Bulletins – 2024 Q4
Good Day fellow Rotarians and friends and family who are reading our weekly bulletin. Today’s minutes are from TUESDAY, December 10, 2024 Rotary November 26, 2024 4-way test: Jessica Dominguez Song, 76 Trombones: JB Leep Inspiration :Actions speak louder than words: Leslie Lewis Visitors: Diane Harris and Doug Hammerstrung, from Ft. Bragg Rotary, and guests of the Merrills Maureen Landweir, guest of Chris Landweir Environmental Moment: Margaret Johnson: recycle and reuse the old fashioned way, like our parents did: wash and reuse tin foil. Reuse paper lunch bags, bring lunch from home, use coffee cans for storage. Announcements: Margaret offered Take A Chance Wine, made by her husband. No guarantee as to taste but any donation will go to the Food and Toy drive. Susan Cole: The Rotary Peace Conference 2025, January 24-26, is the ultimate gathering of visionaries and change-makers from diverse fields coming together to revolutionize the world. Francesco Lecce-Chong from the Santa Rosa Symphony will be speaking on Music as Diplomacy. November Rotary Magazine featured the response from Rotary Clubs, including ours to the Turkey Earthquake in 2023. Our Club donated $2,000 and Rotary International donated $2.7 million. JB Leep: Reported that former exchange student, Stefan is interviewing to be a hedge fund intern in NYC this Friday. Boyd Morrison: Reminds the club that a satellite club might be starting. Bill Bolster reminds everyone that help is needed for bell ringing for the Salvation Army on Saturdays December 14 and 21. Contact Bill if interested. Barbara McChesney: our high school interact club is on the current Russian RiverKeepers advertisement. Larry McCabe: The Larry and Monica McCabe Foundation will match gifts up to $400 to the Food and Toy Drive so that our Club is a sponsor. José Diego shared his Thanksgiving tradition of bringing pizza to local homeless people. José accepted donations for his project, and invited help from Club members. Monica McCabe: shared the recommendation of the Grant Review Committee to the Board: The Committee recommends funding immediately: Windsor Senior Center Coffee: $250 Windsor Middle School Science Camp: $1,000 (Committee would like to give more if possible) Santa Tim: $1,000 The Committee recommends funding the following with new funds from the foundation or from the fundraiser. Scout Pack 20 Website (Michael LeCompte, leader) $1,000 SCFD demo garden completion: $2,500 Big Picture Academy Culinary Classroom $2,200 The Committee recommends the following as the major recipients of a fundraiser: Meals on Wheels $20,000 Food For Thought $5,000 Total grant funding: Fundraiser goal: $30,000 THEME OF FUNDRAISER: BRIDGING THE GAP ON FOOD INSECURITY WINDSOR 2025 GUEST SPEAKER: AUSTIN RANCH FLOWERS’ COLLEEN AUSTIN Colleen and husband Rick run a 5 acre organic and sustainable flower farm in S. Santa Rosa. Colleen gave tips on buying local flowers, how to keep them fresh, and how to arrange them. Buying local greens and flowers that are in season is a very green, though challenging practice. Nov. 12, 2024 Good morning Rotary Club of Windsor! 4 Way Test – Jo Song: Geoff Harrison – America the Beautiful verse 3 in honor of veterans! Inspiration: Maureen Merrill – may we be happy, may we be healthy, may we be at peace and may we never, never, ever give up. Visiting Rotarians: none Visitors: Charter member rotary club of Windsor Judge Arthur Wick Environmental moment: No update today! Announcements- Calendar – Thanksgiving Bell ringing (12/14 & 12/21) Bell Manor lunch (12/17) Rotary holiday party 12/14 (Merrill’s house) Toy and food drive (12/21) Nations Finest event and thank you to all that helped set up, clean up, serve, etc.…! It was well received and appreciated. JB – Councilman JB Leep!! Applause!!! Swearing in 12/4 but wants to explain vote – waiting for ½ the votes to come in but currently has 40%! Most of the votes should be in today Larry – Last week at town council Larry presented Kincade commemorative coins to fire and police! The idea of the Kincade rock monument for the first responders came out of the conversations between Wally and Doug! Doug never turned down a train ride, so there were many conversations on that train that led to this dedication! Larry presented the challenge coin box to Wally! Wally and Doug had a good time talking about how to honor the community that saved our town! Thank you all for your support in making this happen! Calling out John Nelson, Steve Click, Larry Mills, Jeff, Pam, Monica, Robin, Robin, Sandy – committee that came up with ideas! Thank you, Larry! Bill Bolster -Youth exchange. We interview students that want to travel internationally, and we sponsor those that qualify. Every year in spring we make an announcement and do it again in the fall. We interviewed and selected Joshua M as outbound, but his counselor recommended, he put it off for a year. Outbound explanation – student goes to another country and stays for a year to learn culture, language, et… Audrey K applied for short term and will likely go to Spain or Italy. She will go for 3 weeks to visit, and a family member will come back with her and spend 3 weeks here! Renee Hyde – The power of one – an exchange program with Africa. (Uganda specifically). Rotary Clubs in Uganda are certified to send an outbound but are not certified to accept an inbound. So, this is a one-way exchange. Since we don’t have an outbound to send this year we will participate. There are a couple of levels – 1. family pays all, 2. district help, 3. district pays all cost. We have selected option three where the district pays all the cost. Opportunity for us to work with their Rotary and work in their area to have broader impact in their community. Timeline August 2025. Some of the money from the golf tournament will be used for this. Bill Bolster: Bell Ringing – In honor of Dick Bishop! Saturday 12/14 and Saturday 12/21. 