Issues are arranged in reverse order. Scroll down to find the issue you want.
April 7 - Sam Ruark - Sonoma County Energy Watch
April 14 - Brent Farris from KZST
April 21 - Assemblyman Jared Huffman
April 28 - Keith Woods - North Bay Bus Exchange
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What? No Pledge of Allegiance? PRESIDENT CLARK started the last meeting of March (now three-quarters of the way through his year) by calling on HERB BUNDESEN to lead us in song.
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HERB observed that, despite his love for GENE BENEDETTI, he could not stand I’m a Rambler, . . . and would not be warming up with it today. After soloing the prelude, he led us all in a stirring God Bless America.
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Next was . . . the Pledge! And then DAVID SOLO was up with his Thought for the Day. Inspired by an Argus Courier report of the city’s latest political flap, David discussed the 2005 Van Orden v. Perry U.S. Supreme Court decision, the First Amendment’s establishment clause, and the principle of originalism.
After the hugs and handshakes TOM BRANDAL introduced our lone visiting Rotarian, Pamela Tuft, Past President of Petaluma Valley Rotary. LEE REPOSA introduced his guest, a college buddy.
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Sunshine Report: AL KAPLAN reports that TED ADKINS is in great shape but bored to death. FRED FROST is recovering nicely from rotator cuff surgery.
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Happy Birthday! DAVID BARBIERI was the sole March celebrant sitting at the birthday table. JIM McCAFFREY and JAMES GOTELLI missed the meeting. Do you really think that only three members have March birthdays?
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PRESIDENT CLARK thanked BILL GROVERMAN for chairing the successful Farmers and Merchants Night and DON RAMATICI for overseeing the kitchen. Great job, guys!
April is Friendship Feast month and PRESIDENT CLARK needs to know what dates work for you. Available slots are Sunday, April 10; Saturday, April 16; Friday, April 29; and Saturday April 30. Please email President Clark clark@clarkrosen.com right away with the date(s) that work for you. Rank your choices if you wish and specify if you are bringing a guest or coming solo. There’s room for a few more hosts (and more dates) so let Clark know also if you can serve as a host.
For new members and those of us with failing memories, here’s how the Friendship Feast works. Having previously paid $50 per person (all of which goes to our Dictionary Project) you arrive at the home of a mystery Rotarian bearing a bottle of fine wine. What follows is a fabulous evening of fun, food, and camaraderie with fellow Rotarians, some of whom you’ll get to really know for the first time. Great evening! Great cause!
PRESIDENT CLARK announced that our Club was sending $1,500 as part of a gift from our District to the Rotary District in Japan affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami. We had considered sending ShelterBoxes but determined that the cash would be most useful in Japan’s circumstances.
PRESIDENT CLARK described our recent participation with the Petaluma Service Alliance in equipping a COTS apartment for a homeless veteran. JOE TAMBE and PRESIDENT CLARK deserve kudos for their work on a very rainy day.
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MIKE STAUBER gave his craft talk. Raised in Petaluma, he was an Eagle Scout, a 4:27 miler, and a PHS classmate of Mike Baddeley, Rick Mossi, and Rick Van Bebber. He attended the SRJC automotive program, got into the auto repair business (with a detour in wholesaling tropical fish!) and is now in his 22nd year of ownership of North Bay Automotive. He has a second shop in Rohnert Park and lives in Petaluma with his wife, Lisa, and three children.
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Birthday boy DAVID BARBIERI was fined $25 for his visit last week to his daughter in Chester. Seems he spent all his time shoveling snow and managed to escape to Petaluma during a brief lull between storms.
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RICK GORMAN was up next. He proudly discussed his daughter who turns 18 on Saturday (Rick will celebrate by going to the District Assembly in Ukiah) and graduates from PHS in June — and his younger son who recently played the lead role in Country Mouse. Fines of $25 per kid totaled $50 for the proud papa.
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What happened next was indescribable but I’ll try. GARY BRODIE suggested that someone should confess to recent goings-on in Palm Springs. Sitting next to Gary was JAMES BURLESON looking a bit uncomfortable. Then DAN LIBARLE rose and KIP HERZOG got nervous. GARY offered to pay the fine and ultimately he and JAMES each paid $100. We’re not sure what went on down in the desert but SHERRY BURWEN (who must be part of the conspiracy) whispered that it really wasn’t Palm Springs, it was Indian Wells. Oh, well.
