Stories

I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members:

 

Brizette Castellanos (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation)

Stephen Geisheker (Technology Support | Retired)

 

Brizette and Stephen will be inducted at an upcoming luncheon (date to be announced). Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about these proposed new members.

Past President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) called this meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed those online and those attending in person at the Anzu Restaurant in the Hotel Nikko.

 

Our Visiting Rotarians today were District Governor Nominee (DGN) Steve Wright from the Rotary Club of Pacifica and Joel Valdes from the Rotary Club of Manila. Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company) introduced her daughter-in-law - Ahna Azevedo. Nancy Graydon (Development | Glaucoma Research Foundation) introduced her guests - Allen Habel and Catalina San Augustine. John Mathers (Management Consulting | eVo Associates) introduced his guest - Yuri Yasukawa whom John had met through Dan Davies (Information Technology: Consulting | North American Lighting). Other guests were Rose Chung, today's speaker - Lauren Kivowitz and her husband - Adam Weiner.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order on time and acknowledged the upbeat attitude of the second oldest Rotary Club in the world.

 

Stephanie Schmautz (Elder Care and Senior Services | The Carlisle) introduced her mother - Jackie Herrin. Lynn Luckow (Development | LikeMinded.org) introduced his guest - TJ Chartrand. Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) introduced her guest - Margarita Baxter-Rosarios, formerly with the Consulate of Spain in San Francisco.

 

The 2023 Bike Build was held on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at the TogetherSF warehouse on Mariposa Street and one nearby block of York Street in the Mission District. This was our 13th Bike Build and our biggest one yet. Over 100 volunteers were involved during the event, including 20 Rotarians from the Rotary Club of San Francisco and 4 from other Rotary clubs. 

Volunteers built over 180 bikes in just over three hours that morning. These bikes plus the pre-assembled bikes donated by the YMCA and their partners filled up almost one block of York Street, awaiting pick-up. The Bayview YMCA was a major partner in the event and coordinated the sign-up for over 200 kids from the Bayview who received the bicycles. Excited kids and their families began lining up an hour before the scheduled giveaway time, and by 1:30 PM, all of the bikes were gone! 

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. Visiting Rotarian Cynthia Hamada from the Rotary Club of South San Francisco sang the Star-Spangled Banner to open the meeting.

 

In addition to Cynthia Hamada, the following Visiting Rotarians were also in attendance: District Governor Gary Chow from the Rotary Club of South San Francisco and Loren Boyett from the Rotary Club of Fort Morgan in Colorado.

 

Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) introduced his guests from the San Francisco Black Tie Club: Don Morrison, Stephen Weiner, Norm Dito, Arnold Dito, Ben Wong, and Dan Riley.

 

Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services) introduced her guests: Vicki Potthoff, Lisa Essa, and today's speaker - Lisa Mirza Grotts. Lynn Luckow (Development | LikeMinded.org) introduced his guest - Brian Healy. President-Elect Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) introduced his guest - Carlos Valdes.

 

Congratulations to Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) for winning Rotary International's Service Above Self award. This prestigious award is for Rotarians and Rotaractors who demonstrate their commitment to helping others by volunteering their time and talents and is the highest RI award for a volunteer.

 

Only a District Governor can nominate a candidate for this award. Our current District 5150 Governor Gary Chow nominated Anita to recognize her dedication to Rotary and her work to save children and communities impacted by "cleft lip and palate by providing free comprehensive treatment, while training and equipping local teams to sustainably provide quality, long-term care."

 

Dear Readers,

 

I am writing to invite you to submit stories for publication in Grindings. I am especially interested in stories on recent Rotary events that you have attended. The deadline is every Thursday at 5 PM, and this will be a hard deadline so that I can get the issue of Grindings done in time for release on Sunday. If you miss the Thursday deadline, your story will appear in the following Sunday's issue or a future issue.

 

Photos are welcome too, but photos alone without a story will not be published. I need a written explanation as well as identification of those in the photos. I am also following our Club's policy on photos: "By attending events of the Rotary Club of San Francisco, you are giving to our Club your permission to publish photos of you as an attendee at our events. If you have questions about this policy, please contact our Club."

 

All stories and photos must be sent to me via email only. If you have any questions, please contact me. I continue to enjoy serving as your Editor.

 

 

Todd St Vrain and Lynn Luckow were guests at the Northern California Junior Achievement Hall of Fame Luncheon on April 21, 2023 where they were cultivating a partnership between Junior Achievement and RYLA. Todd and Lynn met many high school students interested in RYLA and a few college students interested in becoming facilitators at RYLA Camp.

 

 

I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members:

 

Robert Beadle (Real Estate: Sales | Coldwell Banker)

Carlos Francisco Valdes (Real Estate: Sales | Aeternum Holdings, Inc.)

 

Carlos will be inducted at our luncheon on May 16, 2023. Robert will be inducted on a date to be announced. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about these proposed new members.

We need your help at the upcoming Bike Build event on Saturday, May 6, 2023. This is our 13th Bike Build and promises to be our biggest one yet.

We'll be assembling 180 brand new bikes for distribution to kids in Kindergarten through 4th grade in the Bayview area of San Francisco. This event is a financial partnership among the Rotary Club of San Francisco, the Rotary Club of San Francisco Bayview, the Rotary Club of San Francisco Greater Mission, the Bayview Hunter's Point YMCA, TogetherSF, and the Academy of Art University. Also partnering with us on the event will be the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco Firefighter's Union, and the Salvation Army Kroc Center. In addition, the SF Bike Coalition and YBike San Francisco will have representatives at the event.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. 

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Past District Governor Chris Gallagher from the Rotary Club of Sausalito and Paul Vazquez from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening. Angelina Preza (Sales: Travel | Aquarium of the Bay) introduced her guest - Amy Heffner. Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) introduced her daughter - Laura Handlery. Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company) introduced her son - Robert Azevedo. President Christopher introduced his husband - Eric Sleigh and guest - Anthony Clifford. Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) introduced her guest - Robert Harris. Other guests were Rae Sansa and today's speaker - Vern Glenn.

 

On April 11, 2023, members of our Club gathered at the home of Betty Newman to celebrate Passover with a traditional evening Seder, the special meal in which family and friends gather to retell (often in Hebrew) the story of how the Jews had fled from slavery in Egypt approximately 3,400 years ago. Those who celebrate Passover share stories of past Seders and think about how the redemption of the Jews from slavery so many years ago obligates us to build a better world.

 

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. 

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Past President Casey Blair, Cynthia Bustos from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Sunset, and Joel Valdes from the Rotary Club of Manila and his son, Carlos Francisco. Our guests were Tony Coen, Holley Arbeit, Jack Grippi, Jeffery Douglass, Robert Harris, Sam Moss, Patrick Marks, Gent Sturgeon, and today's speaker - President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Aaron Peskin. Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) introduced his guest - Mark Malaspina. Tom Christian was the guest of Dr. Elisa Stephens (Education Management | Academy of Art University) and Michael Petricca (Education Management | Academy of Art University).

 

On Sunday, March 26, 2023, Rick Harrell delivered the performance more fully described here. ABC 7 News was there; see the news story here.

President-Elect Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) was on vacation. It was noted that both Sunny and Christopher shared a passion for the same drink in Mexico.

I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club on April 18, 2023 as our newest members:

On March 18, 2023, Rotary District 5150 held its Spring for Rotary, a fundraiser for the Rotary International Foundation Annual Fund. This event complete with a mimosa reception, silent and live auctions, brunch, and celebration, was held at the lovely Marin Art and Garden Center and raised over $100,000 for the Annual Fund. With the beautiful flowers, hats including fascinators, and spring clothes all around, it did appear that spring had arrived.

 

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko on a very stormy and windy Tuesday. 

 

Bal Raj Capur (Management Services | The BTI Group) introduced his daughter, Maya Capur. Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) introduced his guest, Jack Schroeder. Other guests were Robert Hunter and Ronny Grooms.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. 

 

Today's visiting Rotarians were our speaker PDG Mark Flegel from the Rotary Club of Menlo Park and his wife Shirley, Mary Kay Kennedy also from the Rotary Club of Menlo Park, and Joel Valdez from the Rotary Club of Manila. Mary Kay is the wife of Jim Kennedy (Interior Design | James Kennedy Design). Joel and President Christopher exchanged Rotary flags. Our guests were Diane Stark from the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, Caylee Burditt, Charlie Miles, and Nikki Moore.

 

I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club on April 4, 2023 as our newest member:

Emergency Services Day (ESD) honors the workers who protect and support our City and Bay including the Police and Fire Departments, the Sheriff's Office, the Coast Guard, and new this year, the Department of Emergency Management/911 and the Park Rangers. The Honorees for the 2023 Emergency Services Day held on February 27, 2023 were:  Sergeant Joshua Arnold of the San Francisco Sheriff's Office; Park Ranger Amanda Barrows of San Francisco Recreation and Parks; Battalion Chief Matthew Cannon and Paramedic Anthony Chiacco of the San Francisco Fire Department; Officer Raylene Larot of the San Francisco Police Department; Intelligence Specialist 3 Mason Kuri of the United States Coast Guard; and 9-1-1 Dispatcher Marissa Manalo of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

There were members from nine different Rotary clubs, the honorees and their loved ones, and special guests in the audience. The audience was the largest ever for this special event. The sold-out crowd was in a jubilant mood as they entered the Academy of Arts sunlit Automobile Museum at Van Ness and Washington in San Francisco. The dazzling collection of antique cars framed 24 rows of dining tables running the length of the hall where the crowd enjoyed lunch. Special thanks to Club Member Michael Petricca and Honorary Member Dr. Elisa Stephens for the gift of this marvelous venue.  

 

Since its first meeting more than one hundred years ago, Rotary has grown into an international organization with clubs in nearly every country and our membership sharing a singular passion for making the world a better place for everyone. We all come from Somewhere. We all have a Story.

 

Understanding our identities better helps us see how our biases were formed. I recall our Family Values being expressed through stories told with inherited gifts and visits to places of historic significance. While I like to think of myself as “Quintessentially American”, my ancestors were mostly Western European: English, Welsh, Scottish, and Scotch-Irish. My family's story is about immigrants coming to a New World in search of a better life, freedom, civil rights, and the opportunity to survive and later thrive.

 

It's Grant Season! The San Francisco Rotary Foundation is slated to grant at least $194,851 in the 2023-24 Rotary year. The deadline to submit a grant application is April 7, 2023—no exceptions! Application and additional information are found here.

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) introduced his wife, Merve, to the audience.

 

Weekly attendance at our luncheon meetings suggests that our Club has only a few members, but we have over 125 members in our Club. If there is a member whom you have not seen in a while, please reach out and invite them to a meeting.

 

About 50 Rotarians, family, and friends gathered together to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 12, 2023. The crowd enjoyed laughter, fellowship, the game, and a potluck. 

 

In addition to watching the Big Game, everyone kept an eye on the board bearing the names of the players of our Club's Super Bowl Pool. $12,300 was raised for the 50/50 Campaign. The winners of the Pool (in order of their win) were: Dan Joraanstad, Scott Plakun, Allan Herzog, Jim Patrick, Robin Azevedo, Frank Yoke, Mary Liu, and Jeff Yih. Each winner will receive a Paul Harris Fellowship. Jim and Jeff will each receive two PHFs. Congratulations to all!

 

The Monday Night Supper Club of The Arc San Francisco Friends Like Me Program returned to in person this past Monday, February 13, 2023. Nourishment and fun were had by all. The evening started off with everyone pitching in to dress the salad and heat up rotisserie chickens and Mac and Cheese. After dinner, everyone enjoyed games, dancing, and chocolate-covered strawberries. 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco funds the Monday Night Supper Clubs. Thank you to the following members of our Rotary Club for leading this evening's Supper Club: Christopher Davies, Clifford Phillips, and Barbara Streett. In addition to being a Rotarian, Clifford is also a participant and Barbara is also the Volunteer Manager of The Arc SF.

 

Immediate Past President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) opened the meeting. President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) was under the weather and participated via Zoom. After Immediate Past President Mary made opening remarks, Past President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) took over the helm and ran today's meeting held online and in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko.

 

We had two visiting Rotarians: Melissa Cross - past president of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening and Joel Valdez from the Rotary Club of Manila. Joel and Past President JT exchanged Rotary flags. Joel told the audience that his Rotary club is 104 years old and the largest in Asia. Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) introduced her guest - Andrea Gung of the Duo Duo Project, whose mission is to end the dog and cat meat trade in China. Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired) introduced her guest - Alicia Tos of the Smuin Contemporary Ballet. Other guests were Stephen DeLay, Jennie Held, and today's speaker - Jack McBrayer.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. He announced that the Glaucoma 360 events from February 2-4, 2023 would take him away from today's Rotary luncheon; Past President Rhonda Poppen (Grant Writing | GRANTdog) would step in to conclude today's luncheon.

