Rotary Meeting, October 11, 2022
Rotarians were welcomed by the sparkling smiles of DEE HARTZOG, JOEL HOCKMAN (Pucci’s Pharmacy), and SARAH HODGE (Regional Affairs Representative/ACWA).
Thank you JOHN SWENTOWSKY (Swentowsky Photography) for the photographic record of the festivities.
The Rotarians already festive mood was further elevated by wines poured and sponsored by our very own ELFRENA FOORD (Arata Brothers Trust) and BRUCE HESTER.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY was on the only significant bike event in Sacramento in 2022.
TODD ANDREWS (Andres Construction, Inc.)  is and has been instrumental to the success of the Sacramento Century bike ride for many years.
TODD noted the success of the Sacramento Century for our club and the Children’s Crisis Center, however, the success has also been great for approximately 10,000 non-Rotarians that have enjoyed the ride. It is the only significant bike ride in Sacramento. Imagine that, we have provided joy to nearly 10,000 non-Rotarian Sacramentans.
Any day you ride or walk on the American River trail you will see a bicyclist wearing an SCC jersey. Every one of those jerseys has the rotary wheel on it. If you ever have the opportunity to chat with one of them it’s an easy conversation starter. As I’m riding by them, I always shout out “Nice Jersey.”
By one account the top 10 Fundraising bicycle rids in the US include the Pan Mas Challenge, Peletonia, Aids Life Cycle, Bike MS, Best Buddies, Ride for Rosewell, Dophins Cancer Challenge, and Velo Sano. The 10th Place challenger, VeloSano raised 4.7 million dollars last year. The big dog- The Pan Mas Challenge raised 66 million dollars. That is 66 million dollars last year!
We have already done great things. Even greater things are possible.
Make sure to join in to help next year with the Sacramento Century Challenge.
Be part of a truly great experience.
The possibilities are amazing!
And Always:
“Keep your Rubber Side Down”, “Get back healthy and in Good Time”.
One of many Classic Bicycle Invocations is “Keep your Rubber Side Down”, “Get back healthy and in Good Time”.
We give a shout-out to RICK OSEN (Sutter Builders, inc.) (here or not), the “Rubber Side Down” did not work out so well for him, but were so thankful he is OK.
We celebrate the Sacramento Century Challenge Today. The 9th Annual.
Amazing the 9th Annual!
2014 seems like just yesterday. It was the 1st annual, the Inaugural Sacramento Century.
In 2015 “Challenge”  and Challenge Champions were added to the theme.
In 2014 PAST PRESIDENT SUSAN SHERIDAN became our club president and decided to replace the annual Bids for Kids fundraiser with a benefit bike ride.
Bids for Kids was a long-standing Black-Tie Auction which was primarily attended by Rotarians from our own club. Bids for Kids had many years of success. It was Great Fun. Dropping Bids for Kids was a bold move and must have given PAST PRESIDENT SUSAN SHERIDAN immense pause.
The SCC has had 9 years of success. Success for the RCOS and Success for the beneficiaries.
Thank you to all the volunteers and participants of the Sacramento Century. Mark your calendar for October 07, 2023.
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS
  • MATT LOEWE (Cisco)
  • MICHAEL WILLIAMS, guest of KATHE NATHAN
  • MATTHEW GALVEZ, guest of SARAH HODGE (ACWA)
  • JAY BALLINGER (Sacramento ARES), guest of STEVE HEATH (Rotary Club of Sacramento)
KATHE’s guest, MICHAEL WILLIAMS, rode the Sacramento Century course as a 12 year old on his own and he had the patch and map to prove it! What a great story….MICHAEL also obtained donations this year of $1,245. Thank you MICHAEL!
MEETING SPONSOR
PAST PRESIDENT SUSAN SHERIDAN, ESQ. Emeritus donated her time to ACWA and introduced our own SARAH HODGE. Thank you SUSAN!
SARAH HODGE (ACWA)
Did you know, California’s water infrastructure was designed for a state with 20 million residents, but our current population is twice that?
California’s systems of aqueducts and reservoirs were built decades ago and were largely based on delivering water coming in from our snowpack in the Sierra Nevada. But today, how, when, and where California receives precipitation is changing drastically.
Climate change is altering the landscape of California. Longer, hotter dry periods and sporadic rainfall are intensifying the existing water management challenges confronting our state.
Expanding and upgrading our statewide and local water infrastructure will provide the water security California needs to continue to thrive.
The benefits of increased investments in water infrastructure include:
  • Expanding Water Supply Diversity and Drought Resiliency: local water supply infrastructure projects will allow us to be more nimble in wet and dry years. We need the infrastructure to capture more water in wet years so that we are better prepared for the dry years.
