Posted by Larry Booth on Sep 23, 2021
President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order promptly at 12:15 PM and welcomed those on Zoom and those in person who were enjoying a respite from the heat.
 
Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
Joining our members attending in person and online were Idiko Polony who is the Executive Director of Sutro Stewards and today's speaker — our own Past President John Mathers.
 
Happy Birthday
The audience sang "Happy Birthday" to our members celebrating a birthday in September
 
Upcoming Events
  • President-Elect Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) invited us to join the Blue Angels' Viewing Party, an exclusive Rotary Club of San Francisco event on October 9, 2021. Early bird tickets are $85 and available until September 27. Thereafter, tickets will be $100. Christopher announced the opportunity for sponsorships at $500. The event will take place at the Academy of Arts building at The Cannery. The party space has spectacular views from the expansive balcony to see the air show up close and personal.
  • Past President David Dye (Management Consulting;| Retired) encouraged members to sign up for the Rotary Race to End Polio to be held on October 24, 2021 in Fisherman’s Wharf. The event will include an urban treasure hunt and is an incredible opportunity to support Rotary in its continuing effort to Eradicate Polio from the face of the globe. Join the festivities as we all gather at The Cannery. All members including the public are welcome. Please share this flyer with your friends and family.
  • Past District Governor Eric Schmautz (Banking: Management | Wells Fargo) invited everyone to attend a planning meeting for Worldwide Rotary Day to be held in 2022.
  • President Mary shared the line-up of speakers, service projects, and events in October 2021. See the Club's calendar to register and more details.
Weekly Recap
President Mary shared photos and a report on the Club's booth at the fifth Annual Autumn Moon Festival. See full story here.
 
Susan DeanRotarian of the Month
Susan Dean (Healthcare: Nursing Services | Retired) received Rotarian of the Month for her work vaccinating hard-to-reach people against COVID-19, managing the unique needs of the firefighters battling the Caldor Fire, organizing the Kenya mask project, and serving in the RYLA program. She has made a difference and fully deserves this award.
 
Bob Hermann, Idiko Polony, Dan Joraanstad, and Harold HoogasianGrant Presentation
Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired), President of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, awarded a grant in the amount of $9,000 to Sutro Stewards. Joining Dan on the podium were Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) Vice President of Community Service, Harold Hoogasian (Retail: Florist | Hoogasian Flowers), leader of clean-ups and weeding at Rotary Meadow, and Idiko Polony, the Executive Director at Sutro Stewards. Idiko spoke on the importance of native plants to the ecosystem and how much Rotary has amplified the goodness of the Meadow.
 
$20 for Twenty Seconds
Donating today were the following:
  • Harold Hoogasian who donated to celebrate 30 years in Rotary, 20 years since the Rotary Meadow project began, and 27 years since he met Uncle Billy in Hawaii. 
  • Rhonda Poppen (Grant Writing | GRANTdog) who celebrated her two clients securing four grants totaling $950,000.
  • Nat Crawford (Education: Tutoring | Improve Your English Tutoring) who celebrated that one of his students had joined Rotary.
  • Dan Joraanstad who was looking forward to three big celebrations - two weddings and a birthday.
  • Bob Hermann who donated to thank all of our exceptional volunteers.
  • President Mary who donated to thank Emily Borland (Engineering, Architecture, and Construction | Emily Borland Specifications) for referring a client and a real estate deal that just closed.
John MathersGuest Speaker
Rhonda Poppen introduced today's speaker — John Mathers (Management Consulting | eVo Associates). John is the 2017-2018 president of the Rotary Club of San Francisco and a Climate Reality Project Leader. As co-chair of a Rotary Climate Action Team (RCAT) Network, he is focused on Rotary clubs taking action as part of the Seventh Area of Focus, Protecting the Environment. John is related to George Bird Grinnell, an early American conservationist and explorer, who was also a strong advocate of creating Glacier National Park. John spoke of his work with RCAT and related the interdependence of the ecosystem and the urgent need to make changes to our CO2 emissions. Said John, "Rotary is powerful, and we can make a difference with the Global Climate Pledge."
 
President Mary thanked John and announced that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in his name. 
 
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
 
 
 
Editor's Note: Thank you to Larry Booth (Engineering: Mechanical | Frank M. Booth, Inc.) for serving as scribe at this meeting, to Jeff Lerner (Retail: Home Improvement | Floorcraft) for serving as photographer, to Jyoti Chokshi (Management Services | Talent Anywhere) for managing the microphone, to Larry Booth for collecting lunch tickets, to Cecile Chiquette (Accounting | Fiduciary Administration), Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired), and Larry Booth, who served as greeters, to Greg Grundstrom of the Academy of Art for managing the audio visual equipment during our in-person meetings, to Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) for managing those who were attending via Zoom today, to Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | McRoskey Mattress Company) for doing check-in today at the Hotel Nikko, and to Gary Dales (Accounting | Fly Leasing) for serving as cashier.