Volume XXI
Number 6

Tuesday
Mar. 15, 2005

Coming Programs Every Tuesday Mar 15 Craig Bond St. Helena High School Jazz Choir Mar 22 Terence Mulligan Community Foundation Napa Valley Mar 29 Marge Dixon Red Cross Coming Events Apr 2 District Assembly Mendocino College Ukiah, CA May 19-22 District Conference Centennial Celebration Doubletree Hotel Rohnert Park, CA Birthdays Mar 10 Albert Albright Mar 10 Steve Yost Mar 12 Bill Word Mar 18 Jim Haslip Mar 19 Charles Bell Mar 19 Dick Osborn Mar 23 Kathy Zelazny Mar 24 David Rice Mar 25 Robert Herrick Wedding Anniversaries Mar 3 Louis Trinchero (Evalyn) Mar 10 Steve Ebersole (Sharon) Mar 12 Norm Alumbaugh (Gwen) Mar 15 Tim Coon (Teresa) Mar 22 Richard Shurtz (Barbara) Mar 30 Beverly Davie-Mes & Servaas Mes Club Anniversaries Mar 1, 1991 Elaine John Mar 1, 1960 James Lider Mar 30, 2004 Steve Ebersole

"Isn't this a great day
to be a Rotarian?"
By Dick Osborn

KATHLEEN PATTERSON Club President 2004-2005

With more than justifiable pride like showing off a new baby or grandkid, President Kathleen Patterson began the March 1, 2005 Rotary meeting with her anticipated rhetorical question, "Isn't this a great day to be a Rotarian?" No one needed to answer but you could just see smiles all around the crowded room.

Even as Rotarians entered the room, you could feel an extra sense of anticipation and joy at what had been accomplished at the annual Winter Ball the previous Saturday evening. The Pledge of Allegiance, prayer, and wonderful food served by the Silverado Brewing Company (even for those of us who are vegetarians) was a mere appetizer for the main course which was to come at 1:05 P.M. after all the preliminaries were finished.
 

DAVE BROTEMARKLE

The usual announcements seemed to take longer than normal. Rotarians were encouraged to volunteer at least ten hours in April. Jeff Epps wondered if that meant he should cut back to that much. David Brotemarkle announced with pleasure that his wife, Kathy, would be taking the role of Dolly in a production of "Hello, Dolly" on March 11-27.

Letters of appreciation for dictionaries were shared from third graders. One member wanted to celebrate the Supreme Court decision declaring capital punishment for minors unconstitutional. Eric Risch, a new member, was inducted and told about his work in public relations and internet marketing with a return to the world of real estate. Fine Master Natalie Klug raised more money in ten minutes than I've witnessed in my three years as a St. Helena Rotarian.

NATALIE KLUG

"Isn't this a great day to be a Rotarian?" ... Continued

LISA MARIE ANDERSEN

As a ring master might have called a Muhammad Ali fight, President Patterson called Lisa Marie Andersen from her corner to the center of the ring. The standing ovation moved several to tears as they anticipated the news from this year's chair of the Winter Ball. Some people have leadership talent which just oozes from their very being. When I first watched Lisa Marie join Rotary, you could tell she was going to be a "mover and a shaker." She gave her soul and over 1,000 hours of time to make this year's Winter Ball a success.

As a good preacher or story teller, Lisa Marie let the audience wait in anticipation as she thanked the club "for raising a lot of money for good causes." The public emotion she shared was felt by many in the room. She reflected on why people attend a ball and give so much money. Some come to have a good time. Others want a good deal on wine. Many want to support the beneficiaries of the money raised with a special affection for the Boys & Girls Clubs. She reminded us that whatever the intentions are in coming they are right.

And the winner is . . .

A record $452,000 was raised in this one event with $390,000 coming from the live and silent auction including $47,000 for the "Fund a Need" with two $10,000 donations. The tickets sold came to $60,000. Even though fifty less attended this year's Ball, the amount raised was more than last year. A potential additional match of $32,000 may be coming for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

JAKE SCHEIDEMAN

She paid special tribute to David Abreu including his donations and the individuals he brought to participate.
Without sounding self serving, Jake Scheideman and Rob Andreae both expressed appreciation to Pacific Union College with the services of Trevor Murtagh, Scott Adams, and Junior Artigas in providing as a donation the large screen projection which helped raise even more money.

ROB ANDREAE

As I walked into the hall at the beginning, Rob Andreae told me that he thinks the St. Helena chapter among the thousands of Rotary chapters around the world probably raises the most money in a single event of any. We reflected on the relatively modest size of our chapter in contrast to big city chapters. While some chapters hold spaghetti dinners and similar events, the St. Helena Rotary Chapter raises so much money that helps so many great causes in our Valley in one evening.

We all want to express our appreciation for the dedication of time, creative energy, and personal gifts which make this possible. It's through such efforts that America is a strong nation because of the grass roots citizen efforts of so many volunteers.

