. The more the merrier.

SALUTE TO THE GRADUATES

Youth Services Chair, Cynthia Woodruff-Neer, began the program by inviting Condee Seed up to the stage. Condee was the winner of our local 4-Way Test Essay Contest and also was selected as number 1 in the District! In error, Condee was previously given the award for 2nd place but, now that error has been corrected and she was presented with a $100 check.

Cynthia then went onto thank Heidi Santos and Donna Crocker for working with her to determine which students would be offered scholarships. She also thanked Nancy McKarney for doing up the certificates for the students.

CUHS Scholarship Winners Zack (Jack) Acevedo will be attending Cal Poly majoring in Agriculture Business. He hopes one day to set up agriculture programs in poorer countries.

Cesar Hernandez will be attending Cuesta with the hopes of transferring to Cal Poly or Long Beach State. He is planning on a degree in Nutrition and hopes to be a registered

dietician in the sports field. Karis Lawson will be attending Cal Poly working toward a degree in Landscape Architecture and a masters in City Planning.

Jasmine Torres will be pursuing a degree in Agriculture Business and Ranch Management. She thanked her parents for coming to the US and working so hard to

give her a better life and encouraging her to do her best. Haley Zinn will be attending Cal Poly to study Physics and/or Chemistry with an eye on a medical degree.

Leffingwell Scholarship Winners Zachery Dolan will attend Cuesta then transfer to Alan Hancock in pursuit of a

degree in Criminal Justice. Luis Ramos will be attending Cuesta majoring in Business. Jazlin Rixman is going to Cuesta with an eye on becoming a Psych Technician.

Vocational Services Chair, Laudon Rowen, presented all 6 Leffingwell graduates with Chrome Books so they are better prepared for the road ahead.

Once again, we were so impressed with the students of our local school district. The future looks bright. Thanks to Cynthia and Laudon for organizing this visit from the

students.

TRF

Bob Putney showed a PowerPoint explaining Rotary’s funding structure. Our membership fees fund ONLY membership and insurance fees paid to District 5240 and to Rotary International. Your pledges fund our Club’s annual operating budget ONLY.

Our Cambria Rotary Club Foundation is the giving arm of our Club and donations to the Foundation are saved to build a fund. Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.

The Cambria Rotary Board and the Cambria Rotary Foundation Board are
Separate entities.
75% of VIVA profits go to Rotary Avenues of Service
25% of VIVA profits are retained by the Cambria Rotary Club Foundation
Fundraising profits from i.e. the Beer Booth would go into the Cambria Rotary Club Foundation.

TRF The Rotary Foundation

Annual Programs Fund; World Fund; SHARE (Annual Fund and World Fund); International Initiatives; Polio; Direct Project Donations i.e. Project Peanut Butter, Shelter Box, etc.

GRANTS

Funds we donate to TRF are invested and grow, and after three years, are available to us as District Grants, for which we must be eligible and for which we must apply. To be eligible, we must have at least two members attend on-line or in-person Grant Training.

TRF has a good reputation for giving 98 1/2 cents of each dollar directly to projects, with the balance retained as administrative costs. In 2018, Rotary distributed $86,677,399 for 1,306 grants.

Sustaining Memberships are $100/year. Cambria Foundation pays $75 for each of its members, with the remaining $25 voluntarily donated by each member to TRF.

Cambria Rotary is 48 years old— began in 1971. A Paul Harris Award is given to a Cambria Rotary member for each $1,000 donated to TRF, either in installments or at one time. If a Cambria Rotary member donates $1000 to the Cambria Rotary Foundation, he receives a Neal Jensen reward.

Regarding the END POLIO NOW campaign, the final countries working on eradication are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Republic of Congo.

RYLA 2019

May 24 Presentation:

RYLA GRADUATES

PP Jane Howard told us about the unbelievable schedule the kids followed during their 4 days at RYLA. Days began at 7:45 when all attendees were required to attend the flag salute and usually ended at about midnight! She then asked the students to tell us what they thought the best lesson they learned from their experience.

Emanuel began by telling us that the first day was “kind of weird” being with all these people he didn’t know. By the second day, he had made a lot of friends and feels grateful for everything he has.

David said inspirational speaker, Jim Brogan, pushed everyone to be the best they could be.

Ore told us that she felt bad for those who were not chosen to attend

RYLA and she wanted to make the most of her experience because she wanted to do it for all those kids.

Gabriel said he started off not really wanting to branch out. He is thankful that Rotary sent him to RYLA because he connected with other kids in his color group and they will all be meeting at the Mid State Fair this summer.

Annika told us that she was really nervous about going to RYLA but, by the second day, she had made lots of new friends. She also said Diversity was really hard because she learned that you never really know what someone is going through.

Alondra was not sure she would be getting as much out of RYLA as the other students. But, she met a girl in the foster system and, after hearing her story, has decided she wants to study to be a social worker.

Jacqueline found the entire experience life-changing. She was most impacted by the ropes course because she is afraid of heights. But, with a lot of encouragement from everyone, she finished the course.

Angelique said she learned to be “unapologetically herself”. She learned leadership fundamentals which she will put to good use as next year’s Senior Class President.

Spencer got a big kick watching 6’3” guys fitting in the tiny beds in the cabin. Although he is afraid of heights, he was able to help someone who was more afraid to tackle the rope course.

John said he learned invaluable skills. His first class was diversity and that was difficult. He also confessed that he too is afraid of heights and that this
“tiny little girl” helped him navigate the rope course. He is still in touch with 30 members of his team. What an amazing group of kids. Everyone in attendance agreed that our future is in good hands.

