Monthly Archives: July 2018
NEXT MEETING: August 3, 2018Impressions from the Middle East - Rafael Cartagena
MEETING OF July 27, 2018WelcomeIn week 3 of his Presidency, Jerry Feagley tested a new swing where gavel meets bell to get the attention of a full house of Rotarians. Mayor Tom Butt led the pledge, Herb Cole reminded us of our shared world vision, and Sid Chauvin asked, “So when is this ‘Old enough to know better’ supposed to kick in??” Visiting Rotarians and GuestsSimon Ellis introduced his guest and son, Matthew Piatt. Welcome Matt! Announcements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMPowerPlant Park
Darlene Drapkin introduced today’s speaker, Larry Westland. A longtime commercial real estate broker, Mr. Westland is promoting PowerPlant Park in Richmond located near the Dotson Family Marsh Trail and scheduled for completion in 2019/2020. It will be one of the first facilities of its kind in California, dedicated to the highest quality grade cultivation and processing of medicinal cannabis. Its 18 acres will include 44 state-of-the-art environmentally controlled greenhouses that offer tenants of the Park a complete production facility for the medicinal (not recreational) market from seedlings through harvesting and onsite pre-testing. Tenant growers are expected to generate 400 jobs (that include a vetted employee process). Adjacent to the Bay Trail, the facility will also include a conference hall, restaurant, electric cars and a BART shuttle. Privately financed, the PowerPlant Park promises to maintain high standards in production for both tenant users and outside growers who wish to utilize one or more of the Park’s many processing components. Mr. Westland (a former school teacher) also traced the fascinating history of cannabis and US policies that have affected public perception, regulation, and use since hemp was first cultivated in 1795 at Mission San Jose. Richmond seems poised and ready as the benefits of medicinal marijuana in health and wellness become better understood and appreciated. For more information about PowerPlant Park visit: https://powerplantpark.com. Thank you Mr. Westland for your presentation to Richmond Rotary - Jan Brown, scribe-of-the-day |
NEXT MEETING: July 27, 2018PowerPlant Park
PowerPlant Park proposes to build a 44,000 square foot cannabis growing and processing center n a parcel of land between Point Pinole and the Richmond Rod and Gun Club. The building would have footprint half that size because it would be a 2-story facility. PowerPlant Park would have the capacity to process over 100,000 pounds of cannabis a year. Its operations would include drying/curing, machine and hand trimming, pre-roll assembly, packaging, labeling and storage. What are the economic, land use and possible community impacts of this project? Today’s speaker will address these and other questions. MEETING OF June 29, 2018WelcomeNewly inaugurated president, Jerry Feagley, called the meeting to order. Alan Baer led the Pledge and offered the invocation. For his Thought for the Day, Syd quoted 20th century’s greatest English orator: “A good speech should be like a women’s skirt: Long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” – Winston Churchill Visiting Rotarians and GuestsWe welcomed many guests and visiting Rotarians at this meeting. They included Syd Chauvin’s wife, Zelpha; and James, Alan Baer’s son. We also appreciated visits from Daniel Lopez, of the San Pablo Rotary; Sil Adaiago, of the El Cerrito Rotary; and Haakon Weinstein from a Portland club. AnnouncementsDarlene Drapkin announced the speakers for upcoming Rotary meetings. Darlene also asked members to offer suggestions for speakers. Each of us know someone who is doing fascinating work, has an important message to share, or simply is an entertaining speaker. You can ask that person if he or she would like to make a presentation at Rotary. Then talk to Darlene. RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMThank you, Connie!
