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

COMING EVENTS

PRESIDENT CARUANA called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

LOU STEINBERG led all in singing God Bless America after the club song.

CLARK ROSEN presented the thought for the day from Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss.

REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS: There’s a club duty roster for meetings posted on the club website. Please check to see if you have an assignment in an upcoming meeting. If you are unable to attend that week, please find a replacement and notify the club who that person is in advance. (Hint: Assignments for the next two meetings are listed at the end of each Rota-Teller.)

Birthday table today! BARNEY FAUSS and TIM MORAN were seated at the July birthday table and they were treated to cake and a round of singing from the club.

Our club treasurer wishes to remind everyone that the semiannual dues are due at this time. Please send MARLENE FREETLY your payment if you have yet to do so.

The Rotary Club of Petaluma Valley will be celebrating their 40th anniversary on Aug. 16 at the Sheraton Hotel. All are invited to share in this event.

Tonight is the SCARC (Sonoma County Area Rotary Clubs) dinner at Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENT: New committee chair CHRIS RANNEY wanted to thank outgoing chair DAVID SOLO for doing such a great job the past few years on this committee. David still owes Chris lunch for taking over! Chris encouraged members to propose program speakers who may be members of their families. For example, CLARK ROSEN’s daughter Sarah is a classical pianist and an HR specialist. She will be speaking at the October 30 meeting.

GOLF TOURNAMENT: GARY BRODIE reminded everyone that the club golf tournament is Sept. 15 and slots for golfers will fill up early. Next week is the time to reserve your spot for golf. We are also seeking sponsors for the tournament. GREG O’BRIEN announced there will be a silent auction at the tournament as well this year.

PRESIDENT MICHAEL announced our regular lunch server Brian’s surgery was successful and he is recovering.

ROTARIANS WITH GUESTS: LEE REPOSA brought his son Brad; RICK GORMAN brought his son Ben; JAY PALM brought his sons Jim and Jay; ROY MUSICK brought his wife Linda.

FINES: TONY WESTERN spent a week in his home state of Vermont sipping gin and tonics with his mother and sisters. The highlight of the trip for him was attending batting practice on the field of the Boston Red Sox. For this honor, he contributed $50 to his fine schedule.

JOE TAMBE recently improved his home with the help of our club president. Joe asked MICHAEL to come and measure the front door opening and the next thing you know, they had purchased and installed a new front door! JOE happily paid $25 later in the meeting and PRESIDENT MICHAEL paid $25 for not levying a fine at the time.

RALPH SARTORI has been busy visiting with his grandchildren and attending softball games. There was a Sartori family reunion with 108 members in attendance. He happily paid a $20 fine.

WHIT HALL won the raffle and a bottle of wine. NEXT WEEK the raffle reaches $200!!!

CHRIS RANNEY introduced our program speakers: Monica Payne and Susan Blaschak from Operation Rainbow. This nonprofit group of medical professionals travels to third world countries providing orthopedic surgical care to children.

This week’s Rota-Teller editor: Joanne Ferris; photos by Michael Nistler.

COMING EVENTS

President Michael prepares for the meeting.

Michael Nistler prepares for the meeting.

Enjoying the standing ovation as he started his third meeting, PRESIDENT MICHAEL led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

BARNEY FAUSS was up next to lead us in I’m a Rambler and God Bless America.

JAY PALM gave our Thought for the Day, drawing on the wit and wisdom of Will Rogers, telling us to “never squat with your spurs on.”

As the hugs and handshakes of our traditional greeting session subsided, WHIT HALL rose on a point of order, demanding why, in addition to hugs and kisses, one member engaged in “patting fannies.”

Obviously caught in the act, SHARI RANNEY seemed to enjoy her notoriety.

PAUL LOUNIBOS introduced our sole visiting Rotarian, a member of Petaluma Valley Rotary Club.

CHRIS RANNEY, ONITA PELLEGRINI and GAIL CARDAROPOLI brought guests and duly introduced them. We hope they weren’t offended by the allegations of fanny patting!

Sunshine Report. PRESIDENT MICHAEL announced that LEN MYGATT is recovering and, thanks to physical therapy, no longer needs a cane.

PRESIDENT MICHAEL also announced that he had information available for an August 1 fundraiser for our local animal shelter.

GREG O’BRIEN reminded members of our upcoming September 15 golf tournament and encouraged members to seek out big-ticket sponsorships for this Club fundraiser.

PRESIDENT MICHAEL then noted some recent snail mail. We got a nice thank you letter from a scholarship awardee who is moving on from RYLA and St. Vincent High School to college, thanks in part to our Club. Then he read a poignant letter from Matt Remee, our former Sally Tomatoes server who is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Matt thanked us for being us during the past year and gave a special thanks for our recent generosity which is helping with his medical expenses.

RICK MOSSI rose to announce that many members had contributed to help Matt and that his contribution envelope would remain available throughout today’s meeting.

RICK remained standing to acknowledge a trip to Tahoe which included three rounds of golf and success at the craps table. This fun cost him a $50 fine.

CLARK ROSEN pleaded guilty to missing PRESIDENT MICHAEL’s first meeting (something about a Giants-Athletics game taking precedence) and paid $50 for the offense.

CHRIS RANNEY admitted to a June trip to Sweden with wife SHARI to visit their son and his wife. While there he purchased the last case of Lagunitas beer in Sweden ($75) and today he paid a matching $75 fine to the Club.

