August 2002

Issues are arranged in reverse order. Scroll down to find the issue you want.

September 5 - Another interesting program

September 12 - Another interesting program

September 19 - Another interesting program

Ahoy!! Ahoy!! The good Ship “Petaluma Rotary” was about to sail. It would be the last sailing trip of August, and the crew was ready for it’s last summer voyage. After all Fall would be coming and the ship would need to be serviced prior to embarking on the next quarter of sailing under Captain Ed (President Ed that is).

But wait!! President Ed was missing. Could it be that he had been taken hostage? As the time drew near we wondered if the ship would sail. Alas!! A president from the past came forward and took control. Yes, non other than Past President JOHN DADO said with the help of the crew sail we will. John gave the word the anchor was pulled, the sail was raised and the voyage was underway.

Shortly into the voyage it was revealed that President Ed was safe and sound in ALASKA! Seems he took a trip to see if fish really do taste better in Alaska. I’m sure he’ll report back to us and offer to pay big bucks upon his return.

PRESIDENT JOHN then sensing that the crew was restless called upon BARNEY FAUSS to led us in song. Barney jumped to his feet and started singing Daisy, Daisy. Much to his surprise the crew followed in and actually completed the song. Then the crew led by Barney sang “God Bless America” which could have been heard in Alaska.

LARRY JONAS then gave the invocation, which was followed by hugging, hand shaking, and warm welcomes by the crew.

PRESIDENT JOHN then noticed that there were new faces on board. He asked Lou Steinberg to introduce our visitors. Lou welcomed our visitors from such far away places such as: Santa Rosa, Oakland #3, Sebastopol, Petaluma Valley, and Southwest Eureka.

The sunshine report was given and it was reported that ONITA PELLEGRINI’s mother was very ill. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Onita and her mother.

PRESIDENT JOHN looking as if he might not make it out of the harbor then asked that announcements be given.

LEROY BEAN reported that many of the crew and their friends spent last Monday chasing white balls around the Petaluma Golf and Country Club. Seems some of the balls actually made it into the cups, while others were lost to the elements of “GOAT HILL”. Leroy reported that the Golf Tournament was a success and that over $3,000.00 was raised.

WHITNEY HALL reported that the Youth Literacy program was doing well and that anyone was welcome to participate in the program. Call Whitney at 707-778-6975 if you can help out.

A big Thank You is in order for JOHN RAMATICI and Family for agreeing to host a student for the International Exchange Program. Thank you RICH POREMBA for offering to be a counselor for the program.

Next came the Happy Birthday welcome to all the August birthday members. Barney led us in the trational “Happy Birthday Song”. But wait, something was missing!! THE CAKE!! THE CAKE!! Seems someone misplaced the cake. Oh well I’m sure President Ed will come up with something for the August Birthday Crew.

At this point PRESIDENT JOHN showed that he was in control by showing the crew that he could still fish. First to be hooked was non other than JOHN SCHARER. Seems John left the Good Old U.S.A. to try his hand at golfing in Canada. For his efforts John offered to pay his fine in Canadian Money. The bait was not taken and John dug deep into his pockets for some good old American Dollars. TOM BRANDAL was next to be pulled from the sea. Seems Tom not only spent time in Alaska and Hawaii, but he also visited Las Vegas during the day and returned to Petaluma the same day. For his traveling efforts Tom generously paid a fine to the club and made a donation to the Foundation.

The next crewmember pulled from the sea was LARRY JONAS. Seems Larry did not send a change of address form to our secretary upon moving to a new address. The club had to pay $0.70 for postage, let alone the embarrassment to our secretary. Larry was fined $5.00 for his action with $4.30 going toward his fine schedule. Could it be that President John was showing signs of Sea Sickness, after all Larry really got off the hook.

A mighty cast did president John make. A tug of the line, a forward pull, and up came the catch of the day. At the end of the line was non other than one of our newest members MARCUS BENEDETTI. Seems Marcus recently was married in Chicago. President John then put his hook in his own mouth saying that most marriages announced at Rotary were usually second marriages. At this point the mermaids on the ship cried Foul!! Foul!! They reminded President John and the rest of the crew that KATHY O’CONNOR BURROUGHS was recently married for the first time. President John shook his hands in apology and went back to his catch of the day. At this point it was realized that another Benedetti was in the sea along with Marcus. After all proud GRANDPA GENE would not let Marcus bear the fine alone, or would he. In the end both Marcus and Gene had to come up with some bait money.

PRESIDENT JOHN then said that his fishing was over and that the raffle would take place. Mermaid KATHY O’CONNER had the lucky ticket however the cash remained in the bank and Kathy was rewarded with wine.