  • Maintaining Water Quality: up to date water treatment and testing facilities are essential for providing safe, high-quality drinking water across the state.
  • Protecting our Environment: Efficient and sustainable management of our state’s water resources benefits fish streams, protecting our state’s natural beauty and wildlife habitats.
  • Improving Water Efficiency: upgrading and fortifying existing infrastructure is just as important as new projects. Leaky or malfunctioning infrastructure is costly to fix and causes us to waste water- neither of which California can afford.
Currently, 85% of water investments are paid for by local customers- this means water agencies rely on water rates to ensure local water supplies meet the needs of the community.
Significant state and federal investments are needed to ensure affordable water rates and a reliable water supply for California.
Visit QuenchCA.com to learn more.
Quench California is a public education campaign that was launched this year by the Association of California Water Agencies.
ACWA provides leadership, advocacy, and resources for California public water agencies to ensure a high-quality and reliable water supply in an environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.

 

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT – Our Rotary spotlight was once again written, acted, and entirely performed by ELFRENA FOORD.
BOB ROSENBERG
Birthday 10/7
19 years in Rotary
BOB’s first exposure to Rotary was when he was a Freshman in high school in New York when in 1962, he became a founding member & President of his high school’s Rotary Interact Club.  His father later joined Rotary and after he passed, BOB’s mother became an active Rotarian.
While BOB got a degree in Civil Engineering, he is not a typical engineering type.  He co-ran a public radio station while in college and after college, he came west as the marketing director in the ski business for 10 years.  Working at Tahoe Donner ski resort, he got a national skiing award for the Best “How to Learn to Ski” program that he came up with and implemented.  He also was the promoter for the 1973 Tahoe Donner 500-mile Bicycle Tour of the Sierra, the 2nd longest tour in America at the time.
Next, BOB has had a 40-year career in Commercial Real Estate as a broker, developer, and consultant.  He’s put together successful real estate teams for projects in Mexico, Charleston, and Pensacola.
Fun Fact: While BOB was marketing in the ski industry, he was partnering with Marine World.   He got the idea and executed it to have a skiing chimpanzee be part of the Warren Miller’s annual ski movie.
TODD KOOLAKIAN
Birthday 10/18
8 years in Rotary
TODD grew up in Syracuse, New York where his family business, Koolakian Menswear, operated from 1905 until 2020, 115 years.
Having grown up in one of the snowiest metropolitan areas in the country, he was an avid skier, having first started when he was just 2 years old.  He raced in high school and ski instructor along with his father, Ed. After college at Providence College in Rhode Island, TODD started his career working for a fundraising consulting firm. There he worked on Capital Campaigns all over the country and even in Sacramento where he decided to move to in 2011.
Just like his father did, TODD likes being involved in the community. He has been helping nonprofits raise money since 2008, and since 2014 has been the Director of Philanthropy for the Sacramento Childrens Home.
TODD was recognized in 2018 with the Sacramento Business Journal’s “40 under 40” award and was the longest-serving Board member for the Sacramento LGBT Community Center in their 35-year history.
Most importantly, we will all be enjoying his leadership in our club as President starting July 1, next year.
Fun Fact:  TODD has also fallen in love with traveling and tries to jet off whenever possible. He and his partner, Mark have been many places. Their favorite country to visit is Spain because they love its culture, natural beauty, food, and wine.
ROBYN DELONG
Birthday 11/3
21 years in Rotary
ROBYN has been in Rotary 21 years and has served as Sgt at Arms and been on our board.
Professionally, ROBYN is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker and has qualified to be in the top producers Masters Club for 20 of her 23 years and served on the Master’s Club Steering Committee for 12 years
On top of that, ROBYN has written four books which are all on Amazon and which focus on healing and using grief to grow.
FUN FACT: ROBYN started 3 new hobbies during the pandemic.
1)First, she started making sourdough bread and sharing her sourdough starter, so see ROBYN if you want your own starter.
2)Second, she also started making cloth dolls and stuffed animals to give away and now has donated well over 100 dolls, puppies, bears, and bunnies to children as well as adults in memory care.  She’s sold some to fellow Rotarians and others and those sales allowed her to continue giving so many away.
3) Third, ROBYN began writing a weekly email called “Cuppa Joy” to share the good news, fun stories and to brighten up the week of those who read it. I read her weekly column this morning and it was profound.  Let ROBYN know if you want to be on her list.
STEVE HUFFMAN
Birthday 10/28
40 years in Rotary
STEVE has been a Rotarian for 40 years.  He has served as our compassion chair which gives support to our members like when they are sick.  He sends out our Care Grams and our members state how meaningful those are when they receive them. He shows his caring nature and is so good at this job that he did it for 5 years.
