The Face of a Rotarian
About one year ago, I spent a weekend in San Jose attending the Rotary training for presidents-elect (PETS) along with hundreds of other incoming Rotary club presidents. In several of my classes, was an enthusiastic young man in his 90s. Bob Rouch was from the Rotary Club of Kingsburg in District 5230. On the last day of training, he did not show up for the morning general session; he had died in his sleep the night before.
Bob was a charter member who helped form the Kingsburg club in 1968. In 1970, he served as the club’s third president. He was not able attend a Rotary president’s training back then. He felt it was something that was missing in his life. So, in his 90s, Bob got the opportunity to attend the 2016 Far West PETS. He was having the time of his life. He was alert and energetic. He asked lots of questions. He was smiling and laughing all the time.
I have thought a lot about Bob since then. Here is a Rotarian who waited 46 years to get a training that he wanted. Not because he needed it but because he thought it would make him feel more complete as a Rotarian. Bob was as enthusiastic about being a Rotarian on the last day of his life as he was when he helped form a Rotary club nearly 50 years ago. I don’t know much about his life and I only had brief opportunities to talk to him or listen to him talking to others. But I don’t need to know about his life as a Rotarian. His face, his presence, and his spirit told the story for him. I only wish that I will still reflect that spirit of Rotary should I be fortunate enough to live as long as Bob.
January musical theme: In honor of African-American history month, Rick Harrell (Veterans Outreach; Heroes' Voices), our song master, led us in singing Wade in the Water, a song tied to our country’s pre-Civil War history and the yearning of slaves to find their way to freedom.
Rotarian of the Month: President David recognized Lynn Luckow (Crowdfunding; LikeMinded.org) as January’s Rotarian of the Month. A relatively new member, Lynn stepped forward forcefully to become engaged in the club by being a featured speaker, hosting a new member orientation, and working with the club to use his crowdfunding site, likeminded.org. Lynn has become actively involved on the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) steering committee: his office has become the meeting place for RYLA.
Programs: Andrew Gunther, an expert in environmental science and policy, presented an enlightening and scary picture of the science behind climate change. He described how environmental scientists around the world have unanimously concluded that we are in the midst of human-caused climate change that is increasing the global temperature at a rate never before seen in history.
Wilma Gandoy, a legal affairs officer in the Mexican Consulate, gave a brief description of her role and some of the issues she handles. She entertained wide-ranging questions from the audience addressing many issues in the news today, including the status of immigration and migration between the USA and Mexico, drug trafficking, and the Trump Administration's proposed wall.
On Emergency Services Day, thanks to the generosity of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation and the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, we honored each of these first responders with a crystal trophy plus a one-night stay at the Drake, dinner at Scala's, brunch in the Starlight Room, and spending money to make their night extra special:
Sheriff: Deputy Charles Gascon and Deputy Michael Li for prompt efforts to revive an unconscious man on the sidewalk near Turk and Van Ness. They administered CPR until a medic arrived on the scene and took over resuscitation efforts as the victim was transported to the hospital.
Fire: Firefighter Derek O’Leary, a 28-year veteran of SFFD. During a 4-alarm fire, he searched for individuals inside a blazing building. When he found an unconscious victim behind a bed, he gave his own oxygen mask to the victim and got him safely out of the building.
Police: Officer Michelle Spear and Police Services Aide Orlaigh Campbell for their quick action in coming to the aid of a man who collapsed near baggage claim at San Francisco International Airport. He had suffered a heart attack, had no pulse, and was not breathing. They used an automated external defibrillator and CPR to restore his pulse, and he regained consciousness.
Coast Guard: Lieutenant Jesse C. Keyser for his work rescuing two hikers who were stranded on the cliffs near Bolinas Beach. In the dark of night, with strong winds and zero visibility due to heavy fog, he skillfully maneuvered a helicopter above the cliff so other rescue personnel could be lowered down 200 feet to bring the stranded hikers to safety.
Celebrations: President-Elect John Mathers (Management Consulting; eVo Associates) donated $100 in recognition of his daughter’s pregnancy.