10am – 6pm. Looking for volunteers to work 2-hour blocks to ring the bell and help collect money for the program. Look for the sign-up sheet! Michael LeConte– Grand opening tasting notes on Friday from 4pm – 6pm. Please come down to support! Pegi – 12/17 is the Bell Manor luncheon. If you can come, please sign up. Robin has collected Christmas cards for us to sign and to give to the seniors at the lunch! Any leftovers will get sent to senior centers! Monroe Hall-thank you and short video. Barbara – looking for leader for fundraiser. Planning on similar event as last year and she is close to finalizing the theme. Video of one of the silent auction items – dinner and dance lessons! Guest presenter: Andy Wick spearheaded the creation of the Town of Windsor, co-chaired the committee to create the Windsor Unified School District, among other local accomplishments. A longtime lawyer whose firm served school districts in the region; he became a Superior Court Judge in 2006. His career included serving as president of the Sonoma County Bar Association, as the supervising judge of our Civil Division, the executive board of the California Judges’ Association, and sat on the First District Court of Appeal before. In retirement, Andy remains professionally active, currently working on a cold case team, work that surely revives skills learned in early adulthood when he was a police officer. The thing to know is that he has given his heart and soul to Windsor! Drew up all of the contracts and permits that were needed to become our own city incorporated! His young daughter Emily even noticed his dedication and said, “Daddy’s always working on Windsor stuff at night”! He is the emotional judge! He didn’t know we were going to be talking about things like salvation army – he remembers when he got his meals on the porch – so it DOES make a difference. Mike and Maureen encouraged him to go for Superior Court Judge – so he did. Engaged Justice Jenkins to talk about inclusivity and diversity and equity even though Justice Jenkins had never heard of him. He was introduced and they had a conversation together – Justice Jenkins remembered him reaching out and asked how they could partner on inclusion. Put on a seminar and had 225 attendees. The judicial branch in CA is very involved in diversity, equity and inclusion. They started the “conversation” around the state of California to engage and start discussions on the subject. He is leaving for Sacramento after the meeting to continue the conversations to ensure the discussions progresses. Judges in CA are typically older white men so this topic needs to be continued and so he needs to do something to change that. Go do something about it if you want to see change. You can make a difference in someone’s life if you take the time to stop and have the conversation. “Shut up and swim!” Retired about 2 years ago. Didn’t think he had much to do. About 2 months ago he had dinner with Michael Conlin which helped him make a decision to get involved in cold case homicide work. Currently cold case homicide investigator for Sonoma County. Has solved about 4 cases and one is currently under arrest from a murder that occurred 42 years ago. Questions! Maureen: When a judge does something – they put the president that appointed them in front of it. Supposed to keep politics out of it. Andy: Good judges keep away from politics. Try not to associate people with stereotypes. Tom: 19 years, 19,000 cases (1,000/year) – hearing a lot about backlog. What is the solution for this backlog? Andy: out of touch with current caseloads, but every case has a right to be heard. You have 6-week trials with thousands of exhibits where you are awarding millions, and cases that are $2,500 that need the same attention. Need more judges. Typical cases 3-4 small claims cases that you had to hear. Took on responsibility for all Kinkade fires – had over 400 cases just from that. Multi-billions of dollars at stake and then had to go hear the small claims cases. Not surprised at the backlog, and you work as diligently as you can to get them done. Larry: Cold cases – how do you go about gathering evidence that is 42 years old? Andy: Depends on case. Calls people to gather information, review files, and try to tie people to Sonoma County with receipts, people, etc.