Oakland Rotary News

ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - JULY 14th, 2022

Posted July 14th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, July 14th, 2022

The first Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary year kicked off with the Rick Baskin’s band, Layin’ Down the Law, playing music and a California Ballroom filled with members and guests. The crowd gathered to launch Mary Geong's year as president of the Rotary Club of Oakland. Mary is the 114th president, the 9th female president, and the first Asian-American president of Oakland #3.

MC Linda welcomed all visiting Rotarians and guests and shared Mary's fascinating background. Mary was born in Guangzhou, China in 1949, the year that Chairman Mao took power. She traveled to San Francisco on the SS President Cleveland with her mother in 1951 - her first cruise. Her four younger siblings were born in San Francisco. Because Mary's father was a "paper son" (claiming a false family relationship with a Chinese-American citizen), Mary was a "paper granddaughter." While growing up in a Chinatown housing project, her parents instilled a passion for education in Mary and her siblings. Mary worked her way through San Francisco State majoring in accounting and became the first member of her family to receive a college degree. 

Mary obtained an MBA and masters in taxation at Golden Gate University. As a CPA, she worked at the California Franchise Tax Board as a tax auditor and later opened her own tax practice. Mary has served on the California Board of Accountancy, the board of Goodwill of the East Bay, and is active in the Asian Real Estate Association of the East Bay and the Piedmont Asian American Club. She served the City of Piedmont as a member of the park commission, budget advisory committee, and capital improvement committee.

Mary joined Oakland #3 in 2002, served as a club director, an ORE trustee and past president, and chair of the Saroni-Lena Scholarship Committee among many other positions. She is a Paul Harris Fellow +7 and an ORE major donor. Mary's biggest Rotary claim to fame was winning a brand new Mercedes Benz at a club raffle in 2004. 

President Mary was welcomed to the lectern with a standing ovation. The Toishan Lion Dancers took over the ballroom with an energetic performance through the crowd and onto the stage. The dancers were accompanied by drums, cymbals, and gongs. For the record, there was one yellow lion and one red lion. 

Mary introduced a host of family members and friends, including: husband Bill Geong, daughters Jennifer and Danielle (online), California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Past District Governor Richard Flanders, S.F. Rotary #2 Past President Mary Liu, S.F. Chinatown Rotary Past President Richard Schwarz and President Rhonda Pierce; Past President Patty Kringle of Rotary Club of Dublin, Past President Kenneth Pon of San Leandro Rotary Club, Frank Pare’ of Oakland Uptown Rotary, Rotary District 5170 Area 1 Assistant Governor Saralinda Jackson, Juliet Ng and Vivian Chen. The 2022-23 Club officers and directors and ORE trustees were also introduced.

Richard Flanders, Past Governor and first Asian-American District 5170 Governor, reviewed the many accomplishments of Oakland #3 during the 2021-22 year. He then presented a plaque to Past President Dudley Thompson which honored him as a Distinguished Rotary Club President.

State Treasurer Fiona Ma reported that she has been a member of the Lions and Elks but has never joined Rotary. She suggested that she may join Rotary now that the attendance requirements have been relaxed. Her background is quite similar to President Mary's although she started in private practice and then moved to the public sector. Fiona declared that while she may be the state treasurer, Mary is a state treasure.

Mary reviewed her goals for this year:

Since the number 8 is considered lucky in Asian culture, she is aiming to increase club membership to 288 or even 388 members. Create a more open, inviting and inclusive club. Present diverse speakers and expand club outreach to the community. Mary's area of focus will be education. This year's speaker's gift will be a contribution to Oakland Promise.

Missed our meeting, but interested in checking out the next one? Click below to learn more. https://www.oakland-rotary.org/calendar

#serviceaboveself #rotaryinternational #rotaryclubofoakland #rotaryopensopportunities

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - July 14, 2022

Posted July 14th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

The first Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary year kicked off with the Rick Baskin’s band, Layin’ Down the Law, playing music and a California Ballroom filled with members and guests. The crowd gathered to launch Mary Geong's year as president of the Rotary Club of Oakland. Mary is the 114th president, the 9th female president, and the first Asian-American president of Oakland #3. Members and guests settled in at their tables and discovered chopsticks, special "Mary Geong" fortune cookies, and a red envelope (more on the envelopes later) for each person.

Past President Linda Boessenecker, in her role as MC, called the meeting to order and immediately asked President Mary and the club officers and directors to march into the ballroom. The procession was accompanied by Layin’ Down The Law band's stirring rendition of "Celebration."

Thought for the Day - Maude Pervere

After Mary was seated on stage, Maude Pervere provided a thought for the day about using judgment to spark curiosity about new subjects.

Introduction of Mary Geong

MC Linda welcomed all visiting Rotarians and guests and shared Mary's fascinating background. Mary was born in Guangzhou, China in 1949, the year that Chairman Mao took power. She traveled to San Francisco on the SS President Cleveland with her mother in 1951 - her first cruise. Her four younger siblings were born in San Francisco. Because Mary's father was a "paper son" (claiming a false family relationship with a Chinese-American citizen), Mary was a "paper granddaughter." While growing up in a Chinatown housing project, her parents instilled a passion for education in Mary and her siblings. Mary worked her way through San Francisco State majoring in accounting and became the first member of her family to receive a college degree. 

Mary obtained an MBA and masters in taxation at Golden Gate University. As a CPA, she worked at the California Franchise Tax Board as a tax auditor and later opened her own tax practice. Mary has served on the California Board of Accountancy, the board of Goodwill of the East Bay, and is active in the Asian Real Estate Association of the East Bay and the Piedmont Asian American Club. She served the City of Piedmont as a member of the park commission, budget advisory committee, and capital improvement committee.

Mary met her husband Bill in high school. They married in 1976 and are celebrating their 46th anniversary in August. Mary and Bill have two daughters. Jennifer teaches English in Cambodia and Danielle lives in Washington D.C. Mary and Bill are proud grandparents to granddaughter Lily Charlotte.

Mary joined Oakland #3 in 2002, served as a club director, an ORE trustee and past president, and chair of the Saroni-Lena Scholarship Committee among many other positions. She is a Paul Harris Fellow +7 and an ORE major donor. Mary's biggest Rotary claim to fame was winning a brand new Mercedes Benz at a club raffle in 2004. The car is still running.

The Lion Dancers

President Mary was welcomed to the lectern with a standing ovation. The Toishan Lion Dancers took over the ballroom with an energetic performance through the crowd and onto the stage. The dancers were accompanied by drums, cymbals, and gongs. For the record, there was one yellow lion and one red lion. 

