Rotary Club of Eureka Meeting May 22, 2017

. Lunch Menu: salad bar, chicken thighs, tri-tip, roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables, rolls, dessert. Called to order by President Matthew Owen at 12:15pm. Our speaker Rob Arkley led the Pledge of Allegiance. The Invocation was led by Mike Cunningham. BIRTHDAYS: Larona Farnum, Robert McLaughlin, Matt Murrish

ANNIVERSARIES: Jennifer Budwig (Robert), Chris Freeman (Diana). ROTARY   ANNIVERSARIES: J Hockaday 15 years, Greg Pierson 17 years, Neal Carnum 25 years, Mike Martin 28 years, Bill McAuley 29 years, Craig Hansen 30 years, Al Abrahamson 38 years, Dave Dillon 50 years.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Jay Bahne announced a meeting after the meeting for all Past Presidents in preparation for Matthew’s last meeting. Almost President Bruce Smith said that the social last Friday at the Ingomar Club was a great event with 15 people attending.  He’s planning on doing a social every other month and would like more people to attend.  President Matthew reminded everybody that Guido (aka Matthew) will be calling soon if you have not yet given $120 to the Foundation and Polio fund for this year.  They are hoping to have 100% participation.  If you have questions call or email Keith Crossley. Bruce Smith and Carly urged all Rotarians to review the email asking for corrections/updates for the roster.

 

RECOGNITIONS: Annalise Von Borstel has officially changed professions from banking to … Real Estate.  She is now a broker with Ming Tree Realty.  Dennis Hunter recently returned from an Elks convention in Pam Springs.  President Matthew noted that his wounds from a recent fall were healing nicely.  John Burger commented that Eureka High School’s team recently won the Big 5 and is now going to the next level!  Bruce Rupp plugged the Eureka Symphony’s recent performance.

 

SPENGLER-HOWARD RAFFLE:  1. Silver dollar to jay Bahne, Jitterbean Gift Certificate to Mike Cunningham, $10 in cash to Anthony, Motorcycle Care gift card to ???, Jim Davis- Chance to win a gold ingot ($203 value) but he drew a 2 of hearts. 

 

GUEST SPEAKER: Our guest speaker was Rob Arkley from Security National. Rob spoke about 3 topics… state of affairs nationally, at the state level, and locally.  Nationally he said it’s interesting to see the truth vs what is being reported.  Consequential achievements are being made by the Trump administration although he said the country is brewing for a civil war. The democrats are being forced to the left by their activist base.  Trump is getting things done administratively. He’s making changes at the judiciary level that should last for a generation.  He’s dealing with the deficit and dealing with entitlements. Trump’s own party is challenging him. It’s not a friendly group.  The economy is doing well.  He doesn’t see the recession others are forecasting.

 

The economy seems stable.  He was in a meeting that forecasted that over 5,000,000 truck drivers will be losing their jobs because of automation. Those are big numbers of people who will need re-training. Change is happening rapidly in today’s world.  He feels that Trump is cutting back on regulation which is needed. He would compare the relationship Trump has with the press to the Nixon era.  California is having a hard time. The deficit is huge and there are problems.  He decided to skip to the local area.  Locally Rob sees opportunity.  His daughter and other young people are choosing to relocate here.  He said it’s a myth that all kids want to live in an urban environment.

 

The reality is that 80% like small town environment. He’d like to see more home ownership locally.  Will see homes torn down locally due to infrastructure aging. He moved to Baton Rouge to make money and he did.  He’s now selling Baton Rouge off and is investing locally as well as a few other states he feels are economically poised for growth. He likes College of the Redwood’s program. Pot industry is a problem. The Feds will be dealing with it. It’s illegal, you can’t ignore the laws.  Homeless he’s seen some good changes. Chief Andy Mills is doing a good job. The Oyster industry here will be bigger than anyone here realizes.  150 jobs expected.  They will be building 60,000 to 100,000 feet of space at the Balloon track. Office/Warehouse most likely as that is what is in demand.  Questions and answers followed. President Matthew Owen closed the meeting at 1:16pm with a reminder that we will be dark next week for Memorial Day weekend.

 

Respectfully submitted,  Alicia Cox

Rotary Club of Eureka Meeting May 15, 2017

Only 7 meetings left in the term of our exalted leader, Matthew Owen. Fixin’s for lunch included Chicken casserole, beef hash, fried chicken wings, and lemon cake for dessert. Guest John Harper led us in the flag salute. Bruce Rupp gave the invocation. It was Carlton Nielsen’s birthday, so we sang the Happy Birthday song. Then it was revealed that our exchange student Clara turned 18 today, so we had to sing again.

