Monthly Archives: February 2016
NEXT MEETING: February 26, 2016Tech Careers for Low-Income Residents
The Stride Center empowers low-income adults facing barriers to employment to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Founded in 1999 in San Pablo, Stride creates access to middle-skills careers in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by providing a comprehensive career readiness program that includes technical training, industry-valued and stackable certifications, professional acumen, career navigation and life-skills training, and job placement assistance. Never have employers needed the talent Stride is developing more and as a result, never has the opportunity for low income men and women to achieve economic success through careers in ICT been greater. MEETING OF Feburary 19, 2016WelcomeAlan Blavins welcomed everyone to the Friendliest Rotary Club in Richmond. Don Lau led the pledge. Sid’s thought for the day was “success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let it go”. Alan Blavins asked for a moment of silence for the fallen Richmond Police Officer who died in an off-duty incident. Visiting Rotarians and GuestsDarlene Quenville attended with Jon Lawlis Special Events Alan Blavins welcomes Jim Finley into the Richmond Rotary President Alan Blavins inducted our newest member, Jim Finley, into our club. Mike Winter is Jim’s sponsor. Congratulations, Jim.(Photo on right.) AnnouncementsA Message from Linda Young, wife of Jim Young To everyone in the club who sent cards, e-mails, and prayers, or attended Jim’s memorial service, please know that all your caring has meant a great deal to me and the family. The club and it’s good work meant a great deal to Jim and he always sought to do is best for the group. I’m sharing all the e mails and cards with the kids in a little booklet. As my head was swirling from everything moving so very fast when we returned from Singapore, it was such a welcome surprise to see the flowers, your faces, and yes, Tom, hear your remarks about Jim questioning St. Peter about his Bi-laws. Thank you so very much for all your concern and caring. I hope to stay in touch with the club and its work. Linda Lapp Young
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMThe Bay Area's Future Earthquakes
David Schwartz, who has worked for the USGS for 31 years, has studied faults around the world to determine how they work in time and space. He informed us that the first big earthquake about which we have good data occurred in our backyard in 1868: on the Hayward Fault. The next was the 1906 earthquake and then the 1989 earthquake. We also added added a new to our lexicon:paleoseimetology. Not really a candidate for Scrabble, the word nevertheless refers to something quite useful: the historical study of earthquakes faults. The USGS studies have found that there is a 72% probability that between now and 2034 that there will be a 6.7 earthquake or greater in the Bay Area. (That means there’s a 28% chance that there won’t be. But even a half-full glass can be upset by a lesser magnitude quake.) Still, there is good news. David reminded us that the more we know about earthquakes the better prepared we can be.
- Henry Moe, Rotating Editor |
NEXT MEETING: February 19, 2016The Bay Area's Future Earthquakes
The San Francisco Bay Region has the highest density of active faults per square mile of any urban center in the United States. Recent studies have estimated a 72% chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake on one of the Region’s major faults between 2014-2043. The Hayward fault, which passes through heavily urbanized Alameda and Contra Costa counties, is of the highest concern. Its most recent earthquake was a magnitude ~6.8 in 1868 and the estimate for the repeat of this is 150-160 years. Dr Schwartz will talk about of the all of the earthquake sources that could affect the Richmond area and what you need to do to prepare. MEETING OF February 12, 2016WelcomePresident Alan Blavins called the meeting to order and asked Henry Moe to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Sid Chauvin’s thought for the day: Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other. President Alan called for a moment of silence for fallen Richmond Police Officer Davis.
Visiting Rotarians and GuestsIt was a full house, with many prospective members!
Special Events President Alan was thrilled to have not one, but TWO member inductions to perform! Both Felix Oseguera, whom Alan sponsored himself, and Simon Ellis. After Alan explained the requirements, which they accepted, and they were officially welcomed into the Club as new members, President Alan noted that it has been an incredible year for membership, solely due to his own efforts, of course…. Announcements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAM
Your Scribe introduced Richmond Rotarian Tiffany Straus, who in turn introduced Carol Frank, since, as mentioned before, she had severe laryngitis and didn’t want everyone to have to listen to her croak through her program. Carol gave an overview of the Early Childhood Mental Health Program and its programs, and shared many heart-wrenching, yet inspiring stories of impact with the group. She started with a very compelling statement – that the best way to help many troubled individuals is when they are in the high chair, not in the electric chair! The ECMHP serves children aged 0 to 6 as well as their families, children who are victims of abuse and neglect and now suffer from PTSD. The whole family has access to services, many of which are tailored to the needs of the children and the caregivers, such as the specialized therapy needed by a young child who witnessed his father murder his mother, as well as the special support his maternal grandmother required. Children participate in the Comprehensive Nursery Program, families and children receive therapy from licensed professionals, parents are connected to support groups and services, and child care options are provided. ECMHP serves upwards of 500 families per year, often helping 40 families per day, and currently has an extensive waitlist. The organization is funded primarily through medical contracts, as well as through the annual fund (thanks to Richmond Rotary for continued support), and is currently developing a design for its recently-purchased new building, next to the Family Justice Center and Rotocare. A PowerPoint presentation about ECMHP was prepared but not shown at this meeting. You can download it here. - Stacey Street, Rotating Editor |
NEXT MEETING: February 12, 2016Early Childhood Mental Health, Then and Now
Tiffany Straus, M.Ed., Early Childhood Mental Health Program’s Executive Director, will talk about the importance of early childhood services to the community’s ability grow and thrive. Over 40 years ago, a group of community activists understood the impact that our early childhood experiences have on us, and often serve as predictors for how we’ll do later in life. As such, they started a non-profit organization in a church basement providing mental health services to West County’s most impoverished young children ages 0 – 6. Today, the Early Childhood Mental Health Program serves an average of 40 families daily, and 500 families annually. Tiffany will talk about how early childhood services continue to be our community’s best defense against encounters with the juvenile justice system, educational failures, unemployment and unhealthy high-risk behaviors, and how her organization continues to address this. MEETING OFWelcomePresident Alan Blavins called the meeting to order at the Richmond Country Club. Using as few words as possible, Tom Waller led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Alan asked for a moment of silence for freedom, peace, and justice on earth. Sid Chauvin provided this thought for the day: “Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.” Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Announcements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMRichmond Fab Lab: Where Students and Community Can "Make Almost Anything”!
