NEXT MEETING: September 7, 2018

Calle 23, the 23rd Revitalization Initiative

Richmond Darlene Rios Drapkin has been managing Calle 23, 23rd Street Revitalization, a comprehensive community-driven initiative to develop the economic potential of Richmond’s 23rd Street commercial corridor. Its objective is to make the commercial district more pedestrian friendly for its residents, build upon the sense of community and attract new shoppers. She’ll share successes to date and the challenges of this ambitious undertaking.

MEETING OF August 24, 2018

Welcome

Prez Jerry called the meeting to order in the Community Room at The Shops at Hilltop. Mark Howe led us with the Pledge and Herb Cole offered a prayer for Peace, Freedom and Justice. Tamara Shiloh (playing the role of Sid Chauvin) offered: Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? They have the same enemy “The Mother”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Alan Baer brought as his guest his daughter Stephanie.

Announcements

• The Club is dark next Friday because of the Memorial Day Holiday. See you on September 7.
• Alan Baer reminded all that Rotary Day at Memorial Stadium will be on 9/29. $30. Bears versus Ducks. To purchase tickets: rkristor@Berkeley.edu
• San Pablo Rotary BBQ and Potluck 9/22 @ Kennedy Grove 12-4pm RSVP: carsbybob@aol.com
• Jan Brown was happy to announce that Rotarian (grandson of Dave Calfee) Ethan Heinrich was married on July 21, 2018. He and his wife Nikita live in San Carlos. Hopefully, Ethan will come by for a visit soon.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

The Center for Enamel Art

Program Chair Darlene Drapkin introduced our speaker Judy Stone, founder and board president of the non-profit Center for Enamel Art. Judy formed the Center to provide a hub for educating and inspiring people about enameling.

Unfortunately, we were not able to view her Power Point presentation, but did receive handouts with pictures of the art pieces. You can download the presentation here. (7MB, Power Point)

Enameling is the process that fuses glass and metal using high heat. The Center currently has a 1,000 square foot facility in Santa Rosa, but Judy is hoping to open a site in Richmond on Macdonald Ave. This site would have space for workshops, an art gallery, sell products, and have meeting space maybe even a coffee shop. Judy is looking for help including board members, donors, folks to help with securing the building in Richmond, and participate in workshops.

If you want to help or learn more visit https://www.enamelcenter.org/

NEXT MEETING: August 24, 2018
This meeting wil be at Hilltop Mall. Directions below.

The Center for Enamel Art

Judy Stone, founder and board president of the non-profit Center for Enamel Art, is a passionate advocate for enameling. Fusing glass to metal with high heat defines this medium but few people know about or recognize it. The word ‘enamel’ often gets confused with paint or the stuff on our teeth.

The Center, which Judy started 5 years ago, has an ambitious mission and a detailed plan to accomplish that mission. A wide array of programs including workshops, exhibitions, lectures and symposia, that can present enameling in all its variations and forms, is a great step toward building interest in the medium. What the Center needs now is a home. Could that home be in Richmond?

MEETING OF August 17, 2018

Welcome

President, Jerry Feagley welcomed everyone to the friendly Richmond Rotary Club. Sid reminded us that “a truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour”.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Simon Ellis introduced his son, Matt.

Stacey Street introduced her guest, Melinda McCrary, Executive Director of the Richmond History Museum.

Announcements

• Friday’s meeting will be at the Conference Room of the Shops at Hilltop Mall. It will be catered by Café Soleil. Don’t go to the Richmond Country Club.Directions to the mall. Once there, park between Walmart and the old JC Penney. Use the main entrance by the Richmond Police substation. Take the elevator to the second level, and the conference room is to the left of the main Shops at Hilltop office
• Alan Baer announced these events and activities:
  – A Rotary event at Cal Bears vs. University of Oregon Ducks on September 29^th.
  – San Pablo Rotary is sponsoring a BBQ Potluck
• Melinda McCrary notified us that the Richmond History Museum currently is exhibiting “Pioneers to the Present: Jews of Richmond and Contra Costa County”
• Melinda also mentioned a fundraiser dinner on September 7^th with profits going to a program that provides funding for kids to get to the museum.
• Edgar DeLeon is collecting ties for Armand Carr’s non profit organization called “All Tied Up”. He is also raising $900 for Armand and one student to go to Florida for an event.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Riggers Loft Wine Company

Our guest speakers were Barbara and Kevin Brown from Rigger’s Lot and R&B Cellars. They offered us three tastings of wine: 1) White Improviser (a viognier blend with grapes from Lake County), 2) Roulade en Rose (the best one). 3) Red Improviser. During the tastings, Kevin and Barbara recounted the startof R&B Cellars. They started with a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon in 1997 issuing 425 cases, and now they are issuing 20,000 cases in 20 varietals. They have named all the wines for musical terms because that is their mutual interest.

They plan to open Bocce Ball courts, and fire pits soon. They are also proud of the two Osprey parents who continue to return to their nest on the Whirley Crane next to the RedOak Victory Ship.

