Issues are arranged in reverse order. Scroll down to find the issue you want.
June 4 - Club meets at SRJC Petaluma Campus for dedication of Rotary Plaza; Group photo day!
June 9 - Social at Lagunitas Brewing Company, 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., 5-7pm
June 11 - A great local well known speaker on agriculture. This is a must attend day as the we were very lucky to have this speaker confirm.
June 18 - Last meeting at the Vets- Member social and storytelling after a great lunch
June 25 - Club dark
June 26 - Debunking
We were led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag by AL CATTALINI.
BARNEY FAUSS started us off with that ramblin’, gamblin’ number and, after apologizing to our younger guests in the crowd for being subjected to a drinking song, moved on to “God Bless America.”
PAUL LOUNIBOS delivered the thought for the day, a parable of profound theological importance that made us all laugh.
President RALPH SARTORI recognized master chef AL KAPLAN in absentia for bringing home the handsome first-place trophy in the Service Organization category of this year’s Chili Cook-off.
RICARDO MARZO will be putting together our contributions to the special annual Rotary section of Argus Courier. Members are reminded to support this effort with advertising. [Note shameless plug for Westgate Real Estate!]
Our club can boast not only culinary but also literary achievement, as our bulletin was awarded the second-place prize at the recent District Conference.
As if aging were not punishment enough, members with May birthdays were forced to listen to our good wishes in song.
STEVE GAVRILOFF cheerfully paid a fine for having a famous daughter pictured on the front page of the Press Democrat.
JAY PALM’s excuse for missing the All-Day Breakfast was a first family trip to Disneyland. In an extraordinary attempt to keep his fine to a minimum, Jay presented our leader a Mickey Mouse cap embroidered with “President Ralph.”
Not only was the gesture effective in winning a little mercy, but we also learned that this gift was the fulfillment of a dashed childhood dream of our president, who immediately donned the mouse-eared beanie in jaunty fashion. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
No doubt pleased with the message heard earlier in the meeting, a Higher Power miraculously intervened in the raffle drawing, and PAUL LOUNIBOS took away a bottle of non-sacramental wine.
President RALPH welcomed Petaluma High School teacher and Future Farmers of America advisor KIM ARNDT, who introduced four very impressive student FFA members, the first-place team in the statewide dairy cattle judging competition.
Following their informative presentation, President RALPH asked club members who are FFA alumni to stand. The kids were outnumbered. Thanking our local FFA for its support of our club and its events, President RALPH presented a check in the amount of $1500 to the Petaluma FFA.
STARTING JULY 9 - THE CLUB WILL BE MEETING AT MISTER MAGOO'S FOR LUNCH.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Clark Rosen.
May 28 - Lunch program: Future Farmers of America
May 28 - SCARC Dinner Meeting, Rooster Run Golf Club, 6pm
June 4 - Club meets at SRJC Petaluma Campus for dedication of Rotary Plaza
June 9 - Social at Lagunitas Brewing Company, 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., 5-7pm
June 11 - An interesting program
June 18 - Another interesting program
June 25 - Club dark
June 26 - Debunking
On the third Thursday in May we met in the Vets Building. The day was a beautiful ‘almost summer’ day. Lunch featured a pre-Memorial Day menu of hotdogs and hamburgers (with all the fixin’s), salads and ice cream.
Acting President BABE AMARAL called the meeting for PRESIDENT RALPH SARTORI (who was off on business).
JAMES GOTELLI led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance.
BARNEY FAUSS led us in “I’m a Rambler/I’m a Gambler” and “God Bless America”.
LARRY JONAS’ thought for the day was a touching tribute to Jake Velloza who died on May 2, 2009 on his second tour of duty in Iraq while serving his country. Larry’s message to members was how committed our troops are and how proud he is to be an American.
After club greetings, JOHN DADO introduced one visiting Rotarian. There were no Rotarians with guests. The only ‘Sunshine Report’ was from ACTING PRESIDENT BABE who noted that (Club Secretary) “STEVE’s here, looks good, and is still crabby.”
JOHN DADO announced that Foundation requests were due by May 31 for requests serving the Petaluma High School District attendance area. GAIL CARDAROPOLI thanked members for their support of her walk for Cystic Fibrosis and told us she was out with her canine pal, Angle Baby, on the ‘hottest day’ of the year! ACTING PRESIDENT BABE, fined two late Rotarians.
District Governor ED FULLERTON commented on the District Conference.
