Oakland Rotary News

ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - JUNE 2nd, 2022

Posted June 2nd, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, June 2nd, 2022

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,389th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland both In-person and Zoom at 12:33 pm.

Dana Sack recited a famous quote by Jane Goodall about doing good and doing well. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” 

Merlin Edwards introduced our newest Rotarian, Mary Finch, with several interesting facts. Mary is a good singer who has soloed with the San Francisco Opera. She has also sung in movie trailers and previously worked at Skywalker Ranch. She is an avid San Francisco Giants fan. Her father was a golf coach, but she isn’t very good at it…like most of us. Welcome, Mary!

Past President Sean Marx reintroduced Cal Stanley. Cal was born in Arkansas in a family of 10 siblings. He moved to California in 1960 and in 5th grade joined the Boys & Girls Club. He was later hired by the Boys & Girls Club working through high school while being paid $.75/hour! He was a great basketball player and graduated from Castlemont High School and later from the University of Pacific. Shortly after graduation he was recruited to run the Boys & Girls Club of Oakland and has now led that organization for decades.

Community Service Committee Chair David Kittner gave a year-end update. The committee focuses on four major areas for grants; social justice, arts, environment and community. The Community Service Committee gave multiple grants to social justice organizations including St. Vincent de Paul for new computers. They also gave a total of $10,000 to four separate arts entities, $18,000 to four different environmental organizations and $9,000 to two community non-profits.

The Feed the Hungry campaign raised $51,300 from Rotarians setting a record for the most ever raised. They made grants of $7,328 to seven organizations who source and distribute food: Alameda County Food Bank, Bay Area Meals on Wheels, Harbor House, Oakland Catholic Worker Food Program, Operation Dignity, St. Mary’s Center, and St. Vincent de Paul. The committee had multiple service days with the Policy Activity League and cleaning Lake Merritt Gardens. 

There will be a service day June 11th at the Torii Gate Garden at Lake Merritt. Committee members will be cleaning and prepping an area to install a sign in recognition of the 60th partnership anniversary of Oakland and its sister city, Fukuoka, Japan.

Instead of a traditional speaker this week, Pres. Dudley called on six Rotary Club members, who had joined during the pandemic, to give their respective “Three Minute Introductions”. 

Nicole Wilhelm explained that she is former Oakland Rotarian, but moved to Folsom during the pandemic because of her real estate business with her husband. She has done TED talks and will give a TEDx talk on The Real Estate of your Mind. She is a Bay Area native and mother of a five-year old. Nicole belonged to the Sacramento Rotary Club while living in Folsom and shared that her mother-in-law was president of a club in the Philippines.

Pam Claassen joined Rotary two years ago as she anticipated retirement. She met her husband John, also an Oakland (and former Stockton) Rotarian, online through eharmony over 20 years ago even though they were geographically “undesirable” – meaning they lived 70 miles apart. A third-generation Oaklander, she graduated from Skyline High School and from Linfield College. She was an accountant and later CFO of American Baptist Homes of the West.  

Lou Rigali was born in Boston and trained as a chemist. He does custom printing and spends a lot of time with his nonprofit, Home All. This organization he started looks to find ways in the community to shift the culture to care for one another.  

Pauline Fox’s retirement motto is “do good and have fun”. She has an accomplished family of news anchors, authors, and healthcare professionals. She has been a lawyer and was Chief Legal Officer of Kaiser Permanente. She likes to hike, bike and crochet.

David Kersten is a video producer.  A graduate of Georgetown University where he received his Master’s degree, he’s is most grateful for his family and two daughters.  He previously worked in politics and is an adjunct professor at University of San Francisco.  He produces videos for entrepreneurs to help them connect with their ideal client.  His core values are collaboration, vision, justice, knowledge and excellence. He observed that Rotary fits well into them.

Trisha Connors grew up in Garden Grove and went to UCLA, partially funded by a Rotary scholarship. She moved to San Francisco and got involved in local politics.  Later she moved to Sacramento and spent time supporting the legislature. She graduated from law school and had a variety of jobs in different cities, including Chicago, Spokane, St. Paul, New Jersey and San Jose, as her husband’s career at Merrill Lynch took them far and wide. She was a court appointed special advocate (CASA) and moved back to the Bay Area before getting a teaching job.  

A big thank-you to Nicole, Pam, Lou, Pauline, David and Trisha for sharing your stories.  You are one step closer to receiving your permanent blue membership badge!

Click here to watch the video segment of our 6 Rotary Club Members who joined duing pandemic.

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 2, 2022

Posted June 2nd, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,389th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland both In-person and Zoom at 12:33 pm.

Thought for the Day– Dana Sack

Dana Sack recited a famous quote by Jane Goodall about doing good and doing well. “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” 

Visiting Rotarians & Guests – Ed Jellen

Past President & District Governor Ed Jellen announced there were no visiting Rotarians.

New Member Induction – Mary Finch

Merlin Edwards introduced our newest Rotarian, Mary Finch, with several interesting facts. Mary is a good singer who has soloed with the San Francisco Opera. She has also sung in movie trailers and previously worked at Skywalker Ranch. She is an avid San Francisco Giants fan. Her father was a golf coach, but she isn’t very good at it…like most of us. Welcome, Mary!

Member Re-Introduction – Cal Stanley

Past President Sean Marx reintroduced Cal Stanley. Cal was born in Arkansas in a family of 10 siblings. He moved to California in 1960 and in 5th grade joined the Boys & Girls Club. He was later hired by the Boys & Girls Club working through high school while being paid $.75/hour! He was a great basketball player and graduated from Castlemont High School and later from the University of Pacific. Shortly after graduation he was recruited to run the Boys & Girls Club of Oakland and has now led that organization for decades. Cal has a beautiful family including three children and four grandkids.

