August 17, 2018
NEXT MEETING: August 17, 2018
Riggers Loft Wine Company
Kevin and Barbara Brown, owners and winemakers of R&B Cellars, and owners of Riggers Loft Wine Company, tell their story of being in the wine business. In particular, they will discuss their latest chapter at Riggers Loft Wine Company, and what it means to them to be part of the vibrant Richmond community. Kevin and Barbara will also bring R&B Cellars wine for those in attendance to taste!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
David was happy to report that last week we raised $3,100 to send to the Shasta Community Foundation to help with wildfire recovery. But, hold your horses, with contributions made today, we’ll be sending $3,500!
MEETING OF August 10, 2018
Welcome
Meeting called to order by President What’s-his-name* Pledge was led by Jim Findley, and the invocation was given by Herb. Syd’s Thought-for-the-day was “Did you ever wonder whether your purpose in life was to act as a warning to everyone else?”
We welcomed one visiting Rotarian, Jan Feagley from El Cerrito Rotary.
Our guest list was long this week. Undoubtedly they came to hear our Congressional Representative, Mark DeSaulnier:
Rosemary Corbin, the former Mayor of Richmond
Suzanne Gordon, a writer interested in Veterans’ issues, guest of Tom Butt
Byron Brown, guest of Jan Brown
Kaki Logan, an instructor at DVC, guest of Jan Brown
Greg Murphy
Niels Poulson
Lydia MacBride
Richard MacBride
David Schoenthal, a candidate for City Council
Carol Frank, Associate Director of Early Childhood Mental Health, a guest of Nick
Jeff Sloan, the new Executive Director at Early Childhood Mental Health, also a guest of Nick
Joe Mata
Shanelle Scales-Preston
Kathleen Sullivan, from GRIP
Sharla Sullivan, no relation to Kathleen, from EBMUD
Neil Zarchin, who works for the Food Bank
Recognitions and Happy and Sad Dollars
Ric did the Recognitions on this day, beginning with Mike Winter, who celebrated his 58th wedding anniversary!
Happy and Sad Dollars
Josh was happy for Michael Gill’s $1,000 donation to Richmond Rotary in honor of the fishing weekend he and Elaina sponsor for kids from RPAL, and because yesterday Lillian Koziol took a group of Rotarians on a tour of the USDA facility in Albany, which was an auction item, and which was fascinating and a lot of fun.
Oscar was happy the 49ers won.
Erle was happy Josh didn’t mention Stanford sports.
Tamarah was happy that she attended a Rotary meeting in Las Vegas and that an animator is interested in animating her children’s book.
PROGRAM
Congressman DeSaulnier
Our speaker was introduced by Darlene, who, apparently anticipating that someday she would be in charge of programs, promised herself when she jointed Rotary that one of her first programs would be Congressman Mark DeSaulnier.
Congressman DeSaulnier touched on a number of issues facing Congress:
Working with Mayor Butt, Congressman Desaulnier talked the Postal Service into retaining Richmond’s downtown post office, which had been slated for closure.
Congressman DeSaulnier also addressed the controversial topic of Immigration. He and several other Representatives visited border crossings and shelters to see for themselves the problems, especially those caused by the separation of children from their families. Congressman DeSaulnier said that there have been and are now pending several bipartisan bills that would address the immigration mess and that would pass with broad support, but that the Republican leadership won’t let them come to a vote because they prefer to use immigration as a wedge issue.
The Congressman also talked about economic inequality, transportation and infrastructure, and answered several questions.
*That’s Jerry Feagley, whose self-given nickname is What’s-his-name.
- Josh Genser, Rotating Scribe