 

Today's guests were Marija Filmar, Dr. Arlen Hoh, Meagan Mod, Ildiko Polony, Eric Smith, and today's speaker - Andrew Fraknoi.

 

President Christopher shared the 2022 Holiday Photo of Emily Borland (Engineering, Architecture, and Construction | Emily Borland Specifications) and her family. 

 

Invitation: Everyone is invited along with their families and guests to a big, free SUPER BOWL PARTY on February 12, 2023 starting at 3 PM. Doors will open at 2:45 PM and kick off will be at 3:20 PM.

 

You are also invited to play the 2023 SUPER BOWL POOL. See details below, and contact Jim Patrick by February 10, 2023 to purchase your square(s). 

Registration and Potluck: Please register here so that we know how many are coming and so that our Social Chair Alisha Marfatia can contact you about the potluck. For the potluck we ask that you bring a dish for 10 to share with the group. Soft drinks and wine will be provided at no cost to you. 

Location: We will meet at the Academy of Art Automobile Museum, 1849 Washington Street (corner of Washington Street and Van Ness Avenue), San Francisco, CA 94109. If you are driving, there should be ample street parking on a Sunday.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. 

 

Today's guests were Marija Filmar, Charlie Miles, Meagan Mod and today's speaker - Russell Low. Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) introduced Peter de Castro (Financial Services: Advising | RBC). Peter is an active member of our Club who has been living in Paris.

 

President Christopher continued to share 2022 Holiday Party photos that he has received. Thank you to Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) for sharing his photos today with the Club.

 

SAVE THE DATE for "Pal"entine's Happy Hour on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 from 5 to 7 PM. Grab a post-work, pre-dinner drink to celebrate our Rotary friendships on "Pal"entine's Day! We'll be hosting a low-key get together at a member's home with light bites and drinks included. Feel free to drop by or stay for the whole time. All Rotarians and their guests are invited. More information to come.

 

I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club on February 7, 2023 as our newest member:

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM. Today's meeting was on Zoom only.

 

Today's guests were Carolyn Broadus, Carol Ede, Alvin Huie, Meagan Mod, and our speaker - Michael Conley.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the first meeting of 2023 to order at 12:15 PM. He welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. 

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Assistant Governor Sylvia Barry from the Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise, Rami Branbo via Zoom from a Rotary Club in Sweden, Past District Governor Peter Cheng from the Rotary Club of Hsinchu Silicon Valley - Taiwan, and Karen Schmautz - mother of PDG Eric Schmautz (Banking: Management | Retired) - from the Rotary Club of Indian Rocks Beach in Florida. We also welcomed Charlie Miles and today's speaker - City Attorney David Chiu. 

 

After the restrictions of the pandemic lifted, the aftermath changed the way we were to such a degree that we are still trying to find a solid path on which to move forward. Working from home became the desire of many, affecting attendance at events outside the home. Our Club continues to offer a variety of activities and events in different modes. As part of your New Year's Resolutions, we hope that you will find a way to join us. Here are some ideas:

 

We have reached the final issue of Grindings for 2022. I will be taking a break. Grindings will not be published on December 25, 2022, but will resume on January 1, 2023. We have already started to plan the new year. Take a moment to view the Club calendar for events in January 2023 and beyond. Registration is required for all events so that we can plan accordingly and send you additional information as needed. 

 

The Club continued its hybrid (i.e., meeting simultaneously in person and via Zoom) meetings in 2022. With the help of Social Chair Alisha Marfatia, President Christopher collaborated more with other Rotary clubs. President Christopher also tried more in-person only events such as the successful Fashion Show and Friend Raiser and 2022 Holiday Party. As of the publication of this issue, I have not received all of the information on the 2022 Holiday Party. The full story should be published in the next issue of Grindings. 

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the 2022 Annual Meeting to order on December 13, 2022. Club Secretary Stacey Poole (Law: Family | Lerner Poole & Stewart, LLP) certified that a quorum was present. President Christopher celebrated the current members of the Board and thanked each for their service.

 

Next, the audience was introduced to the candidates to fill upcoming officer vacancies for the term beginning on July 1, 2023. President Christopher called for voting members to approve by acclamation the candidates selected by the Nominating Committee.

 

The Arc San Francisco Friends Like Me Program will return to in-person services beginning in February 2023. Friends Like Me is a recreational program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at The Arc SF. One of the programs that Friends Like Me hosts is a Monday Night Supper Club which is funded by the Rotary Club of San Francisco. 

Rotarians volunteer to help with meal set-up and then, sit, eat, and get to know our participants. Supper Club is a weekly event with 5-8 volunteers. We will be reserving the third Monday of every month (2nd Monday of the month if there is a Monday holiday) for Rotarians. If you are interested in volunteering for more nights, please contact Barbara Streett.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM. He welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. The meeting began with a holiday song to welcome the season of celebration and merriment. 

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Steve Sibulsky from the Rotary Club of Valle Verde-Green Valley in Arizona, Karen Schmautz - mother of Eric Schmautz (Banking: Management | Wells Fargo) - from the Rotary Club of Indian Rocks Beach in Florida, and Carrie Schucker from a Rotary club in Davis. We also welcomed Ilene Wolf and today's speaker - Reverend Glenda Hope. 

 

Clifford Phillips joined our Club in April 2022. He is also a participant of The Arc San Francisco, an organization that our Club's Foundation supports. What makes Clifford's membership notable is that he is our first member with intellectual and developmental disabilities, adding his unique perspective to our activities and conversations. Like all Rotarians, Clifford decided to join Rotary to help others and support the community – something he already does everyday in The Arc community.

A native San Franciscan, Clifford grew up in the Bayview and Western Addition. He now lives in an apartment in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood. He is a lifelong volunteer and cares deeply about social justice. He is also a dynamic performer and public speaker and makes instant connections wherever he goes.

 

I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club on January 3, 2023 as our newest member:

Congratulations to District 5150 Governor-Elect Laine Hendricks from the Rotary Club of San Francisco who completed her Governor-Elect Training Seminar (GETS) the week of November 6, 2022 at the Rotary Zones 26 and 27 Conference held in Salt Lake City, UT. 
 

In attendance from our Club to celebrate with DGE Laine were PDG Eric Schmautz, Past Club President Stephanie Schmautz, and their daughters, Molly and Katie, Past Club President David Dye, and Dora Dye. They were joined by other Rotarians from District 5150 including District Governor Gary Chow, Past District Governor Danielle Lallement, Past District Governor Mary Bates, Past District Governor Jayne Hulbert, Past District Governor Ron Gin, Past District Governor Jeri Fujimoto, Past District Governor Russ Ketron, and District Governor Nominee Steve Wright.

 

One of our Club's favorite traditions, dating back over a decade, is to serve a Thanksgiving meal to the participants of The Arc San Francisco and The Salvation Army. Helping out this year were Eric Schmautz, Mary Liu, Greg Gutting, Tim Hornbecker, Peter Logan, Chris Davies, Sunny Singh, Gary Dales, Robin Azevedo, Emily Borland, Frank Yoke, Jim Patrick, JT Forbus, Stephanie Schmautz, Ann Daugherty, Rosemary Welde, Anita Stangl, Clifford Phillips, and Margaret Miley. Joining them were Visiting Rotarian Harry Eng, Visiting Rotarian Brandon Fleming, Past Club President Jimmie Jeffery, Erica Kaplan (Peter Logan's guest), James Wong (Mary Liu's husband), Rosie Liu (Mary Liu's guest), and special guests Molly and Katie Schmautz.

 

 

In accordance with our Club's Bylaws, the Nominating Committee has selected these candidates for open positions on the Board of Directors:

 

2023-24 President: Sunny Singh

2023-24 President-Elect: Bob Hermann

2023-25 Club Treasurer: Bill Poppen

2023-25 Club Secretary: Nancy Graydon

2023-25 Vice President of Youth Services: Todd St Vrain
2023-25 Vice President of Club Services: Ozan Yasavur
2023-25 Vice President of Public Relations: Dan Davies
2023-25 Vice President of Vocational Services: Alex Omoko

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM. He welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. Rick Harrell (Arts Therapy | Heroes' Voices) played guitar and sang a song that he had composed on the tragedy of suicide among veterans. It was lovely and a touching tribute!

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Brandon Fleming from the University District Rotary Club in Seattle, Washington, Sharon Herman and Arnie Miller from the Rotary Club of Brookline, Massachusetts, Andrew Quinones of the Rotary Club of Pomona, Julia Spark from the Rotary Club of Busselton-Geographe Bay in Australia, and Carrie Schucker from a Rotary club in Davis. We also welcomed Christopher Kazas, Diane Laster, and today's speaker - Executive Chef Adam Mali. Andrew, the grandson of Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company), introduced Buster and Beau; they are two dogs belonging to staff members at the Hotel Nikko.

 

Beginning with the Tuesday, December 6, 2022 Club luncheon, the cost for in-person registration will remain $45 if you register early until 11:59 AM on Friday, December 2, 2022. When the clock strikes noon on Friday, December 2, 2022, the price will go up to $60. If you show up at the door on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 as a walk-in, you will be charged $60. 

 

This price increase will remain in effect for all future in-person meetings, meaning that each Friday before the next Tuesday luncheon, the price will go up to $60 starting at 12 noon. To save a few dollars, please register before noon on the Friday before. This is the cost that we pay the Hotel Nikko, and we must pass it on to you. The cost to attend via Zoom remains at $10. If you have questions, please contact President Christopher Wiseman.

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation), sporting a new look and perfect vision, called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM. He welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Brandon Fleming from the University District Rotary Club in Seattle, Washington, Jean Schore from the Rotary Club of Eugene, Oregon, and Jesse Bowdle from the Rotary Club of Oakland. Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired) introduced her guest, Megan Mod. We also welcomed Troy Wilson and Yulanda Kwong from Cameron House and today's speaker - John Rothmann.

 

It was a raucous and happy crowd of Rotarians and guests attending via Zoom or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko that President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called to order at 12:15 PM. Today's event was a Fall Membership Appreciation Lunch.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Tekwane Mwendwa from Nairobi and Carrie Schucker from a Rotary club in Davis. Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired) introduced her neighbor, Rae Sansa. Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) introduced her guest, Robert Hunter, who was the stage manager for our Club's first fashion show on October 18, 2022. Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) introduced Don Morrison, who has helped us over the years with our Bike Build Program. Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services) introduced her guest, Ken Tang. President Christopher introduced his husband, Eric Sleigh. We also welcomed Patricia Davico.

 

 

I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of San Francisco unanimously approved San Francisco State University on October 25, 2022 as our newest corporate member. 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) welcomed over 90 members, Visiting Rotarians, and guests to our Club's first ever Rotary Fashion Show and Friend Raiser inside the Monterey Room at the Hotel Nikko. 

 

October 2022 Birthdays
Today's special event opened with everyone singing "Happy Birthday" to members celebrating a birthday in October. See the birthday list here. 

 

Our Club's History
President Christopher shared with the audience our Club's history from its beginnings in 1908 to the present. He explained that our Club is a community to make the world a better place and that our members joined for fellowship and service to others.

 

Our District 5150’s Annual “Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) Fundraising Campaign” is underway. Through this Campaign, we support The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund Share where almost half of the donations go back to our Club as District Designated Funds (DDF). Our Club makes the decision how to use DDF, either for a District Grant supporting community service projects, a Global Grant, or to contribute to other TRF funds. This year the EREY Fundraising Campaign sets a target for each District 5150 Rotarian to contribute $250. Through our Annual Fund Share contributions, Rotarians ensure that we will continue to “Do Good In The World.”

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending via Zoom or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. He began the meeting with some fun facts about inflation.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Werner Sattleger from the Rotary Club of Klagenfurt in Austria attending in person and Carol Hunter from a Rotary e-club in Toronto attending via Zoom. Other guests were Gio Franco, former Club member Esther Landau, Zenna Burge, and today's speaker - Gary Schlossberg.

 

The eradication of polio is one of Rotary International's longest standing and most significant efforts. This year World Polio Day is on Monday, October 24, 2022.

