Rotary Meeting: June 29, 2021
PRESIDENT KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN (Executive Director of Fairytale Town) called our festive group to order with words of appreciation for PAST PRESIDENT BOB COLE, who was unable to attend the meeting but is celebrating his 70th year of Rotary membership (let that sink in). Congratulations, Bob – thank you for your incredible service to the Club! SERGEANT IN ARMS ALLISON CAGLEY (Executive Director of Friends of Sacramento Arts) introduced guests SERGIO ROBLES, JUSTINO SANTANE AND JAMIE WINSTON as well as prospective member JIM HENDERSON who joined us at last week’s meeting. We never forget to give thanks to Rotarian Volunteers. We are appreciative of DANNY GEMMA, JIM CULLETON, JERRY HALEY, for acting as our greeters; ELFRENA FOORD for gracing us with entertainment on the piano; our wine sponsors CHRISTIE HOLDEREGGER and LEO MCFARLAND (Volunteers of America); of PAST PRESIDENT DIANE WOODRUFF for serving as photographer for the day; and DANIELLE MCGARRITY for Pulse Reporting this week!
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
PAST PRESIDENT FRED TEICHERT shared his gratitude for the Club’s perseverance through the pandemic, thanks to each member’s grace and fellowship, and due to PRESIDENT KEVIN’s incredible leadership. He reminded us that we all have the incredible gift of service to give to the community, under the guidance of the 4-way test! The test that helps guide the ethics of our behavior is to hold truth in our words, fairness in dealings, good will toward all, and acting with a beneficial intent. Whatever our political or religious commitments are, the 4-way test can steer us a little more clearly than if left to our own devices.
To watch PAST PRESIDENT FRED TEICHERT give his thought for the day CLICK HERE
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRESIDENT-ELECT BOB MILLER shared that we are seeking a Club leader for the Rise Against Hunger food-packaging event on July 24 and are also in need of donations to meet our $500 goal in order to sponsor the event. Please contact BOB or SULAF AL AJEELI (Membership Services Coordinator of Rotary Club Sacramento) if you can help!
BOBBY REED (CEO at Capitol Tech Solutions) invited us all to join the July 17 American River Cleanup from 8:45 AM – 11:00 AM. Parking passes will be provided. Please register in advance and feel free to bring friends and family to help.
BYLAWS UPDATE
PRESIDENT KEVIN requested a motion to approve the revision to Club Bylaws that was distributed via email on June 13. STEVE HEATH (Executive Director of Central California Hemophilia Foundation) so moved and WALTER DAHL (Dahl Law, Attorneys At Law) seconded; club members voted with a show of hands and the motion carried.
DISTRICT CONFERENCE AWARDS
PRESIDENT KEVIN announced that at this year’s District 5180 Conference our Club received gold and silver medals in eight categories, and presented the medals to club members as follows:
  • Membership (GOLD) – to GERRY DABI (Compliance and Risk Manager at Golden Pacific Bank)
  • Administration (SILVER) – to LATOYA WONG (Rotary Club of Sacramento)
  • Foundation (SILVER) – to RICK DAVIS
  • Marketing (GOLD) – to BOBBY REED (CEO of Capitol Tech Solutions)
  • Community Service (GOLD) – to PAUL KEEFER (Executive Director of Pacific Charter Institute)
  • International Service (SILVER) – to CLAYTON LEE (C.K.L Trust)
  • Vocational Service (GOLD)–  BOB MILLER (Business Development Officer- First US Community Credit Union)
  • Youth Service (SILVER)– to ERIC SOLIS (Solis Financial Strategies Group of Wells Fargo Advisors)
YEAR IN REVIEW
The Board of Directors began by regaling the Club with the “We thank you, KEVIN song” and many members followed in celebrating their happy news and honoring PRESIDENT KEVIN’s year of unprecedentedly unique leadership.
To hear this song for yourself, CLICK HERE.
PRESIDENT KEVIN shared 10 of his most memorable moments from 2020-2021, a year which nobody will soon forget:
  1. SULAF Leads the Pledge – After becoming a U.S. Citizen on July 28, SULAF led the Club in a most meaningful pledge of allegiance. Thank you and congratulations to you, SULAF!
  1. COVID-19 Donations – We made it a Club priority to help individuals who were greatly impacted financially by the pandemic, and through partnerships with Volunteers of America, the Salvation Army, and Family Promise, we were able to uplift many individuals and families.
  1. Diversity and Inclusion Reading Group – We committed to learning about different perspectives and appreciating the diversity of our community via this important group.
  1. Golf 4 Kids (twice!) – We were able to hold two golf tournaments this year raising funding for orthopedically-challenged kids.
  1. Pints & Pinot with the President – We found a way to get together and experience fellowship even during the limitations of COVID-19 restrictions.
  1. Protecting the Environment Committee – We launched a new committee which has already undertaken the ambitious task of adopting a mile of the American River Parkway and keeping it clean; and they will do even more incredible things in the year ahead.
  1. Virtual Sacramento Century – We transitioned one of the Club’s most complex projects into a fully virtual event that was accessible to anyone, anywhere – resulting in a great fundraising success for the Crisis Nursery. Thank you to everyone who made it possible.
  1. Young Professionals Sign Project – The YPs set a goal of $25,000 to install a new sign at the Old Sacramento waterfront and achieved their goal through several creative fundraising initiatives. The sign will be installed later this summer!

  1. Top-Notch Speakers – One silver lining of COVID lockdown was our ability to recruit an abundance of amazing speakers from across the country (and the globe!) Congratulations to MARGO FOWKES (President, On-Target Consulting) and SARAH HODGE (Development Director, Sacramento State University) on their successes bringing us so many terrific experts.
  1. Dublin Club Joint Meeting – An incredible across-the-pond achievement of technology and Rotary magic enabled us to share a meeting with our new lifelong friends in Dublin, Ireland – which left a smile on PRESIDENT KEVIN’S face all day.
NOT GOODBYE, BUT SEE YOU SOON
Before adjourning, PRESIDENT KEVIN sang us a traditional Irish farewell song while NANCY SMITH-FAGAN (International Bird Rescue) and LATOYA WONG distributed tastes of Irish whiskey for toasting.
To hear this sentimental rendition, CLICK HERE.
May the road rise to meet you;
May the wind be always at your back;
May the sunshine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields;
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Slàinte!
WHAT’S NEXT?
If you didn’t make it to the June 29th meeting, don’t fret! We have a recording of it for you to watch HERE.
Not only that, but there’s still a chance to make it to the next one!
On July 6, 2021, from 12:10 PM – 1:30 PM, we will be meeting at The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.  We will be saying farewell to our dear KEVIN who will transition into a Past President as we undergo the installation of PRESIDENT ELECT BOB MILLER.
Upcoming Rotary Club Meetings at a Glance:
  • 7/6 – The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 12:10 – 1:30 PM
INSTALLATION- PE Bob Miller (Farewell Past President Kevin Smith-Fagan!) 
  • 7/13 – The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 12:10 – 1:30 PM
Speaker: Carrie Ellinwood – U.S. Small Business Administration
  • 7/20 – The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 12:10 – 1:30 PM
Speaker: Starr Hurley – Olympics
  • 7/27 – The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 12:10 – 1:30 PM
Speaker: Jot Condie – CA Restaurant Association