Bellringers

The energy generated by the lion dancers was matched by the huge number of bellringers that followed.  President Mary reminded everyone that a bellringer was a legitimate tax deduction.

Ringing the bell in honor of Mary were:

Ruth Stroup (8 times), Dudley Thompson, Ken Richardson (2) for Mary and for the birth of his fourth granddaughter earlier in the morning; Keri Butkevich (2) for Mary and for Keri’s six-week old adopted daughter; Ces Butner (4) for Mary, District 1 Assistant Governor Saralinda Jackson, District 5170 Governor Savita Vaidhyanathan and Rotary International President Jennifer Jones; Sean Marx, Daniel Cheng (5), Merlin Edwards (2) for Mary and for his great granddaughter’s first birthday; John Protopappas (2) for Mary and for Bill Geong; Joycie Mack (2), Ricka White-Soso, Fanny Li, Pam Claassen, Saralinda Jackson, Renia Webb, Vivian Chen (5), Jim Boessenecker (2) for Mary and for Linda Boessenecker as emcee today; Ramona Chang (2), Georgia Richardson, Kristine Watson, Keith Uriarte, Joe Goralka (2) for Mary and for a Global Scholar from Japan; Joel Parrott (2) for Mary and his first grandchild born three weeks ago; Howard Lee, Carol Lum (2), Wendy Maclay, Tom Limon, Richard Schwarz, Jason Wizelman, Fred Morse, Ralph Sklar on behalf of the Meeting Production Team; Kymberly Miller, Kathleen Sims, Teresa Weyand, Celeste Gordon, Bruce Nye, Peter Sherris and Richard Flanders.

Guests, Club Board and ORE Trustee Introductions

Mary introduced a host of family members and friends, including: husband Bill Geong, daughters Jennifer and Danielle (online), California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Past District Governor Richard Flanders, S.F. Rotary #2 Past President Mary Liu, S.F. Chinatown Rotary Past President Richard Schwarz and President Rhonda Pierce; Past President Patty Kringle of Rotary Club of Dublin, Past President Kenneth Pon of San Leandro Rotary Club, Frank Pare’ of Oakland Uptown Rotary, Rotary District 5170 Area 1 Assistant Governor Saralinda Jackson, Juliet Ng and Vivian Chen.

The 2022-23 Club officers and directors and ORE trustees were also introduced.

Special Presentation to Dudley Thompson

Richard Flanders, Past Governor and first Asian-American District 5170 Governor, reviewed the many accomplishments of Oakland #3 during the 2021-22 year. He then presented a plaque to Past President Dudley Thompson which honored him as a Distinguished Rotary Club President.

State Treasurer Fiona Ma

State Treasurer Fiona Ma reported that she has been a member of the Lions and Elks but has never joined Rotary. She suggested that she may join Rotary now that the attendance requirements have been relaxed. Her background is quite similar to President Mary's although she started in private practice and then moved to the public sector. Fiona declared that while she may be the state treasurer, Mary is a state treasure.

Theme for the Year

President Mary announced her theme will be the same as the Rotary International theme: "Imagine Rotary." Without missing a beat, Rick Baskin and the band played and sang "Imagine" by John Lennon. Many in the audience sang along with the band.

Goals and Areas of Focus

Mary reviewed her goals for this year:

Since the number 8 is considered lucky in Asian culture, she is aiming to increase club membership to 288 or even 388 members.

Create a more open, inviting and inclusive club.

Present diverse speakers and expand club outreach to the community.

Have fun

Mary's area of focus will be education. This year's speaker's gift will be a contribution to Oakland Promise.

Raffle Results

Remember those red envelopes? Mary drew three winning tickets. Club members Carla Betts and Mike Bruck were two of the lucky winners. Thank you, Joe Goralka, for providing the prizes.

Adjournment

The action-packed inauguration of President Mary ended with the ringing of the bell at 1:37 pm.

Next Meeting, July 21 – Andy Naja-Riese – Farmers Market Movement

Speakers Committee Chair Ruth Stroup announced next week’s speaker will be Andy Naja-Riese, Andy is CEO of Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM) and producer of the Grand Lake Farmers Market.  He will talk about the Farmers Market Movement including important changes in diversity and collaboration with various local groups.

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - JUNE 30th, 2022

Posted June 30th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, June 30th, 2022

President Dudley Thompson welcomed Rotarians and Guests to the 5,392nd Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland, and pointed out that this is the last meeting he will preside as next week is his demotion.

Past President Lorna Padia Markus invited members and guests to stand and cheer as the Past Presidents accompanied Dudley into the ballroom to the strains of ‘The Iowa Corn Song”.

Past President Iris Brody Lopez, joining via Zoom from Peoria, Arizona, noted that the high point of President Dudley’s year was his appearance on the cover of the August 2021 issue of Rotary Magazine. This is the first time the magazine cover has featured a Rotary Club of Oakland president. To commemorate that event, Past President Marlo Seligman presented Dudley with his Past President’s Pin.

Next Past President Linda Chew reminded Dudley that the Covid pandemic had challenged his administration. For example, Rotary volunteers had to suspend their in-classroom assistance to the Transitional Kindergarten students in the Oakland Unified School District.

Past President Charlie Adams amplified the impact it had, but how the club managed to still support students with summer book reading, field trips to the Oakland Zoo and Children’s Fairyland and give the teachers gift cards to obtain supplies for their classrooms. These accomplishments landed him on the cover of Ranger Raccoon magazine. Charlie then presented Dudley with this Past President’s Badge.

Past President Sean Marx reminded Dudley and everyone that usually Rotarians visit many other clubs each year and bring back club banners which are given to the outgoing President.  Since travel has been non-existent, the club presented banners from other First-Five sister clubs – Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Past President Linda Boessenecker told how the Business Development Committee had promoted business opportunities among Rotarians as well as the greater Oakland community. She shared that Dudley appeared on the cover of Business Month magazine and almost single-handedly revived the after-work cocktail hour.

Past President Robert Kidd presented Dudley with a gavel plaque in recognition of his attempt to control the “herd of cats” at the weekly meetings.

Past President Ces Butner addressed the outdoor activities the club engaged in during the pandemic, including baseball games, pickle ball contests, golf tournaments, bicycle rides, and hikes. Dudley was featured on the cover of Outsider magazine for these events. Ces then presented Dudley with a gift from the Past Presidents – a Swing Caddie electronic golf measurer.