Rotary District 5150 is holding a Polio/Abilities Awareness Expo on Sunday, October 23, 2002. Our generous sponsors, Sanofi and PDG Russ and Kathy Ketron, have made it possible to offer to you “Buy One Ticket, Bring A Friend For Free.” The $20 registration fee includes lunch for the both of you. Please invite others, including the public, at this same discounted rate. If you have already registered and would like to bring a friend for free, please return to the Event Registration link below and click on “Manage My Account” to modify your registration.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone attending via Zoom or in person inside the Carmel Ballroom at the Hotel Nikko.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Past District Governor Mark Flegel from the Rotary Club of Menlo Park, Dr. Lily Muldoon from the Rotary Club of Saipan, and Julia Spark from the Rotary Club of Busselton-Geographe Bay in Australia. Dr. Muldoon was a former member of our Club. Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) introduced his guests: Lieutenant Jonathan Baxter, Louis Cid Rebolledo and Natalia Mashal. Angelina Preza (Sales: Travel | Aquarium of the Bay) introduced her guest, Shelby Taketa. Dan Davies (Information Technology: Consulting | North American Lighting) introduced his guest, Yuri Yasukawa. Other guests were Carrie Schucker, Captain Brian Quin, and today's speaker - Lewis Loeven.

 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Marian Sorbo. Marian was never a member of our Club, but she was a dedicated Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club of Windsor/Windsor Locks. She was the widow of a Past District Governor in Connecticut and the mother of a local friend of our own Scott Plakun. 

Marian participated in several Thanksgiving luncheons at The Arc San Francisco with us. She visited our Club and generated a strong kinship within our Club. While attending Rotary International conventions, she made it a point to befriend members of our Club. See here for more information on Marian Sorbo and her celebration of life.

 

Our Club's calendar lists all events and meetings including Committee Meetings. During the week of October 2, 2022 to October 8, 2022, the Speakers Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 2 PM. Larry Booth is the new Chair of the Speakers Committee. Register here. 

 

The Community Service Committee will also meet on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 6 PM. Project leaders joining this meeting should be prepared to share information about their project. Everyone else is encouraged to join to learn about all of our latest local community service projects. Contact Emily Borland for additional information. Register here.

 

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and shared some historical facts about the San Francisco Police Department.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were District Governor Nominee and Chief of Staff Steve Wright from the Rotary Club of Pacifica, Carrie Chinn and Rick Chinn from the Rotary Club of Millbrae, Julia Spark from the Rotary Club of Busselton-Geographe Bay in Australia, Marilyn Becklehimer from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Sunset, and Rey Naik from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening. Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired) introduced her guests: Catherine Liang (our reigning Miss California), Daniel Riley, Debra Leylegian, Robert Beedle, and Torrance Bynum. Luis Moran (Real Estate: Sales | Coldwell Banker) introduced his guest, Blaire Jahn. Other guests were Carrie Shucker, Jackie Herrin, Guadalupe Valenzuela, Lilli Milton, Sergeant Vic Lee, and today's speaker - San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone attending via Zoom or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were President-Elect Leena Pem Sewpaul of the Rotary Club of Montebello, Mauritius and President Malinda Monterrosa of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles. Our guests were Clifford Phillips, Pamela George, Katherine Grillo, Isabella Montgomery, and Erica Nave.

 

On August 30, 2022, Rotarians met at the warehouse of Hoogasian Flowers to generously stuff 60 backpacks with adorable and top quality clothing and items for newborns of mothers taking classes at the HPP. Many thanks to Harold Hoogasian for offering his warehouse space to assemble the backpacks. Harold also generously donated his own time to deliver the backpacks to the HPP.

 

On September 7, 2022, Club members Victoria Lozano and Robin Azevedo respectively attended the morning and early afternoon baby showers at the HPP building where a dozen expectant mothers were honored. Each of these mothers received one of the Rotary backpacks and other baby items; each was recognized for completing the HPP prenatal classes.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone attending via Zoom or in person inside the Carmel Room of the Hotel Nikko.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were District Governor Gary Chow from the Rotary Club of South San Francisco and District Governor Nominee and Chief of Staff Steve Wright from the Rotary Club of Pacifica. Attending in his capacity as Assistant Governor was David Dye (Management Consulting | Retired). Our guest today was Zara Rowbotham.

Our Club's calendar lists all events and meetings including Committee Meetings. During the week of August 21, 2022 to August 27, 2022, the Vocational Service Committee will meet on Monday, August 22, 2022 at 5 PM. Register here. The Development Committee will meet on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 12 noon. Register here. The 2023 Emergency Services Day Committee will meet on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 6 PM. Register here. 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) logged in from Stockholm, Sweden and called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM Pacific time. Today's meeting was on Zoom only.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarian was Edgar Hernandez Delgado from a Rotary club in Morelia, Mexico. Today's guest was our speaker - Dan Walters.

 

Stephanie A. Urchick of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania has been nominated to be President of Rotary International for 2024-2025, making her only the second woman to hold this position. Read the full story here.

Our new Rotary 101 classes began this past Tuesday, August 9, 2022. Dan Joraanstad led the first meeting covering the nuts and bolts of being a new member:  online resources, the structure of Rotary, the primary officers on the Rotary Board, how to get involved as a Club leader, and last, how to propose a new project. A few long-term members joined the meeting to lend assistance as well as new members interested in getting a broad overview. The people who attended were Rachel Donovan, Jeff Yih, Ozan Yasavur, CJ Albano, Bob Hermann, Anita Stangl, Nancy Graydon, Maureen O'Shea, JT Forbus, Dan Joraanstad, and Margaret Miley. 

 

Past President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) called the meeting to order at 12:16 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant. President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) was on vacation and will return at our next luncheon.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Terry Chu from the Rotary Club of Shanghai and Sandhya Jaiprakash of the Rotary Club of Bangalore. Our guests were Rex Vokey; Derick Yih - guest of Jeff Yih (Retired); Dan Carico - husband of Esther Lerner (Law: Family | Lerner Poole & Stewart, LLP); Georgie Evans - guest of Bill Gregory (Educational Services | Retired); and today's speaker - Kevin McCormack.

Our Club's calendar lists all events and meetings including Committee Meetings. During the week of August 7, 2022 to August 13, 2022, the Membership Committee will meet on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 12 noon. Register here. The Speakers Comittee will also meet on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 2 PM. Register here. 

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:17 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant. Due to the large number of Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests today, President Christopher had all visitors in person and online stand for a big round of applause.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club on August 9, 2022 as our newest member:

Our Club's calendar lists all events and meetings including Committee Meetings. During the week of July 31, 2022 to August 6, 2022, the Community Service Committee will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 6 PM. Register here. 

Maria Victoria Lozano joined our Club on July 19, 2022. She is not new to Rotary. At age 14, Maria became a member and former president of an Interact club. In 2013, she was a Rotary exchange student in the Philippines, and in 2019, she joined Rotaract at the United Nations as a volunteer.

 

Maria is from Venezuela and comes from a restaurant family in Rubio. While living in Caracas, she developed her skills as a pastry cook. Five years ago, she joined her sister in San Francisco and found work as a pastry chef. During the pandemic lockdown, she was out of work. To survive, Maria and her sister founded Andina, a pop-up Venezuelan kitchen serving such items as arepas and other Venezuelan foods. Her life and business were the subject of a San Francisco Chronicle story recently.

 

Clifford Dochterman, Rotary International President 1992-1993, passed away on November 23, 2021. Our Club immediately paid tribute to him. See Peter Lagarias' tribute and tributes from other members of our Club. 

 

Cliff's Celebration of Life was postponed due to COVID-19 and is now scheduled as follows: August 13, 2022, at 1:00 PM Pacific time at the Serbian Cultural Center in Moraga, California.

He was a one-of-a-kind man who knew how to bring joy to the world and who positively impacted so many lives with his inspiration and imagination. His family invites you to celebrate his remarkable life. Feel free to dress in accordance with Cliff’s cheerful spirit.

 

If you plan to attend, please RSVP so that there are enough refreshments. Please call (209) 931-4085, or email Claudia Mennuti by August 9, 2022. If you are unable to attend in person, but would like to honor Cliff, a Zoom link will be provided. Please send your email information to Claudia Mennuti. You will receive the link several days prior to the event.

 

President Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:16 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

A month ago, I shared with you my experience as mentor to new member Mary Fermi. See story here. Mary and I continue on our journey together in Rotary. This past Saturday, she and I along with Rotarians from eight different Rotary clubs in Rotary District 5150 participated in the monthly San Francisco Rotary Clean-up. This particular Clean-up hosted by the Rotary Club of San Francisco Sunset was held at Ocean Beach. Not only did we get to hang out with great Rotarians and clean up the area around Ocean Beach, but everyone who participated that day was treated to free Ben & Jerry's ice cream, courtesy of Roger Kaufman of the Rotary Club of Fisherman's Wharf.

 

A message from District Governor Gary Chow: Below is a quick 10-minute, online training opportunity to help our Rotarians recognize and safely act upon a potential human trafficking situation. The Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition (BAATC) has presented at many of our Rotary clubs and Human Trafficking workshops over the past four years. Although this particular training focuses on activities at airports, the same awareness and procedures are applicable anywhere. You can report suspicious behavior 24/7 to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at: 1-888-373-7888.

 

Immediate Past President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Carmel Ballroom at the Hotel Nikko at 12:14 PM. She then introduced our 2022-2023 Club President - Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation).

 

Our new District Governor, Gary Chow, joined in person to induct President Christopher and then, our Club's 2022-2023 Board of Officers and Directors. DG Gary brought out his bag of coins and gave President Christopher and each Board member present a Rotary Four-Way Test Coin.

 

The Rotary Club of Fisherman's Wharf is having its first club social of the year on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at 5:30 PM at the San Francisco Brewing Company in Ghirardelli Square. They have graciously extended the invitation to any of our Club members who are interested in joining. The event will be outdoors (weather permitting), and there is a $20 fee for food which will be included. Beverages can be purchased separately.

 

For those who would like to know more or attend, please email me, your Social Chair, Alisha Marfatia, no later than Wednesday, July 20th at 9 AM.

 

In 2009 when Past District Governor Bill Koefoed was being queried, he immediately went to his decades-long profession as owner of the Dale Carnegie Franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area to tell them that he wanted to bring a superior quality of leadership training to the Rotarians in Rotary District 5150. When he was subsequently selected as the District Governor for 2010-2011, he asked his Rotarian wife and long-time business partner, Betsy, to take the reins on this promise and bring it to fruition into District 5150.

After considerable research into Rotary-based trainings, it was determined that Potential Rotary Leaders Seminars (PRLS), as developed in Rotary District 5240, had the “bones” of the training they wanted to bring to 5150. Wanting to experience the training at its source, Betsy, Michael Ford, and Bob Pope (initially chosen faculty members) drove down to Santa Maria, CA once a month to actually take the PRLS training in District 5240. Having themselves then graduated from PRLS, Betsy, as the designated 5150 PRLS Founder and Director, set up a faculty training program and the date for the first Basic PRLS class - May 1, 2010. The class was held at the Dale Carnegie Headquarters (at the time) in San Mateo and was sold out. Thirty excited Rotarians gathered that Saturday morning to experience the training that would become the hallmark of District 5150. The faculty conducted three Basic PRLS classes in 2010 followed by the establishment of the five Master PRLS class series in 2011.

 

At the June 2022 Board meeting, the 2021-2022 Board unanimously approved an increase in the membership dues by $100 for all levels. Our Club's dues have not gone up in over a decade. Increasing the cost of membership was extensively discussed in the previous year, but taking action could no longer be avoided. This increase will allow our Club to continue to have a balanced budget in the 2022-2023 Rotary year and in years to come.

 

Below is a table showing the increases for annual dues effective July 1, 2022.

 

This week, our Club kicks off the new Rotary year. Join me and the 2022-2023 Board as we share our goals and plans with you on July 12, 2022. If you have not already registered, please register now for the July 12, 2022 meeting. 

Congratulations to Michael Petricca! He is Rotary District 5150's Rotarian of the Month for July 2022. Read the full story here. 

 

This issue of Grindings is the first one for the new Rotary year of 2022-2023. In the past two years, we had to reimagine how to be Rotarians without being together physically. In this coming year, we will Imagine Rotary (this year's Rotary International theme) as we continue to emerge and live with a virus that will not leave us. Read the following message from your new president - Christopher Wiseman - as he takes us on a journey of new ways to connect and do good in the world.

 

Join a committee, read Grindings, and check our Club Calendar often to find events and future meetings and register. Happy 4th of July! 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club on July 19, 2022 as our newest member:

Anita Stangl, our 2006-2007 Club President, remains very active in our Club and recently invited a small group of Rotarians to her home for a home cooked meal. As one of the lucky guests, I can absolutely say that "Anita can cook". The menu included marinated chicken, homemade potato salad, homemade coleslaw, warm bread, an eggplant dish, lots of wine, and berries and cream for dessert. Everything was delicious!

