From the usual Editor:
There once was a Rotarian named Jeff,
who at Tuesday lunch always ate.
While he was good at eating
he is known to procrastinate,
and so this Observer is so late!
My apologies for being late (and to Rachel, whose prose seems even finer now!)
At The Gong
Dan Edwards, host for the day, rang the bell at 12:15 pm. Dan led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. After the pledge, Dan shared a thought: “The heart knows more than the intellect".
Before we started the meeting, Rachel sponsored a fundraiser to send a young man to a conference. We raised $190 of the $250 he needed, and Rachael showed her intense Rotary spirit by paying the rest herself. Kudos to Rachael!
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Al Mendoza, and from CD4P, Gail Sherman. Also attending were Carolyn Moran and Debra Cobert.
Announcements & What’s going on in the Club
Business and Upcoming Events Items:
Dan recognized Laurel for her work with the Interact Clubs. Laurel advised that both clubs are doing well, they are winding down in prep of the end of the school year. TL is planning a Polio Plus fundraiser, whose proceeds will be matched by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Rachel advised that ExtraFood will be on April 28. She asked for signups and guaranteed all a great time on this project!
John mentioned Gail Sherman and our work on the playground at the facility. It has been a long project (started last year), hindered by rain and logistical issues, but we got it done! John handed out pictures for all to see. Thanks to Brian, John, Dan, Nathan and Jeff for their help. Gail thanked us for our help and showed up a plaque that will be put in the area thanking RCTL for that effort.
John also mentioned the Dictionary Project. Jeff mentioned that Brian, Dan, Tony and he distributed 18 boxes of dictionaries at St. Isabella's and are waiting to distribute to Mary Silviera.
John mentioned our recent donation to Sanzuma and their experience getting a rototiller. Helping were Anne, Nathan, Sandy and John.
Millie mentioned that she wanted to get help selecting our club pins for her year. Choice was a generic pin or a cool, unique one with the Civic Center on it in color. Really personal and well designed (can you guess which one I preferred? )
Some dates:
April date TBD: Homeward Bound of Marin Veteran Housing hands-on project. More info coming. (Anne) |
April 20: Master PRLS 2: Planned Public Speaking |
April 20 8:00-11:30: Membership Action Plan Workshop (virtual: rotary5150.org/calendar |
April 22: RC Ignacio Golf Tournament: contact Stevehodgdon@gmail.com |
April 23 5:00-8:00pm: Human Trafficking Walk: SFO International Terminal Aviation Museum, $25 to walk, contact Lisa Kiesselbach lisa@palcare.org |
April 24 5:30 – 7:30: Multiclub event: Marin Community Foundation update/social, MCF Headquarters in Novato, RSVP by Apr 17, see flyer |
April 26 10 am-1pm: Tree planting, Wilson Avenue, Novato. See Millie for details |
May 2 11:00-2:45: District 5150 Marin Blood Drive, Elks Lodge, make appointment at: www.donors.vitalant.org |
May 5 9:00-12:00: Rotary Day of Service, Marin Civic Center Exhibit Hall and Showcase theater, rotary5150.org/calendar, preregister. |
May 15 6pm: RC San Mateo Centennial, Special Guests RI Prez Gordon and Heather McInally, $200/person, centennial@rotaryclubofsanmateo.org |
May17-19: BetterTogether Multidistrict Conference, Reno Deadline to register: April 15. Rotary5150.org/calendar |
May 25-29: RI Convention Singapore |
June: Rotary Gala TBA |
June 30: SF Pride Parade – District 5150 will have a float |
August 14-21: The Rotary Foundation Cruise, A Fundraiser for the Eradication of Polio: Holland/Belgium. Contact Carlos Afre 415-215-6442 for info |
Program:
Rachel introduced Bill Carney, VP of Sustainable Marin. Bill, with a long list of organizations and activities related to climate change, works to bring climate change and its effects to our attention and advocates to develop action plans to address those effects. He says that, with time, Lindaro Ave will be underwater He showed us some pictures of the area during a storm in 2021 where the whole area was well under water and opines that this will happen more often as time goes on.
Bill provided us with some statistics and estimates about the time we have, and it is not as much as you may think! He says the biggest problem is that it takes many, many people to help work on the problem, and that there are some communication issues between organizations and their goals. He listed some areas for improvement: more renewable energy source, participation in Marin Clean Energy services, more electric vehicles and charging stations, improvement of building codes to promote more use of clean energy/sustainable materials, and the need for more trees.
He discussed his all-electric home and what he had done toward these goals, and it is a lot. Bill says that it is important that we all speak to this issue and advocate with our respective municipal and other organizations for more use of clean energy and sustainable building. We can do this by showing up at City Hall, writing letters (found on their website www.sustainablesanrafael.org) and acting as needed in our personal lives.
Next meeting April 30 Host: Jeff. Scribe: TBD