Santa Rosa’s 90-year-old Rotary Club’s Doug Johnson and the Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary’s John Jones will outline the project partnership between our two clubs to construct a modern surgicenter in Sabalos as a follow-up to its eye care and dental mission on the San Juan River on Nicaragua’s southern border. Scroll down to see a color map of the surgery center’s location in the mountains between Lake Nicaragua and the Caribbean Sea. The new center will enhance medical care and save lives in a remote, under-served area with a population of more than 26,000 people.
Watch out, Robby, I’ve got my eye on you!
It always looks like a big crowd when we meet in the lower half of the Flamingo Ballroom, and it was great to have President William back at the helm. Doug Johnson led us in the Pledge of Allegiance…always impressive, even in that foreign accent. Robby Fouts was summoned to the podium for his Valentine’s Day’s stand-up comedy routine, which he attempted to blame on dear departed Red Skelton, one of the funniest and most loved comedians of the 20th Century.
Two visiting Rotarians this week: the YMCA’s Greg O’Brien from one of the Petaluma Rotary Clubs, and Ed Smith, president of the Russian River Rotary Club. Welcome to Ed, Greg, and their Rotary announcements.
Deborah Gray welcomed first-time guest Ray Giampaoli to Sonoma County’s first & greatest Rotary Club. Vinay Patel introduced Lisa Santos, advertising manager for the North Bay Bohemian weekly newspaper. Jock McNeil introduced his guest, Ryan Beach, from the Sonoma National Bank. Two more familiar visitors were welcomed back to our club: Kerrie Chambers’ guest, Manuella Gonzalez, a commercial lender from Rabobank; and banker Elizabeth Karbousky, from Union Bank—a repeat guest of Club Secretary Jack Abercrombie. And Keven Brown proudly presented our host for the Rotary wine-tasting social at Corrick’s on Thursday, Feb. 28th—Melissa Moholt-Siebert of Ancient Oak Cellars.
Robert Pierce alerted his fellow Rotarians that he needed more spies to uncover any ailing Rotarians, charging each of you to report back each week if you hear of any cloudy skies, or any Rotarians under the weather.
Even though the Jackpot had reached a new high this week, topping $400 (and the odds of winning continue to improve each week). You could tell that Nick Knickerbocker was rootin’ for Lucky Ryan Thomas, but Lady Luck had left the building. And all that remained for Ryan was his $10 consolation prize.
Rotary wine tasting!! Thursday afternoon, February 28th, starting at 5:30 pm!
Social Chair Debi Zaft announced that this month’s Rotary Social will be on the last afternoon of this month at downtown Santa Rosa’s only licensed wine-tasting room. We will be the guests of fellow Rotarian Keven Brown and Corrick’s Ancient Oak Cellars, a private tasting exclusively for the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa! Corrick’s will be closed, so please enter through the front entrance, 637 Fourth Street. Please bring your best food and snacks…the wine will be provided.
All remaining 3rd grade dictionaries: Please return to Ted Wilmsen. Stat!
Visiting Rotarian from Petaluma, Greg O’Brien. His Rotary Club is hosting a raffle @ $30 per ticket.
Past Presidents Yale Abrams & Dave Brown: Announced that the YMCA Open House on Wednesday, March 6th is for Rotarians exclusively!
Ed Smith, visiting President from the Russian River Rotary Club: Eagerly admitted that he was here only to brag about the upcoming Russian River Crab Feed.
Did John McHugh arrange this stair-step line-up?
Our beautiful love birds (aka Debra Smith & Marvin Ray) have returned from their luxury cruise through the Panama Canal…crossing the Isthmus of Panama. Just like on the ship, an unknown treasure was slipped to Captain William to ensure smooth seas ahead.
One of our club’s super photographers, Diane Moresi, was recognized for her big win in the Super Bowl Follies—$480—already invested in Troy Carrington’s home restoration business. Faithful Grammy Diane was still so excited that she started three new Paul Harris Fellowships for the grandbabies. Even though only one grandchild has arrived, as of last Wednesday at least..
According to Kris Anderson’s bulletin notes, Tim Stewart was nicked a bit for winning the 1st Quarter Pool in this year’s “Superbowl Interuptus”. Our Three aging Musketeers— Sam McMillan, Ted Wilmsen, and His Honor Stephan A. Olson divided the small pool they won, each netting $50. Roy Thylin fared much better and pocketed the gross prize of $250…before getting trimmed for the club’s share.
“Historical” is the connection between the 90-year-old Rotary Club and the 125-year-old newspaper that expanded to become the Press Democrat. In addition to spending close to a century together in community service to our home town, there’s more. When the newspaper’s founder, Ernest Finley, passed away in 1942, the new publisher, Evert Person joined the Rotary Club and was an extremely active Rotarian for more than 50 years, serving as club president in 1972. In 1967, when John Riley moved to Santa Rosa to be the newspaper’s general manager, he joined the Rotary Club and was a dedicated member for more than 40 years, so much so that when he retired, he was named an honorary member. From comments by last week’s guest speaker, Steve Falk, that historic connection might continue.
This year the Santa Rosa Rotary Club will partner with Sunrise Rotary to build a modern surgery center in Sabalos, on the Nicaraguan border north of Costa Rica. Check the circle on the map, where the San Juan River flows from the City of San Carlos on Lake Nicaragua’s shore, through the mountains and down to the Caribbean Sea.
Broaden our communication and collaboration among other World Community Service committees in the region.
Former Chamber Exec Steve Falk just might be the most popular guy in Santa Rosa. Smiling, friendly, relaxed and agreeable as this week’s guest speaker, he gave us the good news we had been waiting to hear: Our home town’s 125-year-old newspaper had been rescued from the evil big-city usurpers back east by the Good Guys (and we don’t mean the electronics super store) and Happy Days are Here Again for loyal newspaper readers. Seriously, the local owners of the new Sonoma Media Group have the necessary experience and the resources to accomplish what the out-of-town experts agree is close to impossible, Except, of course, Warren Buffet, who considers the hometown newspapers he has been acquiring to be outstanding investment opportunities.
Steve Falk immediately answered some basic questions: Why local newspapers? Why Santa Rosa? What can they do to succeed when the major big city newspapers are going out of business? He confirmed the rumors that they had tried to buy the paper from the New York Times Group, summarized due diligence findings, and bragged about the many other assets in their favor, such as the booming Northern California wine business and tourist industry, the advantages of a geographically cohesive media operation in a long-running economic recession, and the new corporation’s local resources. When he opened the door for questions from our business-savvy Rotarians he was ready with the answers about immediate changes, the ascendency of new online communications, neglected segments of news coverage, community problems and solutions. He cheerfully jotted down the dozens of suggestions from the audience and promised to consider every one.
President Bill’s dying Olympic flame – Can’t someone buy a battery for him?