Volume XII, Issue 7: August 24, 2012

Fabulous Foundation (Fourth) Friday!

Announcements

We learned a few things about our District's Rotary Wheel, courtesy of a flurry of e-mails last week. We know that Past-President Scott has been storing it for us, we know that it needed a new home, we know that it is 8 feet 9 inches tall by 8 feet wide, and we know that Don Rosebrook stepped up with an offer to house the Big Symbol. Thanks, Donnie!

We also learned last week that we have a few shy members in our Club. Karen Burgesser still needs some photos to complete the Club Directory. If you haven't provided her a picture, I may have to break out my Crayolas and work up a stick-figure likeness.

Cindy Sutcliffe gave us an update on her "furniture" e-mails, which have requested donations of furniture and household items for members of our local Foster Youth community that are transitioning to independent living arrangements. "It's really benefiting a lot of folks," she said. President George (aka "Kahuna Kavinta") said that he had a sleeper sofa available. It had recently made a round trip to the Bay Area. (The return trip became necessary when it didn't fit in the stairwell of his daughter's apartment.)

Although he was probably preaching to the choir, President George brought up the issue of attendance. "As of last week, we were below 60%," he noted, which is well below our goals. We need to be above 65%, and we should shoot for much higher. So ... if you have missed a meeting, please be sure to attend a make-up meeting. Remember, even an online make-up counts.

Speaking of online make-ups, Kyle Visser noted that he will be doing a lot of those again for a while. With school starting up again, he will be unable to attend most of our regular meetings. (Kyle teaches a before-school class for his church every morning.) Nonetheless, he will be leading a group of Sunrisers for another Adopt-A-Highway effort on Saturday, September 15th. The group will meet at Jacoby Storehouse that morning at 9:45 am before heading for Samoa Boulevard. The project will be part of the 28th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day. Contact Kyle for more details.

Maggie Kraft provided an update on her friend Erto, who was born with clubfoot (talipes). Erto has undergone several casting sessions, and he recently had surgery (all part of the standard treatment). Maggie said that Erto is "on the road to recovery", and she hopes that when she visits Botswana in December, that he will be dancing around with his siblings.

Craig, Colin, and The Kahuna

The Kahuna said, "Italy - we have Fa, and you get Colin!" With that, we bid arrivederci to our Outbound Exchange Student, Colin Swenson. He will be leaving for Trieste, Italy on September 1st. President George, the would-be language teacher, taught Colin (and the rest of us) a few important Italian phrases. These included "Buon Giorno", which you must not say after 2 pm (I think). There are a few choice phrases that George missed, however. "Dove è il mio ipod?", for example means "Where is my iPod?" Or how 'bout "Sono stanco di pasta, dove posso trovare un grande hamburger venduto nei negozi McDonald's ?" ("I'm tired of pasta, where can I get a Big Mac?")

President George, Cindy, and Fa

Yes, we have Fa, or at least Cindy Sutcliffe did the other day, and she took our Exchange Student from Thailand to the Humboldt County Fair, and they had a great time. Cindy also gave Fa a welcoming present from the Club - an Arcata High School sweatshirt!

 

Special Days

We had no birthdays to celebrate, but Terri Clark's anniversary took place on Tuesday, August 21st. Thirty years ago, she married "The Most Tolerant Man in the Universe," Marty Lay. She said, "That makes me the Luckiest Woman in the Universe." On the Sunday before the event, the Tolerant and the Lucky hosted some friends at their McKinleyville home. Eight of those guests were also present at the wedding!

The Return of Brother Bob's Recognitions

Bob Johnson has been absent from the Recognitions Podium for a while, so it was good to see him querying the crowd last Friday. He started by warning, "Watch It, Craig O!" This was a reference to a photo from Craig (O.) Reed's recent trip to Mexico, in which he seems to be a victim of Margarita Malaise. Bob said, "It's great to have you in the Club, but I have some reservations." Bob indicated that he is worried that his reputation as the Club's Official Carouser may be in jeopardy. But he is up for the challenge.

Glamping in White ... and Black!

At an earlier meeting, we heard about the "glamping trip" that Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth and Jessica McKnight were on recently, but Bob noticed something in the photo that was previously overlooked. Click on the picture to see what James Hitchcock (Jessica's husband) was wearing.

Paul Shaffer

Bob noticed something else - in his semi-regular "How Did I Miss That?" feature, he saw a similarity between Late Show Bandleader Paul Shaffer and Past-President Scott Heller. Scott will be out of the country for a while, earning his dive certification in Roatan, Honduras. To follow his adventures, click on the link to his blog under "Links".

