Jul 28, 2014

Rotary Burl 7/28/2014

A scratchy version of “It’s a grand old flag” played over the loudspeakers followed by a bugle call. President Gregg Gardiner called on WWII veteran Ted Welton to lead the pledge and Bill McAuley gave the invocation. In mid-invocation another bugle call sounded. This year is over produced. The meal consisted of chile rellenos, Mexican casserole, chicken enchiladas, Ambrosia salad, and dessert. The president sat alone at the head table, looking forlorn. His birthday is in July, yet no one with a July birthday sat with him. Even the program speakers sat elsewhere. Apparently this is the year of Rodney Dangerfield.

“I don’t get no respect”, he mourned. He fined all the July birthdays $10. 

Kim Bauriedel complains
Kim Bauriedel objected pointing out that it’s up to the prez to announce the rules of decorum before the year begins. Gregg then announced that today was Milk Chocolate Day just to change the subject. Corky Cornwell volunteered to sit at the head table because he was retiring. Gregg then recognized him for wearing nothing but a fig leaf in a recent NC Journal photo. That doesn’t sound very retiring to me. Things were getting weird. Keith Crossley came up to do a new feature “The Foundation Minute” Rotarian Archie Klump of the Cleveland club started the Foundation in 1917 by contributing 26.50. In today’s money it would be $500.

Jesse Klair receives an award.
 The prez then called up Jesse Klair for rebuilding his McDonald’s store on 4th street in Eureka. It took 76 days and cost 2.6 million dollars. All the fixtures are LED lights. The old building was 43 years old, leaked, and had plumbing problems. Gregg presented him with two awards, a Toys For Tots Commander’s Award for feeding all the volunteers, and a Rotarian of the Month Award. Anyone who wants to tour the new facility can come this Thursday 7/31 between 4 and 7 pm. Then we got back on that “no respect” thing. First Gregg fined everyone who missed his first meeting $20. Then he asked each table to discuss the meaning of “respect”. Everyone pretended to do that. Finally he donned a purple Roman Toga and laurel crown and proclaimed himself Caesar.


Et Tu, Brute?
He made everyone shout “Hail Caesar Gregg”. Someone yelled “Where’s Brutus when we need him?” You may think I’m making this up, but even I couldn’t have come up with anything that strange.

Mercifully he ran out of president’s time, forgot to do the drawing, and introduced our speaker twice.

Greg Seiler discourses
 It was fellow club member Greg Seiler whose subject was the Humboldt Business Challenge, a new program to encourage entrepreneur development in our community. Humboldt Business Challenge provides a catalyst for discovering talented and aspiring entrepreneurs, vetting their ideas, and connecting them with the people and resources needed for them to flourish in Humboldt County. It replaces Economic Fuel a similar program started by Rob and Cheri Arkley 8 years ago. Of the 64 teams recognized in a local business competition over the last 8 years, 36 businesses continue to operate today. Thirty-three of those businesses remain headquartered in Humboldt County. Without the creation of the Humboldt Business Challenge, there would be no other catalyst to carry on this successful tradition. This contest will be open to all would-be entrepreneurs, regardless of age or schooling.

Target date for the start is September 3rd. It will culminate in a trade show in 2015. For more information contact Greg Seiler. Talking points: Is our fearless leader a few stories short of a complete issue? More next week.
Submitted by Hank Ingham

Jul 22, 2014

Rotary Burl July 21 2014

Burl 7/21/14
You could tell that things were going to be different this year, the year of President Gregg Gardiner, when what appeared to be secret service agents greeted us at the door. Inside, once you got past the table heaped with 101 Things to Do publications, lapel pins and new rosters, all the dining tables had tablecloths and real napkins. On the podium was the great seal of the President of Eureka Rotary. The food hadn’t changed. Fried Chicken, beef tenderloin, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, salad bar and chocolate cake. Steve Allen was standing at the podium. He said he was Gregg Gardiner’s press secretary and proceeded to announce the arrival of the President and his entourage.

