Your Weekly Get Up & Go Has Been Updated
Posted by Meaghan Likes on Jan 06, 2017
Weekly News & Views by: Ms Gretchen Peralta
Photographs by: Jim Belenis
In the middle of all our post-holiday catching up, Pres Manny rang the bell and song leader extraordinaire, Chuck Snipes had us all rising with his “Rise and 
Shine” to sing for our breakfast.
Shine” to sing for our breakfast. Losing no time, Pres Manny strolled around the room getting visitors such as Judi Berry, the lovely wife of Dick Berry and Dan Ottanolan. There were a few postcards yet sadly none from Clay Brandow. Announcements quickly brought happiness into the room as Tim Daleiden broadcast the latest Sierra snow report and heralded the 41st Annual Tahoe Rotary Ski challenge approaching on March 1st. This gives you skiers plenty of time to sharpen your edges and get your knees in shape. Carolyn Stiver let us know that it was the last day (sorry you missed it) for cost saving sign-ups for the Chamber Gala on January 21st. (Nice try Gretchen.... It is not too late to attend! Our very own reporter/superhero Gretchen Peralta is being honored at the gala as Davis Citizen of the Year!! If you're interested in attending to hear about all of the amazing things she does for our community above & beyond Rotary, you can get more details here!. And in case you missed the wonderful article about our esteemed Citizen of the Year you can read it here!) The Dick Berry boasted (as he certainly should) about the numbers attending the Rotary Big Bear Diner breakfasts over the holiday. Seems we blew out our record in having 28 on December 23rd and 17 on the 30th and set the kitchen in a tizzy. Chuck Snipes was up again reminding us of the March 4th Trivia Night date. No venue as of yet, as Senior Center not available.
Well, that finishes the “business” for the meeting and now “monkey business” started with the Sergeant of the Day, John Morgan who welcomed Happy Bucks. David Foos did not disappoint with the celebration of his 65th birthday 
during the 2016-17 year and challenge to give $150 to our Foundation if anyone else turned 65 during the year…..Yeah, for the coffers as there were a few! Clay Brandow whipped out his new Medicare card and appropriately enough felt it gave him the right to sit at Skunk Island. Keith Watenpaugh proudly acknowledged his 10th anniversary of being a Rotarian and thanked Brian Sway and Susanne for stealing him away from the noon Club (we too are thankful!). He was also so pleased at the Club’s support for his Human Right’s Program and announced that it assisted the Program in qualifying for a healthy portion of a very large financial grant! Lori Raineri (and Daisy), had lots to be happy about as she passed around even more copies of the Guidepost magazine featuring this dynamic duo on page 10 living daily by a tikkun olam philosophy. In addition she noted, Guidepost has distribution greater than the NY Times! Fancy that. In case you missed the article, you can read it here (and be sure to ask Lori for your signed souvenir copy!) At this juncture, our SOD, John Morgan who was sitting down, took a moment to let Will Portello that he could stop pouting as it wasn’t really him (really?) but simply coincidence that the Pres Manny cut into his Sergeant’s time 2 weeks in a row!
during the 2016-17 year and challenge to give $150 to our Foundation if anyone else turned 65 during the year…..Yeah, for the coffers as there were a few! Clay Brandow whipped out his new Medicare card and appropriately enough felt it gave him the right to sit at Skunk Island. Keith Watenpaugh proudly acknowledged his 10th anniversary of being a Rotarian and thanked Brian Sway and Susanne for stealing him away from the noon Club (we too are thankful!). He was also so pleased at the Club’s support for his Human Right’s Program and announced that it assisted the Program in qualifying for a healthy portion of a very large financial grant! Lori Raineri (and Daisy), had lots to be happy about as she passed around even more copies of the Guidepost magazine featuring this dynamic duo on page 10 living daily by a tikkun olam philosophy. In addition she noted, Guidepost has distribution greater than the NY Times! Fancy that. In case you missed the article, you can read it here (and be sure to ask Lori for your signed souvenir copy!) At this juncture, our SOD, John Morgan who was sitting down, took a moment to let Will Portello that he could stop pouting as it wasn’t really him (really?) but simply coincidence that the Pres Manny cut into his Sergeant’s time 2 weeks in a row! Our Speaker was Alison VanEenennaam Ph.D. who was not paid by Monsanto, but gave us some solid scientific explanations and benefits behind GMO genetics. 
We learned the difference between Genetically Modified and Genetically Engineered, see Recumbinant DNA techniques. We heard many great examples of every day plant scientists genetically engineering plants like Dr. Gonsalves from Univ of Hawaii who was able to genetically engineer a ringspot virus-resistant papaya, or Scott Simplot from Idaho who engineered a non-browning potato. She then addressed the top 8 myths about Genetically modified foods, and did a wonderful job proving that it defies reasoning to think all scientific societies have been bought off! She concluded with these 3 facts: 1. To date no unique food safety concerns have been associated with the current applications of GE organisms despite intensive regulatory scrutiny and 20 years of data 2. All commercialized crops have gone through FDA food safety evaluation. 3. Adoption of GE crops has been rapid and extensive by 18 million farmers in 28 countries throughout the world; 16.5 million in developing countries. Thank you Dr. VanEenennaam for a very educational and entertaining presentation.
We learned the difference between Genetically Modified and Genetically Engineered, see Recumbinant DNA techniques. We heard many great examples of every day plant scientists genetically engineering plants like Dr. Gonsalves from Univ of Hawaii who was able to genetically engineer a ringspot virus-resistant papaya, or Scott Simplot from Idaho who engineered a non-browning potato. She then addressed the top 8 myths about Genetically modified foods, and did a wonderful job proving that it defies reasoning to think all scientific societies have been bought off! She concluded with these 3 facts: 1. To date no unique food safety concerns have been associated with the current applications of GE organisms despite intensive regulatory scrutiny and 20 years of data 2. All commercialized crops have gone through FDA food safety evaluation. 3. Adoption of GE crops has been rapid and extensive by 18 million farmers in 28 countries throughout the world; 16.5 million in developing countries. Thank you Dr. VanEenennaam for a very educational and entertaining presentation. Now I know there was a Draw of the Day, but have no memory of who “won…lost” but glad as that means the pot increases.
Welcome to 2017 another year to work through Rotary to make a difference in the lives of others! Much can be done if no one is concerned who gets the credit!