LARRY JONAS then was called upon to introduce our speakers for the day. Jim Larsen, a member of Viet Nam Veterans of California, told of the great things Rotary and East Meets West do for the people of Viet Nam. Mark Stewart of East Meets West finished off the speech by also telling of the wonderful things being done by Rotarians.

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Ralph Sartori. .

NEXT WEEK'S ASSIGNMENTS

Fine Can: Vera Ciammetti

Microphone: Marcus Benedetti

Visitors: Linda Zacharin

Editor: Connie Heizer

August 19 - Golf Tournament

August 22 - Club dark

August 29 - East Meets West - Vietnam Veterans of California

It was a beautiful day in Petaluma - mild temperature, bright sun and a slight breeze - perfect for a Rotary Meeting. As always, the Veterans Hall was resplendent in Rotary banners from around the world, serving as a great reminder of the scope of Rotary’s reach and involvement in each community.

The summer months mean family travel for many of us, and the attendance at our meetings have reflected this fact. However, after what appeared to be another small gathering of Rotarians, the Hall filled up nicely, shortly after 12:00pm. Members feasted on a wonderful buffet of salads, fruit, cold-cuts, roasted new potatoes, and turkey breast with gravy, all expertly prepared by the great folks at Adobe Harvest Catering.

PRESIDENT ED rang the bell at 12:27pm and asked TED ADKINS to lead us in song. With his great smile and enthusiasm, Ted led us in a rousing rendition of “God Bless America”.

BRIAN HOOVER then took the microphone for the invocation. Using several quotes from a favorite book, “The Gospel According to Peanuts”, Brian humorously highlighted our mission as Rotarians - Rotary is people, not just “about” and “for” people. He reminded us not to get caught up in the details of the process and to keep focus on the main objective: people.

The greeting among members and guests was so spirited that PRESIDENT ED called for a $5 fine for all those still standing and talking, singling out LYNN DE L’EAU. The crowd was introduced to Rotarians with guests, which included John Ramatici and his two sons, and John Weland and his brother-in-law, a fellow Rotarian from Connecticut. After a blank Sunshine Report, John’s guest asked the crowd to indulge him by allowing him to strap on his accordion and play us an Irish tune. He played marvelously and the audience was clapping and tapping the whole time. An entertainer by trade, he shared his belief of the power of music and said his Rotary Club had raised over $14,000 through music concerts.

PRESIDENT ED asked for announcements and JIM BECKER told us about the Sonoma County Crusher game that night, LEROY BEAN reminded us of the golf tournament on Monday, August 19th, and JOHN DADO announced a Foundation Meeting immediately after the general meeting.

President Ed explained that an exchange student from France will be arriving shortly and our club needs to find a host and counselor for her duration. Our duties will be shared with Petaluma’s other Rotary Clubs, who already have hosts and counselors in place. Volunteers are needed or they will be assigned.

Then the fun really began. PRESIDENT ED called on WALLY BRAGDON to explain his new title: President Emeritus and Director of the Bank of Petaluma. After a round of applause, he was fined $50 for buying his wife a new Toyota Avalon. Next in the line of fire was NANCY KOENITZER, who recently purchased the behemoth Ford Excursion. Nancy smelled a rat and asked who may have given Ed the information. After scanning the room, Nancy settled on ONITA PELLEGRINI who fessed up to being the mole. President Ed was feeling extremely generous and allowed them to share a $20 fine.

PRESIDENT ED told us about the Petaluma Valley Club’s River Festival that he and his wife attended on August 10th. It was a great event and the Flight Tours of Sonoma County brought in $825 for Polio Eradication. He reminded us to use our personal skills and knowledge to help raise monies for this cause. He then called on one of the Boy Scouts from Troop 8 to pick the Raffle number and FRED FROST was the winner. Fortunately for the rest of us, he drew a bottle of wine and left the $175 pot for the next meeting.

WALLY BRAGDON introduced Thom Knudson, who is the Committee Chairman for Boy Scout Troop 8. This is the oldest Troop in Petaluma and our Rotary Club has sponsored the boys since inception, 56 years ago. Thom introduced the Scout Master, Terence Dempsey who, in turn, introduced five young gentlemen. These boys explained how Boy Scouts has impacted their lives and has taught them leadership skills, responsibility and teamwork. Vincent Bernardino told the crowd how his participation on Scouts has given him an advantage in applying to the US Naval Academy. His brother Michael talked about his project of sanding and staining all of the benches at Bernard Eldridge School. Ben Knudson reveled us in his 50-mile backpack adventure and showed the crowd his pack. Patrick Dempsey talked about the multiple “floats”, or canoe trips, he has taken as a Scout. He highlighted the need for teamwork to properly execute a trip. With Jonathan at the controls, the audience was shown a variety of photos highlighting the Boy Scout’s Camp, including some activities, accommodations and surroundings. Thom then took back the microphone and explained that Troop 8 is a high activity group, stressing the preparation needed to endure the long hikes. The scouts raise funds through Christmas tree sales and pick-ups. He thanked Rotary for its long-standing commitment to the Troop and the crowd responded warmly. These are great kids with bright futures ahead of them. It was a great presentation.