Past President Mary Rudser came to the microphone. With the customary “Proclamation from the Office of the Mayor” in hand, Mary then introduced special guest, Mayor Libby Shaaf. Currently an Honorary Member of Oakland Rotary, Mayor Shaaf spoke about an earlier time when she was an active club member and recalled the many things Rotary did for the residents of Oakland. She then congratulated Dudley for his leadership of the tremendous support the Club now gives the community. She presented Dudley with the framed document which proclaimed June 30, 2022 as Dudley Thompson Day in the City of Oakland.

President Dudley thanked the Club for the opportunity to serve and how much he appreciates what members have done this past year.  He then introduced our next president, Mary Geong.

Mary Geong reminded everyone that there is no weekly meeting on July 7th, but her inauguration will be July 14th. She then declared the meeting adjourned as she rang the bell for the first time.

Missed our meeting, but interested in checking out the next one? Click below to learn more. https://www.oakland-rotary.org/calendar

#serviceaboveself #rotaryinternational #rotaryclubofoakland #rotaryopensopportunities

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - June 30, 2022

Posted June 30th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson welcomed Rotarians and Guests to the 5,392nd Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland, and pointed out that this is the last meeting he will preside as next week is his demotion. In keeping with the Alameda County Health Department’s indoor masked mandate, President Dudley asked members in the ballroom to keep masks on when not eating or drinking. For those members participating via Zoom, President Dudley encouraged the use of the chat function.

Presidential Processional

Past President Lorna Padia Markus invited members and guests to stand and cheer as the Past Presidents accompanied Dudley into the ballroom to the strains of ‘The Iowa Corn Song”. As the procession neared the stage, Dudley was not in it. Where was Dudley? Ken whispered the news in Lorna’s ear – Dudley forgot his vaccination certificate and as per club rules, could not enter the Ballroom. After a brief discussion Lorna proposed a solution – a vote by the attendees suspending the rule and allowing Dudley to participate. A very quick vote was taken, the Past Presidents returned to the back of the ballroom, and the procession began once again – this time with President Dudley.

Recognitions

Past President Iris Brody Lopez, joining via Zoom from Peoria, Arizona, noted that the high point of President Dudley’s year was his appearance on the cover of the August 2021 issue of Rotary Magazine. This is the first time the magazine cover has featured a Rotary Club of Oakland president. But she shared this was not the first time Dudley had been on a magazine cover. In fact, in his hometown of Belmond, Iowa, soon after he was born, he was on the cover of The Iowa Farmer Monthly. To commemorate that event, Past President Marlo Seligman presented Dudley with his Past President’s Pin.

Next Past President Linda Chew reminded Dudley that the Covid pandemic had challenged his administration. For example, Rotary volunteers had to suspend their in-classroom assistance to the Transitional Kindergarten students in the Oakland Unified School District.

Past President Charlie Adams amplified the impact it had, but how the club managed to still support students with summer book reading, field trips to the Oakland Zoo and Children’s Fairyland and give the teachers gift cards to obtain supplies for their classrooms. These accomplishments landed him on the cover of Ranger Raccoon magazine. Charlie then presented Dudley with this Past President’s Badge.

Linda advised Dudley to wear his new badge to Rotary meetings and events so all Rotarians will recognize his status as a Past President.

Past President Carla Betts recalled how the World Community Services Committee has historically supported projects throughout the world, even during the pandemic. Dudley’s leadership was commemorated with an appearance on the cover of Rational Geografix magazine.

Past President Sean Marx reminded Dudley and everyone that usually Rotarians visit many other clubs each year and bring back club banners which are given to the outgoing President.  Since travel has been non-existent, the club presented banners from other First-Five sister clubs – Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. Also, Sean presented a banner from Dudley’s alma mater, Drake University, home of the fighting bulldogs.

Past President Linda Boessenecker told how the Business Development Committee had promoted business opportunities among Rotarians as well as the greater Oakland community. She shared that Dudley appeared on the cover of Business Month magazine and almost single-handedly revived the after-work cocktail hour.

Past President Robert Kidd presented Dudley with a gavel plaque in recognition of his attempt to control the “herd of cats” at the weekly meetings.

Past President John Protopappas observed the audio-visual experience was especially challenging given the hybrid nature of meetings, encompassing members both in the Ballroom and on Zoom. The Audio-Visual Committee was rebranded, and expanded, to the Meeting Production Committee.  In recognition of his efforts, Dudley was featured on the cover of Sound & Sight magazine. With the improvement of the sound system, John presented a LARGE box of cords and wires from the old system, which he unceremoniously opened and dumped on the floor in front of Dudley.

Past President Ces Butner addressed the outdoor activities the club engaged in during the pandemic, including baseball games, pickle ball contests, golf tournaments, bicycle rides, and hikes. Dudley was featured on the cover of Outsider magazine for these events. Ces then presented Dudley with a gift from the Past Presidents – a Swing Caddie electronic golf measurer.

Past President David Stein presented highlights of the club’s many accomplishments. These are listed in the story – left hand column of today’s Live Oak.

Past President Mary Rudser came to the microphone. With the customary “Proclamation from the Office of the Mayor” in hand, Mary then introduced special guest, Mayor Libby Shaaf. Currently an Honorary Member of Oakland Rotary, Mayor Shaaf spoke about an earlier time when she was an active club member and recalled the many things Rotary did for the residents of Oakland. She then congratulated Dudley for his leadership of the tremendous support the Club now gives the community. She presented Dudley with the framed document which proclaimed June 30, 2022 as Dudley Thompson Day in the City of Oakland.

President Dudley’s Acknowledgement

President Dudley thanked the Club for the opportunity to serve and how much he appreciates what members have done this past year.  He then introduced our next president, Mary Geong.

Adjournment

Mary Geong reminded everyone that there is no weekly meeting on July 7th, but her inauguration will be July 14th. She then declared the meeting adjourned as she rang the bell for the first time.

Next Meeting, July 14 – Inauguration of President Mary Geong

There is no Rotary meeting on July 7th.

On July14th please consider coming to the California Ballroom for the Inauguration of Mary Geong, our 114th, 9th woman and 1st Asian-American President of the Oakland Rotary Club #3. Her theme for the year is Imagine Rotary. Join your fellow Rotarians in hearing how Mary plans to lead and inspire us in accomplishing her goals.