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The raffle was next — and it was confusing as well. AL CATTALINI rose with the winning ticket but announced that it wasn’t his ticket. It had been found under his chair and earlier attempts to find its owner had failed. In a new twist to the 4-Way Test he asked the real owner of the winning ticket to claim it. The test worked as only one Rotarian claimed ownership, LEE REPOSA. LEE drew a blue rock, won the wine, and presented it to AL.
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JIM BECKER introduced Pam Tuft, a veteran of 28 years with the City of Petaluma. She recounted what the Rotary Clubs of Petaluma have meant to the city over these many years. It was quite an impressive listing!
Don’t forget to send your Friendship Feast dates to PRESIDENT CLARK!
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini.
April 7 - Sam Ruark - Sonoma County Energy Watch
April 14 - Brent Farris from KZST
April 21 - Assemblyman Jared Huffman
Scott Gerber provided music for the evening.
It was a brief meeting preceded by lots of conviviality and followed by a delicious polenta dinner and raffles for some great door prizes. Yes, it was the annual Farmers and Merchants Night at the Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building.
PRESIDENT CLARK called the meeting to order and we began as we always do, with the Pledge of Allegiance.
BARNEY FAUSS was up next for the singing. It seemed that not many in the crowd were familiar with I’m a Gambler, . . . but everyone joined in for a rousing God Bless America.
We didn’t have an official Thought for the Day or the handshake and hug ritual but lots of thinking, handshaking, and hugging had gone on in the preceding social “hour.”
PRESIDENT CLARK acknowledged David Rabbitt, our local county supervisor, and thanked BILL GROVERMAN, STEVE GAVRILOFF, PAUL RAMATICI, DON RAMATICI, and RALPH SARTORI for their work in organizing and presenting tonight’s event.
Also thanked were our servers for the evening, the Liberty School 4-H Club, the PHS Future Farmers of America, and Sonoma County Dairy Princess Emily Strand. PRESIDENT CLARK presented $250 checks to the 4-H club, the FFA, and the Dairy Princess scholarship fund. He also acknowledged a former California State Dairy Princess, Marilyn Herzog.
TAWNY TESCONI helped PRESIDENT CLARK with the raffle. It was a lucky night for lots of winners who went home with prizes donated by the Sonoma County Fair, the Sonoma-Marin Fair, local merchants, and Club members. But prizewinner or not, everyone went home happy, filled with that great conviviality and polenta!
For photos from Farmers and Merchants Night click here.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini.
March 24 - Dark
March 25 -Farmers and Merchants Night
April 7 - Sam Ruark - Sonoma County Energy Watch
April 14 - Brent Farris from KZST
April 21 - Assemblyman Jared Huffman
PRESIDENT CLARK ROSEN opened our meeting on or about 12:30 p.m. with a friendly “Welcome & Happy St. Patty’s Day” to a packed house at Mr. McGoo’s. This was followed by our song leader PAST PRESIDENT BARNEY FAUSS (God Bless America).
What is more fitting for St. Patty’s then having one of our Irish Rotarians, GREG O’BRIEN, give the Thought for the Day which was an “Old Irish Blessing”? The customary handshakes and hugs amongst the members ensued.
Barney leads the singing.
DAVID SOLO announced the visiting Rotarians which included COLIN HONEY from the U.K. and PAST DISTRICT GOVERNOR, CHARLIE KELLY, from south Ukiah. We also had many guests.
BANO CUMMINGS gave us a Sunshine Report: KATHY LAWRENCE is not doing so well from a recent incident. Our thoughts go out to her and for a healthy recovery.
MICHAEL CARAUNA spoke about one of our members; he explained that though this member may be difficult at times, he has one of the biggest hearts. This member is PAST PRESIDENT LARRY JONAS. Larry put together the planting of the Amundsen Grove at Petaluma High School in memory of DAVE AMUNDSEN. Larry thanked everyone involved and then was given a standing ovation for all that he did.
PRESIDENT ELECT JOANNE FERRIS announced that we still have room for anyone that wants to attend the District Assembly.
PAST PRESIDENT LOU STEINBERG is looking for a member and their family to have an exchange student. He is tired of getting grief from the other clubs.
BILL GROVERMAN reminded everyone that Farmer’s & Merchant Night is Friday the 25th. He would like everyone to let him know if they will be attending or not. PRESIDENT CLARK gave an update on the Friendship Feast. We are still looking for a few more members to host a party.
Our own website guy, AL CATTALINI, presented a check from our club to Captain Chris Hall, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Training Center. The donation will continue our Club’s sponsorship of the children’s reading program at the base library.
