March 28, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

New member Mandy Nash was asked to lead the pledge.  Ryan Fray did the invocation.   He noted that internet pioneer and advocate Chris Crawford had died.  

Eric Bergel announced that the search had begun for six families who would be willing to host the 2 exchange students that will be coming shortly.   

George Owren will be heading up the Backpacks for Kids Program.  He needs volunteers too.   

NCAA update:  Nobody bought VCU, so it belongs to the club.  Scott Guild bought Butler for $25 (but spent $400 on other teams)  Corky Cornwell bought Kentucky at $175.  Carlton Nielsen bought Uconn for $150 but invested a total of $800 in the contest.   

Stacy Lane came up to the podium to refresh the club’s memory about http://eurekarotary.blogspot.com, which is the latest step in the evolution of the Burl.  Each week is available on the web.  Bookmark the address to keep up on meetings you have missed.  Printed copies will now be available next to the badge box for those who are internet challenged.  It is read by people all over the world, from Siberia to Senegal.  If you wish to be a Burl writer, there are openings.  No one, of course, is as talented as I am, but don’t let that stop you.   

Carol Riesch plugged the Senior Resource Center’s home delivered meals program.  As a fund raiser, three local restaurants have pledged 15-25% of their sales on certain dates to “Meals on Wheels”.  On April 5^th 5-9pm it’s Las Cazuelas in Fortuna.  On April 10, 4-9pm it’s the Plaza Grill in Arcata, and on April 20 5-9pm Hurricane Kate’s in Eureka.   

Two blue badges were recently awarded to Mandy Nash and Anthony Antoville.   

Carlton donned his fining hat, an ill-fitting homburg that once belonged to Hobart Brown and proceeded to honor six Rotarians who had been members for 50+ years.  Jack Morton, Dick Nash, Charlie Strope, Walt Shimasaki, Al Crnich and John Winzler.  If you assume that they attended every meeting and adjust for inflation, that’s $44,200 each for meals.  Add 21,600 lame jokes by the presidents of the club and throw in $7500 in fines and it’s a wonder that they didn’t defect to the Elk’s Club (which I understand has very good food).  He then held up a Rotary banner from Denmark and said that Martin, last year’s exchange student sent it because his relatives had all joined Rotary Clubs as a result of his experience here.  Then he announced that next week’s meal will be lutefisk in honor of Martin.   

Tom McMurray introduced our program speaker, Dr. Elias Malki.  He was born in Lebanon and became a US Citizen by choice.  He speaks Arabic, Hebrew, and obviously, English.  He hosts a Christian television program that is broadcast from Cyprus and reaches 20 million viewers.  As a result of the program he is very well know in the middle east and has talked with many world leaders.  He is an expert on the politics of the region.  95% of those living in the “fertile crescent” are now Muslim.  Christians are discriminated against, even sent to “reservations” (Iraq) . Iraqi Christians have declined from 2 million to 500,000.  He has written a book called “Ambassador of a Higher Power."  Call Tom McMurray to order a copy.   

Carlton then closed the meeting by reminding us of the following classifications are unfilled:  Sturgeon wrangler, Cleavage Instructor, Dervish, Wheelwright, and Assassin.

Lutefisk:  A dried whitefish prepared in lye.  Lutefisk is made from cod is notorious in Scandinavia for its powerful and offensive odor.

Respectfully submitted by 

Hank Ingham

March 21, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

Harley Smith was chosen to lead the pledge.  Being a head taller, he was hard to miss.  Greg Williston did the invocation beginning with “Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar.”

 It was noted that long time Rotarian Bob Dedikam had passed away just short of his 82^nd birthday. Paul Brisso came up to the podium to recall Dedikam’s skills as a business attorney, and then asked for a moment of silence in remembrance. 

Saturday March 26 is a workday for volunteer Rotarians –getting Cloney Field ready for baseball season.  Call Gregg Gardiner for details. 

Eureka High Students students (and cousins) Sunny & Betty spoke to the group about the school's AVID program.

Former Rotary exchange student, Paula Willi, returned for a visit.  She thanked the club for allowing her the opportunity to live in our community and stated how the improvements she made here with her English has now allowed her become an international flight attendant with Swiss Air.....a very delightful girl indeed.

