The DEI Committee celebrated the Jewish tradition of Passover with a Seder meal. Our host, Betty Newman, a friend of Past President Christopher Wiseman, prepared the traditional food with two of her friends. This was the third time that Betty has invited us into her home to celebrate Passover.

Scott Plakun helped to organize and explain the meaning of the Seder during the meal. He shared the history of the Jewish people fleeing from Egypt because of persecution and slavery by the Pharaoh. 18 Rotarians and their friends or family attended this very meaningful and educational celebration.

 

 

President Bob Hermann, Jr. (Information Technology: Administration | Retired) was at home recuperating from hip surgery. He sent his heartfelt thanks for the calls and good wishes from fellow Rotarians. We welcomed President-Elect Frank Yoke III (Development | Serra Residential Center, Inc.) who called to order this month's Evening Meeting at MoMo's.

 

Our Club's Partnership with MoMo’s Restaurant
MoMo's Restaurant where we meet monthly for our Club's Evening Meeting was vandalized the day before the Opening Day of the San Francisco Giants. Club Members did not hesitate to reach into their pocket and give generously to MoMo's – a community partner that has hosted our Club with hospitality and fair pricing to make our evening meetings so enjoyable. Scott Morton, the owner of MoMo's, accepted our gift with sincere appreciation. Scott and his wife recently welcomed their second child.

Family House serves as a home away from home for families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses by providing physical comfort and emotional support, free from financial concerns. On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, three Rotarians from our Club - Mary Fermi, Carrie Schucker, and Darlene Wilson - prepared a scrumptious spaghetti and meatball meal that was enjoyed by over 100 families. These Rotarians also provided a welcoming and fun experience.

This was truly a Service Above Self project to help these families during this difficult time. Thank you to Mary, Carrie, and Darlene!

 

Mary Fermi, Darlene Wilson, and Carrie Schucker

 

Alliance for Smiles is looking for skilled photographers to capture their glamorous and meaningful Night of Smiles Gala on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. The event is a fundraiser to make surgeries for children in need around the world possible. Ideally, photographers would arrive at 4:15 PM and stay until the end of the program at 10 PM. We will provide dinner, and you'll be part of a festive, fun event that also helps kids in need. If you are interested, please contact Paul Vazquez 

Catholic Charities invites members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco to attend the upcoming Kentucky Derby Day event. Rotarians get 20% off the admission price. Derby Day will take place at St. Vincent's School for Boys in San Rafael on Saturday, May 3 from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM and will include a live viewing of the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The festivities will include giveaways, food and drinks, live music, lawn games for the whole family, a parade of hats contest, and more! Proceeds from the event will benefit the Catholic Charities programs in Marin including homeless housing prevention, equine therapy, youth services, and case management.

 

Important: Please contact Sue Robbins for the promotional code to get a discount. Apply that code here

As an early kickoff to San Francisco Pride, our May DEI Film Festival movie is Will & Harper. This powerful documentary follows actor Will Ferrell and writer Harper Steele on a 17-day road trip across the United States shortly after Harper’s gender transition when they share heartfelt conversations and moments of reflection. This film is rated R for language.

 

Buy tickets | More info

 

Scott Plakun, past President of our Club, will speak to us about why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is of crucial importance to the future of Rotary. He will also lead a discussion about how our Club’s focus on DEI has benefitted and transformed the Club and what we can do to attract more diverse members.

 

Register (In Person or Zoom) | More info

 

 

Inika Mehra, the 2025 Miss San Francisco and the founder of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Alliance, joins us to speak about stress management and how unresolved emotions can manifest in our lives — impacting physical health, mental well-being, professional growth, and interpersonal relationships

 

Register (In Person or Zoom) | More info

 

 

Join members of our Club for a night of bowling and socializing. $25 per person includes two hours of bowling, shoe rental, and pizza. There are only 12 tickets for this event; buy your ticket today.

 

Buy Tickets | More info

The annual District Conference where clubs in the District come together to celebrate the year's accomplishments under the leadership of District Governor Steve Wright will be held on May 16-18, 2025 in Santa Rosa, California. Among the traditional events will be Rotary Club Excellence awards and the traditional Governors’ “Passing of the Pick”! All members are encouraged to attend.

 

Join us for our Club's NEXT EVENING MEETING where we will conduct some Club business, have dinner, and enjoy Rotary fellowship. There is no charge to attend this meeting, but each attendee pays individually for food and beverages ordered at MoMo's. Please register yourself and your guests so that we can plan the space.

 

 

Look for the highlights from the April 22, 2025 Board Meeting in the next issue.

 

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