Sonu Singh Chandi, is the visionary entrepreneur and founder behind Chandi Hospitality, a leading hospitality group known for its dynamic approach for development of Real Estate and restaurant concepts across California and India. Sonu graduated from San Francisco University in 2007 and embarked on an entrepreneurial journey. With over 17 years of experience in the Real Estate and restaurant hospitality industry, Sonu has built a reputation for innovation, consistency, and operational excellence.
Starting with a single franchise, Chandi Group under guidance of Sonu Chandi quickly expanded into multiple brands and custom restaurant concepts, including popular names like Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen, Bollywood Bar And Clay Oven, Bibi’s Burger Bar, Curry and Hops (Mohali, India) and Curry lane (Mohali, India) His deep understanding of guest experience, coupled with an unwavering commitment to quality and community engagement, has made each of his ventures a local favourite.
Under his leadership, Chandi Hospitality has grown into a company known for acquiring underutilized Real Estate, multi-unit, multi-brand enterprise known for its strong team culture, streamlined operations, and offsite support model that drives scalability and efficiency. Sonu’s business approach combines data-driven decision-making with heartfelt hospitality, ensuring both guests and team members feel valued and supported.
Sonu is also a firm believer in giving back, often participating in community initiatives and supporting causes that promote local development and education.
As Chandi Hospitality expands into new markets and launches international ventures, Sonu continues to lead with passion, purpose, and a relentless drive for excellence. His focus remains clear: to build meaningful brands, empower teams, and deliver exceptional experiences—one guest and Investor at a time.
Committee on the Shelterless with Erin Krueger and Chris Cabral
Our speakers for September 28, 2025 were Chris Cabral and Erin Krueger of COTS (Committee on the Shelterless). Chris has Juris Doctor and MBA degrees and has been COTS’ CEO for 3 years. She has an extensive background in other non-profits and as an executive in the private sector. Erin is COTS’ Director of Development. Erin has a BA degree in communications and business.
COTS was created in 1988 and is headquartered in Petaluma with an office in Santa Rosa. Its programs include the only 7 days per week food access point in the county (which served 200,000 meals last year!), an emergency shelter for the unsheltered with 92 beds, and transitional housing with 174 supporting homes in Sonoma County. COTS also manages a homeless prevention program called Keep People Housed. California has a severe housing shortage but despite the many non-profits and governmental agencies working to solve the problem, they have not made a great deal of headway. One of the problems is the continual influx of people becoming homeless. Half of the unhoused population includes families with minor children. The wait list for housing in Sonoma County is more than 1 year. One of the potential solutions is to help people remain in their homes despite financial problems that would otherwise result in homelessness. Chris told us that studies show that on average it might cost $3,700 to keep someone in their home but that if that person or family becomes homeless, it can cost $100,000 to help the family get back into a home. Helping people remain in their homes is a much better outcome since there is much less trauma involved when people don’t have to leave their homes. The Keep People Housed program is designed to identify and help the most vulnerable people stay in their homes with financial assistance before they become unsheltered. The program receives most of its funding from the County of Sonoma and the Cities of Santa Rosa and Petaluma. Keep People Housed also works with Legal Aid and others to help resolve tenancy issues.
There are various ways to help Keep People Housed, including donations, buying raffle tickets for an upcoming raffle, and volunteering to work on a variety of projects. Thank you, Chris and Erin, for the great explanation of what COTS does and for all the good work you both do!
Click HERE to see a limited time recording of Chris and Erin's presentation.
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!
Climate Restoration documentary Director, John Bowey, lead the post showing Q & A in the Polly Klaas Theater in Petaluma Saturday 9/27 to a standing room only audience.
In attendance were co-host Jeff England, President of Petaluma Sunrise, Windsor Rotary Environmental advocates Barbara McChesney and spouse, Petaluma City Council members, Napa Board of Education incumbents, high school coed activists, recent fire survivors and Russian River Rotarian. The role of Rotary in Climate Restoration was strongly expressed in mention of the Focus Area on Environment. Director Bowey has appeared on EarthX, promoting restoration engagement.
The Foundation for Climate Restoration F4CR local organizers composed the list below to engage actively. You may recognize some.
Our help in removing Arundo donax from the Russian River came up in post showing conversation.
But what can I do?
