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/ .

NEXT MEETING: May 2, 2014

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

Language can be used to conceal or deceive, and politics can provide motive. Using video from a real-life event in the 2012 primary season, this talk demonstrates how a linguist analyzes language to determine what is really being said. An innocent-sounding conversation may have violated election law.

Our speaker, Joseph Devney, M.A., is a linguist with a particular interest in the intersection of language and law. He studied linguistics at Georgetown University and forensic linguistics at Hofstra University. He has taught at universities in the Bay Area, and given continuing education classes to lawyers on the topic of forensic linguistics. He is a member of the International Association of Forensic Linguists, and spoke at their conference in Amsterdam in 2009.

MEETING OF

Welcome

President Liliane Koziol welcomed everyone.
• Invocation: Who else but Stoney.
Sid’s thought for the day: “Remember. The only way to coast is downhill!”

Visiting Rotarians

Jeff Mulivihill of Reading Rotary wasn’t here. This is a first for Jeff.
Mac Lingo & Fred Collignon from Berkeley.

Rotarians with Guests

Liliane guest was her husband Ken. Our speaker, Tim Stroshane, also brought along a a guest, his friend Lance Williams.

Announcements

• Fred Collignon sang (not literally) the praises of BARSHEEP. Fred thanked Pam Jones for her help.

• The Rotary District Conference in Vallejo on May 3^rd.2014. The 4-way speech contest final will also take place here. Nikki Basa (winner at Richmond Rotary) is in the final. We all wish her success.

• June 14 offers the hyperactive Rotarian the opportunity for a hat-trick: David Brown informed us that it will be Peace Garden Maintenance Day. Dirt, sweat, and camaraderie. What’s not to like? June 14th is also Bocce Ball Day for our two teams (talk to Alan Baer if you want in).  And Mark Howe announced his shared Auction prize BBQ will take place that afternoon at his house.  Bing, bing, bang.

• Speaking of auction prizes, Joe Bagley and Connie Tritt’s “Summer Of Love” happening will take place at Joe’s pad on Saturday July 26^th 4-6 pm. If you didn’t win this item at the holiday auction but still want to attend, talk to Joe about a suitable level of contribution.

• Lilliane made a request for children’s text/reading books to be collected at the club, in two weeks time, for children in India.

• Jan Brown advised us that the Teen Mom’s gift-bag preparation would take place here, at our meeting, on May 9^th.  As in past years, Jan and her helpers will have organized the diapers, blankets, books and other items in a way that enable members to create the gift bags for teen moms at Richmond High School.  Clorox, the Linus Project, and Dan Tanita all deserve a thanks for their contributions to the annual event.

• The Kiwanis & Rotary Kids Fishing Derby is on Saturday May 31^st. We still need chaperones between 9-2pm for 30 kids aged 8-12. One chaperone for each two kids. Hot dog lunch provided.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

The kindergarten class went on a field trip to the local police station, where a kindly patrolman showed them around. Stopping in front of a “Ten Most Wanted” poster, he explained how citizens often help bring about arrests.

“Are those pictures of the bad guys?” asked one six-year-old. The policeman soberly informed him they were indeed.
“Well,” pursued the kid, “why didn’t you hold on to him after you took his picture?”

PROGRAM

An update on the California Water Project

Tim Stroshane, senior research associate for the California Water Impact Network returned to provide a follow-up presentation based on Governor Brown’s support for the Twin Tunnel project due to current drought conditions. Mr. Stroshane believes that, if built, the Twin Tunnels project will have significant consequences for the entire state: its residents, agriculture, wildlife.

Mr. Stroshane wanted a lively question and answer period, and he got it. Members had many excellent questions about the environmental impacts, the political levers that concerned citizens could (or could not) pull, and the impact of the continuing drought on prospects for the project go-ahead.

