Matthew J. Witteman is a trial attorney with more than 27 years experience in state and federal court, including complex litigation, real property, and business matters. He is a member of the State Bar of California’s Subcommittee on Agri-Business and a Sonoma County grower and resident. He has spoken throughout the County on groundwater issues.
Mr. Witteman will speak about California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) and Sonoma County’s proposed implementation of the Act. SGMA requires Sonoma County to establish by a date certain Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (“GSA’s”) and Groundwater Sustainability Plans (“GSP’s”) for groundwater basins in the County.
Pamela provided a wealth of information on the history, development, distribution, operation and future of the County's very complex water infrastructure.
Beginning with historic flooding and construction of Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma, the controversial diversion of Eel River water to the upper Russian River to the current issues of climate change, expanding use of recycled water and planning for potential earthquake damage, she covered in great detail the issues that Water Agency and its City customers face in meeting the water demands of our residential and agricultural water users.
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!
Golf Chair Steve Zwick announced that tournament information is on the Website main page and encourages Sunrisers to click on "Save the Date" to access details. Steve Amend will present Tournament information next week.
Zwick also reported that past president Harry Coffee has secured valuable sponsorship from Whole Foods by laboring over an official application process. Bob Aita also is congratulated on securing the first foursome!
The Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Sunrise is known as the "fun" club in Sonoma County. Enthusiastic morning greetings, jovial conversation and robust laughter often prevail at morning meetings. Warren Smith has captured the festive spirit on April 20, 2017, in the above photo. The energetic atmosphere caused President Meryl Hayes to to pause at the onset of the meeting and remark, "I have lost control."
Ashley Fehrmann, Chief Development Officer for Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) related astonishing details of the Code Blue Shelter for youth, a program co-sponsored by the City and County, that has been expanded to operate from December 1 through March 31, this winter. A basement facility donated by the Press Democrat provides space for the operation, which serves youth ages 14 to 24, from 7 p.m. through the following morning.
The program, which offers a hot meal in the evening and the morning after, as well as bedding for the night, has identified and served 50 unduplicated youth in 2016-17, subsequently referring each to longer term support systems. Thirteen have been been transferred to housing at SAY, 4 to the Coffee Shelter, 7 to Tamayo Village and 3 have been reunited with their families.
Sunriser Steve Zwick presented Ashley with a $1,000 check to support the Code Blue Shelter as well as well as a program to connect with victims of human trafficking and refer them to healing resources.
Posted by Rich Randolph & Warren Smith on Apr 23, 2017
Take a Hike!!!
Above, 15 Sunriser's and Friends gather at Lake Sonoma's Don Claussen Fish Hatchery Center on Earth Day (Saturday April 22).
Led by Jim Moir, two levels of strenuousness were offered. Both afforded sweeping views of the verdant hillsides, stubbed with wildflowers including Stickey Monkey and lillies only pronounceable by guide Jim!
Not in order, but really there: Jim Moir, Warren Smith (photographer) Rick Lewis, Steve Amend, Jim Kirkbride, Marty's sister and brother-in-law, Rich Randolph, Del Raby, Rob and Betsy Sanville, Peter and Mary Banks and Don & Wendy Floriani.
The shoe of Rich Randolph points to a trail find: Steelhead tail, likely dropped by the lucky bird who dined on the rest of the fish.
Part of the Lake Sonoma experience is definitely a tour of the Dan Claussen Hatchery and exhibits. In addition to the orientation video, visitors may walk to the fish run and observe actual activity of the returning spawning fish.
President Meryl showed off her "Fan Hat" at breakfast not to be outdone by a sporty cap worn by Jack Strange and a spiffy derby capping off Harry Coffee.
Dental program coordinator, Ezbon Jen, reported serving six students at Apple Blossom school who boasted absolutely no cavities. Unfortunately the school nurse needed to report two parents who refused to get free dental services for their children.
Two iconic workhorses of Sunrise Rotary are shown above: Leroy "Golden Hammer" Carlenzoli's white GMC aka CA12, and true-blue Rotarian Del Raby were on duty along with Leroy, Jim Kirkbride, Steve Amend and Jim Moir working through Leroy's punch list to keep the campus safe and sound. A new brick pathway was installed, sandbox renewed, gutters cleaned and secured, cords repaired and general yard work kept these half dozen dudes drilling down the to-do list.
Leroy is looking for a well tuned team to assist in maintaining the multiple site properties our club supports: WRS, The Living Room and the Junior College Drop In Center. Tools can be provided: Leroy provides direction. You gain valuable experience and skill! Let the Golden Hammer know you want to lend your hand!
Multi-tasking at the morning check in table, President Elect Doug Shureen makes good use of the opportunity to effectively connect with incoming Sunrisers -- sometimes as a one-man operation.
Dr. Carolyn and Mr. George Anderson have been noticeably MIA from recent sunrise breakfast meetings. Upon returning from an anniversary trip to the Carribbean (both events were appropriately "recognized") they graciously presented President Meryl with a gift from Granada.
For seven days last June, at a pace of 18-plus miles per hour, Bob McKenzie and three other cyclists labored across the U.S. – from Oceanside, Calif., to Annapolis, Md. A 12-member crew followed in an RV and two vans, allowing the bikers to ride in shifts.
Bob McKenzie in Race Across America
“Every eight hours we’d swap riders and two of us would rest,” McKenzie explains. “But at some points it was 118 degrees and we were swapping about every 15 minutes.”
The team, which also included Rotarian Kurt Matzler, completed the Race Across America – known as the “world’s toughest endurance bicycle race” – to raise money for polio eradication. (Riders have the option of raising funds for a cause of their choosing.)
McKenzie organized the group, and the Rotary Fellowship Cycling to Serve helped generate international interest. McKenzie, who is 65, took up racing five years ago after reading a story in The Rotarian about the Ride to End Polio, organized by District 5500 in Arizona.
He has now participated in that fundraiser five times. In the Race Across America, his team took in $300,000 for polio eradication with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 2-for-1 match.
Just as impressive, the team finished second in its age group and ninth overall out of 41 teams.
“It’s exciting to think that soon no more kids will be affected by polio,” McKenzie says, “and more kids will be able to walk or ride a bike because of Rotary.”
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