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called her final meeting as Club president to order at 12:16 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Carmel Ballroom at the Hotel Nikko.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were District Governor Danielle Lallement, District Governor-Elect Gary Chow, Assistant Governor Liz Mark, District Governor Nominee Laine Hendricks (Public Relations and Marketing | County of Marin) on Zoom, District Governor Nominee Designate Steve Wright, Past District Governor Ron Gin, Past District Governor Ross Smith all the way from down under - Australia, Cristina Aquino (President of the Rotary Club of South San Francisco), Richard Swart (President of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown), Mary Geong (President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Oakland), Yuhui Chen (District 5150 Vocational Service - Rotary Means Business Chair and member of the Rotary Club of Menlo Park) and Mukasa Nassar of the Rotary Club of Kampala-Nsambya in Uganda. Michael Petricca (Education Management | Academy of Art) introduced his guest, Brad Jones. President Cristina Aquino introduced her guest - Ricky Garcia. Other special guests were Jennifer Byrd of the Salvation Army and Cherry Albano.

 

Interested in serving our Community? RotaCare Northern Peninsula Free Medical Clinic is seeking long-term volunteers. Ideally, a volunteer commits to working in person one to two times per month over a period of at least six months. Here are the current openings:

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:18 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Nick Locsin from the Rotary Club of Manila and William F. Jones from the Rotary Club of Kona Mauka in Hawaii. President-Elect Nominee Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) introduced special guests Victoria Lozano and her sister, Maria Lozano.

 

Sally Swanson joined Rotary in 1991 and our Club in 2013. She is the Founding Principal and CEO of Sally Swanson Architects, Inc., specializing in architecture, planning, and accessible design. Sally has managed her own award–winning firm since 1980. Headquartered in San Francisco, the firm is a 100 percent Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and DGS-certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE) dedicated to serving the design needs of K-12 school districts, community colleges, municipal agencies, and private clients throughout the United States. 

 

President-Elect Nominee Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Today's Visiting Rotarians were Ryan Beil from the Rotary Club of Dallas and Narasimha Dwarakanath, an immediate past Rotary president from Bangalore, India. Andrés Vera (Entertainment | Self-employed) introduced his guests - John Ferguson and Dr. Amr Selim. Lynn Luckow (Development | LikeMinded.org) introduced his guest - Sam Eriksmoen. Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) introduced Mary Fermi; Mary will be inducted into our Club next week. Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) introduced Caryl Ito, who happens to be a neighbor to both Dan and Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF). Other guests today were ALPS Program Manager Harmony Ma who attended via Zoom and today's speaker - Barry Posner who attended in person.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members:

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

President-Elect Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) introduced his guests - Kenzie Ferguson, Beth Muzy, Roger Rajeshinhia, Cat San Agustin, and Allen Habel. Also present was Mary Fermi. 

 

President-Elect Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:18 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Attending in person were Mary Fermi, today's speaker - Janet Kessler, and her husband, Albert Kessler. 

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) began the Zoom-only meeting at 12:15 PM. Past President Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) managed the meeting on Zoom and welcomed everyone as they joined.

 

Today's special guest was Christina Koetteritz, president of the USF Rotaract Club sponsored by both our Club and the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown. Also online was today's speaker, Dr. Diane Birnbaumer.

 

We are excited to announce that we are having two in-person events at the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) in June! Maybe you’ve heard about our support of HPP in the past, but you haven’t had a chance to get involved due to COVID. These are your opportunities!

On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, we will gather at HPP located at 2500 18th Street in San Francisco at 5:30 PM to organize diaper bags for mothers-to-be. We have a limit of 12 attendees to make 50 bags of baby clothes, towels, health kits, hats, and other items. Afterwards, we will enjoy a brief tour of the facility so that Rotarians can better understand HPP’s services. Street parking is available near HPP.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Today's visiting Rotarian was Mary Kay Kennedy from the Rotary Club of Menlo Park; Mary Kay is the wife of Jim Kennedy (Interior Design | James Kennedy Design). Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) introduced his wife, Merve. Other in-person guests were Victoria Lozano, Angelina Preza, and today's speaker, Shawn Rosenmoss. Online our guest was Dr. Hollis Pierce-Jenkins.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest member on May 17, 2022:

Wendy Shew joined our Club on March 1, 2022. On Friday, April 29, 2022, Wendy was the special guest on Sapiens Signature Event: The Silicon Valley Podcast with Host Shawn Flynn. If you would like to hear this podcast, please contact Wendy.

 

 

Todd St Vrain joined our Club on April 19, 2022. He is the North America Regional Manager for the University of Melbourne. Todd recruits students from the US and Canada to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees or study abroad as a visiting student at Australia's leading university. 

He lives with his partner in the Westwood Park neighborhood of San Francisco. Todd enjoys exploring cultures through food, movies with subtitles, music, and travel. He also likes to get out to experience nature hiking, kayaking, biking, and running. Todd has been in San Francisco for four years, but traveling extensively for work the first two years and mostly being at home the last two years. 

 

At the recent day of service at Rotary Meadow, I captured some amazing photos of the beauty and nature there. Please view and enjoy. In addition to the photos of nature, I have included photos of Abigail Alfonso, who works at the Plant Nursery, and her sister, Alyssa Alfonso. Check the Club calendar for our next day of service at Rotary Meadow and join us.

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Today's visiting Rotarians were Joel Valdez from the Rotary Club of Manila; District 5150 Governor Nominee Designate Steve Wright of the Rotary Club of Pacifica; and Jean Schore of the Rotary Club of Eugene. Jean attended via Zoom and was formerly a member of our Club from October 4, 1994 to June 26, 2017.

 

Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) introduced her guest - Mary Fermi. Christopher Davies (Real Estate: Property Management | Self-employed) introduced his guest - Jill Hodges. Esther Landau (Nonprofit Administration | The Arc San Francisco) introduced her guest - Kristen Pedersen. Also visiting us was Rachel Kaloian. Tim Hornbecker (Nonprofit Management | Retired, The Arc CA) reintroduced himself to the Club since it had been a while since he had attended a meeting in person.  

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Today's visiting Rotarians were District Governor Nominee Designate Nancy Anderson from the Rotary Club of Seabrook in Texas and her guest, Robert Anderson; Joel Valdez from the Rotary Club of Manila; and Paul Vazquez from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening. Our guests were Todd St Vrain, Jean Rosenblum, and Colant Scholar Isabella Godillo. ALPS Program Manager Harmony Ma joined the meeting via Zoom.

 

Celebrate Earth Day and our Bay Area ALPS youth leaders on April 23, 2022! Join us at our youth-led beach cleanup at Ocean Beach to help the local community and learn more about the effects of climate change in this neighborhood. Come see what our youth have been up to, how they've used social media to educate their peers about climate change, and spend some time volunteering for Earth Day this year.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) kicked off the Zoom-only meeting at 12:15 PM.

 

Today's visiting Rotarian was Christian Amsberry from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening. Also online were today's speaker Michael Sera, ALPS Program Manager Harmony Ma, Ashley and Jason Boney, and three students from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco:  Chrissy Collins, Amanda Tam, and Zoe Yee.

 

If you’re coming in person to our Passover Seder at our April 19, 2022 luncheon meeting, please consider bringing one or more pairs of new crew-style socks for men or for women. The Seder teaches us that the time we spent as needy strangers in Egypt compels us to care for people we don’t know. The socks will be donated to the young adults in the California Conservation Corp. who respond to natural and manmade disasters.

In December 2021, we remembered Charlotte Mailliard Shultz who was a member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco from November 1, 1987 until she passed away on December 3, 2021. She was the Chief of Protocol for the state of California and the Chief of Protocol for the City and County of San Francisco. See story here.

 

On March 30, 2022, the top names on San Francisco's social and political register gathered to remember and honor her. See full story here.

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Carmel Room.

 

Today's distinguished speaker was 2016-17 Past Rotary International President (PRIP) John Germ. Joining him was his wife, Judy Germ, who is also a Rotarian. We were honored to have a long list of visiting Rotarians:  District Governor Danielle Lallement, District Governor-Elect Gary Chow, Past District Governor Jayne Hulbert, Past District Governor Eric Schmautz (Banking: Management | Wells Fargo), Past District Governor Wyn Spiller (currently Zone 27 Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser), District Governor Nominee Designate Steve Wright, and District 5160 Governor Designate Dan Geraldi. Other visiting Rotarians attending in person were: Cristina Aquino, Yuhui Chen, Gene Duffy, Brian Flaherty, Ron Harness, and Mary Kay Kennedy. District Governor Nominee Laine Hendricks (Public Relations and Marketing | County of Marin), Past District Governor Chris Gallagher, Past District Governor Bill Koefoed, Past District Governor Brenda Cressey (also first woman Rotary Foundation Chair in 2018-19), Susan Angel, Jesse Bowdle, Salvador Farfan, Betsy Koefoed, John Marshall, and David Stompe joined via Zoom. Other guests were Angelina Preza, Joseph Christianson, and Janice Pavel.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on April 19, 2022:

Wendy Shew joined our Club on March 1, 2022. She is the Founder of Building Education, a non-profit organization that serves to eliminate extreme poverty by building 1,000 schools and sponsoring education to spark a legacy of change. On April 25, 2015, an earthquake hit Nepal and damaged 9,000 schools. Since then only 4,000 have been rebuilt. Wendy volunteered three months after the earthquake in disaster relief and from there, she founded Building Education in 2017 to help with relief efforts.

 

Prior to community service work, Wendy studied aviation, learned to fly single engine prop planes, and worked in the international aviation business as a jet engine specialist. After volunteering in October 2014 at a girl’s orphanage in India, she realized that her passion is making an impact in the world and the lives of others. Wendy quit her job in February 2015, sold all of her things, and left the country to travel the world all across Asia, Europe, and Africa for six years.

 

Neither drizzly rain nor the "It's Saturday; I want to sleep in thoughts" could keep Rotarians away from a day of service in the environment. Spirits, laughter, and motivation were high as the group quickly banded together to do some good work outdoors. Our goals were clear: go out, clear, and propagate Rotary Meadow with Yarrow seeds. Yarrow plants are flowering plants that are usually disease-free, grown to encourage butterfly gardens and to pollinate species, which we all know is good for the environment. Along the way, we did have a butterfly sighting that Dan Davies was quick to snap, and of course, the salamanders greeted those who sometimes were surprised at how agile they are. The occasional snail or banana slug was in close proximity to our work.

 

We are proud and excited to honor Dora and David Dye at the annual ‘Fund the Future’ Gala and Silent Auction on April 1, 2022 for their constant leadership, support, and advocacy for ALPS and Rotary Youth Leadership programs. 

David and Dora Dye have been committed to youth leadership and development initiatives for almost a quarter of a century. David has enjoyed a rich journey with Boy Scouts of America, from his Eagle Scout honor as a 17-year-old-young man to parent volunteer, to in-school character-education program manager and employee. Dora is an incredible administrative asset to any organization with which she engages. She has volunteered as a summer camp counselor and merit badge counselor, served alongside David in each of these positions, and together they have positively impacted hundreds of young people through Scouts over the years. 

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant.

 

Today's visiting Rotarians were Nik Barr from the Rotary Club of Carmel and Stan Pond from the Rotary Club of Foster City. Stan was a guest of Peter Logan (Law: Insurance | Peter Logan Law Offices). Peter brought additional guests: Toby Leavitt and Craig Moody from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and Phil Kohlmetz. Other guests were Angelina Preza, Harmony Ma, and today's speaker, Rebecca Ennals. 

 

Ozan Yasavur became a Rotarian in December 2019 and joined our Club in March 2022. He was previously with the Ankara Bahcelievler Rotary Club in Turkey. Ozan is a mechanical/structural engineer for Bioforcetech Corporation, and his main responsibility is designing machines which transform organic streams into renewable energy and biochar.

He has been married to Merve Yasavur for two years; she is an architect. Ozan's favorite hobby is cooking and considers cooking to be more of a passion than a hobby.

 

Every day he sees animals and humans suffering. He would like to touch their lives by way of service projects. Ozan feels that the Rotary Club of San Francisco is one of the best places to create and to participate in such service projects.

 

A breath of anticipation was in the air as arrivals at the Nikko Ballroom took in the beautiful setting for Emergency Services Day (ESD), held since 1987. Everyone was excited. Past attendees knew that tales of heroism and dare were on the program and that the Club would put on the dog for our special guests. A large stage was backed by draperies and lights; spotlights hung from the ceiling to light up the platform. 18 tables were topped with floral displays. There was a bar and a photo booth just inside the room. It was an EVENT!