NEXT MEETING: April 25, 2014

An update on the California State Water Project

Back by popular demand, Tim Stroshane, senior research associate for the California Water Impact Network (C-WIN), will provide a follow-up presentation based on Governor Brown’s recent decision to go ahead with the Twin Tunnel project because of current drought conditions. A Bay Area urban planner since 1988, Tim took up freelancing on California water issues in 1998 before launching his newsletter, SPILLWAY, in 2000, which addresses California water and development topics. Through SPILLWAY, he associated with members of C-WIN to cover water issues, CalFED and Delta water politics, court decisions on water, and water markets. He brings to C-WIN his extensive knowledge of California water history, law and politics, and his organizational skills to help build the Network at a critical time.

MEETING OF April 18, 2014

Welcome

President elect Stoney Stonework filled in for absent Prez Liliane Koziol, and he called the meeting to order at the Richmond Country Club. Nick Despota led the pledge of allegiance and Stoney asked for a moment of silence for freedom, peace, and justice on earth. Sid Chauvin offered this ponderous thought for the day: “Take the time to be quiet.”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Jon Lawlis was accompanied by his clearly superior half, Darlene.
Alan Baer was joined by Stacey Street.
Nick Despota was joined by his daughter Krina, who was visiting from Berlin.
Mac Lingo visited us from the Berkeley Rotary Club.
Jeff Mulvihill visited us again as a Rotarian from the Redding Rotary Club.

Announcements

• David Brown announced the hands-on Volunteer opportunity at the Rotary Peace Garden on Saturday, June 14^th at 1^st and Nevin, from 8 am to noon. Please show up to help with clean-up, repairs, shoveling mulch, etc.
• Don Lau reminded the group about the upcoming Salesian Golf Tournament on Monday, May 5^th. Ask Don or Henry Moe for details.
• Alan Blavins still needs volunteers for the Youth Fishing Darby (British for Derby) on Saturday, May 31^st.
• Lynn Martin announced and distributed pretty invitations to all for the Early Childhood Mental Health Program’s 40^th Anniversary to be held on Friday, May 16^th between 4 and 6 PM at 4010 MacDonald Ave., in Richmond, CA.
• Stoney reminded everyone who can to attend the upcoming Rotary District Conference in Vallejo (see details in the Flywheel)
• Stoney also announced that Monday, April 28^th will be Rotarians at Work Day, with a focus on literacy.
• Pam Jones and Alan Baer should be contacted by anyone interested in the Rotary Bocce Ball tournament coming up on Saturday, June 14^th.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

Jesus was walking through the streets, and he noticed a group throwing stones at an adulteress. He stopped and said to the crowd, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.”

All of a sudden, a big stone came out of the crowd and hit the woman right on the head. Jesus stopped, taken aback, then looked up and said, “Mom…?!!”

PROGRAM

An immigration memoir: New White Sandals

Toula Siakotos, author of New White Sandals, A Memoir, spoke about her recently published book. The memoir recounts her experiences in the 1940′s & 1950′s in a small village in Greece, during Germany’s occupation of Greece and the bloody civil war that followed. As a result of dramatic traumatic events in her family, Toula left her home and the only life she knew and crossed the Atlantic, alone, at the tender age of eleven in search for a brighter tomorrow in a distant land.

NEXT MEETING: April 18, 2014

Fleeing civil war, building a life in America

Toula Siakotos, author of New White Sandals, A Memoir,  will talk about her recently published book. The memoir recounts her experiences in the 1940’s & 1950’s in a small village in Greece, during Germany’s occupation of Greece and the bloody civil war that followed. As a result of dramatic traumatic events in her family, Toula left her home and the only life she knew and crossed the Atlantic, alone, at the tender age of eleven in search for a brighter tomorrow in a distant land.

MEETING OF Friday April 11, 2014

Welcome

Prez Liliane was busy with Cal Day duties at the UC so Secretary, ADG-In-Waiting PP Alan Baer called to order the stalwart few of the Richmond Rotary Club. The lovely Stephanie Baer was asked to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Tom Waller led us in the invocation. Sergeant at Arms Sid Chauvin’s absence deprives us of Words of Wisdom for the day.

