A VISIT WITH POLICE CHIEF KATHY LESTER- MAKING US BETTER THROUGH COMMUNITY- BASED POLICING

We had a standing-room-only Rotary lunch meeting (until more tables were brought out) to enjoy a fantastic meal (kabob chicken and rice with a terrific dessert table). Our esteemed public officials bring out our fellow Rotarians!

Our 84 Rotarians and guests were greeted by LAURIE WRIGHT (Tri Counties Bank) and KERRY WOOD (Sacramento Region Community Foundation) and ushered to the well-stocked wine reception. DAVID BRANDENBURGER (Newmark) and STEPHEN BRANDENBURGER (Loch Leven Lodge www.lochlevenlodge.com -Your next vacation Destination) hosted with wines from 827, DeLoach…and well, in the picture below. LEN SIMPSON (2020 Financial Advisers of Sacramento, L.L.C.) provided the chronicling of our meeting through candid images and photo’s taken throughout the meeting.

The BRANDENBERGER team- DAVID and STEPHEN) Master Sommeliers

PRESIDENT BOB MILLER (First US Community Credit Union) gaveled the meeting in order and seemed just a little too happy to announce that his term ended after the next meeting. With the tight schedule of our guest speaker, Sacramento Police Chief KATHY LESTER,  PRESIDENT BOB MILLER (First US Community Credit Union) called an audible and adjusted our schedule appropriately.

Our own KERRY WOOD (Sacramento Region Community Foundation) introduced CHIEF LESTER. CHIEF LESTER began her career not as an MCI Telecommunications Representative but as a Sacramento Police Department dispatcher. CHIEF LESTER is a lifelong learner who successfully navigated her Sacramento State education, master’s degree from Mississippi, language work in Monterey to learn Russian, CHIEF LESTER’s experience in just about every department in the department made her the most qualified person to be the Chief. As the 46^th and first female Chief of Police for the police department CHIEF LESTER embraces the community based policing. This priority helps to identify trends, focus on solutions, hold accountable those individuals at risk, and provide exceptional customer service.

CHIEF LESTER knows gun violence and homicides are up and is working with the city to develop solutions based on the root causes. According to Lester, gun violence is concentrated in a small geographic area with a small group of people. CHIEF LESTER will continue to focus on accountability and transparency on behalf of the department as it is important including the sharing statistics.” Share what we are doing and why we are doing it.” On customer service,” I want my cops to be nice! I tell new officers they have a great opportunity to change the world.”  On community service, “Don’t ever ring the bell if you want to change the world.”

CLAYTON hit the nail on the head as he emphasized the importance of virtue, and specifically kindness.  He emphasized the power in kindness and that kindness is the key to happiness. CLAYTON suggested that we are kind because it is who we are rather than how others perceive it.

SARAH HODGE (Association of California Water Agencies) introduced our outbound exchange student LENA NEIMEYER as she prepares to get to Germany in the Fall. LENA has communicated with two (2) of her three (3) host families in Germany. LENA will be located in Gossler, which is a city of 50,000 people located three hours west of Berlin. LENA will be staying in UNESCO area and will attend a vocational school focusing on STEM. LENA is excited about her first trip to the Nederlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg. If anyone has an idea for host family gifts please let SARAH know. SARAH greeted us in two (2) languages.

LENA’s speech is noted here below:

Safe travels LENA-This will be an amazing adventure for you!

Please remember to RSVP for our luncheons as it ensures that we have the correct number of lunches for the guests. Our meeting today had 70 RSVP’s with 84 total Rotarians and guests. This is a great problem to have but service above self; RSVP.

We had a fantastic list of guests Including;

CLAYTON LEE (C.K.L Trust) talked about the important work RCS is involved and the total dollars that each project is valued: Current projects; Ethiopia $800000, Uganda $4000000, and Honduras $800,000. Future Projects; Guatemala $800,000 and Tanzania $800,000.  We are looking for volunteers to go to Honduras later in the year or the first of next year! These are life-changing events. Everyone is invited to Honduras. Waterforpeople.org

VIRGINIA WADE: We need Rotarians to help at Loaves and Fishes on the 30^th of June. Help is needed for both morning and lunch shifts. Virginia is concerned because we need 4 Rotarians for the morning shift and 6 Rotarians for the lunch shift.

PRESIDENT BOB again seemed just a little too happy to say that his last meeting is next week. PRESIDENT BOB MILLER will head a celebration of recognition for the great work by our Rotary Club of Sacramento this past year under the MILLER Administration.  With that, PRESIDENT BOB wanted to prime the pump (or prequel) and recognized JOHN GORALKA and the entire Rotary Reporting Pulse Team. JOHN’S recognition includes SULAF AL AJEELI for the diligent work and support of each other. John was presented with a beautiful award complete with images of the Pulse.  Our other reporters are DR PAUL KEEFER; SHIRLEE TULLY; NANCY TEICHERT; JOHN MCINTYRE; DANIELLE MCGARRITY and JIM CULLETON.