May 2016

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

COMING EVENTS

PRESIDENT GARY called the meeting to order and announced that assuming he survives today’s meeting, he will be presiding over three more weekly meetings!

PRESIDENT GARY then led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance.

LEE REPOSA was asked to designate the song leader for the day. BRIAN BREEN was the lucky designate and began with the club song followed by God Bless America.

The thought for the day was presented by SHARI BURWEN who noted that she was a Rotary-Ann for 20 years, then became a member of Rotary, now celebrating 20 years! Her advice to our younger members: .Get active now and take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities Rotary has to offer while you are young and nimble!

PRESIDENT GARY presented his own thought for the day about the networking benefits of one to one conversations.

Jeff Thomas of the Rotary Club of Rohnert Park/Cotati visited. He and GARY attended President Elect Training Seminar together where absolutely nothing happened. Jeff announced that tickets for his club’s Craft Beer Festival on Sunday, June 12 (not Father’s Day!) are now on sale. You can purchase them in advance online at www.rpcraftbeerfest.org or at the gate.

Members with Guests: WHIT HALL’s wife Sigrid, RICK MOSSI’s Exchange Bank buddy Ron Malnati, Sonoma-Marin Fair Manager Erin Post and TODD MENDOZA’s grandson Don.

Announcements:

LEROY BEAN announced that Friday (tomorrow) is the deadline for grant applications to our local club foundation. We will be awarding around $20,000 this year.

MICHAEL CARUANA invited six members to join our club team for the Bocce Tournament in Santa Rosa on June 11 at Julliard Park. PRESIDENT GARY demonstrated that the only skill needed was the ability to hold a beverage in one hand and roll a ball 20 yards in another. We can field more than one team if there’s enough interest. Please contact MICHAEL if you can balance!

RICK MOSSI pointed out there were invoices from Brodie’s Tire and Brake on all tables that contain details for the upcoming Debunking on June 25 at the Petaluma Golf and Country Club. Members can register on the club website or at the check in table.

PRESIDENT GARY’s meeting was rudely interrupted by a ringing cell phone under the podium. It appeared to belong to our president elect LEE REPOSA. MIKE BADDELEY offered to pay $25 to get the contacts from the phone. CHRIS ELZI offered $30 for the photos. ELIAS was willing to pay $50 to turn a quick profit on eBay. LEE gratefully paid $100 to the Rotary Foundation to get his phone back.

We celebrated the following June birthdays today: LEN MYGATT, JAY PALM, MARCUS BENEDETTI, CHARLES STUART and MAUREEN RUDDER.

Wedding anniversaries in June included GREG and Chris O’BRIEN, TONY and Nell WESTERN, TODD and Connie MENDOZA and Mr. and Mrs. CHRIS ALBERTSON.

KATHY O’CONNOR asked PRESIDENT GARY why he failed to mention May 24 was his first anniversary to Heidi. GARY contributed $100 to the local club foundation in gratitude for his year of wedded bliss. He warned KATHY that her fine next week would be $200 if KATHY mentioned this to Heidi. (Wondering if Heidi reads the Rota-Teller?)

DAVE BARBIERI presented PRESIDENT GARY with a Chianti Classico black rooster figurine.

TOM BRANDAL presented PRESIDENT GARY with a travel size bottle of Brodie’s Whiskey from Ireland.

PRESIDENT GARY’s raffle ticket was drawn. As he reached his hand in the black bag to fish out a rock, he was surprised to learn that all the rocks had been glued together. He was at a loss as to what to do. By vocal affirmation, he kept the bottle of wine and donated the $50 prize to our local foundation.

JOANNE introduced the program speaker, Carin Jacobs, executive director of the Osher Center for Life Long Learning at SSU. For more information about this program, please go to: https://www.sonoma.edu/exed/olli/.

Debunking, June 25 – RSVP Here

This week's Editor: Joanne Ferris

COMING EVENTS

It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day as short-timer PRESIDENT GARY BRODIE called together the Rotary Club of Petaluma at the Petaluma Golf and Country Club. PRESIDENT GARY welcomed the assembled members and noted we were a particularly good looking group including guests and members of all ages. PRESIDENT GARY led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

He called on BARNEY FAUSS, who was feeling great to lead the club in song starting off with the club song, I’m a Rambler. BARNEY then led us in a full-throated rendition of Irving Berlin’s God Bless America.