After Ed presented the Troop with a Four-way Test paperweight and the signing of a book to be donated to St. Vincent’s Library, Ed reminded the crowd that next Thursday, August 22, will be dark and incoming President, ONITA PELLEGRINI, will run the meeting on the 29th . Monday’s dinner at the Golf Tournament counts as a meeting.

Meeting adjourned.

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Ricardo Marzo. .

Next week's Rota-Teller editor: Mike Madick. .

August 15 - Boy Scout Troop 8 with Tom Knudson

August 19 - Golf Tournament

August 22 - Club dark

August 29 - East Meets West - Vietnam Veterans of California

The meeting was begun on time by PRESIDENT ED FULLERTON. GENE BENDETTI led us in a rousing rendition of God Bless America. LARRY GOTFREDSON led us in the prayer of St. Francis.

HARVEY FREETLY introduced visiting Rotarians. Laurie Mathew from the Valley Club, Bill McDill and his daughter Kathy McDill, also a Rotarian from the Novato club, were in attendance.

GENE BENEDETTI then introduced his two guests, who turned out to be Lee McCain and Alan Hemphill. However, he then introduced Bob St. Clair who was hard to miss at 6 ft. 8 in. tall.. Gene also gave us the Sunshine report, letting us all know that Evelyn was at UCSF, but was doing better.

PRESIDENT ED than announced that TOM BRANDAL has been appointed to replace MAUREEN JOYCE on the Board of Directors.

PDG ART AGNEW said he had no announcement; however he reminded the Editor that After next week’s regular meeting, there will be a meeting of the Foundation Board of Directors.

JIM BECKER wanted to remind everyone that next Thursday is the Crushers Game. Tailgate party at 5:30 with the game to follow. Our LUCIE SWEDA will be performing The National Anthem. The cost is $20/person; please get your checks and reservations in as soon as possible. Jim also wanted to thank the members that help put on the International Barbques: AL KAPLAN, LOU STEINBERG, NANCY and Bob KOENITZER, ONITA PELLEGRINI, LARRY and Pam JONAS with JIM. 37 members of our club attended the BBQs, helping to raise over $4,000.

LEROY BEAN reminded everyone of the Golf Tournament on Monday the 19th. JOHN and PAUL RAMATICI need volunteers in the kitchen. Dinner at 7pm for $25 and Lunch at noon for $6 for non-golfers. There are still a few spots open for Golfers; call Lee.

PRESIDENT ED reminded everyone of the Rotary Foundation Seminar at the Cotati Town Hall on the 24th from 10am to 2pm.

We will be hosting an Exchange Student from France this next school year. She will be arriving on August 19th. Wonder if she plays golf - the last student did. Her name is Annisa. We will need a host for November through February. The editor can speak from experience; it’s a great opportunity.

We are looking for 100% participation for our Polio Plus Campaign.

New Rotarian DAN REED has already made a $1,000 contribution to the Foundation for his Paul Harris.

VERA CIAMMETTI was given a $5 credit for a fine she paid as a guest; However she then paid a fine of $100 for all her pictures in the paper and the celebration of PEP’s 25th anniversary, and for PEP signing a $4,000,000 HUD contract.

GENE BENEDETTI was than fined for being named Citizen of the Year and for not wearing his Rotary Pin. PRESIDENT ED presented him with a new pin for a cost of $100.

The Raffle was won by ANDY KVALHEIM and he was given a bottle of wine.

The speaker was Michael Hingson from Guide Dogs for the Blind. His story about surviving the tragedy of 9/11 at the World Trade Center was awe-inspiring. Michael was on the 78th floor of Tower 1 at the time of impact. His story of people’s reaction and his escape from the devastation left most Rotarians feeling the heroism of the people involved and the importance of his dog Roselle. Michael is now the national spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind, having experienced the true importance of having a trusted companion. Michael’s descriptions of the events surrounding him at the time were given in a way that all of us in the room could feel like they were there. It is amazing that he was able to use humor to cope with the destruction around him and allowed him to keep his focus. His was a message of Trust and Strength. Thank you Michael for sharing your experience with us.

