Rotary Club of Eureka, California

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka
December 12, 2011

What you missed: Honey ham, properly cooked green beans, mashed potatoes, a salad with mixed greens and feta in a vinaigrette, and a white cake with chocolate frosting.

Former Rotarian and infrequent visitor Ron Pilleggi was picked by our fearless leader to do the flag salute.  Dan Heinen gave the invocation.   

Members of the EHS Limited Edition Choir

Young people in black pants, maroon vests and at least in one case, white spats, were sprinkled about the room. I didn’t even know they made spats anymore.  Maybe they are coming back.   They were the Limited Edition, the elite singing group from Eureka High School, led by Mr. Young, the gregarious music teacher.  They were first up, because they had to get back to school, and sung such favorites as “What Child is This”  Let it Snow, I’ll be home for Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock”.

Matthew Owen’s daughter Molly sang a solo.  They followed with the humorous “Twelve Days After Christmas” which included the slow strangulation of two turtle doves.  Mr. Young announced that the group was going to Fullerton in March to attend the vocal jazz festival there.  Additional funding would be nice.  He’d like to send them to France or Italy next year. I’d like to go too.  They ended with my personal favorite “Carol of the Bells” which, as we all know, is about a hunchback named Carol who is confined to the bell tower of Notre Dame.  The football team rescues her at the end of the song.  It was rousing.   

Recognitions included Matthew Owen for his daughter’s solo, John Bradley for his 45^th anniversary, and Wayne Wilson for his 57^th.  Our exchange student from Brazil gave a glowing report of the truckers’ parade, which we then recognized Brian Papstein for, who in turn singled out Dale Warmuth, whose efforts on behalf of the Boys and Girls Club were rewarded by the proceeds from the Parade being donated to the teen center.   

Bob Robinson, new varsity basketball coach at EHS came to the podium to accept a $2,000 check to sponsor the Logger Classic.    

Steve Justus then gave a very thorough five-minute introduction to our newest Paul Harris Fellow Stephanie Rupp Haley.  She is Bruce Rupp’s daughter.   

Matthew Owen was then asked to stand once again because he helped Wells Fargo Bank dole out $10,000 to local teachers.  His wife Virginia Bass was just appointed chair of the board of Supervisors.  

In a remarkable milestone Greg Pierson managed to become the first president ever to have Limited Edition as his program and fail to let the club out early.  This just in: spell check has revealed the true names of  the following: Greg Piercing, Ron Pillage, Dan Heifer, Matthew Oxen, Dale Warmth, and Brian Pap stein.  The name “Rupp” passed inspection.

‘Til next time,

Hank Ingham

Supervisor Bass & Chuck Ellsworth