 

Oversized portraits of the 10 honorees were displayed on easels in the lobby, popular for family and friend photos. Converging on the lobby area for registration were uniformed members of the Coast Guard, Sheriff’s Office, San Francisco Fire Department, and San Francisco Police Department, checked in, making quite an impression. For the first time in the history of this event, Healthcare Representatives joined us having given their all in battling COVID. ESD is a favorite of the Club and usually draws a large audience. This year 140 attendees enjoyed a riveting program, plus a fine three-course lunch if you attended in person. This year we offered an option for those to attend via Zoom if they could not attend in person.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the 2022 Emergency Services Day celebration to order at 12 noon and welcomed the huge audience in attendance in the ballroom of the Hotel Nikko. Attending remotely via Zoom were more members and guests.

 

President Mary recognized District Governor Danielle Lallement; District Governor-Elect Gary Chow; Past District Governors Chris Gallagher, Ron Gin, and Eric Schmautz (Banking: Management | Wells Fargo); District Governor Nominee Laine Hendricks (Public Relations and Marketing | County of Marin); and District Governor Nominee Designate Steve Wright, who all attended in person. Past District Governors who attended via Zoom were PDG Jayne Hulbert and Peter Lagarias (Law: Franchise | Lagarias, Napell & Dillon).

 

President Mary introduced the following special guests: Deputy Chief Thomas O'Connor from the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD), Chief Bill Scott from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), Sheriff Paul Miyamoto, Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax, Coast Guard Command Master Chief Travis Cutler, Supervisor Connie Chan from District 1; Supervisor Myrna Melgar from District 7; and Office of City Administrator Carmen Chu.

 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Audrey McKeague. Audrey was a member of our Club from July 12, 2005 to March 1, 2022 (the day she died). See here for more information. She was a registered nurse. When she moved to San Francisco, she changed her career and sold pianos. Audrey was an accomplished pianist and played the piano often at our Club's meetings.

 

In Rotary, she is most remembered for her work with the Salvation Army Harbor House. Not only did she believe in "Service Above Self", but she also lived by these words. Most of all, Audrey was proud to be a Rotarian. Below are the memories and tributes from two Rotarians who knew Audrey well.

 

President-Elect Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant. Ozan Yasavur from Ankara Bahcelievler Rotary Club exchanged flags with President-Elect Christopher.

 

Today's visiting Rotarian was Rudy Asercion from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Sunset who attended in person. Also attending in person were guest Merve Yasavur and today's speaker, Rodney Fong. The guests attending online were Aida Jones and Jeanne Gnuse.

 

 

Beginning with the luncheon to be held on March 29, 2022, everyone will pay in advance. You will select either In-Person Registration or Zoom Registration.

 

Thank you to Michael Petricca for serving as our Interim VP of Club Service since July 1, 2021. Michael graciously agreed to continue his role as VP of Club Service until a replacement could be found. The Board is grateful to Michael for introducing us to Greg Grundstrom and Jesse Austin, both from the Academy of Art University to help each week at the Hotel Nikko with setup and tear down of our AV equipment and being our tech support during the meetings. We are also thankful to Michael for securing the venues provided by the Academy of Art University for our Club and district events. 

 

One day John Dracup came to our Rotary lunch at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, and by happenstance, he sat next to me. He was wearing his black horn-rimmed glasses and a pork-pie hat, looking altogether professorial. He was considering joining the Rotary Club of San Francisco because he had heard that Rotary was involved in water projects around the world. He added that he was an emeritus professor of civil engineering at the University of California at Berkeley. I told him that I was a Cal graduate. From that day onward, we became fast friends, and he steadily queried me for knowledge about Rotary with purpose. John was determined to serve.

The Board of Directors met on January 25, 2022 for the first Board meeting of the year. The meeting was called to order by Past President JT Forbus at 12 noon as President Mary Liu was under the weather. The Board reviewed and approved the November 30, 2021 minutes with a few amendments.  

 

Treasurer Gary Dales reviewed the December 2021 financial statements. The Club remains in a strong financial position. Certain Board members are reaching out to members who have yet to pay their 2021-22 dues.

 

John Dracup was a member of our Club from March 11, 2009 to December 2, 2016. He was a civil and environmental engineering professor emeritus, who specialized in hydrology and water resource engineering and taught at both UCLA and UC Berkeley for more than half a century. At the end of 2016, John moved to Santa Monica to be near his family and joined the Rotary club in Santa Monica.

 

In Rotary, he is most remembered for building sustainable clean water systems funded by Rotary International in remote regions of developing countries. He conducted clean water projects in Kenya, Peru, Honduras, and Guatemala, and published a book entitled Clean Water for Developing Countries.

 

Action Leadership Program with Students (ALPS) is looking for new leadership coaches! Last school year, ALPS supported 12 unique youth-led community impact projects. Currently, we are halfway through the school year, and we have already supported 12 projects! Programs are growing quickly, and our capacity is largely limited by the number of leadership coaches available.

If you’ve wanted to make a personal, positive impact in the community and help cultivate ‘service above self’ leaders, becoming an ALPS leadership coach might be for you!

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant. 

 

Today's visiting Rotarian was Ozan Yasavur from Ankara Bahcelievler Rotary Club. Our guests were Aida Jones and Todd St. Vrain.

 

31 Rotarians and guests gathered at the Academy of Art building on Van Ness Avenue to watch the Los Angeles Rams walk off with the big Super Bowl prize. Our Pool was full of action as well with Peter Logan winning one Paul Harris and Wendy Ross winning three Paul Harris Fellows plus an autographed football. The effort raised $7,500 of which one half will go to the San Francisco Rotary Foundation and the other half to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. 

 

For many Asian American youth, talking about mental health is not a common or comfortable occurrence. Whether within the family space or even among peers, many Asian Americans feel there is a lack of a safe space to share challenges or experiences with mental health struggles. 

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant. She noted that it had been over a month since we got together in person, and she was just coming off her personal quarantine for COVID. On each table were plated hors d'oeuvres and fresh ice tea, showing the appreciation of the staff at the Hotel Nikko for our return.

 

Today's visiting Rotarian was Ozan Yasavur, a Rotarian from Turkey who is planning to join our Club soon. Additional online guests were Aida Jones, Jeanne Gnuse, and Paul Vazquez from Alliance for Smiles. Guests in person included Theo Ellington from the Salvation Army, Donald Brooks, and today's speaker - Kate Sofis.

 

Rick Harrell has won a Jefferson Award. This Award is given to people who build better communities and contribute to better a future for those around them. Rick's work with veterans in the Heroes' Voices Program is giving back to those who had put themselves on the line to protect our freedom and values.

 

Here is the news clip honoring Rick and his Program. Rick joined our Club on August 1, 2014. Through the years, he has shared his musical talent as well as his Heroes' Voices Program with Rotarians and has served as a speaker. Congratulations to Rick!

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) kicked off the Zoom-only meeting at 12:15 PM, wishing everyone a 恭禧發財 Gung Hay Fat Choy in celebration of Chinese New Year. It’s the Year of the Tiger!

 

Today's visiting Rotarians were Ozan Yasavur, a Rotarian from Turkey who is planning to join our Club soon; Salvador Farfán, a Rotarian from Washington, DC; and Assistant Governor Liz Mark from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown. Cynthia Yee was President Mary's special guest.

 

It was another fine community service day. Dan Davies, John Dean, Susan Dean, Bob Hermann, Alisha Marfatia, Maureen O'Shea, and Christopher Wiseman of the Rotary Club of San Francisco each spent 2.5 hours at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank on Saturday, January 29, 2022. They were joined by other groups to pack 616 boxes of food onto four completely full pallets, totaling over 20,000 pounds of food. Just imagine the nourishing food of fruits and vegetables to be distributed to the thousands of needy in our communities.

 

The Board of Directors met on November 30, 2021 for the last Board meeting of the year. The meeting was called to order by President Mary Liu at 12 noon. The Board reviewed and approved the October 26, 2021 minutes with a couple of edits.  

 

The October 2021 financial statements were reviewed by Treasurer Gary Dales who reported that the Club is in good financial shape. Lower attendance at in-person meetings has reduced certain costs. Gary sent out reminders to members who have not yet paid their dues. 

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on February 8, 2022:

In preparation for our discussion at the Semi-Annual Club Assembly on February 15, 2022, please provide your input here. This survey focuses on your day-to-day experiences in the Rotary Club of San Francisco. Your input is valuable and will be used to make our Club even better. There are no right or wrong answers; we simply ask for your honest opinions.

Raffle: Members who complete the survey by or before February 7, 2022 may choose to enter the Raffle to win a $50 Gift Card to Amazon. If you have any questions, comments, or just want to chat, please contact President Mary Liu.

Super Bowl LVI will be played on February 13, 2022. (We're hoping to see our San Francisco 49ers in the big game). Our Club is holding its annual Super Bowl Pool and Social on this date, and you are invited. 

The Super Bowl Pool is our Club’s annual drive to raise funds for The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International (TRF) and the San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF). Rotary's mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. Every Rotarian around the world is asked to donate to TRF every year. Super Bowl Pool winners receive a Paul Harris Fellowship.

 

Communication & Media for Business Professionals, a District 5150 Rotary Means Business event, was hosted by the Vocational Services committee of our Club. This was a virtual event. We had 38 attendees.

 

The first part of the presentation was a short description of the RMB fellowship, vocational service, and its role within Rotary. After that, our featured speaker, Amy Scruggs, did her presentation. In her presentation, she shared tips on how to communicate better in person and virtually.

 

I have been newly appointed as Rotary District 5150 Endowment/Major Gifts Chair or EMG for short. I appreciate the opportunity to serve with the District Leadership Team and to start what will probably be a three-year term. In my role, I will help the many generous donors in our District to realize their goals in giving to The Rotary Foundation (TRF).

 

Consider how generous District 5150 Rotarians have been this year in their gifts. Our Districtwide goal of $1 million to TRF for the fiscal year has already been exceeded - $1.2 million has been given. District Governor Danielle Lallement’s new mid-year goal is to reach $2 million for TRF by June 30, 2022. It is a joy to consider the good work which these dollars unleash across the world, our country, and our own District.

 

The virus continues to place limits on our ability to get together. While our Club remains active, things can change on short notice. If you signed up for a meeting or an event recently, please check www.sfrotary.com or your email for any change that might have been made on short notice before heading out to the meeting or event. You can also contact a Board member listed here if you have questions.

 

The San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF) presents a new online application for Grant Requests found here.  Additional information for Grants for service projects can be found here:  https://sfrotary.com/page/sfrf-grants. The fillable form works easily as you move through the document and will also be a boon to the people reviewing the applications.
 

 

The plans to celebrate Cliff Dochterman's life in person have been postponed due to concern over the current variant of the COVID-19 virus. We will let you know of the new dates later this year.

 

 

 

2021 began with many of us in search of the first shot of COVID vaccine. Who got the first shot was determined by age and health risk factors, but eventually, anyone who wanted a shot got one and then two. Our Club began 2021 on a high note: Past President Laine Hendricks (Public Relations and Marketing | County of Marin) was selected to serve as District 5150 Governor in 2023-2024.

 

We never wavered from the Rotary motto of 'Service Above Self'. In fact, we did many service projects by carefully following the health guidelines and limiting the number of participants. We expanded our reach to groups we had not partnered with in the past such as TogetherSF by loading food boxes for delivery to churches to feed those in need and by donating dictionaries in print for distribution to children who could not afford electronic devices to use for educational purposes. We delivered personal safety alarms to Asian seniors in our community.

 

Peter J. Logan is a solo attorney advocating for clients against insurance companies. Says Peter, "It's great when I can help people collect what they are due." When not practicing law, his main hobby is playing drums in a rock band. He and his band love to get people up and dancing. Peter has a daughter who is a magazine and aspiring television writer living in New York City.

 

Peter joined our Club on April 1, 2011 and joined the Board of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation in 2018. On the Board, he is a member-at-large and provides input on most matters that come before the SFRF Board. The input can cover the Foundation's rules, grant applications, and status reviews on projects already funded by SFRF.

 

 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco’s Holiday Party and Annual Meeting were held on December 14, 2021 at the Hotel Nikko. Members and guests were welcomed starting at 11:00 AM to fellowship, a photo booth, and a chance to spin the Rotary wheel to win a prize before the meeting moved to the main dining room.

 

Clifford Dochterman, Rotary International President 1992-1993, passed away on November 23, 2021. Our Club immediately paid tribute to him. See Peter Lagarias' tribute and tributes from other members of our Club. 

There are now two Celebrations of Life planned that will take place as follows:

John Mathers joined Rotary on March 1, 2011 and became our Club's president in 2017-2018. He is married to Peggy, and they enjoy traveling for fun and enlightenment. These days, many of us know John because of his work and active involvement with the Rotary Climate Action Team.

