Events

Ed Troxell is a Strategic Business Advisor who helps local small business owners simplify their marketing, clearly communicate what makes them different, and make better decisions about where to focus their time and money. Based in Santa Rosa, Ed brings experience from Apple, the Small Business Development Center, and more than a decade of running his own business to help owners turn scattered ideas into practical strategies they can actually implement. Connect with Ed & download his business card at EdTroxell.com/card.

My name is Joel Radke.  I am a Co-owner of Sportago.  I have been working at Sportago for 19 years now.  It started as a part-time job while I was in college and I transitioned into management within a few years and have been an owner now for about 5 years.

I love being in nature, and protecting it is deeply important to me. Whether I'm picking up trash around town or hosting a fundraiser at Sportago, nature will always be a primary focus for me.

In my spare time I love to spend time with my wife, trail run, garden and take care of my dogs, horses, chickens and Koi.

I enjoy being part of a community, we have built up an amazing following in our St. Helena store and our goal is to do the same here in Sebastopol.

My name is Ahren Trumble.  I came to Sportago after working in the bike industry during high school and then in an outdoor store in college.  I have now worked in this industry for almost 30 years… time flies! 

The original owner of Sportago, Chris, was very forward thinking and knew that she wanted to develop a succession plan for her business which opened in St. Helena in 1983.  So, when I started in 2000, and we quickly new we were a good match, she opened the door for me becoming a partner.  After a few years, I was a 25% owner and then several years later 50%.  She officially stepped aside and retired in 2021, and it was only natural to bring Joel in as a partner after his many amazing years as our manager.  I can’t imagine what it would be like (especially after just opening another location) to not have a partner to run things by and share the load.  It is vital to our business.   

I currently live in Santa Rosa with my wife Skyler who works for Ceres Community Project as the head of culinary, and our Aussie Shephard, Podrick, and our 19 year old cat Dharma.  I have passed the running baton to Joel, but I still get out on the trail whenever I can for a hike or backpacking trip.  I love to cook, play bocce ball, fly fish and take my nieces and nephews on outdoor adventures. 

I also believe in giving back to the community you belong to, so for the last 10 years I have been on the board of the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce and up until recently, the Napa Valley State Parks Association. 

Both Joel and I are very happy to be a part of the community here in Sebastopol and we have much more to give.  We look forward to becoming a go to spot here downtown through building community and friendships and, of course, Great Outdoor Clothing. 

Note: Picture is of Joel Radke (clubrunner only allows one pic attachment)

Cathy Crawford Wisor is the Director of the South County Consortium, a regional public school program serving preschool through 12th-grade students with diverse learning and developmental needs across eight school districts in southern Sonoma County. With 31 years in public education, Cathy has had the privilege of serving students and families in many different roles—as a special education and general education teacher, elementary school principal, Special Education Program Manager, Coordinator for Special Services, and now Director of the Consortium. Throughout her career, her passion has remained the same: bringing people together to create opportunities for students to learn, grow, and become active, contributing members of their communities.

Cathy has deep roots in Sebastopol and is a proud Twin Hills and Analy High School graduate. She and her husband live west of Sebastopol, where they appreciate the people, character, and small-town spirit that make the area special. Cathy is excited to share with the Rotary Club of Sebastopol a closer look at special education in our local public schools—what it looks like today, the challenges educators and families navigate, and, most importantly, the many ways students with diverse needs are succeeding. She hopes to give community members a better understanding of the work happening behind the scenes and how schools, families, and the broader community can work together to help every student find their place and thrive.

Greg Alexander is the Principal of Laguna High School and the Academy of Innovative Arts in West Sonoma County, where he leads two innovative alternative high school programs focused on creating meaningful pathways for students. His work centers on reimagining what school can look like through strong relationships, hands-on learning, internships, community partnerships, and experiences that connect learning to life beyond the classroom. Greg is passionate about building schools where students have a sense of belonging, purpose, and ownership over their education. He believes some of the most powerful learning happens when schools are willing to rethink the traditional model and create opportunities around who students are and who they want to become.  

What do you know about Sonoma County’s Running Fence, the controversial art installation project that traversed 26 miles of Sonoma and Marin county open lands in 1976? Maybe you were there, or maybe you were one of the hundreds of volunteers. But, more likely, you probably only know a few small parts of the fading history of the project, now 50 years in the past.

At Sebastopol Rotary’s Oct. 30 meeting, Sonoma County Museum’s art curator, Jennifer Bethke will share the history of the Christo Running Fence, which is now the subject of a museum show that ends in early November.

Bethke, has a PhD in art history from UC Berkeley and has worked on many art and history research projects in places as far apart as Alaska and Rome Italy.

The Oct. 30 program promises to be one not to miss.

David Gill has been the administrative coordinator of the Sebastopol Area Time Bank (www.sebastopoltimebank.org) for five years.  He gets paid in time bank currency – hours! – and has accumulated more than he could spend in a few lifetimes!  He has been a downtown Sebastopol homeowner for over 13 years and, in addition to the time bank, serves on the coordinating council of Sebastopol Village and in the leadership of the Sebastopol Area Nonprofit Collaborative.  He has spent his professional career in healthcare administration and currently specializes in licensing the possession and use of radioactive materials in medicine.  He promises not to make them part of his Rotary presentation.  He is pleased to present the time bank to Sebastopol Rotary, another great local organization of neighbors helping their neighbors.