Stories
Another year Centennial Members have given their time to help pick up Christmas Wreaths to honor those who have served our past so that others of us have hopes for the future. |
Rotary and RacismRotary's Statement about Racism and Rotary |
Meet our Newest MemberMeet our Newest Member and first corporate member |
One Month Report From EmileOur Exchange Student Emile Schatzel sends us a letter from South America.
Hi Rotary Club of Pocket Greenhaven and Rotary Club of West Sacramento Centennial. As of the 19th of January, I have been in Brazil for one month! The month has flown by and I look forward to the remaining 11. I have had the opportunity to do lots so far and there’s too much to talk about so I’ll simplify this summary down to 4 things that have been important in my first month of exchange: family and friends, travel, food, and religion.
Family and Friends: My host family consists of my host mom, host dad, older host brother and older host sister. I am so grateful for my first host family. My host parents are very good at speaking to me in a way that I can understand. They speak at a pace that I can understand and know the words that I have learned so far. My host sister is one year older than me and has been generous enough to let me join her in participating in social events with her friends. My host brother works hard to keep my year running smooth by organizing all of my paperwork, cell phone plan and documents. They all work so hard to make me feel welcome and happy to be in Brazil. I have yet to begin school but my host family has made sure to create connections with friends so that I can get out and socialize. I often hang out with our neighbor Livia, our family friend David, the friends of my hist sister who is currently in Thailand and of course the exchange students in my city. I’ve been surrounded by amazing people and am so so grateful to know them all.
Travel: In early January, my host family and I took a week long trip to the coast of Sao Paulo. We stayed in Praia Grande and visited the beaches of surrounding cities such as Santos, Sao Vicente and Guaruja. I spent my 18th birthday there and we went paddle boarding to celebrate. It was great fun swimming in the Atlantic ocean and eating acai every day. On the way home, we stopped in the city of Sao Paulo. We visited the Cathedral of Sao Paulo, ate in the mercado and walked the streets of the city center. The streets came alive with the shouts of vendors advertising water and the rings of the bells of the acai carts.
Food: So far I have gained 3 kilos. Exchange student weight gain is no joke! I’ve eaten so much food and have become obsessed with beans and rice. A typical lunch includes meat, rice, beans and lettuce with diced tomatoes. It sounds pretty healthy but mix that with McDonalds, Burger King, brigadeiro (gooey balls of chocolate), pastel (a fried food typically with meat and cheese on the inside), coxinha (another fried food with meat and cheese inside), pao de queijo (cheese bread) and juice or soda with each meal, you get weight gain, But it’s exchange and in the end, it’s worth it. The food is just that good!
Religion: Religion here as been something that I have needed to work on adapting too. It’s not something that the other exchange students I have met have needed to adapt too but with my host family, I have. My host mom is Evangelical and finds great strength in living with Jesus. The passion she holds and other members of her church holds is actually pretty amazing. Because of her commitment to church, I have felt the need to go to church also. In the search for a church that I’ll enjoy while socializing with friends, I’ve attended her church which is a small and traditional, a more modern evangelical church that is centered around music and the Catholic Church of my neighbor. I’ve enjoyed attending all three of the churches and witnessing the passion all of the people hold through their singing and prayers.
It’s common for strangers such as the baggers at grocery stores to say, “Stay with God” as you exit. Family members say, “Sleep with God” before going to sleep and a town next to our city has many signs that read, “Jesus reins here” as you exit the freeway. It’s been a change but I am grateful for the opportunity to experience it.
Thank you guys for providing this opportunity! I am beyond grateful for all of the fun I have had, difficulties I have had and everything in between while here in Brazil. |
Dictionary Project and the Third Grade Parochial SchoolsThe Rotary Literacy Dictionary Project and Centennial Rotary, brought third graders at three Parochial Schools in West Sacramento new dictionaries for free. Holy Cross Third graders proudly display their new Dictionaries
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Rotary Matching Grant provides New AV system for Teen CenterThe Rotary Club of West Sacramento Centennial for the first time, had a new AV system used gained from a Rotary Matching Grant for the Collings Teen Center from this last year. This AV Matching Grant project which includes a big screen TV is being operated by Chip Maxson, the General Manager of the Sacramento River Cats who made a presentation to the Rotary Club recently. It was so simple to use, Chip walked right in and plugged his computer in and off he went. The big screen is to be used by the Teen Center for teaching and entertaining of the kids and staff. It is fortunate that Chip is also on the board of the Collings Teen center and can help them in the use of this fine system. Thank you to past President Dave Guis along with Peter Blando who wrote the grant along with a very big thank you goes out to Rotary District 5180 who partnered in helping with this matching Grant. Just Awesome.
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Picking Up WreathsOn a clear and cold January morning at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, the sun was rising over the Sierra Nevada's and starting to shine on the fading Christmas wreaths awaiting pick up by the volunteers such as those from the Rotary Club of West Sacramento Centennial. Wondering how so few of us there were to pick up so many wreaths we were quickly joined by friends and families of many of those who lay in Peaceful Rest there. The pickup was done sooner than we realized as this group of six pickup close to 1000. The cold bite of the air was soon replaced with the warmth and love of those who came to pick up the wreaths from hollow place where their family and friends now permanently reside.