It's Not About Houses
By Donn Black
 

JEFF WHITEHEAD

Talk about a full house! Not Nicaragua, St. Helena! More than a dozen Rotarians couldn't be accommodated at the four long tables. It ended up standing room only The meeting started with the right flag salute, followed by stirring words from Jeff Whitehead in the form of a poem by the (east) Indian poet Narsinha Mehta, The Real Lovers of God. In part:

"Free from greed, anger, and fear,
These are the real lovers of God."

VISITING ROTARIANS

• Jeff Berhing, Danville.

LONG ABSENT ROTARIAN Jim Lider, St. Helena. Jim has been ill. Welcome back Jim!

JIM LIDER

GUESTS

• Jim Anderson with Gary Jaffe
• D. (ace Star Reporter) Kindler, with Doug Ernst
• Jason (SH exchange student on the way to Argentina) McKelly with Andy Bartlett
• Denise Toohey (wife), Mark Russo, Don Reed and Jeff Berhing, with Phil Toohey

"Come again, come again, come again."

CLUB ANNIVERSARIES

Two.

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Two.

THE ST. HELENA ROTARY NINE

"Happy Anniversary to you. Happy Anniversary to you . . . "

AL ALBRIGHT

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Al Albright: 1. Sign up sheet for our Job Sharing Project in April on way around. Set up a student to visit your job site to see what you do there. (As a matter of fact, we're all curious.) 2. Sign up sheet for reading essays next month in the Club's essay scholarship on the way around. We need your review!

President Patterson: More touching letters and photos from third graders about their new dictionaries coming around.

GARY JAFFE

Gary Jaffe: Big Club golf tournament and dinner at Eagle View in Napa, March 24. Noon tee-off. Contact Gary. The Four Way Test applies to recording handicaps.

Steve Yost: 1. Poker night changed from March 24th to evening of April 27 (due to legal complications?). Situs is Grace Church. Future opportunities to sign up. 2. If you appreciate all that Pres. Patterson and V-P Word stand for, you'll plan to attend the District Conference May 19-22. Golf tourney and banquet the 19th. Sign up sheets to be coming around before long.

Rob Andreae announced an event April 9^th that this reporter couldn't hear over the general din, but sign up sheets will be passed around later.

Mike Thomas: Club bike ride in Pope Valley this Saturday--March 12. The riders met at 10:00 at the Pope Valley Market and a good time was had by all.

LYDIA WILSON

Lydia Wilson needs a bright, earnest student to work and learn at the jewelry store weekends. Contact her.

Jim Haslip : Wanted; Rotarians to read to local kindergarten students. Flexible times, great satisfaction. Contact Jim.

FINEMASTER

None available. No fines. Mercy abounds.

It's Not About Houses ... Continued

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

PHIL TOOHEY

Continuing the Wheelchair Project: PP Phil Toohey set the stage for presentation of a wheel chair to Roman Reed. Roman suffered a broken neck playing middle linebacker for Chabot College (Hayward) back in 1994. The injury left him severely paralyzed. As a result, Roman's father, Don Reed, a retired school teacher, who was on hand to accept the chair on behalf of Roman, spearheaded formation of a 501(3)(c) foundation which has since helped raise $26,000,000 for research in overcoming paralysis. Visit: www.californiansforcures.com.

Meanwhile, Phil Toohey had become interested in the work of another 501(3)(c) foundation that Mr. Ken Berhing (represented by his son Jeff Berhing at today's meeting) organized 2000 after seeing first hand the crying need for wheelchairs during his travels in eastern Europe. Phil obtained and distributed many wheel chairs in Nepal before deciding to have St. Helena Rotary hook up with the foundation to bring chairs to Napa Valley. A container load recently arrived at Phil's Napa warehouse and distribution here has begun. Depending on the size, the wheelchairs would retail for between $400 and $700 dollars, putting them beyond reach for many families. Still the need is so urgent, both for the paralysis victim, and family members who must cope with moving their loved one. Contact Phil at 707-815-1813 if you know of someone in need.

All present were much impressed by the good works of all involved in this fine effort.

 

THE PROGRAM

"It's Not About Houses!" Jake Scheideman enthusiastically described, with words and even more telling slides, Nicaragua Building Trip 2005. Jake took 14 locals, including SH Rotarians Tim Coon, Jeff Epps, and Ron Scullati, to the housing site to help build and repair the houses for generally impoverished local people. The slides told it all: beaming faces, a big welcoming celebration featuring a sign: "Sunshine from St. Helena," and everyone hard at work (well except for the two Rotarians leaning on their shovels watching a small boy digging a deep hole). What a success story from every Rotary perspective!

JAKE SCHEIDEMAN TIM COON   JEFF EPPS RON SCULATTI

And there was more from the group: They bought and installed 10 big whiteboards in local schools; they conducted a used clothing sale ($.75 to$1.00 per item); they planted trees in the local park; they checked up on several $250 sponsored scholarships by U.S. Rotarians and a $1,500 scholarship for older person learning to read; and they set things up so that a severely mentally damaged child will be able to be outdoors part of the time.

The next trip will be April 21-24, 2006. It's not too early to sign up. Sign up sheets will be coming around.

WHEW

The closing gavel fell right at 1:30.

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