October 2015

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COMING EVENTS

Chris Channey?

PRESIDENT GARY sure is taking full advantage of his power. He continuously stirs things up each week. This week he had Rotarians driving around on a wild goose chase looking for the meeting location.

Due to a last minute call informing the PREZ that the club was having the facilities re-roofed, GARY scrambled to secure a new location.

Thanks to SHARI and CHRIS RANNEY, (Ed. Note: RANN-ey, not RAIN-ey; repeat three times: RANN-ey, RANN-ey, RANN-ey.) we were able to conduct our meeting on a beautiful day at their beautiful home.

Our caterers, Sally Tomatoes, were able to lay out a wonderful spread and after much socializing and drinking wine in the backyard, PRESIDENT GARY called the meeting to order by starting us out with the Pledge of Allegiance.

We had no visiting Rotarians but had one guest, Colleen Marlow, from the Hotel Petaluma.

CHRIS RANNEY had a spontaneous thought of the day.

PRESIDENT GARY reminded everyone that we will be dark on November 19th because everyone should be at the SCARC dinner that night. It will be at the Petaluma Golf and Country Club, November 19th at 5:30. Dinner at 6:30.

JUDI ALLEWELT and ELIAS HUSARY announced the Rotary Christmas present sign-up sheets.

LEE REPOSA announced that our club’s biggest fundraiser, the Super Raffle, is being planned. The committee who consists of LEE, RICK GORMAN, and BRIAN BREEN have met and notified team captains of the draft. The goal is for the team captains to get tickets out to all the members before the start of the holidays.

KATHY O’CONNOR announced the Holiday Party committee will be meeting after next week’s meeting.

At this point PRESIDENT GARY decided to take a break from the backyard meeting and let the family dog dish out any gratitudes. Instead he just wanted to be petted.

Our speaker was rescheduled for the day and once again the meeting turned to good ol’ socializing and wine drinking.

As the editor my job was complete but not until I caught a great shot of how PAST PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI believed a real president should dress… Put on a tie GARY! You’re not changing tires here, you’re running a country… I mean the Rotary Club.

PRESIDENT GARY thanked the RANNEY’s for their great hospitality and wished everyone a great day.

This week's Editor: Brian Breen

COMING EVENTS

After confirming to one and all that he, GARY BRODIE, is in fact our President, he opened our next to last regular meeting of September at the appointed half hour and immediately inverted the normal order of the meeting by having . . .

. . . President-Elect LEE REPOSA lead us in a heartfelt rendition of God Bless America, and then conducting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Dr. KATHY O’CONNOR then delivered our Thought for the Day, followed by the customary handshakes, hugs and busses amongst the members.

There were no Visiting Rotarians who joined us for lunch, but we did have a few guests of Rotarians, including BILL GROVERMAN’s daughter, Megan (a senior at Casa Grande High School). The Prez then gave a Sunshine Report to let us know that RICK VAN BEBBER has some health issues, and asked that we keep Rick and his family in our thoughts and prayers.

Megan Groverman then gave us a brief report on her United Anglers steelhead trout project at Casa Grande, and invited us all to their annual fundraiser on November 7 (contact Megan or Bill for tickets).

The Prez then announced that (1) the monthly SCAR meeting will be hosted by the Santa Rosa Rotary on October 29…let GAIL CARDAROPOLI know if you would like to attend; and (2) our Club will be hosting the monthly SCAR dinner meeting next month on November 19 at PG&CC, so we are dark that week…the Prez would like everyone to attend, so again let Gail know if you will be there.

The Prez then proceeded to read off the October birthdays and was surprised that the Birthday Table was not set up (pssst, it’s usually done on the last meeting of the month, pass it on). Undaunted, the Prez had LEE REPOSA lead us in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.

Unable to fine anyone for not sitting at the missing Birthday Table, the flummoxed Prez decided to fine JANE SALDAÑA-TALLEY $100 for a nice profile article and pic in the Argus-Courier, which she graciously paid!

MICHAEL STAUBER then gave a report on the Youth Exchange our Club hosted for the District, and thanked everyone who helped and participated.

The Prez followed with a report on the Friendship Feast, and thanked all of our generous hosts (MICHAEL CARUANA, JOANNE FERRIS, BILL GROVERMAN and TONY WESTERN) and their spouses for putting on such wonderful dinner events, all of which the Prez and his bride (Heidi) attended. The Prez also thanked all of our members who attended, and recommended that everyone go to the Club website to see all the pics of the fun and frivolity had by all…except, apparently at Past-President Michael’s event because he had no pics to share (such discreet hosts are rare indeed these days), which the Prez found to be a fineable offense. The Prez went on to note that all of the Friendship Feast proceeds go to our Dictionary Program, and asked that everyone who attended square up with MARLENE FREETLY as soon as possible.

The Prez then fined your humble editor $20 for a most excellent Clark Griswold style motorhome vacation adventure to the Grand Canyon and up the Southern California coast with my wife Lisa, complete with broken mirrors, smoking brakes, a bent rear bumper, and lots of laughs and fun visiting some great sites….oh, and we’re still married!

Past-President ONITA PELLEGRINI then reminded us of the upcoming Rotary Foundation Dinner and Raffle…see Onita if you would like to attend and/or buy a few raffle tickets to support the event.

Ticket #0416954 proved to be a winner for LEE BEAN, who pulled a blue rock to claim a nice bottle of vino!

JIM BECKER then introduced our speaker,

. . . Tennis JT Wick, our Sonoma County Director for Planning/Engineering, who gave us a very informative presentation of what his department does and the building trends in Sonoma County, followed by a Q&A session. He received a Rotary memento (or at least the promise of one) and a hearty round of applause for an interesting program well received!

See you all next week (who knows, there might even be a Birthday Table)!

This week's Editor: Mike Baddeley

COMING EVENTS

Seven service clubs partnered to rehabilitate Walnut Park.

Local citizens surround the restored bandstand in Petaluma’s gem of a downtown park.

Wide concrete sidewalks lead to the restored bandstand.

Onita Pellegrini emcees the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Chris Albertson and President Brodie were on hand as Maureen Francis cut the ribbon.

This modern playground, provided by the Petaluma Rotary Club, was the first step in the park’s restoration.

Friday the 16th of October was the evening of the Friendship Feast, a tradition in our club begun by KIP HERZOG during his year as President (1998-99) and wisely continued by President GARY BRODIE. Our generous hosts this year, all deserving of our heartfelt gratitude:

JOANNE and Mike FERRIS

MICHAEL and Diane CARUANA

TONY and Nell WESTERN . . .

. . . co-hosting with BILL and Christina GROVERMAN

The Friendship Feast has become not only an enjoyable way for members to get to know one another better, but also a major source of support for our club’s Dictionary Program. An idea for expansion of our efforts in literacy proposed in 1999 by HARVEY FREETLY, late husband of esteemed member MARLENE FREETLY, the Dictionary Program places a high-quality hard-bound dictionary in the hands of every third-grade student throughout the Petaluma area each year. Since its inception here in Petaluma the project quickly grew by leaps and bounds and has been adopted by hundreds of Rotary clubs across the country.

This week's Editor: Clark Rosen

COMING EVENTS

SUMMER SONG: Another glorious summer day greeted GARY BRODIE who pledged allegiance to our flag.

Songleader BYRON FAUSS led us in the Club Song followed by God Bless America.

President GARY offered two thoughts for the day. WHIT HALL introduced his lovely spouse, Sigrid. We noted that member CLARK ROSEN stepped outside to answer his phone, while DAN FISH arrived late. We also noticed TAWNY TESCONl left early.