With loud applause for Cal, there were many bellringers, listed elsewhere.

Community Service Committee Year-End Report

Community Service Committee Chair David Kittner gave a year-end update. The committee focuses on four major areas for grants; social justice, arts, environment and community. The Community Service Committee gave multiple grants to social justice organizations including St. Vincent de Paul for new computers. They also gave a total of $10,000 to four separate arts entities, $18,000 to four different environmental organizations and $9,000 to two community non-profits.

The Feed the Hungry campaign raised $51,300 from Rotarians setting a record for the most ever raised. They made grants of $7,328 to seven organizations who source and distribute food: Alameda County Food Bank, Bay Area Meals on Wheels, Harbor House, Oakland Catholic Worker Food Program, Operation Dignity, St. Mary’s Center, and St. Vincent de Paul. The committee had multiple service days with the Policy Activity League and cleaning Lake Merritt Gardens. 

There will be a service day June 11th at the Torii Gate Garden at Lake Merritt. Committee members will be cleaning and prepping an area to install a sign in recognition of the 60th partnership anniversary of Oakland and its sister city, Fukuoka, Japan.

Announcements

Oakland A’s Game – President Elect Nominee Tom Limon announced there are some tickets left for the Oakland A’s game versus the Boston Red Sox on June 5th. There will be a tailgate that is not to miss!  

Gala Report – Gala Co-Chair Trisha Connors gave an update on the hugely successful Oakland Rotary Gala.  The goal to raise $100,000 was beat handily and netted a total of $125,000 with over 200 people in attendance. Trisha thanked her co-chair Kerry Hamill and others for their support and help making this a successful event. Proceeds go to Oakland Rotary Endowment to fund next year’s club service projects.

Elkhorn Slough Kayaking – High Adventure Co-Chair Mark Rosen announced the Elkhorn Slough kayaking trip is set for Saturday June 11th. See the club website calendar for more information and to register.

Summer Solstice Mixer – Jesse Schmidt, Business Development Committee Chair, announced the summer solstice mixer, co-sponsored with the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, will take place June 21st from 5:30-7:30 pm at the home of Giovanna Tanzillo in Piedmont. A special treat will be music by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir.

Program for the Day – Getting to Know Our Members

Instead of a traditional speaker this week, Pres. Dudley called on six Rotary Club members, who had joined during the pandemic, to give their respective “Three Minute Introductions”. 

Nicole Wilhelm explained that she is former Oakland Rotarian, but moved to Folsom during the pandemic because of her real estate business with her husband. She has done TED talks and will give a TEDx talk on The Real Estate of your Mind. She is a Bay Area native and mother of a five-year old. Nicole belonged to the Sacramento Rotary Club while living in Folsom and shared that her mother-in-law was president of a club in the Philippines.

Pam Claassen joined Rotary two years ago as she anticipated retirement. She met her husband John, also an Oakland (and former Stockton) Rotarian, online through eharmony over 20 years ago even though they were geographically “undesirable” – meaning they lived 70 miles apart. A third-generation Oaklander, she graduated from Skyline High School and from Linfield College. She was an accountant and later CFO of American Baptist Homes of the West.  

Lou Rigali was born in Boston and trained as a chemist. He does custom printing and spends a lot of time with his nonprofit, Home All. This organization he started looks to find ways in the community to shift the culture to care for one another.  

Pauline Fox’s retirement motto is “do good and have fun”. She has an accomplished family of news anchors, authors, and healthcare professionals. She has been a lawyer and was Chief Legal Officer of Kaiser Permanente. She likes to hike, bike and crochet.

David Kersten is a video producer.  A graduate of Georgetown University where he received his Master’s degree, he’s is most grateful for his family and two daughters.  He previously worked in politics and is an adjunct professor at University of San Francisco.  He produces videos for entrepreneurs to help them connect with their ideal client.  His core values are collaboration, vision, justice, knowledge and excellence. He observed that Rotary fits well into them.

Trisha Connors grew up in Garden Grove and went to UCLA, partially funded by a Rotary scholarship. She moved to San Francisco and got involved in local politics.  Later she moved to Sacramento and spent time supporting the legislature. She graduated from law school and had a variety of jobs in different cities, including Chicago, Spokane, St. Paul, New Jersey and San Jose, as her husband’s career at Merrill Lynch took them far and wide. She was a court appointed special advocate (CASA) and moved back to the Bay Area before getting a teaching job.  

A big thank-you to Nicole, Pam, Lou, Pauline, David and Trisha for sharing your stories.  You are one step closer to receiving your permanent blue membership badge!

Bellringers

Sean Marx, Linda and Jim Boessenecker, Jack McAboy, Trisha Connors, Fred Morse, Robert Kidd, Ed Jellen, Mike Bruck, Merlin Edwards, Lorna Padia Markus, Ruth Stroup, Stephanie Casenza, Wise Allen and Joycie Mack rang the bell for Cal Stanley.

Cal Stanley rang the bell for Sean Marx. 

Jack McAboy and Mary Geong rang the bell for Trisha Connors.

Lorna Padia Markus rang the bell for the Gala Committee.

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating, announced next week’s program will include this year’s Saroni-Lena Scholarship winners, and adjourned the meeting at 1:31 pm reminding everyone to Serve to Change Lives and don’t keep Rotary a Secret.

Stories Next Meeting, June 9 – Fred Palmer – Celebration of Gay Pride Month

Greg Knight announced next week’s speaker will be Fred Palmer, who will speak and celebrate Gay Pride Month. Fred is the founder and Publisher of Outword Media Marketing and Events Inc., an award-winning LGBTQ magazine now in its 27th year.  Fred is a founding member of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce and the Rainbow Chamber Foundation and has served several terms as President on each board. He has worked with many community organizations, doing special events and fundraisers including PFLAG, Davis Pride, SIGLFF, and Sacramento LGBTQ Wedding Expo, helping to raise awareness for LGBTQ issues and bring in necessary funding.

The meeting will be in-person in the Ballroom as well as Via Zoom and Facebook Live.

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - MAY 26th, 2022

Posted May 26th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, May 26th, 2022

President Dudley Thompson called the 5,388th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland to order as he rang a cowbell. He announced that next Thursday’s meeting and hopefully every Thursday meeting thereafter (at least through the end of June) will be in-person at the California Ballroom. There will be no meeting on July 7. Mary Geong’s inauguration as our next President will be on July 14. Of course, much depends on what the future holds on the Covid front.

Pres. Dudley then offered a little history on Memorial Day. It was started in 1869 by General John Logan, a Union Veteran leader, who called for a national day of remembrance when Americans would decorate the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers whose bodies “lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet in the land”. Memorial Day has since become a major National Holiday on which we remember all military men and women who have fallen in service of their country.

For his Thought for the Day, Past President Jack McAboy gave us a memorable quote from James Baldwin: “I love America more than any other country in the world. For exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” Jack then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Past President & District Governor Ed Jellen greeted Catherine Coleman’s guest, Diane Williamson. Another guest who signed in after Ed’s greeting was Ruth Stroup’s guest, Rachel Crawford.

New member Etan Fraser broke the Club record for giving his Three Minute Self-Introduction a mere week after joining the Club! Etan is a real estate developer and broker and also a corporate attorney. He recited a personal experience that inspired him to become a Rotarian. While working for a nonprofit in a very impoverished area of Ghana in the summer of 2009, he suddenly came upon a new facility bearing the Rotary logo. He has always remembered this as proof that Rotary is willing to support projects in poor areas of the world that the international community often ignores. Etan also remembered seeing a school being built in Ghana with everyone in the village taking on a chore, from women carrying bricks on their heads, to the bricklayers and the planners. He soon realized that was a good analogue for Rotary’s emphasis on collective engagement in community service. Because Rotarians are blessed with a special degree of professional and financial success, they feel a special calling to join in collective action to serve those in need here and abroad. 

Speakers Committee Chair Robert Kidd introduced our speaker, food historian and chef George Geary from Palm Springs. George is the author of Made in California, a history of the fast food industry that began in California. In addition to his other credits (including hosting several TV and radio shows), George worked as the pastry chef at Disney Co. for ten years. Later on, he made all the cheesecake and food props for the “Golden Girls” TV show. More recently he has led food tours through the South of France and has been a star food guide on numerous Holland America cruises throughout the world.

Some highlights from George’s presentation:

He got the idea of writing about California being the incubator of fast food when, on his way to teaching a food class at Purdue, he noticed that 16 out of 18 restaurant recommendations at a particular Indiana locality were launched in California. Eighty percent of his Made in California book is about restaurants that are still around; the rest is nostalgia for ones that had their heyday but have since vanished. 

The Sonora Café began in 1923 in Southern California; it later changed its name to El Cholo and is still in business and expanding. Hinky Dinks, which began in Oakland, later on turned into Trader Vics.

McDonald’s began as “McDonald Brothers”. After failing to make a go running a movie theatre, the brothers got their fast food venture going by using pretty, winking girls as car hops to build up a clientele.

Carl’s Jr. began in 1941 as “The Blimp”. Denny’s began as “Danny’s Donuts”.

Swensen’s ice cream began in San Francisco in 1948; it’s still there, but there are only three left in the US. Its demise began when it outsourced the ice cream making and added a hamburger lunch menu.

A&W diners began in Lodi in 1919. In ‘n Out began in Southern California in 1948.

George’s next book is “L.A.’s Landmark Restaurants”, which is due to come out later this year. After that he plans to publish a sequel to Made in California that covers the later period of 1965 to 2012. George’s website is: www.georgegeary.com

Click here to watch George Geary'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 - May 26, 2022

Posted May 26th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson called the 5,388th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland to order as he rang a cowbell. He announced that next Thursday’s meeting and hopefully every Thursday meeting thereafter (at least through the end of June) will be in-person at the California Ballroom. There will be no meeting on July 7. Mary Geong’s inauguration as our next President will be on July 14. Of course, much depends on what the future holds on the Covid front.

Memorial Day History

Pres. Dudley then offered a little history on Memorial Day. It was started in 1869 by General John Logan, a Union Veteran leader, who called for a national day of remembrance when Americans would decorate the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers whose bodies “lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet in the land”. Memorial Day has since become a major National Holiday on which we remember all military men and women who have fallen in service of their country.

Thought for the Day & Pledge of Allegiance – Jack McAboy

For his Thought for the Day, Past President Jack McAboy gave us a memorable quote from James Baldwin: “I love America more than any other country in the world. For exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” Jack then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Visiting Rotarians & Guests – Ed Jellen

Past President & District Governor Ed Jellen greeted Catherine Coleman’s guest, Diane Williamson. Another guest who signed in after Ed’s greeting was Ruth Stroup’s guest, Rachel Crawford.

Self Introduction – Etan Fraser

New member Etan Fraser broke the Club record for giving his Three Minute Self-Introduction a mere week after joining the Club! Etan is a real estate developer and broker and also a corporate attorney. He recited a personal experience that inspired him to become a Rotarian. While working for a nonprofit in a very impoverished area of Ghana in the summer of 2009, he suddenly came upon a new facility bearing the Rotary logo. He has always remembered this as proof that Rotary is willing to support projects in poor areas of the world that the international community often ignores. Etan also remembered seeing a school being built in Ghana with everyone in the village taking on a chore, from women carrying bricks on their heads, to the bricklayers and the planners. He soon realized that was a good analogue for Rotary’s emphasis on collective engagement in community service. Because Rotarians are blessed with a special degree of professional and financial success, they feel a special calling to join in collective action to serve those in need here and abroad. 

Announcements

Oakland A’s Game – President Elect Nominee Tom Limon urged more of us to sign up for the Sunday June 5 battle between the A’s and the Boston Red Sox. As an extra enticement, the price has been reduced to $80 per person. It’s a great deal: you’ll get to enjoy the easy social interaction and good field views from our specially reserved, private section that’s right next to the field. There’s also a sumptuous 11 am tailgate before the 1 pm game start. In addition to the Red Sox game, Tom has also organized a similar outing to the Aug. 20 home game against the N.Y. Yankees. Buy tickets on the Club’s Calendar website.

Oakland Chinatown Personal Safety Alarm Distribution – President Elect Mary Geong heralded an important service project on Saturday, May 28 at the Renaissance Plaza. In collaboration with Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of San Francisco, Rotary Chinatown/San Francisco Club and other community organizations, we will be distributing 300 safety alarms (with Rotary lanyards) to Asian residents who are at risk of anti-Asian hate crime violence. Mary will be leading another similar distribution on June 18. We need more Rotarians to help with this project!

Other Service Projects and Activities – Pres. Dudley reminded us that Rotary is all about service. So all who can, should try to join in the safety alarm project and the Club’s other service projects. They are great opportunities to get better acquainted with your fellow Club members. Further on the subject of service, Pres. Dudley reminded us of the Club project, organized by Daniel Cheng, to help Clean Up and Improve the Lake Merritt Gardens on June 11. Or if you just want fun and adventure, join Mark Rosen on Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough also June 11. On June 21, Business Development is co-hosting a mixer party at the home of Giovanna Tanzillo. On June 24, Robert Kidd will lead us on the third stage (of the four-part Epic Hike), this time through Redwood Park. Finally, Bowling with our club squad, “the Rotary Kingpins”, is returning for six weeks beginning on July 6. It’s great fun. Pres. Dudley said to qualify all you need is a pulse and ability to pick up and roll a bowling ball with two hands. The team needs more players. Contact Pres. Dudley for more info.       

Annual Club Survey – PLEASE, PLEASE FILL OUT THE ANNUAL DEI SURVEY!  (It’s been the subject of several emails from Jesse Bowdle and other special announcements.)  Time is running out. The Club leadership needs this valuable feedback!

Blood Drive – Pres. Dudley said there’s still a big need for blood. Contact the American Red Cross and give whenever you can.

Program for the Day – George Geary

Speakers Committee Chair Robert Kidd introduced our speaker, food historian and chef George Geary from Palm Springs. George is the author of Made in California, a history of the fast food industry that began in California. In addition to his other credits (including hosting several TV and radio shows), George worked as the pastry chef at Disney Co. for ten years. Later on, he made all the cheesecake and food props for the “Golden Girls” TV show. More recently he has led food tours through the South of France and has been a star food guide on numerous Holland America cruises throughout the world.

Some highlights from George’s presentation:

He got the idea of writing about California being the incubator of fast food when, on his way to teaching a food class at Purdue, he noticed that 16 out of 18 restaurant recommendations at a particular Indiana locality were launched in California.

Eighty percent of his Made in California book is about restaurants that are still around; the rest is nostalgia for ones that had their heyday but have since vanished.

The Sonora Café began in 1923 in Southern California; it later changed its name to El Cholo and is still in business and expanding.

Hinky Dinks, which began in Oakland, later on turned into Trader Vics.

McDonald’s began as “McDonald Brothers”. After failing to make a go running a movie theatre, the brothers got their fast food venture going by using pretty, winking girls as car hops to build up a clientele.

Carl’s Jr. began in 1941 as “The Blimp”.

Denny’s began as “Danny’s Donuts”.

Swensen’s ice cream began in San Francisco in 1948; it’s still there, but there are only three left in the US. Its demise began when it outsourced the ice cream making and added a hamburger lunch menu.

A&W diners began in Lodi in 1919.                         

In ‘n Out began in Southern California in 1948.

(Editor’s Note: since we were all attending remotely, not surprisingly a number of members used the Chat Box to let everyone know of their early employment at these and other fast food outlets. We have much more in common than we thought.)

George’s next book is “L.A.’s Landmark Restaurants”, which is due to come out later this year. After that he plans to publish a sequel to Made in California that covers the later period of 1965 to 2012. George’s website is: www.georgegeary.com

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating and adjourned the meeting at 1:31 pm reminding everyone to Serve to Change Lives and don’t keep Rotary a Secret.

Bellringers

Joycie Mack rang the bell. Isaac Kos-Read rang the bell in honor of Children’s Fairyland’s successful gala and Kymberly Miller and C J Hirschfield, who as the current and former Fairyland Executive Directors respectively, have played big roles in this important civic institution

Next Meeting, June 2 – Getting To Know Our New Members

For a change of pace, President Dudley Thompson will call upon a group of recently-inducted Rotary Club members to give their respective "Three Minute Introductions." Don't miss this opportunity to meet and interact with our newest Club members. The meeting will be in-person in the Ballroom as well as Via Zoom and Facebook Live.

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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - May 19, 2022

Posted May 19th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson called the 5,387th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland to order at 12:30 p.m.

Thought For The Day - Cathy Jackson-Gent 

Cathy Jackson-Gent announced the word for the day is “Reset”. She said reset is very important and it is time to refresh. Her thought: time is like a flashlight to see where you want to be.

New Member Inductions – Bill Purcell, Etan Fraser & Cynder Niemala

Past President John Protopappas introduced Bill Purcell, who has been in Oakland real estate brokerage for over 50 years. John shared two interesting facts: 1) earlier in his career, Bill financed many project—from teamsters to Las Vegas, and 2) he has spent many years around horses, as a thoroughbred owner and rider.

President Elect-Elect Tom Limon introduced Etan Fraser, whom he cited as the most interesting man in the world. He shared two interesting facts: 1) Etan has traveled in 51 countries and is interested in the work of Rotary International, and 2) he is a one-time musician and recovering lawyer.

Mark Miller introduced Cynder Niemala, an author and executive coach.  Interesting facts about Cynder are 1) she has lived all over the world – in 100 countries and has worked in Saudi Arabia, and 2) she is an avid hiker and biker and interested in the environment.

Pres. Dudley welcomed all three, described the items they will receive once we are in the ballroom again, including membership pin, badge, and copy of the membership directory, plus promised them the traditional rousing standing ovation from their fellow Rotarians once we are in person again.  Welcome Bill, Etan and Cynder!

Announcements

President Dudley announced that the May 19th and 26th Civic Thursday meetings will be zoom-only meetings. We will be back in the Ballroom starting June 5th for hybrid meetings.

Oakland A’s Games – Tom Limon asked Rotarians to come to two Oakland A’s games for which Oakland Rotary has the private Gold Road Landing section in the ballpark. Sunday, June 5 and Sunday August 28th there will be tailgate parties at 11 am in a special area at the bottom of the BART Ramp. The June 5th tailgate will feature resident mixologist, Dudley Thompson. On August 28th there will be a Paella cookoff between Oakland and the San Leandro Rotary Club. Buy tickets on the Club Calendar website.

Speakers for 2022-2023 – Incoming Committee Chair Ruth Stroup invited Rotarians to join the Speakers Committee which is starting planning now for programs beginning in July. She also invited us to suggest fabulous speakers for the coming year. Email her at ruth@stroupins.com.

The Rotary Foundation Campaign for 2022 -- Joe Goralka, Co-Chair of The Rotary Foundation Committee shared some great news. Out of the 46,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide, Oakland #3 is 11th in its donations to TRF. We donated a total of $161,218. Our member participation is just under 70%, compared to the average which is 30% of club members. He gave a shout-out to the committee members, committee co-chair Leeann Alameda, the many new Paul Harris Fellows and those members who made leadership gifts, all of which contributed to our success.

Program for the Day – Peter Gamez, in conversation with John Albrecht  

President Dudley introduced Peter Gamez, President & CEO of Visit Oakland and John Albrecht, Vice President of Marketing at Oakland International Airport.

John reported that new concessions are opening at the airport, including Oaklandish, Peets Coffee and Subway.  More are coming in the months ahead. While the public is getting back to more travel, post-Covid, some of the airlines are still dealing with pilot shortages and having to cancel some flights.

Peter reported that with university graduations, small conventions and some international travel, Oakland is beginning to see people to come to the city for activities. He commented that during the pandemic, some hotels, in Oakland and the rest of the Bay Area, took advantage of the time to do renovations. Visit Oakland is now focusing on rebuilding the current staff team and filling key positions. They are also working on marketing strategies to attract people. One such program was Restaurant Week which took place in March

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating and adjourned the meeting at 1:30 p.m. reminding everyone to Serve to Change Lives and don’t keep Rotary a Secret.

Next Meeting, May 26 – George Geary – Made in California

Robert Kidd announced our speaker on May 19th is food historian and chef George Geary. He will talk about the impact California has had on the fast-food industry. Ever been to a McDonalds, A&W Root Beer, See’s Candies, Peets, Foster’s Freeze, or IHOP to name a few? They all started in California. Be sure to join in and hear more. The meeting is a zoom-only meeting.

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High Adventure - Weekly Cycling

Posted May 14th, 2022 in Events and Activities
Weekly Cycling - Saturday mornings 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

High Adventure has weekly cycling events. The rides vary in length and difficulty. 

We cycle through out Alameda, Contral Costa and Marin. 

Current Cycle rides: Three Bears, Tunnel Road, Two Bridges, Century Ride to Sacramento

To be placed on the ride notification list email Mark Rosen at Highadventure@outlook.com 

Committee: 
Activities Committees
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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - May 12, 2022

Posted May 12th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

After a ten-minute delay due to Zoom technical issues, President Dudley Thompson called the 5,386th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland to order at 12:40 p.m. This was a special members-only meeting devoted to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Thought For The Day - Theresa Weyand 

Theresa Weyand quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

Announcements

President Dudley announced that the May 19th and 26th Civic Thursday meetings will be zoom-only meetings. He also reported on upcoming club events and activities. Details on the events and information for signing up are listed on the adjoining Activities column.

Program for the Day – Viva Asmelash

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee chair Celeste Gordon introduced committee consultant Viva Asmelash. Viva has fifteen years of experience in marketing, leadership training, and development is a first-generation Eritrean-American and an Oakland resident. 

The goals for the meeting were: 1) to hear from the DE&I consultant and committee members on DE&I at the club; 2) increase comfort, tools, and reliance in engaging one another in dialogue; and 3) gain a clearer understanding of key terms and to connect with each other.

Committee member Wil Hobbs read the Rotary International DE&I code of conduct: 

Use respectful language 

Be supportive

Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment

Celebrate diversity

Viva asked members to close their eyes and think of a place where they had the deepest sense of belonging and where they had the least sense of belonging. In discussing why belonging matters to all of us, she shared a quote from Christianne Garofalo:

"Diversity is a fact. Inclusion is a behavior. But belonging is the emotional outcome that people want in their organization."

