Author Gretchen Peralta
This Reporter was rushing to log-on to our meeting only to find that it felt like we were in the OFH, what with all the chatter, dental advice and Brodie supplying pliers (?), bed head, hair clips and other usually unimportant social topics.
Madam President Vanessa and Ms. Ella her birthday side kick rang “the bells” at 0703. This was followed by a very sad rendition (no fault of our choir leader) of Smile, America and Happy Birthday (sorry Ella, Ms. Birthday girl)
The call for visiting Rotarians found Gloria and her grandbaby whose mother, by the way is a Rotaractor. That’s keeping Rotary in the family! Also Tyson Hubbard’s daughter was up and at ‘em with us.Obviously, no one is traveling (except maybe Dennis Lindsay ….we’re waiting for a card!) so the post card of the week was from Lori Raneri wishing our President well.
Announcements started with Dick Bourne shamelessly asking for a volunteer for our Reporter committee to come forth. An easy job (obviously doesn’t require much journalistic talents) and the obligation comes around only once every 8 weeks. Really, what else do you have to do right now? Imagine being in charge and having editorial freedom for reporting on our weekly message?! Brodie then passed the “mug” to Patsy who introduced our Oktoberfest on October 3. There are a few alterations. We are in negotiations with Sudwerks for a venue. There would be no climbing ladders to hang lights, set-up tables, decorations and yet we still could make a profit. That’s our Fraulein making a party the easy way! By the way, did anyone else notice Patsy was taking pictures during our meeting?
Spotlight then turned to Lori, Sergeant of the Day who lost no time in holding our President accountable for not knowing where our traditional club bell was. There were multiple pictures as evidence of bell wanderings. Just be warned Madam President, there may be bell hostage negotiations forth coming. Dennis Lindsay announced his new grandson with $100 contribution to our Club Foundation. Dennis also has been looking up and down the Mississippi River but has not found the bell. Past President Tim is calling out a “fake delivery” as the Rotary masks he ordered for his Board arrived 2 weeks late. If you see him out and about, he’s making the “real deliveries”.
Tom Read is sheltering in Jacksonville near Medford, Oregon. He also wants to remind us not to use the bacon icon to collect money for the club as that icon sends the money to his pig pen dump. Meaghan and Susan (and Meaghan’s cutie niece, Neveah who is visiting) just wanted us to know that everyone is settling in the Likes household and admits to an awakening adjustment to parenting in the time of the virus. Seems it’s taken Brodie 9 months to get to Bend, Oregon to visit his son, visit the Redwoods and the Spruce Goose (?). Rick Stromberg has also been out of town visiting their summer digs in Redway with his sons and grandkids. Chuck Snipes was questioned on his knowledge of a “compounding pharmacy mogul” (first, is this even possible?) who was found guilty for kickbacks to prescribers of compounded medications. Sounds like he would like to “grease” the system. Madam President admitted to being well prepared for our current environment having been given a book 13years ago “How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse” ….and she still married the gift giver! Bruce Wolk, when questioned, failed to explain the meaning of the law in “plain English” related to Shelter at home. With no plain response, John Morgan jumped in with the “home is where the heart is”.
Larry Olsen fessed up to a lack of courtesy in not informing his comrades Brian, Chuck and John that he was not going to roll out of bed for their 0630 bike ride. Being it is close to July 14th (Bastille Day) Lori then held a challenge for to see who in the group spoke French; Who knew the French motto; and What does the metric system have to do with the French? I am not sure if anybody actually won.
Usually this is the meeting that the President shares their experiences about attending the Rotary International Convention. Ah, alas, since it wasn’t held this year, Madam President had her Reflections About Rotary presentation all planned. Madam President started her Reflections by reminding us of the current RI theme Rotary Opens Doors to Opportunities. And opportunities abound. Since joining Rotary she has been ingrained with the “why” Rotary? Why….Service, Connection, Fellowship and Friendship of course and has gone on to realize that these “whys” are world-wide. Yet closer to home see has had the opportunity to see Rotary through the eyes of her children as evidenced by multiple shared pictures, especially of the one from 2018 induction (badge and all) of daughter Ella. Even young son Jack recognizes the Rotary emblem as “my Rotary”. She has learned from her kids to look ahead and “see a way of life that represents the good in the world”.
Moving on to see the good in our club, a few of our committee chairs had a brief example and report beginning with Larry Green and the RI Foundation. Larry reminded us of the 35k clubs representing 1.2m Rotarians in the world donating funds to help finance our global and district grants. Our club has been the beneficiary of some of these funds due to the generosity of our members. He then reminded us of ways to donate….a check to Bruce Wolk or going to My Rotary at the Rotary.com site. Questions? Contact Bruce or Larry.
Next up was John Morgan from International Service giving us a list of our complete and on-going service projects from multiple water projects in villagers throughout Kenya, to school tuition to sanitary pads, to mobile ultrasound training, financing mobile libraries and school water supply systems in South Africa to digital classrooms in Panama…..so many that your would do yourself a favor to ask John to send you his list. We are amazing. Not to be out done, Don Winters representing our Youth Committee share the unfortunate news of having to put our District-wide Youth camps (Camp Royal, Young Camp, Royal and Camp Venture) on hold. Yet that doesn’t mean the Committee members are off the hook as they are busy looking for opportunities to relate to and keep students active during the current restrictions. The RI exchange student from Austria we have been anticipating may not arrive until January if, unfortunately, at all. The committee is also reaching out to John Bowes to explore ways we might help bridge the digital learning divide here throughout Davis.
Tyson Hubbard from Community Service stepped up to admit our limitations for community service projects. However, he was interested in ways to connect with the Youth Committee for possible community grants applications to support distance learning and community socialization. Last, Dennis Lindsay from our Club Foundation Committee which started 3 years ago shared their goal of building an Endowment Fund over the next 7 years to assist in funding scholarships as well as international and community projects. Currently due to the generosity of our club members we have $48k.
A little after 0800 without Draw of the Day, Madam President, without the traditional bell and having no idea of its whereabouts of the bell, announced our meeting adjourned.