It was a big day for the Paul Harris Foundation. DAVID SOLO asked PAST DISTRICT GOVERNER and GUEST, CHARLIE KELLY, to assist him in presenting the newest recipients of the Paul Harris.
The first Paul Harris went to PAST PRESIDENT and PAST DISTRICT GOVERNOR, ED FULLERTON’s daughter and son in law. Combined they gave $4,000 to the Paul Harris.
ANDY KVALHEIM also received his second Paul Harris. Congratulations to all Paul Harris recipients.
Due to lack of time, PRESIDENT CLARK was not able to levy the fines and we moved on to the raffle. After sometime our own editor, BRIAN BREEN, realized he had won the raffle and pulled a blue rock to receive a nice bottle of wine. He was way too focused on his job as editor.
RICK GORMAN introduced our speaker today, Gary Schlossberg from Wells Fargo. He gave us some insight into the current situation with the economy and markets.
Whereupon, our President wished everybody a wonderful day and adjourned the meeting.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Brian Breen.
March 17 - Gary Schlossberg - Local Economy
March 24 - Dark
March 25 -Farmers and Merchants Night
With a mighty swing of his gavel PRESIDENT CLARK ROSEN convened the meeting and then welcomed everyone, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and called upon BARNEY FAUSS for some song. BARNEY obliged, warming up with I’m a Rambler and then led the crowd in God Bless America.
MICHAEL NISTLER was up next with his Thought for the Day. Put simply, it was “Eat, drink, and be merry!” Good advice — and the assembled group seemed to comply.
There were no visiting Rotarians. Two Rotarians brought guests. AL KAPLAN introduced Chad , his business associate; PRESIDENT ELECT JOANNE FERRIS introduced her son, Jack, and Amy Rodriguez, manager of the next-door Enterprise Rent-a-Car.
There was no news for the Sunshine Report so we presume that things are sunny for our members!
JIM McNULTY delivered his craft talk which told how his values of joy, love, and compassion evolved during a career in advertising photography, commercial printing, and ultimately with the Family Life Center.
PRESIDENT CLARK noted March anniversaries for Linda and ROY MUSICK (37 years), Marilyn and HENRY HANSEL (41 years), Marilyn and KIP HERZOG (45 years), and Alma and BARNEY FAUSS (51 years). Congratulations all!
LEE BEAN announced that next Tuesday, March 15 was the deadline for receipt of applications for 2011 grants from the Rotary Club of Petaluma Foundation. For application forms and instructions, click here.
LARRY JONAS urged members to show up in front of Petaluma High School at 10am Sunday with shovels and gloves to help plant the 18 trees which will constitute the David R. Amundsen Memorial Grove.
STEVE GAVRILOFF reminded members to sign up for the March 25th Farmers and Merchants Night. At only $20 per person for food and drink, this adults-only event is both a bargain and a culinary delight.
PRESIDENT CLARK reminded members of the SCARC dinner on Thursday, March 31 sponsored by the Santa Rosa West Rotary Club. It’s at nearby Sally Tomatoes, Sonoma Mountain Village, Rohnert Park. Contact Clark if you’d like to join the group that will be attending.
PRESIDENT ELECT JOANNE FERRIS reminded members of the upcoming District Assembly, April 1-2 in Ukiah. At last count 16 of our members will be attending. She also discussed her attendance this past weekend at the President Elect Training Seminar (PETS) in San Jose.
Mark your calendar for the District Conference May 6-8 in Reno. It’s an especially good deal with a subsidy from your Club. See PRESIDENT CLARK for more information.
STEVE GAVRILOFF had a fine time on a hunting trip with his dad. He bagged his biggest buck ever and drooled over his biggest elk ever — which he did not shoot. Priceless? Nope, $100.
NANCY COOLEY had a fine time skiing at Northstar along with visits to India, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands. This, plus the accomplishments of her three kids, cost her $100.
JOHN DADO had the winning raffle ticket, pulled the brown rock, and walked off with $100.
JOE TAMBE introduced Wanda Smith who discussed plans for the California Equestrian Park and Event Center (CEPEC), a 1,000 acre, $205 million facility on Roblar Road, just north of Petaluma.
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini.
March 4 - Rotary Social Hour - Lagunitas Brewing at 5pm
March 10 - Wanda Smith - Equestrian Park
March 17 - Gary Schlossberg - Local Economy
March 24 - Dark
March 25 -Farmers and Merchants Night
This week's Rota-Teller editor: Geoff Ellis.