Volunteer opportunities are available for Levi's Gran Fondo, a large organized bike ride. The main one we like to do as a group is "Bag Check Dropoff" from 6-9am, and details for that are below. "Event Tear Down @ Start Line" (8:30-10:30am) is another one we have done as a group (don't worry about the time overlap - you can easily do both!). This year I personally have signed up for bothe the "Bag Check Dropoff" and the "Finish Line Traffic Control @ Windsor Rd." (9-11am) which gave me a good dose of adrelaline last year and I am excited to try it again. So...
If you want to join, sign up for the following:
(required) "Bag Check Dropoff" (6-9am)
(optional) "Event Tear Down @ Start Line" (8:30-10:30am)
(optional) "Finish Line Traffic Control @ Windsor Rd." (9-11am)
To register and sign up for these and many more please click HERE. You will need a login, but it is pretty straightforward, even if you forgot your password from last time (like I did!)
Thanks and hope to see you there!
--------------------------
DETAILS for "Bag Check Dropoff" (6-9am)
Shift Location: Please report to volunteer central right outside the Huerta Gym, facing the office door. Huerta Gymnasium | 9291 Old Redwood Hwy Suite 200, Windsor, CA 95492
Shift Description: Volunteers will assist with checking in and out riders' bags. Drop-off and Pick-up occur inside the Huerta Gymnasium. Volunteers for this position need to be able to lift and carry 20 pounds.
PARKING: A separate parking area designated for volunteers and staff will be located in the northwest corner above the Town Green, near the Sheriff's Office.
DO NOT PARK ON SHERIFF MARKED SPOTS (shown in red on the map). No pass needed, but make sure you move the barricades back after you pull in. This is Staff, Volunteer, VIP parking, NO PARTICIPANTS.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that has been empowering voters and defending democracy for over 100 years. It has earned the reputation as one of the most trusted sources of information on voting and voting rights available today.
The presentation will provide an introduction to the Sonoma County League and offer an example of one of its voter education programs, Stand Up for Democracy. This program is a bilingual, non-partisan civics education initiative that refreshes public understanding of the Constitution, our system of government and why these principles matter today.
The speaker will be Lynn Dooley, a retired radio and television advertising sales executive with CBS, ABC, ESPN and Disney. Lynn’s stand for truth and transparency in advertising motivated her to join the League of Women Voters in 2017. As a board member of the Sonoma League, Lynn focuses on bringing the Pros & Cons of Local Measures and State Ballot Propositions to Sonoma County voters before elections, presenting Voting Education in Sonoma County high schools and spearheading the Stand Up for Democracy program.
Rachel Jeffries From Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County
Our speaker for April 16, 2026 was Rachel Jeffries, Fund Development and Grants Manager for Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County. Rachel joined Habitat in 2025. Previously, she worked for 8 years in the wine industry as Senior Hospitality Manager for an independent winery brand in Sonoma. Rachel attended Sonoma State University where she graduated summa cum laude!
Habitat for Humanity is an international organization with local franchises operating independently. Its goal is to bring people together to build homes and hope. Habitat of Sonoma County seeks to build Sonoma County into a place where everyone has a place to live. They opened 40 years ago and have built 28 affordable homes in Sonoma County. They also emphasize repairing homes for people who can’t afford the cost of repair. Habitat’s focus is on bridging the gap between rent and ownership. In Sonoma County, rents average $2,200 per month, which requires an income of $44 per hour, or 2.2 times minimum wage. Renting a home, however, does not build equity. Habitat offers eligible people an opportunity to help build their own homes and to pay a reasonable mortgage, which is capped at 35% of the family’s income. Some of the eligibility requirements are family income of 60%-80% of the area median income. For example, a family of 4 would need annual earnings of $82,980-$110,700 to qualify. Among other things, the prospective owner must also be a first-time homeowner, have 2 years of income in the current field of work, and have a credit score of at least 640. The owner must also agree to complete a sweat-equity requirement of 500 hours, attend homeowner preparation workshops, and agree to take part in public events on behalf of Habitat. There are restrictions on ownership and resale is restricted. Habitat requires that all of the homes it builds remain affordable.
Habitat has other programs, including ReStore, a discount home improvement store and the largest reseller in Sonoma County. ReStore accepts gently used items and building materials and resells them to the public. Profits go to Habitat’s home building and repair operations. Habitat also has an “Aging in Place” program in which it helps extremely low income people make needed home repairs.
Habitat’s current projects include a four-home project in Sebastopol and a 10-home project near Saggio Hills in Healdsburg. They are also starting a project in downtown Windsor, near the high school. Habitat is also seeking donations and volunteers for its building projects and for ReStore.
Thank you, Rachel, for your meaningful presentation and for all the work you and Habitat do for our community!
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!
A Rotarian works to dispel myths about polio vaccines
Diana Maria Pirga
Rotary Club of Türkiye Evrensel, District 2430
Digital community engagement specialist, UNICEF Pakistan
I was looking for volunteer opportunities in my home country of Romania when I saw a social media post about a Rotaract project. I made a donation, and the members invited me to come with them in the field. I joined Rotaract and got involved in many other projects that came after. You could even say my digital career started there. Back in those days social media was booming in Romania, and as a club we started organizing conferences for youth to learn about social media not only as users but as a job.
Image credit: Khaula Jamil
When I joined Rotaract, I had no idea what Rotary was about. I remember, even now, I was sitting at my computer and watching all these videos about Rotary’s work on the polio eradication initiative. I was impressed by the hard work being done. I said to myself back then that it would be so great one day to be working with Rotary on this program. And somehow, 10 years later, I got the chance.
At UNICEF, part of my work lies in managing disinformation and addressing hesitancy around polio vaccination. The majority of parents are not against vaccines, and they do vaccinate during every campaign. However, we have a small group that has worries. Some people fear side effects; others question why children need several doses of the same vaccine. When these concerns are not addressed, uncertainty can grow and negative narratives can lead to hesitancy or refusal.
We respond to vaccine concerns in two ways. First, we support health workers with simple explanations they can use when speaking with families about why the polio vaccine is safe and why repeated doses are needed. Second, we rely on trusted local voices. Parents are more likely to listen to people they know, and when other caregivers share their own experiences of vaccinating their children, that reassurance often matters more than official messages. By listening carefully and working through trusted community voices, we protect confidence in polio vaccination — one conversation at a time.
This story originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Rotary magazine.
Celebrate World Immunization Week in April by making a gift to end polio.
.png)
Finley Community Park
