The Pulse for the Week of October 28th, 2025

Rotarians donned their sweaters and were welcomed into the fall season with a pine tree covered with pumpkin jack-o-lanterns, orange table cloths themed for Halloween, and last but not least, purple napkins in honor of the Sacramento Kings.

Meeting sponsor President Kerry Wood donated her time to the Children’s Receiving Home, which our club helped establish in 1944 to help children whose parents were unable to care for them. Presenter Danielle McGarrity said the Receiving Home is providing mental health care to a growing number of children who need individualized care. She said an estimated 42 percent of high school students today woke up this morning feeling sad. The home is facing cuts in its funding, and McGarrity asked members to look for a place in their hearts to donate to help these children. Endorsing the home’s lasting impact, President Kerry noted that her mother, as a young child, spent time in the care of CRH.

Our club welcomed a new member, Gabriel De La Torre of Bozzuto Insurance Services, sponsored by PP Bobby Reed. Reed noted De La Torre had already helped at the Sac Century Race even before receiving his Rotary pin.

A moment of silence honored Millie Stone, who died recently at 101 years of age. She and her husband Bill Stone, who preceded her in death, were stalwart club members for many years. Bill Stone once referred to his wife as the “perfect partner and best friend.” The family asked for donations to be made in their honor to our club foundation. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 22 at the Elks Lodge at 6446 Riverside Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95831. If you wish to attend, please let organizer Suzanne Nielsen know at 916-452-1111.

Levels of Giving

PP Bob Miller donated in honor of his 30th wedding anniversary. PP Kevin and Nancy Smith-Fagan each donated in celebration of their son’s wedding. PE Paul Keefer contributed in appreciation for the recent conference he attended for incoming presidents. Craig Alpha was so thrilled to no longer be marked as a new member that he donated two donations of $1,000, one to his Eddie Mulligan and the other to his Paul Harris. Matt Green gave in recognition of daughter’s second birthday party. Megan Laurie gave to honor Michelle See for her work on the recent Brown Bag lunches. PP Dan McVeigh donated in memory of Millie Stone and also in celebration of his 48th wedding anniversary. Bhavnesh Makin also contributed for no special reason!

In Getting to Know Fellow Rotarians, Elfrena Foord featured Matthew Romsa, a new member already engaged as a Pulse reporter. As a member of the Peace Corps when young, he helped a community start their own baking business. He made friends with a fellow volunteer he would then not see for 14 years until they reconnected – and married! They adopted a 13-month old little girl who had been exposed to drugs when her mother was pregnant. Their daughter is now a healthy and bright four-year-old.

Maggie Hopkins introduced us to Tom Bacon, a longtime club member. As a rookie in commercial real estate in Los Angeles, he crisscrossed the region for thousands of miles in an old VW with a seat spring poking him in the back, until he cut it off and covered the hole with duct tape. As a naive young worker desperate for a first deal, he received a call that he could make a large sale to a customer who would appear with a briefcase of cash if the deal could be made in one day. “What’s the rush?” he asked when he showed up at the office. “April’s Fool,” was the answer. You can read Tom’s tale here.

Justino Santana introduced the well known “billboard celebrity” attorney Anh Phoong, who has made a career of personal injury cases. A graduate of Sacramento State, she got into her line of work because of her own auto accident. Her catchy billboards yell in large print a ubiquitous catchphrase: “Something Wrong? Call Anh Phoong.”

Phoong said her family immigrated from Vietnam in 1978 and were helped by a sponsoring church in Fresno. After she graduated from Sac State, her modest LSAT score prevented her from admission to Lincoln Law School; but she promised the dean she would boost her score, and when she did, the dean gave her a shot. Anh graduated as class valedictorian and passed the bar.

Originally, she wanted to be a public defender but a car crash pointed her in a different direction. Getting into personal injury law, she worked with a friend for a while then started her own law firm, which now has 12 lawyers and applications to practice law in several other states. She has big plans, and her sponsorship with the Sacramento Kings and supporting charities are making her well known in the Sacramento community.

Anh tears up when she talks about the mothers who have called to thank her for showing many young girls what is possible with hard work. Her charitable impulse was highlighted at the end of the meeting when she matched all donations made during the meeting to help the Rotary club. Those donations totaled about $3,600!

President Kerry Wood and Anh Phoong, Esq.

The meeting’s wine sponsor was John Swentowsky. Joe Quilici delivered the Thought for the Day and served as the meeting photographer. Greeters were Bill Wygant, Tim Comstock, and Todd Andrews. Nancy Teichert served as Pulse reporter.

It’s Veterans Appreciation Day at the next club meeting on November 4. If you served or are bringing a guest who served, please complete this form. See you there!