Volume XXI
Number 17

Tuesday
Sept. 6, 2005

Caroline Upton - An Amazing Search and Rescue Volunteer
By Steve Ebersole
 

For Starters

DAVID MORELAND

August 30, 2005. I signed in, selected my badge out of the badge box, shook a few hands and said many hellos to all my friends at St. Helena Rotary. After a heartfelt pledge was said to our country's flag, Dave Moreland got us off to a good start with an Irish blessing of sorts for the invocation. The weather sure has been beautiful the last few days for us on the west coast but quite different for those on the Gulf coast of Mexico where Katrina made her mark with a category 4 impact in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Our hearts and prayers go out to all in that region.

The Singers welcomed everyone with gusto this week and possibly with the extension of a piece of lettuce or two. I'd be careful sitting on the end of the "Refrigerator Table" if I were you. Can we come up with a better name for that table?

Announcements

DISTRICT GOVERNOR CHARLIE KELLY

All new members are exhorted to check the Rotary web site for current information especially assignments for set-up and tear-down of the regular meetings.

Elaine John announced the arrival of the District Governor, Charlie Kelly, to next week's meeting so wear the whole regalia. She can lend you what you need.

Rob Andreae gave us an update on the Centennial project. Construction is moving full steam ahead with fundraising reaching $296,856 and the need for $20k to $30k more. Benches can be donated for $3k and bridges for $5k each. He thanked so many members that I couldn't write them all fast enough. Suffice to say that a lot of your friends in this club have contributed generously.

Caroline Upton ... Continued

• Joice Beatty announced the start of treatments to the tunnel of elms for the first week of September.
• Doug Ernst passed a sign up sheet for Relay For Life set for Sat. Sept. 17^th -18^th.
• Jake is looking for 35k frequent flyer miles to be donated by you (or someone just like you) to transport one last person from Nicaragua to visit us here in St. Helena.
• Jim Haslip has to fill 4 openings for the fall Farmers Market. It involves delivering the leftover food from the market to the Catholic Church to be distributed to needy families in the area.

KATHLEEN PATTERSON

Board Meeting

Oh, if all meetings could be like the one that Kathleen Patterson presided over! Yes, folks you missed this week's board meeting if you happened to sneeze at the right moment last Tuesday in the middle of our regular goings on. Such a fine example of leadership is truly commended.

Bell Ringers & Fine Master

• Carol Sobczak – For making it out of Louisiana before Katrina landed
• David Brotmarkle – for the first to go- He took his daughter to Louis and Clark in Portland
• Tony Albright – For a retired dad who is no longer retired
• Andy Bartlett – For his last few days with fellow friends and Rotarians before moving to Australia
• Kathleen Patterson – A heartfelt thank you and hand clap for Andy
• Alston Hayne – For top ratings in Wine Spectator for his Zin
• Dick Rogers – For his 50^th wedding anniversary and renewal of vows

Bill Word led a sorry list of our brothers and sisters into a cloud of embarrassment and humiliation on various trivial, but extremely important facts.

Program: Napa County Search and Rescue K-9
 

CAROLINE UPTON & CYRUS Napa County Search and Rescue K-9

Tony Albright introduced us to Caroline Upton, someone who needs very little in the way of introduction to St. Helena Rotary. She is a volunteer of Napa County Search and Rescue K-9 unit operating under the direction of the Napa County Sheriffs Department. Caroline leads a group of 28 local volunteers 10 to 15 of which are able to drop whatever they are doing at the time to respond to a call for help. Many calls are involving lost persons with Alzheimer's, developmentally disabled people, or just hikers in our Palisades mountains that have lost their bearings.

Caroline's team can be called away to much farther locations such as Yosemite Valley when they team up with the Marin S&R. They are a non-profit organization that operates on such a razor thin budget that the volunteers fund the greater portion of the "true" expenses themselves. They spring for items such as GPS handheld units and radios which cost up to $1000 dollars.

Caroline praises her staff of selfless searchers who train regularly in physical fitness, equipment usage, and medical training. "The team is becoming more professional each season," she said. Father Mac stood up during the presentation to declare Caroline a legend in the climbing community and pledged $100 to his Paul Harris. He added afterward that she would have no problem hauling him or anyone off a route on El Capitan should the need arise.

Caroline Upton ... Continued

Mississippi may be Caroline's next assignment to help with Search and Rescue efforts there. There are so many stranded people in a multiple state region that it must feel overwhelming to S&R already on scene.

Caroline just retuned from Sri Lanka were she handed over a check from the proceeds of Napa Valley Men Who Cook in the amount of $22,500 to The Rotary in Colombo. Her report is that the larger relief organizations are staying in 5-star hotels and delivering aid to locations in and around large cities and towns but are completely ignoring those who are out in the countryside towns. However, Rotary of Columbia, a club only 5 years old is already building 75 homes in a remote area where there are mostly poor people. She reiterated that Rotary International is the most capable relief group in the Tsunami region due to its grass roots ability to get things done for those who need it most.

Much work could be done to bolster the effectiveness of Napa County S&R and many in our club expressed their interest to help during Caroline's question and answer period.

Saving Lake Berryessa
One of the Bio-diversity Hot Spots of the World
By Jim Haslip
 

August 23, 2005. The wildflowers are spectacular on the road to Knoxville. Take the Pope Canyon Road to Lake Berryessa, turn left and you are in the heart of the Blue Ridge-Berryessa Natural Area. Internationally recognized as one of the "bio-diversity hot spots" in the world, it contains a rich assortment of serpentine chaparral, grasslands, oak and coniferous woodlands, and riparian and cliff habitats. Tule elk, bears, and mountain lions roam this ranch and wilderness region, while bald and golden eagles, osprey, and flacons fly overhead.

Ray Krauss, an environmental planner, spoke to the club about the conservation partnership that is committed to saving the endangered landscape in an area that extends from northern Solano County, south of Lake Berryessa, to the north and east of Clear Lake. Plans are developing to create hiking trails and camping areas in this emerging wilderness region. The partnership has an impressive representation of counties, ranchers, miners, university groups, state and federal agencies, foundations, and wilderness conservation groups. For more information, go to www.brbna.org.
 

RAY KRAUSS Environmental Planner

Did you know the names of the seven lawyers in our club? Joice Beatty, past club president, is using fine master opportunities to help us get to know our membership better.

Andy Bartlett introduced our new foreign exchange student from Germany, Swantje Paragenies. Hedrik Smeding will be the club liaison for the program this year. Ima Holbrook, mortgage consultant, was inducted as a new Rotary member by Alston Hayne.
 

NORMAN MITROFF & new member IMA HOLCOLM

Lydia Wilson proved that she could win the raffle while buying only one ticket! The meeting was held at the beautiful meeting hall of the Episcopal Church. Thank you to Father Mac and Helen Christianson for their hospitality. Did you know that the club has been meeting at its regular location longer than any other club west of the Mississippi?

BILL WORD Club President 2005-2006

Let's remember to say thank you to our officers who make our club run so smoothly every week: Bill Word, Carol Sobczak, and Norm Mitroff.

Jake Scheideman announced a fund-raiser, jointly sponsored with the Napa Sunrise Club, for the Nicaraguan housing project on October 8. Let's help get generous donors to attend this lobster feed and auction so that more people can benefit from this important work. In Jake's other occupation, he can help you get equipped to take those bike rides with Mike Thomas and friends. Listen for more announcements of future adventures.

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