NEXT MEETING: December 5, 2014

Prepare to Prosper! An Alternative Approach to Emergency and Disaster Readiness

With the recent Napa earthquake, and the 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake (October 17th), now is the time to embrace an alternative approach to making our communities strong, resilient, and able to address the challenges and opportunities we face. Using her background in advertising and marketing research, and leveraging years of working directly with some of our most vulnerable communities, Ana-Marie Jones’ presentation is sure to leave us better prepared and with a new framework for supporting preparedness in our communities.

MEETING OF Novwember 21, 2014

Welcome

President Stoney called the meeting to order, Alan Blavins led the Pledge and Sid’s thought for the day was Birds of a feather flock together – then they crap on your car.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Visiting Rotarians were Stacey Duckett from Antioch Rotary and David Hammer from El Sobrante Rotary.
Guests were Sharla Sullivan from EBMUD and Shana Bagley was with Mark Howe.

Announcements

Holiday Auction

The clock is ticking down to our Holiday Auction on December 12^th. Please visit the Holiday Auction page to see what we’ve already collected—you’ll see the evergreens from last year. But you’ll also see a red button, Post my item. Click it to open a form on which you can describe your item, upload a picture if you’d like, and add to the growing collection of unusual and entertaining donations that will make this auction the best ever.

Buy a Kid a Bike Program

Each year approximately 1,000 children sign-up to for the Richmond/El Cerrito Fire & Police Holiday Program to receive toys and gifts. On a date in December, these kids come to the E.M.Downer YMCA in Richmond, receive a number, and with it, a chance to receive a bike. The bikes are distributed by lottery. The more bikes we have to give away, the more kids are winners. Last year we distributed over 300 bikes! Download flyer.

• Jim Young announced the end of the book drive and stated that if people still have bins and books to call him so they can be picked up. He thanks Richmond for donating to the project.
• Connie Tritt reminded everyone that it is foundation month which of course everyone knew. She reminded members that the club would cover half the costs to get members to their next Paul Harris for the rest of November.
• David Brown spoke about the Peres School Teachers project to give $100 for each teacher and that we were $1,000 short of the mark. After Mark Howe donated David Brown said he would match anyone else who donated and it looks like we met our goal.
• In addition to the Buy a Kid a Bike program (see below), the Richmond and El Cerrito Fire & Police collect and distribute new toys to children in our cities. If you would like to donate a new, unopened (but not wrapped!) toy, please bring it to our December 19^th meeting.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Update on the Water Supply and Drought

Lesa McIntosh, Member of the Municipal Utility District Board of Directors and former Richmond Rotarian, spoke about the current drought situation. EBMUD was created in 1923. There is a series of water storage sheds throughout California and the district’s planning has helped us get through past droughts and this drought so far. She also mentioned that the customers have taken the non-mandatory 10% cutback and actually did 11%. Lesa had many great things to say about EBMUD and is a great spoke person for them. You can view the mission of EBMUD at https://www.ebmud.com/about/mission along with the Strategic Plan for the system.