After reviewing key terms (diversity, equity, inclusion, identity groups, intersectionality), the members were sent to breakout rooms to continue the discussion.

Viva urged members to take the club survey, participate in the upcoming evening group sessions, and to sign up for one-on-one interviews.

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked everyone for participating in this important meeting and adjourned the meeting at 1:46 p.m.

Next Meeting, May 19 – Peter Gamez – Traveling The Post Covid World

Robert Kidd announced our speaker on May 19th is Peter Gamez, President and CEO of Visit Oakland. He will speak about traveling in the post-Covid world. The meeting is a zoom-only meeting.

Civic Thursdays
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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - MAY 5th, 2022

Posted May 5th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, May 5th, 2022

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,385th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland. Founded in 1908, Rotary has over 36,000 clubs in 200 countries. Due to the recent surge in COVID, especially among some club members, this meeting is being held as a remote-only meeting. President Dudley encouraged the use of the chat function to all members and guests. 

Past President Robert Kidd, filling a last-minute void, provided the thought for the day. Quoting T.S. Elliott, from the Waste Land, in recognition of the preceding month shared this: “April is the cruelest month, breeding/ lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/memory & desire, stirring/ dull roots and spring rain.” Thank you, Robert, for your willingness to always help when you are needed!

Past President and Past District Governor Ed Jellen was happy to introduce Keith Uriarte’s guest, Barry Donelan as well as Lance Knobel, CEO of CitySide.

Oakland A’s Game & Tailgate—Rumor had it that President elect-elect, Tom Limon was stuck in a store and unable to reach a computer to zoom into the meeting (hmmm…interesting excuse, Tom!) so President Dudley pinch hit and shared that we have 100 tickets for the A’s v. Boston Red Sox game on Sunday, June 5th, and, although he is pretty sure that Past President Sean Marx is good for about 50 of the tickets, he encouraged people to purchase tickets through the Club Website Calendar. As an incentive, Tom provides an excellent tailgate and Dudley is going to bartend! The tailgate starts at 11 am and the game at 1:10 pm.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee—Chair Celeste Gordon shared that Inclusion Consultant, Viva Asmelash, will facilitate our meeting on May 12th. This is a very special opportunity for members to shape the future direction of the committee’s work. The meeting is for members only and members are asked to pre-register for the meeting on the Club Website Calendar. Look for messages next week to prompt attendance and registration. Alternative, virtual sessions will be held on May 12th at 5:30 pm and May 19th at 5:30 pm. There is also a survey in development that club members will be receiving.

Bike the Bridges—Mark Rosen shared information on the upcoming bike ride, Saturday May 14th, that will travel over both the Benicia and Carquinez bridges. Interested members can register on the Club Website Calendar and should plan to meet at 8:30 am. The ride starts at 9 am.

Epic Hike, Part Three—Saturday, June 25th, Past President Robert Kidd will lead a hike through the Oakland Hills. This is the third of the four-part hike. Register through the website.

District Leadership Training—Rotary District 5170 is sponsoring District Leadership Training from May 16th—19th.

Safety Alarms Distribution—In collaboration with The San Francisco/Chinatown Rotary Club , San Francisco Rotary Club and Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, we will distribute safety alarms on May 28th and June 18th to residents in Chinatown. More information will be coming.

Nancy Williams introduced our newest Rotarian, Davey Warner. Davey, a former Rotarian in his former home, is a music communications graduate where he focused on guitar. However, he spent his summers facilitating wilderness and outdoor experiences leading to a career in outdoor recreation. A year ago, he followed his wife to the Bay Area where they are celebrating their first anniversary on May 15th. Welcome Davey! We will give you standing ovation when we are back together again!

Isaac Kos-Reed introduced our speaker of the day, Tasneem Raja. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Oaklandside, a new nonprofit newsroom serving Oakland, California that amplifies community voices, shares information resources, and investigates systems, not just symptoms. She was a senior editor at NPR’s Code Switch, a reporting team that investigates issues of race and identity in America. She founded and led a data journalism team at Mother Jones that built the first-ever database of mass shootings in America. She co-founded The Tyler Loop, a nationally recognized nonprofit community journalism and storytelling platform in East Texas. She lives in Oakland with her husband, her daughter, and two imperious terriers.

Tasneem discussed with us the importance of local news. Research has shown that local news strengthens democracy and builds healthier, local communities. The need is huge as 2,100 newspapers have folded in the last 15 years. Large hedge fund owners take over local newsrooms, make significant cuts and the newspapers then fail. To quantify the importance of local newsrooms, research also shows communities with local newsrooms have higher voter rates, less corruption, lower municipal bond rates, less polarization, and stronger, more engaged communities.

Their big idea is to strengthen democracy and community through a nonprofit that focuses on local news network that’s built to scale, serve and last. Currently they have an audience of over 500,000 who visit monthly and 53,000 newsletter subscribers. Built to amplify community voices, share information and resources and investigating systems, not symptoms they listen to Oakland residents.

After taking a few audience questions, President Dudley thanked Tasneem for her presentation and honored her with a contribution to the ESRAG.

Click here to watch Tasneem Raja'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

Civic Thursdays
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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - May 5, 2022

Posted May 5th, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Live Oak Newsletter

Call To Order - President Dudley Thompson

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,385th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland. Founded in 1908, Rotary has over 36,000 clubs in 200 countries. Due to the recent surge in COVID, especially among some club members, this meeting is being held as a remote-only meeting. President Dudley encouraged the use of the chat function to all members and guests.  

Thought For The Day - Robert Kidd

Past President Robert Kidd, filling a last-minute void, provided the thought for the day. Quoting T.S. Elliott, from the Waste Land, in recognition of the preceding month shared this: “April is the cruelest month, breeding/ lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/memory & desire, stirring/ dull roots and spring rain.” Thank you, Robert, for your willingness to always help when you are needed!

Visiting Rotarians and Guests

Past President and Past District Governor Ed Jellen was happy to introduce Keith Uriarte’s guest, Barry Donelan as well as Lance Knobel, CEO of CitySide.

Meeting Sponsor – Kevin Kelley, Oakland Lacrosse Club

Oakland Lacrosse Club is today’s meeting sponsor. Founder and Executive Director, Kevin Kelley, shared how important the three years he has been in Rotary have meant to the organization including having three dedicated Rotarians on the board of directors—Harold Lowe, Tom Limon, and Sean Marx. Oakland Lacrosse provides a holistic model for youth development focusing on leadership development, academic counseling, and wellness education. Currently serving 2,000 youth in 13 schools they have a goal to expand to 20 Oakland schools by 2024. Kevin shared two items in a call to action for Rotarians 1) help at their annual potluck, 4:30 pm on May 17th. Send him an email at kevin@oaklandlacrosse.org if you can help. 2) Oakland Lacrosse is in the midst of their “one town, one family” fundraising drive where they need 1,000 donors at any level by May 17th. If they reach this goal the organization will receive $100,000!

Announcements

Oakland A’s Game & Tailgate—Rumor had it that President elect-elect, Tom Limon was stuck in a store and unable to reach a computer to zoom into the meeting (hmmm…interesting excuse, Tom!) so President Dudley pinch hit and shared that we have 100 tickets for the A’s v. Boston Red Sox game on Sunday, June 5th, and, although he is pretty sure that Past President Sean Marx is good for about 50 of the tickets, he encouraged people to purchase tickets through the Club Website Calendar. As an incentive, Tom provides an excellent tailgate and Dudley is going to bartend! The tailgate starts at 11 am and the game at 1:10 pm.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee—Chair Celeste Gordon shared that Inclusion Consultant, Viva Asmelash, will facilitate our meeting on May 12th. This is a very special opportunity for members to shape the future direction of the committee’s work. The meeting is for members only and members are asked to pre-register for the meeting on the Club Website Calendar. Look for messages next week to prompt attendance and registration. Alternative, virtual sessions will be held on May 12th at 5:30 pm and May 19th at 5:30 pm. There is also a survey in development that club members will be receiving.

Bike the Bridges—Mark Rosen shared information on the upcoming bike ride, Saturday May 14th, that will travel over both the Benicia and Carquinez bridges. Interested members can register on the Club Website Calendar and should plan to meet at 8:30 am. The ride starts at 9 am.

Epic Hike, Part Three—Saturday, June 25th, Past President Robert Kidd will lead a hike through the Oakland Hills. This is the third of the four-part hike. Register through the website.

District Leadership Training—Rotary District 5170 is sponsoring District Leadership Training from May 16th—19th.

Safety Alarms Distribution—In collaboration with The San Francisco/Chinatown Rotary Club , San Francisco Rotary Club and Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, we will distribute safety alarms on May 28th and June 18th to residents in Chinatown. More information will be coming.

New Member Induction – Davey Warner

Nancy Williams introduced our newest Rotarian, Davey Warner. Davey, a former Rotarian in his former home, is a music communications graduate where he focused on guitar. However, he spent his summers facilitating wilderness and outdoor experiences leading to a career in outdoor recreation. A year ago, he followed his wife to the Bay Area where they are celebrating their first anniversary on May 15th. Welcome Davey! We will give you standing ovation when we are back together again!

Speaker for the Day – Tashneem Raja

Isaac Kos-Reed introduced our speaker of the day, Tasneem Raja. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Oaklandside, a new nonprofit newsroom serving Oakland, California that amplifies community voices, shares information resources, and investigates systems, not just symptoms. She was a senior editor at NPR’s Code Switch, a reporting team that investigates issues of race and identity in America. She founded and led a data journalism team at Mother Jones that built the first-ever database of mass shootings in America. She co-founded The Tyler Loop, a nationally recognized nonprofit community journalism and storytelling platform in East Texas. She lives in Oakland with her husband, her daughter, and two imperious terriers.

Tasneem discussed with us the importance of local news. Research has shown that local news strengthens democracy and builds healthier, local communities. The need is huge as 2,100 newspapers have folded in the last 15 years. Large hedge fund owners take over local newsrooms, make significant cuts and the newspapers then fail. To quantify the importance of local newsrooms, research also shows communities with local newsrooms have higher voter rates, less corruption, lower municipal bond rates, less polarization, and stronger, more engaged communities.

Their big idea is to strengthen democracy and community through a nonprofit that focuses on local news network that’s built to scale, serve and last. Currently they have an audience of over 500,000 who visit monthly and 53,000 newsletter subscribers. Built to amplify community voices, share information and resources and investigating systems, not symptoms they listen to Oakland residents.

After taking a few audience questions, President Dudley thanked Tasneem for her presentation and honored her with a contribution to the ESRAG.

Bellringers

Jack McAboy rang the bell for Kevin Kelley.

Isaac Kos-Read rang the bell for Davey Warner and for the Cityside Oakland publication.

Harold Lowe rang the bell for his son and daughter, Oscar and Taylor Lowe, who recently received their Eagle Scout designations. They are the only African-American brother and sister team who have earned the award together. And Taylor is the only African-American girl in California and the West Coast to earn the Eagle Scout. Congratulations to Oscar and Taylor!

Adjournment

President Dudley thanked those who rang the bell, meeting participants, and our speaker. The meeting was adjourned at 1:33 pm as he reminded us to Serve to Change Lives and Don’t Keep Rotary a Secret!