 

John joined the Board of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF) in 2017. On the Board, he is the Chair of the Nominating Committee and serves on the Executive Committee. When SFRF president Dan Joraanstad is unavailable, John stands in for Dan. John's goal is to support the fundamental purpose of the SFRF Board, which is to manage the monies and support the projects of the Rotary Club of San Francisco.

 

We have reached the final issue of Grindings for 2021. I will be taking a short break. Grindings will not be published on December 26, 2021, but will resume on January 2, 2022. We have already started to plan the new year. Take a moment to view the Club calendar for events in January 2022. Registration is required for all events so that we can send you additional information as needed. 

 

What a year! We started 2021 (Year 2 of a global pandemic) as we had ended 2020 and continued to meet via Zoom only except for an occasional service project in person in very small groups. During his term, Past President JT Forbus held only one meeting in person - his debunking in June 2021. President Mary Liu ushered in the era of meeting simultaneously in person and via Zoom. We continue to adapt and evolve, proving our resilience.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone to the second oldest Rotary club in the world. This is our Club's 113th year. 

 

Special Guests
Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services) introduced her guest, Rose Marie Cleese. Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) introduced his guest, Michael Harrington. John Mathers (Management Consulting | eVo Associates) introduced his guest, Tracy Roberts. Also present was today's speaker — Bill Yenne who introduced his guest, Hudson Martin.

 

Our Club gathers to celebrate the holidays on Tuesday, December 14, 2021. After a year when gathering together was not possible due to COVID and safety issues, we will treasure this moment even more. The Holiday Party is not the only reason for us to come together on Tuesday; very important is your attendance at the Annual Meeting happening at the same time.

 

The Fund the Future ALPS Gala is back! This benefit and silent auction will be held on Feb. 16, 2022 at The City Club. All proceeds will go to helping expand the ALPS mission to empower youth with the confidence and tools to successfully lead change projects in their schools, communities, and world. Action Leadership Program with Students (ALPS) programs prepare youth to be ‘service above self’ leaders for healthy communities and a civil society.

 

Charlotte Mailliard Shultz was a member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco from November 1, 1987 until she passed away on December 3, 2021. She was the Chief of Protocol for the state of California and the Chief of Protocol for the City and County of San Francisco. Charlotte was married to former United States Secretary of State George P. Shultz from 1997 until his death earlier this year. We join the community in mourning her loss and appreciate her many contributions to the City and County of San Francisco.

On November 20, 2021, Rotary District 5150 held its annual The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Gala at the Green Hills Country Club in Millbrae, California. The Gala was in person, but one could attend virtually as well. It was also the first occasion to dress to impress since the start of the pandemic. And dressed in their finest from the Rotary Club of San Francisco were President Mary Liu, Bob Hermann, Dan Joraanstad, David Dye, Dora Dye, Frank Yoke, Heidi Kuhn, Cecile Chiquette, Eric Schmautz and Stephanie Schmautz and their daughters Molly and Katie. Also from our Club was District Governor-Elect Nominee Laine Hendricks who served as emcee for the evening.

 

The Club Board met on October 26, 2021; President Mary Liu called the meeting via Zoom to order at 12 noon. In attendance were President Mary Liu, Christopher Wiseman, Gary Dales, Nancy Graydon, Casey Blair, Sunny Singh, Lisa Christian, J.T. Forbus, Miranti Ojong, Ed Shenkan, Bob Hermann and Stacey Poole, constituting a quorum. Brian Lan and Michael Petricca were absent. Dan Joraanstad was present, representing the San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF). Non-Board members in attendance were Jenny Campbell, Jeff Lerner, and Marc Johnson.

Robin McRoskey Azevedo is the CEO of McRoskey Mattress Company – the Bay Area’s trusted mattress retailer - founded in San Francisco in 1899 by her grandfather and his brother. She enjoys gathering with family and friends to connect and share experiences, and she certainly enjoys being a Rotarian, having been a member of our Club since July 2, 2004.

Robin joined the Board of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation in 2019. On the Board, she is a member-at-large and serves on the Grant Review Committee which sifts through the grant applications received to see what should go to the Club level for approval and eventually to the Foundation. Her goals are to oversee the causes that our Club sponsors and share the far reaching impact that the Rotary Club of San Francisco and Rotary International can and do make.

 

 

 

 

Cliff Dochterman was, and remains, a brilliant beacon of light about service and Rotary. I first met Cliff in 1985, when our Club’s then executive director, Bill Ecker, recruited me for PETS (President-Elect Training Seminar). I was not a President-Elect at the time; rather I was sent as a Sergeant-at-Arms. Cliff was one of the speakers, and his talk was “If I Could be President Again.” Over the years I heard him deliver these remarks at least ten times (including when I became President-Elect and then District Governor and beyond). His message was about service and what was available and possible through Rotary. During his talk he mentioned his years as an Administrator at the University of California and joked about Berkeley and also about a Rotary project by some Rotarians in Oklahoma where “they were trying to smuggle books into Texas.” 

 

What's new? Actually, it's what has come back. Club socials returned in July; the next one is a historical walking tour in San Francisco's Chinatown. There are still tickets left.

 

After a year of silence, bells will ring once again for the Salvation Army. Sign up here.

 

Also back is our Holiday Party and Annual Meeting in person with a Zoom option. This is always the most festive and fun-filled luncheon of the year; don't miss it.

 

The San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF) Board met recently. Our invested funds continue their strong growth cycle. The funds are up $500K YTD, and now stand at the highest value ever, about $5.3 million. Also, the Colant Scholarship fund has risen to a record high of $509,000. Here is an update on our recent activities:  

 

2021-2022 GRANT REQUESTS
SFRF has been busy fulfilling the grant requests for 2021-22. Approximately $164,500 plus $28,000 in district-designated funds have been allocated to 19 projects. All Vocational and Community Service project requests to date have been funded. Up for consideration next will be requests for International and Youth Leadership projects.

 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco has a long-standing tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with the Participants of The Arc San Francisco. In 2020, we had to pivot from an in-person celebration to a virtual event. The virtual tradition was repeated in 2021 with the preparation of 300 hot meals delivered to 150 of The Arc Participants this past Tuesday, November 23. 

 

Past President of our Club and Past District 5150 Governor Eric Schmautz along with support from Rotarian Marti Sullivan, former Senior Director of Development & Communications of The Arc, and our Club's Vice President of Community Service Bob Hermann led this project to prepare, package, and deliver hot meals with a festive Thanksgiving theme to The Arc Participants experiencing social isolation and food insecurity. 

 

For nearly 25 years, Roots of Peace, a humanitarian non-profit, has worked to cultivate peace through agriculture in war-torn lands worldwide. Now, they have expanded their business model for peace to include the Western Highlands of Guatemala seeking the "root" cause for out-migration in the Northern Triangle of Guatemala. Instead of investing in higher walls at the U.S. border, the Kuhn Rotarians seek to build longer tables so that families may stay home with the dignity to break bread with fruits grown in their homeland and income from exports to international markets.

See this ABC7 News segment to learn how Rotarians may become involved in sowing the "economics of peace" to solve the U.S. border crisis.

 

 

 

In accordance with our Club's Bylaws, the Nominating Committee has selected these candidates for open positions on the Board of Directors:

 

2022-23 President: Christopher Wiseman

2022-23 President-Elect: Sunny Singh

2022-24 Vice President of Community Service: Emily Borland

2022-24 Vice President of Development: Maureen O'Shea

2022-24 Vice President of International Service: Frank Yoke

2022-24 Vice President of Membership: Margaret Miley

 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco and the San Francisco Rotary Foundation launched the Action Leadership Program with Students (ALPS) in 2019. Below is an ALPS project where we can help by donating canned food. Any questions, please contact Harmony Ma, ALPS Program Manager.

 

Sue Rokaw, Past District Governor (PDG) of Rotary District 5150 and member of our Club, sends her best regards and announces that she and her husband, Alan Test, recently moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Ocean Springs in the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone to the second oldest Rotary club in the world. This is our Club's 113th year. 

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
Today's Visiting Rotarians were Past District 5150 Governor Jayne Hulbert and Rotarian Gene Duffy (PDG Jayne's husband). Also in attendance were Jatinderpal Kaur Sahi, CEO of RotaCare Bay Area; Armando Zumaya from Catholic Charities; Clifford Phillips from The Arc San Francisco; Dorian Luey and Meshtli Villalta from the University of San Francisco; Hamid Ansari from Roots of Peace; and Victoria Cooper.

 

Nine Rotarians and friends gathered at Hoogasian’s Flower Shop on October 26 to sort and bag housewares for the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP). It was a fun event and a change of pace from our typical projects in the past, when we bagged items for new babies.

 

This time, we bagged the housewares for 50 moms who are moving into new homes with their families. Items included bakeware, knives and mixing spoons, bowls, colanders, and other kitchen basics. 

 

On a rainy day, a small group of Rotarians ventured out to attend the Tuesday luncheon. Joining them was another group of Rotarians on Zoom. President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and introduced Jessie Austin of the Academy of Art University. Jessie now manages the audio-visual equipment during our in-person meetings, and we are truly grateful.

 

On November 3, 2021, a group of 15 people participated in our Vocational Service event - Professional Portrait and Business Networking. President Mary Liu offered her office at Vanguard Properties for this event. Pat Johnson, a well-known Bay Area photographer, took a professional headshot of each attendee.

 

Jenny Campbell, one of our Club's new members, led the networking during the event. Each attendee partnered with someone in the group and learned their elevator pitch. Next, each person went up to the stage and presented the partner’s elevator pitch. 

Having a safe space where young people may learn about the foundations of health and exercise is an important aspect of developing a healthy understanding of fitness and positive body image. This is what our latest group of ALPS leaders believes. In our current day and age of social media and competition/comparison-driven environments, our ALPS students have been striving to create a program that provides positive mentorship and role models as well as fun activities for elementary students. 

Since July, these student leaders have been planning a collaborative exercise program with their local elementary school. They’ve learned to work under COVID-19 guidelines, event and spacing logistics, and equipment loans and donations in order to plan safe programming.  

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
Attending in person were the following guests: Saswati Mukherjee, a visiting Rotarian from India; Devon Kessler; and Angelina Preza. Online as guests were Beatrice Steele and Zelda Okia.

 

On October 28, 2021, Club members and their families joined in a virtual game of Halloween-themed, musical bingo. Our Halloween costume winners were brothers JT and Daryn Borland-Wong, sisters Leyna and Emmy Blair, and sisters Leia and Mae Forbus. Our bingo winners were Casey Blair, Mary Liu, and Stacey Poole. It was a spooktacular event enjoyed by all!  

We hope to see you at our next Club social on December 4th.  

A cornerstone of the Action Leadership Program with Students (ALPS) is multigenerational relationships, and this group of participants really showed us what that is all about! By fostering a collaborative and positive group environment, ALPS students were able to execute their vision of bringing generations together through connection and song. 

Over the past few months, a group of five students gathered together to explore ways to show the seniors and older adults in their neighborhood that they are seen, valued and important members of our community, but especially that they are not alone. The students decided to show the seniors how much they cared through connecting in a way that was very personal and meaningful to them: song!

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on November 9, 2021:

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone to the second oldest Rotary club in the world. This is our Club's 113th year.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
Attending in person was ALPS Program Manager Harmony Ma. Attending online were the following visiting Rotarians: Brent Ainsworth of the Rotary Club of Novato; Jenny Bates of the Rotary Club of San Rafael Evening; and President Paul Ekstrand, Barry Hytowitz, Malinda Monterrosa, Christina Moses, and Jose Luis Sanchez (all from the Rotary Club of Los Angeles). Also online were the following guests: Daniel Catena, Rosa Santos, Christina Laird, Martha Ryan from the Homeless Prenatal Program, and today's speaker — Laine Hendricks.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone. 

 

Hispanic Heritage Month: The audience watched a video on Hispanic Heritage Month. This observation from September 15 to October 15 started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

 

91 Rotarians, family members, and guests gathered together for a fabulous, front row seat overlooking Jefferson Street, Fisherman's Wharf, and the San Francisco Bay to view the Blue Angels in motion on Saturday, October 9, 2021. The maneuvers and the choreography of the Blue Angels left the audience in awe. The location of the event, the space, the food, and the décor were spot on.  

 

Ed Shenkan joined our Club on December 10, 2019, but says that he has always had Rotary in his genes! Ed’s great grandfather and grandfather were Rotarians, and his father Sid has been a Rotarian in New Castle, Pennsylvania for over 60 years (previous club president and regional chair of Polio Plus). Ed proudly says that Rotary had a meaningful impact on his life by sponsoring him for a year of study in Épinal, France as a high school Rotary Exchange Student. For over 30 years, he has continued his friendship with his three French homestay families. 

