Jim Becker is a 25 year Rotarian from RC of Petaluma and has coordinated and overseen Rotary Projects for the past 15 years mostly in Asia including Thailand, Nepal and China.  He's a retired Financial Advisor who lives with his Significant Other Ming in Marin County.

Jim also worked on Rotary Projects in Guatemala with past SR Sunrise Member Ed Carrette developing projects for schools, orphanages and healthcare including Heartbeat International which Ed was a founding member.  Jim is currently on the Board of Global Offsite Care which operates the Tele-Medicine platform in 14 Countries mostly thru Rotary Projects working with many Rotary Clubs around the World.

Dallas Forshew, Manager of Clinical Research at Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Treatment and Research Center at California Pacific Medical Center provided an encouraging and informative update on Amyotrohpic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS research.  The most recent was last Friday's FDA approval of Radicava,  a medication for the treatment of the familial form of ALS.

Along with Parkinsons and Alzheimers Disease, ALS is a disorder of voluntary muscle neurons. Unable to sustain growth and regeneration, the nerves gradually loose their ability to stimulate muscles and the muscles atrophy.

In the United States today, 12-15,000 are diagnosed with ALS.  It affects more men than women, and the average age of diagnosis is 55.  Survivability is 3-5 years.

Dallas emphasized that ALS is a treatable disease, with four interventions greatly improving quality of life:  !.  A multi disciplinary plan of care, including medical, emotional and spiritual support.  2.  Nutritional attention.  3.  Non-invasive ventilation, such as CPAP: Continuous Positive Air Pressure apparatus.  4. The medication Riluzole.  It has demonstrated a 10% increase in survivability length.  

Last week's FDA announcement of Radicava was very welcome news for ALS treatment followers.  It is the first newly approved drug since 1995, when Riluzole was first introduced.

Two Sunrise members Rolf Wessman, and Olin Leasher's wife Judy have been diagnosed with ALS.  Rolf was diagnosed over 5 years ago and is living witness to the four way approach to treatment, particularly nutrition.  Using his analytical skill and culinary finesse, Rolf has gained 19 pounds.  Judy, more recently diagnosed, actively participated in the recent ALS walk with Olin and several other Sunriser's and supporters in helping raise of $105,000 in the Sonoma County walk.

Olin is thanked with a warming hug by Dallas following his Ice Bucket Challenge immediately after her presentation.

Dallas' opening statement "hope through research" gives confidence to the challenges Judy, Rolf, their families and friends share.

For another inspiring story within our ALS family, check out Olin's  chilling Ice Bucket challenge in this week's bulletin!

On a regular basis, our resident photo pros Warren Smith and Jack Strange submit 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 and Ross! Link to Meeting Sightings. The most recent are on the last page!

Additional photos may be found on the SR Sunrise Facebook Page.

President Merle Hayes proudly displays our award recognizing the Club's leadership in promoting Peace and Conflict Resolution.

One of three garnered at the District Conference at Lake Tahoe, Sunrise also received awards for International Service and Public Relations.  

The International Service award is for the Sunrise participation in the Sabalos Surgical Center in Nicaragua.

At the conference with Merle to accept the Peace Builder award was Mike Kelly, Sunriser and Rotary Peace Fellowship member who became inspired at a recent Peace and Conflict Resolution conference.  Mike proposed a travelling "Peace Wall" be built, and with the help of Sunrise' Golden Hammer Leroy Carlenzoli, designed and constructed a four-panel peace wall.

The wall made its' debut at our club hosted SCARC (Sonoma County Area Rotary Clubs) dinner in January.  The wall has since been on display at The Living Room, Women's Recovery Center,  and District Training  in Ukiah.  Participants write/draw "what does Peace" look like to you?"

Through Jack Strange's role as Public Relations Director, our club developed a first class informational resource.  The trifold brochure provides a quick reference to our club activities here and abroad.  It is an excellent PR and Recruitment tool.

Congratulations Sunrise!!

For as long as this writer can remember, the price of Rotary Sunrise breakfast has been under the threat of increase and the variety of menu choices has steadily decreased in compensation.  We are now up against the wall.  The cost of breakfast must increase to remedy increasing shortfalls and remain at the same, convenient location.

What should be the cost of a nutritious meal that facilitates our early morning meetings?  Will the contemplated increase be more than some Sunrisers are comfortably able to budget?  Will increased costs cut down on regular attendance?  Has an alternate, convenient location been researched?  Do the current uninspired breakfast selections cause Sunrisers to hesitate inviting guests?  (I know that this makes me think twice about enthusiastically offering to treat friends and colleagues to breakfast on Thursday mornings.)

Is there some way we can alleviate this continuously occurring situation?

To have a room named after you is truly an honor that usually results from a significant gift that perpetually provides financial support for the program or activity for which the named room is used.  Past President Steve Worthen announced to Sunrise Golden Hammer LeRoy Carlenzoli that such a propitious honor had been bestowed upon him at SAY.

Upon arriving at SAY headquarters, Carlenzoli discovered that Worthen, the president of SAY, had indeed hastily penned the name of the esteemed Sunriser Golden Hammer  on a door. Upon entering the room named in his honor, Carlenzoli -- The Golden Hammer -- had to revert to becoming The Golden Plunger, -- a name that he graciously accepted as he successfully repaired the stopped up toilet in his SAY named room.

Get on the phone!  Call that corporate contact!  Corral your colleagues!  The 28th Annual Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary Club Charity Golf Tournament needs you, NOW!

Tee off is on Friday, June 9, 2017 at the Oakmont Golf club.  Be there with all your buddies, friends and cohorts.  Round up a crowd.  So we all can have fun!  Golf Chair Steve Zwick and his right hand man, Max Bridges, as well as all the charities the club serves are counting on YOU.

THANK YOU.

President Merle Hayes begged off of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge claiming she had not dressed for the occasion.  (???)  Olin Lesher sprang to her rescue, sacrificing himself (inappropriate dress and all) to a double dose of cubes and frigid water.   Olin, You the Man!