Young Professionals President Jamie Furlong (Bangerter Financial Services) welcomed Rotarians both young and not so young. President Jamie thanked the Chair of the Day YP Sarah Hodge (California State University, Sacramento) and led us through the Pledge of Allegiance. President Jamie introduced Jeff Stone (Hub International) for the Thought of the Day.
Jeff noted that age brings wisdom based upon a lifetime of experience. Jeff provided sage advice intended for the (Young Professionals) YPs in our group. Jeff recognized many of our YPs built solid careers and are valued members of our community, successful in their own right! However, Jeff’s words of wisdom are key principles for us all to guide our daily lives. Jeff’s principles to consider are as follows:
- Take your career seriously. Pursue your goals and discuss your ambitions with your supervisors. But please, have realistic expectations.
- Seek out the mentoring and advice from proven professionals and leaders that you admire. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.3. Be happy and don’t let others drag you down. The REAL secret to being happy is choosing to be so! Remember that it is YOUR attitude that counts!
- Learn to manage your time. When Jeff was young, Jeff thought about the coming of Y2K, the looming Centennial and how old Jeff would be. 42 YO – wow – it seemed like a lifetime away! Jeff woke up and realized that Y2K passed 20 years ago! Time passes QUICKLY so use it wisely. Invest time developing your career and don’t let social media, friends, or fun derail your professional goals.
- Honor your commitments. Keep your word and ALWAYS be honest. The biggest trick in selling anything is to always tell the truth. Respect others and be kind. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably is not.
- Be patient. Great things generally take time. And again, don’t have unrealistic expectations.
- Money is important. The sooner you learn the principles, the better you’ll be. Learn how to make a budget. Do it monthly and stick to it. SPEND LESS THAN YOU MAKE. Commit to regular savings in good times AND bad. Learn about investing and the concept of compound interest. Put it AND your youth to work for YOU! Use debt responsibly. Use it only to acquire appreciating assets and not for consumer purposes.
Finally, be humble. Don’t try to emulate the latest internet sensation, sports star, or Hollywood hotshot. Don’t tell people how great you are. It’s OK to self-promote, but don’t make outrageous claims. Remember that it is not what we say, but what we do that defines us. Actions DO speak louder than words.
The Rotary Club of Sacramento is lucky to have our Young Professionals. YPs are some of the brightest stars in our Club and we are proud of them!
Club President Jim Leet (Boutin Jones) shared an email from Rotary International Director Johrita Solari thanking President Jim for his outstanding services as club president. Director Solarti noted that Rotary is more relevant and impactful than ever… “Rotary connects the world.”
Director Solari congratulated our Club for our successful fundraising and development. Out of 34 zones in the world, our Zone 26 is included as number 1 in polio donations.
Director Solari asked for our help one more time before the June 30th year end. We need to increase donations in order to maximize the 3:1 match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Please see the video at the following link for more information https://www.facebook.com/rotaryzones26.27/videos/3654241417926237/. The video is 10 minutes long and explains the importance of donations now to meet the match before June 30. Donating just $20 to the Take Out Polio fund provides a benefit of $60 after the match available to beat polio.
Donations must be made before June 30 to qualify for the match. Contact Bob Roger crobertrogers@comcast.net for details.
Our Chair of the Day was YP Sarah Hodge (Director of Development, California State University, Sacramento). Just this April, Sarah and a group of faculty and staff from the University helped distribute 531 meals to Sacramento City Unified School District students in need.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Sarah introduced our Speaker Rachel Norton (Executive Director/California State Parks Foundation). The foundation was actually established in 1969 by a Rotarian – William Penn Mott, Jr. Mr. Mott was the former director of California’s Department of Parks and Recreation at the National park Service.
Mohawk Stamp Mill, Plumas-Eureka State Park
Rachel Norton is a passionate advocate for parks and outdoor education. She previously served as Director of External Affairs and interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Rachel has a diverse background as she was previously a reported for Reuters, the New York Times, and CNET: The Computer Network.
Mohawk Stamp Mill, Plumas-Eureka State Park
Rachel Norton is a passionate advocate for parks and outdoor education. She previously served as Director of External Affairs and interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the San Francisco Parks Alliance. Rachel has a diverse background as she was previously a reported for Reuters, the New York Times, and CNET: The Computer Network.
Most parks and campgrounds are now open. Visitors should view the webpage of their local outdoor destination before their visit to confirm that it is open and the guidelines that may be in place. Click here for the State Parks COVID-19 Resource Center: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30350. Click here for a link to find nearby state parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/ParkIndex.
Rachel provided a great deal of information, fun facts, and even trivia questions. For example, which was the very first California State Park? Which state park was returned back to the federal government? For those answers and much more click here: https://thegoralkalawfirm.sharefile.com/d-s9a54b9b0f89450da for a copy of Rachel’s presentation.
Summer sunset in Crystal Cove State Park
In addition to the trivia and fun facts provided by Rachel, she confirmed that a new state park is in the works despite out billion-dollar deficit. The new project is a 50,000 acre ranch in the hills of Livermore that drapes across four (4) counties.
Click here for more information on this project https://calmatters.org/environment/2020/02/is-california-ready-for-a-new-state-park/. The state parks do need our help to preserve, protect, and enhance out state parks during these uncertain times. Click here to donate to help our parks: https://donate.calparks.org/give/245836/#!/donation/checkout. Click here to become a member https://donate.calparks.org/give/245676/#!/donation/checkout. The CA State Parks Foundation is working to establish a new membership level for Young Professionals.
Videos:
California’s State Parks are Great Places for You and Me!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL3qongxYVU
See some seals! Explore California: Año Nuevo State Park
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q2LI4wwS2c
Cooling Off, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
Thank you to our Young Professionals for providing an excellent meeting! Tune in at the same time, same place next week when our Speaker will be Emily Hooney (President/Agricultural Council of California). The Agriculture Council is a member-supported organization advocating for more than 15,000 farmers across California, ranging from farmer-owned businesses to the world’s best-known brands. The council works tirelessly to keep its members productive and competitive, so that agriculture can remain California’s number-one industry and members can continue to produce the highest quality food for the entire world. Agriculture is very important for the Farm to Fork Capital.