 

As a result of the positive impact on his life from his exchange year in France, he and his wife Amy chose the French American International School in San Francisco beginning at age 4 for their daughter Maddie. Maddie is now in 12th grade and is preparing to graduate with the French Baccalaureate designation.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone to the second oldest Rotary club in the world. This is our Club's 113th year.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
New member Esther Landau (Nonprofit Administration | The Arc San Francisco) introduced her guests - Barbara Streett and Kristen Pedersen. Joining online were Rosa Santos and today's speaker — John Rothmann.

 

Rotarians and guests met on September 30, 2021 to tour the Mission District murals hosted by the Precita Eyes Muralists Association (the Association). The Association was founded in 1977, originally as a community muralist workshop. It now supports nearly 100 murals in the Mission, many of which are in Balmy Alley. Balmy Alley homeowners have allowed muralists to beautify the privately owned passageway, and murals are occasionally refurbished and refreshed in collaboration with the original artist(s) and homeowner. The Association's mission is to support Chicano muralism’s original objective: to create public art that authentically represents a community’s history and culture.

See more photos here. We hope to see you at future social events!

 

 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco is proud to be in its 7th year to support the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP). Martha Ryan, the Executive Director of HPP, will attend our lunch meeting on October 19 to accept our Foundation’s donation. Martha will also give us an update on the latest happenings at HPP.

 

While we were originally scheduled to bag diapers and attend quarterly baby showers this fiscal year, our Club will once again adapt to the Community’s needs due to the COVID Delta variant. HPP is not distributing diaper bags or holding baby showers at this time. Instead, they have asked our Club to bag personal care items for their clientele.

 

A team of 17 Rotary volunteers gathered high atop Rotary Meadow in the foggy heart of Sutro Forest on Saturday, September 25 at 9:15 AM. The volunteers came from several Clubs, including the Rotary Clubs of San Francisco #2, San Francisco Castro, San Francisco West, and San Francisco Chinatown. With our primary meadow advocate, Harold Hoogasian, unexpectedly away on business, Bob Hermann led our merry crew. The work we do in this project aligns with the seventh principle supported by The Rotary Foundation: Supporting the Environment. The meadow is a great example of how our many work projects have improved life in the City of San Francisco for generations to come. 

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on October 12, 2021:

Jessica P. Hansen joined our Club on April 14, 2020. She has worked in international social justice and humanitarian aid for over 20 years for organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Rescue Committee, Kiva, and others, covering anti-human trafficking, refugee protection and resettlement, as well as innovation in and access to education and finance. Jessica is now CEO and Executive Director of the international medical nonprofit, Alliance for Smiles, as well as a Senior Strategist for the Impact Travel Alliance and Vice President of the Board of Directors of the West African Volunteer Organization.

 

Jessica's family consists of her parents and her sister named Apple. Her father went from a farm in small-town Oklahoma to fight in the Vietnam War, where he met Jessica's mother, a waitress from Bangkok, Thailand. Apple is a skilled pachyderm-keeper who has worked with elephants, rhinos, and more.

 

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.

 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco had a display booth at the fifth Annual Autumn Moon Festival in the Richmond District of San Francisco on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Thank you to our members President-Elect Christopher Wiseman, Ann Daugherty, and Jenny Campbell and our guests James Wong (my husband), Jason Campbell (Jenny’s son), and Shirley Tan, who all joined me to represent our Club. Additionally, Vanita Louie, Cathy Cheng, and President Richard Swart (members from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown) were present to lend support.
 

Larry Booth joined our Club on September 14, 2021. He is a mechanical engineer and contractor and feels fortunate to be part of a 109-year-old California firm, doing business in the Sacramento and Bay Area commercial and institutional building markets. He currently works out of his South San Francisco office.

 

Larry is married with two children and three grandchildren. As a family, they enjoy cooking meals together with everyone participating. For hobbies, Larry likes to fish, cycle, and attend car shows.

 

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order promptly at 12:15 PM.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
Attending in person today were two guests of Heidi Kuhn (Peace Building | Roots of Peace) - Rachel Donovan and Jeff Yih; a guest of Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) - Steve Redlin; and a guest of Jane Flout (Nonprofit Management | Catholic Charities) - Armando Zamaya. Attending online were Salvador Farfan from the Rotary Club of Long Beach, ALPS Program Manager Harmony Ma, Anna Klink, and today's speaker — Laurie Thomas

 

Esther Landau joined our Club on August 17, 2021. She is the Senior Director of Advancement for The Arc San Francisco and is responsible for all the fundraising and communications at the organization. She started at The Arc San Francisco in June of this year and prior to that, was in the same role at the Pomeroy Recreation & Rehabilitation Center, a similar organization on the west side of the City. 

 

Esther is a serious knitter and crossword enthusiast. In her past life, she was a professional flutist, but these days she just occasionally grabs the pennywhistle and plays a few tunes. She is married to Caroline Pincus, and their daughter, Ruby, is a senior at Columbia in New York, where she is majoring in Yiddish.

 

Nat Crawford joined our Club on August 17, 2021. He owns a tutoring company in Sunnyvale that helps kids to achieve their dreams for education and for college admission. He co-parents an 8-year-old son who loves to read, play soccer, and negotiate for chocolate. Nat joined the Rotary Club of San Francisco because he has lived in San Francisco for over 20 years and would like to spend more time building up the local community.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the first meeting of September 2021 to order at 12:15 PM.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following guests: Edita Cruz from SCORE, Anthony DiGiorgio, Greg Grundstrom, Dr. Elisa Stephens of the Academy of Art, and today's speaker — Jaxon Van Derbeken. 

 

Membership News
Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) and Matthew Madsen (Nonprofit Management | The Salvation Army) completed their red badge requirements and are now full members of our Club. Congratulations, Margaret and Matthew!

 

Bill Gregory joined our Club on July 13, 2021. He is a first generation college graduate, and his college education at Northern Iowa University (formerly Iowa State Teachers College) is what made his life so meaningful. His general education courses exposed him to the world, and he discovered music, arts, and humanities.

Bill majored in speech therapy. He was a speech therapist in public schools for two years in Iowa. Then, he moved to California in 1963 and worked 32 years in the public schools under the Santa Clara County Office of Education. 

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on September 14, 2021:

Meet Past District Governor Phyllis J. Nusz, a Rotarian for 30 years. She served as the first woman elected officer and Club President of the North Stockton Rotary Club in 1997-1998 and as one of the first 50 women District Governors in Rotary International when she served as District Governor for Rotary International District 5220 in 2001-2002. Phyllis joined our Club on May 28, 2007 and served as The Rotary Foundation Chair.

 

A native Californian, Phyllis received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Speech Communication with a minor in Choral Music from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. She also earned an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL with a specialty in the field of Leadership Management Training and is known as a Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Scholar.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM. This was our first Zoom-only meeting in the current Rotary year.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following guests: Keith Axtell of the Rotary Club of Marin Evening, Salvador Farfan from the Rotary Club of Long Beach, Alain Charlois, Marc Johnson, and today's speaker — Doug Lloyd. 

 

 

Nancy Graydon's entire career has been dedicated to fundraising for wonderful organizations including the University of Toronto, UCLA, and now, the Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF). She feels fortunate to work with an amazing team in her current role at GRF as Executive Director of Development and Chief Operating Officer. In January 2022, she will celebrate her 10th year working at GRF. 

 

Nancy is a very proud Canadian and has family from Vancouver to Halifax. During the pandemic, she bought her first house in Pinole, CA and lives there with Brian, her husband of 16 years, and a rescue dog named Scully. She loves doing crafts and giving old furniture new life with a coat of paint.

 

Caryn Crump joined our Club on August 17, 2021. She is a retired corporate executive and former adjunct Rice University professor who currently owns CPI, a small international instructional and consulting company. Caryn is also an adjunct professor at Norwich University in its MBA program. She loves to travel and work internationally and is the mother of two adult children. She currently has a home in Puerto Vallarta and has extended an invitation to our Club to stay at her home. Prior to joining our Club, Caryn had been a member of two other Rotary clubs and believes that "community service is one of the most rewarding things that someone can do".

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following visiting Rotarians: District Governor Danielle Lallement from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Evening who is also today's speaker, Assistant Governor Liz Mark from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown, and Karen Schmautz from the Rotary Club of Indian Rocks Beach in Florida. Additional guests attending in person included: Greg Grundstrom, Molly Schmautz, and Jackie Herrin. 

 

Stacey Poole is a family law attorney representing individuals in the divorce process. She has been in practice since 1999 and has been a Certified Family Law Specialist since 2008. She also drafts and reviews prenuptial agreements. Stacey has been married for over 20 years to Bobby. When not working, she enjoys watching TV, reading, sports, and traveling to Hawaii.

 

Stacey joined our Club on August 28, 2007. She had already served twice on our Board as Vice President of Club Service and Vice President of Membership. In July 2021, she began her term as Club Secretary.

 

Bob Hermann retired in 2018. He had worked as an Information Technology Program/Project Manager for over 26 years in health care projects including electronic medical systems. His family’s motto is to continually do good in the world to help others as we would want someone to help us if ever needed. The joys of giving back to others, be it through our time, our treasures, or our avocational experience, is something his family cherishes. Bob's continued hopes are to be transparent with work, engage and include others, and have fun while serving.

 

Bob’s passion to help others extended to the far reaches of Egypt to provide non-clinical support in helping pediatric patients with cleft lip and palate surgeries and recoveries to the domestic leadership of RotaCare and its Electronic Medical Record implementations.

Miranti Ojong is a financial services agency builder currently spanning across 15 states and continuing to expand across the US where she financially educates clients and business owners in various demographics and communities. Her services include retirement planning, investments, life, health and disability insurance, estate planning, college planning, and business financial planning. She is a mentor and trainer to agents and independent business owners in her profession to help guide their success and reach their career goals. Her mission is to empower every individual with the right knowledge and tools to achieve financial independence. 

 

 

 

Food insecurity affects children, seniors, and their families, and the pandemic has exacerbated the problem ¹. This year, over 42 million people may experience food insecurity, possibly including 13 million children ².

The San Francisco-Marin Food Bank has a mission to build a hunger-free future and distributes food at over 307 pantries in the San Francisco and Marin areas. They provide access to nutritious foods including over 50 types of fruits and vegetables, education on how to prepare healthy meals on a budget, and they also advocate for policy reform on local, state, and national levels to assist people at risk of hunger. Last year, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank provided 80.2 million pounds of food to people in need.

 

Alex Omoko joined our Club on April 14, 2020. He works for a non-profit that focuses on the undermined communities as well as the homeless population. Alex has been married for eight years to his wife Ajiri. Together, they have four children ranging in age from eight to three: an 8-year-old, a 5-year-old, and a pair of 3-year-old twins. Some of his hobbies include reading, traveling, and spending quality time with his family. Alex had visited different Rotary clubs in the Bay Area, but he joined our Club because of the way he was welcomed and received by every member of our Club, especially then president Casey Blair.

 

Rotary Club of San Francisco Members Heidi Kuhn and Tucker Kuhn, mother and son, embarked upon a Roots of Peace mission from July 24 to August 4, 2021 in the Western Highlands of Guatemala to determine the "root" cause of migration to the U.S. Border. They traveled to the remote regions of San Marcos, Huehuetenango, and Quiché — the regions with the highest concentration of "out migration" among youth under the age of 30 years old. 

 

Heidi Kuhn, CEO, Roots of Peace, partnered with ABC 7 News to provide exclusive news footage featuring the plight of families who live on less than an average of $5 per day. The ABC 7 News segment will air in early September 2021.  

 

Christopher Wiseman is the Associate Director of Events and Engagement for the Glaucoma Research Foundation. He produces in-person and virtual meetings and events, which included 13 programs during the last fiscal year. Christopher oversees the national Ambassador Outreach Program that includes ophthalmologists from around the United States, and manages strategic partners and vendor relationships. He earned the Certified Meeting Professional designation in 2019 and the Digital Event Strategist certification in 2020. Recently, Christopher has taken the exciting step to enroll in the Harvard Extension School and is working towards a graduate certificate in Marketing Management and Digital Strategy. 

 

Hate against Asian American Pacific Islander communities has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 2020-2021 National Report of the Stop AAPI Hate organization, 11.1% of Asian Americans who reported an incident were physically attacked. This is heartbreaking and personal, because the victims could be our grandparents, parents, siblings, children, other relatives, or friends. What can we do to help our most vulnerable Asian seniors? 

