NEXT MEETING: May 30, 2014

RichmondStandard.com: Community-Driven News

Mike Aldax, editor of richmondstandard.com, an online community-driven news website funded by Chevron, will discuss the goals of this new entry to the Richmond media landscape.

MEETING OF May 23, 2014

Welcome

Alan Baer was subbing for Prez Liliane and called the meeting to order. Neville Guard led the pledge, Stoney gave the invocation, and Sid Chauvin offered this thought for the day: Motivation is the fuel for the human engine.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

• Visiting Rotarians, Jeff Mulivihill of Redding and Neville Guard from San Ramon.
• Josh Genser introduced his daughter, Janet, visiting from NYC.
• Jan Brown’s guest was Mary Beth Byrne from Richmond Sanitary.
• Doris Mitchell’s guest was Kia Croom from GRIP (Greater Richmond Interfaith Program).

Announcements

• IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT PAYMENT OF ROTARY CLUB DUES FOR 2014-15. The Richmond Rotary Club Board of Directors has issued the following statement about payment of member dues for 2014-15. Beginning July 1, Rotary International (RI) will implement a new dues and membership assessment policy. The biggest change is that RI will assess membership dues from our Club based on the members we have on our rolls on July 1, according to their records. If we have folks on our rolls who have, essentially, dropped out and have not paid their dues for 2013-2014, we will, nevertheless, be assessed RI dues costs for those members for 2014-2015. This puts pressure on Richmond Rotary to clean up its membership rolls and to terminate the membership of folks who have not chosen to remain Rotarians and have not paid their dues. Know that your Board is struggling with this policy and the last thing we want is a perception of heavy-handedness on the part of the Board. The second change is that Richmond Rotary’s dues are payable to RI on July 1, and deemed late if not received by RI by July 30. In the last few years, dues were paid to RI anywhere from September to November. RI now demands that dues payments from Clubs be received by RI by July 30. In light of the recent changes, your Board has voted to establish a due-date for payment of member dues to the Richmond Rotary Club. That due-date is 15 June 2014, for the 2014-2015 Rotary year. Thank you for your cooperation with these changes.
• Alan Baer referred to the local newspaper regarding the Richmond City Council’s 5 minute limit as its effort to reduce global warming as well as Tom “man of few words” Waller being quoted in the paper.
• Richmond Rotary Board of Directors is contemplating having Dinner Meetings. Jim Young is heading a committee to look into that option.
• June 14 is a big day for Rotary: Rotary at Work on our Peace Garden will be held at 9am; there is the Bocce Ball Tournament later that day; and the Mark Howe/Stoney BBQ as well.
• Club will be Dark on July 4. No meeting.
• Jan Brown gave a report on the delivery of the 40 gift bags to the Teen Moms Program at Richmond High School. In the photo, Infant Toddler Center staff personnel at Richmond High take receipt of the bags from Richmond Rotarians (Jim, Doris, Jan, Herb, Alan Baer, and Don). Jan’s husband, Byron, snapped the picture. Thanks, Jan, for coordinating this worthwhile activity for 9 years!
• Jim Young informed the Club that Prez Liliane asked the Board of Directors to transfer $1,500 from RI Convention travel to a Polio Plus contribution on behalf of the Club. This transfer is a great contribution to Rotary’s most important global initiative, the eradication of Polio. BUT it would be even greater, Jim said, if everyone would put some more money in the pot. Jim kicked off the effort with a $100 contribution. He then went on to remind the Club that the World Health Organization has declared a ‘Polio Emergency’ in the Middle East where the disease has re-emerged in Syria, Israel and Iraq. The most recent reports suggest that the Dogs of War have begun to also spread polio in sub-Sahara Africa in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. Last year there were 34 polio cases worldwide. This year there are 87. Anyone wishing to contribute to this special Club Polio Plus contribution can send their check or credit card payment to David Brown.
• Alan Blavins reminded all about the Fishing Derby on 5/31 at the San Pablo reservoir.
• Stacey Street announced that the Oakland A’s are re-doing the field at Martin Luther King Park in Richmond and there will be a dedication on 5/31 from 11:30am-1:00pm. All are welcome!
• Tom Waller made a plea for more SCRIBES!!! We could really use having more folks scribing the Flywheel.  Volunteers?!?

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

No Nonsense this week.

