Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka
October 28, 2013

Pat Folkins, wearing an American Flag Tie, lead us in the flag salute.  Greg Williston started his invocation by quoting Winnie the Pooh.  “What’s your favorite day?” he was asked.  “Why, Today, of course!”   It was noted that Elmer Haskins Jr, a former member, had passed away.  He was Sales Manager of KIEM for many years and Congressman Clausen’s Northern California Campaign representative.   

Announcements
Pat Folkins related his experience accompanying the recent Honor Flight to Washington D.C.  They were met at the airport and treated to a motorcycle escort that cleared traffic for them as they visited the various monuments.  In a touching moment, Mac Gardner admired an airline pilot’s flag tie, and the pilot took it off and gave it to him.  Then he admired the Pilot’s wallet, but nothing came of it.  Everyone who hasn’t been to Washington DC recently should go and visit the new monuments.   

Mike Cunningham reminded everyone of the Rotary Christmas party to be held at the Ingomar Club on December 14^th.  Music is by Holbrook and Bear and also by the Limited Edition.   

John McBeth was recognized for being retired.  He complained that he was on a fixed income, so  Ziggy cut back on the size of the Rotary T-shirt, giving him a medium. 

Al Crnich was fined because Ziggy sent him an email, and it was returned asking him if he was sure the name was spelled correctly.  Then the recognitions became fast and furious.   

Brian Papstein was dinged for carrying Raiders games.  Ziggy was going to give Brian a t-shirt, but realized he’d have to cut the bottom off one and sew it to the bottom of another to cover Brian’s capacious midriff.   

Richard Boroughs was fined $50 for occasionally writing a column in the Times-Standard.   

Keith Crossley paid for his Wife’s Open House at the Eureka Inn.   

J. Warren Hockaday was penalized for having caused a traffic jam in front of Ziggy’s house when The Chamber of Commerce had its open house at Coast Central Credit Union.  He doesn’t work there anymore, but it was easier and cheaper not to complain.   

Tom Schallert was drained of  $50 for having personalized license plates since 1959.   

Finally Ziggy produced a blue raffle ticket that someone had mistakenly put in the lunch ticket basket instead of the green receipt.  Burt Campton got up first, but then he noticed that he still had both his ticket and his receipt.  The culprit turned out to be John Bradley.  He not only had to pay $50, but also his ticket was a loser.   

Program
Our program was Nancy Stipe from the Department of Health and Human Services.  Her topic was The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  One out of five people in Humboldt County have no health insurance.  Under the Act 7,000 will now be eligible for Medi-Cal and 13,500 will be eligible for tax credits or subsidies through Covered California.  The Affordable Care Act will not affect those already on Medicare.  It will not cover undocumented individuals.  Those who want to opt out of insurance can choose to pay a fine instead. To learn more, go to www.coveredca.com.   

Then she opened it up for questions.  A very tall person asked her if she knew how many physicians and other health care professionals would quit their practices and move away in the next several years, thus leaving us with no health care at all.  “Of course I do even though I’m just a lowly assistant from County Health,” she said. “ It’s 82 Physicians, 3 Surgeons, 2 Proctologists, 208 Chiropractors and Podiatrists, 78 RN’s, 2 hospital janitors and three seeing eye dogs.” Next some one asked why we should be like 99% of all civilized countries and offer low cost health care for everyone?  Oh, wait.  No one asked that question.   

The meeting ended at 1:10 pm.

Written in haste and regretted at leisure by Hank Ingham

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

October 21, 2013 

Bruce Smith lead the pledge of allegiance.  Bruce Rupp quoted Alex de Tocqueville in his invocation.  Some may have misheard his references to “sects”.  

Gregg's guest, from Wahlund Construction.

 

Sally's guest, from the Times Standard.

Sally Arnot has this year’s HAC ornament for sale. It commemorates the 125^th anniversary of the Eagle House.  

Mike Cunningham urged everyone to attend the annual Rotary Christmas Party to be held December 14^th at the Ingomar Club.  

Greg Pierson introduced new member Craig Wruck, an HSU administrator who lives in Trinidad. PP Kim Bauriedel gave him “the talk”.  Rotary stands for Responsibility Organization Togetherness Activity , Reward, and Yes.  It’s lucky he didn’t spell out “International”.  

Announcement & Recognitions

Stacy Lane got her first buck of the season, using her Land Rover.  Not very sporting, but effective.  She wasn’t fined because she needs to pay the deductible. 

Ken Stodder got his mug in the HSU homecoming program.  $50. 

Gregg Gardiner announced that he had inserted the By-laws into your inbox.  Or was that a euphemism? (see earlier reference to “sects”).  They are also available on the Rotary1.org website.  Next Monday 10/29 we will vote on them.   

Dan Heinen went to the Dominican Republic and then Newport Oregon.  He complained of humidity.  I got him a $50 fine. 

Carol Rische, head of the small grants committee awarded $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Club to pay for refurbishment of the clubhouse near the Eureka Mall.   