Past-President Scott

Matt Babich was in London during Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee. He waited in the rain for a glimpse at Her Majesty and endured a security check. Always health-conscious, Matt hydrated ... with champagne.

We also heard that Julie Vaissade-Elcock has an adorable granddaughter (and she certainly does) - see for yourself in the photo to your right!

 

 

 

 

Volume XII, Issue 6: August 17, 2012

Beware of Past Presidents ...

... bearing "gifts"! In this case, the Past President was Wendy Madsen, visiting from Englewood, Colorado. And the gifts were Rotary Pins, presented (for a five dollar shipping and handling charge) to Sunrisers who were in need of said accouterments to complete their Rotarian ensembles.

The Kahuna and Wendy

 

Also from Sunrises past ...

... we saw Philipp Lammers, who was an Inbound Rotary Exchange Student about ten years ago. Philipp is very close to completing the bar exam, with an illustrious career in the law to follow. Congratulations, Philipp!

Philipp and President George

Other Announcements

If you have an extra laptop (or an iPad you aren't using), please let Cindy Sutcliffe know. There is an 11-year old foster youth who could put it to good use.

Maggie Kraft has completed all of the requirements to graduate from Red Badge status to earn her Blue Badge. So last week, Kahuna Kavinta gave her the new one! Good job, Maggie!

Ian Schatz told us that in October or November, Advanced Security Systems will be moving to a new, more spacious location in Old Town Eureka. President George suggested that Ian contribute $20 to his Paul Harris Fellowship for the discreet advertisement.

President George Teaches Us Thai

The Mighty Kahuna exhorted us once again last week to greet our Exchange Student, Fa, in her native language. "SA-WAD-DEE KA" means "Hello". (I checked, and Thai words are not usually written in all capital letters. I'll let President George know.) The KA at the end means that you are talking to a female. When addressing a male, you should say "SA-WAD-DEE KRUP". For more on speaking some basic Thai, check this website: Learn How to Speak Thai. (You can learn how to ask for a Heineken.)

Scholarship Chair Jason White with Gabe and George

Ian Schatz reported on Fa's week, saying that we are still looking for Sunrisers to sign up for an activity with Fa. He said that she had joined his family in Maple Creek for an outing recently. She was "a good sport", trying the rabbit stew.

Sunrise Scholar Gabe Lewis, who graduated from Arcata High School in 2009, returned to provide an update on his academic adventures. He has used our Memorial Perpetual Scholarship to help defray the cost of attending Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Gabe said that his junior year just flew by. He is pursuing a double major in Physics and Geosciences, but he also participates in a wide range of activities such as Ultimate Frisbee and backpacking outdoors, and tutoring. Last winter, he "escaped Massachusetts" to spend time in New Zealand.

For Your Calendar ...

The Annual Rafting Trip for the District 5130 Rotary Youth Exchange Program will take place this weekend (August 24 & 25). It's the orientation for the Inbound Exchangers, and a debriefing for returning Outbounders. Oh yeah - it's a lot of fun, too.

Our first "Fifth Friday Fellowship" event will take place next Wednesday (August 29th). It's a beach barbeque to welcome our Inbound Exchange Student, Fa. The Club will provide hot dogs and burgers, but the rest is pot luck. This year's event will feature the Big Salmon Contest - whoever has caught the biggest wins something (I don't know what). However, the salmon will be eaten at 7 pm, says the Big Kahuna.

Next month, District Governor Michael Juric will make his official visit to our club on September 20 and 21. He will meet with the board of directors and committee chairs on Thursday evening (the 20th), and then he will be our featured speaker at our meeting the following morning.

Special Days ...

Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth's recent birthday was preceded by an emotional week. The family was preparing for her daughter Zöe’s departure as an Outbound Rotary Exchange Student. There was a "stream of people through the house", followed by a stay in a hotel in Santa Rosa. 

Howard Stauffer spent his birthday as a National Park Service volunteer in the Desolation Wilderness. He said that he arrived home on August 12th, and although Rebecca (Howard's wife) was on her way to an out-of-town workshop, she left homemade ice cream for him, and they were able to text back and forth.

Dave Neyra had a pleasant birthday at home with his family and friends. He said that he took the opportunity to thank his mother for bringing him into the world.

Tomas Chavez is not a Sunriser (not yet, anyway), but we celebrated his recent birthday anyway. He and four of his friends and their wives traveled to Portland, and dined at the restaurant where Tomas's brother-in-law is the Executive Chef. 

