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February 23, 2006
COMING EVENTS
March 2 - Jan Tumini, Discovery Museum
March 9 - Ken Nugent
March 16 - Matt White, Basin Street Properties
March 23 - Farmers & Merchants Night (Dark at lunch)
March 30 - Larry Jonas - Thailand trip
JIM McCAFFREY led the crowd in singing My Country Tis of Thee as the last meeting of February came to order.
CLARK ROSEN was next, offering an interesting Thought for the Day about a surprised customer and his bucket of chicken.
There were no visiting Rotarians other than our speaker whom you’ll read about later. RICK MOSSI brought Holly Gulrich, HENRY HANSEL’s administrative assistant, while STAN LAWSON bought his boss (and wife of 26 years) Gabriella.
ROBERT MITCHELL somehow escaped a fine for a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Maybe the banner he brought back from the Charlotte Amalie Rotary Club worked as a free pass. Keep that in mind when you travel!
PRESIDENT LEE reminded members that this year Farmers and Merchants Night will be on a Thursday night (March 23). Mark your calendars!
JIM BECKER is seeking volunteers to help load the container of school supplies we are shipping to Guatemala. Plan to join Jim the next two Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., behind Thai Cuisine, 610 Petaluma Blvd. North.
RON HARRIS offered insights into what lye can do to human eyeballs and offered photographic documentation for curious diners.
JIM McCAFFREY led a round of Happy Birthday for members born in February. Sitting at the Birthday Table were LOU STEINBERG, WALLY BRAGDON, AL KAPLAN and AL CATTALINI. Sitting elsewhere were STEVE OLMSTED (with Presidential permission) and ALDEN HENNINGS (no permission, $10 fine).
Just back from six weeks in Thailand, NIT ANDERSON was also not at the Birthday Table. Her excuse of not having a birthday this month (she was born on February 29) didn’t cut it with our President who socked her with a $10 fine.
PRESIDENT LEE said STEVE HENRIS should have a final report on the Crab Feed next week. Lee noted that the Club netted about $6,000 from the dinner but rued the poor participation by members in setting up for the event.
RICK MOSSI reported that 1563 tickets were sold for this year’s Super Raffle and thanked the team captains for their efforts. Fourth place went to JOANNE FERRIS (187); third place, LORETTA CATAROZOLI (188); second place, TOM BAKER (247); and in the top spot, HENRY HANSEL (284). A party at the Petaluma Yacht Club will salute the top sellers.
PRESIDENT LEE announced that MICHAEL CARUANA’s committee on Club planning met last week and that a report to the membership is expected soon.
ERIK GUNHEIM continued the occasional series on Rotary facts by discussing Rotary International’s longstanding nonsectarian policy and how RI was misunderstood by the Roman Catholic Church some generations ago. If you want to learn more about this subject, click here.
MARY ANN SHOEMAKER, whose larger-than-life face is on billboards around town, paid a $100 fine for all the exposure. It seems that Bank of Marin wants you to know that she doesn’t make shoes.
CHRIS BLAKESLEE described a recent (February 9) swim from Candlestick Point to Aquatic Park (no wet suit!) as he prepares for a planned swim from Santa Cruz Island to Santa Barbara. Despite collective shivers from the membership, President Lee assessed a $50 fine for his efforts.
JIM McCAFFREY won the raffle, pulled the wrong rock and walked off with a bottle of wine. Next week: $125.
JEANNETTE CLARK introduced
. . . Mike Doyle, President of the Rohnert Park-Cotati Rotary Club, who presented the program for the Day. Mike is a USF professor and is actively recruiting volunteers to serve in the Medical Reserve Corps of Sonoma County. Many of our members signed up to assist in delivering public health response after an emergency. For more information about the MRC, click here.
For photos from last week's Crab Feed click here.
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NEW MEMBER PROPOSAL
The club has received an application for induction of the following new member:
If any member in good standing has an objection to this person, such objection should be made in writing to the club board of directors within 7 days of receipt of this notice.
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This week's Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini.
February 17, 2006
COMING EVENTS
February 23 - Mike Doyle, MRC Emergency Service - Rotary in Community Action
March 2 - Jan Tumini, Discovery Museum
March 9 - Ken Nugent
March 16 - Matt White, Basin Street Properties
March 23 - Farmers & Merchants Night (Dark at lunch)
March 30 - Larry Jonas - Thailand trip
Many Rotarians, guests, and friends enjoyed this year's annual Crab Feed. This annual event has become an evening of social enjoyment and is capped off with “The Super Raffle.”
Hats off to STEVE HENRIS, DAN LIBARLE and committee members for working hard ensure a successful event. Actually the work started Thursday with the hall being set-up, and the decorations being put out. Friday was a busy workday also with the food being prepared for the evening.
The main course is “California Dungeness Crab” (Cancer magister). This species is found from Unalaska, Alaska, to Magdalena Bay, Baja California, but seldom seen south of Santa Barbara. Prior to 1974, the common name in California was the market crab. For more about Dungeness Crab click here.
The evening started with guests arriving at the Vet’s Hall for some good old socializing and conversation with friends.
Suddenly people started to gather at their respective tables as the rumor spread that the food was ready to be served. PRESIDENT LEROY welcomed everyone to the event and mentioned that in Rotary tradition there were three things to be done prior to feasting on crab.
First: TED ADKINS led us in the singing of “God Bless America”.
Second: JIM McCAFFREY gave the Thought For The Day, which was followed by the usual hand shaking, and hugs, between guests.
PRESENT LEROY then announced that the Crab would be served!
After enjoying the meal of crab, pasta, and salad PRESIDENT LEROY thanked everyone for supporting this event.
He then announced that it was time to draw the names of the lucky winners of the “Super Raffle”.
AND THE WINNERS ARE !!!
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to all who supported the “Super Raffle”. Thanks also to the co-chairs of the raffle RICK MOSSI and WALLY BRAGDON for their efforts in assuring that the raffle was a success.
For more photos from the Crab Feed click here.
Reminder: Farmers & Merchants Night will be on Thursday, March 23rd, 2006.
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NEW MEMBER PROPOSAL
The club has received an application for induction of the following new member:
If any member in good standing has an objection to this person, such objection should be made in writing to the club board of directors within 7 days of receipt of this notice.
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This week's Rota-Teller editor: Ralph Sartori.
February 9, 2006
COMING EVENTS
February 16 - DARK
February 17 - Crab Feed/Super Raffle (6:00 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. dinner)
February 23 - Mike Doyle, MRC Emergency Service - Rotary in Community Action
March 2 - Jan Tumini, Discovery Museum
March 9 - Ken Nugent
March 16 - Matt White, Basin Street Properties
March 23 - DARK
March 30 - Larry Jonas - Thailand trip
It felt like a time warp when ACTING /PAST PRESIDENT BABE AMARAL took to the podium and called us to order.
He asked MARCUS BENEDETTI to lead us in song. With a little unsolicited assistance from BARNEY FAUSS, the crowd sang a rousing version of “God Bless America”.
LARRY JONAS gave us his Thought for the Day and reminded us of all the good things we can do to help extend our quality of life (and thwart gum disease).
LARRY GOTFREDSON announced the visiting Rotarians and several members brought guests, including PRESIDENT ELECT TAWNY TESCONI, who subjected her fiancé to the Club’s antics.
ACTING/PAST PRESIDENT BABE AMARAL dinged STEVE HENRIS $5 for bad communication (or bad Portuguese hearing)
. . . and LARRY JONAS $20 for his reminding us of our bad habits and his Whole Foods endorsement.
RICK MOSSI ran down the Super Raffle Ticket Sales
. . . and continued his motivation tactics by bringing on the “Babe-ettes”. These fine ladies
. . . shaked, raffled and rolled through the crowd
. . . and reminded us to SELL MORE RAFFLE TICKETS!
