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

COMING EVENTS

August 1 - Ben Stone, Sonoma County Economic Development
August 8 - Mike Johnson, COTS
August 15 - Stacey Gambonini, FFA

It was another beautiful summer Thursday atop "Goat Hill" with Rotarians and their guests enjoying another delicious lunch when PRESIDENT RICK swung the gavel, missing his head, and striking the bell with a mighty blow.

After leading the Pledge of Allegiance he called on LEE REPOSA to lead us in song. After a warm-up I’m a Gambler . . . he went right to our unofficial favorite, God Bless America.

PAUL LOUNIBOS was next with his Thought for the Day, with the message of "Where do you want to go today?" and "Where do you want to be tomorrow?" Imagine a road connecting these points with avenues intersecting along the way. Now realize that these avenues are the Rotary Avenues of Service and you see where he was going. Great job, Paul!

There were no visiting Rotarians but four members brought guests. LOU STEINBERG introduced Councilman Mike Harris as "our next mayor;" ROY MUSICK his wife Linda, ONITA PELLEGRINI her office-mate (and Rotary wife) Kathy Brandal, and GARY BRODIE former member Heide Kibbe.

The Club gave a warm welcome back to LEN MYGATT, absent for several months with medical issues, and to new Honorary Member RALPH SARTORI.

Sitting at the Birthday Table and qualifying for the discount $5 fine were JIM BECKER, JANE SALDAÑA-TALLEY, STEVE GAVRILOFF, and BARNEY FAUSS. Elsewhere in the room ($10) were MIKE BADDELEY and GARY BUFFO.

PRESIDENT RICK passed around recent thank-you correspondence received by the Club. PHS grad Alyssa Alvarez thanked us for the $500 scholarship that will help her at UC Berkeley this fall and the third-graders at Cinnabar School thanked us for their dictionaries.

PRESIDENT RICK reemphasized his two-pronged approach to membership. He asked all members to bring guests to lunch who might be interested in becoming future members. And he asked us to individually invite to lunch existing members who we haven’t seen for a while. Coordinating this program are membership co-chairs LOU STEINBERG and JIM McNULTY.

JIM BECKER, chair of what used to be the "International Committee" and what is now the "World Community Services Committee" invited committee members and other interested Rotarians to attend the committee’s first meeting on Wednesday, August 21 (Exchange Bank; 5:15pm).

GARY BRODIE, chair of the September 9 Golf Tournament, was up next urging member participation in this traditional event. There are lots of ways to participate: Organize a foursome, join a foursome, have lunch, sponsor a flag, sponsor a hole, sponsor a cart, come for dinner, bring guests to dinner, etc.

PRESIDENT RICK added that, with the demise of Art and Equestrian Festival, he was declaring the Golf Tournament our primary fund-raiser for the first half of the year. With a goal of $12,500 he is asking for strong support from the membership. Plan to attend the various events, bring guests, sponsor something, get a local business to sponsor something, etc. The dinner this year (only $30 for non-golfers) will feature an expanded menu. This takes the place of the Thursday meeting so you’ll want to attend — and bring some guests!

Rotary International chair ONITA PELLEGRINI was up next to award our newest Paul Harris Fellowship to RICK GORMAN. After thanking Rick for his generosity, PRESIDENT RICK flourished the recent Argus Courier article about master craftsman RICK GORMAN and his amazing wooden spoons. Rick escaped with a $50 fine. More generosity.

WHIT HALL didn’t receive his award for community service at the recent Debunking, but he got it today, along with a $10 fine. Whit claimed that all the volunteers who worked with him at McKinley School deserved the award and should each get a $5 fine.

PRESIDENT-ELECT MICHAEL CARUANA admitted to a wild weekend in Carmel where he and Diane celebrated their son’s wedding with weird native customs of song and dance and words that sounded like "say the horse ride a cowboy" . . . or whatever. The fine? $50.

STEVE GAVRILOFF won the raffle, drew the brown rock, and walked off with $50. Next week: $25 or a great bottle of wine.

DANNY FISH introduced executive coach Dale Biron for an interesting presentation on "Getting Unstuck". And with that, the meeting was over.

