Yearly Archives: 2018
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 |
NEXT MEETING: June 29, 2018Bike East Bay Speaker
These are admirable goals that can be difficult to achieve in a culture so committed to cars as the primary mode of personal transportation. How are they doing? Let’s find out. MEETING OF June 22, 2018WelcomeFor the last time in her term as president, Connie called the meeting to order. She will be out-of-town next Friday and past-president Alan Blavins will preside. Syd had a soothing thought-for-the-day, though: “Children are a great comfort in your old age, and they help you reach it faster, too!” AnnouncementsIncredibly, no one rose to make an announcement today. President Connie could not accept the unusual absence of anything to announce so called on David Brown. Our treasurer promptly stood and announced that dues were due (why do you think they call them “dues”?). If you haven’t done so already, you can meet your obligation by handing him your credit card or a check at the next meeting. You can also click the yellow Donate buttons on the right, one for the Rotary dues and the other for your contribution to Rotary International. Considering the state of international affairs right now, you may rest assured that donations will be put to good use. RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMYES, Nature to Neighborhood. What does that mean?
Our speaker on this day was executive director of YES Nature to Neighborhoods, Eric Aaholm. In his introduction, Nick reminded the club that Richmond Rotary has donated many thousands of dollars to YES over the last decade. Therefore, Eric’s presentation was an opportunity to learn how our dollars are contributing to the experiences of youth in our community. Since its establishment in 1999, YES has brought 5,300 Richmond and surrounding West Contra Costa County youth to week-long, residential summer camps and more than 1,000 families to weekend Family Camps in the Redwoods. YES organizers realized early on that bringing both children and their families on the weekend camping trips created opportunities for reinforcing the value of these retreats from urban routines by creating occasions for better communication, and just being together in a relaxing environment filled with new sights and sounds. In recent years, YES has built its capacity to provide services throughout the year, not just during the summer, when week-long and family weekend camping is most suited to students and families. YES has broadened its ability to partner with other organizations serving youth in Richmond, such as the RYSE Center. These partnerships create synergies that widen the effect of the positive experiences these collaborations can offer. Eric noted that through its programs YES also promotes high school achievement, including college and career readiness. An example is the focus on completion of a-g courses, required for admission to the University of California. Eric used the word “leadership” multiple times. YES strives to lay foundations for personal development— by building good communication skills, promoting healthy nutrition, cultivating an appreciation for our environment, focusing on college- and career-readiness, and more. These supports, opportunities and nudges all add up, gradually changing the faces of leadership in Richmond.
Nick Despota, Pinch-hitting scribe |
NEXT MEETING: June 22, 2018Developing Leaders through the Power of Nature
Since its inception in 1999, YES Nature to Neighborhoods has brought 5,300 Richmond and surrounding West Contra Costa County youth to week-long, residential summer camps and more than 1,000 families to weekend Family Camps in the Redwoods. Each summer YES aims to send nearly 300 youth, who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to attend camp, to one of seven different residential and day camps around the region. Eric Aaholm, the organization’s Executive Director, will tell us how YES build self-confidence and enhance leadership among Richmond’s youth. MEETING OFWelcomeOur meeting was called to order by President Connie. Tom led the Pledge of Allegiance. Herb offered the invocation. Syd had this thought-for-the-day: “One of life’s mysteries is how the boy not good enough for my daughter could father the smartest grand kid in the world.” Today’s GuestsOur guests today included Mac Lingo from the Berkeley Rotary; Jon Dwyer, our District-Governor Elect; our speaker Brooke Deterline, and her husband, Ken Deterline; and Susan Grossman from the Concord Rotary Club. Announcements
RecognitionsHappy and Sad DollarsNorm’s NonsensePROGRAMCourageous ConversationsBrooke Deterline trains people on how to to talk to people with whom you disagree yet with whom you must live and work—on how to have “courageous conversations.”
Time can help us manage our stress response. We must give our thinking brain time to catch up to our animal brain’s instinctive response. We may also be able to establish common ground of values before we talk about disagreements of policy or implementation. Rotary Clubs are an ideal forum for such conversations because we are already diverse in opinion, yet are part of a community. Consequently it should be safer to have such conversations among Rotarians. Stay tuned for an announcement of a Rotary-sponsored training on the ways to have more Courageous Conversations. - Josh Genser, Rotating Scribe |
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.
Bike East Bay promotes healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe, fun and accessible. It is committed to improving access to biking, walking and transit, with particular attention to communities and areas that have been underserved. The organization promotes bicycling as a way to improve the health, economic vitality, and happiness of our communities.
Disagreement causes stress. Our animal brains’ fight-or-flight response to stress urges us to avoid the conflict of taking on disagreement, and causes us to avoid difficult conversations. Thus, those with whom we disagree become the other or the enemy. As an indication of our general aversion to disagreement, Brooke told us that inter-political-party marriages are now more controversial than are inter-racial or inter-religious!