Maternal Child Health

anet Meyers introduced Alisse Harris who visited us on behalf of Direct Relief in Santa Barbara. She grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley and received her Bachelors of Arts in Law and Society from UC Santa Barbara. Alisse spent several years in the Bay Area as a senior account executive at the San Francisco Chronicle and was active in the World Affairs Council while living in the city. Alisse and her husband married in 2007, and decided to move back to the Santa Ynez Valley to purchase their dream fixer-upper home in Solvang. Alisse spent 9 years in project management and decided to pursue her passion for helping people with a new role
as the Manager of the Campaign for Direct Relief in 2016. When Alisse is not spending her free time with her husband and 6 year old daughter Scarlett, she enjoys interior design, landscaping, gardening, swimming, reading, cooking, and walking her Cavalier King Charles spaniels. Alisse plans to share a little about Direct Relief and the mission to improve the health and lives of Mother’s and their children affected by poverty and emergencies.

Alisse told us that Direct Relief protects women through the critical periods of pregnancy and childbirth. This support includes ensuring more trained midwives are properly equipped, expanding emergency obstetric care in high-need areas, and supporting life-restoring surgeries for women who suffer the debilitating effects of obstetric fistula—a birth-related injury that affects
deeply impoverished women almost exclusively.

Pregnancy is often a time of joy and anticipation, but in developing countries, it can be a life-threatening condition. Most of the risks for pregnant women in developing countries are related to poverty, poor nutrition, a high burden of infectious disease, limited access to care, and the
lack of understanding about when to seek care.

A woman dies every two minutes from complications during pregnancy or childbirth—more than 250,000 women each year.
Direct Relief’s humanitarian health efforts place particular emphasis on protecting women and babies through the critical periods of pregnancy and childbirth.
Direct Relief supports partners in countries around the world, including Rotary, who provide critically needed maternal and child health services during the full spectrum of pregnancy.
Thank you Alisse for a very informative presentation. After many questions from our Club members, this will probably not be the last time we hear about Direct Relief! For more information about how Direct Relief is providing maternal and child health services, go to https:// www.directrelief.org/issue/maternal-health/

Fig Cafe at Courtney's House

Andrew Boyd-Goodrich began by telling us that he has first-hand knowledge of the good that is done at Fig since his son works there. Being able to learn skills while earning a paycheck has been a life-changer for him.

Andrew then introduced Program Manager, Erin Lawrence and Leslie, a host server at Fig. Before coming to Fig, Erin worked as a special education teacher in Templeton and was also a member of the Broad Street Brawlers Roller Derby Team. In addition to attending classes at Cuesta, Leslie also has her own greeting card company!

Courtney’s House was founded in 2012 as a nonprofit resource center and began by offering social and enrichment activities for adults with developmental disabilities. Job coaches support the interns as they learn a variety of skills and provide training opportunities that allow for a wide range of future employment opportunities. Having these individuals working in a setting where they work with the public helps to build awareness that people with disabilities can go out to work in the community.

Fig is a full service restaurant in Templeton that is open from 9-3 Mondays through Saturdays.

SLO FOOD BANK

Janet Meyers introduced our speaker, Kevin Drabinski. Kevin has been the CEO of the SLO food Bank since 2017. Prior to that, he served as the senior representative for the CA Assembly office serving San Luis Obispo and Northern San Luis Obispo Counties. He is a 30 year resident of SLO County.

Kevin began by telling us that food is elementary to human life. Kevin and his twin were the youngest of 7. He has memories of sitting around the dinner table with his family. His dad grew up during the depression so he did not take food for granted. He believes that, If we can get food into a household, it could result in families sitting around the dinner table just like his family did.

The SLO Food Bank began 30 years ago and they now have a 20,000 foot warehouse and have 5,000 volunteers. They are connected to 77 non-profits that distribute food. They feed 30,000 households a month. Neighborhood food distributions are free to income eligible participants, open to the public, and located in every community in SLO County. Santa Rosa Catholic Church is a SLO Food Bank distribution center and the Feed the Hungry program at the Vineyard Church is able to purchase food from the Food Bank, at a much reduced cost.

During the government shutdown, government employees who lost paychecks became eligible to receive assistance from the food bank. Coast Guard members stationed in Morro Bay were in a position where buying food became almost impossible. A number of residents stepped up and with their donations, no Coast Guard member was turned away.

They distribute food to the homeless on a regular basis. Many homeless do not take advantage of some of the services available (like shelters, etc.) because they are suspicious. But, after 7 to 9 times having a volunteer show up with food at a homeless encampment, they begin to trust the volunteers and many have finally agreed to check out some of the services.

He told us about Glean SLO, a volunteer program that rescues excess produce from local backyards and farms. Since 2010, Glean SLO has rescued over 1 million pounds of produce in San Luis Obispo County!

The SLO Food Bank depends on donations to its 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Their website is www.slofoodbank.org where you can get information on donating, volunteering and advocating.

Thank you, Kevin, for a very important and interesting presentation.

Interact Bake Sale

Auctioneer Bob Kasper made quick work of auctioning off the delicious cakes, cupcakes and cookies brought by our local Interact Club. There was something for everyone! Some of the cakes brought in an insane amount of money while most of us were happy to bid $10-$20 for a cupcake or cookie. All in all, a total of $5,630 was raised for Interact! There were some really happy kids!