Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

November 18, 2012

Kathy Cloney Gardiner led us in the flag salute.  Lisa Slack gave the invocation. 

Ziggy got a brief report on Sam, whose last name shall not be spoken.  Greg Williston said Sam is a good conversationalist and encouraged club members to invite him over for dinner.  He is studying US history, so that would be a good topic. 

Steve Lafferty then gave his craft talk.  He bought Stewart Communications from Bob Stewart and incorporated it last year.  The firm sells and installs professional phone systems.  His wife is pregnant with their first child who they will not name “Jack”.  I’m sure he’ll be a wiry little guy. 

Greg Gardiner introduced new member Arnie Klein who immediately threw his hat into the ring as a candidate for District Attorney.  Carlton Nielsen gave the Past President’s talk, reminding Arnie that there are no assigned seats in Rotary even though some people sit together in the same place all the time.  It’s all an illusion. 

Mike Cunningham reminded everyone that the Rotary Christmas party is coming up December 14 at the Ingomar.  It’s $75 a person.  Bring your own person.  

Dave Dillon was singled out for the 4 weeks he spent at his condo in Hawaii.  $100 went into the lanai. 

Chuck Ellsworth reported that he had been in Texas pouring footings for his new home on Goose Island.  The island is equidistant from the middle of nowhere and Corpus Christi.  Chuck got a $150 t-shirt. 

Christian Hill was having too much fun at the recent Redwood Memorial Hospital fundraiser so Ziggy raised $50 from him. 

Finally, Ziggy corralled Wayne Wilson and fined him for no longer raising Arabian horses.  Wayne admitted that there are a lot of things he no longer does.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, a slip of paper with eight candidates for the board was given to each member with instructions to vote for four.  The new board members were Jason Eads, Christian Hill, Greg Seiler, and Carol Rische. 

Nancy Dean and Greg Williston won the Spengler Science Fair raffle.

Our speaker for the day was Sasha Marini whose topic was Teen Court.  The court promotes “restorative justice” and acts as an alternative to the Juvenile Justice System. It offers youth who are first time offenders of misdemeanor infractions the opportunity to be judged by their peers and given sentences that promote self-improvement.  Positive peer pressure is very effective.  Teen Court is sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of the Redwoods.  When the offender completes his or her “sentence”, their record will be expunged.  Teen court’s participants have a recidivism rate of under 10%.  The proceedings are guided by volunteer lawyers who serve as mentors.  Ms. Marini added that they were looking for attorneys to volunteer.  Arcata Police Department’s diversion program refers most of the offenders.  Even though Teen Court is based in Eureka, the Eureka Police Department doesn’t participate.  The court adjudicates 4 cases a month.  There are 1,100 Teen Courts nation wide.  There are 75 in California.  Teen Courts must not be confused with Trailer Courts which do not dispense justice but do provide water and sewer hookups. 

Penned by Hank Ingham

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

November 4, 2013

Jim Davis led the Flag Salute.  Eric Bergel gave the invocation, quoting C.S. Lewis “It is better to give too much than to give too little.”   

Grace and Jordan from Eureka High Interact introduced themselves.   

Sam, the Russian whose last name shall not be spoken, at least by Ziggy, reported that he is more comfortable in school.  Ziggy vowed to pronounce his name correctly before the end of the year.   

Bill Morrill of the Southwest Eureka Rotary Club invited everyone to attend the Veterans Day celebration at the Adorni Center on 11/11 at 11am.   Our Rotary club will not meet on that day so you can attend the ceremony.   

Pat Folkins reminded us once again of the Foundation dinner on 11/9 at the River Lodge.  Bill Gates has promised $2 for every $1 donated to Polio Plus.   

Don Smullin received his Blue Badge, and then fined $50 for having had the temerity to let J Warren Hockaday take the fall for him on the Chamber of Commerce imbroglio last week.   

Ken Stodder was singled out for wearing a Boston Red Sox hat and jacket.  He was born in Boston and went to school there at Boston University.  He said that he had interviewed Ted Williams and even saw Babe Ruth play.  He was also one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence and knew George Washington when he played for the Senators.  He received a Rotary shirt for his longevity.   

While we’re on the subject of longevity, Jim Howard won the Spengler Science Fair raffle again, along with Dale Warmuth.   

Our program was the amended Rotary Bylaws.  Discussion of the changes went on for almost 45 seconds before someone called for the vote.  They were unanimously approved. Gregg Gardiner gets kudos for having worked on the changes.  Carlton Nielsen, Kim Bauriedel and Jason Eads also contributed.  Carlton then talked about our new website design.  www.rotary1.org now will have some of the information formerly contained in the Roster and some new things, like Bored minutes [sic].  Your user name is your Foundation number.  Ask Gregg for the password.   Ziggy asked for the support of Club members to help Matthew Owen find speakers for our programs.  Michael Cunningham reminded us that the Rotary Christmas party will be held at the Ingomar Club on December 14th.   

Once again the meeting ended early-so early that I was unable to write anything humorous about it.   

Penned by Hank Ingham