MAKING THE DIGNITY OF WORK ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

PRESIDENT BOB MILLER (VP, Business Services, First US Community Credit Union) called us to order and  thanked our Meeting Sponsor, SHARNA BRAUCKS (President and CEO, YMCA of Superior California) and Chair of the Day JUSTINO SANTANA (Nonprofit Business Development Manager, eFundraising Connections). He shared that while LATOYA has left the position of Executive Director, she remains a fellow Rotarian. We look forward to seeing you LATOYA in the cheap seats with the members. PRESIDENT BOB announced that the Club has named a new Executive Director, our very own STEVE HEATH (Non-profit CEO), who has already taken the reins. Thank you, STEVE!

A very special thank you to our wine sponsors; the dynamic duo of ELFRENA FOORD and BRUCE HESTER!

MAGGIE BRINKOETTER HOPKINS (Loan Officer, Capital Premier Lending) encouraged us to make a habit of ensuring that our words & thoughts are serving us well. Our mindset makes up our habits, approach to situations, self-talk and our general outlook on life, and affects of overall health and well-being. If we pledge to use nourishing, supportive and healing thoughts – and allow ourselves to “change our channel” away from negative thinking – we can ensure long-term success.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS GIULIANO KORNBERG (Executive Director, Sacramento Philharmonic) introduced our meeting guests, Visiting Rotarian LYNETTE ANDERSON; and Prospective Rotarian DEE JOHNSON.

SHARNA BRAUCKS (President and CEO, YMCA of Superior California) educated us about the history of the YMCA in California, which predates California’s founding as a state! We have the YMCA to thank for several professional sports, the invention of Father’s Day as well as the concept of night school. The “Y” aims to inspire all people to live a healthy life – in mind, spirit and body. In addition to fitness classes, swimming and youth sports, our local YMCA offers a dozen childcare locations in our area as well as an overnight camp in Tahoe National Forest. Thank you SHARNA for all you do.

MEGAN WYGANT (Executive Director, CLARA Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts) represented the Meeting Sponsor Committee. MEGAN and KATHE NATHAN have recruited Sponsors for the remainder of the Club’s April and May meetings but have openings in June and July. Please contact them to reserve your spot. This year sponsors contributed $8,400 to our Club, which helps fill the gap between Club dues and our operating costs.

ELFRENA FOORD donated in honor of NANCY SMITH-FAGAN’s brilliant idea to move the wine reception into the main meeting space.

ANN SOLOMON donated because she’s about to become a grandmother.

SHARNA BRAUCKS donated in honor of her 50^th birthday.

BOBBY REED donated to celebrate the end of the Sacramento teachers’ strike.

MATT PAGE (Partner, Lucas Group Financial Planners) is a former Active 20-30 member and University of Oregon alum who began his career as a financial planner working with Foord, Van Bruggen & Pajak Financial Services. MATT was nominated to join the Rotary Club of Sacramento by PRESIDENT-ELECT LINDA GEERY and DAVID BRANDENBURGER (Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank). Welcome MATT!

Chair of the Day JUSTINO SANTANA introduced TONY LOPEZ (Vice President, Manufacturing & Logistics for PRIDE Industries. TONY has served on the board of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Metro Chamber, and currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees for the Wheatland School District.

TONY shared how PRIDE Industries fulfills is mission to create meaningful employment for people with disabilities by partnering with businesses in the community. Now active in 16 states across the country, PRIDE has 6,100 employees (3,600 of whom have some type of disability). They help individuals with disabilities build skills and prepare for the workplace; help employers gain an understanding of the value that people with disabilities offer as employees; and match individuals to the right job and provide any support they need.

PRIDE places employees in fields including custodial services, facilities management, landscaping, manufacturing (including medical devices and electronic manufacturing), packaging and fulfillment/supply chain services.

In addition to employment preparation & placement, PRIDE’s services to individuals with disabilities include on-the-job support; transition services; independent living; community access; and employment re-entry services.

TONY shared how much more work there is to be done in order to secure a job for every client in need of PRIDE’s services: 30 million people in the U.S. have some form of disability, and 70% of them are unemployed. PRIDE continues to grow their offerings, most recently launching the I Am Able employment helpline (1-844-I-AM-ABLE). Last year the organization’s earnings were $400 million, which is reinvested into additional job training and services to individuals with disabilities.

Click here to view their PowerPoint.

CLAYTON LEE (International Service Chair) and KATHY HERRFELDT(retired) reported on the Rotary’s critical water project.

With International Women’s month, we have been honoring women and girls around the world.

Did you know that the task of collecting water around the world falls heavily on women and girls? They are also disproportionately affected by a lack of access to safe sanitation facilities and menstrual hygiene education at home and school.

This is why our club is committed to helping women and girls access the services they need. The result: girls are empowered to stay in school and women help transform their communities.

To date, our club has changed the lives of 80,000 women with clean water.

Click here to view their video.

DAVID BRANDENBURGER, chair of the Speech Contest reported that JORDAN “MARI” KEANON won second (2^nd) place in the semi-finals. You will remember MARI for speaking enthusiastically on the need to love yourself at our last meeting for 30 minutes without notes, props, or visual aids of any kind. Congratulations MARI – next year you will surely be in the finals!