San Francisco Rotary Foundation: Foundation President Anita Stangl (Nonprofit Management; Alliance for Smiles) presented these checks:
$12,000 to sponsor 22 high school students at camp and four scholarships at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program.
$7,000 to support inner-city youth and offer financial literacy education programs of the SF Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts.
$6,000 to support scholarships for students at Lowell and Washington High Schools, where we sponsor active Interact clubs.
We need your help: At our next Bike Build, we will again assemble and donate 100 bicycles to needy children. For the first time, we are using a crowdfunding site to reach out to a broader audience for funding. We are asking Rotarians to go to likeminded.org, click on the bike build program, and share it with at least three of your personal contacts via social media.
We need a few members to help make our World Wide Rotary Day a success by making follow-up calls to consulates, and to serve as hosts for the Consuls General at the event, beginning at 11 AM on March 21. If you can help, contact WWRD Chair Kevin Leong (Institutional Fundraising; University of San Francisco) this week at kmleong@usfca.edu or (510) 697-7665.
We're nine months into our year-long membership contest. Who will win the grand prize: a week in paradise on the Big Island at Harold Hoogasian’s Kona condo?
Leading the pack is Stephanie Schmautz, close behind is Rhonda Poppen, with David Dye, Emily Borland, Casey Blair, Laine Hendricks, John Mathers, Greg Gutting, Cecile Chiquette, Sacha Joshi, Eric Schmautz, and Peter Logan close on their heels. Also very much in contention are Carrie Condran LaBriola, Christy Nguyen, Anita Stangl, Tim Hornbecker, Kecin Waldeck, Dora Dye, Esther Lerner, Luis Moran, Jim Patrick, and Olga Pishchevskaya.
It's easy to get points: bring a guest to a luncheon, sponsor a new member, help host an event, be a mentor for a new member, or be a connector for an existing member. Full contest details are available here.
There's still plenty of time to capture that grand prize!
Each year members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco contribute to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International (TRF) in support of RI’s areas of focus: Peace and Conflict prevention/resolution, Disease prevention/treatment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child health, Basic Education & Literacy and Economic and Community Development.
Launched with a donation of $26.50 in 1917, The Rotary Foundation is now turning 100 years old, its funds have grown to over $1 billion, enabling it to support the mission of Rotary throughout the world. While we encourage every member to donate at least $200 every year, we are asking every club member to donate at least $26.50 to TRF this year to honor this Centennial Anniversary.
Many of our club members and friends have already made donations to The Rotary Foundation this Rotary Year, including those who participated in our annual Super Bowl Pool: Evelyn Abad, Casey Blair, Q2 Winner Emily Borland, Jim Bradley, Tom Briody, Tom Brunner, Q2 Winner Cecile Chiquette, Jyoti Chokshi, Brent Cunningham, Peter DeCastro, David Dye, Jim Emerson, JT Forbes, Warren Grawemeyer, Greg Gutting, Rick Harrell, Laine Hendricks, Allan Herzog, John Hoch, Grant Hundley, Q4 Winner Dan Joraanstad, Jim Kennedy, Carrie Condran LaBriola, Q1 and Q3 Winner Peter Lagarius, Q1 Winner Ben Lam , Kevin Leong, Peter Logan, Lynn Luckow, Matt Makowicz, Fred Marschner, John Mathers, Katherine McCall, Luis Moran, Phyllis Nusz, Jim Patrick, Scott Plakun, Stacey Poole, Q3 Winner Rhonda Poppen, Paul Praetzel, Nazee Ranker, Q4 Winner Wendy Ross, Donna Lee Rubin, Eric Schmautz, Molly Jean Schmautz, Stephanie Schmautz, Jean Schore, David Shen, Anita Stangl, Michael Strohl, Martha Sullivan, Lilian Tsi-Stielstra, Kevin Waldeck, ElisabethWhitney, Frank Yoke.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, many thanks to Lilian Tsi-Stielstra and her husband, Scott Steilstra, for hosting the Club’s Super Bowl party this year!
Thanks to all of this generosity, our Club has already donated $41,000 towards our $50,000 donation target for this Rotary Year. And our Club is just $22,000 short of reaching the major milestone of $2,000,000 in total donations to TRF, a rare accomplishment among the 35,000 Rotary Clubs around the world! Reaching our $50,000 goal means that more than 3,000 children will be inoculated against polio; attaining the $2,000,000 mark would mean that an additional 7,500 children will be inoculated. And did you know that gifts made to the RI Global Polio Initiative are matched 2 to 1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?
You are recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow when your donations to The Rotary Foundation reach $1,000. For those members who are not yet Paul Harris Fellows, The Rotary Club of San Francisco will match your contribution dollar for dollar to help you get there. Watch for a letter with more information if you are eligible.
For more information about how to make a donation, contact Frank Yoke (fyokeiii@gmail.com, 510-577-9221) or Phyllis Nusz (pjnusz@aol.com, 209-472-3422).
Join us at the service opportunity where club members and guests will stuff diaper bags with the supplies new moms need to help care for their babies. The bags will be distributed to pregnant women involved in Prenatal Classes at the Homeless Prenatal Project. Afterwards, we'll walk down the block to Mars Bar and Restaurant for food, fellowship, and fun.
Come and join us at the Rotary Club of San Francisco’s Whiskey Tasting at the University Club. Gerry Gianni, an honored guest of numerous whiskey makers in Kentucky, Ireland and Scotland, will lead the conversation and tasting. The cost is $15, and you can sign up online as space is limited. Appetizers will be served … and if you are more interested in learning about whiskey than drinking it, other beverages will be available from the bar.
Join us at one or both of the Baby Showers at the Homeless Prenatal Program where we will give expectant mothers diaper bags filled with supplies. The party for Spanish speakers starts at 10:30, the party for English speakers starts at 12:30.
A volunteer organizer, medical advocate, and member of the Board of Directors for Coalition of Concerned Medical Professionals (CCMP), Ms. Montemayor will discuss CCMP and its efforts to stand up for the right to free-of-charge medical, dental, and optical care for low-paid workers in the Bay Area.
Ben Delaney will tell us about SCRAP and how it supports education by providing art teachers with the supplies that they need, the environment by diverting reusable materials from landfill, the arts by providing either low-cost or free art supplies made with reused materials to local artists, and the development of the workforce by creating jobs for developmentally-challenged youth.
Everyone involved in Rotary leadership should attend this annual conference to learn how to work effectively under the leadership of District Governor Elect Ron Gin. This annual event is a must for all committee chairs and incoming leaders.
World Wide Rotary Day honors the San Francisco Consular Corps as the special guests of the Rotary Club of San Francisco. One of the most popular programs on our club's annual calendar, WWRD was founded in 1997 to recognize our club's international service activities and the support of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Advance registration required.
Bob was a charter member who helped form the Kingsburg club in 1968. In 1970, he served as the club’s third president. He was not able attend a Rotary president’s training back then. He felt it was something that was missing in his life. So, in his 90s, Bob got the opportunity to attend the 2016 Far West PETS. He was having the time of his life. He was alert and energetic. He asked lots of questions. He was smiling and laughing all the time. 
Rotarian of the Month: President David recognized Lynn Luckow (Crowdfunding; LikeMinded.org) as January’s Rotarian of the Month. A relatively new member, Lynn stepped forward forcefully to become engaged in the club by being a featured speaker, hosting a new member orientation, and working with the club to use his crowdfunding site, 
Programs: Andrew Gunther, an expert in environmental science and policy, presented an enlightening and scary picture of the science behind climate change. He described how environmental scientists around the world have unanimously concluded that we are in the midst of human-caused climate change that is increasing the global temperature at a rate never before seen in history.
Leading the pack is Stephanie Schmautz, close behind is Rhonda Poppen, with David Dye, Emily Borland, Casey Blair, Laine Hendricks, John Mathers, Greg Gutting, Cecile Chiquette, Sacha Joshi, Eric Schmautz, and Peter Logan close on their heels. Also very much in contention are Carrie Condran LaBriola, Christy Nguyen, Anita Stangl, Tim Hornbecker, Kecin Waldeck, Dora Dye, Esther Lerner, Luis Moran, Jim Patrick, and Olga Pishchevskaya. 
