November 13, 2024 Bulletin – The Joy of Imperfect Love

 

UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS & EVENTS  

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

More socials, projects, & events coming soon!

Opening the Meeting

Casey got things rolling right on time at 12:30, proving once again that punctuality is still valued in our little corner of the Rotary universe. The calm didn’t last, however, as Rick Allen’s attempt to share some wisdom was briefly derailed by none other than Debi Zaft’s phone. (Really, Debi, setting the ringtone to “Careless Whisper” is a bold choice for a Rotary meeting.)

Rick recovered beautifully, leading us through the pledge and an impressively un-enthusiastic Four-Way Test (That fifth test of fun is always a challenge, isn’t it?). For the day’s thought, Rick went full “Dear Abby,” recounting a holiday story involving a large family with many different lifestyles still getting along (I’m thinking this is pure fiction, but okay) His message? Let’s aim to love our families despite them, not because of them. Who needs eggnog when you’ve got Rotary wisdom like that?

Visiting Rotarians & Guests

Visiting Rotarian Alert: Sandy Geary joined us from Rancho Cotati, reminding us that somewhere, her club owes its existence to Mary (a Rotary origin story worth hearing, I’m sure).

Guest Parade: We had quite the lineup! Debi introduced her guest John O’Brien, Jeff brought along Linda Balfe, Ray unveiled Gary Nichols (a retired doc and race car enthusiast, which is a combo I didn’t see coming), and Karen introduced Max Bernard, a business attorney with his sights set on Rotary. Misty Zelk, our esteemed speaker, rounded out the bunch. A well-rounded guest list if I do say so!

Sunshine Report

Ginny Cannon, our ever-shining ray of sunshine, delivered the sad news of Norm Owen’s passing on October 26th. Norm served as Club President and District Governor back in the day. Paul shared that Norm also contributed as a trustee for the foundation, reminding us of how much he’s meant to our Rotary family.

Opportunity Drawing

The big news in the raffle world? $52 up for grabs. Robbie Fouts scored the lucky ticket but missed out on the winning marble, taking home a respectable $10, which Casey immediately suggested be donated. (Casey, did you ever consider a career in fundraising? Just a thought.)

November Birthdays

It’s the November baby bonanza, and Kevan Brown didn’t disappoint with his stash of Corrick’s gift cards. Shout-outs to Dan Balfe, Charlie Howard Gibbons, Susan Nowacki, Julia Parranto, Diane Moresi, Fred Levin, and Craig Meltzner. We sang, they smiled, and Corrick’s profits climbed. Everybody wins!

Club Business Highlights

President-Elect Nominee: We really like to get our ducks in a row in this club, so we have attained the latest link in Club President succession. Big cheers for Peter Holewinski, our President-Elect Nominee for 2026-27! Peter’s acceptance was as unanimous as a Rotary vote gets.

Rotarian of the Month: Technically, it’s for the month of November but this really feels like a Lifetime Achievement Award. Nonetheless, Karen Ball took home the title, complete with a surprised reaction when her name was called. Well deserved!

Recognitions: Fred Levin and Ann Gospe were both recognized for their efforts on Veterans Day, earning a crisp $50 in Paul Harris Bucks. And for added Rotary glory, Douglas bestowed a Five Sapphire Pin on Karen Ball, signaling both admiration and a serious commitment to club donations.

Announcements

The “Why?” Book: Casey held up the famous “Why?” book and reminded us to bring any stragglers back for another round in February/March.

Peace Conference: Jeff Kolin gave the scoop on the Peace Conference happening January 24-26 in Rohnert Park. Sponsorship levels range from $100 to $1,000.

Rotary International Conference: Jeff also reminded us to sign up for the RI Convention in Calgary this June. As District Governor Elect, Jeff gets to throw a party in Canada and $45 gets you into Jeff’s private shindig (two drinks and hors d’oeuvres included—Jeff knows how to throw a party).

More Announcements: Ann highlighted several service opportunities:

Ukraine Fundraising: Jeff Gospe updated us on our Ukraine relief efforts that have reached $525,000, with a fresh goal of supplying orthotics for injured veterans and civilians. Rotary teamwork in action!

Scouting for Food: We’re pitching in this Saturday from 11-1:30 pm to sort food donations.

Salvation Army Bell Ringing: Time to reclaim our #1 status, folks! Signups are coming soon for the first two weekends in December.

Pepperwood Preserve: A hands-on service day is coming up, but I totally missed the day. Ask one of the bigwigs. They’ll know.

Membership Approval: Kerrie Chambers has been approved for membership by the board of directors. Please say hi to Kerri at our next meeting.

Special Donation

Ted stepped up to honor Veterans Day with a $100 donation to the John Brown fund. He also shared that he and the late Norm overlapped during WWII in Germany—a moment that brought a solemn reminder of the legacy we carry forward.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Misty Zelk took the floor, sharing her experiences as an Army veteran and her work as Medical for the Best Defense Foundation, highlighting the emotional 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, where D-Day veterans were honored with the French Legion of Honor. Fun fact: the French love their WWII vets so much that they even collect playing cards with each vet’s bio. (Take note, Rotary—we might need to get into the collectible card business!)

To watch the video that Dr. Zelk shared, go here: https://youtu.be/XIMfTIo6bzE?si=k63dgzmSksBL-hyW

Parting Note

In case you’re worried about breaking your perfect Rotary attendance streak, note that we won’t meet the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 27th). You’re free to celebrate your holiday in whatever Rotary-free way you please – maybe getting ready to battle those relatives at Thanksgiving.

Presentation Slide:

(Click on image to view slides)