… The case that was solved they had kept her clothes an found DNA that tied the male to the case. Mike: We have something in common, he was assigned a cold case that he worked on for 6 months. Mitch: Why was case not solved 42 years ago? Andy: Current DNA evidence led to solve the case, which wasn’t available 42 years ago. Susan: Can you address the issue of DNA and privacy? Andy: Hard to address, tension between privacy and the government. Once you are in the system you are in the system. There are protections. Bill: How did you get into law. Andy: Was a police officer first. Worked S. Central. When you drove into neighborhoods kids stopped playing basketball. A friend suggested law school. He was driving motorcycle when a lady ran a red light that ended his basketball career. Went to law school as a dare. Came in 3rd in his class. Then went to medical school. They had a 2-year program for attorneys. After being an attorney, he ran into John Lewis and suggested they should make Windsor a city, then formed WUSD, chaired bond committee, built schools, and just kept going. Thank you to: Greeter: Maureen Merrill Guests: Andy Wick Nov. 5, 2024 Good morning Rotary Club of Windsor. Pledge of Allegiance led by Larry McCabe Song: Maureen Merrill – led the Star-Spangled Banner Inspiration: Susan Cole “John Quincy Adams “Always vote for principle though you may be alone, you may cherish the sweet reflection that your vote is never lost. Visiting Rotarians: Visitors: Eric Johnson, Hansel Auto Group/Leasing – Rod Montoya (US Navy vet) and Laine Montoya (yoga instructor) – Jeane Hackenberg Environmental moment: Boyd Morrison – Santa Rosa Tool Library, open Wednesday and Saturday, great resource for finding 1x tools. Announcements- Veterans Village BBQ lunch on Saturday. We can use a little bit of help with setup and teardown, and a couple of side dishes would be welcome too. Please confirm your attendance with John. Today is a special meeting designed to honor and thank our service men and women who put themselves on the line to uphold, defend, and advocate for human rights here at home and abroad and for fighting to uphold our constitution and democracy. 1st Part of Program: Many members brought up their pictures and fond tributes to their family veterans. 2nd Part of Program: Club Member Veterans share something about being a veteran, impact on their lives etc. In closing: Election Day is a sacred tradition in our country that I hold dear. The importance was instilled in me from a very young age. I consider this election to be the most critical of my lifetime. I am holding it in my heart that it is a day that the people in our country stay safe and that democracy prevails. Thank you to: Thank you to our veterans John, Mike, Kristin, Brian, Bill and Tom for sharing a bit of their story today. Thank you to those of you who brought photos to share. I look forward to seeing you on Saturday for bagpipes and barbeque. Greeter: Joan Mora Oct. 8, 2024 Good morning Rotary Club of Windsor. Pledge of Allegiance Inspiration: Joan Mora Two! “No one has ever been poor by giving” – Anne Frank “If you can’t do great things, do small things in great ways.” - MLK Song: Geoff Harrison Go visit Doug if you can! Geoff had the club sing Doug’s favorite song that was played on his last meeting as president “The Candy Man”. He recorded and will share with Doug! Visiting Rotarians: Mikel Cook – Sebastopol Sunrise Igor Pelicia and his wife Norma – Merida, Mexico Visitors: Heather Kristensen and Dana Jones – Big Picture Learning Environmental moment: Margaret Johnson Everything has a value especially coffee cans with lids! It makes it hard to throw things away and on Sunday you have a chance to donate these extra things. Join the Town of Windsor for a Costume Exchange with a zero-waste craft table and a fall plant swap! Bring your extra stuff for someone that can use it! Sunday, October 13 3:30-5:30 – Huerta Gym Announcements- Guest Presenters: Dana Jones- Internship Coordinator for Big Picture Learning and Heather Kristensen-Principal Formerly North Bay Met Academy – Heather introduced Dana to speak to us about learning through interests! Due to financial restraints they had to reshuffle and restructure program to stay financially responsible. Students go in one day a week and do home study the rest of the time. Big Picture Learning was established in 1995 with the same mission of putting students at the center of their own learning. It is a global network with 275+ schools. They work to make learning relevant to students. This was especially challenging after Covid when there had been a decline in interest. This location serves Windsor and Sonoma County. This program helps young people re-build self-esteem. How is BPL different: Real-world learning, individualized learning plans, advisory system, collaborative environment, focus on skills and competencies, holistic development. Local businesses such as these have helped with mentorships. Town of Windsor, Art Diaz Construction, Wikiup Vet, The Bike Shop, Healdsburg Fire, and LOTS more! Dana appealed to the members of the club to serve as mentors or to provide presentations or workshops. Cooking 1 – measure, ratio, portion = MATH quantitative reasoning 2 – physics and chemistry of recipes = SCIENCE Etc.… Students choose BPL to help build confidence or perhaps they don’t fit into the classic learning structure, or are experiencing challenging life events. The goal is that this system keeps students interested, engaged and remain continually motivated to grow and learn. How can you contribute: 1 – serve as a field trip destination 2 – act as a mentor 3 – lead a workshop – culinary, art, entrepreneur type, etc. 4 – participate as an informational interviewee 5 – share your insights as a guest speaker Thank you for your time and commitment to community!! Scan the QR code below to connect with Dana!