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - JUNE 23rd, 2022

Posted June 23rd, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, June 23rd, 2022

President Dudley Thompson welcomed Rotarians and Guests to the 5,392nd Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland, and pointed out that this is the last meeting he will preside as next week is his demotion. In keeping with the Alameda County Health Department’s indoor masked mandate, President Dudley asked members in the ballroom to keep masks on when not eating or drinking. For those members participating via Zoom, President Dudley encouraged the use of the chat function.

Past President Sean Marx, provided the thought for the day (or some may characterize it as self-promotion!). Sean shared that he completes his Yoga Certification tonight after significant hours of work. He shared the most important concept of Yoga is ahisma or non-harmony. This concept is especially significant given the recent gun violence throughout the country, the war in Ukraine, and the threat to women’s reproductive freedom.

Jim Boessenecker introduced two visiting Rotarians present in the ballroom; Michelle Ingram of Alameda, who is considering joining the RCO and Roger Inverarity, a retired engineer from Adelaide, Australia. Past President and Past District Governor Ed Jellen, participating via Zoom, was happy to introduce Concha Delgado. President Dudley’s wife.

Keith Uriarte introduced our newest Rotarian, Ricka White-Soso. Ricka is a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s in social work. 

Bruce Nye shared that he has been selected as the next chairperson of the Community Service Committee. He invited Rotarians to join the committee which meets the first Wednesday of the month.

President Dudley recognized Keith Uriarte for his work this past year. He served as membership coordinator and served on the Communications and DE&I committees. Congratulations Keith and thank you for your service to the club!

CJ Hirschfield introduced the speaker for the day, Lance McGee – Unique Derique, sharing his unique dual roles of a Trauma-Informed Wellness Coordinator and performance clown.

Lance began by asking the audience to participate in “fun faces and foolishness” which he uses as a warmup when working with a group. He then invited us to participate in a mindful moment where he led us on a guided meditation suggesting that we explore what we do for self-care, gratitude, and living toward a peaceful, happy and healthy life.

His journey began at home when he met a friend’s mother who invited him to attend clown class and he was hooked. He joined the Pickle Family Circus, attended college where he studied circus arts and received his BA. He focused on vaudeville and slapstick which informed his performance style. Lance met Sammy Davis Jr. at a performance. Sammy offered to manage his career and Lance opened for Lou Rawls and performed at the Apollo Theatre. 

Eventually, Lance became disillusioned with the life of performing and went back to school in drama therapy. After graduating he went to work at East Bay Agency for Children where he observed children being punished in the classroom. He decided to revise his focus to work with staff and teachers as a Trauma-Informed Counselor. He advises teachers and staff on how they can bring a trauma-informed approach to the classroom and their work.

Click here to watch Lance McGee – Unique Derique's video segment.

Missed our meeting, but interested in checking out the next one? Click below to learn more. https://www.oakland-rotary.org/calendar

#serviceaboveself #rotaryinternational #rotaryclubofoakland #rotaryopensopportunities

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - June 23, 2022

Posted June 23rd, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson welcomed Rotarians and Guests to the 5,392nd Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland, and pointed out that this is the last meeting he will preside as next week is his demotion. In keeping with the Alameda County Health Department’s indoor masked mandate, President Dudley asked members in the ballroom to keep masks on when not eating or drinking. For those members participating via Zoom, President Dudley encouraged the use of the chat function.

Thought for the Day – Sean Marx

Past President Sean Marx, provided the thought for the day (or some may characterize it as self-promotion!). Sean shared that he completes his Yoga Certification tonight after significant hours of work. He shared the most important concept of Yoga is ahisma or non-harmony. This concept is especially significant given the recent gun violence throughout the country, the war in Ukraine, and the threat to women’s reproductive freedom.

In his second “thought” Sean mentioned that the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland’s Salute to Youth is tonight and encouraged members to attend via Zoom and consider a contribution.

Given his “thoughts” might be considered promotion, Sean rang the bell.

Visiting Rotarians & Guests

Jim Boessenecker introduced two visiting Rotarians present in the ballroom; Michelle Ingram of Alameda, who is considering joining the RCO and Roger Inverarity, a retired engineer from Adelaide, Australia.

Past President and Past District Governor Ed Jellen, participating via Zoom, was happy to introduce Concha Delgado. President Dudley’s wife. This introduction was especially significant given that President Dudley neglected to introduce Concha at his inauguration!

New Member Induction – Ricka White-Soso

Standing in for Nancy Williams who is on vacation, Keith Uriarte introduced our newest Rotarian, Ricka White-Soso. Ricka is a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s in social work. Her private practice is FLW Living Well Services, focusing on community health issues. Ricka was a member of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and participated in the documentary The Waiting Room. She is an avid collector of Marvin Gaye memorabilia. President Dudley welcomed Ricka and presented her with her new member goody bag.

Community Service Committee

Bruce Nye shared that he has been selected as the next chairperson of the Community Service Committee. He invited Rotarians to join the committee which meets the first Wednesday of the month. The committee has a comprehensive grant-making process. Interested members are invited to email Bruce at bruce.nye@gmail.com or telephone him at 415-577-9453.

The Rotary Year in Review

President Dudley acknowledged that many Rotarians have mentioned his term is nearly over and asked how he felt about it. He shared that he continues to focus on what he hasn’t completed and what he still wants to do in the next eight days! But after reviewing the board minutes for the year he recognizes that there are a lot of accomplishments and a lot of people to thank!  If he were to distill one word that describes Rotary it is “people”. He has tried to thank people throughout the year but knows that he has missed some folks and that he will probably miss some today. He asked that people forgive him and know he appreciated your efforts! Dudley highlighted the following club activities and thanked the many members involved.

Jesse Bowdle, the Club’s Administrator, is the backbone of the organization and keeps everything running smoothly.

Daniel Cheng and the Community Service Committee organized clean up days at the PAL campground and Lake Merritt Gardens. Harold Lowe took us back to the PAL campground for training next year’s Enterprise Institute Counselors. And Karen Friedman put a crew together to pack 150 bags of food for food insecure students at Laney College each week.

We developed a new relationship with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of San Francisco #2, the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown, Asians United, the Oakland Police Department, and the Department of Justice, we provided safety training and distributed about 500 safety alarms in Oakland Chinatown. The project was spearheaded by President-Elect Mary Geong.

Renia Webb got us collecting coats and gloves for WELO before the Holidays. And a team of Rotarians handed out water and concentrated Gatorade to runners in the Oakland Marathon.

President Elect-Nominee Tom Limon was instrumental in putting together attendance at three Oakland A’s games and a Roots Soccer game.

