Leroy Carlenzoli is a Merit Award winner this year for his years of community service and dedication to helping others. The celebration will be on Monday, Sept 21 at the Finley Community Center, Person Auditorium, at 5:30pm. Friends and family are welcome to join us in this great honor.
RSVP is required. I will coordinate the RSVP's and send the list to the City of Santa Rosa. If you would like to attend, please let me know by August 27th.
There is no cost, and there is no mention of a meal, so assume nothing or perhaps snacks.
We are lucky to have Leroy in our club, leading by example the wonderful humanitarian work he does hour after hour, day after day. Let's make sure all of Santa Rosa knows Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary is 100% behind this amazing person!
Meeting will be held at the Pacific Coast Air Museum at the Sonoma County Airport. Speaker (name to be confirmed) will be from the museum.
The Pacific Coast Air Museum's mission is to educate, inspire, preserve, and honor—sharing the story of aviation and space technology while safeguarding historic aircraft and recognizing the service of our veterans. As a hands-on museum, PCAM invites visitors to experience aviation up close. Guests can explore aircraft firsthand, look inside cockpits, and discover how these extraordinary machines were designed and flown.
From pilots and veterans to students and families, the Pacific Coast Air Museum welcomes all who share a passion for flight. Guided tours, school field trips, and group programs make PCAM a destination where history truly comes alive.
The LandPaths Story, by Francis Lee, Development Director
Our guest speaker for September 17, 2026 was Frances Lee of LandPaths. Frances is a nonprofit fundraising and communications leader with 17 years of experience supporting Bay Area community-based organizations, including Girls Leadership and Girls on the Run. She has a deep connection with the outdoors from camping and hiking with her family and at summer camps as a camper and counselor. She joined LandPaths in June 2026 as the Development Director.
LandPaths is celebrating is 30-year anniversary this year. Its main objective is to get people outdoors. Its mission is to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County. LandPaths believes that equity, inclusion, and justice are an inseparable part of its identity. Historically marginalized communities are faced with systemic barriers to connecting with nature. LandPaths is a leader in public access, land stewardship, and environmental education. Landpath’s footprint extends from the Lafferty Ranch in Petaluma to Healdsburg. Most of its properties are not open to the public except through LandPaths-guided programs and appointments. One property, the Grove of the Old Trees, is available for public access.
LandPaths has 3 core initiatives: Rooting Youth in Nature is a school-based program that seeks to reduce barriers so that kids can get outside and experience nature – the programs include In Our Own Backyard and Inspired Forward. In Our Own Backyard gives students time to explore and connect with natural spaces. Inspired Forward is for teens and young adults. The 2nd core initiative is Branching Out Conservation for Everyone, which includes Vamos Afuera (let’s go outside) and is primarily for helping members of the Latino community, and especially families, explore various LandPaths facilities. The 3rd core initiative is Growing Community With Nature, which fosters forging care and connection between people and the land. Owl Camp is part of this initiative; it’s a weeklong day camp for kids aged 6 to 13 at various LandPaths location. The initiative also includes stewardship days and conservation workforce training. LandPaths also operates community gardens at Bayer Farm and Jeff’s Garden. One of the newest LandPaths programs is Stand for the Land, which gets kids that have been involved in violence out into nature through monthly outings. Most of the kids who participate in this program are referred by the Family Justice Center or the City of Santa Rosa.
Thank you Francis for the presentation and for your work with LandPaths. LandPath’s has been a favorite Sunrise program for many years. In fact, we held Past President Peter Hoberg’s debunking at Bayer Farm! LandPath’s annual Harvest Festival is on September 26 at Bayer Farm from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s free and a great place to have fun and learn more about LandPath’s programs.
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!
Cathy’s Torch. Her Legacy. Our Journey to End Polio.
From October 2-24, 2026, Rotary clubs throughout District 5130 will carry a community relay torch on an extraordinary journey across Northern California, uniting Rotarians, families and communities in the worldwide effort to end polio.
Beginning in Crescent City and concluding in Petaluma on World Polio Day, the torch will travel through communities across Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Sonoma counties.
One District. One Mission. A World Free of Polio.
Each participating Rotary club will organize a local event featuring the torch. Activities may include walks, runs, bicycle rides, community gatherings, youth participation and ceremonial handoffs from one Rotary club to the next.
Together, these events will create one continuous District-wide journey of hope, remembrance and action.
The Story Behind Cathy’s Torch
The community relay torch honors the memory of Catherine “Cathy” Ritter and the spirit of service she embodied. In 1984, Cathy participated in a community fundraising torch relay through South Lake Tahoe, where local residents gathered along Highway 50 to cheer on the participants.
Cathy was the daughter of longtime Rotarian Bob Rogers, a polio survivor and member of the Rotary Club of Sebastopol. Her story, together with her father’s experience with polio, gives this District-wide relay special meaning.
Cathy passed away in 2025 following a courageous journey with metastatic breast cancer. As the community relay torch travels from place to place, District 5130 honors Cathy’s life, Bob’s polio story and Rotary’s enduring promise to help create a polio-free world.