Carlton (yes, he’s still president) became a ‘cheese head’, donning the yellow plastic chapeau particular to Green Bay Packer fans.  It was no surprise to the crowd, who thought he’d been a cheese head all along. 

Larona (La’ Raw’ Nah) Farnum was recognized for recent favorable press about Timber Ridge in the Times Standard. $55. 

John Winzler was finally recognized for his firm’s new building.  He asked for mercy, because the firm was moving out a building he owned into one built by someone else.  Awww-let’s take up a collection.   He added that he was about to be recognized as Boy Scout Citizen of the Year.  Carlton sold him DVD worth $130. 

Then it was time for the drawing, which goes to fund the Humboldt County Science Fair.  Nancy Dean attended the annual ceremonies, and learned that our county has the highest number of science fair winners per capita in the state.  Money well spent. 

Our program speaker was Brent Ferguson of the Humboldt County Animal Shelter.  He said the shelter was built in 2004 when the Sequoia Humane Society got out of the animal control business.  They have housed 14,703 animals since them, and only euthanized 3%  (441).  That’s an excellent track record, especially since the facility is located next to a shooting range. Volunteers keep the rate down, moving animals to other shelters if the pound gets too full.  Stray animals and adoptable animals are featured on www.petharbor.com.  If your dog is missing, check the site.  Adopting a pet from the shelter is simple....a few pages of paperwork, an ok from your landlord, and $65-148 for a dog, $65-100 for a cat.  That includes spaying or neutering, de-worming, micro chipping, and a temperament test. Then they do the same thing to the your pet.  Remember, “Teaching a child not to step in dog doo is as valuable to the child as it is to your carpet…”

Faithfully submitted

By Hank Ingham

March 14, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

President Carlton and yet another interesting hat!

Don Smullin led the pledge of allegiance and Dan Price the invocation encouraging us to remember our friends in Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami.

Matt Messner  introduced Gary Hays from Rotary club Thailand and Kelly Lehman was the guest of Greg Bowen. 

Tim Gallagher introduced James Barnett and Nicole Castanzo with Youth Relay for Life (May 21-22).  They urged us to make donations to the event which has raised many thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society. 

President Elect Greg Pierson said our District Assembly is coming up April 1^st (no joke). Greg also encouraged us to sign up for Fireside Chats so that he can receive input for his term as president.

 

Steve Justus’ wife Deborah is recovering well from a stroke and broken wrist.  Steve commended St. Joseph Hospital for its compassionate care. Steve offered to pay another $190 toward another Paul Harris Fellowship.

Ken Stoddard’s grandson is going to send him to the poor house for winning the St. Bernard’s MVP for football and basketball and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.  Ken earned a Rotary coaster.

Brian Papstein took the podium and began the bidding for the NCAA tournament, which proved fun and went a bit slower than usual due to a few empty seats in the middle of the Wharfinger Building.

Respectfully Submitted,

Dan Price

March 7, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

February 28, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

It’s only 14 days until Daylight savings time. “Spring Forward, Fall Back”.  The plan is to spring forward just before the March 14^th meeting, timing it at precisely 12:30pm. It will then be 1:30pm and we can go.  It will then be the shortest and best Rotary Meeting of President Carlton’s Rotary Year.  The only way to get a shorter meeting would be to cross the international dateline when daylight savings time is implemented.  That’s been tried only once. There was a big flash of light, and when the smoke had cleared the club was missing 6 gold crowns, two wristwatches, a pair of reading glasses, and their treasurer.  (No one liked him anyway).  I digress.   

Greg Pierson gave us the invocation.  It was noted that former Rotarian and toy store owner Bill Beasley had passed away.  Pat Folkins reminded us of the upcoming Rotary dinner and raffle.   

Eureka High students asked for money to purchase 9 banners lauding the EHS athletic accomplishments in the past.  The banners are $185 each.   

Then President Nielsen put on his fining hat, a stiff brimmed vintage Mounties model.  
  

Burt Campton’s birthday was today, and he was sixty, so Carlton fined him $45.   

Neil Carnam was recognized for the groundbreaking of the new 12,000 square foot Winzler and Kelly Building.  He had to pay $85 while John Winzler, sitting right up front, escaped notice.  Now that’s delegation.   







