CLICK HERE TO SEE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE LATEST CLUB MEETING
See student exhibitions at Windsor MET academy!
This is an opportunity for us to connect with students on a personal level. As we look at new ways to approach our scholarship program, a major focus is to get to know the students.
If you would like to go, please wear your Rotary pin and introduce yourself as a representative of the Rotary Club of Windsor.
Program Notes
The bell rang twice… President Maureen Merrill gave us a few additional moments to get our socializing together.
The flag salute went well with the Four-Way Test.
Susan Cole gave us some inspiration in the words of Buddha, “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
We found a mutual harmony in the song, “Satisfaction.”
Photography provided by Sue Nelson. Words provided by Tom Boylan.
Guests of Rotarians:
Jose Diaz brought the microphone around the room to find our guests.
Alison Huber let us know that Beth Smith and Kate, our outgoing exchange student, were in attendance.
Sandi Krutz introduced our exchange student Vittoria Caselli, who is now residing at Ken Moulton and Pam Moulton’s home on the lake. Ken offered a sign-up sheet to take Vittoria on adventures.
JB Leep introduced Tony Geraldine, who is the chaperone for Miss Sonoma County Rhiannon Jones.
Announcements:
Bell Manor lunch is set for noon next Thursday. Heather Cullen reminds us she is going to be singing with her group. She says there should be more Rotarians to make the residents feel good.
Bill Bolster reminds us that Dick Bishop went to Bell Manor last year to bring some joy to the seniors. Bill also suggests that although the Dick Bishop Bell Ringing crew is set for this week, there are a few openings the following week. Cash only, please.
Sue Nelson is going to let Bev Graham do the heavy lifting for details regarding the Holiday get together at her home Saturday, December 7th at 5:30. Bev says participants should plan to bring a “nice” gift for the exchange. The emphasis is on nice.
Some of you may remember… I just forgot what I was going to say.
A couple of decades ago there was a Quiet Rotarian award and a few of our crew have been selected, including Pegi Ball. The scribe got the nod for this month’s Powerhouse of the Month.
Doug Williams gave us an update on the SMART Train moving toward the Larkspur Station by the middle of December. January 1 the schedules are going to be changing as well to coordinate with bus schedules for those going further south. Doug let us know that he initially got involved with SMART when he became a Fire Safety Contractor and then added Public Access Support (PAS) to his role. A PAS person helps newbies become educated on how the system works and how the parking works.
Club members are asked to share comments during our meetings by writing one and dropping it in the paper bag on the table. Robin Resendez offered a comment by asking people to support a friend’s fundraiser. Please connect with Robin for more details.
Friday the 13th is the Left Edge theater play, Escanaba in the Moonlight, a hunting story to beat all hunting stories; Escanaba In Da Moonlight spins a hilarious tale of humor, horror, and heart. Plan to receive a little culture… the play we are told by Pres. Maureen is suitable for all ages.
Wally Krutz says we need to keep John LeCave on our minds due to some surgery on his bicep. He is looking to improve muscle capacity.
Program:
JB introduced us to Rhiannon Jones, a veteran in the world of pageants. She holds several titles in Northern California and is an Arts major at Sonoma State and a talented archer as well.
Rhiannon let us know she is not usually an early riser but appreciated that she could present to us in English because a little later in the day she will be taking a final in French. She shared that she is encouraged by her mom for her trying to be a pageant person, but mom questioned her talent. After Rhiannon entered her first pageant and won, her mom became a little more appreciative of her talents.
We found out that she grew up in Rocklin California. Rhiannon let us know that the road she travels is a little different in that she is a gay woman. Her story of coming out was interesting in that she found support easier than anticipated from her parents and her siblings. She is appreciative of the life she is leading in Sonoma County and the support the community provides to diversity.
Life as a student will be ending after this year and it sounds like there is some soul searching to go on for what she will do after school. Art is a big part of her life and she can sculpt her future.
Currently, Rhiannon is a hard worker holding down a couple of jobs, including working at a winery and Abercrombie & Fitch.
We were offered a very intimate story of Rhiannon being taken advantage of and how it affected her work and more importantly her life. Through her friends, she found that Sonoma County offers a great support network to aid victims of sexual abuse. The story she told became one of how she managed her emotions during a trying time.
Support comes from family and support comes from strangers. Although Rhiannon made light of the process she endured, there was a deep emotion that she presented as she endured the invasive tests associated with giving forensic evidence.