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following visiting Rotarians: Sandhya Jaiprakash from the Rotary Club of Bangalore attending in person; Salvador Farfan from the Rotary Club of Long Beach and Randall Scott from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf, both attending online. Additional guests attending in person included: Caryn Crump, Greg Grundstrom, Robert Hunter, Marc Johnson, Dianne Madsen, Molly Schmautz, Diane Stark, and today's speaker — Joe D'Alessandro. Additional guests attending online were Steve Collins and Eoin Garcia.

 

Sunny Singh is an independent financial advisor with 12 years of experience. He manages assets for individuals, families, trusts, businesses, retirement plans, and charitable organizations. Through long-term investment and a planning-based approach, Sunny helps clients to develop and implement strategies for building wealth and meeting their goals. His mission is to provide objective and timely financial advice and guidance — with the highest level of professional service — in building and preserving wealth for his clients.

 

Born in India and living in the Bay Area since he was 9 years old, Sunny enjoys watching and going to sporting events. His teams are the San Francisco 49ers, Warriors and the SF Giants. He is also a big fan of grilling and barbecuing. 

 

Brian Lan is the Senior Manager of Investor Relations at DocuSign where the IR team highlights industry trends and crafts key messages for its shareholders and analysts. He helps to develop the company's investor communication strategy.

 

Brian currently resides in South San Francisco with his wife, Rose Hoang, who works for a startup in San Francisco. They enjoy traveling and trying new places to eat. His hobbies include singing, writing, watching movies, and learning new things.

 

Dan Davies joined our Club on December 8, 2020. He is an Innovation Manager for North American Lighting, a manufacturer of automotive headlamps. His role is to find and evaluate potential technology partners for the company. Dan likes to learn about San Francisco's history and enjoys visiting the City's historical sites and museums. Dan joined Rotary to meet and share ideas with people who want to help the community, and he wanted to serve on a great team!

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following special guests in person: San Francisco Supervisor for District 2, Catherine Stefani, and her legislative aide, Dominica Donovan. Additional guests attending in person included:  Larry Booth, Caryn Crump, Greg Grundstrom, and James Wong. Online were these guests: Esther Landau, Bridget Maxim, Charles Meyer, Elizabeth Owens, Cyril Unukevwere who joined us from Nigeria, and today's speaker — Lucy Meyer.

 

Moustafa Harfoush joined our Club on March 9, 2021. He is a real estate and estate-planning attorney. Moustafa loves traveling. He has a long list of domestic and international places to visit and can't wait for the pandemic to be behind us so that he can continue traveling and see more of the world. Moustafa joined our Club to meet like-minded people and to serve the community.

 

President JT Forbus called his final Board meeting via Zoom to order at 4:02 p.m. A quorum was present. Also in attendance were members of the incoming Board: Lisa Christian, Miranti Ojong, Nancy Graydon, and Stacey Poole as well as Dan Joraanstad representing the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, and Past President Rhonda Poppen.

 

Dora, 2019-2021 Secretary, recorded the minutes.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on August 10, 2021:

After 15 months of meeting via Zoom, our Club finally returned to in-person meetings with an option to join via Zoom. The first three in-person meetings were well attended with excellent programs, food, and fellowship. Here are some tips so that our meetings continue to run smoothly, and you continue to have a good experience.

 

MEETING DETAILS
Before you register for our meetings, click on the "More Info" tab that accompanies each meeting listed on our website at www.sfrotary.com. Here you will find out when the meeting starts and ends, information about the speaker and the topic, how to register, and other important information such as whom to contact with questions.

 

President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) began today's meeting with a reading of Rotary International's Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She then talked about our Club's history and these milestones:

 

Our Club's Foundation, the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, recently presented financial support to RotaCare Bay Area. This year, $7,500 was awarded to the Northern Peninsula Clinic. Started by Rotarians over 32 years ago, RotaCare has helped to fill the gap of healthcare services in over 10 medical ambulatory clinics. In the Bay Area, RotaCare continues to provide support to patients providing free healthcare to those who are underserved and uninsured. 

 

Seventy-five members and guests in person and online combined attended President Mary Liu’s (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) first meeting in the new Rotary year at the Hotel Nikko. Those attending in person were treated to red sparkling wine, courtesy of guest Shirley Tan.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following special guests in person: District Governor Danielle Lallement and Past District Governor Mary Bates and the following special guest online:  Assistant Governor Liz Mark. Additional guests attending in person included:  Anita Baker, Chris Bell, Larry Booth, Chato Calderon, Edna Casteel, Caryn Crump, Edita Cruz, Roselyn de Jesus, Bud Dillon, Tom Fox, Elaine Hom, Rosie Liu, Stanley Liu, Robert Melhorn, Shirley Tan, and James Wong. Online were these guests: David Alfon, Heather Atkinson, Jeff Pickett, and Aline Tong.

 

Last weekend, hope4humankind, an Action Leadership Program with Students (ALPS) youth project that helps in easing and ending homelessness, held its first food drive! Eight students from Summit Shasta and Westmoor High School in Daly City came together, spending their summer organizing and coordinating a food drive to serve their local food pantries and community.

 

President JT Forbus called the Board meeting via Zoom to order at 4:02 p.m. The entire Board was present. Also in attendance were Lisa Christian, Christopher Eggers, Miranti Ojong, Nancy Graydon, Dan Joraanstad representing the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, and Past President Rhonda Poppen.

 

Dora, Secretary, recorded the minutes.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following are scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest members on July 13, 2021:

This issue of Grindings is the first one for the new Rotary year of 2021-2022. This year's Rotary International theme is "Serve to Change Lives". A new year brings a new start, hope, and opportunity. Please meet your new president - Mary Liu and the Club's new Board here. Join a committee, read Grindings, and check www.sfrotary.com often to find events and future meetings and register.

 

In the meantime, happy 4th of July! We have lots to celebrate, and it is wonderful to be able to celebrate in person again.

 

Our first in-person with a Zoom option meeting on June 22, 2021 at the Hotel Nikko was a huge success and will be long remembered. However, it could not have happened without the hard work of Club volunteers. Thank you to the following:

Seventy members and guests in person and online combined attended President JT’s first and last in-person meeting and our first meeting at our new location — the Hotel Nikko. Those attending in person especially enjoyed fellowship, hugs, and seeing people “in real life” after 15 months of Zoom meetings. The meeting was kicked off by President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) who asked for a round of applause for the fact that we were meeting in person. 

 

Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following guests in person: Bud Dillon, William Gregory, Bob Hunter, Esther Landau, Forrest Liu, and Eric Sleigh. Online were these guests: Salvador Farfan, Anne Marie Forbus (President JT's wife), Gabriel Kupeli, Rotary District 5150 Assistant Governor Liz Mark, and Malinda Monterrosa of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles.

 

Well, today is the day! It has been about a year since I took office, and almost a year and a half before seeing each of you in the same room together. Today, we are celebrating so many things! Sure, we’re celebrating the obvious coup of my Presidency, but we are celebrating so much more.

But while we transform into Phoenixes rising from ashes, let’s talk for a moment about where we’ve been:

 

The Rotary Club of San Francisco and the San Francisco Rotary Foundation launched the Action Leadership Program with Students (ALPS) in 2019. Below is an ALPS project where we can help by donating canned food. Any questions, please contact Harmony Ma, ALPS Program Manager.

The Public Relations and Vocational Service Committees of our Club presented a session on June 9, 2021 on why Rotarians should use LinkedIn and how it can benefit Rotary. If you missed any part of this session or just want to see the program again, below are the recordings:

President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) opened the final meeting of his term as our Club's president and welcomed everyone. He shared the following Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement from Rotary:

 

 

 

Then, President JT led the audience virtually to the Empire Room at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel for one final visit. The Hotel remains closed from the pandemic and has also been sold. Our Club closes a chapter in its history of meeting at the Sir Francis Drake and begins a new chapter on June 22, 2021 when we will start meeting at the Hotel Nikko.

 

Last week, members of our Club sorted almost 1,500 socks and distributed them to the Homeless Prenatal Program, SF Police Department, SF Fire Department, and LavaMaeˣ.  

Our Club has been sharing socks with our partners who support the homeless since Emergency Services Day in 2018 when we supplemented flower arrangements with socks and then shared them with our first responders after the event. The San Francisco Rotary Foundation has provided grants for this program. We have also solicited corporate donations and received many socks from Bombas -- some as part of their 1:1 match (for every pair of socks they sell, they give one pair to share with the homeless). Last summer, Bombas gifted an extra 3,750 pairs of socks to our Club to distribute in San Francisco. 

 

At this meeting, we celebrated the success of the 12th Annual Bike Build and thanked Bill Poppen (Banking: Management | MUFG Union Bank) for leading this event.

 

President-Elect Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group | Vanguard Properties) and the incoming Board of Directors presented the annual Club Assembly. They shared their plans and goals for the upcoming year. This meeting via Zoom was recorded. The recording will be shared with you when it becomes available.

 

Our Club honored five graduating seniors with a Rotary Club of San Francisco 2021 Interact Scholarship Award at our June 1, 2021 Club meeting. Scholarship selection focuses on extracurricular interests, community service, and leadership experience plus their articulated personal goals and dreams. It was great to hear from the students during the meeting as to how their Interact Club participation has positively impacted their lives. Each expressed appreciation for our Club’s $2,500 financial support! Congratulations to them all! Now a little bit about each. 

SAVE THE DATE. Our first in-person meeting since March 2020 will be held on Tuesday, June 22, 2021. At this meeting President-Elect Nominee Christopher Wiseman will lead the debunking of President JT Forbus. Registration will open soon. Lunch will be served, and how to make payment will be forthcoming. Don't miss this opportunity to thank our outgoing president for all he has done to make this a great Rotary year despite all the challenges presented by the pandemic.

 

 

President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) welcomed the month of June when he will "graduate" from his presidency of this Club. He led us to a past Pride Parade.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Guests
In today's audience were Robert Hunter, Erma Kurtovic, and the following Interactors: Owen Park, Justin Kwong, Victoria Aye, and Lana Nguyen. Also present was today's speaker, Sister ZsaZsa Glamour.

 

Everyone is invited to the Spring Show, the annual art and design exhibition showcasing the achievements of graduating students across 22 different schools at Academy of Art University. The Spring Show is happening now through June 14, 2021. Go here to explore the Spring Show. Any questions, please ask me.

President JT Forbus called the Board meeting via Zoom to order at 4:02 p.m. on April 27, 2021. A quorum was present. Also in attendance were Lisa Christian, Ed Shenkan, Nancy Graydon, Miranti Ojong, District 5150 Past District Governor Sue Rokaw, Dan Joraanstad representing the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, and Past President Rhonda Poppen.

 

Dora, Secretary, recorded the minutes.

 

In accordance with our Club Bylaws, I am pleased to announce that the following is scheduled to be inducted into our Club as our newest member on June 8, 2021:

Past President Casey Blair (Financial Services: Private Trading | KCB Trading, LLC) welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order. 

 

Visiting Rotarians and Guests
In today's audience were Emily DiLaura, Jamie Miller, Erma Kurtovic, Lance Scott, and Arturo Guillen. Lance and Arturo are from The Arc San Francisco. Also present was today's speaker, Frank Schulenburg.

 

Progress is being made on locating a new meeting place for our Club. Stay tuned!

 

The San Francisco Rotary Foundation has been looking at a number of issues over the last several months. Here is a quick update.  

 

BOARD MEMBERSHIP
We have three long-term members of the Foundation who come off the Board at the end of June including Cecile Chiquette, Tim Hornbecker, and Eric Schmautz. These three have served the Foundation for nine years. Bravo! All three have served as Presidents of our Club, and Tim has been President of the Foundation. In addition, Tom Briody is concluding his second year of service and will not be able to return. To all of these stalwart members of the Board, we extend a thank you for service and dedication to our Foundation. We have a great slate of new candidates to serve on the Board, and those who have been elected will be announced at the June meeting which will be on June 24, 2021.

 

President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) celebrated National Eat What You Want Day at the Japanese Tea Garden.  

 

 

Congratulations to Club member Jianying (James) Chen and his wife, Estela, on the birth of their son, Abraham! Abraham was born on April 14, 2021, weighing 3.35 KG and measuring 20 inches in length. The whole family is doing well.

 

Twelve Rotary Club of San Francisco members participated in our April 29 social event - Family Feud! We had two teams, women vs. men, competing for a cash prize of $1,000 to support a charity of their choice. The house was packed with friends and family cheering for their favorite team!

Laine Hendricks' composure and touch of humor made for an awesome emcee! Mary Liu was the perfect game show host personality! Quick wit and a perpetual smile served her well!