Then she gave $500 to the Senior Resource Center for an automated call system that checks on Seniors and tells them that they have won a sweepstakes, but they have to send all their savings to the Center.  Or maybe it just asks them if they are OK.   

Speaking of sweepstakes, Nancy Dean and Jim Davis won the Spengler Science Fair Raffle.   

Program

Matthew Owen, in order to put some spice in the program selections, invited EPIC, the Environmental Protection Information Center.  

It’s a membership driven non-profit organization that works to protect and restore the ancient forests, watersheds, coastal estuaries and endangered species in Northwest California. It opposes hunting by large foreign made SUV’s, Stacy.    

Executive Director Mike Hughes presented a series of power point slides that delineated the Organization’s role in protecting the wilderness.   

The organization is concerned about Richardson’s Grove highway widening, the Willits bypass, and other Cal Trans Projects.  They are also against marijuana grows in national forests.  They are all about good forest practices.  To find out more, go to wildcalifornia.org.

Visit www.rotary1.org for your By-law changes, and finally, Google Alex de Tocqueville to find his quote on sects.

Respectfully submitted,

Hank Ingham

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

October 7, 2013

After the flag was rushed into the room, the vivacious Stacy Lane was called on to give the pledge.  Then Tom McMurray Jr. did the invocation asking for prayers for Ziggy’s wife Ruth, among others. 

Mike Cunningham brought his father, who was in town for a visit.

Announcements

Two girls from Rotaract came to the podium to remind us of their annual Spirits and Spirits fundraiser on October 24^th.    

President Ziggy mentioned that next week there will be no meeting in honor of Columbus Day, when Italian Christopher Columbus sailed the Nina, the Pinto and the Santa Anita (named after the Race Track) to the Caribbean and then claimed the “new world” for Spain.  The queen of Spain promptly named their prize after cartographer Amerigo Vespucci.  That’s why we don’t live in the United States of Columbia. 

Chuck Ellsworth and his guest from the DA's office.

 Gregg Gardiner announced that it was nearing time for Toys For Tots.  Last Christmas TFT provided over 5,000 toys to needy children in Humboldt Del Norte and Mendocino counties. 

Recognitions

Ziggy complained that none of this month’s birthday boys were sitting at the head table – and then located one of them, John Fullerton.  After fining him $5 he recognized him for having signs all over Eureka promoting his candidacy for the school board.  That cost him an additional $50.

Sally Arnot was also singled out for having her picture in the paper in connection with HAC.

Then Ziggy asked if there were any hunters in the room.  Dennis Hunter immediately stood up.  “No, deer hunters” Ziggy exclaimed.  Greg Pierson and Hank Pierson then stood up.  Neither had bagged a buck.  Greg said what he did could more properly be described as “camping with guns”.  $25 fine. 

Murl Harpham was recognized for EPD’s new “Rescue Protection Vehicle” so named because they couldn’t call it an assault vehicle.  He noted that it used less gas than some police cars. 

Student Guests

Exchange student report:  They all went on a trip to San Francisco, saw the sights, and attended an Oakland Raiders NFL game.  They are back now, but a little bit tired and very confused about how the fans dressed for the game.  

Student guests from Eureka High School

Raffle

Raffle winners: Jay Bahner and John Winzler. 

Program

Our scheduled program was a no-show, so Gregg Gardiner filled in with information about our “Honor Flight” program for Veterans.  On October 25^th the Rotary Club will take its fifth group of WWII , Korean and Vietnam veterans to Washington D.C. to tour the memorials built to honor them.  So far Rotarians have raised over $300,000 to fund the program.  The itinerary is as follows: The first day they all stay overnight in Sacramento and have dinner at the Elks Lodge.  They next day the group of 52 vets and their guardians fly to Chicago and take a short walk to the USO club, receiving applause along the way.  Then they get back on the plane and fly to Washington DC, where fire trucks meet them and escort them to the gate.  That evening they attend a banquet in their honor at the hotel. 

Ken Stodder & Al Crnich, two of our own WWII heroes!

The next day at 8:30am they take two buses to the Air Force Memorial.  They are escorted by Capitol Police.  Next they go to the Navy Memorial, then the Iwo Jima Memorial, and lastly the Women’s’ Service Memorial at Arlington Cemetery.  They break for lunch at Fort Meyers, serenaded by the “Singing Sergeants”.  Next is the Navy Memorial, Korean Memorial, a walk through the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and finally the World War II Memorial.  There, accompanied by bag pipers, they hold a memorial service and talk about their fallen comrades.  The President’s own bugler plays taps.  One final bus ride brings them back to Arlington Cemetery where they lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

On the plane ride home, they get a “mail call”, where their names are called out and they are given letters from their friends and relatives.  There isn’t a dry eye in the house.  Those interested in supporting Honor Flight can call Gregg or Steve Justus. 

Meeting adjourned at 1:15pm. 

Written by former Army Sergeant, Hank Ingham