Council Member Rogers has a Masters in Public Administration from Sonoma State University and a Bachelors in Political Science from U.C. Santa Barbara. He was elected to the City Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, and was selected by his colleagues to serve a two-year term as the youngest Mayor in the history of Santa Rosa. Council Member Rogers represents District 5, which includes the neighborhoods of Downtown Santa Rosa, Railroad Square, St. Rose Historic District and the Luther Burbank Gardens area.
He represents Santa Rosa on, among other bodies:
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
Sonoma Clean Power
California League of Cities Mayors and Councilmembers Legislative task force and
Association of Bay Area Governments executive committee,
And chairs:
Santa Rosa’s Open Government and Community Engagement subcommittee (Chair)
Santa Rosa’s Climate Action subcommittee (Chair)
Santa Rosa’s Long term finance subcommittee (Chair) and
California League of Cities Environmental Quality committee.
Additionally, he represents all nine Sonoma County cities on the SMART Train board of directors and chairs the consolidated oversight board of redevelopment agencies.
Prior to his council career, Chris served as a legislative aide in Sacramento at the State Senate and State Assembly. He has worked in the renewable energy financing field and is currently an administrator for a nonprofit environmental organization.
The Feel of the Rotary Foundation by Dr. John Blount
Our speaker for November 2, 2023, was Dr. John Blount, an inspirational speaker on a variety of Rotary subjects. John is a retired dentist from Sebastopol, has been a Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Sebastopol for 45 years, and has worked in a variety of Rotary International positions. For example, he was District Governor for District 5130 in 1990, a member of the Rotary International Board of Directors from 2009-2011 and chair of the RI Board of Directors Executive Committee. He chaired RI’s Communications Committee from 2011-2013. He has just completed a three-year assignment on Rotary’s Peace Centers Committee. John remains active in Rotary by, among other things, serving as a trainer for President-Elects and District Governor-Elects.
John’s presentation was entitled “The Feel of the Rotary Foundation.” While he admitted that he is not a “Foundation Guy,” John is also of the belief that Rotarians learning about the Foundation learn more than facts and figures; they experience something that is hard to put into words. His club has sent its President-Elects to the Rotary International Convention every year. When they come back to the club and try to describe what happened, they always say they can’t explain the feeling being at the meeting gave them.
John gave us a brief historical view of Rotary’s involvement with community service. Rotary was started in 1905. The original mission was to promote business endeavors, friendship, and fellowship among Rotarians. In 1906, Dan Carter started the idea that Rotarians should be promoting civic pride and service to the community, and Rotary revised its mission statement to reflect that goal. One of Rotary’s first service projects was the construction of public comfort (restrooms) stations! As John explained, this was a really big deal because before that time such stations did not exist and people had to use bars to get it done, typically having to pay the bar for the privilege! This project involved coordination and cooperation with other civic groups, something we’ve learned to do very well over the years.
John also talked about his own club’s experience with global projects. Their first project involved a children’s health drive in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They worked with a local Rotary club to identify children who needed medical aid. The little girl they helped came to California for surgery. Their club has also built a school! Rotarians can get things done that no one else seems to be able to accomplish (think Polio)! John also worked with the Ambassadorial Student Program. He recalls sending a young Ukiah student to New Zealand for college; that kid later got a law degree and worked for the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office in New Zealand, writing legislation.
John updated us on two specific areas of conflict that Rotary has been working on, Haiti and Ukraine. RI’s key initiative in Haiti is addressing water and sanitation issues. Rotary (including the Foundation, RI, and District 7020) is working with other organizations to help Haitians fix their own problems. The key mechanism is Hanwash, the Haiti National Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Initiative. Hanwash has now established drinking water systems in several towns, allowing Haitians to see for themselves what they, with help from others, can accomplish. Rotary’s involvement in Ukraine includes at least $75 million in aid other assistance.
Thank you, John, for the inspirational discussion of the Rotary Foundation and its good works. Probably every former President-Elect from Sunrise would agree with your sentiment that it is impossible to truly capture the feeling that an RI Convention engenders. And, you don’t have to be a PE to know that Rotary is one of the most positive agents for good in the world!
Click HERE to view a limited time recording of John's talk.
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!
Del's well attended memorial was held Saturday, November 4th at Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park.
Welcomes and introductions were skillfully conducted by MC, Steve Amend. Peter Hoberg's "A Life Well Lived" set a very positive and touching tone for the remainder of ceremony.
Our president, Debra Robertson sums it up in this letter:
"Words cannot express enough how fabulous the Celebration of Life for Del Raby was. From the venue, decorations, and food, to hearing from the alumni of the Fraternity Del started at Chico State, to the grown men who were boy scouts under Del singing the boy scout camp song, and hearing stories about Del's life and how he touched so many lives - it was an amazing tribute to a life well lived.
Thank you Cindy Gillespie and Tom Eakin for leading the Del Team consisting of Steve Amend, Paul O'Rear, Penny Millar, Peter Hoberg, Rich Randolph, Stacy Drucker-Andress, and Archie Julian (if I'm missing anyone, forgive me) to make this a fabulous event. I know you all worked long and hard to make this event special for Del and it showed.
