RB Rotary October 1, 2020 Virtual Meeting Minutes

ROTARY CLUB OF RANCHO BERNARDO

ZOOM MEETING October 1, 2020

President Alex called the meeting to order and led the attending group in reciting the Four Way test.  Vern Cook led the Pledge of Allegiance after remarking on the importance of the colors of our Flag.  Benita Page followed Vern with the Inspirational Message: a story with the morale of “what goes around, comes around” when it comes to giving.

President Alex introduced our special guest for today, Past District Governor Marta Knight. Marta presented several Awards to the Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club. First was the 2019/2020 Platinum Rotary Citation: the club was honored for taking action with service projects in local and global communities, and for continuous support to Rotary Foundation. She also presented the 2019/2020 Platinum Presidential Distinction Award: for achieving additional goals following the Rotary Theme: “Rotary Connects the World”. This was done by connecting leaders, professionals, family and the Community. She also presented our Club with the Best Medium Club Award during her year as District Governor. Marta thanked the club saying Rotarians are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. 

Past District Governor Marta said she was pleased to induct our Clubs newest member, Cheryl Roop into Rotary. Mike Fuqua was Cheryl’s sponsor.  Alan Turner, Membership Chair, had presented Cheryl with her Red Badge and blue folder previously, and welcomed her into the Club. Arilla St. Laurent will be Cheryl’s Mentor.      

Alan also welcomed Jan Goldsmith who is visiting today. Jan is an existing Rotarian who is interested in joining our Club and has submitted an application.

Arilla St. Laurent was our Virtual Greeter today She introduced additional guest for the day, followed by Joel Doss leading the Club Welcome Song. 

John Goodrich introduced the speaker for today: James Flores, President and CEO of San Diego Food Bank.  James said that with COVID-19, the Food Bank has taken on a new level of importance. It is a local organization, founded in 1977. The primary facility is in Mira Mesa. There is also a facility in North County established about 2015, along with satellite distribution centers, operated by non- profit partners.  In addition to the distributing food around the County, the Food Banks are also a major distributer of diapers. The Food Bank works with 500 other non-profit groups, as well as with the Federal government. They also have a program addressing food waste.  They take part in School programs providing breakfast and lunch for school children as well as back packs. One of their goals is to break the cycle of poverty in our County by helping students with education as well as nourishment. They have established food banks on area College campuses to aid students there. Their programs are not just working with the homeless.

With the coming of COVID-19 there is a higher demand for food distribution programs, nearly doubling in since March. Though the media helped publicize the goals of the Food Bank programs when they did four mass distributions, they felt going back to the basic neighborhood programs was more successful in helping more people. They have a new high-volume “Super Pantry” program, unique in the State, as well as tripling the size of the Mobile Pantry to serve the back country. They work with “Team Rubicon” to deliver food to Senior Citizens around the County.  Food purchases since March this year have been $7 million, is addition to “Food Rescue”, food donated from grocery stores and restaurants. Thirty (30) million pounds of food have been distributed since March. Their website is SanDiegoFoodBank.org.  Volunteers are the “life blood” of the Food Bank, and an important part of the food supply chain in the County.  Jim welcomes Rotarians to be a part of it all.

The speaker’s book presented by Resa Coopot, this week is: “Exxon Valdez: Massive Oil Spill, National Disaster”.

President Alex thanked today’s volunteers: Mike Fuqua, for arranging the meeting, Rz Norris, scribe, and Bill Angus for compiling and sending the minutes to Club members.

President Alex said that immediate Past President Dave King has formed an election committee and will accept nominations for the Future Club President. Requirements are in the Club By-laws. Also, Friday is the deadline for Grant applications.

Speakers book presentation was given by Vern Cook, following up on his email, talked briefly about this years’ Veteran Village Stand Down on November 22, 2020. The drive is from October 19th to the 22nd. There is new format for this year (because of COVID-19), it will be a drive through or walk through only. Items needed for donations: men’s underwear and sox (he suggests X large for men, and medium/large for women). Items should be taken to Johanna Mullins home, 12516 Caminito Vuelo (Oaks North), San Diego 92128. Items should be left on the porch.  In a follow up email, he suggested ordering through Amazon Smile for items to be delivered directly to Johanna’s home, and the Club Couch Potato will receive 5% of the money from our purchases.

Doug Dawson said the Diversity Committee is raising funds for a matching Grant for an Abraxas High School Study Hall. The school currently does not have one. $4,800 would give the students access to a Study Hall for 27 weeks. Send Doug and email if you can contribute, no money is due at this time.        

Don Glover talked about a World Polio Day October 24th. Rotary International asked every Club activity to make people aware of the End Polio Now campaign. Don is planning a skydiving activity taking place on October 31st. So far four (4) have signed up to jump with Don. The plane holds 6 jumpers, and Don would like to have 2 planes full. So far two dozen people have signed up to “observe” and support the jumpers, but Don would like to have more participate.

Dan Barrios, awarded two Paul Harris Fellowship pins:  Jim Sommers and Rz Norris were the recipients.

Family of Rotary: Arilla mentioned the Joel Doss is attending the meeting today following his surgery. She also reminded the “Couch Potatoes” to turn in the Major Market receipts for this quarter so they can be turned in. She was asked about Felix Luciano. Arethena, his wife, said Felix decided not to have surgery and is doing well with alternative treatment.

Arilla announced that the Peace Bags would be stuffed this afternoon at Bernardo Heights Country Club. They cannot do this as Rotary, but will do it as “Friends of Mike Stelman”.

Fine Master, John O’Neill, was roundly “BOO’ed”. He had no fines and went straight to Happy Bucks.  Our Membership is “happy” today with generous donations.

Alan thanked all who had donated to the Virtual Learning project. Internet Hot Spots have been purchased for homeless students, and additional equipment is being purchased. $2600 was donated, with an additional Matching Grant for a total of over $6000.  Jim Hyldahl gave a brief lesson on curing bacon, and said he would share the bacon with anyone who donates $25 to the Club or the Club Foundation. 

President Alex reminded us that next weeks’ meeting, October 8th, is an evening meeting, 5:30pm. Mike will turn the Zoom system on early so that the group can have a few minutes for social time. The speaker next week is Peter Densmore, Park Ranger at Bryce Canyon National Park.

Cheryl was reminded that, as a new member, it is her job to greet the members as they leave the meeting and shake their hands physically (“none of this Zoom stuff”). With that, President Alex formally closed the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Rz Norris