Clara is 18

Our exalted leader

President Elect Bruce Smith reminded us of the opportunity for fellowship this Friday March 18 at the Ingomar Club main floor bar. It starts at 5:15pm and Bruce is buying the hors de oeuvres. You’re on your own for drinks. During the “Boast, roast, and toast” segment, Pat Folkins said that the Eureka High baseball team won the Big Five Championship. Nancy Dean and Carlton Nielsen had just returned from a District Conference for Rotary exchange students in Lake Tahoe. They took 38 exchange students with them. Glenn Goldan received a check for $630, his winnings from the Rotary NCAA raffle. Ilan Firpo and Jason Chand announced that they just got married, and also that Jason had the leading role in a local production of Beauty and the Beast at Ferndale Repertory Theater. George Owren and Greg Williston saw the play and gave it two thumbs up.

Ilan Firpo and Jason Chand

Glenn gets his check

Our presenters were Rotaract members Matt Zendejas and Megan McCallister. They talked about Rotoplast, a team of doctors, nurses and volunteers who do clinics in underdeveloped countries. They had recently returned from Bangladesh. They spent two weeks there helping the team do reconstructive surgery on burn victims and repairing cleft palates. There were 70 surgeries in that 2 week period. They worked from 7am to 8pm. They were distressed by all the people who they had to turn down. Finally Past President Jay Bahner announced that there would be a past presidents’ meeting next week to make some plans for Matthew’s debunking. Meeting adjourned.

Matt and Megan talk about Rotoplast

Submitted by Hank Ingham

Rotary Club of Eureka Meeting May 8, 2017

There are Seven meetings to go in the presidency of Matthew Owen. Sue Bosch led us in the flag salute. Matt Messner gave the invocation.

Matt Murrish needs some help delivering the Dictionaries we give to 3rd graders every year. Active weeks are 5/22 and 5/29. It was Alicia Cox’s birthday. Craig Hansen won $75 in the NCAA raffle and immediately signed it over to the Rotary Polio Plus fund. President-elect Bruce Smith announced that Fireside Meetings were coming up. Then, in unusual move, President Owen retired from the room and Rotarians at each table formed groups to express their opinions about the club and how things were going. That took about 15 minutes. Bruce Smith announced that there would be a Club Social Friday May 19th at 5:30pm.

Finally, after the drawing, Matthew told us our scheduled program presenter couldn’t make it . So no program about Rotoplast in Bangladesh. Instead we were treated to a re-run- The history of the tournament of Roses parade. Someone asked how much the early leaver fine would be, and Matthew raised it to $20. everybody stayed.

Briefly recorded by Hank Ingham

Rotary Club of Eureka Meeting May 1 2017

President Matthew Owen gleefully reported that he had only 8 weeks left on his term.  Don Leonard led us in the flag salute.  Greg Pierson gave the invocation, reminding us how lucky we are to live in Humboldt County with its magnificent rivers, trees, and verdant hills.  Never mind what makes the hills so verdant.

Fred Van Vleck gave a Rotary Scholarship report.  We have distributed $24,500 in scholarships to Eureka High school, CR, and Humboldt State students. Guest Al Costaldi announced that there would be a celebration of the life  of Ray Wickel, Green Beret, aviator and long time Rotarian on June 11^th 1-3pm at Baywood Golf Club. The done in a day project at Food for People is this weekend, not last weekend Show up at 9am and bring gardening gloves. Matthew presented a check for $1,000 to Tom Faso of Redwood Teen Challenge.  They help adults 17 and older with substance abuse problems.

During the Boast Roast and Toast interval, Tom Schallert was recognized for attending a Blood Centers of America conference in Florida.  He caught a Sheep’s Head, and ugly but delicious fish.  Owner of 5 local McDonald’s locations Jessie Klair gave his craft talk.  He came from India to the U.S. at age 14. He worked at a McDonalds and learned English, then kept giving 150% as he continued to be promoted from cook to store Manager, then Supervisor.  16 years later he bought his first McDonald’s Franchise. He reminded us that you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it. Jessie brought some new sandwiches with him for us to try out. They were good. 

 

Clara Pazzaglia

Don Leonard introduced our exchange student from Italy, Clara Pazzaglia.  She comes to us from Milan, where she lives in an apartment with her parents and a dog.  She shared pictures of her family and scenes of Italy.  She said her hosts were like a second family to her.  She’s having a fundraiser this Friday from 5:30-7pm at the Faith Center in Eureka. There will be two kinds of pasta and two Finnish Desserts.  Tickets are $30. The money is to help defray the costs of a cross country trip exchange students go on.  While this was going on Don Smullin’s phone rang and he was fined $100.  Jack MacDonald’s phone rang three times.  He was nicked for $300.  Not a good time for phone calls.

Penned by Hank Ingham