The mood was festive as the club gathered to celebrate Jean Runyon Day at its April 15 luncheon. The presentation of the Jean Runyon Award honors the legacy of a Sacramento icon and our club’s first female member.
PP Diane Woodruff presided over the meeting, which opened with a couple songs from our own Rotary Roadies that set a tone of appreciation and optimism.
While club members eagerly anticipated the announcement of the Jean Runyon awardee, first came a surprise presentation of a new Sacramento Rotary Fellow! The SRF is the club’s highest award, explained PP Kevin Smith-Fagan, and he extolled the colorful life and numerous Rotary achievements of the honoree: Tom Bacon. A shocked Tom introduced the party of family and friends who snuck in for the presentation, including his YIP mentee Kyre Roberson, his son Willy, and his fiance Kim Clark.
Meeting sponsor PP John Frisch ceded his time to fellow club member Josh Pelz, who outlined the bevy of financial services offered by his team at Merrill Lynch. Josh stressed their focus on close relationships with each generation in a client family to foster continuity. “We pride ourselves on being their financial advisor for life. Literally.” Josh also noted the firm helps small businesses with retirement plans, and he encouraged Rotary professional connections – specifically estate/trust attorneys and CPAs from our club he can refer to clients.
Maggie Hopkins, who chaired the Jean Runyon Award selection committee, invited committee member Rhonda Poppen to outline the impressive accomplishments and personal esprit that made this year’s honoree a deserving winner: Jamie Furlong. Donning the red jacket, Jamie in trademark humility remarked the challenge before her is to keep growing toward being worthy of the honor.
The Roadies returned to the stage to serenade Jamie with “Let it Grow,” saluting her passion for flowers and the natural world. Then, Noelle Furlong, a singer and twin sister of Jamie, mesmerized the crowd with an enthralling rendition of “Over the Rainbow” on the occasion of the twins’ 40th birthday.
Club Announcements
- Rotary shirts – Joe Quilici encouraged club members to join him in ordering club embroidered logo shirts, pointing to an email blast with details;
- Day of service opportunity – Jamie Furlong alerted club members of a forthcoming service day at Killdeer Farms, building on the successful first one last month. Look for details in a forthcoming email.
Put Me In, Coach!
Donations flowed in tribute to Jamie and Tom. Among those giving were PP Todd Koolakian, PE Kerry Wood, Rick Davis, Maggie Hopkins, Tom Bacon (his family in attendance plus Jamie), guest Rotarian Christina Dyer (Noelle and Jamie), and Nancy Teichert and her guest Leah Corrigan. Rhonda Poppen toasted her daughter’s new job.
Featured speaker Kierstan DeLong, CEO of RSE (Runyon Saltzman, Inc.), remarked upon her commitment to carrying on the excellence and integrity established by her predecessors and especially founder Jean Runyon. “Jeanitude,” the agency’s annual day of community service, embodies that desire. Kierstan quoted Maya Angelou in noting RSE’s core values: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
PP Diane made sure to acknowledge wine sponsors Robyn DeLong and Tim Comstock; meeting photographers Joe Quilici and Virginia Wade; Pulse reporter PP Kevin Smith-Fagan; and greeters PP John Lemmon, Bob McLean and Dave McKie. Kathy Herrfeldt delivered the Thought for the Day.
No meeting on April 22. Next meeting will be April 29, with lunch speaker Frank Maranzino of Capital Public Radio.
Photos Courtesy of Virginia Wade and Joe Quilici