The World Polio Torch Relay will begin in Crescent City on October 2 and conclude in Petaluma on October 24, World Polio Day. Follow District 5130 for route updates, local events and opportunities to participate or support Rotary’s polio eradication efforts.
The planned route includes:
Crescent City
Arcata and McKinleyville
Eureka
Ferndale
Fortuna
Garberville
Fort Bragg
Mendocino
Gualala
Willits
Ukiah
Lakeport
Calistoga
St. Helena
Napa
Cloverdale
Healdsburg
Windsor
Santa Rosa
Sebastopol
Sonoma
Rohnert Park
Petaluma
Find an Event Near You
Community members are invited to attend local Torch Relay events, walk alongside Rotarians, participate in community activities and help spread the message that the world can—and must—end polio.
Each participating Rotary club will share its event time, location and participation information through its website and social media pages.
Support the Campaign
Members of the public can support the World Polio Torch Relay through an approved Raise for Rotary fundraising page established by a participating Rotary club.
Each club will provide its own donation button or fundraising link on its website, social media pages and local event materials. Donations made through these approved club campaigns will benefit PolioPlus through The Rotary Foundation and will be credited to the participating club.
Why Ending Polio Matters
For more than 35 years, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have worked to protect children around the world from this devastating disease.
Extraordinary progress has been made, but polio anywhere remains a threat to children everywhere. Continued vaccination, public awareness and financial support are essential until transmission of the virus has been stopped worldwide.
The World Polio Torch Relay represents the determination of Rotary members and communities across District 5130 to finish the work of ending polio.
Follow and Share the Journey
Follow Rotary District 5130 and participating Rotary clubs on social media for photographs, videos and event announcements from communities along the route.
Share the journey using:
#EndPolioNow
#WorldPolioDay
#TorchRelay
#RotaryDistrict5130
Questions?
For information about a local relay event, please contact the participating Rotary club directly.
For general information about the District-wide World Polio Torch Relay, please contact:
World Polio Torch Relay Chair: Renee McKenna
District 5130 Public Image Chair: Marguerite “Maggie” Padovani
Authors correction: in last week's bulletin, the above photo identified the center person as Rotary International president elect Larry Lunsford. In reality he is past Rotary International President Ravi Ravindran, 2015-2016 from Sri Lanka.
At the recent leadership conference, Eloise and Jack were especially delighted to reunite with Ravi. 2016 was also Eloise and Jack's year as presidents of their respective clubs. Eloise and Sunrise and Jack in Glen Ellen Kenwood Rotary Rotary Unites for Good.
2015-2016 International Theme
Here are Eloise' notes on the Leadership Institute:
In Rotary, it’s easy to become focused on projects at the local level, where we are truly making a difference. This is important work, and it’s also exciting to know that we are part of an international organization that does good in the world, promotes peace through partnerships, and creates leaders to carry on this important work to make lasting change for generations to come.
I returned home to Santa Rosa on September 6 after attending Rotary Zone Institute’s “Camp Big West” in Litchfield Park, Arizona (September 3-5), where I participated in the District Governor Elect (DGE) graduation for my husband Jack (Strange) and his 29 classmates in Zones 26/27. During this three-day marathon, I emersed myself in the energy and excitement of over 500 Rotary leaders coming together to share ideas and inspiration from the local club to international level, as they learned to become better leaders. Leadership requires life-long learning!
Partners like me began to appreciate the power of collaboration and shared purpose, which was contagious. We were also warmly welcomed to participate as much or little as we desired. I couldn’t resist. Current and past District Governors (DGs) were there to mentor and champion the next generations of leaders. Each current DG also invited two “emerging leaders” from their districts to participate in breakout sessions and keynote presentations.
One of my personal highlights from Zone Institute was the first keynote address by Past Rotary International (RI) President Ravi Ravindran (Sri Lanka) on leadership. His leadership was equally impactful when he served as RI President in 2015/16, the same year Jack and I served as Presidents of our respective clubs (Santa Rosa Evening and Santa Rosa Sunrise). The leadership values he and other Rotary International leaders have modeled are what make Rotary so unique as both a service and leadership organization. Below are my key take-aways from Ravi’s description of leadership. These are values I also strive to lead by in my own organization:
Integrity: Doing what’s right when no one is watching. Only your best is good enough.
Humility: Set aside pride to avoid becoming self-righteous.
Compassion: See the person, not the problem. Show up when others need you. Be open like children and embrace all. What adults analyze, children accept.
Courage: Refuse to let fear decide for you. Choose the high road. Stand firm when others want you to compromise your values.
Another highlight for me was the daily presence and closing keynote address by RI President Elect Larry Lunsford (Kansas, US), whose midwestern charm, approachability, and personal vulnerability were palpable. In his keynote, he discussed the powerful impact of Rotary partnerships to eradicate polio, and reinforced RI’s commitment to staying the course. He recounted the personal impact of a recent trip he made to Pakistan and shared a photo of the first child he immunized against polio. He also shared a shoe story in, as one of his personal commitments is to provide new shoes to children. In his honor, over 600 pairs of new shoes were collected during Camp Big West, and will be distributed later this month to children in Tucson schools.