Jessica McKnight and James Hitchcock have been married for two years now, and to celebrate, they went to Jessica's favorite restaurant - Kyoto in Eureka. Congratulations!  

Rob's Recognitions!

Rob McBeth presided over the Recognitions segment of last Friday's show, and he started with Brandi Easter. Brandi recently competed in the U.S. Spearfishing Nationals with 46 other competitors at Albion Cove, California. Although the conditions were turbulent, Brandi came home with four awards, including the NorCal Skin Diver Club's "Cowboy Up" award for Brandi's work on the North Coast Regional Stakeholder Group, which advised the California Department of Fish and Game regarding implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA).

Jessica McKnight and Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth were jointly recognized for their couture (man, I hope I'm using that word correctly) on a recent "glamping" trip. Both wore white gowns as they posed before a backdrop of  coolers, tents, and campfires.

All About the Mad River Brewery

Tera Spohr

Last Friday's Featured Speaker was Tera Spohr, of Mad River Brewing Company. Tera is the brewery's  Sales and Marketing Coordinator, and she provided a brief history of the company.

The brewery was founded in 1989 by brewmaster Bob Smith, and the first beer produced was Steelhead Pale Ale, still the company's signature brew. In the early 1990's, they developed their Jamaica brand, which was originally created for Reggae on the River. The brewery produces several limited edition beers and ales, some of which are only sold on site, in their Tasting Room and Beer Garden. 

Mad River Brewery employs about 31 people, who Tera tells us, are like a family. They work very hard all day, hand-stirring each batch of ale. And their efforts are paying off -- demand and recognition have been growing, and the brand is now known throughout the country.

Tera said that the brewery has a commitment to its community, as well. The first Wednesday of each month is "Pints for Nonprofits". A portion of the proceeds from all sales on that day go to a worthy local nonprofit, and the day is often capped off with a performance in the Beer Garden. The nonprofit du jour selects the next group to be honored, to preserve the Brewery's independence.

Our Club will be touring the Brewery in the near future, but until then, you can check out their website at www.madriverbrewing.com for more information.

 

Volume XII, Issue 5: August 10, 2012

Welcome, Fa! (And Other Announcements)

The Kahuna with Fa

Last Friday, we met our new Exchange Student from Thailand, Punyanuch ("Fa") Sillapajarn from Thailand. President George led us in welcoming Fa in the Thai language. This year's Outbound Youth Exchange Counselor Cindy Sutcliffe's status report was brief - "Fa's here!"

We will officially welcome Fa at Merryman's Beach House at Moonstone Beach. The event will be our initial Fellowship Fifth Friday event, and it will take place Wednesday, August 29th at 6 pm. This year, the Arcata Noon Club will join us, as they welcome their own Inbound Exchange Student. 

Maggie and George with Banners

Dewey Keifer told us that Arcata Lumber is expanding. He said that the project should be completed by November. The larger facility will allow the business to better serve the community, and it will bring additional jobs. Kahuna George encouraged Dewey to contribute $20 to the Rotary Foundation as a small advertising fee.

Maggie Kraft presented the Kahuna with a banner from the Rotary Club of Gaborone Botswana (Maggie became a member while she was serving with the Peace Corps there), and a second from the Rotary Club of Wiesbaden, Germany, a club she visited during her Peace Corps stint. 

Special Days

The fact that Terri Clark's birthday was August 4th did not stop her from starting the celebrations back on July 25th. The festivities included a visit to a cabin on the Russian River, then dinner with special guests. All this while traveling to Alaska, among other locales. Somewhere, Terri squeezed in a jaunt to Trader Joe's for provisions.

Recognitions with Laura Montagna

Laura asked Bob Moore about his recent travels, and Bob said that he had been in Juneau shortly before Terri Clark. He was there to tool about in a small boat with six other adventurers. He spent about a week in Alaska.

Craig Reed's induction as a Sunriser was delayed for a week. He heard the "beach in Mexico that was calling [his] name". His vacation was a tale of two Cabos - he spent most of his time in Cabo San Lucas, but he also went to San Jose del Cabo. It was also a tale of jellyfish, and either Craig ate the jellyfish, or vice versa, but I didn't catch all the details from Craig, and the jellyfish ain't talkin'.

Rob McBeth shared the good news that his son and daughter-in-law recently made him a first-time grandfather. The newcomer arrived on 7/11, so they refer to him as the "Slurpee Baby". However, his real name is one of my personal favorites - Brody.