See you next week!

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini

COMING EVENTS

July 25 - Dale Biron - Business and Motivational Speaker
July 25 - SCARC Dinner, Dutton Ranch, 6-9pm
August 1 - Another interesting program
August 8 - Annual meeting, Rotary Club of Petaluma Foundation

PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI presided over a full room of Rotarians on a beautiful afternoon at the PGCC. The views of the golf course were only bested by the wonderful meal from Sally Tomatoes.

Does this look like Barney Fauss?

BARNEY FAUSS led us in song . . .

. . . and AL CATTALINI gave us a great Thought for the Day.

PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI went through the business of the Club — the SCARC Dutton Ranch BBQ is July 25 — and he also thanked RICK VAN BEBBER for getting things set-up at the new meeting location. He gave a round of applause for our new caterer and introduced the great team helping serve our Club.

Every Club President lays out goals and ideas for the year to come, and PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI, encouraged by a conversation with JOE TAMBE, told us re-connect with existing members and for each of us to re-connect with our Club. Of course, building membership is always important, but we have a great Club already and we need to encourage existing members to get back into the fold. He also asked that we all stay for the entire meeting and enjoy the presentations that members work hard to put together. If you MUST leave early, please introduce yourself to the speaker of the day and let them know you can’t stay for their presentation — and don’t forget to leave $5 in the fine can on your way out.

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT NANCY COOLEY was saluted by PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI and we all gave her a warm salute for the great year she put together.

The fine can made its weekly appearance and TOM BRANDAL and DON RAMATICI were among the contributors for various infractions, including vacations and not wearing a badge.

Bill Groverman is fined for lunch with Matt Cain.

PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI thanked Marlene Freetly for the Rotary Tie collection that he inherited from our beloved friend, HARVEY FREETLY.

GAIL CARDOROPOLI won the raffle and she walked away with a bottle of wine.

DAN FISH introduced our speaker, , , ,

. . . Petaluma Police Dept. Sgt. Ken Savano, who gave a great presentation on traffic safety and the traffic issues in Petaluma. DAVID SOLO kept circling back to his (misplaced) belief that women are more likely to receive a warning instead of a citation over men. Talk about profiling!!! There are some fascinating statistics related to traffic safety and driver behavior, and Sgt. Savano was very informative and entertaining — so much so, that PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI had to stop the discussion in order to get us out on time! Thank you, Ken.

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Ricardo Marzo

COMING EVENTS

July 18 - Sgt. Ken Savano, Petaluma P.D. - Traffic Safety
July 25 - Dale Biron - Business and Motivational Speaker
July 25 - SCARC Dinner, Dutton Ranch, 6-9pm
August 1 - Another interesting program

A strong turnout welcomed President RICK MOSSI for the inaugural meeting of his regime. It was a beautiful day at the club’s new scenic venue. Many international news network reporters and cameramen were turned away prior to the meeting as it was explained that this was President MOSSI, not MORSI, and there would be no raucous demonstrations demanding his removal from office. At least not at this time.

Gail Cardaropoli and James Gotelli have the tickets well organized.

Judi Allewelt loves swiping your credit card.

A big turnout socializes before lunch.

The lunch spread by Sally Tomatoes, the catering company of Rohnert Park-Cotati President Gerard Giudice, received rave reviews. President RICK noted that parking close to the clubhouse is somewhat limited and strongly recommended carpooling to the meetings.

President RICK led the assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

In a special tribute to recently departed RALPH BETTINELLI, a member of the club since 1985, BARNEY FAUSS invited all to join him in "Let the Rest of the World Go By", followed by "God Bless America".

RICK GORMAN delivered the thought for the day, actually a "two-fer" with appropriate relevance to this year’s "Engage Rotary" theme.

GREG O’BRIEN introduced visiting Rotarians, including the aforementioned Gerard Giudice, who proudly presented his serving staff, and . . .

. . . Assistant District Governor Paula Reinhold, who invited us to attend the July 25 SCARC gathering at Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol.

MIKE BADDELEY introduced guest and fellow barrister Jim Symons.