Rotarians participated in six organized bike rides thanks to the efforts of Steve Blair and Mark Rosen. Mark also put together a kayaking trip to Elkhorn Slough. Past President Robert Kidd led two segments of the Epic Hike across the East Bay hills, with two more coming! Three golf tournaments were organized by Golf Czar, Mike Mowery, even though he moved to Bend, OR.! Pat Williams organized a day on the pickleball court, and a team of bowlers, the Rotary King Pins, finished 4th of 15 teams.

Thanks to Jesse Schmidt, David Kersten, Carla Betts and members of the Business Development Committee, Entertainment Committee, and Membership Committee, a variety of mixers and social events were held.

Linda and Jim Boessenecker entertained new members at their home. Pat Williams provided orientation for new members.

Oakland Rotarians participated in the District-led Train of Lights. Georgia Richardson and Nancy Williams organized a viewing of Evolutionary Blues at the Grand Lake Theater.

Trisha Connors and Kerry Hamill provided leadership to an outstanding crew for a fantastic Gala celebration at Sequoyah Country Club.

Our HOPE and Saroni-Lena Scholarship programs are flourishing under the leadership of Steve Blair, Fred Morse, and Teresa Weyand. Greg Annis coordinated four high school Interact clubs and our RYLA leadership training program.

John Holmgren continued leading the important work of the KinderPrep Committee hosting field trips and providing supply gift cards to teachers.

The Community Service Committee and chairperson, David Kittner, administered 13 grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

Co-chairs Barbara Beery and Sean Marx led the Karl F. Stucki World Community Services Committee sponsoring 10 global grants, the maximum allowed! Additionally, we made a $40,000 gift to Ukraine relief.

Under the leadership of Joel Parrott, the Environment Committee was initiated – one of President Dudley’s priorities – with more to come in the next Rotary year.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee under the leadership of Celeste Gordon and Immediate Past President Ces Butner, is completing its initial report working with a consultant and administering the club survey.

Although President Dudley had set a goal of reaching 300 members, we didn’t quite get there, but we did induct 33 new members under the leadership of Membership Committee chair, David Kersten.

Fund Raising efforts were off the charts! Leeann Alameda and Joe Goralka led the Annual Rotary Foundation campaign raising more than $160K putting us as 11th in the Rotary World. Kym Johnson led the ORE Campaign which raised over $80K. The Community Service Committee raised $50K for Feed the Hungry for seven local agencies. And the Gala was the most successful ever raising $125K for next year’s committee budgets.

A huge shout out to the AV and Meeting Support team. Jack Isles and Sandeepa Nayak held it together for the first part of the year, then Ralph Sklar stepped up with Alex Poulson to put together a new system with help from all of the members of the committee –Peter Sherris, Gabe Bruck, Tom Limon, Clive Worsley, Suzie Yokomizo and others.

The President Support Committee, led by Jack McAboy, was there for President Dudley whenever needed.

The Speakers Committee, led by David Stein, provided outstanding program speakers for the year.

President Dudley thanked all of the members of the Club Board of Directors and the ORE Board of Trustees and acknowledged those retiring.

Dan Lasar Good Job Award

President Dudley recognized Keith Uriarte for his work this past year. He served as membership coordinator and served on the Communications and DE&I committees. Congratulations Keith and thank you for your service to the club!

Speaker for the Day – Lance McGee – Unique Derique

CJ Hirschfield introduced the speaker for the day, Lance McGee – Unique Derique, sharing his unique dual roles of a Trauma-Informed Wellness Coordinator and performance clown.

Lance began by asking the audience to participate in “fun faces and foolishness” which he uses as a warmup when working with a group. He then invited us to participate in a mindful moment where he led us on a guided meditation suggesting that we explore what we do for self-care, gratitude, and living toward a peaceful, happy and healthy life.

His journey began at home when he met a friend’s mother who invited him to attend clown class and he was hooked. He joined the Pickle Family Circus, attended college where he studied circus arts and received his BA. He focused on vaudeville and slapstick which informed his performance style. Lance met Sammy Davis Jr. at a performance. Sammy offered to manage his career and Lance opened for Lou Rawls and performed at the Apollo Theatre. 

Eventually, Lance became disillusioned with the life of performing and went back to school in drama therapy. After graduating he went to work at East Bay Agency for Children where he observed children being punished in the classroom. He decided to revise his focus to work with staff and teachers as a Trauma-Informed Counselor. He advises teachers and staff on how they can bring a trauma-informed approach to the classroom and their work.

After a few questions, President Dudley thanked Lance for his presentation.

Bellringers

Sean Marx rang the bell for his Yoga Certification.

Joycie Mack, Tom Limon, Stephanie Casenza, Georgia Richardson, Joe Goralka, Pat Williams, Bob Barth, Linda Boessenecker, Keith Uriarte, Robert Kidd, Pam Claassen, Deep Rajbhandari, Alex Poulsen, Rick Draper, Ralph Sklar, Bruce Nye and Wil Hobbs rang the bell for Dudley Thompson.

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating and adjourned the meeting at 1:36 pm reminding everyone to Serve to Change Lives and don’t keep Rotary a Secret.

Next Meeting, June 30 – Demotion of President Dudley Thompson

Past President Michael Bruck encouraged Rotarians to attend the Demotion of President Dudley next Thursday. Please consider coming to the California Ballroom to be a part of the program. Rumor has it that Past President Carla Betts is on the lookout for delicious cookies!

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - JUNE 16th, 2022

Posted June 16th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, June 16th, 2022

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,391st Civic Thursday meeting of the 3rd established Rotary Club in the world. The Ballroom was full of Rotarians, and there were many people participating on Zoom.

Alex Kaffka shared an inspiring quote by Stephen Covey: “When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That’s when you can get more creative in solving problems.”

Past President & District Governor Ed Jellen introduced Ruth Stroup’s guest, Dr. Edie Zusman. In the ballroom Joe Goralka introduced visiting Rotarian and fellow Assistant District Governor (along with Joe) Dianne Dorn, past president of the San Leandro Rotary Club. C J Hirschfield also introduced her guest, just as a glitch in the sound system caused the microphone to malfunction and the name was inaudible.