ACTING/PAST PRESIDENT BABE AMARAL really brought back costly memories and dolled out some big fines:
$100 to MARCUS BENEDETTTI (who gave half to Babe’s political campaign) for his recent press,
. . . $200 to DAN LIBARLE for his recent Super Bowl pool win,
. . . $125 to PAT SCHAEFFER for her PVH status report,
. . . $20 to TAWNY TESCONI for her pole dancing,
. . . and $50 to KIP HERZOG for knowing
. . . JIM MICKELSON.
Ralph Sartori was fined for his daughter's new twins.
Jim Becker paid for his new responsibilities.
ONITA PELLEGRINI took home a bottle of wine for the raffle
. . . and MARK STOKES introduced our amazing speaker,
. . . Aerial Gilbert from Guide Dogs for the Blind. Her courageous story and inspiring strength held everyone in awe. Her success at Guide Dogs for the Blind is only a small part of Aerial’s achievements. She is one of the most courageous people ever to stand in our presence. Thank you Aerial for a memorable presentation
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Ricardo Marzo.
February 2, 2006
COMING EVENTS
February 9 - Aerial Gilbert, Outreach Mgr, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
February 16 - DARK
February 17 - Crab Feed/Super Raffle (6:00 p.m. cocktails, 7:30 p.m. dinner)
February 23 - Mike Doyle, MRC Emergency Service - Rotary in Community Action
PRESIDENT LEE BEAN kicked off the festivities and asked BARNEY FAUSS to lead us in song. After a rousing version of “America the Beautiful”,
. . . PAUL LOUNIBOS gave the Thought for the Day. His theme was “being thankful” and his words were profound and entertaining. Thank you, Paul.
CHRIS ALBERTSON introduced visiting Rotarians and several members had guests,
. . . including KIP HERZOG who brought along PAST PRESIDENT JIM MICKELSON.
UPCOMING EVENTS
JOHN DADO reminded us about the Day at the Races and the need to re-confirm your spot on the bus with full payment. PRESIDENT LEE BEAN reminded us of the upcoming Crab Feed – get your seats now because it will sell out.
RICK MOSSI and JEANNETTE CLARK gave us a rundown on Super Raffle sales and we are below last year’s figure, so SELL LOTS OF RAFFLE TICKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is our biggest fundraiser and we have some terrific projects that need our support.
PRESIDENT LEE BEAN told us that these funds will go towards the completion of Leghorn Park (in honor of GENE BENEDETTI) and a new park at Grant School.. To motivate the troops, MICHAEL CARUANA queued the legendary Cal vs. Stanford football play and RICK MOSSI drew upon some Vince Lombardi inspiration and told us keep working hard and sell those tickets.
The fine can was very productive today bringing in some nice cash from members.
JAMES GOTELLI gave $100 in the memory of GENE BENEDETTI and the fathers of TAWNY TESCONI and STEVE OLMSTEAD.
PAST PRESIDENT JIM MICKELSON forked over $100 to the Club and another Ben Franklin for the Foundation. His absences, exploits, travels and successes are too numerous to mention, but it was nice to see him back in our presence.
ANDY KVALHEIM added $100 for his recent home improvements (nice elevator) and upcoming travels.
Your humble editor won the raffle and is currently drinking the bottle of wine he won as he writes this letter (take note of the grammatical errors as the letter progresses).
JOHN SCHARER introduced our guest speaker, City Manager Mike Bierman.
Mike gave an insightful and informative talk on the state of affairs in our beloved town. We are living in a unique period of growth and change for Petaluma and Mike’s role in guiding the vision cannot be overlooked. As City Manager, Mike is constantly under criticism for the City’s actions, but regardless of your opinion, it cannot be argued that this man doesn’t work hard. Thank you, Mike for your time and your effort.
Good night and God Bless.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Ricardo Marzo.