President Bob Hermann, Jr. (Information Technology: Administration | Retired) called today's meeting to order right on time at 12:15 PM. He mentioned that he had just returned from this KPIX-TV interview.
Visiting Rotarians and GuestsToday's Visiting Rotarians were Rhonda Poppen — Past President of our Club and now a member of the Rotary Club of Sacramento, Clif Thomas — a past member of our Club, and Buncha Patchana from the Rotary Club of Bangkok Ratchadapisek. Today's guests were Kwanchai Channoo, Father Andres Emmanuelli from St. Vincent de Paul of San Francisco, Inika Mehra, and Patcharada Promprasert. Our speaker was Karl Robillard. Welcome to all!
Thank You to the Hotel Nikko
President Bob invited the Hotel Nikko kitchen and wait staff to join us. The audience gave the staff a round of applause for their wonderful service every week, and President Bob had a gift for each of them.
Thought of the Day
Peter Logan (Law: Insurance | Peter Logan Law Offices) read today's Thought of the Day which was "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."
News from our Members
- President-Elect Frank Yoke III (Development | Serra Residential Center, Inc.) invited us to continue the 132-year tradition that started here in San Francisco — the Salvation Army Bell Ringing on December 20. He also talked about the Salvation Army Literacy Program that he will be leading.
- Congratulations to President-Elect Frank Yoke and Vice President of Club Service Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) for completing the Master PRLS (Potential Rotary Leaders Seminars) series on December 7, 2024. For anyone interested in this Program, the next Introductory course is on January 25, 2025. Our Club will reimburse you for the tuition.
- The DEI dinner and holiday concert were well attended, and Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Tim Hornbecker (Nonprofit Management | Retired, The Arc CA) gave a shout out to all.
- We thanked Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services) for her overflowing charcuterie board that she made and brought to the Cookie Making Workshop on December 8, 2024.
- Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company) said that the chocolate at the Cookie Making Workshop was complex and so delicious that she ate the wrapper.
- Cookie Master Brennan Bowen was so impressed with our Club that he donated another cookie making class.
Report from Alliance for Smiles
- Immediate Past President Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) spoke about his service trip to Vietnam with Alliance for Smiles. He was the recordkeeper and expressed deep satisfaction for having helped small children with the life-altering, surgical procedures provided. Sunny said that he was especially touched by the infants whom he was able to help. The stories of the families traveling from afar and the support of the local medical community were emotional. Instrumental in the success of this mission was the Rotary Club of Saigon.
- Jessica Hansen (Nonprofit Management | Alliance for Smiles) thanked our Club and expecially Sunny Singh for supporting Alliance for Smiles. She invited and urged all to participate in the donation match-up to $15,000 until the end of 2024. There are four international trips planned for 2025, and all are welcome to participate.
Club Calendar
Check the Club's calendar for upcoming meetings and events. President Bob reminded all to register for the Star, Stripes, and Songs Fun Raiser on January 11, 2025. This is a fundraiser that already has the food and beverages covered. Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) will be on the piano while Rick Harrell (Arts Therapy | Heroes' Voices) will sing.
$25 for Twenty Five Seconds
- Tim Hornbecker donated to celebrate the attendance at today's luncheon of representatives from Catholic Charities and St. Vincent de Paul of San Francisco.
- Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) donated to thank Jessica Hansen for taking a job for which she was not hired and exceeding expectations.
- Allan Herzog (Financial Services: Advising | Wells Fargo Advisors) donated to celebrate the final draw on his granddaughter's college education account. However, it is unknown if she will pursue graduate education.
- Todd St Vrain (Education: Administration | University of Melbourne) donated to celebrate the arrival of winter and RYLA applications. If you know of any candidates for RYLA, please encourage them to apply.
- Rhonda Poppen donated to share that all is well in Sacramento and that she misses us.
- Karl Robillard made a donation to our Club.
Guest Speaker
Glide Memorial Church's current CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer, is the perfect example of the success Glide is known for — she was a client when young in the Bayview/Hunters Point neighborhood and ascended to running the orgainization that gave her a helping hand. 
Sue Robbins (Nonprofit Administration | Catholic Charities SF) introduced today's speaker — Karl Robillard. Karl provided a brief history of Glide Memorial. In 1929, Lizzie Glide, a wealthy cattle baroness, bought the property at Ellis and Taylor Streets and built the Glide Memorial Methodist Church. It slowly languished until the Reverend Cecil Williams took charge in 1963 and welcomed all into the ministry. The ministry has grown with the three prime pillars of service — the Church, the Program, and Social Justice. All of the pillars serve each other and the congregation. Williams was adept at connecting political figures to his cause and influencing San Francisco policy to serve those with addiction issues and poverty.
Kurt's past experience with St. Anthony's Dining Room, Meals on Wheels, and Twitter's community outreach taught him the value of engaging the civic and business community to address poverty and homelessness in their environs. He noted that Glide Memorial Church is starting a $100M campaign with the slogan of "A Healthy Glide is a Healthy San Francisco."
Glide Memorial Church's current CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer, is the perfect example of the success Glide is known for — she was a client when young in the Bayview/Hunters Point neighborhood and ascended to running the orgainization that gave her a helping hand.
President Bob thanked Karl Robillard and announced that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in his name.
Karl Robillard, Larry Booth, President Bob Hermann, and Sue Robbins
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM.
Meeting Volunteers
President Bob thanked today's meeting volunteers: Cecile Chiquette (Accounting | Retired) for serving as volunteer coordinator; Larry Booth (Engineering: Mechanical | Frank M. Booth, Inc.) for serving as scribe; Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.) for serving as photographer; Sunny Singh for managing the microphone; Kirt Burdick of the Academy of Art University for managing the audio-visual equipment during our in-person meeting; Robin Azevedo for serving as greeter; and Ann Daugherty and Gary Dales (Accounting | Fly Leasing) for doing check-in at the Hotel Nikko.