Craft Talks: Boyd Morrison and Kristine Siebert Kristine up first! Native CA – born in Hollywood, all education in CA and graduated from UCLA. She lived in Norway and France. In 1992 Kristine moved to Healdsburg and 6 years ago moved to Lakewood Hills in Windsor. In order to meet people and pursue her passion, she got involved with Master Gardner’s. She then started with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).She is currently working with groups that help serve mentally ill, Buckaloo and county mental health. They serve about 600 people in need but are needing to downsize this year and only serve 200. Sage commons is a new development which donates all household items to them as unhoused people with very little and need it all to get started. Boyd up next! What you need to be a wine maker! Boyd is in sales currently and no longer actively making wine. Education: BS – Viticulture and Enology; Fermentation Science; AS – Winemaking; Winemaking Certificate (2 years online) The BEST way to learn is to do it!! Average base salaries by position – Winemaker 2 average $140k, VP of sales $287k but they don’t have a life! Boyd’s path – started with Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Learned about different tastes and what he liked and didn’t like and why. This transfers anywhere! Intermission – Can you name the variety? Photos of grape clusters and guess varietal! Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cab, Merlot, and ending with Zinfandel. Leaves can identify the varietal. Boyd’s wife is a winemaker at Sonoma-Cutrer. They rarely talk about wine unless there’s a problem. They focus on life issues. The long days of harvest are challenging for their family. They made a deal when they got married that the grandparents had to take the kids for a week or so to allow the winemakers to get through harvest. Kids look forward to it! Production, Grape quality, fermentation, product development, distribution, promotion, business operations, legal compliance, record keeping are all things you have to do and be responsible for in smaller wineries. In larger wineries there is a person in each role. Unique about this line of work 1 – harvest 2 – spitting 3 – dental care – wine is acidic! Rinse with baking soda and water to neutralize pH. Boyd described some Industry challenges. It takes about 5 years for a vineyard to start producing. You need tanks, equipment, etc.… that you might only use once a year. This year 28 million gallons of wine were available which is the highest level since 2009. People are not drinking as much. Other challenges: 1 – outdated packaging – 5 servings per bottle 2 – risky purchase - costly 3 – lack of innovation 4 – over education, not connection 5 – the wrong kind of storytelling Joke time! What is the difference between God and a winemaker? God doesn’t think he’s the winemaker! Boyd is currently at Laffort doing wine sales. He has had fun and has made more than he will ever drink! Thank you to: Host: Margaret Johnson Greeter: Jo Timmsen Song: Geoff Harrison Environmental moment: Margaret Scribe: Alison Huber Guests: Mikel Cook – Sebastopol Sunrise Igor Pelicia and Norma– Rotary Club in Mexico Heather Kristensen and Dana Jones - BPL The Mission of Windsor Rotary The Windsor Rotary Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit, Fed EIN #68-0185065. WEEKLY MEETINGS Charlie’s Restaurant Rotary Club of WindsorDr Lisa Ward: Chief Medical Officer at the Alliance Medical Center
Four Way Test:
INSPIRATION: Robin Schifando
“Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting” Brian Tracy
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth” Mohammed Ali
SONG: Geoff Harrison “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
No VISITING ROTARIANS
GUESTS OF ROTARIANS: Past Rotary club member Dennis Wilkinson, Retired Windsor Police Chief Ruben Martinez, Current Windsor Chief of Police Gregory Piccinini and our guest speaker Dr. Lisa Ward.
Environmental Moment: Diane Brabetz, Diane shared with us pictures and a story of how the turtles return to the beach at her house in Mexico each year to lay their eggs and how she, her husband Les and their dog protect their space and help to ensure as many baby turtles as possible are released into the ocean.
Larry McCabe: Coin presentation to Retired Windsor Police Chief Ruben Martinez, Windsor Police Chief Gregory Piccinini and retired Windsor Police Chief Mike Raasch, recognizing their work as first responders to the Kincaid fire.