New member Oscar Garcia from Chevron introduced the program speaker, Philip Gonsalves, Senior Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Mathematics, Science, and STEM education for the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD). Phil took us through an exciting multimedia introduction to the fabulous 4000-square-foot “Fab Lab” now in place at Kennedy High School. The lab’s grand opening took place last September with banners proclaiming, “Dream It. Design It. Make It. A place to dream, design, and innovate.” The Richmond Fab Lab is “a non-profit digital fabrication laboratory and community workshop in the heart of Richmond, based in the WCCUSD, advancing STEM education, human-centered design, collaborative projects, and the creative economy.” It is intended to “connect people and create opportunities for learning, research, and experimentation.” The Richmond Fab Lab was developed in partnership with Chevron and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms. Chevron has generously funded a Foundation that is committed to building at least ten Fab Labs across the country to support STEM education (the one at Kennedy being the first one in the western United States). The ambitious goal of the Richmond Fab Lab is to be a high-tech resource to all K-12 district schools and to the community. A hybrid Fab Lab at Crespi Middle School plus a mobile Fab Lab will be up and running in the next few months to help provide support to schools throughout the district. The heart of the Fab Lab is state-of-the-art, software-enabled equipment like the following.
By the promotion of proper safety and operating know-how, these pieces of equipment and the integrated design software are made quite accessible to students as their minds become more and more open to the wondrous possibilities of technology-enabled manufacturing. Because of the hands-on nature of all this, students of all ages are better able to connect important principles taught in the classroom with the real world of making stuff. Among other things, one benefit of this program may be that more students will get excited about pursuing high-paid STEM careers. Many thanks, Chevron! For more information about the Richmond Fab Lab, click here. - Tom Waller, Rotating Scribe |
NEXT MEETING: February 5, 2016Richmond Fab Lab: Where Students and Community Can "Make Almost Anything”!
Funded by a Chevron grant to the Fab Foundation, our school district is implementing a Fabrication Laboratory (aka “Fab Lab”) at Kennedy High School, to serve the entire district K-12 and support community entrepreneurship. A Fab Lab is a small-scale digital workshop equipped with computer-controlled tools: 3D printers, laser-cutters, routing machines, 3D scanners, 3D milling machines, and programming tools. In a Fab Lab, you can “make almost anything”, or in other words, create different types of projects and products. MEETING OF January 29, 2016WelcomePresident Alan Blavins called the meeting to order, asked Dan Tanita, DDS to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and asked for a silent prayer for peace and for our friend Jim Young. Joe Bagley rang the Rotary Bell for each of the 13 years that Jim was a member of our club. Sergeant-at-Arms Sid Chauvin offered the quote of the day: “Politicians are people who, when they see the light at the end of the tunnel, will buy more tunnel.” Visiting Rotarians and GuestsAlan Blavins introduced guest and prospective new member Felix Osegura (thanks Felix for helping with the projector!). David Cole brought Julie Costa. Rebecca Nang and Markida Brodie were guests of our speaker, Tiffany Harris. Announcements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMThe Girls Inc. Experience
Program Chair Extraordinaire Stacey Street introduced Tiffany Harris, CEO of Girls, Inc., a nonprofit organization that inspires girls 5-18 to be strong, smart, and bold. There are three affiliations in the Bay Area: Richmond, Oakland, and Alameda. Girls, Inc. provides media literacy, economic literacy, adolescent health, violence prevention, and sports participation. They partner with community-minded organizations like Home Depot, Night Riders, Nutiva, and Eileen Fischer. Among other great things, they provide after school programs and STEM programs, teach life skills, go on college tours, and provide college scholarships. The Girls, Inc. Bill of Rights: Girls have the right to be themselves and to resist gender stereotypes. For more information, and to volunteer, donate, apply to be a board member or mentor, look here and here. - Shana Bagley Howe, Rotating Scribette |
Barrie Hathaway, the Executive Director of the Stride Center, comes to Richmond Rotary to discuss the organization’s history and programs. Barrie will also tell us about Progress Richmond, a collaborative with eight committed partners founded in 2010 that empowers economic and social mobility for Richmond residents.
Last Friday Dr. Dan Tanita had the well-deserved honor: cutting the ribbon marking the opening of a free dental clinic for WWCUSD students at Coronado Elementary School. Thanks for establishing this great community resource, Dan.