Sunrise' 30th Aniversary

Warren Smith, Sunrise Rotary's Charter President and Peter Treleaven, Warren's successor begin to celebrate the club's ensuing success, thirty years following the inaugural meeting at Carrows Restaurant.

In the planning for over a year, incoming President Merle Hayes formed a group to gather materials and tales to commemorate Santa Rosa Sunrise first 30 years of fellowship and service.  With over 250 members inducted, almost as many student exchanges between sister city Kagoshima Japan, $331,000 contributed to The Rotary Foundation, and $1,400,000 raised for local and international projects, Sunrise Rotary had grateful reason to take note of their accomplishments and provide newer members the opportunity to see the legacy they are part of.

Dave Lorenzen, President in 1992 recalls how the club pulled together in hosting the District Conference and moreover supporting Sunriser and then District Governor Delbert Raby.

From the 32 Charter Members, Sunrise today still includes 23 of it's Past Presidents.  Our first woman member, Vicki Lockner was also in attendance, here flanked by Steve Zwick, and Past President Steve Amend.   

Kent Seegmiller, Past President #3 holds the record for sponsoring members:  69!  His new members sponsored others who sponsored, ...

That could be why President Eloise (her last day as President) is expressing appreciation for Kent's foundational work in membership development! Present also was John Dolinsek, aka, "Doli", the first member inducted into the club.

In the members present and past was Dan Lambert.  Not pictured, Dan coordinated the Club's efforts in 1986 to pave the way for our SRKSEP or Santa Rosa Kagoshima Student Exchange Program.  This ongoing collaboration with our local Friends of Kagoshima Association provides high school students from each city a two week summer visit.  This project affords members here insights into Japanese culture and likewise Santa Rosa youth an excellent window on life in Japan.

Current chair of the SRKSEP, Shauna Lorenzen reads, rather displays, a note of thanks from Kagoshima.  Charter Members of Sunrise Rotary clearly wanted to avoid the risk of being merely a check writing club:  They wanted INVOLVEMENT, and have succeeded!  Locally, Internationally, with Youth, Seniors, academic and vocational education, Bunny Barns, Surgical Center, Vision and Dental Clinics in Mexico, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Haiti, Samoa, Sunrise Rotarians have reminded family, friends and neighbors alike that Service Above Self generates Goodwill, Better Friendships and is Beneficial to All Concerned.  It is also FUN!

Warren summed up what he has seen become reality since his term as President began 30 years ago, as he quoted John Wooden, UCLA's legendary Basketball Coach:  "Much can be accomplished through teamwork when no one is concerned about who gets credit."