Dr. Anthony Borgognoni is the grandson of Italian immigrants who persevered at the Sunnyside Plantation in Lake Village, Arkansas. His grandparents, along with the grandparents of Sunrise Rotarian Don Floriani, were part of this unique colony established in the Arkansas Delta.

From childhood, Anthony participated in the cultural traditions of his family and was inspired to learn more of his heritage as he listened to his parents speak Italian across the dinner table. He authored several chapters of his mother’s book, Italians of Sunnyside, and managed every phase of its publication in both the United States and Italy. He is the co-executive director and CEO of the Italians of Sunnyside Foundation.

In his spare time, Anthony is an Optometric physician specializing in the treatment and management of ocular diseases and vision disorders. He will join us by Zoom.

LINK TO VIRTUAL MEETING INFORMATION

On a regular basis, our resident photo pro Warren Smith, submits pictures of what is going on at the weekly meetings. You can always find the most recent pictures at the websites photo journal called "Meeting Sighting" Please note that all the meeting photos for the entire Rotary year are at this location with the most recent on the last page.

Thanks for all the great pictures Warren! Link to Meeting Sightings. The most recent are on the last page!

Surrounded In Service

Too young for Rotary in 1943, Del Raby was still eager to serve his community and nation.  As an able bodied teen his Army Cadet Corps volunteered to tend for almond orchards in Chico California, now part of District 5160.  Five decades later, Delbert was selected District Governor of the adjacent District 5130 following membership in four other California Rotary clubs and a distinguished career as a Boy Scouting Professional in Southern and Northern California.

Nourishing his insatiable urge to serve, Del continues as one of the first Sunrisers to arrive before 7:00 AM to set up for Santa Rosa Sunrise meetings where he adds to his perfect attendance of 61 years!

To hear Del describe his career in leadership, one is left with an indelible portrait of Service-Above-Self.  In high school Del’s aptitude to organize people took root in the California Cadet Corps, a forerunner to Army ROTC.  By the time he graduated from high school in 1943 he had earned the rank of Captain. That experience also was noticed by his superiors after Army enlistmen in February 1945 and subsequently being assigned to Fort Sill Oklahoma as a training officer.  His early leadership would prove providential, as his Fort Hood Texas boot camp class was sent to Okinawa, suffering large casualties.

In 1944 Del found himself answering the call to service in the United States Army. While stationed in Oklahoma at Fort Sill training recruits in 60 mm mortar artillery, he took weekend pass time to visit nearby Lawton and attend church.  Noticing the Boy Scout Troop 49 met there Thursday evening, Del requested permission to attend.  Little did Del know the Scoutmaster was the local Singer sewing machine distributor or that one of his employees would eventually become Mrs. Raby.  Bride-to-be Mary  did not know that she would honeymoon across the United States in Col. Miller’s GI jeep  In October, visiting many national parks on the trip to California.   Del describes Mary’s adventure as guided by military escort: according to Del, he drove in uniform, the only clothes he had!

Fontana California, District 5330 was Del’s first entry into Rotary International.  Interestingly in the 1950’s women were not allowed as members.  That was not until 1986 in nearby Duarte, California, however Del’s wife, Mary, was a regular guest.

Del’s role with Scouting was with summer camps. He wrangled five in his career throughout California. Camp Pahatsi near Donner Summit, Merimichi in San Diego County, Silverado at Silver Lake just across the lake from former Scout Mark Scott, aka “Torch”& his wife’s horse training operation. Fifth was the isolated Cherry View on Catalina Island ~ where do we sign up?  And last and far from least, Oljato, another lake bound camp on the shore of Huntington Lake near Sequoia National Park. He inspected, coached leaders, recruited staff and acted as a lifeguard.  “They gave me a long pole, and a tent by the lake!” when he was 12, in 1938 while a Tenderfoot at Butte Meadows in Butte County east of Childhood Chico. Fifty years later, Del has contact with former campers and staff from Camp Oljato. Boy Scouting brought Eagle Scout Del to the Bay Area’s Stanford Council in the 1970’s where he encouraged three generations in one family toward the rank of Eagle Scout.