In our world of AI, PE Larry described a GPS analogy for Rotary International: Growing, Partnering, and Serving. Continuity in leadership is mandatory and necessary at the district and club level. This is a chance to start new conversations in our clubs with a 4-year journey in messaging to achieve RI’s goal of 1.25 million members by 2030. It’s time to ask, “Where does your club want to be in 2030”? Achieving this goal will require starting new clubs, not just growing existing clubs. Larry asked Rotary leaders to look at the people in your neighborhood, business, family, and ask, “Why haven’t I brought this person into Rotary yet?” As he pointed out, “Everyone in Rotary leadership has the ability to spread that intentionality across an entire Rotary District.”
I have full confidence in our District Governors, past-present-future, to carry this message to District members, and hope others who are NOT in the DG line will join me in supporting them!
From both breakout sessions and Keynotes, I also returned home to Sonoma County feeling inspired and will actively support efforts to use “AI for good” through Rotary to expand our reach: to make our clubs more attractive to younger members, help start new clubs, more effectively identify needs in our community that Rotary can address and find new ways to keep the FUN in fundraising.
From District 5130, District Governor Nominee (DGN) Ann Gospe attended for her first year of immersion with her classmates. Jack completed his second year of preparation as Governor Elect (DGE), which further bonded him with his 29 classmates from Zones 26/27 (western US and part of Canada). Past District Governor Kristine Redko and District Governor Jeff Kolin, along with their own classmates, were there to support the new DG leaders, deepen their own learning, and ensure continuity of leadership. Michael Juric, a zone trainer for years, and David Mark-Raymond, District Foundation Chair, also attended. Two “emerging leaders” were also selected by each DG to attend the Institute. Julie Montgomery (Santa Rosa East-West) and Annalise von Vorstel (Eureka) were selected from District 5130.
The entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton died 25 August 2026. This Q&A was originally published in the March 2010 issue of The Rotarian (now Rotary) magazine. Later that year, she spoke at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Canada.
25 Aug 2026
Photo courtesy of Rotary International
Growing up in the mountains of Tennessee, USA, Dolly Parton had little time for reading. Before and after school, she and her 11 siblings had chores: fetching water from the well, cooking over the wood-burning stove, and tending the vegetable plot. Her father, a tobacco farmer, never learned to read.
Parton’s impoverished childhood and her father’s illiteracy inspired the country music legend to launch a children’s book program in 1996. She started in her native Sevier County. Now home to about 80,000 people, the county had a population of 60 during her youth — “and 36 of them were Partons,” she says.
The Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library provides a new book every month to children from birth to age five, starting with The Little Engine That Could. To date, the program has delivered more than 23 million books to preschoolers in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A year ago, Parton’s organization and Rotary International teamed up to further the effort, which costs US$28 per child annually. More than 140 Rotary clubs participate.
Parton will give a keynote address on 23 June at the 2010 RI Convention in Montréal, Que., Canada.
An actress, songwriter, and singer, Parton has won seven Grammy awards and was named to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999. Her Broadway musical, 9 to 5, based on the movie, will be touring later this year. This month also marks the 25th anniversary of her Dollywood theme park, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Most philanthropies help only the poor. The Imagination Library took income out of the equation, offering books to all children, regardless of family finances. Why is that? I never wanted a child or family to feel they were getting books because someone decided they must be poor or underprivileged. I want kids to feel that the reason they are getting a book is because they are under five and their community loves them. And I do have a practical side: If we had to take on the burden of deciding who qualified and who didn’t, we would spend more time and money on qualifying people than we would on books.
How has Rotary supported your work? Rotary has been a wonderful partner. It has helped us in all kinds of ways — getting the word out, funding the effort, and finding others to help fund it, and also registering lots of kids. It won’t be long till we are mailing to 600,000 kids a month.
What is your impression of the Rotarians you have met? I never really pay much attention to what people are; I focus on who they are. Everyone I have met has been warm, loving, caring — and pretty darn funny!
Do you own a Kindle? No. I love everything about a book — the way it feels and the way it smells. I think there will always be books, and I think the world is plenty big enough to have both books and Kindles.
What do you envision for the future of the Imagination Library? My hope is simple: that no child will ever have to grow up without books. Our partnership with Rotary is just beginning, so I am sure as we grow closer, our dreams will grow.
What books do you have on your nightstand? I read all the time, but the one book that is always on or near my nightstand is the Bible.
Does anyone read to you? For me, reading is a solitary adventure. I get up real early every morning. I call it my ‘God time’ — it’s so quiet, and I can read, pray, write, create. It is a very special time for me.
How have your philanthropic efforts inspired your music? Everything I do somehow makes it to my music. However, I know that as I mature (I don’t get older — I just keep on growing and maturing), I want to do more with kids, entertain them, have fun with them, and maybe even inspire a few along the way. I am just a big kid myself, so I have been enjoying writing music for kids. One day down the road, I will release my first children’s collection, so stay tuned!
Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Sunrise - Founded June 30, 1986
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Finley Community Center, Person Auditorium
