Morning daydream number 31 was interrupted with this question, “I wonder if Cindy, (as in Cindy and Rockin-Rick) I wonder if Cindy is back in town?” ...I’m interrupted by another daydream. “Why was Cindy out of town, hum? I wonder if she has a sister. If she does did she leave town to visit her? If her Sister is in town I wonder if she would ever bring her to a meeting…hmmm???”
Reality interrupts my day-dreams….
I go to the computer screen to check to see if there is a message from Cindy. I am delighted to find out that yes, Cindy is back in town. There before me is a beautiful PowerPoint of the entire yet to be, 2-27-16 meeting.
Entering the Roto Palace a tiny bit early I noticed that the food is yet to be on the table, Mable.
Roto-folks that have already arrived had formed two rows like in an old-fashioned 60’s stroll dance. Each row was turned toward the other in pleasant conversation. What a great friendly group we have.
As the serving line starts to move I noticed President Rockin-Rick at the podium. Today he looks quite smart in a pale pink freshly pressed shirt complemented by an original Jerry Garcia tie.... What a guy! [Full disclosure, this is a file photo -Ed.]
With a yummy plate of food preceding me, I head towards the round-table with the best view and audio location of the palace proceedings.
At the Bell
At precisely 12:16, I was interrupted from a great meal, superb conversation, and a day-dream or two by the clang of the Roto-bell.
The pledge: Jerry Warren led us perfectly in the pledge of allegiance.
The song:Our music man for the day was J.T. Martin who helped us find our voices for a sterling rendition of America the Beautiful. As in all other areas, when it comes to singing…This club’s got talent.
Thought for the day
R.R. asked David Still for the thought for the day. David’s pearls were:
“To do is to be,”…Friedrich Nietzsche
“To be is to do,”…Immanuel Kant
“Do Be Do Be Do,”…Frank Sinatra
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Our Leader of Impeccable Clothing Taste asked for visiting Rotarians,Kathy Swartz & David Mark Raymond were in attendance from the morning club…but alas S.R Dentist/Rotarian Dan Bornstein was not present.
Jim Passage introduced Heather Rush, also friends Richard & Debra from Alaska.
Henry Alker introduced Rotary Scholar Dietrich Fraembs and girlfriend, Calvina Pitts.
Say what you will but…creative day-dreaming is powerful. Remember that dream I had about Cindy Carter, (as in Rockin-Rick-N-Cindy) well there she was, at our meeting in the flesh, with her Sister Shelly. Just look at them, Cindy & Shelly, together again.
Les Crawford introduced his best friend Kathy Schwartz
andAmy Jones-Kerr the present Superintendent and past principal of Roseland school……….
Announcements
Community Grants
Pres. R.R. thanked Community Grants committee members Jackie Moreira, Bob Cugini, Diana Rich, Keller McDonald, Jim Passage, Jim Pacatte, Linda Johnson, David Still, Tom Dilley, and Richard Power for their work on the committee and David Schreibman for chairing the committee.
The amount they awarded was $33,652, of that amount the educational awards were $22,472.00 leaving $2,438.00 to possibly award to teachers mini grants. For a breakdown of how the $33,652.00 was divvied up go to club runner.
Friendship dinners
Pink-President-Rick, Asked Co-Chairs Diana & Edwin Wilson, for information about the upcoming “Friendship Dinners.” Diana explained that the idea of these dinners is to get Rotarians who normally don’t get together in a friendly social setting to find out more about each other. Diana explained that the rules of the Friendship dinners have been changed.
The Options are almost endless……You can be either a host or a guest. If you host you make the main entre’ and tell the guests what side dishes to bring….. You can come as a couple or solo….. You can host breakfast, lunch, dinner or if you find the right Rotarians they can all come solo, have dinner, do a midnight ice-cream snack and then do a sleep-over…….and maybe a Ramus-Fizz breakfast.
Heck, if it works out perfectly you could start the next West County Roto-Commune.
A suggestion to Edwin & Diana…Maybe during this election season potential guests could fill out their political persuasions and whether they want to sit at a pleasant (Birds-of-a-feather) table or a (highly stimulating, potentially adversarial dinner of fist-pounding and amplified conversations) with those of a differing political persuasion.
Michael Hixon & exchange student Bruna-from-Brazil Pelaquim came to the podium to promote a fund-raising-raffle for Bruna to go to Hawaii. Tickets will be available at next week’s meeting. Pay whatever you think a 2-person dinner would cost.
Bruna will pick three lucky ticket holders for a 6 person gourmet extravaganza dinner.
Recognitions
Birthdays:
Rotary = 111 years!
Gene Nelson Jan. 28 =$10,
Brad Benedetti Feb. 4 =$10,
Mario Ramos Feb. 24 =$10
Anniversaries:
Tom & Pat Dilley Feb.1, 52 years!!! =$10
Tony & Gloria Given Feb. 26, 44 blissful years =$10
At this point there was a disruption from the back of the palace. Brad Benedetti essentially snitched on himself when he interrupted Pres. R.R. about an oversight in Roto- record-keeping…This past Aug. 20th He& Kathy celebrated their 49th anniversary. (Seems Brad & Kathy fell in love in pre-school, were engaged by elementary school and married in grammar school.) I was still trying to picture this when the fine, if there was a fine was announced.
Bob Cugini Walks!!!
President R. R. showed a picture that Julie had sent of Bob taking steps without a cane………..Way to go Bob!
A new car….. In my dreams
It’s so odd………..I had this daydream about Cindy, her Sister-Sue but there was nothing about a new car. In a cold move bordering on ignorance that he might be playing with death or be permanently forsaken or ignored RxRick dinged poor Cindyfive buckerooos per wheel for a $35 to his formerly beloved.
Seems like there might have been another possible fine pending….. Like abandoning poor Rick at the last meeting.
In a moment of clarity R. R. decides to cancel the second fine and bellows “I’M NOT STUPID!”
The Raffle
There was a complication…. Dr. Armiñana pulled tickets three times before Brad Benedetti became the big winner of $25.
Les Crawford gave a heartfelt introduction to Dr. Armiñana. He said that in a past-life, early in his career Les met Ruben when Dr. Armiñana reached out to the local educational community. Les was a principal at the time. Ruben had come to visit his school and talk to the educators. He brought along his staff from S.S.U. and told them “I want us to become engaged in the local educational system and help improve it.
Les said that Dr. Armiñana was responsible for helping Les’s school district get a $500,000.00 grant. Les also said that it was Ruben who first envisioned the Green Music Center & Hall.
Dr. Ruben Armiñana has served since 1992 as the 6th president of the university. His tenure has been stellar in creating a campus that is now one of the most popular in the California State university system. He has overseen the Jean & Charles Schulz information center, the Environmental Technology Center in addition to the afore mentioned music center.
Dr. Armiñana said that he views Rotary as part of the backbone of our culture. Ruben took us on a historical journey of the California State & university systems to the present day. He gave lots of dates for historical achievements in our higher educational system.
1636 was the nning of U.S. higher education, Harvard College. Some universities in Italy are 1,000 yrs. old. The 1st public chartered U.S. University was the University of Georgia.
Ruben said the G.I. bill did more to give America a shot in the arm for higher education and our country’s growth than any other mechanism.
[One important date that Dr. Armiñana omitted was 1957. It was that year that your then 12 yr. old Scribe went on his first Pheasant hunting trip with his brother-in-law & Al Carrion to the fields in Cotati known then as The Seed Farm that would become the grounds of S.S.U. He also failed to mention that Guy Smith’s dad George is responsible for the landscaping of S.S.U.’S beautiful grounds. --Scribe][The connections run deep in Sonoma County and Rotary --Ed.]
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rned toward the other in pleasant conversation. What a great friendly group we have.
Jim Passage introduced Heather Rush, also friends Richard & Debra from Alaska. 
Scholar Dietrich Fraembs and girlfriend, Calvina Pitts.
Amy Jones-Kerr the present Superintendent and past principal of Roseland school……….
Michael Hixon & exchange student Bruna-from-Brazil Pelaquim came to the podium to promote a fund-raising-raffle for Bruna to go to Hawaii. Tickets will be available at next week’s meeting. Pay whatever you think a 2-person dinner would cost.
At this point there was a disruption from the back of the palace. Brad Benedetti essentially snitched on himself when he interrupted Pres. R.R. about an oversight in Roto- record-keeping…This past Aug. 20th He & Kathy celebrated their 49th anniversary. (Seems Brad & Kathy fell in love in pre-school, were engaged by elementary school and married in grammar school.) I was still trying to picture this when the fine, if there was a fine was announced.
Bob Cugini Walks!!!
Les Crawford gave a heartfelt introduction to Dr. Armiñana. He said that in a past-life, early in his career Les met Ruben when Dr. Armiñana reached out to the local educational community. Les was a principal at the time. Ruben had come to visit his school and talk to the educators. He brought along his staff from S.S.U. and told them “I want us to become engaged in the local educational system and help improve it.
he views Rotary as part of the backbone of our culture. Ruben took us on a historical journey of the California State & university systems to the present day. He gave lots of dates for historical achievements in our higher educational system.