Josh Surowitz took the floor to thank Connie for her year of service as the president of Richmond Rotary. He presented a quiz, Did You Know? Answer, mostly we didn’t know that Connie was:
Thank you, Connie, for your competence and steady hand as Richmond Rotary’s president! Tamara Shiloh, Rotating Scribe |
NEXT MEETING: July 20, 2018The Great Hand-Off
MEETING OF July 13, 2018WelcomeNew Richmond Rotary President Jerry Feagley called his first meeting to order. Your scribe led the Pledge and Herb Cole offered a prayer for peace, freedom and justice. Sid Chauvin asked the question: “What life altering event took place 60 years ago in Fresno, CA? Answer: Bank of America sent credit cards to their customers.” Visiting Rotarians and GuestsPrez Jerry’s guest was Adam Sass. We also welcomed our guest speaker, Eileen Gazaway, and a visitor El Cerrito Rotary, Sil Addiego AnnouncementsJan Brown announced an exhibit and celebration of the work of her father. Just Over 70 years ago, then Richmond Rotarian Don Hardison became a licensed architect and hung his shingle on 23rd Street in Richmond. His firm later expanded to become Hardison & Komatsu and then HKIT Architects. An exhibit and celebration of the firm’s work (much of it in Richmond) is on display through the end of August at the AIA East Bay at 14th and Clay in Oakland (open M-F). Learn more about this. RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMArmand Carr tells us about being "All Tied Up"
Edgar De Leon introduced our speaker Armand “The Voice” Carr, who hosts two programs on KBLX 102.9: The Quiet Storm and Listen Up Bay Area (a community awareness program). Armand was contacted by a staff member from Richmond High School, which was in need of backpacks for the Richmond High School football team. Although he could not help her with the backpacks, Armand came to the school with ties from his closet. That is how the All Tied Up was started. The program prepares young men ages 13-21 for success. It offers three main workshops: 1) how to tie a tie; 2) hygiene and 3) networking. The All Tied Up website explains the program goals this way: “Through encouragement and focused engagement, we can cultivate a community of young men with vision to achieve their greatest self. (…) In short, our young men become better problem solvers and decision makers, which means they are less likely to be involved in destructive behavior. At All Tied Up, we share a voice of belief and conviction that THEY CAN succeed.”
Armand welcomes donations to the program. If you want more information on All Tied Up or want to donate you can go to his website: www.alltied.org - The Menehune, Rotating Scribe |
NEXT MEETING: July 13, 2018Armand Carr, "The Voice" at KBLX and Jefferson Award Recipient
Oakland, California native Armand Carr is affectionately known as “The Voice” behind the Quiet Storm on KBLX 102.9. Armand is the founder and CEO of All Tied Up, a non-profit that prepares young men between the ages of 13-21 for success through workshops structured around the significance of a necktie. As an on-air personality, he made a commitment to be more than just a voice on the radio and has amassed a substantial list of accomplishments but none have been as fulfilling as All Tied Up. Armand is a recent recipient of the Jefferson Award, the nation’s most prestigious and long-standing award’s foundation, dedicated to celebrating public service. MEETING OF June 29, 2018WelcomeVisiting Rotarians and Guests
Announcements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMBike East Bay
Dave Campbell, Advocacy Director, from Bike East Bay, was today’s speaker. Bike East Bay promotes healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe, fun and accessible. They work with the transit companies, AC Transit, BART and ferry services. The organization provides education to schools and communities on the rules of the road and bicycle safety. Dave spoke about the bicycle plans for the various bridges including the recent renovations of the San Rafael/Richmond Bridge. Dave also gave a quick overview of bike-on-demand services. In the East Bay we have the Lime Bike program ($1/hr. pick up and leave bikes at your starting point and destination, wherever that is); and Ford GoBikes (pick up and return bikes to “docking stations” in downtown Berkeley. One time payment or monthly plans.) Coming soon to the Bay Area are electric bikes, electric skateboards and hover bikes. More information regarding their organization, campaigns, classes, how to volunteer or become a member can be found on their website at www.bikeastbay.org. Tamara Shiloh, Rotating Scribe |
Rafael Cartagena, El Cerrito Rotary Club member, will share a visual travelogue of his journeys in three Middle Eastern country: Dubai, Qatar, and Kuwait. He’ll present his impressions of women’s evolving status and workforce issues. He will also contrast those impressions with those in his native El Salvador and his present home in this country. Please join us for this fascinating geographical and sociological tour.
It’s the annual Rotarian rite of passage: Demotion. The accomplishments and adventures (or misadventures) of former president Connie Tritt will be served up with a big dollop of satire and pinch of farewell. This will be fun.
