NEXT MEETING: January 29, 2017

The Girls Inc. Experience

Tiffany Harris, Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of West Contra Costa County (Girls Inc.), will discuss the Girls Inc. experience.  Girls Inc. of WCCC is a nonprofit organization that serves girls between the ages of 6-18 living in the Richmond and West County community. Girls Inc.’s mission is to inspire girls to be “strong, smart, and bold.” Our purpose is to respond to the complex and diverse needs underserved girls contend with through the provision of programming that affirms their self-worth, empowers them to assert their autonomy and promotes their self-actualization.

MEETING OF January 22, 2016

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order and asked Foundation Chair Connie Tritt to lead us in the Pledge. Alan asked for silent prayers for peace, hope, and for Jim Young. Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered a quote for the day: “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Herb Cole and Mike Winters introduced their guest Jim Findley.
Joshua Genser brought Simon Ellis and Darlene Drapkin.

Announcements

• We are sad to report that Jim Young passed away early Sunday morning. He died peacefully and was surrounded by his family. As anyone who’s been in the Rotary for more than a brief time knows, Jim was an integral part of Rotary activities: always ready to contribute, to take the lead, or simply lend a hand. We will dearly miss him.
  Jim’s memorial service will be this Saturday, January 30th at 1:00 pm, followed by light finger food reception. Arlington Community Church, 52 Arlington Blvd., Kensington.
• (Oh!) Henry Moe announced the annual Rotary-Salesian Crab (and Pasta) Feed is fast approaching on Saturday, February 6, at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $45. Contact Erle Brown or Henry Moe to buy a ticket or a table of tickets. Download Crab Feed flyer.
• David Brown bought 10 tickets to the Crab Feed but cannot attend. Please contact him if you have an idea for a charitable/worthy group to which he can donate them.
• Herb Cole encouraged members to join him in the Monterrey, Mexico wheel chair project from Mach 30 to April 3, 2016. More information here.
• Asst. Governor (Area-8) Alan Baer reminded us to sign up for the April 1-3, 2016, District Conference for the reduced price of $79 (increases to $99 thereafter). Sign up/log in here.
• Alan Baer also announced that as of January 13, 2016, India has been polio-free for five years. WHO is using the lessons learned with India and Nigeria to eradicate polio in the remaining two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Learn more.
• On January 29, the Richmond Museum Association is celebrating the incorporation of the City of Richmond with a fundraising dinner for the Association and for the SS Red Oak Victory. Details.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Sharing Abundance with People in Need: the White Pony Express Story

Speaker Program Coordinator Stacey Street introduced Erica Brooks of the White Pony Express who gave a detailed and informative presentation about an amazing all-volunteer organization recovers over 2 million pounds of fresh food from about 100 donors and distributes it to about 60,000 needy people within less than 24 hours of receipt.

About 10% of the population of Contra Costa lives below the poverty line ($11,770 for individuals, $24,250 for a family of 4). Founder, Dr. Carol Weyland Conner was inspired to find a way to take the abundant fresh food from grocery stores, restaurants, and farmer’s markets that was thrown away and eliminate hunger. Her idea has blossomed into an amazingly successful program where they now have donated refrigerators, freezers, delivery vans and work hand in hand with over 50 local non-profit service groups (such as Salvation Army, Bay Area Rescue Mission, GRIP). The White Pony Express provides fresh food, toys, clothing, and love.

For more information, to volunteer, or donate, please visit http://www.whiteponyexpress.org

NEXT MEETING: January 22, 2015

Sharing Abundance with People in Need: the White Pony Express Story

If you’ve looked around the community of Richmond and elsewhere in Contra Costa County, you must have noticed that there are pockets of poverty and hunger. Did you know that for years 30-40 percent of the food in grocery stores had to be thrown away rather than given to hungry and homeless people? The problem has been distribution – how to get the large abundance to those in most need.

White Pony Express, an all-volunteer organization founded only two years ago, has begun to change that picture. They have rescued over 2 million pounds of fresh, even perishable food from about 100 generous donors, and distributed it to 60,000 people through 50+ nonprofit groups, within less than 24 hours of receipt.

Gary Conner, Executive Director of WPE, will describe how this award-winning program grew from two volunteers using their own cars, to over 400, with a fleet of donated vans and trucks.

MEETING OF January 15, 2015

Welcome

PP Jon “Kahuna” Lawlis filled in for Prez Alan who was away because of the passing of his wife’s sister. Condolences to Alan, Geri and the family. David Cole led us in the Pledge and Herb Cole offered a prayer for freedom, peace and justice. Sid Chauvin offered the thought, “If you want a real friend you can trust in Washington, get a dog!” Harry Truman

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

• Connie Tritt had as her guest Susan Romero
• Mike Winter’s guest was Jim Findley a member of Mike’s SIR group.