Del’s Scouting career would span 31 years, thousands of miles, with several national Jamboree celebrations, as recently as 2016. His plans include the next in 2023, at age 97.

Far from over the hill in 1981, Del, at 54 ramped up for his second ahh, third stint of service: Army, Scouting, Rotary.  He and wife Harriet (Mary passed away in 1970 after 24 years with Del) moved north and settled in Windsor.  Del and Harriet’s wanderlust took them globetrotting and afforded several adventures on archaeological digs.  Del dug, sifted, surveyed sites in Britain and Scotland under the auspices of the University of California.  His efforts led to documentation of settlement’s architecture and artifacts. Del and Harriet visited Raby Castle in Yorkshire, learning the name is a Scottish contraction of names connoting a secluded village.  Down under in New Zealand, Del and Harriet observed weavers and were hooked, returning home with a spinning wheel and soon to follow loom.  Del and Harriet collaborated in fabric art, creating among other works, a shirt Del treasures.  

Harriet’s four day Medford Track walking stick continues to click off miles as Del’s companion on recent Sunrise’ Spring Lake treks.

This quilt was a gift from the Ukiah club.

Six years following his retirement from Scouting, with a term in 1983-84 as president of Mt. View Rotary District 5160, Del joined Santa Rosa Sunrise.  Three years later he commenced the march to District Governor and took that mantle in 1992, with Santa Rosa Sunrise his home host club.  That year Dave Lorenzen presided over Sunrise which hosted the District Assembly as well.

In 1996, four years following his tenure as District Governor of 5130, Del’s creative restlessness queried Sunrise President Randy Seelye about a novel culinary experience for the club:  A Progressive Springtime Dinner.  Randy and the club board agreed to try.  For over 20 years, the Progressive Dinner grew in popularity and became one of the most nourishing recipes for building goodwill, better friendships and local geographic fluency!  Keeping the course cohorts at 6 enhanced interaction and greater participation.  Members met spouses, significant others, discovered different neighborhoods.  Interrupted by the Covid-19 pause, Del’s four-star organizational files track who ate where with whom, providing a platform to keep anyone from hosting duplicate parties over the more than two decades of dining and discovering each other.

Del disclosed his love of documents, records in particular.  Not vinyl, though he did collect many, his affinity for detail found fertility in creating and maintaining ongoing management of weekly club assignments:  Greeter, Thought for the Day, Pledge of Allegiance leader.  He also keeps tab on banners and plaques of Paul Harris Fellows, Club and member District awards/recognitions.  Del’s home-office has multiple monitors, volumes of references, and of course his cell phone.

In 2008 Del and I met at the Thursday morning Sunrise Club meeting at, that time, the Fountaingrove Inn, since a statistic of the 2017 Tubbs fire. Through Del’s conscientious handling of Club banners and badges the week before, those parts of Sunrise tradition were spared.  Del’s cohesive presence in club leadership is felt wherever he is seen. His six-foot frame draws attention and his white beard accent the greeting he gives.  Within Del’s mind are so many stories of people and places.  We are in them too.  “Did I tell you about…?"  “That reminds me.”  are Del’s invitation to listen, learn and let Del get to know you better!

CLICK HERE for a closer look at 1992-93 from Del’s diary.

1: Is it the truth ? 

The climate crisis is a fact acknowledged by over 95% of the world’s climate scientists.  Destructive weather and rising sea levels give clear, observational testimony to the facts.

2: It is fair to all concerned?

The climate crisis will be completely UN-fair to everyone, everywhere, but the poor and vulnerable will be impacted first and hardest. It is especially unfair to all future generations.

3: Will it build good will and better friendship? 

If we, as Rotarians and Rotaractors, take action to help slow and stop climate change, it will absolutely build good will and better friendship.  And those actions will attract the younger generation to Rotary membership.

4: Will be beneficial to all concerned? 

If we do not act, it will be detrimental to all concerned; f we do act, it will be more beneficial to everyone, everywhere, than anything else Rotary can do, by preserving the livability of our little blue planet.