Click the airplane if you want to fly Air Ed on a tour of Sonoma County.

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Lou Steinberg. .

NEXT WEEK'S ASSIGNMENTS

Fine Can: Al Kaplan

Microphone: Tom Brandal

Visitors: Lyn de l'Eau

Editor: Ricardo Marzo

August 8 - Michael Hingson - 9/11 World Trade Center survivor

August 15 - Boy Scout Troop 8 with Tom Knudson

August 19 - Golf Tournament

August 22 - Club dark

August 29 - East Meets West - Vietnam Veterans of California

Captain ED FULLERTON eased the meeting off the tarmac into the wild blue yonder at precisely the appointed departure time (12:30 p.m.) and immediately had his back-up flight crew, TED ADKINS, lead us in song (God Bless America), followed by an ethereal thought-for-the-day from HERB BUNDESEN. The customary in flight greetings, handshakes and hugs ensued.

The passenger list was then read by VERA CIAMMETTI, who introduced the visiting Rotarians from far (Alaska) and near (Petaluma Valley) among us. Guests of Rotarians who joined us for lunch were then welcomed by one and all. DAN LIBARLE, the chief navigator (or is that just the car he drives?!), vectored in with the Sunshine Report and informed us that his aunt, Evelyn Benedetti, is back home and in good spirits - our thoughts and well wishes are with her and GENE.

The Prez then reached cruising altitude, trimmed the flaps and put the meeting on autopilot as a medley of announcements were made: JOHN RAMATICI, an instrument rated guy if ever there was one, requested volunteers to work in the kitchen for the Club's upcoming (August 19) annual golf tournament; LEROY BEAN continued on that flight path by reminding everyone that the entry deadline for the golf tournament is August 9; the Prez himself then did a nifty barrel roll into an announcement for the upcoming Crusher's game tailgate party (August 15) hosted by the three Petaluma Rotary clubs (ours, Valley and Sunrise), with our very own sweet singing LUCIE SWEDA leading the opening ceremonies in song (Star Spangled Banner); and finally, the Prez, after making sure everyone- had their seatbelts fastened, announced that the recently concluded International Barbecue event hosted by various members of the three Petaluma Rotary clubs raised $4,000! Silver wings and salutes to all!

After a brief hammerhead stall, the Prez did a nose dive right into the August anniversaries (congratulations AL CATTALINI, NORM SANTOS, JOHN SCHARER, CHET SWANSON and CARL WONG!), and he would've augered in with an unprecedented fine of the anniversary boys had not the old Sky King, PDG ART AGNEW, grabbed the controls and reset him on the correct heading coordinates!

VERA CIAMMETTI then parachuted out into her new member craft talk so we could all get to know her a little better - nice to have you aboard, Vera!

Next, frequent flier LARRY JONAS paid a $50 airport tax for his recent adventures in South America, including a heart warming Rotary experience from deep in the Amazon where Larry learned that a medical clinic had been built by proceeds donated by a Wisconsin Rotary club! Welcome home, Larry!

Glenn Johnson, a visiting Rotarian and old classmate of the Prez (PHS '52), then shared how he went up, up and away to Alaska some 30 years ago, and what a unique Rotary District Alaska is in (e.g., 11 time zones, clubs in Russia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, etc.).

The Prez then encountered some turbulence and the meeting started to pitch and yaw a bit as he forgot the raffle and tried to hurriedly introduce the speaker. Fortunately, JOE ALLEN was in the tower to get the Prez back on course and avoid the near miss! The Prez, being astutely aware that there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots, delicately banked the meeting back over to the raffle and made a believer out of RICK SUSICK, who had the winning ticket.

The Prez then regained his bearings, found the jet stream and calmly introduced our speaker, Maureen Flynn-Garcia, PHN, of the Public Health Division, Sonoma County Department of Health Services, who delivered an informative presentation on chronic disease prevention. A book (Extreme Skateboarding) was donated in her name to the PJHS library, and she received a four-way test memento of appreciation for her efforts. The Prez then put us on the proper glide path for final approach and brought the meeting to a smooth conclusion with a gentle landing.

Thanks for flying Air Ed and we hope to see you all at the arrival gate next week!

Click the airplane if you want to fly Air Ed on a tour of Sonoma County.

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Mike Baddeley. .

NEXT WEEK'S ASSIGNMENTS

Fine Can: Linda Zacharin

Microphone: Connie Heizer

Visitors: Erik Gunheim

Editor: Lou Steinberg