Rotary Club of Eureka, California

January 31, 2011

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

 

Diane Cipperley led the pledge of allegiance and Lisa Slack gave the invocation--asking that evidence of God’s love might be evident around the world.

Guest of Rotarians

Dave Sharp President of St. Bernard’s School was the guest of Kurt Barthel.

Student Guests 

Two student guests from Eureka High School, Micah and Morgan Bass are in the top ten students at Eureka High. They represent the Eureka High chapter of CSF (California Scholarship Federation). They thanked the club for its support of CSF and they are hoping to raise $500 more in the near future.

Italian exchange student Gabriel Umidon is back from his ski trip.  He had fun skiing and tried snowboarding.  He is still selling Tiramisu so contact him if you want some.  Our town will be sending three outbound exchange students next year.

Announcements

Carly Robbins, President of Lost Coast Rotaract, attended our meeting along with Jennifer Kinikin. They are raising money for Aids patients in Swaziland (Africa—not that mountainous country in the Alps) with a program called Sweets for Swaziland. To place an order call 502-7206 or e mail: LostCoastRotaract@gmail.com.

Pat Folkins encouraged us to attend the Luck Luau, our club’s upcoming annual Raffle.   This event is in need of good items to be auctioned. The date is March 12^th at Baywood Country Club and the theme is Hawaiian. Please call Jay Bahner at J’s RV Center if you can donate an item: 443-2277.

Mike Cunningham said Friday night our club went to see My Fair Lady at the North Coast Repertory Theater. The crowd was a bit thin, but spirited.

Tom Schallert received a very encouraging e-mail from Rotary Foundation:  $19, 750 has been authorized. It should show up in our account soon!  The funds will help us improve blood transfusion services in Nigeria. Tom is working with various Roman Catholic diocese to insure this will become a sustainable project.  He is also in touch with blood bank directors in Lagos and others who are medical directors in the area: again hoping to make this sustainable.  We are hoping Rotary International will take this on as one of their projects, with the goal to insure the safety of the blood supply in Nigeria.

Recognitions

President Carlton put a football and T-shirt signed by the entire EHS Loggers team (at least the football) on the auction block. The package was sold to Rick Littlefield for $100 and the funds will help exchange students.  Gregg Gardiner received a nicely wrapped present from President Carlton.

Next, our club president dawned a Sherlock Holmes hat and (without a pipe) asked Corky Cornwell to stand. Corky received the Business Person of the year award from Eureka Chamber of Commerce.  What’s such an award worth? Corky said, “Name a number.” Our president let him off for $65. Congratulations and thank you, Corky.

Mary Johnson was recognized for having a daughter (Amanda) who is an all-star student and basketball player. That will be $80, thank you.

 Program

Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey introduced Marco Luna and Jeff Dishmon who work with an unsung division of the Sheriff’s department called Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program (SWAP).  It started in 1955 with Sheriff Albert A. Nickols.  He had a vision of a Farm Division that would help rehabilitate the inmates. Many counties across the state and nation have a SWAP type program. SWAP programs are not to be confused with Cal Trans programs. Individuals who are sentenced to jail for180 days or less can sign up for this program.  Inmates can reduce their sentences by each workday. Currently it costs $88.19 to house an inmate per day. SWAP helps cut down cost of incarceration by the money it raises and the fees: inmates have to pay a registration and per diem fee to participate in the program. 

In 1980 the current farm was established in Fortuna. At the farm in Fortuna there are beef cattle, large vegetable gardens and up to 100 pigs at any given time and 56 acres of organic pasture

In January 1991 the Sheriff’s department partnered with Humboldt Senior Resource Center to create what is known today as the Annual Senior Wood Project.  Low cost firewood goes to seniors to help them heat their homes.  Since the SWAP program began it has provided over 30,000 cords of wood to the seniors in our community.  The wood comes from various sources including private citizens and Cal Trans.

Marco never pictured himself working with pigs rather than busting criminals. But here he is—and greatly enjoying his work.

Numerous projects around the county have been helped and implemented by the SWAP program.  Selling wood is their major fundraiser.  The firewood is normally bought through the Senior Resource Center, but there may be some available that is extra at $100/ cord.  Asked if there are many injuries to the inmates, Marco said, “Yes, mostly on the wood splitter.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Dan Price