PRESIDENT GARY called on WHIT HALL to give the Thought for the Day. WHIT asked everyone to sit down and then shared a particularly appropriate story for this day about a father who encouraged curiosity in the mind of his young son…something WHIT encouraged us all to do!

Hugs and greetings followed. It took a while to gather us back together, but PRESIDENT GARY managed to do so with a promise of fun and good things to talk about.

We had four visiting Rotarians (a club record?), Paulie and Julie, both from Petaluma Valley (Paulie gave a shout out to our club for being the source of two host families for next year’s Rotary Exchange students…Julie and her husband were present as host parents for the day’s program speaker, Jorge Soto, this year’s Rotary Exchange student from Paraguay). The other two visiting Rotarians came from a bit further away…Colin from the United Kingdom and Tony from Williamsburg, Virginia (who also arranged for a banner exchange with PRESIDENT GARY).

Rotarians with guests included CLARK ROSEN who introduced the McKinley Elementary School contingent (including administrator Matt Harris, science teacher/Science Olympiad coach Matt DeLucia-Zelter (aka Mr. D-Z), students and parents), ED FULLERTON who introduced his lovely wife Carol, JOANNE FERRIS who introduced her guest from Geneva, Switzerland, and BANO CUMMINGS, who introduced . . .

. . . the Petaluma High School Interact faculty advisor, Mariah, and two student leaders in the club, Ava and Hannah (Jorge Soto was also a member). The students and their teacher shared that the club includes 15 members who have been very active this year with a variety of community services projects (including working as volunteers at our recent Crab Feed and the Mentor Me Mad Hatter Ball, holding bake sales and supporting prom scholarships for their peers). What a delight to meet them all! Other Rotarians with guests included AL CATTALINI who introduced Julie’s husband, Walt, and MICHAEL NISTLER who introduced his lovely wife, Grace.

PRESIDENT GARY got into announcements by mentioning the Bocce Ball Tournament he can’t seem to forget…Saturday, June 11 if you don’t already know. MICHAEL CARUANA is the person to contact if you want to join the fun.

PRESIDENT GARY then called on PAST PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI for the induction of a new club member…BRETT SHINN (sponsored by WALLY BRAGDON), the new development director for Petaluma Valley Hospital. Brett received his new member badge and a small chicken pin (as a placeholder for his eventual chicken badge) and the members present gave him a standing welcome ovation. Welcome to the club, Brett!

PAST PRESIDENT RICK MOSSI reminded members that PRESIDENT GARY’S term is ending soon (as if PG doesn’t do that every meeting). The invite to this year’s debunking may look like an invoice from Brodie’s Tire and Automotive, but don’t throw it out. Instead, open it, note the date is Saturday, May 25th and RSVP for an evening of good food and more than a little fun with Gary.

PRESIDENT GARY asked anyone who had not yet returned their survey from last week’s Club Assembly to do so ASAP.

Then PRESIDENT GARY held up tickets that looked a lot like tickets to a Giant’s game (ONITA PELLEGRINI can spot those a mile away!). Turns out they were for the next night’s game against the Cubs. Seems CLARK ROSEN bought the tickets for PEF (Petaluma Education Foundation) Night at the park and though he wanted to join the 100’s of Petalumans who would be at the ballpark that evening, was instead donating them to be raffled off for the club. After some hot and heavy back and forth bidding, ED FULLERTON and SHERRY BURWEN agreed to split the tickets and the $112 donation to the club. Thanks everyone!

PRESIDENT GARY called out this week’s raffle winner…JUDY McREYNOLDS who got herself a nice bottle of wine instead of the $25 prize.

CLARK ROSEN introduced the McKinley Elementary School students who took 1st Place Overall in this year’s Sonoma County Science Olympiad (Wow)! McKinley entered two of the 24 teams from 16 schools in this year’s competition. Principal Matt Harris and teacher/coach, Matt DeLucia-Zelter (aka Mr. D-Z) gave a bit of background, introduced the students and the parents who supported the effort, and gave a big shout out to WHIT HALL, AL CATTALINI, and CLARK ROSEN for all they had done to encourage, support and witness the transformation of these science superstars. Congratulations one and all! We are so proud of your success and accomplishment!