Her testing provided evidence, but technicalities prevented charges from being filed. Her struggle became one that she had to deal with internally. The event took her on a journey of self, and through the nightmares, she found a vehicle for sharing her story, the Miss Sonoma County Pageant.
The platform she has now allows her to share not just her story but the process of healing and the importance of educating others. Educating others about diversity and overcoming trauma are key elements to her presentations as Miss Sonoma County.
A good round of applause let her know we appreciated how difficult it is to have endured such trauma and how much she is appreciated for sharing her story.
DISTRICT 5130 PRESIDENT
Attached is the latest financials for POLIO PLUS FUNDRAISING A/0 12.2.19. It details a total of $ 78,373 credited to our district POLIO PLUS ACCOUNT. The Gates Foundation will add their 2 for 1 donation of $ 156,746 which means you have been responsible for $235,119 to fund polio immunizations.
Our top fundraisers are: South Ukiah $20,545, Sebastopol $ 12,000, Santa Rosa Sunrise $ 6290, Crescent City $ 4219, Cloverdale $ 3424, Lakeport $ 3290, Santa Rosa $ 3250, Sebastopol Sunrise $ 2988, Petaluma $ 2950, Fort Bragg $ 2465, Willits $ 2306, Arcata Sunrise $2280, Eureka $ 1776, Healdsburg $ 1543, Arcata $ 1392, Petaluma Sunrise $ 1330, Rancho Cotati $ 1125, Mad River $ 1055, Valley of the Moon $ 952.
Currently, we have 9 clubs who have not donated to POLIO PLUS & a few other clubs that have made minimal contributions since July 1, 2019. Continued donations are critical to the success of this life saving/life-changing program so please don’t put off transmitting funds promptly to your POLIO PLUS ACCOUNT at our Rotary Foundation.
Funding is also coming from our global partners who just gathered at the REACHING THE LAST MILE FORUM in Abu Dhabi and pledged $2.6 BILLION US to help fund the 2019-2023 POLIO END GAME STRATEGY. Included in these pledges were the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi pledging $ 160 MILLION US, The BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION $ 1.08 BILLION US, ROTARIANS (R.I. FOUND.) pledged $150 MILLION, Australia $ 10.29 MILLION, DALIO PHILANT. 25 MILLION, NIGERIA $ 84.17 MILLION, GERMANY $ 105 MILLION, PAKISTAN $ 160 MILLION, UNITED KINGDOM $ 514.80 MILLION, UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION $ 6.4 MILLION, LUXEMBOURG $ 2.22 MILLION, NEW ZEALAND $ 1.34 MILLION, NORWAY $ 10.83 MILLION, TAHIR FOUNDATION $ 15 MILLION, JAPAN $ 7.4 MILLION, BLOOMBERG $ 50 MILLION, NINGXIA Y. $1 MILLION, ALWALEED P $2 MILLION, AL ANSARI EXCHANGE $1 MILLION, AHMED AL ABDULLA GROUP $1 MILLION plus many other pledges less than $1 million each.
I feel it is important for our members to understand we are not in this alone but working with our 5 global partners including Rotary & the Gates Foundation to coordinate fundraising activities throughout the world including countries, corporations profit and nonprofit, foundations and individuals.
This is why I know we will be able to totally eradicate the last remaining strain of the poliovirus off the face of our planet.
So where are we today in terms of the total eradication of polio? I have mentioned in the past that this year has been challenging. Cases worldwide have increased however we have been able to limit the spread of the virus & contain it to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Globally 112 cases through 11.27.19. Afghanistan 21 cases YTD vs 21 cases YTD in 2018. The last documented case on 10.1.19. Pakistan 91 cases YTD vs 8 cases YTD in 2019. The last documented case on 11.3.2019.
Currently we have active immunization campaigns in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Chad, Benin, Ghana, DR Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Toga, Zambia, Horn of Africa, Papua New Guinea, Mozambique, Philippines, Myanmar, Niger, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Somalia.
As we approach our holiday season, I personally want to thank each of you for the generosity of your time & money towards continuing to make a difference in the local communities you serve & in our world community – changing lives & saving lives – eradicating the poliovirus through POLIO PLUS.
Yours in service,
Larry D. Myers, P.D.G. POLIO PLUS CO-CHAIR.