NEXT MEETING: July 8, 2015. No meeting next Friday.

Eject the Englishman on July 8th

alan-blavins-catfish-300Come one, come all! It’s time to throw out the Englishman!!  Come see the premiere of “The Alan Blavins Story: Fact or Fish Tale?”   The Demotion of Alan Blavins also ushers in the reign of our next president, Josh Surowitz.

MEETING OF

Welcome

Prez Alan Blavins (for the last time) rang the bell and welcomed all to the Happiest Rotary Club in Richmond. Nick Despota led us in the Pledge with Alan offering a moment for Peace and Good Will to all. Sid Chauvin offered “Old Age is coming at a really bad time!”

Announcements

  • We are not meeting on July 1st. Come celebrate American Independence the following week, as we restore American rule to the Richmond Rotary (see above).
  • Alan Baer reminded all about the A’s game on 7/23. Let him know if you would like to attend.
  • Hercules Rotary invites all to participate in their 4th of July Celebration. You can volunteer to assist or just come out and have a good time.
  • Henry Moe thanked the Club for sponsoring 2 students to attend Camp Royal. Henry also wanted everyone to know that the Bay Area InterAct Clubs are working together to provide items for the Homeless in Berkeley. Donations can be made to Henry or sent to David Brown with a note that the funds go to the homeless project.
  • On July 15th we will not meet at the Richmond County Club so stay tuned for the knife and fork venue for that date. It’s your call, incoming prez Josh Surowitz

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Stacey Street introduced our speaker Jasmine Tarkoff the co-convener of the Multi-Faith ACTION Coalition which is working together to address the root causes of poverty through public policy change and advocacy. Jasmine is also Executive Vice President of Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. The work of the MFAC is through its committees: Housing/Shelter; Food Security; Jobs and Economic Security; Education and Health. They are working on issues like minimum wage, health care for the undocumented, low cost housing shortage, and housing for veterans and those with housing subsidies. To address these issues they are working on the following initiatives: Asking landlords to make 1 unit or 1% of their units available for veterans or folks with subsidies; establish a Housing Security Fund; Junior Assessing Dwelling Units; spreading the word about the issue (132,000 people in Contra Costa County live below the poverty level); and by bringing on more people to work on the issue. I believe at the end of the meeting Jasmine and Jerry Feagley were planning on meeting to see what could be done in Richmond.

If you like to learn more about the work of the Multi-Faith Action Coalition and how to contact the organization, please download its brochure.


- The Menehune “Rotating Editor”

NEXT MEETING: June 24, 2016

The Contra Costa Housing Crisis – Challenges and Solutions

Jasmine Tarkoff Ruach Byline HeadshotJasmine Tarkoff is the co-convener of the Multi-faith ACTION Coalition, a group of Contra Costa County residents working together to address the root causes of poverty through advocacy and public policy change. Jasmine also serves as the Executive Vice President of Temple Isaiah in Lafayette overseeing their social action and community organizing initiatives.

Jasmine will offer her insights about the housing crisis in Contra Costa County and engage us in a discussion about what we can do together to address it.

MEETING OF June 17, 2016

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order, asked a club member from the back of the room to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and asked Alan Baer to lead us in a silent prayer for peace. Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered the quote of the day: “Sometimes, I drink a glass of water to surprise my liver!” (Let the record reflect that immediately after, your Scribe promptly delivered a glass of water to Sid. Surprise!!)

Announcements

  • Alan Baer reminded us to sign up for and attend the family-friendly July 23 A’s baseball game and tailgate party. Contact Alan for more details.
  • Pam Jones is looking forward to see those who signed up for the annual bocce ball tournament on June 18 in Martinez.
  • Ric Ambrose announced the following: Jan Brown will celebrate her 50th+ birthday on June 18 and Gonzalo Ochoa celebrates his 3rd year as a member of our happy club. Yippeeeee!
  • David Brown shared a nice thank you letter from the Rotoplast project.
  • David also reminded us to pay our Rotary dues!
  • Shana Bagley Howe announced that today there will be a dedication of the Richmond Law Library to David Del Simone.
  • President Alan Blavins is just finishing a portrait for the Young family.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Fostering Love of Learning through Reading and Storytelling

President Alan Blavins introduced the lovely Ruth Major, the executive director of Read-Aloud Volunteer Program. The Program is a relationship-based program that fosters in children the joy and love of learning through reading and story-telling.

Literacy is a key skill that impacts a child’s school readiness and later academic success. One-on-one interactions over time provide children and adults with meaningful relationships. This relationship supports the child’s developing skills, allowing the child to read at their own pace without classroom and peer pressures. It gives them time to be curious, to experiment, to explore what is read.

The volunteers run the program at the following local elementary schools: Coronado, Dover, Downer, Montalvin Manor, and Washington. The more volunteers they have, the more children they can reach. Currently, they are reading to about 350 students a year. Each student receives books to take home and share with family and friends.

For more info, visit http://read-aloud.org/ (website), or info@read-aloud.org (email), or call 510-237-0735.