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

• Jeff  (decisions, decisions) Mulivihill, from the Redding Club but now living in Richmond El Sobrante, for a long time.
• Acting Prez for a Day Alan Baer’s guest was daughter Stephanie Baer.
• Josh Genser brought several guests: Ken Phillips of Auto Marketing Solutions who is moving his business to Richmond; And from the Richmond Community Foundation, Jim Becker, Executive Director, Stacy Street, Development Director & Lenard Berry RCF Board Member.

Announcements

• The District Assembly will be held May 3^rd at Solano Community College, Vallejo, from 8:30 until 2 PM. Besides finding out everything you ever wanted to know about Rotary at various workshops, donuts, coffee and lunch (as well as the entire conference) is FREE!
  The Assembly also includes this special event. Watch Richmond Rotary’s own champ, Niki Basas, compete in the district’s 4-Way Test speech contest! More info at the meeting and here:  http://www.ismyrotaryclub.org/Calendar/Event.cfm?EventID=77230534 . Did I mention the whole thing is FREE?
  San Pablo Rotary is holding their always fun Night in Tuscany, May 9^th. Alas, this  is not free. Alan Baer is organizing a table. Contact Alan for details, sales@armorlock.com
• Hercules Rotary is looking for Rotary volunteer to help with their Rotary Sponsored 4^th of July celebration and Dynamite 5K Run. Rotary has taken over the celebration from the city because the city has no money. Info at http://www.ismyrotaryclub.org/Calendar/Event.cfm?EventID=77231012  or sales@armorlock.com

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

More quotes from W. C. Fields …
– If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.
– Asked if he believed in clubs for women, Fields responded: “Yes, if every other form of persuasion fails.”
– I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.

PROGRAM

The Richmond Community Foundation and the role of philanthropy

Acting Prez Alan interdicted the otherwise well known Josh Genser, but with a different ‘hat’ as he is Chairman of the Board of the Richmond Community Foundation (RCF).

Josh began his presentation about the RCF asking a series of thought-provoking questions about contributions, ‘giving’ and philanthropy in general.  He noted that many people today have surprisingly large net worth, surprising to themselves as well as others. Also many people do not have a clear idea of their net worth and this statement seemed to be supported by a show of hands when only about half the members acknowledged that the did know this important but ever changing number. Then asking the rhetorical question, ”How many in the room plan to leave an estate to their heirs?”, Josh suggested that if that estate was only 90% of actual value:

• The heirs would probably not notice the difference
• The 10% if contributed to the good of the community could in  fact do a lot of long term good, and;
• Community foundations like the RCF could be a very effective tool for getting the most good possible out of that gift for the future.

Josh also provided a short history of the RCF which started in the early 1990s with settlement proceeds from the General Chemical sulfuric acid spill litigation. RCF started as the Richmond Children’s Fund and developed and operated Richmond College Preparatory K-6 Charter School on Florida St. next to Nystrom Elementary School. The school opened to enrich and improve academic performance and opportunities in the community but eventually concluded that the entire neighborhood needed to be improved, not just the schools. So RCF launched the Nystrom United Revitalization Effort (NURVE) to rebuild the whole community around Nystrom school. This has included the school MLK Jr. Park, and the community center.

RCF is also very proud of its unique collaborative, umbrella organization model for otherwise uncoordinated community 501c3 non-profits. As an example of this success Josh describe SparkPoint Richmond which is a one stop, financial crisis intervention service agency that helps low income people resolve serious problems and perform standard  tasks (like income tax preparation) essential to living in a modern economy.

The RCFs services to donors are particularly valuable in a community like Richmond that has 186 community 501c3 nonprofits interested in helping the community and your donations. As RCF ED Jim Becker said during the Q&A, Not all nonprofits are equally efficient in helping the community or leveraging benefit from donor funds (or something like that anyway.)

Thank you Josh  G. & Jim B. for an informative program about the Richmond Community Foundation.