Michael Juric reminded us that at Doug William’s debunking we assured him a “Welcome to Windsor” sign would be erected at the Smart Train Station downtown Windsor. In conversation with the Windsor Chamber of Commerce Michael was informed the Smart Train is expected to arrive in Windsor Spring 2025 and the “Welcome to Windsor” sign will be in place around the same time. In addition to the sign the Chamber of Commerce is creating an art wall displaying photos that represent the Town of Windsor and requested a few photos of Retired Fire Chief Doug Williams to include in the display.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
President Barbara: Peace Pole dedication, Brooks Elementary School, Monday December 16, 2024 8:40am Please join us!
Bill Bolster: Bell Ringing Saturday December 14th and Saturday December 21st. Contact Bill
Pegi Ball: Bell Manor Holiday Lunch: Tuesday December 17th, Bell Manor Apartments. 8780 Bell Rd. Windsor, 11am gathering, then lunch served at 12 noon,
Congratulations JB Leep on winning election for Town Council: Celebration December 10th 5pm Windsor Community Shops, inside the Raley’s grocery store.
ROTARY PEACE CONFERENCE: January 24th - 26th 2025 Sonoma County – Rohnert Park Learn more and Register: Peace25.org
SPEAKER:
Dr Lisa Ward: Dr Ward is the Chief Medical Officer at the Alliance Medical Center in Windsor; she has over 20 years of experience in Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs) as a clinician leader.
Dr. Ward is a board-certified family physician with a passion for working with the underserved communities, issues of health equity, diversity in the health professions and universal health insurance and access to care for all.
Dr Ward’s focused message was a family physician’s perspective of supply and demand, acknowledging there is a medical crisis, aware that there is an extreme wait time to be seen not only by specialisst but by our primary care physicians.
Dr Ward stated the Alliance Medical Center serves over 15,000 people in the Windsor & Healdsburg community; Alliance Medical Center has an office in Healdsburg, as well as Windsor.
There is growing scarcity in the healthcare workforce, with 50% of healthcare workers being 50 years or older it is estimated 30% of the workforce will be leaving over the next 10 years.
At the present time it would require every physician to work 18 hours a day, every day to offer adequate service to the community.
More healthcare workers would seem a solution; however, Dr Ward stated there is a backlog in that area as well. She stated it takes 10 years to train a physician, and that there are only 150 doctors per year in medical school.
Dr Ward stated the passing of prop 35 should be helpful as it will mandate more money from insurance company’s going into primary care and training. Currently Insurance companies spend as little as 3% on primary care, under the new proposition they will be mandated to increase to 15%. Primary care is the foundation of good health care.
Dr Ward opened her presentation to questions and comments, the following topics were discussed:
AI could be helpful; tele visits are used and are very helpful, as are physicians assistants & nurse practitioners. These are all changes we are seeing and to which we are becoming accustomed.
One issue Dr Ward mentioned is that 75% of physicians go into specialty fields rather than primary physicians,
Increasing education on healthy lifestyles and diet can help to prevent chronic disease
The question was asked whether people were more resistant to vaccines in today’s climate, especially for children? Dr Ward responded that there is more resistance especially to the Covid and flu vaccines for children, thankfully no problem with polio and other childhood vaccines.
Unfortunately no real clear solution as the healthcare workforce shrinks and the population ages but it is comforting to know we have someone like Dr. Lisa Ward in our community working on the problem.
President Barbara thanked our speaker, guests and Rotary members that assisted in making our meeting possible.
Meeting adjourned 8:30am
Colleen Austin: Austin Ranch Flowers
Kristine Redko: Creating Vibrant Rotary Clubs
Today’s speaker was Kristine Redko (“K Red”), the District 5130 Governor Elect for 2025-2026. Kristine is a charter member of two new Rotary Clubs in our area, the Rotary Club of Rancho Cotati (“RCRC”) and the Rotary Club of Sonoma Mountain Twilight. She encouraged our vibrant traditional club to consider creating another Rotary Club in our area to appeal to existing and new Rotarians seeking a different club model and a different time, location, and frequency of club meetings. Kristine indicated we should not be worried about losing members or detracting from the energy of our club because, in her experience with new clubs, no Rotarians were lost and new Rotarians were gained, thereby expanding our reach and extending our brand. Every club member should feel empowered to participate.
Call to Order. President Barbara McChesney called the meeting to order at 7:30 am.
Pledge of Allegiance. Sandi Krutz led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
Song. Bill Bolster led us in singing “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys.
