NEXT MEETING: September 18, 2020

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

As a club, we will review our goals and discuss our response to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

LINK TO THIS WEEK’S MEETING ON ZOOM
Click this link to join the Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/94860047682

Date & Time: September 18, 12:30 PM
(please connect 5 minutes early to confirm Video and/or Audio)
12:15 — Informal Meet and Greet
12:30 — Traditional Meeting
12:45 — Club Discussion
1:15 — Recognitions
1:30 — Adjourn / After-meeting for those who want to linger

Meeting ID: 948 6004 7682
Dial in: +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

For security reasons, we are now sending invitations to our members and those who specifically ask to be invited each week. The link above is now a recurring meeting link, which will work for each week. You are welcome to forward this information to anyone you would like to invite.
Please email or text the names of your guests to Stacey prior to the meeting (staceyrcf@gmail.com, 510-501-0030) so they can be admitted quickly through the waiting room.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Fellow Rotarians, the new school year has started which means Richmond Rotary will continue our annual tradition of raising $100 for each teacher at Peres Elementary School. This year is especially important because of Covid-19. The teachers still need additional supplies and it is important that they obtain everything they need to teach their students virtually. There are 27 teachers at Peres School that need our help. You can donate by using Paypal on our website or you can write a check and send it to David Brown at our mailing address: Rotary Club of Richmond CA, PO Box 70643, Richmond CA 94807.  All of you who have donated in the past, please help us again for this worthy cause. Raising $2700 will trigger another $1000, from a bequest, that can be used for art programs and supplies for the whole school.
• Don Lau reported that the Richmond Rotary’s Community Services Team Blood Drive was a success and thanked the many volunteers who came out to assist. We collected 37 units of blood that can assist at least 111 people. Another drive is tentatively scheduled for February 2021.
• The club sent a wedding gift to President Stacey Street and her new husband.
• Henry Moe shared that the Salesian Interact club held their 1st official meeting virtually and identifying for alternative service projects that can be completed during the Shelter-in-Place.
• Jan Brown asked members to share stories of how the students in their lives are coping with the socially distant learning experience.
• If you haven’t paid your Rotary dues yet, please do so now! Visit our website and use the PayPal button in the lower right hand column. Thanks!

RECOGNITIONS AND HAPPY/SAD DOLLARS

• Brian Fay noted that there were several wedding anniversaries and birthdays of members not in attendance. Bob Dabney was honored to acknowledge his 90th birthday on September 9th and his years of service in Richmond Rotary Club.
• Mac Lingo shared that his son was recently ordained as a priest.
• Henry Moe acknowledged the 19th birthday of his son, Patrick

LAST WEEK’S PROGRAM

September 11th Program – Pierre Thompson introduced Roger Eaton, Voices of Humanity.

Roger opened the conversation by acknowledging the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nation in San Francisco and the original goals. He referenced a childhood story of his understanding of Adam and Eve as a reminder that we are all cousins.

From there, Roger reviewed the current status of the UN goals and a recent impact analysis of climate change on the planet: a 68% decline in biodiversity and the threat of extinction for over 1 million species. He shared that the doughnut economy model is replacing the neoliberal perspective in order to identify standards to maintain our ecosystem and environment.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals identified for 2030, abbreviated as SDGs, include a wide range of topics and areas: poverty, food insecurity, health, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, sustainable energy, economic growth, infrastructure and manufacturing, resolving inequality, creating sustainable cities, sustainable usage and consumption, mitigating climate change, maintaining ocean sustainability, supporting biodiversity, global partnerships to improve business and commerce. The former top priority, nuclear disarmament, is not mentioned in this list, but peace and global consciousness about our environment is the larger goal of Voices of Humanity.

The objective of Voices of Humanity, http://voh.intermix.com, is to bring people together, identify messages from each community, about each community and build a voice for all people to combine apart and together, (A and T).

The upcoming UN event on October 24th is launch day, over 100 participants from 5 nations will come together and identify international topics for the UN to address and ensure that each nation has a voice.

During Q&A, Roger mentioned his work building the San Francisco UN goals website, SFUNgoals.com, which consisted of writing and presenting a resolution to make a difference. The Voices of Humanity fundraising objectives are to raise funds to hire people to perform outreach and facilitate a viral international conversation similar to the Mayors for Peace commitments.

Stoney suggested reaching out to the superintendent of schools and starting early, educating children in elementary school and high school about manners, morals, and global consciousness. Roger mentioned that one project being evaluated is Adopt a Species, giving students an opportunity to study and save endangered plants and animals. Mac mentioned the model UN program that already exists in Berkeley schools and recommended we find a champion in the Richmond School district. Since the club already works with Peres elementary school and has a club member with Rotary International connections, Liliane Koziol, we can leverage those connections to identify ways that Richmond Rotary Club can promote these goals.