“Hail to the Chief” played over the loudspeakers as Gregg entered flanked by ersatz secret service agents played by Rotaract members. We all stood as “God bless America” played and he tried to get the club to sing along. They were awful. He called on Ken Stodder to lead the pledge, and Lisa Slack then gave the invocation, which was preceded by an Ode To Gregg. It went something like this: “I’m the president of Rotary, and my name has not two g’s but three. When they say “It’s spelled Gregg? You are pulling my legg!” I say that it’s gnus to mee.” Then Gregg was sworn into office by PP Will Kay, who used a copy of Alice in Wonderland in lieu of a bible. President Gregg said that due to a tight budget this year’s roster was privately funded by Greg and Hank Pierson, Glenn Goldan, and Lane Strope. PP Kim Bauriedel then commented that the great seal should say “President of the Rotary Club of Eureka” rather than “President of Eureka Rotary”. PP Pat Folkins concurred and fined Gregg 101 dollars.

Gregg reminded us of the District Governor’s visit on August 4th. Also this coming Friday at The Ingomar Club pool there will be an opportunity for fellowship from 5pm until someone falls in the pool. It counts as a make-up. Keith Crossley brought Kathy Cloney Gardiner and her daughter Kate Dimmick to the podium. Kate was presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship by her stepfather Gregg. Finally Gregg asked everyone who had picked up one of his publications at the entrance table to stand. Those who remained seated had to put $5 on the table. Then it was time for the Spengler Howard Science Fair drawing. It’s different this year. The first winner gets a bottle of wine. The second winner gets to draw from a deck of cards. If he draws the joker he gets the pot. If not $10 is added to the pot.

Our speaker was Superintendent of Eureka City Schools Dr. Fred VanVleck. He talked about the need for funds to renovate facilities. There are 10 school sites in the Eureka District and all are over 50 years old. They have leaky roofs, outdated electrical systems and funky restrooms. He stressed the need for up to date classrooms that can help students prepare for and compete in the competitive job market. He would like to bolster our vocational training: Mechanics, culinary arts, welding and woodworking. A bond measure is being proposed for the November ballot. Measure S will provide funds to improve and update facilities and equipment. Anyone with questions can contact him at vanvleckf@eurekacityschools.org. Gregg closed with a quote from Benjamin Franklin and asked us all to bring a guest to Rotary. The meeting ended on time. Submitted by Hank Ingham

Rotary Burl July 14 2014

July 14, 2014




This was the first meeting of Gregg Gardiner’s year as president, and also the first time we met off-site in at least a year.



No chairs unless you brought one.
 The location was Lost Coast’s new brewery, under construction just off Broadway next to Tetrault Tire. Gregg did not attend because he was in Tahiti with his wife on a trip she had planned a year ago. (Happy wife=happy life). No chairs were provided, no toilets and no water. It was like camping indoors.


President Elect Jay Bahner
Jay Bahner was asked to fill in. We met in the soon to be completed meeting room upstairs. It was BYOC – bring your own chair. Lunch was catered sandwiches in black Styrofoam. No drinks. Chuck Ellsworth led the salute to the flag and Dan Price gave the invocation, asking special prayers for Wayne Wilson, who is in ICU.

Barbara Groom and Jay
Our speaker was Barbara Groom, owner of Lost Coast Brewery. She came to the north coast in 1977. 10 years ago she began looking for property to build a new brewery.
Several deals fell through before she found a piece with industrial zoning, and then it took three years to get the plans through the city planning department. She hired an architect from Portland, but he designed a fancy brick palace for her. She fired him and got a designer builder to give her the look that she wanted –that of an old warehouse on the waterfront. She took us on a brief tour.
Fermentation tanks
First stop, the mash tuns, where the mashed grain is steeped in water to extract the sugars. . The tanks were huge, and had to be shipped by truck from Stockton through Richardson’s Grove. Apparently there is a video on Youtube. Then we went to the fermenter where yeast consume the sugars and produce alcohol - making beer.

Finally
The club goes off site
beer goes into another tank to be carbonated, and pumped to the bottling line or the keg filling line. In the center is a big cooler where the cases of beer and kegs are stored until they are ready to be shipped out. A lot of the construction was done by O & M industries and Mercer Frasier. The plant is about a month away from completion. When it’s done it will produce 300,000 barrels of beer a year. The old brewery had a capacity of 70,000 barrels. A barrel = 30 gallons. Tragically, no beer samples were available.

Submitted by Hank Ingham

 


 

 


 

Jul 7, 2014

Meeting of the Rotary Club of Eureka
July 7, 2014

The Club was dark in honor of the 4th of July holiday.