Inspiration. Mik
“You have always had the power, my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself.”—Glinda, the good witch in The Wizard of Oz
Guests. Brian Ling introduced visiting Rotarian Kristine Redko of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Mountain Twilight. Also visiting again was soon-to-be-new-member Eric Johnson
Environmental Moment. President Barbara delivered a heartfelt environmental moment lamenting that, unless something changes, in 2050, when her grandson will be 28, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean, coral reefs will be functionally degraded, and the impact of climate change will make the world increasingly uninhabitable. Barbara related that she led the last District Environmental Committee meeting with a very heavy heart. Salvador Rico reminded the committee of the long list of incredible environmental projects Rotary is doing around the world.
Salvador’s message to Barbara: “Remember that we can influence the world through Rotary and we have to do it for our children and their children’s children. We can’t stop and allow anything to stop us. We have to leave a better world for our future generations. We have Rotarians at COP-29 in Baku, Azerbaijan this week. And starting in December we begin preparations for COP-30 for Brazil. We always work with those who want to work and are ready to work. So let’s get the job done, Grandma. Your grandson is counting on you.”
Announcements.
Windsor Rotary Foundation Advisory Committee. Sue Nelson announced the formation of a seven-member advisory committee for the Windsor Rotary Community Foundation to work with Sue and the club treasurers in developing an investment policy and distribution guidelines in conjunction with Exchange Bank, the custodian of the Foundation funds. It is anticipated that the committee will meet 3 to 4 times a year to deal with Foundation policy matters and advise the club/foundation board. Anyone interested in serving on the committee should contact Sue.
Wine Sale. Larry McCabe reported that 6 people have pledged about $1,100 to purchase wine at a discounted price with all proceeds to be distributed to the People for Parks organization that is supplying the wine. There will be several other rounds of wine sales to benefit Windsor parks. Wine purchases are not tax deductible.
Toy Drive. Larry McCabe also reported that Mike and Maureen Merrill and Renee Hyde have stepped up to sponsor this year’s holiday toy drive. More details on this will be shared later.
Bell Ringing. Bill Bolster has arranged two dates for our club members to participate in bell ringing to raise funds for the Salvation Army during the holidays. We will be at Walmart on December 14thand at Oliver’s Market on December 21st. Bill passed around a sheet for volunteers to sign up for a bell ringing shift.
Rotary Foundation. As the end of the tax year approaches, Brian Ling reminded us of the opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation to the Rotary Foundation which would count toward one’s Paul Harris recognition. Donations may be made by check delivered to Brian or preferably online through myrotary.org.
Christmas Cards for Seniors. Robin Schifando urged us to sign the Christmas greeting cards on the tables today. The signed cards will be delivered to seniors at the holiday senior luncheon.
“Take a Chance Wine”. Margaret Johnson announced she would be bringing miscellaneous wine of various quality levels to pre-holiday club meetings for purchase for whatever purpose—drinking, cooking, or discarding! Any money raised will go the Toys for Tots.
Report on Club Board Meeting. President Barbara gave a brief report on the club board meeting on November 18th.
Financial Report. The board discussed the Club and Foundation budgets for 2025. More details will be provided later.
Community Service Grants. The Club received 15 grant requests, which were reviewed by the board. The recipients of grants will be announced later.
Fundraiser. The board intends to proceed with a fundraiser. The location may be Russian River Vineyards, which has agreed to provide the venue at no cost to the Club. It has been a challenge to recruit leadership for the event. It may be possible for the Club to hire an event planner to lead the event.
Nation’s Finest. The board discussed Club support for this program.
Club Presidents. Brian Ling described the succession plan for president of our club. The most recent 5 presidents get together to recommend the next president to the Board for approval and referral to the club membership for a vote. The president Elect for 2025-2026 is Larry McCabe. The past presidents recently designated Renee Hyde to serve as president for 2026-2027 and Renee has accepted. Yay! Anyone interested in serving as president in the future should contact Brian.
“Throw Your Friends Under the Bus”. Renee acknowledged and recognized club member Jessica Dominguez of Exchange Bank for an article and photo that appeared in a recent edition of Sonomamagazine. Jessica graciously contributed to the Club Foundation.
Renee also recognized Pam Moulton for her recent extended vacation trip to various European destinations. Pam will give a full report when her travel companions can participate.
Speaker. Brian Ling introduced our speaker, Kristine Redko, District 5130 Governor Elect for 2025-2026. Kristine provided a wealth of information about forming a new Rotary club and referred us to the on-line Rotary Learning Center for even more information. There is no need to re-invent the wheel!