Professionally, STEVE was a Manager at Blue Diamond Growers and he was part of a team that saw sales grow from $50 million when he started to $500 million when he retired.  He is proud of the fact that he was part of a healthy company which now has sales of 1.2 billion dollars.
STEVE now enjoys working as a reading tutor, and volunteering at his Church and at the Sacramento Pioneer Association.  He and his wife SALLY of 58 years also love traveling, especially to Maui.
Two fun facts to share about STEVE:
First, STEVE speaks fluent Italian and he taught himself to speak by first getting an English/Italian dictionary and then later taking classes.  He has been to Italy many times and is so good at Italian that he translates for his Italian friends who don’t speak English.
Second, STEVE’s family’s Huffy bicycle business was started in 1893 by his great-grandfather and they actually made parts for the Wright brothers airplane after their first flight.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Ball Room Dancing? Every 3rd Sunday 7:00 P.M.? If interested contact JIM PHILLIPS (The Energy Savers).
  • Dive Bar Tour? No ID Required? 6 Dive Bars, free drinks?  Can this be true? $199 Friday, October 28, 2022, 2 pm to 7 pm. $199 all to charity. Only 5 seats are available – contact JOHN FRISCH (Newmark).
YOU’RE A GEM
  • THOMAS GILBERT (Retired, Gilbert Associates, Inc.) – In honor of STEVE HUFFMAN (Huffman Strategy) who still sends post cards when he travels.
  • DEE JOHNSON (State of California: Office of Administrative Hearings)
  • BRIAN VAN CAMP (Van Camp ADR)- To thank all the SAC Century Volunteers.
  • PAUL KEEFER ( Pacific Charter Institute) – In honor of ERIC who allowed him into the Del Paso Country Club. FYI-PAUL recently came in 3rd place in another bike event!
  • KERRY WOOD (Sacramento Region Community Foundation) – To thank her Rotary Rescuers when she was in a traumatic car accident.
SPEAKER INTRODUCTION
 PRESIDENT LINDA
What a wonderful opportunity we have today to reflect with gratitude and thanks for another successful Sacramento Century.
As I was thinking about today’s meeting and the introduction of our celebration, I couldn’t help but reflect on the bold leadership that it took to attempt such an event in the first place.
In 2013, our Club and our Board of Directors made the decision to plan and execute the first Sacramento Century, which happened in October 2014.
It was a windy rainy morning, but the afternoon was beautiful. The rain impacted the number of folks that participated in the after-ride festival, but for those in attendance, the mood was high, and the riders loved the ride. We’ll see you next year was the comment of the day.
The decision to move to a community event has been overwhelmingly successful. Beyond generating hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities, we have hundreds of volunteers participating, many of whom are not Rotarians.
The ride and the post-ride event are enjoyed by all and offer an amazing opportunity to gather and celebrate as a community, so good!
I’m extremely proud and grateful to be part of such a committed group of leaders within our community- We are The Rotary Club of Sacramento.
As I imagine the future of service organizations, I think it’s time again to be bold and to consider how we can most effectively position ourselves to continue to make the same level of outstanding community impact.
You’ll recall that the Board and I have identified membership development, engagement, and retention as a priority. Toward that end, in the next two weeks, we have a small ask. During our meetings, we will embark on two exercises.
The first will be next week- the point of the exercise is to gather your input on what attributes you value in your Club. The second exercise will be a brief survey. We will only spend three or so minutes each week.
With our signature event behind us, we will have the bandwidth to turn our attention to our membership initiatives. The Board will be meeting in November to discuss the result of the information provided by all of you, which we will inform our initiatives for outreach and membership development.
I’m excited for what’s next and thank you for your commitment, we wouldn’t be who we are without all of you!
At this time, I’m delighted to invite PAST PRESIDENT SUSAN to the podium.
SPEAKER
NEXT MEETING: Marriage Made in Heaven?
Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra and Sacramento Opera formed the Sacramento Regional Performing Arts Alliance and merged operations several years ago. How is that working out? Find out from fellow Rotarian GIULIANO KORNBERG, who is Executive Director of the umbrella organization for two long-time Sacramento nonprofits. GIULIANO will be our guest speaker on Tuesday, October 18, at the Annunciation Church. Be sure to keep an eye out for the email with the reservation link.
ROTARY’S CONTINUED SUCCESS- Polio cases have fallen by 99.9% since 1988. We can make it 100%.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AT A GLANCE
10/18/2022Speaker GIULIANO KORNBERG/ SAC Regional Performing Arts Alliance
10/25/22 – Speaker SHAHNAZ VAN DEVENTER / MOSAC (Museum of Science and Curiosity)
11/1/22 – Speaker MIKE TESTA/ Visit Sacramento
11/8/22 – Dark