Posted by Frank Yoke on Mar 15, 2024
President Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) 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
Today's speaker was Jennifer Bernstein from Guide Dogs for the Blind. Emily Borland (Engineering, Architecture, and Construction | Emily Borland Specifications) introduced Christian Hawthorne.
 
March Birthdays
The Club sang Happy Birthday to Members celebrating a birthday in March. See the birthday list here
 
Reminders
Grant Deadline: President-Elect Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) reminded us that the deadline for 2024-2025 grant requests is this Friday, March 22. See details here
 
Membership Survey: 49% of the Members of our Club have completed the survey. We need only four more Members to answer the survey to offer a drawing for an Amazon gift card. We can do it! Please take a moment to complete the survey described here if you have not already done so.
 
TRF vs. SFRF
President Sunny compared The Rotary Foundation (TRF) to the San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF). TRF is the Global Rotary Foundation. TRF funds global projects and was created one hundred years ago. SFRF manages our Club endowment and provides the funding for a number of service projects. In the current Rotary year, the SFRF funded 25 youth, community service, international service, and DEI projects. President Sunny shared the list of projects that were funded. 
 
Many Club Members support both the TRF and the SFRF via the 50/50 Campaign. Donations to this Campaign are equally split between these two Foundations. The Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) Campaign encourages each Rotarian to contribute $25 annually to TRF. EREY will be the emphasis as far as Club giving goes for the remainder of the current Rotary year.
 
Membership News
New Members Inducted
President Sunny inducted LaCarre Ivy (Retired) and Hyunjin (Stellie) Kim (Psychology | City and County of San Francisco) as new members of our Club. LaCarre sees Rotary as an outlet for service, and Stellie was introduced to our Club by Past District Governor Gary Chow. Welcome, LaCarre and Stellie!
 
LaCarre Ivy and Stellie Kim
 
Completion of Red Badge
Merve YasavurMerve Yasavur (Information Technology: Computer Science | Self-employed) completed her red badge requirements and is now a full member of our Club. Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) assisted with the removal of her red badge and shared how Merve has been active in DEI, social activities, and social media for our Club. Congratulations to Merve!
 
Rotarian of the Month
President Sunny announced that Merve Yasavur was the Rotarian of the Month for February 2024. Congratulations again to Merve!
 
Recent Club Events
President Sunny Singh put the spotlight on two recent events: the moving away celebration for Rhonda Poppen (Grant Writing | GRANTdog) and Bill Poppen (Banking: Management | Golden 1 Credit Union) on March 8 and the Cirque du Soleil KOOZA on March 10.
 
Upcoming Events and Calendar
 
Check the Club's calendar for upcoming Committee meetings and service projects.
 
Be sure to register and attend the District Assembly on March 23 where you will:
  • Learn the vision for Rotary International and District 5150 for the 2024-2025 Rotary Year.
  • Celebrate our incoming 2024-2025 Club President Bob Hermann and the other incoming Club Presidents in the District.
  • Participate in the Project Fair.
On March 26, 2024, join your fellow Rotarians around the Bay for a Bay Area baseball tradition: Battle of the Bay. See here for details and tickets.
 
It is time for the Annual Bike Build held this year on April 13. You do not need to be a highly trained mechanic to participate as all skill levels are wanted and needed. Sign up here. 
 
Chat and Mingle
During lunch, the topics for table discussions were: How are you doing? What is the most interesting thing that you have read?
 
Share Your Good News ($20 for Twenty Seconds)
Thank you to the following who participated today and shared their good news:
 
  • Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) donated to promote the upcoming Alliance for Smiles Gala on May 4 and booth at the House of Friendship at the District Conference from May 17-19, 2024.
  • Todd St Vrain (Education: Administration | University of Melbourne) donated to invite everyone to the RYLA New Facilitator Info Session.
  • Hana Xu Wang (Financial Services: Advising | Wang Wealth Advisors, LLC) participated in today's $20 for Twenty.
  • Angelina Preza (Sales: Travel | Aquarium of the Bay) donated to invite everyone to this Appreciation Tour and Lunch.
  • Scott Plakun donated to invite everyone to two upcoming DEI events: the Ramadan Dinner and the Sound of Metal film.
  • Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) donated to promote the District Assembly on March 23 and the Bike Build on April 13.
Guest Speaker
President-Elect Bob introduced today’s speaker - Jennifer Bernstein, Volunteer Engagement Manager for the Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). GDB's motto is: Everyone deserves to live the life that they want to live and move through the world safely and confidently. GDB breeds, trains, and provides guide dogs to blind participants who must be at least 16 years old at no cost. Guide dogs are trained to pay attention to the changes in elevation, to go around obstacles, and to keep their human safe in travel. According to Jennifer, 82% of the blind have some sight, and 50% of the dogs bred become guide dogs. Dogs that are dropped from the Program can participate in the K9 Buddy Program where children can get used to working with a dog. 
 
Jennifer also reviewed how we can assist a blind person. She thanked Rotary for helping GDB to do this life-changing work and added that there are volunteer opportunities at GDB. President Sunny thanked Jennifer Bernstein and announced that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in her name.
 
The meeting concluded at 1:30 PM.
 
Meeting Volunteers
President Sunny thanked today's meeting volunteers: Frank Yoke (Development | Frank Yoke Consulting) for serving as scribe; Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.) for serving as photographer; Tim Hornbecker (Nonprofit Management | Retired, The Arc CA) 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; Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company) for serving as greeter; and Gary Dales (Accounting | Fly Leasing) and Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) for doing check-in at the Hotel Nikko.