AUTUMN LEAVES: Fall is a busy season for Rotarians as evidenced by the following events all falling on the same day:

• The official dedication of the joint service club improvements at Walnut Park at 4:00 pm next Friday;


• Our annual hosted event for the Youth Exchange students: It’s at the Cavanaugh Center (old Boys and Girls Club, now the Mentor Me center), 8th and G Streets. Volunteers are needed from 4:30pm to set out and serve the food. Please call MIKE STAUBER (707-322-8983) if you can help.


• The revitalized Friendship Feast: also on October 16, your host/hostess will call you on Sunday or Monday evening. If you cannot attend the Friendship Feast, please think about making a donation to the Dictionary Program.

GLEE CLUB: Singing the praises of our members who are keenly involved with the students at McKinley, WHIT HALL called upon:

• PDG ED FULLERTON who has spearheaded the Aviation Club with flying colors, taking students on flights and teaching them about all the sciences that combine to make safe flights;


• AL CATTALINI, a longtime volunteer at McKinley, told the group about President-Elect GARY’s participation in last spring’s egg drop and this year’s End-Of-School county-wide Science Olympiad;

• JOANNE FERRIS educated our members about the new program, Odyssey of the Mind, and invited the members to share their knowledge with students (call JOANNE).

GREEK CHORUS: Cacophony filled the air with the following:

SHERRI BURWEN donated a new cookbook published by hubby Michael as a raffle prize.

SHARI RANNEY announced a very important World Community Service meeting on October 22;

GREG O’BRIEN couldn’t sleep because he missed the Club Golf tournament while tripping around foreign countries ($100);

The Petaluma Club donated $1,500 for the Valley Fire Relief Fund to the Lakeport Rotary Club;

MIKE STAUBER donated $100 to our Club treasury. We could not hear why---too much talking going on by TOM BRANDAL, GREG O’BRIEN, and JOHN ZIMMERMAN!!!!

BILL GROVERMAN swapped the gavel with President GARY for Bill’s missing badge.

Finally, BARNEY FAUSS, who implied that President GARY was thoughtless, agreed to pay a $20 fine.

(Editor’s Note: given the propensity of member Fauss to disrupt the meetings, we feel that Barney should pay $20 each week).

Avoiding distractions, Paul concentrated on his cards.

NEVADA CAPER: PRESIDENT GARY’s spies are everywhere. Guess who snuck off to Reno to compete in the Peppermill blackjack tournament? PAUL LOUNIBOS. Yes, PAUL LOUNIBOS. Paul finished 19th out of several hundred competitors and donated his winnings ($100) to the Rotary International Foundation.

Steve Powell won the raffle, a promised bottle of wine.

Chad Fillinger won the cookbook.

MUSIC IS IN THE AIR: RENÈE HAYES introduced the musical director of the Santa Rosa Symphony, Bruno Ferrandis, and Alan Silow, executive director. They gave us much information about the symphony, youth programs, community concerts, and this year’s programs.

Renée insured proper volume for the symphony performance.

SWAN SONG: Much more took place. You had to be there!

This week's Editor: Paul Lounibos

COMING EVENTS

President Gary opens meeting, calls on Barney to leading singing.

Filling in for Bill Groverman, President Garly delivers Thought for the Day.

Steve Powell introduces visting Rotarians.

President Gary hawks $50 wine to help eliminate polio.

Michael Nistler jumps up and buys a bottle.

Judi Allewelt’s purse rings, she pays a fine. Neat purse!

John Zimmerman is bemused by his 49ers, avoids fine.

Chad Fillinger enjoying being a new dad.

Barney Fauss is back from Iowa reunion, pays fine.

Charlie Stuart is recognized, but avoids fine.

The gal with the magic purse wins the raffle.

Joanne Ferris introduces our speaker.

Kerry Rego presents “10 ways social media can improve your business and 10 ways social media can improve your life!”.

This week's unavoidably absent Editor: Ricardo Marzo; captions by Al Cattalini