Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka
(all errors, omissions, and bad jokes are solely my responsibility –j)
Lunch: Chow mein, soy sauce pork, sugar cookie
Weather: 57 degrees and overcast
S&P 1303.02 President Pierson called the meeting to order.
Pledge: Yours Truly
Invocation: Ryan Fray
Visiting Rotarians
Bob Caldwell, Bob from Fortuna, and Zoran and Helene Saiovich from Louisiana
No student guests.
Birthdays and Anniversaries are in the book, Jason Eads owes $10 for not sitting up front.
Secretary Dan Heinen was thanked for 5 years of service to our club.
Roster errors were made. Corrective labels were prepared. World Service is now Vocational service.
Extra rosters are available for a $20 Backpacks Contribution.
PP Bauriedel reminded President Pierson to note guests
Gary Todoroff brought Rob Fowler from South Africa.
Ted Loring brought his wife Anne.
Nancy Dean brought Elizabeth Schwartz, mother of Jasmine, an outbound exchange student.
Bob Green brought John and Julie Mastroni, outbound student Mitch’s parents.
Forms were distributed for front line service members our club is related to for care packages, to be distributed during President Pierson’s term. Ron Pierre will collect them.
President Elect Nancy Dean mentioned next Thursdays youth exchange meeting. The Bad-7 am. The Good-the eating is at The Chalet (omelettes!).
Eureka Rotary will sponsor two outbound students: Imogene Carson & Mitch Mastroni. Old Town is sponsoring Jasmine Schwartz. Mitch wants to learn Italian so he can understand his relatives and implied he was second place in a two-person race for exchange student. Frontrunner Imogene is going to Norway and did not say “like,” even once. Jasmine is going on exchange to Sicily and will be joining the mob going to a science school.
Carol Riche chaired small grants last year. 5 small grants are still being awarded. Two came today-American Red Cross and KEET. Barbara Caldwell of the Red Cross thanked us for our $1000 grant, which will go to upgrade the computers at their facility. Sam Greene of KEET thanked us for the $300 grant which will go to homework hotline. Homework hotline is used much like the internet, but slower and more expensive a wonderful educational opportunity.
Fred says Dave Parris was a great Logger (high schooler), is a great fisherman, a good guy, and will be a great Rotarian. Applause.
Glen Goldan introduced Greg Siler. He loves to fish (??) and will get his blue badge shortly.
RECOGNITIONS—it’s Rotary Hard Hat Time!
PP Tom Schallert-Your daughter graduated college? The blood bank was re-accredited? You won the Upton-Hemphill Award? You brought Rotary banners from Nigeria? That’s $145 and some Nigerian money, in return for a tape measure.
Chris Freeman-California Redwood bought a company? Based in Ukiah? $145, free tape measure.
Ray Wickel-Spending time in Myers Flat? With a Dutch Top Gun? $25 for knowing him, $25 more for not bringing him.
Chuck Edwards-Traveling 6000 miles filming a documentary? Mocking the Midwest? $75.
The district governor will be here next week. President Pierson reminds you to show up and wear big boy pants.
GAMBLING INTERLUDE
$10 Mystery Guest $10 J.H.
PROGRAM
Ted Loring introduced Scott Loring, his son and our returning exchange student from Italy. He attended a debunking and it turns out that even Italian Rotarians need more, younger members. Scott will attend the University of Chicago in the fall. Here’s Scott: Lecco Italy has three Rotary clubs. Located in the north, near Switzerland, it is the largest and most important Italian state. Scott lived on a lake, in a wealthy, conservative community. The north is borderline separationist, its popular political movement is Lega Nord, which would like to keep all local money from flowing to Rome. Italians are regionalists, not nationalists. Scott attended class with, based on his photographs, only attractive Italian women. School is 6 days per week, but again, his class consisted entirely of attractive Italian women. He attended an ‘art’ school, which means the same thing in Italy as it does in the US. Italians speak English well and Italian even better. All his teachers loved him and graffiti was encouraged. Silly Italians. Scott’s school was in lousy shape, but the prestigious school nearby has much nicer facilities. Which is why you should avoid art school. Private school in Italy is easy, public school is hard. Society is more egalitarian and monocultural than in the US. Scott’s art aptitude, sadly, did not improve. Italians live at home until marriage, and tend not to move away from their community ever. Scott skied all winter, and did quite a bit of travelling. Octoberfest was fun and Scott drank some good beer. A visit to Slovenia? Why not!
Scott’s Italian Life Experiences: cliff jumping, swimming with jellyfish, cheering for lousy soccer teams, hiking the alps, basic social graces, teaching English, cooking a turkey, making friends, corrupting German youth. Scott thanks all of the Eureka Rotary club members for showing him a whole new world.
An Italian Rotary meeting.
His most memorable events included seeing Napoleon’s crown, Joe Biden’s limo, and the beautiful countryside. Italian Rotarians are formal, wearing suit coats and Rotary pins, and are not as involved in their local community. Rotary is different from here in that they are older and richer. He was being sincere about this. Basically, it’s Methuselah and Midas enjoying a 5-course meal together. Applause.
Due to the difficulty of procuring them, Rotary photos are no more. Inspirational books are now the standard. Scott signed the library book we donate in his honor, President Pierson thanked him, and the meeting ended 4 minutes early.
Scott Loring, return exchange student from Italy
Respectfully submitted,
John Harper
Respectfully submitted,
John Harper
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