Karen Friedman reintroduced Keith Giron. Since it was also Keith’s birthday, the ballroom audience serenaded him with the “Happy Birthday” song. A native of Denver, Colorado, Keith excelled in sports, including cross country and wrestling in high school. He was captain of the cross-country team and co-captain of the wrestling team. At the University of Notre Dame, Keith was co-captain of the Wrestling team. He majored in accounting, but also enjoyed philosophy. He worked for several large firms before establishing his own solo accounting practice. He belongs to the AICPA and is a past president of the California Society, East Bay Chapter. A Rotarian since 1989, he has served on the ORE Board and is a long-time member of the Karl Stucki World Community Service Committee. WCS has provided him with many travel opportunities abroad. His personal mantra is “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. One of the most fun experiences of being a Rotarian is visiting other Rotary clubs and swapping banners.

Barbara Beery, President-Elect Mary Geong and Joe Goralka recently attended the Rotary International Annual Convention and all presented banners to President Dudley. The banners were from Jinga, Uganda; Seabrook, Texas; and Sri Lanka. Anyone travelling soon? Dudley would like more banners for his wall. Barbara Beery, co-chair of the Karl F. Stucki World Community Service Committee, shared many of the programs our ORE and RI donations have funded during 2021-2022. They included six new projects in Africa, a program for blind university women in Ethiopia, programs in many countries that addressed water sanitation issues, a malaria elimination project, cash for school supplies, a project to protect endangered species, a program to help Afghan refugees and a project in Ukraine. We are touching so many lives.

President-Elect Mary Geong reported we recently distributed 350 safety alarms to residents of Oakland Chinatown. In collaboration with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Asians United, San Francisco Chinatown Rotary and the Rotary Club of San Francisco, we will distribute additional safety alarms on Saturday, June 18. The Oakland Police Department will offer a training presentation on personal safety and the collaborative organizations will distribute the personal safety alarms.

Past President Robert Kidd invited all Rotarians to join him on the third leg of the Epic Hike. On Sunday, June 26th, the hike will be 6+ miles through Redwood Regional Park. In August, the fourth and final leg of the hike will be from Chabot Regional Park to San Leandro. Please sign up on the Club Website Calendar.

Jesse Schmidt, chair of the Business Development Committee, invited everyone to attend the Summer Solstice Mixer on June 21st from 5:30-7:30 pm at the home of Giovanna Tanzillo. The event is co-sponsored by the Business Development Committee and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce. As a special treat, there will be a live performance by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. Pres.

Dudley encouraged us to come out and bowl with the Rotary King Pins for six weeks starting on Wednesday, July 6th at The Plank. The team needs two or three more players. All levels of bowling experience are welcome. Last year the team came in 4th out of 15 teams. Contact Dudley for information and to participate.

Our speaker, Joel Makower, was introduced by Michael Bruck, whom he has known since they were in high school. Joel is the CEO and co-Founder of GreenBiz Group. He has travelled all over the world speaking about sustainability strategies, innovation and the effects of climate change. Joel is also the author of 12 books. Much progress is being made in this area even without government mandates. Many corporations are starting programs on their own and having an impact unbeknownst to many of us.

Jack McAboy, Karen Friedman, Linda Boessenecker, Fred Morse, Barbara Beery, Mary Geong and Michael Bruck rang the bell for Keith Giron. Keith Giron rang the bell for Dudley Thompson’s demotion.

Click here to watch Joel Makower's video segment.

Missed our meeting, but interested in checking out the next one? Click below to learn more. https://www.oakland-rotary.org/calendar

#serviceaboveself #rotaryinternational #rotaryclubofoakland #rotaryopensopportunities

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - June 16, 2022

Posted June 16th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,391st Civic Thursday meeting of the 3rd established Rotary Club in the world. The Ballroom was full of Rotarians, and there were many people participating on Zoom.

Thought for the Day – Alex Kaffka

Alex Kaffka shared an inspiring quote by Stephen Covey: “When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That’s when you can get more creative in solving problems.”

Visiting Rotarians & Guests

Past President & District Governor Ed Jellen introduced Ruth Stroup’s guest, Dr. Edie Zusman. In the ballroom Joe Goralka introduced visiting Rotarian and fellow Assistant District Governor (along with Joe) Dianne Dorn, past president of the San Leandro Rotary Club. C J Hirschfield also introduced her guest, just as a glitch in the sound system caused the microphone to malfunction and the name was inaudible.

Member Re-Introduction – Keith Giron

Karen Friedman reintroduced Keith Giron. Since it was also Keith’s birthday, the ballroom audience serenaded him with the “Happy Birthday” song. A native of Denver, Colorado, Keith excelled in sports, including cross country and wrestling in high school. He was captain of the cross-country team and co-captain of the wrestling team. At the University of Notre Dame, Keith was co-captain of the Wrestling team. He majored in accounting, but also enjoyed philosophy. He worked for several large firms before establishing his own solo accounting practice. He belongs to the AICPA and is a past president of the California Society, East Bay Chapter. A Rotarian since 1989, he has served on the ORE Board and is a long-time member of the Karl Stucki World Community Service Committee. WCS has provided him with many travel opportunities abroad.  His family consists of three daughters, an adopted son and two grandchildren. His personal mantra is “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”.

Banner Exchange

One of the most fun experiences of being a Rotarian is visiting other Rotary clubs and swapping banners. Barbara Beery, President-Elect Mary Geong and Joe Goralka recently attended the Rotary International Annual Convention and all presented banners to President Dudley. The banners were from Jinga, Uganda; Seabrook, Texas; and Sri Lanka. Anyone travelling soon? Dudley would like more banners for his wall.

World Community Service Report

Barbara Beery, co-chair of the Karl F. Stucki World Community Service Committee, shared many of the programs our ORE and RI donations have funded during 2021-2022. They included six new projects in Africa, a program for blind university women in Ethiopia, programs in many countries that addressed water sanitation issues, a malaria elimination project, cash for school supplies, a project to protect endangered species, a program to help Afghan refugees and a project in Ukraine. We are touching so many lives.

Chinatown Personal Safety Alarm Distribution

President-Elect Mary Geong reported we recently distributed 350 safety alarms to residents of Oakland Chinatown. In collaboration with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Asians United, San Francisco Chinatown Rotary and the Rotary Club of San Francisco, we will distribute additional safety alarms on Saturday, June 18. The Oakland Police Department will offer a training presentation on personal safety and the collaborative organizations will distribute the personal safety alarms.

Summer Solstice Mixer

Jesse Schmidt, chair of the Business Development Committee, invited everyone to attend the Summer Solstice Mixer on June 21st from 5:30-7:30 pm at the home of Giovanna Tanzillo.  The event is co-sponsored by the Business Development Committee and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce. As a special treat, there will be a live performance by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir.

