–> 5/8/24 – Redwood Empire Food Bank – 2nd Wednesday of the month.  The next one is this week: June 12th – 5 PM – 7 PM

–> The Giro Bello is just around the corner! June 29, 2024.  Register to reserve your spot for one of the most scenic and fun bike rides on the West Coast – Now with a new start and finish, the Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa.  Click here for more info and to register.

–> Last week’s social at Corricks was a blast. Click Here for some photos.

For pictures and descriptions of previous socials and other events click here.

For more details and additional events, see the Announcements section below.

More socials, projects, & events coming soon!

Opening the Meeting

Jim Green opened our meeting today, leading us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the “Five” Way Test.  Today’s reflection came out of a book written by former President Theodore Rosevelt, “The Man in the Arena.”  Rotary is our arena. We get together and do good in our world.

Visitors:

Dewayne White (Kim’s husband), Reuben Garcia (the SRJC Rotaract liaison and president of the SRJC student body) and Chris Rogers (our guest speaker)

Sunshine Report:

Debi Zaft had hip surgery last week and is home recuperating.

Raffle:

Today we had only 4 marbles and $112 in the pot.  Your bulletin editor’s number was called!  Yay me! However, I pulled a yellow marble.  My $10.00 went into the Polio Pail.  Next week 3 marbles and more money!

May Birthdays:

Karen Ball was the only person here with a May birthday.  Wes Daniels and Curt Groninga also have May birthdays.  Anyone else?  We need to recruit some people with May birthdays!

Announcements:

1. Kris Anderson thanks Matthew Henry for writing the bulletin last week.  Matthew, by any chance will you be available May 22, May 29 and June 5 to write the bulletin?  Kris will be in Singapore. Diane Moresi?   You too!
2. The debunking committee needs to get started. Looking to next Thursday, May 16, at the Gospe’s home.  Ann is not invited.  Jeff says we can have cocktails by the pool.  How does 5:00 pm sound?
3. Heather Thurber will help anyone with Sign Up Genius for Giro Bello tasks. Every committee needs help.
4. Nona Lucas reminded us about the social at Corrick’s on Thursday night. By the time you read this bulletin you will know how much fun you had or what you missed!
5. Susan Nowacki let us know that Isidora is going to give her presentation on her year in the United States next week. It should be a fun presentation.
6. Steve Olson, on behalf of the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa Foundation gave us a briefing on the Larry Miyano Memorial Scholarship. Larry was a member from 1994 until his passing while out for a walk a few years back. Larry was an engineer and was very active in the club. This scholarship is for a college bound student to study engineering. See Steve if you would like more information on this fund or any of our other Foundation programs.
7. Ray Giampaoli says we are still behind in our fund-raising goals for the Giro Bello. Keep asking for sponsors!
8. Peter Holewinski says we have two students that will be attending RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) this summer: Jack from Cardinal Newman High School and Amara from Rancho Cotati. Jack would like to start an Interact Club at Cardinal Newman next fall.
9. Marcus Stephens is serving as a Rotorexter. In this job he is supporting current students here and abroad. He would like to attend the Rotorex convention this summer. He is planning a fundraiser.  (Sorry, I don’t know how to spell this word)

Recognitions:

Kim Murphy was named to the top 40 investment advisors in the United States.  What an honor! For this recognition she is donating $100 each to the Larry Miyano Scholarship, the Jack Levar Scholarship and to her grandkids Paul Harris.

Laura Stephens did interviews for the Jamison Awards.  She was so impressed by the kids and the program she is donating $2000 to the Jamison Scholarship.  Wow!

Chris Rogers on Politics and Money

Remember the song from Cabaret, “Money Makes the World Go Around”? Nothing has changed. Chris was elected in 2016 to the Santa Rosa City Council and re-elected in 2020.  He has served two terms as mayor, the youngest mayor in Santa Rosa history.  Prior to his council career he served as a legislative aide in Sacramento for Lynn Woolsey.  Now he is running for the California Assembly.  He was severely underfunded compared to his opponents in the primary.  It is only because he knocked on over 20,000 doors that he got the votes and is moving on to the general election. Limits on donations to candidates had been only $500 on local campaigns (it varies on county, state and national). Citizens United called money “Free Speech” and won so most limits have vanished.  Those running for office don’t have to say who is giving them the money, right?  Not necessarily! SOS.CA.GOV is where you can go to find the disclosed donators, however people still can hide.  Chris says The Press Democrat is really helpful with their investigations. During the primary round the local North Bay Chapter of Realtors supported him, but the California State Realtors Association wanted someone else.  Chris said you don’t have to raise the most money, but you need to raise enough.

Everyone goes door knocking in Oakmont because statistics say they vote almost every election. The candidates get reports of likely voters in all areas.  Roseland doesn’t get a lot of door knocking because they as a community don’t regularly vote, if at all.  Voting is a learned habit.  Candidates are wondering, “What will make Generation Z turn out to vote?”