To make a donation, go to http://read-aloud.org/donate/

To apply to be a volunteer: http://read-aloud.org/volunteer/apply-to-volunteer/

And for several links to great reading resources (and bi-lingual books!) visit: http://read-aloud.org/about/links/


- Shana Bagley Howe, tu Escribita
(“A book is a gift that you can open over and over.” – Garrison Keilor)

NEXT MEETING: June 17, 2016

Fostering Love of Learning through Reading and Storytelling

kids-story-illustrationThe executive director of the Read-Aloud Volunteer Program, Ruth Major, will discuss this “elegantly simple but potent tool for literacy.” Read Aloud is a relationship-based program that fosters young children’s curiosity and joy in learning. Since 1995, the program has supported K-2 children in Title 1 schools in Richmond and San Pablo. Some of the volunteer readers have been with the program since its inception. Many feel it is the highlight of their week to be with the children in the schools.

Read-Aloud is about social justice and equity for children and families. Giving children the opportunity to have their own books, one-on-one adult and child time, space for children to develop at their own pace, and the pure joy of reading are what makes the program vibrant. Children go from being beginning readers to seeing themselves as learning to read with books of their own.

MEETING OF

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order, asked a club member from the back of the room to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and asked Alan Baer to lead us in a silent prayer for peace. Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered the quote of the day: “If there is a bar where everyone knows your name, you’re probably an alcoholic!”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Program Chair Stacey Street brought Shabnaz Yousefia

Sid Chauvin brought Joe Kelman

Visiting Rotarian Vicki Whiting is from the Sonoma Valley Rotary and was today’s speaker. She is also the former president of her club and the incoming Assistant District Governor.

Announcements

•    Assistant District Governor Alan Baer announced that July 23, 2016, there is a group going to tailgate and to watch the Oakland A’s.  There will be fireworks, hot dogs, and family fun. Please contact Alan for more information.
•    Alan Baer announced that June 18, 2016, Richmond Rotary will have a team in the bocce ball tournament in Martinez.  If you wish to play, please contact Alan Baer or Pam Jones.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

vicki-whitingProgram Chair Stacey Street introduced Vicki Whiting, the publisher and editor of KidscoopNews. Her mission is to awaken in children the magic of reading. She runs a non-profit organization that publishes a newspaper in the Bay Area geared toward 2nd through 8th graders (including Washington Elementary and Grant Elementary) to encourage them to read and to make reading fun. Only 37% of Richmond 3rd graders are reading at grade level. Increased reading ability creates increase success. This program helps the children learn to read and to enjoy reading. The sample KidscoopNews provided at the meeting was also fun for adults to read.

Check it out here: http://www.kidscoopnews.com/

 


Finally, this week's rotating scribe, Shana Bagley Howe, who knows a thing or two about writing, offers this reminder: "Let's eat grandma. Let's eat, grandma. Punctuation saves lives!"

NEXT MEETING: June 10, 2016

Vicki Whiting: Rotary + Reading = Successful Kids!

The more kids read the better they succeed. Today our community is facing a literacy crisis. More than half of elementary aged students do not read at grade level by the end of third grade. Former teacher and now successful syndicated author, Vicki Whiting, will present the issue of literacy, why it is important and how Rotary Clubs around the country are working to make a difference in the lives of children. Vicki is also a member of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley, a past president of her club and she will be Assistant District Governor of District 5130 starting in July 2016.  Learn more about Vicki Whiting at Kids Scoop News

MEETING OF June 3, 2016

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order and asked Nick Despota to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. In Sid Chauvin’s absence, President Alan provided the thought for the day: “If love is blind, then why is lingerie so popular?”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

  • Simon Ellis introduced his guest, visiting Rotarian Josue Rodriguez, Manager of the First Bank of San Pablo.
  • Oscar Garcia introduced Amit Patel, General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott in Richmond and new Chair of the Board of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. Prez Alan noted that he is also considering joining Richmond Rotary!

Oscar Garcia: Who Are You?

Members learned more about Oscar Garcia through his “Who Am I?” Oscar was born at Richmond Hospital and raised in Richmond in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and most of his family lived in the Iron Triangle. He went to Lincoln, Helms and then graduated from Kennedy High School. His mother instilled in him and his siblings the importance of education, and all of them went to excellent colleges. Oscar himself went to University of California, Berkeley (Go Bears!) and majored in Chemical Engineering. He decided when he graduated to focus on Environmental Engineering, and was a consultant for several years. His consulting work took him to Brazil where he lived and worked for four years, and was able to experience the World Cup and four Carnavals (wow!), and became fluent in Portuguese (he was already fluent in Spanish). Fast forward to 2012 when Oscar joined Chevron Refinery as an environmental engineer. He moved to San Ramon to work on a special program just last year. Oscar’s main hobbies are travel in Europe, Central America and South America (he highly recommends visiting Machu Pichu!), spending time with his very large family in Richmond and Concord, especially mentoring his two nieces and two nephews, and volunteering as a Richmond Police Commissioner, along with fellow Rotarians David Brown and Felix Hunziker.