Ken Stodder’s grandson, his leg healed, scored 19 points in a recent basketball game, so Ken paid out $20.  Ken may have to re-injure his grandson before he goes broke.   

John Bradley, co-chair of the membership committee, staged “A Minute For Members”.  Each table received a paper bag that contained a phone book, a few periodicals, and an index card with a summary of what constituted an ideal prospect for Rotary.  John then asked some questions, like “How many land surveyors are there in Eureka?” and the tables competed for the answers.  At the end each group had generated 10 names of prospective members.  Chuck Edwards then tore his phone book into 3 pieces.  It was a feat of strength.  The Warfinger front office crew, whose phone book it was, were not amused.   

Former member Mac Gardner introduced our program, boy Scouts Executive Director Suzie Smelzer.  Her topic was “The Eagles of Today and Tomorrow.”  Famous people who have attained the rank of Eagle Scout include 23 of the 29 original astronauts, Gerald Ford , Jimmy Stewart, and Henry Fonda.  Then members of our club who were eagle scouts then gave a short talk on what scouting meant to them. 


Ron Pierre, Jim Davis, Dale Stockly, Mike Brown, Kim Bauriedel, Paul Brisso and Ziggy Ziggenfuss were among those august few.  She then called attention to the guilded Egg and nest she had carefully crafted for each table. “ These represent the future  of scouting.”  She said.  Unfortunately, Dave Tyson had already broken open the egg at our table. “I was looking for the instructions…” he explained.  And so the meeting ended “not with a bang, but a whimper.”

Jim Davis shared his childhood scouting stories in upstate New York.

Ron Pierre speaks about his experiences in Scouting and the influence he had from his uncle who was both a scout and a Rotarian.

Paul Brisso recalled his family's commitment to scouting, noting how it taught him teamwork, respect, pride and integrity.

Reported with a few deviations from fact

By Hank Ingham

February 21, 2011
Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

There was no meeting today due to the President's Holiday.

February 14, 2011

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka

President Carlton Nielsen receives a Valentine's Day cookie and tulip from the lovely Rotaract ladies.

   

Carlton Nielsen, our revered president, took the helm once again on his titanic rotary year.  The honorable (by most accounts) Mike Brown was asked to do the pledge, and then Ron Pierre came to the podium for the invocation. 
 

Representatives from Eureka High, wearing yellow matching shirts, announced that April 13th was “Live Strong” day and that supporters of people living with cancer would be asking for donations.

 Bob Morse updated us on the Dictionary project that Rotary sponsors.  It provides 3^rd graders with books.  He singled out the aforementioned Mike Brown and his faithful companion Hank Ingham for traveling all the way to Van Duzen Elementary 20 miles past Bridgeville.  Mike related their harrowing adventures, the 10-foot snow drifts, hostile natives, and how they risked their lives crossing bottomless chasms by rope bridge to bring those 8 dictionaries to a passel of grateful ragamuffins.  Hank Ingham, at great expense, had produced a photograph of the occasion.  They then displayed bags of a mysterious green herb that had been given them by the appreciative town folk. 

On a totally unrelated note, Chuck Edwards has been appointed to a commission which will evaluate those who apply to open pot dispensaries in Eureka.   












Carlton announced that the District Assembly would be held April 2 in Ukiah.  A shared van is available for Friday evening through Saturday afternoon. 

Backpacks for Kids is switching to Grocery bags for kids because the backpacks aren’t being returned.  To donate a bale (400) of bags see Chuck Ellsworth and give him $50.   

Brian Papstein was recognized for donating the proceeds of the Trucker’s Parade, which is sponsored by KEKA.   

 Kim Bauriedel then came up and discussed happenings in Siberia.   

John Bartholomew introduced Phillip Smith Hanes, the county Administrative Officer.  He oversees the county’s $303 million dollar budget.  2/3 of that money is received from state and federal sources to support programs that are mandated by those same entities.  Only 1/3 is within county control.  The general fund is about $50 million of that.  The current sustainable level of funding covers only 92% of current expenditures.  Phillip hopes to fill the gap by employee negotiation (salary and benefit reductions) revenue enhancements (new taxes and fees) and community participation (putting up with reductions in basic services).  He noted that current county employees have 29-33% of their salaries matched by the county for their retirement.  Must be nice.

Reported by Hank Ingham.