PROGRAM

TRAC: The Bay Trail through Richmond

Tom Waller introduced our guest speaker, Bruce Beyaert, who is no stranger to the Club. Bruce is the Founder and Chair of Trails for Richmond Action Committee (TRAC). He’s a retired Chevron employee who started TRAC 15 years ago to assist with completion of the Richmond portion of the SF Bay Trail, an ambitious project which aims to have 500 miles of hiking and biking trails all around the bay. Over the last 15 years, TRAC has been able to add 20 miles of new Bay Trails in Richmond, which has 32 miles of shoreline, most of any city in the Bay Area.  Bruce walked us through all of the various sections of the Richmond Bay Trail including Marina Bay Trail, Ferry Point Loop/Shipyard 3, and Wildcat Marsh. TRAC’s team includes 6 volunteer committee members and many partners including SF Bay Trail, City of Richmond, East Bay Regional Park District, and Richmond Sanitary. Thanks, Bruce, for your efforts to bring biking and walking trails to our community!

NEXT MEETING: May 23, 2014

TRAC : The Bay Trail through Richmond

Bruce Beyaert, Founder and Chair of the Trails for Richmond Action Committee (TRAC), will describe the many accomplishments and partnerships involved in completing 20 miles of new Bay Trail in Richmond during the past 15 years. The San Francisco Bay Trail in Richmond was recently featured during the Bay Trail 25th Anniversary celebration attended by about 200 people at the Bay Model in Sausalito.

MEETING OF May 16, 2014

Welcome

Our lady President, Liliane Koziol, welcomed the 22 present. A moment of silence for peace and justice on earth was led not by Stonie but first-reserve, Herb Cole. Sid Chauvin had this thought for the day: “Obviously, there’s little to learn from doing nothing.”

Visiting Rotarians.

• Jeff Mulivihill of Reading Rotary was back again. (Feels like he has never been away.)

• Pate Thompson of Berkeley Rotary.

• Linda Delehunt of Orinda Rotary.

• Neville Guard of San Ramon Valley Rotary.

• Our Speaker, Dorothy Herzberg, brought a guest, Beth Jerde.

Announcements

• Pate Thompson is a retired Physician, member of the Berkeley Rotary Club, and a key driver of the RotaCare Medical Clinic in Richmond. Pate was on hand to personally thank the club for its support of RotaCare, which takes place on Tuesday nights from 4-8pm. The staff is 100% volunteers. Only 1/3 of their patients speak English and 88% are below the poverty. Last year RotaCare cared for 967 patients. A good case indeed.

• Liliane reminded us that June 14th will be Peace-Garden Maintenance Day (well, morning, 9am-12). Also, this is Bocce Ball day in Martinez for our mystery two teams. And last but not least, Mark Howe’s joint auction-prize BBQ will take place that same afternoon at his house. Will this day ever end?

• David Brown asked for and got instantly three volunteers to read three essays from Salesian High School seniors and vote on their merit for possible scholarship awards.

• Liliane had made a request for children’s text/reading books to be collected at the club for children in India. The request was answered today by Pam Jones and Neville, Alan Baer and last week by Jon Lawlis. We and the kids thank them.

• Tom Butt praised the club for its recognition at the recent City of Richmond’s Historic Preservation Awards ceremony for partnering with the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts in putting on the play, “Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle”. Congrats to Ex. Pres. Jim Young. Tom then reminded everyone that May 25th from 2:00-6:00pm was his BBQ & Bluegrass event at his home at Nicholl Knob, 235 East Scenic Avenue, Richmond 94801. Bring side dish or dessert.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

More Ponderisms…

– Whatever happened to Preparations A through G?

– As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice that when you put the two words “The” and “IRS” together, it spells “THEIRS”?

– Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don’t they just put their pictures on postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?

PROGRAM

Nigeria's Post-Independence Through the Eyes of a Young Peace Corps Worker

This was the second visit of Dorothy Herzberg to our club. She was here to promote her newly published book, “Me Madam: Peace Corps Letters From Nigeria, 1961-1963″ (available on Amazon.com). She decided to read extracts from her book. This is becoming a habit by some speakers at the club. She chose not to read directly from her book but from photocopied notes.

I think the notes were a little out of focus because she had trouble reading from them plus the fact she held the notes up to her face between her and the microphone so one heard more paper interference noises than spoken words. The words I did hear were very amusing anecdotes of her teaching services in a newly forming independent Nigeria. This is one I heard (I think): She was showing a class a map of Europe and pointed out its country make-up, including Spain, France and England. The class erupted and said ”No, Madam, No!  England is not so small!”  She could not convince them otherwise. When asked at a later date what the class thought of their teacher, they said “She was good but had very silly maps.” There were more.