JOANNE FERRIS introduced the day’s speaker, Jorge Soto, this year’s pin bedecked Rotary Youth Exchange student from Paraguay.

JOANNE surprised Jorge by awarding him a very special Paul Harris pin as a way to thank him for all he has done this year. Jorge’s presentation was about his home country and highlighted many things we might not have otherwise known about Paraguay. Jorge returns home on June 22nd with many wonderful memories of the US, Petaluma, his host family and the Rotary Club of Petaluma!

PRESIDENT GARY ended the meeting with a crisp rap of the bell. See you all next week!

This week's Editor: Jane Saldaña-Talley

COMING EVENTS

Running a bit late, PRESIDENT GARY rang the meeting to order at 12:29 p.m. and led the traditional recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Continuing his several-week tradition of grooming new songleaders, he tabbed JAY PALM for today’s musical fare. JAY didn’t exactly throw his hat in the ring but held it respectfully as we sang I’m a Gambler followed by God Bless America.

In the absence of DAVID BARBIERI, scheduled to deliver the Thought for the Day, PRESIDENT GARY delivered a quote attributed to noted woman golfer Louise Suggs: Golf is very much like a love affair, if you don’t take it seriously, it’s no fun, if you do, it breaks your heart. Don’t break your heart, but flirt with the possibility.

After the hugs and handshakes we learned that there were no visiting Rotarians. Two members, however, introduced their guests. MICHAEL NISTLER introduced his wife, Grace, doing well after surgery and TAWNEY TESCONI introduced (again) Erin Post, our new Sonoma-Marin Fair manager.

PRESIDENT GARY reminded members of the bocce ball tournament June 11 at Julliard Park in Santa Rosa. President Elect Nominee CHRIS RANNEY demonstrated essentials of the game with two simple gestures, a hurling motion followed by the gulping of a beverage. Hmmmm. Maybe we can do that!

Then Past President RICK MOSSI rose to perform an important but rarely seen Club duty, serving as the Club’s HR department. In this role he reported receiving a written complaint about our President. The respondent, a woman identified only as Heidi, complained that the President had been gushing about his daughter for her softball prowess at the University of La Verne and had actually sassed her when she tried to restrain his enthusiasm. Heidi noted that only a Past President had the power to fine a President and that action was needed.

Proclaiming emphatically that I did not sass her! our President proceeded to extoll the accomplishments of Katherine Kibbe in leading the La Verne Leopards to post-season championships this year.

Past President RICK posed the question to GARY, How proud are you? The Club got involved in bidding up an offered $5 fine to the $75 level which our President gladly accepted.

MICHAEL CARUANA then offered some political wisdom distilled at his lunch table. Trump or Clinton? You’ll have to wait until November to see if they were correct.

JOANNE FERRIS reminded members of the Club Social next Thursday, May 12 at the Petaluma Yacht Club starting at 5:30 p.m. Your $10 cash admission at the door includes a free drink. The social replaces Thursday’s noon meeting.

President Elect LEE REPOSA reminded members of the Lagunitas raffle supporting the PVH Foundation. The drawing takes place at Saturday’s Benedetti Leadership Celebration. LEE also announced that our Club would be sponsoring four students at RYLA, June 12-17, and encouraged members to participate in the traditional Wednesday night barbecue that week.

Then PRESIDENT GARY called on LEE REPOSA, BILL GROVERMAN, and RICK GORMAN to collectively explain their actions after the Butter and Egg Day parade. This continued the convoluted story from the previous meeting and involved their willingness to share a meal with a stranger and the assertiveness of a Rotary wife (the Port Authority) who would hear nothing of it. After all was said and done, each paid a $20 fine.

The weekly raffle pot had grown to $350 and finally the brown rock was pulled from the bag. Lucky CHARLIE STUART went home with the cash.

President Elect LEE REPOSA then kicked off a Club Assembly, outlining his thoughts and ideas for the coming year. He stressed the theme, This Is Your Club, Make It Your Own. He urged members to be engaged, to remember our past, celebrate our future. LEE distributed a Club Assembly Packet to each member outlining highlights of the coming year and requesting members to select their roles in the various Club committees and activities. Completed packets are to be turned in at the next meeting.

This week's Editor: Al Cattalini