Announcements

• Richmond Rotary Crab Feed will be on February 6 at Salesian High School. $45/ticket. Let’s sell the joint out and make some money. This is one of our biggest fundraisers.
• Herb Cole invited anyone interested to join him and other Rotarians in the Wheel Chair program happening 3/30-4/3. Contact Herb if you are interested.
• David Brown announced that Rotary will be part of a Day of Service in the Parchester community on 4/9 (mark it in your calendar) where we will be responsible for assisting 36 homeowners
• Jim Young‘s health took a sudden turn for the worst, we were informed by Tom Waller. Messages of support are welcome. You can email Linda, Jim’s wife, at zmom@comcast.net, or get updates and send messages through the Caring Bridge website, at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jimyoung2

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

Hack the Hood: Community & Tech for Richmond Youth

Stacey Street introduced our guest speaker Susan Mernit, CEO and Co-Founder of Hack the Hood. Started in 2013 the program involves low-income youth ages 16-25 of color learning tech by helping small businesses. By the end of 2015, 210 low-income youth will have provided $1.6 million in free websites and online visibility to 300 small businesses. Recruiting the youth is the easy part. Getting small businesses involved is the most difficult part of the program. The program is a 6 week immersion program where the youth get hands on experience in creating websites and learning entrepreneurial skills. This past summer Hack the Hood worked with the RYSE Center in Richmond and hopes to expand to include 7 partners in the coming year. If you would like more information or to get involved you can contact Susan at susan@hackthehood.org.

NEXT MEETING: January 15, 2016

Hack the Hood: Community & Tech for Richmond Youth

How can we help young people in Richmond learn the skills and get the relationships that will help them get good jobs as tech innovators and entrepreneurs? How do we make sure that as the tech industry moves into our city, our local community is represented and local businesses are patronized?  Hack the Hood, an East Bay non-profit founded in 2013 and operating in the Bay area, trains people ages 16-25 in web development, design and coding skills during 6-week immersive bootcamps, then matches the young folks with local small businesses who need web services.
Come talk

Susan Mernit, CEO and a co-founder of Hack the Hood, will tell us about the power of tech to fuel innovation, entrepreneurship and jobs for young people, and the ways Richmond businesses can get involved in 2016.

MEETING OF January 8, 2016

Welcome

President Alan Blavins called the meeting to order, asked Joshua Genser to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and asked for a silent prayer for peace. Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered the quote of the day: “If we got half of what was promised to us in the State of the Union speeches, there wouldn’t be any inducement to go to Heaven.”

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

5150 District Governor Leah Lambrecht (Rotary Club of Mill Valley) and her husband Bill Lambrecht (Rotary Club of Central Marin).
Secretary Jon Lawlis brought his fiancée Darlene Quenville
Pam Jones brought her daughter Amanda Floyd and oh-so-cute granddaughter Penelope Lane.

Announcements

• Shana Bagley Howe announced that from Tuesday, February 23 to Tuesday, March 1, several Richmond , Berkeley, and Paradise Rotarians will put the finishing touches on the 2015 school rebuilding project in Las Varas, Nayarit, Mexico. Please contact Shana if you are interested in participating.
• Director Joe Bagley announced Liliane Koziol’s anniversary and the following birthdays: Pam Jones (January 1), Jim Beaver (January 6), and Shana Bagley (January 10).
• Director Henry Moe reminded us that the annual Richmond Rotary – Salesian Crab (and Pasta) Feed is coming up on February 6 at Salesian High School. Tickets are $45 each. There will be Government-Approved Dungeness Crab from Alaska.

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

Norm’s Nonsense

PROGRAM

A visit from our Rotary's District Governor

President Alan Blavins introduced District (5160) Governor Ken Courville (Rotary Club of Dixon) on his official club visit (yeahhhh).

DG Courville talked about his goals for 2015/16:
1. Keep Our Members Engaged
2. Foundation Giving
3. Support Youth Programs
4. Tell the Community We Are Here
5. District Conference (April 1, 2, 3, 2016, Yolo County Fair Grounds, Woodland. To view event schedule and register for it, please visit this webpage.

DG Courville presented the following awards:

Rotary of Richmond’s 2014-2015 donations to eradicate polio;

Be a Gift to the World Award to Speaker Program Coordinator Stacey Street for her contributions at Planned Parenthood;

Paul Harris Awards
Darlene Quenville
Don Lau (PH+2)
Alan Baer (PH+7)
Pam Jones (PH+8)

Paul Harris Society
Alan Baer
Earl Brown
Herb Cole
George Egan
Ethan Heinrich
Pam Jones
Jon Lawlis
Norm Lundberg
Jim Young

Congratulations to our wonderful members for their continuing contributions and for their friendship.