Your Weekly Get Up & Go Has Been Updated

    Our buffet breakfast included, coffee, juice, scrambled eggs, hash brown potatoes, fruit, muffins, and of course our favorite cut of pork. Our meeting began with president Manny Carbahal, ringing the bell.  We sang “Smile” and “America the Beautiful,” sans Chuck Snipes.

    Guests:  Matt Price, Guest Rotarians: Kevin Sanchez, todays guest speaker and member of the Woodland Sunrise Club.  

Announcements: Meaghan Likes put in a pitch for Kiwanis Crab feed, February 10 and the Veterans Memorial Center. Tim Daleiden invited skiers to attend the rotary ski event at Northstar in March. Mitch Mysliwiec invited members to the Community Service committees meeting on January 25 6 pm.

    The Rotary Foundation is celebrating its 100th year.  Sean Yao awarded pins with two or more Saphire stones to members Marc Thompson, Bill Brenheim,  Bill Kopper, Clay Brandow, George Warner  and a 3 ruby pin to Jim Smith. Sean explained that the 3 ruby pin denotes a total contribution to the Rotary Foundation of $8,000+. All members recognized the donors with a standing ovation.

    Sgt. of the day Gretchen Peralta challenged members to explain why Friday the 13th might be unlucky.  Gretchen explained that date appears in Biblical references.  However, it was a happy today in our club because it was Nancy Storm birthday.  Nancy contributed $63 to the Rotary Foundation.

    Gretchen called on Manny Carbahal handing out fines to Manny for nepotism (promoting relatives to partner) and creating grief among members of the Sergeants Committee who have had their program time cut short or completely shut out. Gretchen suggested that Manny should pay to send Will Portello to Jack Latow for counseling.

    Gretchen produced pictures of Gary John and his wife Karen on the beach in Hawaii.  Gary was fined because Karen wanted to play another man’s ukulele.

    Vanessa Errecarte was fined for a newspaper reference that she is the spokeswoman for El Macero Shopping Center.

    Happy Bucks, Meaghan Likes is happy and sad: she crashed her new scooter this morning as she maneuvered her new vehicle out of the drive-way.  Meaghan cheerfully volunteered to pay the Club’s new vehicle fine but explained that it has only two tires.   FYI our Club’s new vehicle tradition is the door count, $x per door.   I think a new vehicle with 0 doors is exempt.  However the sergeants may have a special clause. (I like the way you think, Dave!)

     Lori Raineri is proud and happy that her companion Daisy was not present today because Daisy was needed by the District Attorney’s office for special duty to comfort a young girl after her last day in court.  Lori continued to note that “you can’t help but trip over a Rotary member.” Lori was comforted to find Bonnie Walther in her origami class.   Lori was in the midst of sharing one more story about her business folks getting together, Sgt. Gretchen asked, “Did you ever meet Jerry Kaneko?” Which got a chuckle from several members.

    Bill Kopper introduced today’s speaker, Kevin Sanchez, executive director of the Yolo County Food Bank.

    Kevin is no stranger to our club, he is a past president of the Woodland Sunrise Club, he was a speaker here a few years ago, and many of us have worked with Kevin on various volunteer work at the Food Bank through our club.  However, his message is new and refreshing.  He gave us a highly energetic overview of the many ways that the Food Bank is dealing with food insecurity presently and its plans for the future.

Yolo County is one of the top food producing counties in the state.  It has a long season, is relatively flat with wonderful farmland.  Yolo County produces key staples such as tomatoes, corn, and rice.  However, 32,000 residents (15%) and 9,800 children (21.7%) experience food insecurity.

    The Food Bank recently reviewed its mission and overall operations, it concluded that they needed to do some significant rebuilding to capture unused or unharvested produce.  Also to “get the food they needed not just what was given.”    Kevin envisions a move from “charity” to a pro action organization that moves folks from the receiving side to the giving side.

New efforts include:

• Increase capacity for dry and cold storage

• Add a kitchen for food preparation and support of a culinary academy in association with Woodland Community College

• A $6 million capital campaign to enhance and expand facilities, the Food Bank has $4 million.

Questions

    Bill Kopper asked how the Food Bank distributes food: The food bank delivers to 9 sites once a month and a school farmer’s market at 6 schools.

    The Food Bank partners with several organizations including Davis Community Meals, Davis Sr. Housing, Progress Ranch, and STEAC.

    Vanessa Errecarte reminded members that under Community Service, our website has a link for members to connect directly with the Food Bank for individual volunteer opportunities.   Vanessa asked about food to schoolchildren on weekends.  Kevin agreed there is a problem for some students who have little food on weekends and show up to school on Monday, hungry.  The Food Bank is exploring a cereal distribution option for weekends.   The Food Bank would buy cereal in bulk, package and distribute.

    Where does the Food Bank get its food?  Farmers, retailers, manufactures, some donated, some purchased at discounts.  The focus is on the needs of the Food Bank.

    Draw of the day: Dave Heard announced that the pot was $686, 35 cards including two jokers.  Carolyn Stiver won a free breakfast.