She ended by offering her book for sale. We thank you, Madam.

NEXT MEETING: May 16, 2014

Nigeria's post-independence through the eyes of a young Peace Corps worker

When Dorothy Crews Herzberg, author of “Me, Madam,” joined the Peace Corps in 1961, she was unaware that the program had not yet been approved by the U.S. Congress. The Corps’ proponents were hedging the strategy that having four hundred volunteers already working overseas would strengthen their case. While serving in the Peace Corps Dorothy Crews married Hershel Herzberg, and from 1961 to 1963 they wrote letters to her parents. Dorothy’s father saved and carefully preserved the fragile blue air letters.

Every page of “Me, Madam,” her new book, illuminates the energy of Nigeria immediately after independence. The author’s letters convey with intimacy what it was like to be there as the people struggled to create a new democracy.

MEETING OF May 9, 2014

Welcome

President Liliane opened up the meeting. Herb led the pledge and Stoney led the invocation. Sid gave his thought for the day and the gist of it was In person not purpose.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Jan Brown’s guests were Kathy Anderson and her Husband, Byron Brown. Jim Young brought Linda Young and Mark Howe’s guest was Rosemary Corbin.

Special Events

• We welcomed a new member to the Rotary, Stacey Street. We look forward to learning more about her through her “Who am I” speech, and her attendance at our meetings.
• Josh Surowitz was honored for bringing in new members and was presented with a pin.
• Jim Young and Tom Butt were given Bronze Pins for bringing in multiple new members

Announcements

• Henry Moe and Tom Waller reported that Nikki Basas, Salesian Interact Student, competed at the 4-way Test Speech. She did a great job. The winner was a young man from Orinda.
• Rosemary Corbin, former mayor of Richmond, announced a charity golf tournament at the Richmond Country Club, to take place on Tuesday, May 20th. Its purpose is to raise money for Ujima, http://www.ujimafamily.org/ $60 per person Call Rosemary to reserve a spot (510) 235-5779
• Rotarians are asked to continue to bring dictionaries, educational books, text books, flash cards and puzzles to donate to the India Project. Please bring them to the next meeting.
• Mark Howe reminded us of the Peace Garden work day (actually a lot of fun), June 14th, beginning at 9 AM. Talk to Mark about the details.
• Also on June 14th, Mark Howe and Stoney will host their famous barbeque, an auction item, beginning at 3:00pm at Mark’s home.
• Liliane suggested that Henry Moe invite Interact Parents to the Bocce Ball Tournament, again on that very full day of June 14th.
• May 31 is Fishing Derby at the San Pablo Dam.  Alan Blavins reminded us of this joint project with the Kiwanis Club. Chaperones are in place for the 30 children who will attend the event. Volunteers can show up at 9:00am through the fist entrance and can meet at the Gazebo near the Café..
• The District Governor sent a thank you letter from the town of Burkina Faso for the two concrete bricks sent from Richmond Rotary in the name of each weeks speaker led to 2 schools constructed from the donations. The District Governor was present for the dedication of the new buildings.
• Two weeks ago, Barbara McCullough, the executive director of Brighter Beginnings, announced an appreciation day for the volunteers and donors to the Rotocare Clinic on Thursday June 5. She enthusiastically invited Richnond Rotary members. It so happens that last week, the clinic, its mostly volunteer personnel, and the role of Rotary, were all spotlighted in an article published in the online Richmond Pulse. Be sure to read it!

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

A man is lost in the desert. He walks for miles and he’s dying of thirst when he sees a tent ahead and cries out, “Water! Please water!”
A Bedouin comes out of the tent and  says, “How’d you like to buy a jacket and tie?”
The man says,  “No I need water. Please.”
The Bedouin says there’s a tent about two kilometers south where the man can get water.
The man drags himself over burning sands for two kilometers to the next tent, where he collapses and cries out, “Water!”
A Bedouin comes out in a tuxedo and says, “I’m sorry, but you’ll need a jacket and tie.”

PROGRAM

Jan Brown and Nick Despota reminded us of the value of the 9-year-old Teen Mom Project, which presents mothers with gift bags packed with useful babycare products, and includes an encouraging handwritten note from a Rotarian.

At this meeting everyone pitched in to pack the bags and pen the notes. In the next week or two (date unknown at time of this writing) a group of our members will present the gifts to the teen moms in their high school classes.Send an email to jan@spokewise.com if you would like directions and details.

