Volume XX
Number 10

Tuesday
May 18, 2004

Coming Programs Every Tuesday May 18 Frank Sottile St. Helena Boys and Girls Club Annual Awards May 25 St. Helena HS Seniors Rotary Essay Contest June 1 Craig Underhill Junior Achievement June 8 Eliot Hurwitz NCLOG June 15 Barbara Hudson Employer Health Initiative - Work Well June 22 Will Wyman New Technology Foundation June 29 Kathleen Patterson Debunking Coming Events June 17 - 20 District Conference Santa Rosa Birthdays May 13 Jonathan Briano May 14 Polly Keegan May 14 Wendell Laidley May 14 John Sales May 22 Mark Terrell May 26 Natalie Klug May 29 Alston Hayne May 30 Ed Beard Wedding Anniversaries May 1 Jim Meehan (Lee) May 6 Craig Anderson (Barbara) May 6 Norman Mitroff (Patti A.) May 10 Diane Dillon (Bill M.) May 10 Alston Hayne (Lisa) May 18 Phil Toohey (Denise) May 20 Hendrik Smeding (Lettie) May 21 David Brotemarkle (Kathi) May 22 Ortwin Krueger (Pat) May 22 John Vowell (Susan) May 27 Sean Wickersham (Shannon) Club Anniversaries May 1, 1987 Charles Bell May 1, 1987 Don Scully May 3, 1994 Rudolph Papale May 6, 2003 Theresa Engelstad May 7, 1996 Bert Johansson May 11, 1999 Alan Fowler May 14, 2002 Wendell Laidley May 14, 2002 Chuck Meibeyer May 15, 2001 Jake Scheideman

Our Longer Serving Members
By Jim Haslip

ED BEARD

Ed Beard Member since June 1, 1971

There was a blue '53 Chevy truck in the parking lot, a striped Marlin trophy fish on the wall, and family pictures in abundance. I sat down to talk with Ed Beard about his life in Rotary and saw many signs that told his story. Prominently displayed behind his desk are "The 4 Way Test", "Rotary Code of Ethics", "The Object of Rotary", and his "Paul Harris Fellowship". Nearby a sign read, "I'd rather be flying".

Ed's family came into the Napa Valley in 1852. His ancestor, David Fulton , went into business as a saddle maker at the spot where 1230 Main Street is today. At that time, the town was still referred to as "Hot Springs Township". Now, Ed is just across the street and up a block and maintains family businesses of insurance and vineyards.

His commitment of "Service Above Self" has truly been
a spirit of life from his "heart" to all who have known him.

Ed loves flying, although he no longer serves as a pilot. He lived about 20 years in Eureka and decided that flying was the only sensible way to cut down his commute times to the cities. He had followed his sweetheart to Humboldt State and got married about 5 years before he bought that blue truck outside.

Ed served as Rotary president about 30 years ago and helped initiate the North Napa Club. He sent his daughter, Linda, to Sweden as a Rotary Summer Exchange Student. She has been a member of our club for a long time and has done a great deal to foster the exchange program. He speaks fondly of our club's involvement with international students. UC Berkeley's International House has been a focus. Many of these student visitors received an ample helping of Rotary hospitality, spending a weekend with host families and, for many, developing life-long "exchanges of the heart".

Ed's love of flying combined with his love of Rotary fellowship. He organized the "Napa Rotary Fly In", which attracted members from all over the west. Many Rotarians joined him at the Reno Air Races. He drew upon his deep patriotism with club trips to Travis Air Force base where every aircraft in the US military is monitored daily.

The 5 Valley clubs used to have a Rural/Urban conference at the fairgrounds. He appreciated the involvement with Calistoga and their joint BBQ with spouses and children.

Ed is getting younger. He has added diet and exercise programs that have strengthened his heart and added years to his life. His commitment of "Service Above Self" has truly been a spirit of life from his "heart" to all who have known him.