SHERRY BURWEN rose to tell the Club that this July marked the 18th anniversary of her joining Rotary and coincidentally being diagnosed with breast cancer. She credited the strong support of her Rotary Club with helping her reach this milestone. Rah!

Then SHARI RANNEY felt it was time to speak. She not only admitted to fanny patting but reveled in it, noting that she patted husband CHRIS on his butt “because he is such a stud.” She went on to boast that CHRIS had recently completed the Iron Man Triathlon and that she’d gladly pat him on the butt again.

JOHN ZIMMERMAN won the raffle and a bottle of wine. Next week, with only five rocks remaining in the bag, the prize increases to $150.

The Iron Man himself, CHRIS RANNEY, introduced today’s speaker, Todd Salnas, President of St. Joseph Health, Sonoma County, who gave an excellent presentation on health care. His talk ranged from the beginnings of the Sisters of Orange and their arrival in Eureka and then Santa Rosa to today’s management of Petaluma Valley Hospital.

PRESIDENT MICHAEL closed the meeting with this comment: “If you are a marathon runner you need good shoes or you will suffer the agony of de feet.”

This week’s Rota-Teller editor: Al Cattalini.

COMING EVENTS

Michael starts his second meeting.

Lou Steinberg leads us in song.

Shari Ranney steals shoes, walks a mile, and gives Thought for the Day.

President Michael scans crowd for Kathy O’Connor.

“Mark your calendar for Holiday Party on Saturday, December 6.”

Gail Cardaropoli touts SCARC Dinner at Dutton Ranch.

Past President Rick Mossi presents Marlene Freetly with her second Paul Harris award.

Rick describes how our Club is helping with medical expenses for the neat fellow who served last year’s lunches.

This year’s crew from Sally Tomatoes is introduced.

Rick Gorman likes his new job, his new boss, and pays fine.

Tom Baker has fun, also pays fine.

Mike Baddeley reflects on the inner meaning of Outer Mongolia.

Michael Nistler wins raffle, takes home wine.

Tom Gambonini introduces the speaker: our 2012-13 exchange student to Spain.

Kate Lane entrances crowd with her story. Read her photoessay.

This week’s Rota-Teller editor: Anonymous.

COMING EVENTS

With a commanding presence DAVID SOLO enthusiastically announced the entrance of the tuxedoed and top hatted MICHAEL CARUANA. Escorted by two beautiful Rotary women, TAWNY and KATHY, with much fanfare and applause MICHAEL kicked off his first official meeting initiating his year of Presidency for our hallowed and historical Petaluma club!

Besides the feather boa draped about his broad shoulders MICHAEL sported the latest in wireless microphone technology clearly indicating that we as a club are moving into the current technological century with bold confidence. Of course working the technology will take some learning, practice and some fine tuning such as how to turn the unit on and off and set the volume control prior to the meeting — details.

Then the real work began with BARNEY FAUSS, our club Song master launched into our club song followed by “God Bless . . .”

JUDI ALLEWELT delivered a very cogent Thought for the Day that in part will guide MICHAEL through his year of club presidency — “The Three Envelopes” . . . (ask Judi if you want the full story)

GREG O’BRIEN introduced Rotarians with Guests including LEE REPOSA with his son Grant and others.

. . . and our District Assistant Governor Paula Reinhold.

Announcements were given including an upcoming annual Dutton Ranch BBQ / SCARC meeting scheduled for Thursday evening 6 - 9 pm on July 31st. At a cost of $45 the BBQ is always a sell out so get your tickets ASAP! A very fun mostly social gathering, no business and lots of great food!

Our District meeting was announced as well to take place at the Tenaya Lodge, April 24 - 26th, 2015. Plenty of notice for those of us who want to think ahead.

Thank you notes to our Club were circulated from youth in thanks from Camp and Scholarship recipients.

Then with the technical and artistic collaboration of MICHAEL NISTLER, our President launched into a fairly bold multi-media presentation dubbed “The Maltese Falcon” highlighting his adroit leadership style in the year to come . . .

. . . personified by Humphrey Bogart.

Of course we all know MICHAEL for his kind and gentle personality and not so much the gangster-like intrigue of Bogart.

MICHAEL then wasted no time in acknowledging and fining JANE SALDAÑA-TALLEY for an article in Game Changer Magazine . . .

. . . highlighting her inspiring leadership for our SRJC Petaluma campus.

Tom Gambonini wins the raffle.

Always a willing target, MIKE BADDELEY was levied an 20% increased fine schedule because of his natural talents and leadership abilities which he handled in his always present humor and wit.

LOU STEINBERG announced a very successful RYLA thanks to our “Rotarian of the Year” LEE REPOSA who has now taken the helm of the cornerstone project replacing LOU who as of October this year will be relocating to Colorado to be close to his offspring and grandchildren. Surely a changing of a remarkable era of service and for LOU and our local Rotary family.

DAVID SOLO then introduced our very own KIP HERZOG to deliver a very personal and enlightening “Craft Talk” about his life’s journey from his early attempts at raising beef cattle into becoming a worldwide leader in the Dairy Industry and Holstein dairy cattle development. Touched with humor and insight his talk gave all of us a sense of his professional life contributions, service to his community and his love of his wife and his family.

Thank you KIP!

This week’s Rota-Teller editor: Jim McNulty.