NEXT MEETING: August 17, 2018

Riggers Loft Wine Company

Kevin and Barbara Brown, owners and winemakers of R&B Cellars, and owners of Riggers Loft Wine Company, tell their story of being in the wine business. In particular, they will discuss their latest chapter at Riggers Loft Wine Company, and what it means to them to be part of the vibrant Richmond community. Kevin and Barbara will also bring R&B Cellars wine for those in attendance to taste!

MEETING OF August 10, 2018

Welcome

Meeting called to order by President What’s-his-name* Pledge was led by Jim Findley, and the invocation was given by Herb. Syd’s Thought-for-the-day was “Did you ever wonder whether your purpose in life was to act as a warning to everyone else?”

We welcomed one visiting Rotarian, Jan Feagley from El Cerrito Rotary.

Our guest list was long this week. Undoubtedly they came to hear our Congressional Representative, Mark DeSaulnier:

Announcements

David was happy to report that last week we raised $3,100 to send to the Shasta Community Foundation to help with wildfire recovery. But, hold your horses, with contributions made today, we’ll be sending $3,500!

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Congressman DeSaulnier

Our speaker was introduced by Darlene, who, apparently anticipating that someday she would be in charge of programs, promised herself when she jointed Rotary that one of her first programs would be Congressman Mark DeSaulnier.

Congressman DeSaulnier touched on a number of issues facing Congress:

Working with Mayor Butt, Congressman Desaulnier talked the Postal Service into retaining Richmond’s downtown post office, which had been slated for closure.

Congressman DeSaulnier also addressed the controversial topic of Immigration. He and several other Representatives visited border crossings and shelters to see for themselves the problems, especially those caused by the separation of children from their families. Congressman DeSaulnier said that there have been and are now pending several bipartisan bills that would address the immigration mess and that would pass with broad support, but that the Republican leadership won’t let them come to a vote because they prefer to use immigration as a wedge issue.

The Congressman also talked about economic inequality, transportation and infrastructure, and answered several questions.

*That’s Jerry Feagley, whose self-given nickname is What’s-his-name.

NEXT MEETING: August 10, 2018

A VIsit from Congressman DeSaulnier

This Friday we are honored to be hosting US Congressman DeSaulnier, serving the 11th Congressional District. Congressman DeSaulnier will give us an update on his recent work in Congress: bills he’s supporting and opposing, his recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, and whatever else he cares to share about the state of the nation and its relation to our local community.

MEETING OF August 3, 2018

Welcome

President Jerry welcomed everyone and reminded us of the Rotary International “elevator speech”—a very succinct statement of what the Rotary is and what we do:

“We’re a leadership organization of local business, professional and civic leaders. We meet regularly, get to know each other, form friendships, and through that, we’re able to get things done in this community. “

Jan Brown led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Sid reminded us to “Never buy a car you cannot push”.

Announcements

• Important: We expect to have a very full attendance next Friday for Congressman DeSaulnier’s visit. Therefore please send Jerry an email now (jfeagley4@gmail.com) so that he can advise the Country Club managers to prepare for a larger than usual attendance.
• David Brown encouraged us to give till it hurts to help our fellow Rotarians affected by devastating wildfires in the Redding area. Several members made donations during the meeting, others have or plan to give in the coming days.
• Don’t forget to take some of those unused ties out of the closet. President Jerry Feagley is collecting them for All Tied Up, the non-profit operated by Armand Carr, a local radio host who offers job development consoling for young people in disadvantaged communities.
• Henry Moe notified us that our club’s obligation to provide dinners to Rotocare staff for the month of July was successfully completed with free meals provided by the following restaurants:
  – El Sol
  – La Strada
  – Catering by Mary Jane
  – Café Soleil

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Impressions from the Middle East, from Rafael Cartagena

Jerry Feagley introduced our speaker, Rafael Cartagena of the El Cerrito Rotary Club.

Rafael shared a 5-minute video, a 60 Minutes segment, that looked at conditions for laborers in one Middle Eastern country.  After the video played, he recounted his impressions from Dubai, Qatar, and Kuwait. He discussed his impressions of women’s evolving status and workforce issues. Some of the takeaways for this scribe were:

• All three countries are extremeley male-dominated. Most women (except the very rich) are treated like lesser citizens.
• Everywhere you look in Dubai they are building sky-scrapers. The laborers are treated like slaves and earn practically nothing to do a very dangerous job (with no care taken for safety procedures). They are required to work 12-hour shifts (there are two 12-hour shifts each day) Construction goes on everyday of the week. In this blisteringly hot climate, there are no breaks and no clean water.
• Wages are $1.00 per hour and generally paid months in arrears so that the laborers will stay on
• The laborers sleep five to twelve in one room with no beds
• Recruiters go to countries like the Philippines to get workers and tell them lies about the money they can earn, and the lifestyle they will live.
• Women are exploited more than the laborers. They must wear scarves to cover their faces. They also must cover their feet. Rafael noticed that most women wear black tennis shoes— except the rich women, who can wear anything they want.
• Not-native pregnant women must leave the country to have the baby in their own country.
• Rape victims are put in jail.
• There are no guns, and because the penalties for breaking even minor laws are so severe, there is no litter.