Saving Smiles . . . Changing Lives
By Jim Meehan

Phil Toohey Club President 2003-2004

Phil Toohey opened the May 11^th meeting following a prayer by Dave Brotemarkle.

There were many visiting Rotarians including Dr. Ron Light, from Danville, Frank Leek, Anita Stillwell, Bob Reeves and special guest Jeff Behring . Jeff made a presentation to our Rotary Club last July about the Wheelchair Foundation founded by his father, Kenneth Behring. Later in the program Jeff stood to announce that the first "Wine for Wheels" fundraising event would be held at Charles Krug on August 28^th and volunteers would be needed to help with the event.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Additional announcements included the ongoing need for people to pick up boxes from the Food Pantry, take them to the St. Helena Farmers Market on Fridays and then at noon deliver the filled boxes back to the Food Pantry for distribution to our community's needy. Jeff Epps has a truck you can use if you can volunteer the time. Rob Andreae told members that the "Rotary Centennial Project" – funding needed improvements to the Vintage Hall landscape – needs are more than $350,000 in donations. Please contact him if you can help with the project or with fundraising. Phil Toohey reported that there was a great turn out this past weekend for the City of Hope Breast Cancer 10K run and 5K walk-a-thon. On a personal note, this reporter's wife, now at the mid point in her chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer, completed the 5K walk in just less than 50 minutes . . . go Lee!

NEW CLUB OFFICERS 2004-2005

Kathleen Patterson announced the slate of new officers for 2004-05 and they were unanimously voted in by the membership:

The Fine Masters for the day were Joel Toller and Tim Coon. They levied very few fines and instead did an Abbott and Costello wannabe routine about . . . Hu's in China . . . great comic relief . . . you had to be there!

SERVICE ABOVE SELF AWARD

Next, Phil Toohey announced the "Service Above Self" award for 2004 went to Ms. Elizabeth Elsworth, who is the head of youth counseling at St. Helena High school. She is a trained family therapist, with a private practice, who works with over 400 young adults each year at the H.S. Congratulations Elizabeth for your dedicated service to our community!

Ms. Elizabeth Elsworth and President Phil

ROTAPLAST INTERNATIONAL
Speaker:  John Sales

John Sales

John Sales joined St. Helena Rotary in 1999. John discussed his involvement with the Rotaplast program that was founded in 1992 by the Rotary Club of San Francisco. We learned from John that in 1993, then SF Club President Peter Lagarias and Dr. Angelo Capozzi facilitated a surgical program to La Serena, Chile, to treat children with cleft lip and palate anomaly who would otherwise would not have received surgical intervention.

As a project of the Rotary Club of SF, and, for the first three years of its existence, Rotaplast completed one mission a year. Since that time, Rotaplast has become an independent, non-profit and has treated thousands of children around the world. While there are over 20 USA organizations doing this type of work, only Rotaplast fosters genetic studies with the goal of educating families and preventing occurrences of clefting.

John's Powerpoint presentation showed a recent Rotaplast mission to Guatemala that he participated in. It demonstrated how coordination with the local Rotary Club is critical to the success of these programs. During the Q and A session that followed, there was a discussion about the importance of a vitamin supplement containing folic acid before and during pregnancy in preventing of clefting. For more information contact John Sales or check out the website www.rotaplast.org .

It was noted by Phil Toohey that our club has provided over $4,000.00 to this very significant health program in 2004.

Paul Franson and Why Americans Don't Drink More Wine
By Wendell Laidley

President Phil opened our May 4th meeting with introductions of visiting Rotarian Don Andrich of Napa Sunrise and Tony Albright's guest Rich Oxley of St. Helena High School. Rich asked for members to volunteer for the Review Board to judge the St. Helena student projects.

Joice Beatty

Joice Beatty told of Ron Scullati's daughter Claire's evening gown project last year which Joice said was the most beautiful evening gown she had ever seen. Mark Terrell and Ed Beard then introduced their joint guest Norm Allenbaugh of Pope Valley.

