The Rotary Club of Sacramento elegantly ushered in KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN (Executive Director of Fairytale Town) as the 107th President of the Club. It was a sunny day in Zoomland and the backdrops of our Rotarians varied from lakes in the Trinity Alps to FairyTale Town. The smell of lavender, mint, and baked chicken filled the….oh, wait, we are on Zoom. KERRY WOOD (Sacramento Region Community Foundation) successfully led the meeting with movies, guests, and slide shows with over 96 participants from around the world (including ROB SCHERER from Puerto Vallarta 85 degrees but feels like 95 with clouds).

 

Our Foundation and Rotary Board

KERRY swiftly moved the meeting along with presentation of the directors of the Foundation:

 

  • RICK DAVIS -President
  • BOB DALY (Financial Network Wealth Advisors) – Vice President
  • MIKE GILLIGAN -Treasurer
  • RICK OSEN (Sutter Builders, Inc.)-Secretary
  • JAMIE FURLONG (Bangerter Financial Services),
    LARRY GILZEAN (Spare Time Sports Clubs),
  • LEN MCCANDLISS
  • VIRGINIA WADE
  • TED WHITE (Sacramento Delta Property Management)
  • APRIL JAVIST (Sacramento Public Library Foundation),
  • STEVE JOHANSON (Johanson & Associates) and
  • LEV KAGANOVICH (Energy, LEED & Commissioning Consulting).

 

KERRY also introduced the 2020-2021 officers of the club:

 

  • KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN – President
  • MARK LUHDORFF (IMD Path) Treasurer
  • ALLISON CAGLEY (Friends of Sacramento Arts) -Sergeant-at-Arms
  • LATOYA WONG (Rotary Club of Sacramento) – Secretary
  • BOB MILLER (First US Community Credit Union) – President Elect
  • GERRY DABI (Golden Pacific Bank)
  • CHRISTIE HOLDEREGGER (Volunteers of America)
  • JOHN MCINTYRE (Mercy Foundation)
  • BOBBY REED (Capitol Tech Solutions)
  • ALICE SAURO (Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera)
  • MARGO FOWKES (OnTarget Consulting, Inc.)
  • KATHY HERRFELDT (Home Care Assistance)
  • TODD KOOLAKIAN (Sacramento Children’s Home)
  • JOHN PHAIR

 

 

Thought of the Day

The Thought of the Day was provided by MAGGIE HOPKINS (Capital Premier Lending & Premier Realty) as she looked to Fred Rogers of the famed Mr. Rogers Neighborhood for the timeless quote that when times are bad “look for the helpers,” you can always find people helping.  MAGGIE’s quote serves to reaffirm the Rotary’s overall principle and motto, “service above self.”

 

Guests!

 

ALLISON CAGLEY provided a warm welcome to the first family including NANCY SMITH-FAGAN, AIDEN SMITH-FAGAN, BRENDON SMITH-FAGAN, and EAMON SMITH-FAGAN.  ALLISON expressed her concerns about the pandemic, social unrest and the true meaning of KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN’s presidency.

Top 10 List – the Apocalypse is Truly Upon Us  CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO!

Yes, we know that end is near as the Rotary Rockers World Tour was canceled, an asteroid just missed the Earth, the Cleveland Lakes (formerly Indians) have not won since 1948, and of course, KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN is our 107th President!

All the Rotary People

JOHN MCINTYRE was left alone to create a tribute to the incoming President so was successfully cloned by a small firm in Davis. With the help of KEVIN WILLIAMS (KVIE) (producer) the JOHNS (duet) belted out a fantastic Beatles rendition even including a reference from Spinal Tap (11, one louder than 10)! CLICK HERE FOR THE MUSIC VIDEO.

Why KEVIN is SO GREAT!

Well, PAST PRESIDENT DIANE WOODRUFF has set the high, high, high bar for KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN with Zoom standing ovations, virtual claps, and muted thumbs ups! Certainly, KEVIN takes a great picture and has been involved in all facets of Rotary including the valued Young Professionals during the Dive Bar fundraiser (Jägerbombs, ahoy). We will be in good hands for the next year. As DIANE WOODRUFF witnessed KEVIN always goes above and beyond! Perhaps the words that DIANE said of KEVIN that best sum him up; kind, thoughtful, sensitive, brains, creative, and fun!  This pulse reporter respectfully concurs.

 

The Roast from President Elect

 

PRESIDENT ELECT BOB MILLER provided more background information about KEVIN SMITH-FAGAN, such as (‘graduating from college between 1979 and 1999’). He noted that KEVIN was part of the strong side of the infield on the Rotary Championship Softball team. BOB applauded KEVIN’s athletic prowess and the fact that KEVIN is going to be a great President.

 

A Tribute by the First Family

 

NANCY SMITH-FAGAN and family prepared an exceptional montage of movie and television clips illustrating what our Rotary club ‘thinks it’s going to get and what it is actually going to get’ with KEVIN at the helm. West Wing, the Office, and of course the Dude, were well represented providing interesting possibilities for the club! CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY.

 

The Presidential Vision for the Year

 

PRESIDENT KEVIN outlined an aggressive agenda for the Rotary Club of Sacramento echoing the Rotary theme for the year “Rotary Opens Opportunity.” KEVIN eloquently stated, “How do we link arms with those that are suffering,” to provide service in our community and to be ‘helpers’ as MAGGIE suggested. KEVIN observed that there is a no better way to advertise Rotary than to be in the community doing service.

As we face societal headwinds of the pandemic and issues regarding race, KEVIN proposed starting the Rotary Reading Club encouraging dialogue with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (program chair requested). KEVIN commended the Sac Century and Golf for Kids committees ‘can do spirit’ and their creativity to ensure the fundraisers occur this year.  CLICK HERE TO SEE KEVIN’s remarks!

Finally, PRESIDENT KEVIN outlined the giving table for his term including the whimsical Crooked Mile ($1000), Excalibur, ($500), Golden Egg ($250), Pirate ($100), and Magic Bean ($100). We cracked the seal on the new giving levels with ELFRENA FOORD (Foord, Van Bruggen and Pajak Financial Services) and FRED TEICHERT (Teichert Foundation) both giving at the Crooked Mile of $1000 to christen the new presidency.  CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO!

 

Tune in at the same time and same place next week to welcome our guest speaker, Amy Rogers, MD, PhD, a Harvard educated science thriller novelist who will talk with us about the Coronavirus.  Amy’s presentation will be particularly timely in the middle of the pandemic.  Amy’s background is unique as she is both a best-selling author of science-based thriller novels such as Petroplague, Reversion and The Han Agent.  Dr. Rogers is also recognized as an expert in biochemistry and immunology in scientific circles.  You won’t want to miss next week’s meeting!

Find Dr. Amy Roger’s full biography at https://www.amyrogers.com/bio/.