KIP HERZOG called for a warm welcome to veterinarian John Zimmerman.

And ROY MUSICK did us all a favor by bringing wife Linda.

President RICK called attention to his message delivered earlier to the club by e-mail, urging us to be involved, to volunteer, and to have fun in the process. Secretary GAIL CARDAROPOLI distributed a special pin displaying this year’s Rotary theme to all members in attendance.

In case we were wondering why anyone would want to be a Rotary President, RICK offered his own Top Ten Reasons:

     10. Better to fine than be fined

     9. Learn how to pronounce and spell: Balytsky, Cardaropoli, Cattalini, Gambonini, Libarle, Maddalena, Pellegrini, Ramatici, Shaharazad and Tesconi

     8. Great Rotary swag

     7. Warm up for being on Survivor Island

     6. Needed something to fill my Thursdays

     5. Assured by many Past Presidents I can’t screw it up in One Year

     4. Promised excellent Rotary International compensation and benefits package

     3. Forces me to read the Rotary Magazine

     2. Promised by a Past President I get to keep 10% of the fines

     And the number one reason . . .

     1. To proudly serve you my friends and this club that I hold very dearly. I am proud to be here and looking forward to a great year with each and every one of you

Our President’s opening message received a standing ovation. He really is doing a little better than Morsi.

TOM GAMBONINI learned that doing everything asked of him entitled him to a handsome chicken badge . . . and cost him ten bucks.

President RICK announced the funeral mass for RALPH BETTINELLI will be at St. James Church on Monday, July 15 at 11:00 a.m., with a reception following at the Elks Lodge.

JAMES GOTELLI announced the passing of Brendan Smith, son of Jim and Jackie Smith, on July 7.

Hinting that his reign may not be one of terror, President RICK’s fining was exceptionally light, dunning TAWNY TESCONI a modest $10 for failing to limit embarrassment to his predecessor at last month’s debunking.

President-Elect MICHAEL CARUANA told us that the Petaluma Service Alliance, consisting of practically all of Petaluma’s service clubs, is looking for volunteers to help out for about 2 hours on Saturday, July 20, with a sprucing-up project for Petaluma Ecumenical Properties.

CHRIS ELZI may be luckier than the average club member. He had the winning raffle ticket, not his first, and plucked the right rock to win the loot.

DANNY FISH introduced speaker . . .

. . . EMIRIA SALZMANN DUNN, women’s soccer coach at Sonoma State University. Her captivating talk about her experiences as an athlete and coach was layered with great insights and wisdom about character, leadership, community, and friendship.

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Clark Rosen

COMING EVENTS

July 11 - Emiria Salzmann - SSU Women's Soccer Coach
July 18 - Petaluma Police Chief Patrick Williams
July 25 - Dale Biron - Business and Motivational Speaker
July 25 - SCARC Dinner, Dutton Ranch, 6-9pm

The theme of Rotary International this year is “Engage Rotary and Change Lives”.

It’s a simple theme with broad interpretations. I am sure during our long history as a Club we’ve lived that theme before without even knowing it. For many of us Rotary is a weekly lunch and a meeting with friends and peers and then service on a committee or event that you are passionate about. For others it’s that plus the opportunity to have an impact on our community and world greater than any one person can have alone.

In 2013 the Rotary Club of Petaluma celebrated 90 years of service to Petaluma and Rotary International. Over those 90 years our membership has been defined by many whose time, talent and treasury helped shape Petaluma and we are very proud of our legacy in Petaluma and at the same time those same attributes that Rotary asks from its Petaluma members have also improved the lives of many internationally through our Rotary reach throughout the world.

As your President I would ask each Rotarian to make this the year you Engage Rotary and Change Lives, have fun, and continue our long tradition of Rotary in Petaluma. To those of you out there who are looking at Rotary as a way to expand your reach please visit our club at one of our weekly lunch meetings. We meet from Noon to 1:30 pm on Thursdays at the Petaluma Golf and Country Club.

Wherever you are, if you are willing to serve others Rotary is the place for you. As a Rotarian you will be part of the largest humanitarian club in the world.

Yours in service,

Rick Mossi

This week's Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini