President Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management), sporting a festive, holiday mustache, called today's meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed those online and those attending in person at the Anzu Restaurant in the Hotel Nikko.
Today's Guests
Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) introduced her guests - Lisa Covey and Katheyn Hyde. Our guests affiliated with The Arc San Francisco were Nasan Barkhurel, Peter DeHaas, Cynthia Kreuz-Uhr, and Mira Yoon. We also welcomed today's speaker - Woody LaBounty.
Membership NewsNew Member: Anthony Alioto (Nonprofit Administration | Catholic Charities) was inducted as a new member of our corporate member - Catholic Charities. He formerly ran the family-owned US Restaurant and confirmed that all the Alioto's in San Francisco hail from the same Sicilian village, and they all consider each other cousins! He was welcomed with the traditional "We Will!"
Red Badge Completed: Congratulations to Angelina Preza (Sales: Travel | Aquarium of the Bay) and Paul Yep (University Administration | Academy of Art University) for completing their red badge requirements and becoming a full member of our Club. Angelina was lauded for donating prizes and bringing many guests to our meetings and events. Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) recognized Paul Yep for his help with the Blue Angels Viewing Party, the District 5150 Hunt to End Polio, and our Club's Chinese New Year Committee.
Rotarian of the Month
President Sunny congratulated Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.) who was honored on November 14, 2023 as the October 2023 Rotarian of the Month. See story here.
President Sunny announced that Angelina Preza is the Rotarian of the Month for November 2023. Since joining our Club, Angelina has generously donated prizes to our events and invited and brought many guests to our meetings and events. Congratulations to Angelina!
Join the Club Services CommitteeOzan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) spoke about the core of our Rotary Club - our Club Services Committee. This Committee needs more members to ensure the continued operational excellence of the Club. So if you want to be impactful, help plan great events, and be a part of a vibrant, Rotary community, please join Ozan on the Club Services Committee.
Alliance for Smiles Photo ExhibitPaul Vazquez (Nonprofit Administration | Alliance for Smiles) invited everyone to a photo exhibit of the latest mission of Alliance for Smiles in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The exhibit will be held at the Academy of Art University at 625 Sutter Street, San Francisco on Monday, December 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Contact Paul for information.
Grant Presentation
Gary Dales (Accounting | Fly Leasing) on behalf of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation presented a $13,833 check to The Arc San Francisco to support The Arc SF's Future Entrepreneur Program. Present was Peter DeHaas who is the instructor and manager of this Program that helps The Arc SF participants start and sustain small business. Also in attendance were two budding entrepreneurs:
- Mira Yoon discussed the art imagination books that she hopes to sell to youth.
- Nasan Barkhurel shared his street wear business called Supreme Kicks that offers to customers compassion through fashion.
Recent Events and Calendar
President Sunny shared photos of our Friendsgiving and our Thanksgiving meal service at The Arc SF. Check the Club's calendar for upcoming Committee meetings and service projects.
Social Time
The audience was given time to chat about upcoming holiday plans and mingle. Many were excited about our Holiday Party and Annual Meeting on December 12, 2023.
Share Your Good News ($20 for Twenty Seconds)
Here are today's donors:
- Frank Yoke (Development | Frank Yoke Consulting) donated to share that a recent gala led by Wendy Shew (Nonprofit Administration | Building Education) raised $70,000, enough to build four schools in Nepal.
- Tim Hornbecker (Nonprofit Management | Retired, The Arc CA) donated to celebrate Clifford Phillips (The Arc San Francisco) and all the good that The Arc SF provides.
- Mary Liu donated to share that she and her husband James had celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in Vietnam. It was his first trip back to Vietnam since serving in the war there 55 years ago.
- Allan Herzog (Financial Services: Advising | Wells Fargo Advisors) reminded everyone to donate to help ease the suffering in the Ukraine. He will match contributions up to $10,000 if made by December 31, 2023. Jim Patrick responded and pledged $1,000, increasing our Club's total contributions so far to $8,000.
- Jim Patrick donated to share that his beloved Washington Huskies are in the Cotton Bowl, but his daughter-in-law is a Texas graduate!
Guest SpeakerPresident-Elect Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) introduced today's speaker - Woody LaBounty, born and raised in San Francisco. He provided a historical view of downtown San Francisco and explained how the San Francisco Heritage Society had saved some of the more spectacular architectural gems that we have. Woody had pictures of how downtown developed to a mixed-use area vibrant with businesses and residences. After the 1906 earthquake, the downtown became more retail, entertainment, dining, and business. During the 1950s, the downtown became car dependent with the Embarcadero freeway changing the downtown for good. Now, with the Embarcadero freeway gone and the downtown highrises empty, the downtown will change again. And that is something we all will experience in the next decade or so.
President Sunny thanked Woody LaBounty and announced that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in his name.
The meeting concluded at 1:30 PM.
Meeting Volunteers
President Sunny thanked today's meeting volunteers: Larry Booth (Engineering: Mechanical | Frank M. Booth, Inc.) for serving as scribe; Jim Patrick for serving as photographer; JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) for managing the microphone; Kirt Burdick of the Academy of Art University for managing the audio-visual equipment during our in-person meeting; Dan Davies (Information Technology: Consulting | North American Lighting) for handling social media; Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired), Clifford Phillips, Tim Hornbecker, Angelina Preza, and Emily Borland (Engineering, Architecture, and Construction | Emily Borland Specifications) for serving as greeters; Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company) for serving as Zoom host; and Ozan Yasavur for doing check-in at the Hotel Nikko.