As a proud Del would have said had he been able to - "You SURE put together a spectacular celebration of life for me"."
For contributions to the Art King Memorial Fund, please write a check payable to Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary Foundation and mail the check to PO Box 14953, Santa Rosa, CA 95402, and to write Art King in the memo line?
Ninety-seven years of living and serving others: Multiple generations review Del's career memories from Scouting and Rotary.
At the front of this table is Del's grandnephew Chris Good who traveled with his father Ben from Cache Oklahoma, nearby to Del's World War Two Army post at Fort Sill.
Friends of Del from Sunrise, Carmen & Daniel Gutierrez (left) and Jim and Cindy Brenton (right) catch up.
Steve Amend served as Master of Ceremony.
A successor of Del, Paul Kruger of Scout Camp Oljato in Fresno County, delivered a history of Del's beloved summer site.
Paul O Rear above read a story by Del's long time friend Archie Julian recalling a memorable Good Samaritan hike in Jedediah Smith State Park. Penny Millar read letters from Del's family. Helaine Campbell added heartfelt memories.
Billy Allen, Camp Oljato Staff was enthusiastic in recalling days of Del.
No celebration is ever complete without dessert. Mary Banks provided a gourmet selection of fresh baked and labelled coolies! Mary is sure Del would approve ~ and enjoy.
M.J. Girard is currently an on air personality on KOWSfm.com His “Roots of Rock” is broadcast every Sunday morning at 7 AM
The Memorial for Del Raby was one of the most moving gatherings I have attended. Lynda and I felt lifted as we listened to the remembrances of those who shared their experiences of knowing a man whose life was dedicated to serving others, with devotion, compassion and love. Del will live within the hearts of anyone fortunate enough to have known him.
Families will be getting together this season sharing their stories and planning for the new year, a year of great opportunities, a year of community, a year of decisions as to the future of America.
As a member of the ABC News network in Texas, I recall covering the local and national elections in the 1970’s on radio. Texans are passionate about politics…almost as passionate as they are about football!
Regarding radio, KOWS continues to offer one of the most valuable and varied spectrums of programming, emanating from our studio in downtown Santa Rosa. We continue to serve our audience with devoted presenters, both local and nationally originated. Incidentally, we have some opportunities for additional local content if you’re interested in hosting a live production of your own. Visit kowsfm.com to find out more.
The “Roots of Rock” is presented live at 7 Sunday mornings and is archived on the studios website for those who rather sleep in ….which I totally understand! Fortunately, I am an early riser recalling Franklins adage “Early to bed…” I’m not so sure that I’m any wiser, but I am definitely wealthier by my affiliation with Rotary.
Thank you for your request (Girard.org) for artists and tunes this season, I have incorporated them into the mix of music that was prominent during this time of year throughout the past decades, reaching back to the earliest years, through the best days of our lives, including the present.
As we enter this holiday season, let us reflect upon the power of community and the strength of “Service Above Self”.
Next year, Rotary takes a step toward supporting peacebuilding in the Middle East and North Africa region when recruitment begins for our newest peace center in partnership with Bahçeşehir University (BAU) in Istanbul.
A series of events in the coming year will recognize the new center at BAU and Rotary's work to promote peace. The 2024 Rotary International Convention in May will mark 25 years since the first Rotary Peace Centers were announced — coincidentally at the Rotary Convention in Singapore in 1999. Recruitment for the first cohort of Rotary Peace Fellows at BAU also starts in 2024, and selected candidates will begin their program in early 2025.
Since its beginning, the peace centers program has prepared more than 1,700 peace fellows working in more than 140 countries to create a more peaceful world. That is certainly worth celebrating, but Rotary Peace Fellows are more than statistics on a page. Their actions have helped Create Hope in the World and will continue to do so.
For example, Jennifer Montgomery and Gorett Komurembe — peace fellows from the program at Makerere University in Uganda — are co-founders of Magenta Girls Initiative. The international nongovernmental organization equips Ugandan girls and young women with the support and tools to overcome harmful gender norms, generational poverty, gender-based violence, trafficking, and trauma.
Ndzi Divine Njamsi, another peace fellow who studied at Makerere, has taken lessons learned about Positive Peace and is sharing them with students of his own in Cameroon. He became interested in the Rotary Positive Peace Activator training program after witnessing extremism, online hate speech, and violence in Cameroon. Since completing the program, he has brought his lessons on peace to students at the Yaoundé International Business School and other organizations in the Central Africa country.
The world needs more people like the graduates of the program at Makerere and our other peace fellows. To that end, we can all advance peace by encouraging our local peacebuilders to learn more about Rotary and apply for this impactful fellowship. Rotary members can also mentor candidates for the fellowship. Or you can work with peace fellows who have already graduated. They probably have an initiative or two that would benefit from your help.
Our peace centers in North America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia depend on financial support as well. The program at BAU was made possible thanks to a generous gift of $15.5 million to The Rotary Foundation from the Otto and Fran Walter Foundation.