Thank you, to all who participated and help set this event up as it was both, a moving as well as a rewarding gathering of Rotary Fellowship.
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ElfdomELFDOM! Well Mr. Brady, Elfdom appeared again at Centennial Rotary in all his Elfdomness. Our newest member Scott and our ever constant attendee and shared exchange student Johanna got to experience Elfdomness for the first time!
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WS Police Chief Tom MWest Sacramento Police Chief Tom McDonald and his community relations outreach Sergeant, Roger Kinney sit down with Centennial Rotary to a frank and enlightening conversations at the Collings Teen Center one recent Tuesday morning. The conversation included several topics and challenges the Chief and his Department face now and in the near future.
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WS Fire Brena HowellBrena Howell, a City of West Sacramento Administrative and Emergency Management Consultant,
took time from her schedule to speak to the Centennial Rotary Group about emergency management and emergency evacuation,as it applies to not only residents but their Pets both large and small.
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Welcome Scott MatterMeet our Newest Member!
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Our First Beer SocialAt the encouragement of Peter Blando member and Past President, we had the first of many Beer Socials one Tuesday evening instead of a morning meeting and had a very positive turnout with the most attending club members we have had at any event so far. Good job Peter and those that showed. After the first of the year, we are looking to schedule more of these, probably around the last Tuesday of the month. Stay tune and we will let you know. Happy Suds to all!
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Governor's Dinner VisitThe annual Governor's visit from Barbra Tracy and her Husband Jim,
was a feature meal at the Bryte Café and Culinary Arts School of Washington Unified School District which Centennial Rotary supports!Our Chefs and Server's!
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Fund Raisers help Jump Start the Rotary YearFund Raisers for this Rotary Year help to get another active year off the ground for our Club. Yolo County Fair, Beer Booth and All Charities Raffle, net our Club $6200 towards operating costs.
This years Rotary President Buzz Jones holds a check
from the West Sacramento Foundation for $2070.00
in money we raised selling raffle tickets.
Thank you to all the members who helped sell them.
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New Prez takes the HelmNew Prez. Buzz Jones prepares to start his year.
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July SpeakerLearned about attracting members from Rotarian Speaker Extraordinaire Dr. Bill Wittich.
People are interested in Rotary for business connections, content, fellowship, service, and more!
Dr Bill Wittich with current Centennial Rotary President Buzz Jones showing his new book.
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Relay for LifeCentennial Sponsors Relay for Life for yet another year!
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Dave's DemotionYolo Brewing was the Site of Dave "Spam Man" Guis Demotion.
Thank you Dave for all the wonderful work you did this year and last for Centennial Rotary
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Horsin Around AgainAnother Successful year for Horsin Around, a three schools a partnership of Rotary Literacy, the West Sacramento Trail Riders and Washington Unified School District.
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March/April Student of the MontheCentennial Rotary student of the month from Bridgeway Island School Great things happen in the Washington Unified School District every
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Speech ContestWell we are off again to another year of the speech contest. Two students competed in the Rotary speech contest on Tuesday. Two other contestants backed out at the last minute. The winner is Rufina Tolstova (who competed last year), and the runner up was Anh Hoang. Both students wrote and delivered outstanding speeches. Thanks to the Rotarians who attended and to our volunteer judges. Thanks especially to our Dawn Farrell who orchestrated the contest.
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RCHS RoboticsRiver City High School Robotics and Engineering students sharing their robotic and three-d printed creations with us! Cool!
These are impressive, smart kids with a wonderful faculty member! Wow!
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Jan Student of the Month5th Grade Student Natalya "Natasha" Zhadmirova
proudly displays her award from Centennial Rotary for Student of the month.
She is pictured with her teacher Robin Bell, her Principal Michael Woodstock along with RCHS principal Stan Mojsich and Current Centennial President Dave Guis.
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Dictionary Thank YouHEART FELT THANK YOU FROM HOLY CROSS 3RD GRADERS FOR
THEIR NEW DICTIONARIES FROM CENTENNIAL AND THE ROTARY
LITERACY PROGRAM!
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Student of the MonthKennedy Thurmond from Elkhorn Village Elementary
is Centennial Rotaries Student of the MonthKennedy is proudly displays her award while standing with Centennial Rotary and RCHS Principal Stan Mojsich and Centennial Rotary President Dave Guis
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Teen Center Christmas PartyCollings Teen Center Christmas PartyCentennial Rotary and friends partnered up at the Collings Teen Center
to give kids and their families another stellar Christmas Party.
Thanks to the hard work of Carol Thomas, Walt James, Andy Johas and many others for helping this party to another successfull and fun filled event
for those kids and families not as fortunate as the rest of us.
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Fundraisers TWO GREAT FUNDRAISERS START US OFF STRONG THIS YEAR AGAIN.
The Yolo County Fair Beer Booth and the All Charities Raffle help bring home the bacon.
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