He thanked LEROY BEAN for coordinating the golf tournament (it had 42 players!) and pointed out the Bru Brunnier Trophy was won by our club! DISTRICT GOVERNOR ED gave a big thanks to ONITA PELLEGRINI and MARY ANN SHOEMAKER for their extraordinary efforts during the conference, and Former President LOU STEINBERG offered ‘high praise’ for a very successful event!
BRIAN BREEN announced the last Rotary Happy Hour of the year has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 9 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at Lagunitas Brewery.
President Elect TOM BRANDAL made two announcements. The first big fund raiser of the year will be the Petaluma Art & Equestrian Festival on July 19. He also asked members to complete the committee sign up and survey he handed out at the meeting and has posted on the club website.
ACTING PRESIDENT BABE made note that the “V Dolan” pens Tom had put on the tables for members to use to complete the surveys “looked a lot like advertising” and so fined PRES ELECT TOM $20 for his generosity.
ACTING PRESIDENT BABE announced that the Chili Cook-off had been won by the Petaluma Rotary thanks to the great cooking skills of AL KAPLAN (who escaped without a fine) and with help from MIKE BADDELEY and KATHY O’CONNOR (who did not escape a $20 fine each for simply being their when we won)!
KIP HERZOG and DAN LIBARLE were both fined $50 each…KIP for his recent award…DAN for the rice subsidies that help ‘pay for the duck club…’
JIM BECKER got to put $25 on his Paul Harris for the advertisement he gave while telling members about a recent trip to Argentina (“The Wine Capital of South America” so he says).
ONITA PELLEGRINI ‘got lucky’ (but not THAT lucky!!!) during a recent SRJC golf ball drop fundraiser for the SRJC Foundation. Seems her ball was closest to the hole so she won $2000 and she generously shared $100 of it with the club.
ACTING PRESIDENT BABE took a break from the fine action to announce the May 28 SCARC meeting at Rooster Run (the whole Board is expected to attend). He also announced that John Strong’s memorial would be held May 31 at 2:00 pm at the Lucchesi Community Center and that the June 4th club meeting (including lunch) would be at the Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma Campus to unveil the plaque overlooking Rotary Plaza.
ACTING PRESIDENT BABE got back to the fines by asking the four winning golfers to stand. Three of them were fined $50 for their “professional status with the PGA” and golf tournament organizer LEROY BEAN was fined $20 “to hold the microphone.” Then everyone but LEROY was invited to sit down. Seems LEROY also might have “gotten lucky” during the District conference after he won a $9700 diamond ring (Oralee sure did!). But it was LEROY who got to contribute another $20 to the club.
STEVE GAVRILOFF won the drawing and a bottle of wine.
There was no speaker this week.
ACTING PRESIDENT BABE closed the meeting early by announcing next week’s speaker would be from FFA. See you all there!
STARTING JULY 9 - THE CLUB WILL BE MEETING AT MISTER MAGOO'S FOR LUNCH.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Jane Saldaña-Talley.
May 14 - Club dark; attend the District Conference!
May 21 - An interesting program
May 28 - Another interesting program
June 4 - Club meets at SRJC Petaluma Campus for dedication of Rotary Plaza
The Petaluma Rotary Club’s Annual All Day Breakfast was held Thursday, May 7, 2009 in lieu of a regular meeting. All Club Members (well almost all) participated to make this year’s Breakfast a success. ) We lost a few to the Realtor’s Golf Tournament.
The money raised at this event goes to the Children’s Holiday Gift Giving Program. The program involves a gift to a child who would otherwise not have a one under the tree. If you have participated in the shopping, wrapping and delivery of these gifts, you would see the importance of this project.
Kudos to PRESIDENT RALPH SARTORI and his co-chairs RON HARRIS and STEVE LAFRANCHI for getting this day organized. A special thanks to DICK WEBER for donating the eggs and BRIDGET DOHERTY for the coffee servers.
The 807 well fed patrons dined on eggs, pancakes, sausage and strawberries with plenty of orange juice, milk and coffee. The 2009 Dairy Princess made sure there was plenty of milk for the crowd.
The kitchen crew was allowed a beverage or two, which did not hinder the production line. The Breakfast brought out members we haven’t seen for awhile like JOHN SCHARER, RALPH BETTINELLI, ART LAFRANCHI, RICH JOHNSON and RICK SUSICK.
Knee surgery was no excuse to miss your work schedule, as evidenced by the ticket collector, JOHN DADO. Thanks to the many veteran Rotarians who kept the day fun while keeping the crew working efficiently. The day was a huge success.
For more photos from the All Day Breakfast, Click here.
STARTING JULY 9 - THE CLUB WILL BE MEETING AT MISTER MAGOO'S FOR LUNCH.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Loretta Catarozoli.