Weekly News, Views and Photographs by: Jim Belenis
 
 
 
     Hard hat President Gary Johns called the meeting to order at 7:06 after some snappy tunes were played by good ol’ Dave Morse.  Another SRO crowd (the Santa Clara Niners’ wish they had a full house like we do) for fellowship and grub.  Visiting Rotarian Lynn Jepson from the Woodland Sunrise club was introduced by Coach StrombergMeaghan Likes welcomed Dave Morse’s guest, John Morgan.
 
     In a startling announcement by Manny Carbahal, Rose Cholewinski was affirmed as the President for the 2016-17 year.  Rose was unopposed on the ballot, but word is that John Youmans’ was having a hard time accepting being a kept Rotary man and was thinking of mounting a write-in candidacy.  Fortunately his brain trust was able to take his meds away from his recent surgery to save the day.  Great grandma Elf, Gretchen Peralta, had a nice announcement thanking Bill Kopper for the wrapped present.  There was a big pile of donated gifts that Gretchen and Red Elf Queen Vanessa Errecarte coordinated to collect from our members.  The wrapping party was great success on Monday. Rotary guest Lynn Jepson then presented hard hat Gary, Mack 
Walker, and Vanessa a district check for $2500.  This money will go towards a security 
system that we are providing for Empower Yolo’s new addition.  Our club is kicking in an additional $2,000.
 
    The Rotary Foundation had a very short moment.  I think Bruce Wolk was trying to remember what he forgot.  Ah, he was really scanning the crowd looking for Nancy Storm but it wasn’t yet 7:15.  At the appointed time Babs walked in.  At this juncture she was given her third Paul Harris pin.  Babs had celebrated this the night before at a bank holiday party… Andrew Newman was recognized for his second sponsored new member.  Dick Berry then announced that since we are dark on New Year’s morning that he was going to hold court at the local Black Bear Diner. I think the club is now officially a “geezer group” as there was not one catcall of complaint that this was going to occur after New Year’s Eve. (Editor’s Note: Geezer group our not breakfast will be starting at the much more reasonable hour of 9am in honor of New Years Day).
 
     Hard hat Gary then thanked Manny for his over the top holiday party at the US Bicycle Museum.  Word is Rose will be having hosting a Zumba Holiday Pool Party next December at Swim America. If so, it might be a good time to start planning to be out of town on December 3, 2016.  Carolyn Stiver then begged for more drivers for MOW.  Meaghan Likes asked for help at the Citizens who Care Saturday Respite program at the Davis Senior Center on December 19th, 2015 since UCD is on break.
 
     Next up was Sgt. Dennis Lindsay.  He started up with a duck call happy bucks.  Mack had something about a honey moon suite.  Dick Berry was more than pleased that Michigan State triumphed over Iowa.  I was wondering if he saw the whole epic 22 play dive that took nine minutes and 48 seconds off the clock.  There had to be a nap in there.  Unintroduced visiting Rotarian Vic Bucher said that if stands up for an announcement in Reno it costs $100.  Since he was standing he offered to put in $100 for Babs’ lamp shade.  Brian Sway paid $15 for something his bride Susanne Rockwell said.  Clay Brandow gave bucks for Dick McCapes turning 82.  Dick got his D.V.M from UC Davis before I was born…  Lori Raineri gave a heartfelt thank you to the club for welcoming her and proving to her that juggling her work schedule to be a member of Rotary was worth the effort.
 
     I tried to give a heartfelt thank you for Tom Cross who helped me out again at the Dorothy Speck Basketball Tournament.  Tom wasn’t even in the room as I didn’t realize he was using the necessity room.  Mark Thompson invited members to a Christmas open housethe Sunday before Christmas at his home.  In the 
middle of it all the testosterone twins, Manny and Jonathan Clay, were wrestling over a cell phone… Larry gave happy bucks to the person (our esteemed reporter) who had a cancellation for a speaker and still found a replacement.  Larry said most people just dump the bad news on him but not good ole Jimmy B.
 
     The real fines from Dennis started off when he got Jonathan for his millennial glass coffee earth friend coffee mug from Temple coffee.  Early adopter.   Dennis then got Lucas Frerichs for announcing his campaign for reelection to the Davis City Council.  That is a gift that continually gives to the Sergeants!
 
     Our speaker was our very own Andrew NewmanAndrew is a CPA here in town and gave a good talk on trying to help people with financial literacy.  Not how to invest, but the day to day tasks of eliminating credit card debt, writing checks, and budgeting.  You can learn more about this at:  http://www.calcpa.org/public-resources/financial-literacy
 
     The meeting ended a tad bit late at 8:06 after a losing draw of the day for the person whose number was drawn, and a winning draw for the rest of us.  All is in one’s perspective.