The main theme is to craft a club that appeals to new Rotarians. Kristine suggested we consider the following elements:
1. Club type
2. Meeting format
3. Club model
4. Combination of attributes
5. Infusion the new club with vibrancy, “The Magic of Rotary”
As to the Type of Club, there are 3 basic types:
1. Rotary Club (traditional)
2. Rotoract Club
3. Satellite Club
To charter a new Rotary Club requires 20 or more members. A Rotaract Club, typically with younger members (up until age 30), requires at least 12 members. A Satellite Club, under the sponsorship of a parent Rotary Club, requires only 8 members and need not later become a Rotary Club. A Satellite Club generally has a different time and location of meetings than its parent Rotary Club and may meet as few as 2 times a month.
As to the Format, there are 3 basic formats:
1. In-Person
2. Online(virtual)
3. Hybrid
After Covid, most clubs have moved to in-person meetings, using technology for remote speakers from time to time.
As to Models, some common models are:
1. Traditional
2. Passport
3. Cause-based
4. Interest-based
5. Corporate
6. Alumni-based
7. Service-based
8. Language-based
As to attributes of a club, a way to explore what new Rotarians may prefer is to contact former Rotarians and ask why they left (time of meeting, too many meetings, opportunities for service) and invite them back to structure a club that would meet their needs. Kristine was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Rancho Cotati, which started in 2007. Later, when her club became too political, she became a charter member of the Rotary Club of Sonoma Mountain Twilight that meets in the evening twice a month with the expectation of engaging in service projects during the off weeks.
Kristine suggests that a few trailblazers from our club could be the catalyst for a new club in our area. We can start by becoming aware of community needs that are not met and could be addressed by a new club operating in a different manner. Add a little Rotary magic!
Thank You. President Barbara thanked Kristine for her insightful remarks and thanked by name all guests and all those who contributed to the success of the meeting.
Andy Wick: Town founder and judge
Set-up: Robin S. & Kristine S.
A/V set-up: Mike Raasch
Inspiration: Maureen Merrill
Song: Geoff Harrison
Scribe: Alison Huber
Photography: TBD
Host: Robin SchifanoCelebrating our Veterans
Set-up: Alissa Johnson
A/V set-up: Jose Diego
Inspiration: Susan Cole
Song: Maureen Merrill and Susan Cole
Scribe: Brian Ling
Photography: Sue Nelson (or TBD)
Host: Boyd Morrison
Remembering Doug Williams
Minutes for October 22, 2024
President Barbara McChesney called the meeting to order at 7:30
Visiting Rotarians: None
Visitors: None
Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
We had a truly heartwarming meeting this past Tuesday, overflowing with love and admiration for Doug Williams. Sue Nelson prepared a beautiful video tribute that brought tears to many eyes, capturing Doug's spirit and legacy. Several members shared their personal memories, highlighting the profound impact Doug had on our Rotary club and the broader community.
Doug joined Rotary in 2016, sponsored by Bill Arnone, and from day one, he embodied the Rotary motto of "Service above self." Even while facing significant health challenges, Doug remained actively involved in all club activities, board meetings, and numerous committee meetings. His resilience and unwavering dedication ensured that our weekly meetings were meticulously planned, whether he could attend or not.
Doug's wife had shared his love for the Carpenters' music, so we played a karaoke version of "Sing," and the club sang along beautifully, creating a touching moment of unity and remembrance. Renee began the remembrances with her inspiration of two simple yet profound words: "Doug Williams." She read a touching quote and shared personal stories that illustrated Doug's kindness, dedication, and humor.
Many members shared their remembrances of Doug and expressed surprise at what a rock star he was around the state with his work as fire chief. He was so humble and quiet.
Wally, one of Doug's closest friends in the club, sent a heartfelt message that I read aloud. He spoke of Doug's extraordinary leadership, both in the fire service and within Rotary. Doug's commitment to the community was evident through his work with the teacher recognition breakfast, the SMART Train project, and the secondhand store "Treasure House," which raised money for shelters for victims of domestic violence. Doug's encyclopedic knowledge of trains, coupled with his role as a SMART Train Ambassador, showcased his passion for helping others and improving safety.
Doug's love for history and genealogy extended to local families and their impact on our community. His belief that understanding our past can improve our future was a cornerstone of his character. Wally reflected on their deep conversations, where despite their diverse backgrounds, they found common ground and mutual respect.