Epic Hike – Part 3

Past President Robert Kidd invited all Rotarians to join him on the third leg of the Epic Hike. On Sunday, June 26th, the hike will be 6+ miles through Redwood Regional Park. In August, the fourth and final leg of the hike will be from Chabot Regional Park to San Leandro. Please sign up on the Club Website Calendar.

Rotary King Pins

Pres. Dudley encouraged us to come out and bowl with the Rotary King Pins for six weeks starting on Wednesday, July 6th at The Plank. The team needs two or three more players. All levels of bowling experience are welcome. Last year the team came in 4th out of 15 teams. Contact Dudley for information and to participate.

Program for the Day – Joel Makower

Our speaker, Joel Makower, was introduced by Michael Bruck, whom he has known since they were in high school. Joel is the CEO and co-Founder of GreenBiz Group. He has travelled all over the world speaking about sustainability strategies, innovation and the effects of climate change. Joel is also the author of 12 books. Much progress is being made in this area even without government mandates. Many corporations are starting programs on their own and having an impact unbeknownst to many of us.

Bellringers

Jack McAboy, Karen Friedman, Linda Boessenecker, Fred Morse, Barbara Beery, Mary Geong and Michael Bruck rang the bell for Keith Giron.

Keith Giron rang the bell for Dudley Thompson’s demotion.

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating and adjourned the meeting at 1:32 pm reminding everyone to Serve to Change Lives and don’t keep Rotary a Secret.

Next Meeting, June 23 – Lance McGee – Unique Derique

C J Hirschfield announced our program will be provided by Lance McGee. When not bringing joy to all ages as a professional clown, his alter-ego Lance McGee is a Trauma-Informed Wellness Consultant, Drama Therapist, and Mindfulness Coach providing support to Oakland middle-school educators, administrators, staff, and students. Lance’s work also includes training SFJazz teaching artists and other educators who work with middle school youth, as well as leading workshops on recognizing trauma-informed care practices and mindfulness for non-profit organizations, health clinics, colleges and educational systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. His past also includes school-based counseling for the East Bay Agency for Children, as well as work with the Mindful Life Project.

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - JUNE 9th, 2022

Posted June 9th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, June 9th, 2022

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,390th Civic Thursday meeting of the 3rd oldest Rotary Club in the world. We are a diverse group of some 270 business, professional and community leaders dedicated to Service Above Self. Together we recited our vision statement, “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.”

As a member of the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Committee, Derreck Johnson encouraged all of us to practice the DEI principles - use respectful language, be supportive, foster a welcoming and inclusive environment and celebrate diversity in our daily lives. He also wished everyone a Happy Pride Month.

Past President Lorna Padia Markus reminded all of us that being a meeting sponsor is a terrific way to promote your business or non-profit and contribute to the club. CPA’s are busy all year long, consulting, planning tax strategies, trying to understand and make sense of new changes to the tax code and how that applies to their clients. She also emphasized the value of working with a tax professional who can assist with future planning and making sure you are following current tax laws. 

Greg Knight provided some background about our speaker today, Fred Palmer. Mr. Palmer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communications with an emphasis in marketing and business management from San Francisco State University. He is the founder and publisher of Outword Magazine, an award-winning LGBTQ magazine in its 27th year. He is the original founding member of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce and the Rainbow Chamber Foundation and has served several terms as president on each board.  He's worked with many community organizations doing special events and fundraisers; including PFLAG, Davis Pride, Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and the Sacramento LGBTQ wedding Expo, all helping to raise awareness for LGBTQ issues and bring in necessary funding. 

Fred and his team also created Sacramento Drag Queen Bingo, which has raised over $350,000 for local charities and is now managed by the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce. 

Mr. Palmer shared with us that he was raised in upstate New York in a military family and youngest of five boys. Despite a strict upbringing, his family supported him when he came out. He attended San Francisco State University at the height of the AIDS epidemic and became an activist. He discussed his struggles working in the telecommunications industry and initially having to live a double life; a boss suggested that a picture of his dog instead of a picture of his boyfriend on his desk might be more appropriate. He discussed businesses who actively solicited the LGBTQ community and advertised to them but also discussed pink washing, a practice in which companies pretend to be interested in the community.

He spoke about the origins of Pride Month and how it arose from the Stonewall Uprising in New York the summer of 1969. He emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion and why using pronouns are supportive of people who are transitioning. In addition, he shared his thoughts about the freedoms the LGBTQ community currently enjoys and how those may be at risk in the current political climate. He also shared his passion for providing scholarships to students and watching the amazing change in their lives.

President Dudley thanked him and announced a contribution will be made in his name to this year’s Rotary focus on the environment – ESRAG – The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group.

Click here to watch Fred Palmer's video segment.

Missed our meeting, but interested in checking out the next one? Click below to learn more. https://www.oakland-rotary.org/calendar

#serviceaboveself #rotaryinternational #rotaryclubofoakland #rotaryopensopportunities

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - June 9, 2022

Posted June 9th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,390th Civic Thursday meeting of the 3rd oldest Rotary Club in the world. We are a diverse group of some 270 business, professional and community leaders dedicated to Service Above Self. Together we recited our vision statement, “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.”

Thought for the Day– Derreck Johnson

As a member of the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Committee, Derreck Johnson encouraged all of us to practice the DEI principles - use respectful language, be supportive, foster a welcoming and inclusive environment and celebrate diversity in our daily lives. He also wished everyone a Happy Pride Month.

Visiting Rotarians & Guests

Kristine Watson introduced and welcomed Michelle Ingram from the Alameda Rotary Club. Renia Webb introduced Janani Ramachandran who is running for Oakland City Council District 4. Gary Flaxman welcomed his guest, Jerry Lazarus.

Meeting Sponsor – Lorna Padia Markus – Mowat Mackie & Anderson

Past President Lorna Padia Markus reminded all of us that being a meeting sponsor is a terrific way to promote your business or non-profit and contribute to the club. CPA’s are busy all year long, consulting, planning tax strategies, trying to understand and make sense of new changes to the tax code and how that applies to their clients. She also emphasized the value of working with a tax professional who can assist with future planning and making sure you are following current tax laws. She observed the profession has suffered some attrition due to COVID and requested that if any of us know accountants who work to contact her. She noted that the reason her company, Mowat Mackie & Anderson, has been successful for the past 40 years is because of the care and attention provided and nurturing relationships with clients.