This new Rotary Peace Center will offer a one-year professional development certificate in peace and development studies for fellows focusing on peacebuilding within the Middle East and North Africa region.
Peace must be waged persistently; it is the soil where hope takes root. But as with any journey, we take one step at a time. Let’s take those steps together.
This month, as we celebrate The Rotary Foundation, let’s recognize it for what it is: one of the world’s best humanitarian organizations.
Many charities, relief organizations, and nonprofits do the same type of work, and the public associates them with the causes they work on. But I wonder how many people know that Rotary supports those same causes — seven of them in fact — which we call our areas of focus.
If they want clean water, good health, and a sustainable future for our planet, they support what our Foundation does. If they envision a world where peace, full literacy, and economic opportunities for communities to support themselves exist, they also believe in Rotary’s mission. And if they want to see mothers and their babies thrive, their vision aligns with the work we do.
And we have a lot of work in progress through the Foundation. Polio eradication is changing the world, one drop of vaccine at a time. Rotary Peace Centers are training peacebuilders to reduce violence and resolve conflict. And through Foundation global and district grants, we are improving lives in a real way.
The way we work also sets us apart. We have global reach, with more than 48,000 field offices in the form of Rotary and Rotaract clubs. We emphasize good stewardship of your funds and efficient implementation of your projects. And we always aim for sustainable solutions.
During the 2022-23 Rotary year, the Foundation awarded 1,098 global grants. If you think of what a single grant can do, you begin to grasp the scale of our work and the magnitude of our impact — an impact people can see and feel in their daily lives.
Our district supported a global grant project that focused on basic education and literacy in Malawi, where we helped train 38 teachers who are responsible for 4,000 students. We also built two toilets and installed a pump, so they had water for drinking and hand washing.
I will never forget that when Esther and I visited the school, a young boy pointed to my Rotary pin, recognizing it from other volunteers who wore their pins during the project. He said, “I know you helped me. I won’t be able to travel to thank the others who helped me, so please thank them for me.”
So thank you, Rotary, on behalf of a child in Malawi whose future you made a little brighter, and on behalf of thousands of others you have helped by supporting The Rotary Foundation.
After a 2021 tornado and subsequent electrical fire damaged the African American Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a Rotary club in the city acquired a $10,000 disaster relief grant from District 6710 to help restore the museum. But “we didn’t just want to be handing out the check,” says Vickie Elrod, a past president of the Rotary Club of Bowling Green. “We wanted to get boots on the ground to get involved with the preservation of those artifacts.” About a dozen Rotarians attended workshops on archiving, and the club is assisting the museum in digitizing documents. They include records on Shake Rag, a once-vibrant district settled by former slaves and soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War. The financial assistance enabled the museum to work with a conservator on preserving its uniforms and other clothes. The museum reopened in August, and Rotarians continue to assist with cleaning damaged artifacts, pictures, and equipment.
Jamaica
Advocates in Jamaica highlight a shortage of housing that meets the needs of people with limited mobility. The Rotary Club of Kingston funded a nearly $23,000 refurbishment of Cheshire Village, a transitional housing facility associated with a rehabilitation center. “Rotarians were instrumental and involved in the three town halls we had with residents,” says Karsten Johnson, the club’s immediate past president. “Our plans were made based on their priorities.” The Kingston club, supported by donations from the Rotary Club of Naples North, Florida, raised the height of toilets and added support bars and railings along restroom walls. The club installed new kitchen cupboards, sinks, and faucets to improve accessibility for people who use wheelchairs. A first phase, to install six solar streetlights, was completed in February, with the retrofit finished in June.
This story originally appeared in the November 2023 issue of Rotary magazine.
Rotary projects make a difference in communities around the world.
.png)
.png)
After a 2021 tornado and subsequent electrical fire damaged the African American Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a Rotary club in the city acquired a $10,000 disaster relief grant from District 6710 to help restore the museum. But “we didn’t just want to be handing out the check,” says Vickie Elrod, a past president of the Rotary Club of Bowling Green. “We wanted to get boots on the ground to get involved with the preservation of those artifacts.” About a dozen Rotarians attended workshops on archiving, and the club is assisting the museum in digitizing documents. They include records on Shake Rag, a once-vibrant district settled by former slaves and soldiers who fought for the Union in the Civil War. The financial assistance enabled the museum to work with a conservator on preserving its uniforms and other clothes. The museum reopened in August, and Rotarians continue to assist with cleaning damaged artifacts, pictures, and equipment.
Advocates in Jamaica highlight a shortage of housing that meets the needs of people with limited mobility. The Rotary Club of Kingston funded a nearly $23,000 refurbishment of Cheshire Village, a transitional housing facility associated with a rehabilitation center. “Rotarians were instrumental and involved in the three town halls we had with residents,” says Karsten Johnson, the club’s immediate past president. “Our plans were made based on their priorities.” The Kingston club, supported by donations from the Rotary Club of Naples North, Florida, raised the height of toilets and added support bars and railings along restroom walls. The club installed new kitchen cupboards, sinks, and faucets to improve accessibility for people who use wheelchairs. A first phase, to install six solar streetlights, was completed in February, with the retrofit finished in June.