As Doug faced his illness, his grace, honesty, and stoicism shone through. He remained a strong leader, accepting help when needed and continuing to inspire those around him. Wally's account of Doug's final days highlighted his extraordinary spirit and determination. Doug's ability to find humor, even in difficult moments, underscored his resilience and positive outlook.
In summary, Doug was an extraordinary friend, a selfless leader, and a dedicated community servant. His legacy of service, kindness, and leadership will continue to inspire us all. Rest in peace, Chief Williams. Your impact will never be forgotten, and your spirit will forever live on in the hearts of those you served.
Announcements:
The Rotary Club of Windsor has a grant to fund two days of removing Arundo Donax . Members were encouraged to sign up and reminded to sign a waiver to participate.
Reminder that Saturday Nov. 9th is the Nation’s Finest luncheon and bagpipe event.
Thank You to:
Set-up: David Doht
A/V Set-up: Brian Williams
Inspiration: Renee Hyde
Song: Club
Scribe: Margaret Johnson
Photography: Sue Nelson
Host: Pegi Ball
The meeting adjourned at 8:25.
Respectfully submitted,
Margaret Johnson, scribe for the day
Tim Ricard: Town of Windsor Economic Development Director
Good Day fellow Rotarians and friends and family who are reading our weekly bulletin. Today’s minutes are from TUESDAY, October 15, 2024
Four Way Test: Lead by Susan Cole
INSPIRATION: Michael Ragsdale stated that normally inspirations come from famous people of history that changed the world, but shared in addition to those people, most of his inspiration has come from members of this club. During his medical issues and all the medical treatments, his treatment by the Rotary Club members was the best he could have ever had.
SONG: Larry Mills lead us in a song from the Rotary song book: “This Land is Your Land”
No VISITING ROTARIANS
GUESTS OF ROTARIANS: JB Leep introduced Tim Ricard, Economic Development Manager of the Town of Windsor, Maureen Merrill introduced Eric Johnson, Director of Equipment Leasing& Financing at Hansel Leasing.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Honoring Veterans in our club: special tribute meeting Tuesday Nov. 5th. Additional information will be emailed.
FREAKY FUNDRAISER! October 19 th , 7pm – 10pm Support the Windsor Holiday Food and Toy Drive.
ARUNDO DONAX removal day is October 26 th , 8:30am-noon, Information and sign up: www.russianriverkeeper.org/rotarybadgerpark
NATIONS FINEST BAGPIPE LUNCHEON: Nov. 9 th
ROTARY PEACE CONFERENCE: January 24 th - 26 th , 2025 Sonoma County -Rohnert Park Learnmore and Register: Peace25.org
President Barbara shared with us Doug is home from the hospital, he is not doing well. A meal train has been set up, we are keeping Doug & Jodi in our prayers. Doug has since passed.
SPEAKER:
JB Leep introduced Tim Ricard, Economic Development Manager for the Town of Windsor. Tim has been working as the Town of Windsor Economic Development Manager since 2019
Tim went over several projects that are happening in Windsor. He spoke on how things changed for the local business during COVID and how that has affected economic strategy moving forward, stating, “A healthy economy creates a healthy community.”
Tim shared that a Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program has been created.
(BRE) is the foundation of “economic gardening”. The focus is on engaging with business leaders to identify, solve, track and analyze key business challenges and assistance.
Tim works as a Business Ombudsman; he is the lead town contact and liaison with prospective business. He troubleshoots local licensing, permitting and development issues and provides assistance to startup underserved community.
Tim has been working with local business, and the community of Windsor as a new Economic Development Strategic Plan is developed. He encourages everyone to help shape the future of our community by sharing your thoughts in the Economic Development Strategic Plan survey. https://www.townofwindsor.ca.gov/1499/Economic-Development-Strategic-Plan-2024www.townofwindsor.ca.gov
Coffee with Tim Ricard Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024 8:15am – 8:45am
Windsor Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center 9001 Windsor Rd. Windsor
President Barbara thanked our speaker, guests and Rotary members that assisted in making our meeting possible.
Meeting adjourned 8:30am
Internships at Big Picture Learning
Set-up: Dave Doht
A/V set-up: Boyd Morrison
Inspiration: Joan Mora
Photography: Sue Nelson
The mission of the Rotary Club of Windsor is to serve our community and the world. We strive to better communicate with our members and with the community to inspire and mobilize both our local and global community in health, education, and peace to create transformative change.
Tuesday at 7:15 a.m.
Windsor Golf Course
1320 19th Hole Dr.
Windsor, CA 95492
Map it
P.O. Box 819
Windsor, CA 95492
Phone: 707-892-0492
Email: info1@windsorrotary.org