Today, there's over 8.2 billion of us - and each one of us is contributing to climate warming just by going about our daily lives - so it stands to reason that if we all increased our efforts to live 'lighter' in the world, cumulatively, it can make a difference. Despite the headwinds of our government turning back many climate initiatives, we can still m a k e a difference. ORGANIZING AND PETITIONING • Sign the F4CR carbon pledge / join F4CR.org • Support students at Napa Schools for Climate Action • Checkout coolpetaluma.org - they're doing great local work • Learn about ESRAG: Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group • Find out if your local / state representative is proposing / promoting climate initiatives - if not, make your representative aware of climate related initiatives REACHING OUT • Explain to friends about climate restoration and all of the above • Reach out to people you know with different political views (without preaching) and start a conversation about some of the benefits of climate restoration. • If we only talk to people that share our views, we're not going to expand the climate restoration agenda. BEING PRACTICAL • Carbon audit your living habits • What's in the fridge: what can be purchased locally to avoid carbon cost of transportation • Other things you buy - can they be purchased locally? • Can you reduce the number of flights you take each year? • Can you vacation closer to home? • Can you use tools with cables instead of batteries? The environmental cost of mining and transportation is enormous.
Gerry is driving down the freeway when he runs out of gas.
He’s sitting there in the driver’s seat wondering what to do next when a bee flies in through his window.
“What seems to be your problem?” asks the bee.
“I’ve run out of gas“, Gerry replies.
“That’s unfortunate”, says the bee. “However if you wait here I can help you.”
The bee then flies off, only to return minutes later with an entire swarm of bees. They all fly into his gas tank, leaving Gerry wondering exactly what’s going on.
After a few minutes, the swarm flies off and the bee says to Gerry, “Try it now.”
Gerry turns his ignition key and his car fires into action immediately.
“Wow!” Gerry exclaims. “What did you put in the gas tank?“
Larry Lunsford Named President-Nominee for 2027-2028
EVANSTON, Ill., USA (Sept. 15, 2025) — Larry A. Lunsford, member of the Rotary Club of Kansas City-Plaza, Mo., was today confirmed as president-nominee of Rotary International – the association of the membership service organization’s 45,000 clubs worldwide – and will begin his one-year term on July 1, 2027.
Lunsford, a member of Rotary since 1991, is committed to inspiring Rotary’s 1.2 million members across continents and cultures to deliver real, long-term solutions to the world’s most persistent issues, while building professional and leadership skills through meaningful connections.
From fighting disease to supporting education – Rotary members work toward building the optimal conditions for more peaceful and resilient societies. “Our greatest strength lies in our ability to unite people of all cultures and generations through a shared commitment to doing good,” said Lunsford. “We exist without borders and boundaries, and we see each other as part of our collective Rotary family. I am inspired by our members’ relentless belief that peace is possible and will encourage them to continue to be the torchbearers of hope. Our world needs this today, more than ever.”
Rotary members throughout the world develop and implement sustainable, community-driven projects that fight disease, promote peace, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children, grow local economies and protect the environment. More than US$5.5 billion has been awarded through The Rotary Foundation – Rotary’s charitable arm that helps clubs work together to perform meaningful, impactful service – to support these initiatives over the last 100 years.
Lunsford will also oversee Rotary’s top goal of ending polio. Alongside its Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, Rotary has achieved a 99.9 percent reduction in polio cases, and contributed more than US$2.9 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 3 billion children from this paralyzing disease.
About Larry Lunsford:
A certified public accountant, Lunsford spent seven years working for Ernst & Young before joining a family-owned business, Bernstein-Rein Advertising, in 1990. He is currently executive vice president and chief financial officer for the Bernstein group of companies.
Lunsford is currently on the boards of Global Ties KC and the Church of the Resurrection Foundation. Previously, he has held positions on the boards of the Kansas City Spirit Festival and the Variety Club as well as serving as director of a local bank and treasurer of the Epilepsy Foundation for the Heart of America. He has also served on Truman State University’s alumni and foundation boards and received the university’s Distinguished Service Award.
Born and raised in Macon, Mo., Lunsford attended Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., on an academic scholarship, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. He first encountered Rotary when he received a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship to spend the 1981-82 academic year at the University of Newcastle in Australia.
About Rotary:
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges and creating lasting change. Rotary connects 1.2 million people of action from more than 45,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit rotary.org.
Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Sunrise - Founded June 30, 1986
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