Craig Anderson was welcomed back, and after the Welcome Singers, President Phil butchered the birthday announcements for reasons nobody could fathom.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Jim Haslip reporting that 25 members had signed up for the City of Hope 5K walk from Crane Park to Madrona and back for breast cancer research. Jim got everyone's attention with the fact that 50-100 women in St. Helena now are suffering with breast cancer right now.
• Dick Rogers asked for volunteers to deliver Food Pantry cartons to the Friday Farmers Market and surplus food back to the Food Pantry after the Market. Dick reported that over 5000 lbs. of food was delivered last year to the Pantry, and Natalie Klug, Joice Beatty, Rick Schurtz and Jerry McQuiddy joined Dick to help this year.
• Jerry McQuiddy reported that Calistoga Rotary is looking for St. Helena members to participate in their annual fundraiser golf tournament.
• Craig Anderson announced that former Club President Monica Marvin is moving to Washington, DC.
• Steve Yost said he is handing the reins of a rejuvenated Nairator to Polly Keegan as new Editor.

Tony Albright

WELCOME NEW MEMBER KATHY ZALASNY

New member Kathy Zalasny sponsored by Dave Brotemarkle was inducted by Alston Hayne. Kathy practises tax law part time, and we welcome her!

Dave Brotemarkle and Kathy Zalasny

BELL RINGERS

Fine Master was Tim Coon.

• Jim Meehan rose to thank members for their sympathy notes on the death of his mother. In her honor as the one who taught him public service, Jim then pledged the balance of his Paul Harris and a full match for Jake Scheideman's program.
• Paul Krsek then rose to announce one daughter's graduation from the University of Minnesota and the recent approval for Paul and his wife to adopt a new daughter from China. Paul matched Jim's pledge for Jake's program.
• Craig Anderson pledged $50 for his 25^th Anniversary and celebratory cruise to Alaska.
• Bonnie Schoch welcomed home her son with a black belt in Karate after he had been escorted to a reform school eighteen months earlier.
• Dick Osborn pledged $100 for his son Trevan who graduated summa cum laude from Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland with 160 semester hours of credit with all A's and when he received his diploma, the faculty gave him a standing ovation.
• Joel Toller closed out Bell Ringers by pledging $100 to his Paul Harris for having saved the big cost of a new septic tank by just Roto-Rooting out the pipe and matched it for Jake's program.
• After that avalanche of good fortune, Fine Master Coon then issued rapid fire fines for $40 each to Roger Adams, Craig Anderson, Ed Beard, Chuck Bell, Steve Ebersole (who thought Tim was a friend), Margo Kennedy, Suzan Rada and Jeff Whitehead.

Why American Don't Drink More Wine . . . Continued

WHY AMERICANS DON'T DRINK MORE WINE
Speaker:  Paul Franson

Paul Franson from Napa, who writes for Wine Country Living and other wine publications, began with the fact that until about the year 1450, Europe was much warmer than it is now, and wine grapes were grown as far north an England and Norway, and trees grew on Greenland. Then around 1450 Europe cooled sharply so that wine grapes withdrew to the warmer climes of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean through until about 1850. During that period, northern Europeans thirsting for alcohol learned to make it from grains and potatoes, first in beer then in whiskies by boiling the beer and extracting the alcohol.

During this same period, North America was populated primarily by northern Europeans who brought their beer and whiskies, and not until the great immigration of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries from southern Europe did wine grapes come with them to a significant extent. As a result, still today more than 80% of wine consumed in America is drunk by little more than ten percent of the population. So members in the business have a large undeveloped prospect base to work with, and as long as the US dollar continues to decline, imports from Australia and elsewhere will have increasing difficulty underselling domestic producers. Franson closed saying Trader Joe's is not, however, giving up on low cost imports, and looks forward to trying Carlos T. Shaw from Argentina.

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