UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS & EVENTS  

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

More socials, projects, & events coming soon!

Opening

President Casey started the meeting, “Welcome to the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa where the magic of Rotary is alive and well and we have fun while we do good in our world.”

Rich Rossi led us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test.

Here is his Reflection:

You know from time to time; I think we all look back over our lives and wonder how things would have turned out if we’d done something different at decisive moments. What if I’d taken that job in Chicago? What if I’d gone to law school? Would things have been better? Would I have accomplished more? Would I be happier? Fruitless as it generally is, that kind of speculation can be entertaining.

On the other hand, you can drive yourself nuts, if you get into comparing your life to others who, for some reason, you think were more accomplished. When I feel like that I don’t think about great scientists, industrialists, athletes, musicians. No. When I really want to feel in adequate, I think about the honeybee.

A honeybee spends its entire life – about 40 days – working tirelessly to do one thing and one thing only – make honey. And the average honeybee will produce, in its lifetime, one single teaspoon of honey. And then it is exhausted and done.

And in the end, it won’t ask was this enough? Could I have done more? Should I have gone to work for another hive> What if I had gone to law school?

A honeybee has no regrets. It just focuses on what’s right in front of it, what’s important and never says to itself – What if.

And really why should it? It spends its life making honey. Doesn’t get better than that.

But you know, in our own way, somewhere down the line, we’ve all made some honey. Every time we’ve done a job really, really well, whether it was landing a big client or painting a fence. Every time we’ve helped someone — family, friend or perfect stranger with no expectation of reward. Every time we’ve touched a child’s life and helped them find their way through the world.

Every time we’ve made the world around us a little better, we’ve made honey. And the best part. No matter how old we are, how much honey we have or haven’t made, we still can – every day of the week.

So instead of thinking about what might have been, let’s all go out today and just make some honey!

Visitors:

Kim Murphy’s husband, Dwayne White. Chris Mahurin from the SRPD came as Mary Graves guest. Peg Melnik from the Press Democrat was our speaker

Sunshine Report:

Steve Marburger was back after hernia surgery last week.  He is feeling much better but the healing process is going to take a while.  Former member Jack Abercrombie’s wife, Pris, is healing from a surgical procedure, so keep her in your thoughts. Many of us remember Pris kept Jack in the know about our club, even when he was active, by staying in touch with us on Facebook.

50/50 Drawing:

No clue on how many marbles were in the bag (I think nine) but the pot was $27.00 per Laura Stephens.  Dewayne White had the right ticket, but he did not pull the blue marble.

Announcements:

1. The Wild Game Dinner, a fund raiser of The Club, is August 24 at the Kolin’s home.  There is room for six more people.  The cost is $200 per person.  See Ray Giampaoli for reservations.
2. President Casey would like to see a bunch of us to go help at Pepperwood Preserve on Saturday, August 3. There are jobs available for all abilities.
3. Next week we do not have a meeting at noon. Instead, we will be at Sonoma Clean Power from 5:30 – 7:00pm for a social. At last count we are expecting 42 people! If you have not signed up, but want to go, contact President Casey. We are to bring appetizers.
4. The veteran’s program, so successful this last year, is back with a vengeance this year! The local Kiwanis clubs are back to work with us.  Sounds like other SR Rotary clubs too…just like the good old days before COVID. The location will be at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Garrett Hall.  Tickets will go on sale in August.  The date for the event is November 7.  $20.00 per ticket.  You are encouraged to buy a ticket for a veteran.  See Fred Levin for additional information.
5. Sam McMillan is getting ready for the pig and lamb auction at the Sonoma County Fair Junior Livestock Auctions on August 5 and 6. Steve Olson and Laura Stephens will also be there to bid for the club.  If you want to bid on any animal, but don’t want the meat, you can donate it to Redwood Gospel Mission, Catholic Charities….and I forget the third. See the team for details.
6. Debi Zaft would like us to please review your DACdb profile. There is a lot of outdated information, missing information and pictures. Do you want to get a Corrick’s gift card for your birthday?  Better make sure your birthday is there. You don’t have to put the year you were born, but it is preferable as Rotary International would like to know every club’s demographic.  Married? Divorce? You might want to check your status. Have you moved or changed jobs? Please correct that too.  Make sure we have all the correct phone numbers too. If you don’t know how to make the changes, tell Debi and she will do it for you.

Recognitions:

Debi Zaft was very proud of her granddaughter, who is active in 4-H, who raised a steer and showed it at her local fair in Arizona. Debi donated $100 to the Jameson Fund in her honor.

This week’s guest Speaker: Peg Melnik, wine writer for the Press Democrat, etc.

Peg has been writing for the Press Democrat for over 25 years. She started her talk with a story about interviewing Jess Jackson.  He had recently been listed on Forbes list of billionaires and she asked him about it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out $2.47.

He said all his wealth is in land so $2.47 was about it!  He then took her up in his helicopter to see the what he owned. “He owns mountains!” she said. They landed in Napa at a smaller boutique winery that he owned to taste wine. Journalism is certainly an adventure!

Sonoma County is rustic, yet chic. Chevys and BMWs. Farmers and Entrepreneurs.

Smart, ethical writing make up the best newspapers. When writing a story she reviews the facts, the context of the story and keep any conflicts of interest at bay.

Benovia Winery has produced a pinot noir to be sold for $49.00 as a fund raiser for Journalism (July 11, 2024 PD article). She loves to travel so she is going to be on a Rhine River Cruise April 26 to May 3, 2025 on the Amaviola along with Cakebread Cellars and Valette Wines.

She considers herself to be a Francophile, which means she has learned to enjoy wine with food and appreciate the pairing.  Always taste. Stay in the present tense when drinking or eating.

Comments from our members:

Susan Nowacki remembers visiting China and was told their wine was awful. She was tired of drinking beer and looked at a wine menu and saw a Kendall Jackson wine!

Kris Anderson spoke of her dad taking her to Washington DC in 1968 to pick up some Chateau Margeaux 1963.  Then years later (probably 30 years) tasting it and it was still excellent.

Robert Pierce was hired by the Sebastianis to do a photo shoot in Italy.  The Sebastiani’s brought 13 cases of wine with them.  The locals all said it was, “Too Strong.” but they all left with a bottle.

Peter Holewinski remembers someone describing wine this way, “Imagine baby Jesus sliding down your throat is velvet pants.”  Where did that phrase come from? He also remembers buying cheap wine in Aix-en-Provance in returnable liter bottles and drinking wine at a Georgian restaurant in Helsinki and having a wonderful wine.

Nicole Le asked what wine writers should she follow.  Peg Melnik, of course, and Robert Parker, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.

Rose Frances found the “house wine” in a Rome restaurant to be a Raffinelli zinfandel.

Mark Burchill found a wine he and Mel loved and opened a bottle every year.  By year 15 it was over the hill.

Barry Silberg was in Germany 1968-1972 drinking Montrachet. Moving to Sonoma County really made him appreciate wine.

Steve Olson wanted to know how the Press Democrat choses the Wine of the Week. Peg says she has a panel who tastes with her and they make the decision.  They do a blind tasting so that they don’t know what they are drinking.

Other comments:  Price has little to do with quality. Pedroncelli owns their land so they can price their wines at a less expensive price. Wineries that have excess wine will bottle it under a different name.  Peg spent four months interviewing Warren Warenski from Staggs Leap.

There was also a question about descriptors.  When a wine is described as stone, cumin, berry, tobacco, barnyard…what does that all mean?

 Additional Pictures: