The Flywheel
Archive issue

NEXT MEETING: May 3, 2013

Rubicon Celebrates 40 years!

This year Rubicon will celebrate 40 years as a leading provider of economic empowerment services, mental health care, and legal support. Rubicon’s mission is to prepare very low-income people to achieve financial independence, and to partner with people with mental illness on their journey of recovery. Rubicon’s Executive Director, Jane Fischberg, is excited to speak at the Richmond Rotary and share Rubicon’s recent 2012 accomplishments:
• Placed nearly 500 unemployed people in jobs.
• More than 1,400 children positively impacted by our work with their parents.
• Reduced hospitalization for people with serious mental illness by 54%.
• 1 of only 6 nonprofits nationwide awarded a grant to help fathers coming out of prison take care of their kids
• Awarded Chevron Economic Development grant to support partnerships with East Bay employers to create jobs for low-income West Contra Costa County residents.

MEETING OF April 26, 2013

Welcome

President Jim welcomed the Relatively Rambunctious, Rarely Reclusive, Reasonably Respectful, Remarkably Resolute, Radically Generous, Richmond Rotary Club on a beautiful day. Bob Dabney led us all in the Pledge, and Stoney offered an invocation for freedom, justice and peace on Earth, and in memory of those who suffered in the Boston terror attack. Stoney also read an inspiring excerpt from the Rotary International magazine, about volunteers putting themselves in harm’s way to provide inoculations at personal risk of peril in Sierra Leone.

No Visiting Rotarians,  Rotarians with Guests or Sunshine Report today

Announcements

• Henry Kelman’s celebration of life will be May 11th (not 4th) @ La Strada, 2 -6 PM.
• Richmond Tales – Lot’s happening. We have handbills and posters in English and Spanish….& we are getting more. PLEASE DISPLAY THEM IN YOUR BUSINESSES.
• The Flywheel Project Page for Lost Secrets is live and has all the information about the production that you want to know. https://richmondcarotarylost-secrets-of-the-iron-triangle. Bios of the producer, director. HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKETS YET? Box Office workers to staff with Linda Young and ushers for each of the 6 nights of the show.

• BBQ & Party April 27th 3 PM –  Mark, Stoney, Joe B. and Richard A. hosted. (A great time was had by all!)
• Lacy Dalton show is May 2nd  @ Freight & Salvage in Berkeley for RotaCare.
• Mark your calendars for Cinco de Mayo, which coincidentally is May 5th, parade and booth selling Lost Secrets tickets, Richmond Tales books and water. More info as it develops. WE NEED BALLOON TYING ROTARIANS.
• Bocce Ball Tournament in Martinez June 8th all day.  Pam & Rafael have teams….Josh G. is working on a 3rd team

Recognitions

Happy and Sad Dollars

While President Jim passed on Happy $ in favor of more time for the club assembly, Jon Lawlis snuck in some Happy Dollars and announced he would sponsor 50 kids to Richmond Tales. Not to be outdone President Jim coughed up his own pledge for 50 more kids. In typical Richmond Rotary fashion Stoney Stonework, Herb Cole, Michelle Itagaki, Erle Brown, Josh Surowitz and Joan Davis agreed to sponsor 20 kids each for a total of 220 kids!!!

That’s a whopping $1100 bucks in a matter of minutes!!!

Norm’s Nonsense

The businesswoman ordered a fancy floral arrangement for the grand opening of her new outlet, and she was furious when it arrived adorned with a ribbon that read,”May You Rest In Peace.”
Apologizing profusely, the florist finally got her to calm down with the reminder that in some funeral home stood an arrangement bearing the words “Good Luck in Your New
Location.”

PROGRAM

This week the club met for our quarterly assembly to discuss important matters such as membership, the Richmond Tales project, and the budget. An open, productive discussion occurred and we all hope to follow up on these sentiments and turn them into positive action. If you could not make it to the assembly, ask a friend in the club for the low-down, and make sure to make it to the next one!

This Week's Rotating Ink Slinger - Joshua Surowitz