Rotary especially thanks Burt’s Baby Bees and Gud for their baby and young teen products, the Linus Project for handmade baby blankets, Dan Tanita for dental hygiene packets and Spokewise for stationery. Nick Despota and Doris Mitchell helped round up diapers and books for young hands. Thank you to all who helped.

Good will will do good.

NEXT MEETING: May 9, 2014

Teen Mom's Gift-Bag Preparation

Richmond Rotary’s continues the Teen Moms program, which donates useful baby-care items to moms in Richmond high schools. By extending a helping hand to these moms, we help boost their self-esteem and, in a small but important way, encourage them to finish high school.

At this meeting we’ll all pitch in to assemble the gift bags (personalized for baby’s age and gender), and write the notes included in the bags.

Jan Brown leads the program, with the help of Nick Despota and Doris Mitchell.

MEETING OF

Welcome

Our President Liliane Koziol presided over the meeting

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Sid introduced his wife Zelpha, grandson Zachary Johnson and daughter Robin. Jeff Munvihill continues to behave as a “Visiting Rotarian” from Redding, despite the fact that he has now attended more meetings than many of our regulars. Barbara McCullough visited us from the Oakland Rotary. And Lindsay Spiller attended as a guest of our speaker, Joe Devney. We also welcomed Stacey Street as a prospective member.

Announcements

• Alan Baer spoke about the Annual District Assembly in Vallejo on May 3rd.
• Nick asked members to pitch in for scribe duty—in other words, writing down meeting notes that enable you to enjoy reading this very web page, the Flywheel. Because 2 former scribes have taken a temporary leave from this duty, we’re left with many open slots in over the next 4 months.  Here’s the schedule. By signing up as Scribe for a Day, you’ll be helping fellow members stay in the flow of Richmond Rotary activity.
• Jim Young encourages all of us to attend the Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony, which this year recognizes Rotary’s production of the play, Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle. The  ceremony takes place on May 12th, 5:30, at the Richmond City Council Chambers. It is followed by a reception at the Richmond Art Center, catered by the Contra Costa Culinary Department.
• Alan Blavins is looking for one more “chaperone” (a guide to the basics of fishing, really) for the Cast & Catch fishing day, at the San Pablo Reservoir on May 31^st, from 9 AM to 2 PM, lunch included. Contact Alan if you can give a few hours to help. Should be a lot of fun.
• Another reminder about the busy busy day of June 14^th. Alan Baer invites all to the Bocce Ball Tournament on June 14. Mark Howe is looking for a few good men—and women!—for the spring maintenance of the Rotary Peace Garden on that same morning. Later that day, Mark will host the Holiday Auction Bar-B-Q at his home, for those who bid on the event. See Mark for details.
• Barbara McCullough announced an appreciation day for the volunteers and donors to the Rotocare Clinic, on Thursday June 5, She enthusiastically invited Richmond Rotarians to the event. The clinic is the only free clinic in Contra Costa County. It originally was open one night a week and now has been expanded to 4 nights a week from volunteers from Samuel Merritt College.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

More Yogi Berra quotes …
– “I knew I was going to take the wrong train, so I left early.”
– “You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.”
– A large crowd had gathered at a funeral when someone asked Yogi who the dead person was. Yogi replied: “I believe it’s the one in the coffin.”

PROGRAM

Forensic Linguistics: Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say?

Joe Devney, a forensic linguist and author, unpacked the ways in which we can conceal or distort the truth of a situation, intentionally or not. He distinguished between the literal meaning of our words (semantics), and the actual meaning that others take from those words based on context, prior knowledge and assumptions about the situations in which they are spoken (pragmatics).

As an example, Joe showed us video recorded by the Veritas Group. The video illustrated that, because polling place workers are not required to check voter IDs, persons not registered to vote at that location can nevertheless be given a ballot and allowed to vote.

Veritas “voters” demonstrated this by going to a polling place and asking the poll worker whether a recently deceased person’s name was on the list of qualified voters. By tacitly allowing the poll worker to assume that he was that person, he would be given a ballot. (Because the name given belonged to someone who was recently deceased, it had not yet been removed from the voter roll.)

Joe’s point was that, even though the Veritas “voter” never lied, poll workers’ assumptions about behavior and procedures at a polling place—technically known as the “schema” for that situation—lead them to give ballots to people who were not qualified to vote there.

Learn more about Joe at his website, http://devney.com/ .