Next Meeting, May 12 – Cultivating a Sense of Belonging for All

The meeting on May 12 is a members-only, in-person meeting in the Ballroom. Pre-registration is required. Go to the Club Website Calendar to sign up. Inclusion Consultant Viva Asmelash will facilitate the meeting on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It will be an interactive engagement session with members participating in small group discussions. Members who are unable to attend the in-person meeting, can participate in a Zoom meeting at 5:30 pm.

Civic Thursdays
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ROTARY CLUB OF OAKLAND CIVIC LUNCHEON MEETING - APRIL 21st, 2022

Posted April 21st, 2022 by Sandeepa Nayak in Civic Thursday Video Recordings
Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Luncheon Meeting, April 21, 2022

President Dudley Thompson called to order the 5,384th Civic Thursday meeting to order – highlighting the fact that Oakland Rotary is the 3rd Rotary Club established and we are proudly a diverse group of over 270 members. Our membership includes business owners, professionals and community leaders. 

Pres. Dudley then asked all to join him in reciting our Rotary Vision Statement which, in part, states that together we see a world united to take action.

Davey Warner, soon-to-be-inducted new member and avid outdoorsman shared a lovely and inspiring quote by Harold V. Melchert inviting us to “live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.” 

Past President & Past District Governor Ed Jellen introduced Dianne Dorn,  Past President of the San Leandro Club and Assistant District Governor, Area 4A. Ruth Stroup was pleased to welcome her “GlenFriends” to the meeting. Keri Butkevich introduced guest and husband Nickolai, and David Stein introduced Dan Walters, president of the Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Rotary Ukraine Disaster Relief Fund: In keeping with the meeting’s focus on Ukraine, President Dudley reminded us of our own fundraising efforts ignited by a generous club donor’s $10,000 challenge grant that with an additional $5,000 became a $15,000 total challenge. We have matched this gift successfully and the Club is donating $30,000 to the Rotary Foundation Disaster Response Fund assisting those affected by the war in Ukraine. So far, according to the Rotary International website, 53 disaster response grants, totaling nearly $1.5 million have been awarded.  Many thanks to all club members who joined in this generous response.

John C. Weaver Jr., M.D. Memorial – April 30th: Rotarians are invited to attend the Memorial honoring the life of our esteemed colleague, John C. Weaver, Jr. M.D., whose passion was appreciated and loved by many in our club, and especially those in the World Community Services Committee who accompanied him on his travels for humanitarian projects.

The Memorial will take place Saturday, April 30, 3:30 pm at Piedmont Community Church, 400 Highland Avenue, Piedmont.

National Volunteer Week: This week being National Volunteer Week, Pres. Dudley asked us to celebrate by volunteering for some of the upcoming events listed on our website’s Event Calendar. Dudley also thanked the volunteers who made the virtual Civic Thursday meeting possible.

Golf Tournament at Poppy Ridge Golf Course: The Golf Tournament on April 29th at Poppy Ridge Golf Course is sold out.

Sarah Chavez-Yoell introduced new club member Robert Kenney who is an attorney and serves as PG & E’s Senior Vice President of Regulatory and External Affairs. He is an East Bay resident and proud father of two sons. In his spare time Robert enjoys spending time with family, playing tennis, riding his bike and going to the movies. Welcome Robert!

David Stein introduced our guest speaker with an impressive list of achievements. Thomas E. Graham is a Distinguished Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He was the Senior Director for Russia on the National Security Council Staff during the George W. Bush administration and a special assistant to the president while managing a White House-Kremlin strategic dialogue. He is a co-founder of the Russian, East European and Eurasian studies program at Yale University, and has been a sought-after lecturer in global affairs and political science since 2011. 

Thomas’s excellent commentary gave us a behind-the-headlines look at what is happening in Ukraine, why it happened, Putin’s motives and what likely lies ahead for better or worse. He stressed that the nature of the conflict from the Russian standpoint is larger than the war in Ukraine.  He said that Moscow sees as a threat the expansion of NATO’s euro-atlantic region in the years following the cold war when Russia was weakened. Even if the war in Ukraine is resolved, we will likely still see an attempt to destabilize the NATO bond among nations. Moscow’s fear of encroachment is so strong that the present war in Ukraine is seen by some experts as part of Russia’s larger goal to take control of the seaports and the entire territorial region along the Black Sea, for security and economic reasons. 

Putin so far has underestimated Ukraine’s resistance. The timing of the invasion was likely influenced by the fact that Zelensky was a new president who scored low in the polls in his inaugural time before the invasion, easily replaceable in Putin’s mind.  Zelensky also had made a concerted approach to NATO to make good on its 2008 promise to work toward adding Ukraine. This made Moscow nervous, as did the observation that NATO countries had begun to help train other countries on defensive exercises. Putin had little active resistance from NATO in other invasions, and he did not expect the united front it displayed this time.

Ultimately, Putin underestimated both Zelensky and the Ukraine Resistance, while overestimating the readiness and capability of his military. Thomas opined that whatever comes next in the Ukrainian-Russian war, there is likely no negotiated future for the conflict simply because Moscow wants Ukraine to surrender, and they will not do so. Putin sees victory as his only solution to Russia’s security and his personal future. He declared a goal to win the war by May 9, an important Russian Victory Day Holiday celebrating its triumph over Nazi Germany. Whether he will resort to maniacal weaponry to get there, or instead focus on seizing the Donbas region to declare victory, remains to be seen in the days ahead. He is already a war criminal for the organized atrocities committed by Russian soldiers on civilians. Thomas feels it will take a decade or more for Ukraine to recover from all that has happened so far. And the impact on its people much longer, if ever.

Click here to watch Thomas E. Graham'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

Civic Thursdays
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