Announcements

  • Don Lau explained that a very large and pretty paper doll did not belong to President Alan Blavins but was actually a special thank you card made by the Teen Moms from Kennedy High School for the special gift baskets assembled and delivered by Richmond Rotarians for Mother’s Day. He passed around thank you cards for members to see signed by all the Moms.
  • David Brown announced that dues are due! David is happy to run anyone’s credit card for membership dues ($200) or the optional $100 donation.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Touching the Lives of Veterans with Music

Lilian Koziol introduced Richard Harrell, Director of Heroes’ Voices, a service organization for veterans. Richard has had a long career in classical music performance and education, having been the Director for the Juliard and San Francisco Opera Centers (he worked at SF Opera at the same time as today’s scribe, in fact!), as well as at New National Theater in Tokyo. He has directed more than sixty opera productions around the world, has been a judge for numerous vocal competitions and has been a longtime voice teacher and opera singer. Rick added that his father was practically a career Rotarian in Oklahoma and even started a club when they moved to a smaller town in Virginia. Rick recently joined San Francisco Rotary, after starting Heroes’ Voices, and his club has been a big supporter.

After realizing the power of music to connect and heal, he started Heroes’ Voices in particular to help the more than 600,000 veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain and other injuries, as well as other veterans from Viet Nam, Korea and even WWII in need of help. The organization brings veterans together and creates a community through free singing lessons and opportunities, guitar lessons and poetry workshops. These take place mostly at VAs, and in some prisons, but they have also formed a Guitar Corps at the Veterans Memorial Building in San Francisco, open to all community members and veterans. Heroes’ Voices also creates active partnerships with other organizations, sponsors research and provides soothing, acute and hospice care. Rick shared moving photos, stories and quotes from veterans who had participated and benefitted. He hopes as the organization grows, and develops a sustainable source of funding and infrastructure, to reach more veterans in the community. He ended with a quote from a Viet Nam Veteran: “After several years of silence, I now sing in the shower and in my heart.” www.heroesvoices.org.

 


- Stacey Street, Rotating Editor

NEXT MEETING: June 3, 2016

Touching the Lives of Veterans with Music

RichardHarellRichard Harrell, Director of Opera San Francisco Conservatory, will talk about Heroes’ Voices, an organization he founded “to create venues and opportunities for veterans to make music together and with other people, to help them connect with community.”

One of the greatest challenges that veterans face when returning home is how to reconnect with their communities. Veterans often feel isolation, even disorientation after leaving a war zone and military service to return to civilian life. Complicating this, over 500,000 veterans have, or will return from Iraq and Afghanistan with some level of traumatic brain injury, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or both. Music therapy is a powerful tool for treating battle-related brain injuries and enduring psychological traumas

MEETING OF May 27, 2016

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order and asked Henry Moe to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Sid Chauvin’s thought for the day: “I am absolutely convinced that the socks that go missing from the dryer turn into extra Tupperware lids.”

Announcements

Alas, announcements were made but none were recorded for publication here. But here’s the good news: if you have an event that you’d like to publicize to the club, come to this Friday’s meeting and announce-away. First announcement free. One dollar per announcement thereafter, unless you sprinkle it with foreign phrases—C’est la vie—or words of more than 5 syllables. They’re extra. But no announcements will be silenced for lack of funds.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Putting Richmond Students First

Your Scribe had the pleasure of “formally” introducing her husband, Don Benham, an accomplished professional trombonist and music teacher. Other than serving as principal trombonist in several Bay Area orchestras including California Symphony and teaching music at the Amethod Public Schools, Don enjoys long-distance running and vintage cars.

The “curtain” opened on 60 Third Graders from Benito Juarez Elementary School poised to play violin, and Don led them (while playing his baritone) in several exercises, including scales, as well as recognizable songs such as that one about the little lamb… The kids did a wonderful job and received a standing ovation!

children-violinists

Next Don introduced Jorge Lopez, CEO of Amethod Public Schools (AMPS). Jorge was born and raised in Richmond, the first in his family born in the US. He shared some of his own history, including some amusing anecdotes, which was challenging, and how ultimately his mother’s will that he have an education enabled him to persevere and not only graduate from high school but go on to college and a master’s degree. Jorge has taught in many different school districts, and came to the Amethod Public Schools in 2004 when he took over Oakland Charter School. It was struggling, with some of the lowest test scores in the state, but Jorge and his team changed the structure and focus, and it became a National Blue Ribbon winner in 2007. Since then, Amthod Public Schools have expanded to include two other schools in Oakland, Downtown Charter Academy and Oakland Charter High School, and three schools in Richmond, Benito Juarez Elementary, Richmond Charter Academy and John Henry High School. Ultimately, Jorge feels his job is to offer all kids an opportunity – especially those who don’t have any – and to teach them the values and rewards of grit, determination and hard work. Visit the organization’s website for more information about Amethod Public Schools.


- Stacey Street, Rotating Editor