Saroni-Lena Scholars

Committee Co-Chair Steve Blair announced first and foremost, the committee has been renamed the Oakland Rotary Scholarship Committee awarding the Saroni-Lena scholarships. This year’s recipients, their high school, their nomination for an outstanding teacher, their college of choice, intended major and Rotary mentors who are committed to seeing them through four years of college are listed here: 

1. Nazario Ambrocio Jimenez attended Skyline High School and nominated Ms. Monica Vu. His mentor is Steve Blair.

2. Amanda Chieng attended Oakland Tech and nominated Ms. Ray’Von Jones. She will attend UC Berkeley and major in psychology. Her mentor is Janice Brickley.

3. Elizabeth Dang attended Oakland Tech and nominated Ms. Ray’Von Jones. Her mentor is Riza Hernandez.

4. Paula Pablo attended Oakland Unity High School and nominated Mr. PJ Nguyen. Her mentor is Diane Schaffer.

5. Lorenzo Drilleau-Craft attended Oakland Tech and nominated Mr. Jeremy Sutton. He will attend UC Irvine and hopes to major in literary journalism. His mentor is Pat Williams.

Dreyan Paul attended McClymonds High School and nominated Mr. Satoshi Suga. He will attend San Diego State and study nutritional science. His H.O.P.E. mentor, Gary Flaxman, will continue to be his mentor.

Adrian Segura attended Oakland High School and praised his teacher, Raven Mangiante. He will attend UC Berkeley and study computer science. He is interested in getting a teaching credential at Cal Teach. His mentor is Fred Morse.

Jose Valencia nominated Ms. Fukumoto. Ralph Sklar will be his mentor.

Bryce Walker attended Skyline High and nominated Ms. Monica Vu. He will attend San Diego State and is interested in obtaining a degree in African American studies. Gary Flaxman will be his mentor.

Fanny (Jeanne) Zhu attended Skyline High School and will attend UC Berkeley to study sociology. She nominated Mr. Shane Durkan and her mentor will be Kristina Brouhard.

Before the Rotary meeting today started, students, teachers and Rotarians enjoyed a little celebration party. Congratulations to all of the scholarship students!

Epic Hike – Part 3

Past President Robert Kidd invited all Rotarians to join him on the third leg of the Epic Hike. On Sunday, June 26th, the hike will be 6+ miles through Redwood Regional Park. In August, the fourth and final leg of the hike will be from Chabot Regional Park to San Leandro. Please sign up on the Club Website Calendar.

Summer Solstice Mixer

Jesse Schmidt, chair of the Business Development Committee, invited everyone to attend the Summer Solstice Mixer on June 21st from 5:30-7:30 pm at the home of Giovanna Tanzillo.  The event is co-sponsored by the Business Development Committee and Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce. As a special treat, there will be a live performance by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. Please sign up on the Club Website Calendar.

Announcements

Oakland Chinatown Personal Safety Alarm Distribution: President Dudley reported we recently distributed 350 safety alarms to residents of Chinatown. In collaboration with the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Asians United, San Francisco Chinatown Rotary and the Rotary Club of San Francisco, we will be distributing additional safety alarms on Saturday, June 18 from 10:00 am to noon. The Oakland Police Department will offer a training presentation on personal safety and the collaborative organizations will distribute the personal safety alarms. We need volunteers at around 9:30 in the morning to affix lanyards to the alarms and stay to help show recipients how to use the alarms. Sign up on the Club Website Calendar to volunteer.

Rotary King Pins: Pres. Dudley also encouraged us to come out and bowl with the Rotary King Pins for six weeks starting on Wednesday, July 6th at The Plank. All levels of bowling experience are welcome. Contact Dudley for information and to participate. Last year the team came in 4th out of 15 teams.

Blood Donations Needed: He also reminded us to give blood when we can as the blood banks are always in need of contributions. Contact the American Red Cross for information.

Program for the Day – Fred Palmer

Greg Knight provided some background about our speaker today, Fred Palmer. Mr. Palmer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communications with an emphasis in marketing and business management from San Francisco State University. He is the founder and publisher of Outword Magazine, an award-winning LGBTQ magazine in its 27th year. He is the original founding member of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce and the Rainbow Chamber Foundation and has served several terms as president on each board. He's worked with many community organizations doing special events and fundraisers; including PFLAG, Davis Pride, Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and the Sacramento LGBTQ wedding Expo, all helping to raise awareness for LGBTQ issues and bring in necessary funding. 

Fred and his team also created Sacramento Drag Queen Bingo, which has raised over $350,000 for local charities and is now managed by the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce. 

Mr. Palmer shared with us that he was raised in upstate New York in a military family and youngest of five boys. Despite a strict upbringing, his family supported him when he came out. He attended San Francisco State University at the height of the AIDS epidemic and became an activist. He discussed his struggles working in the telecommunications industry and initially having to live a double life; a boss suggested that a picture of his dog instead of a picture of his boyfriend on his desk might be more appropriate. He discussed businesses who actively solicited the LGBTQ community and advertised to them but also discussed pink washing, a practice in which companies pretend to be interested in the community.

He spoke about the origins of Pride Month and how it arose from the Stonewall Uprising in New York the summer of 1969. He emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion and why using pronouns are supportive of people who are transitioning. In addition, he shared his thoughts about the freedoms the LGBTQ community currently enjoys and how those may be at risk in the current political climate. He also shared his passion for providing scholarships to students and watching the amazing change in their lives.

President Dudley thanked him and announced a contribution will be made in his name to this year’s Rotary focus on the environment – ESRAG – The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group.

Bellringers

Kristine Watson rang the bell for the Oakland Rotary Scholarship Committee.

Lorna Padia Markus rang the bell twice for the students and mentors honored today.

Steve Blair rang the bell for donors to ORE and the Scholarship Committee.

Dudley Thompson and Ruth Stroup rang the bell for Lorna Padia Markus.

Elida Scola and Greg Knight rang the bell for Fred Palmer and the LGBTQ community.

Our speaker, Fred Palmer, rang the bell three times for our scholarship program

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating and adjourned the meeting at 1:25 pm reminding everyone to Serve to Change Lives and don’t keep Rotary a Secret.

Next Meeting, June 16 – Joel Makower

Past President Michael Bruck announced next week’s speaker will be Joel Makower, CEO of GreenBiz, an Oakland company helping businesses transition to a green economy.

And on June 30th, you don't want to miss the demotion of President Dudley Thompson. 

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