Working Together to Help Humboldt County Youth

Our Guest Speakers last week were from the Humboldt County Transition Age Youth Collaboration (HCTAYC), which brings together representatives from various agencies that are working to empower young people in the County to act for themselves. Our visitors were Rochelle Trochtenberg, who is the Youth Organizer for HCTAYC; Qaiel Peltier, a partner for the County Department of Health and Human Services' Transition Age Youth Division; and three members of the HCTAYC Youth Advisory Board - Estelle Mitchell, Kirk Lathrop, and Hilary Salas.

Rochelle, Qaiel, Estelle, Kirk, and Hilary

The program's main goal is to develop youth and give them the tools to make lasting improvements to the systems of care for transition age youth in Humboldt County. HCTAYC brings policy recommendations to various organizations in the County. One set of recommendations is aimed at improving the juvenile justice system.

The program has worked to bring together young leaders with whom the clients can identify. They work to provide consistent emotional support and connections. For more information about the Collaboration, please click the link to visit the HCTAYC website. Check the Resources page for information about the program's policy recommendations.

Volume XII, Issue 4: August 3, 2012

Special Days

Acting President Janice Newman was at the helm of the Good Ship Sunrise last week, and she took the opportunity to ask Dean Krushke about his birthday, which took place back on July 5th. Dean said that he didn’t do a lot, but he spent time with friends, then headed for Texas!

Kyle Visser said that he and his family went to the beach for his birthday on July 29th. He also told us that he and his wife Natalie got the whole family together (“which is not easy”) for a Sunday dinner that weekend.

Donnie and Jennifer Rosebrook recently celebrated their 15th anniversary. They went to Jennifer’s favorite restaurant, had dinner and some wine … and they finished the evening up at the casino.

Dewey and Kathy Kiefer have been married for four years as of July 26th, and they were in Napa prior to flying to the Virgin Islands for 1½ weeks. They did some snorkeling and had “a lot of rum”.

New Member Maggie!

Joyce, Maggie, and Cam

The third time’s a charm for Maggie Kraft – she became an honorary member of our Club before her recent Peace Corps stint in Botswana, then she joined the Lobatse Rotary, and now that she has returned as an Official Sunriser! Joyce Hinrichs greeted her on the Club's behalf. Thanks to Cam Appleton for sponsoring Maggie - twice. Welcome home, Maggie!

Announcements

There will be a board meeting on Tuesday, August 14th. As always, Red Badgers are encouraged to attend, but all Sunrisers are welcome. The meeting will take place at 7 am at the Golden Harvest Cafe ... we think.

Have you paid your dues? I don't mean some abstract karmic "dues", no, no - these are the real deal! If yours are still outstanding, please bring cash, check, or money order to our Treasurer Bryan Reeser as soon as possible.

Last week, Acting President Janice carried on President George's Rotary Minute tradition by letting us know about the Rotary Club Locator mobile app. It's free, and it's available for iPhone, Android, or Blackberry. The app allows you to search for clubs near you when you are on the road. Click here to learn more and to download the app.

Committee Reports

We heard from some of our committee chairs last week, starting with Bob Moore of the Fellowship Committee. He reminded us that months that have five Fridays (such as August) will feature Fifth Friday Fellowship. We will be "dark" (we won't hold our regular morning meeting) on those Fridays. Instead, we will meet at an alternate time and location. This month's FFF will take place on Wednesday, August 29th at Moonstone Beach. At 6 pm, we will gather at Merryman's Beach House to officially welcome our new Inbound Exchange Student from Thailand, Fa Sillapajarn.

Speaking of our Exchange Student, Cam Appleton's report on the Youth Exchange Committee's activities included the announcement that Fa would be arriving at the airport that Monday. Her three host families are in place, beginning with Lori Breyer's family. Cindy Sutcliffe will serve as Fa's counselor, while Craig Newman will be the counselor for our Outbound Exchanger, Collin Swenson.

Ceva and Terri

Our Foundation Chair, Terri Clark told us that she has three new Paul Harris Fellows to recognize, but only Ceva Courtemanche was on hand last Friday to receive the honor and the goodies. That gives us something to look forward to in future meetings. However, Terri did present some "new jewelry" to two multiple Paul Harris Fellows. Matt Babich and Joyce Hinrichs each received new pins with special stones commemorating their generosity to the Rotary Foundation.

Terri went on to say that "last year, we rocked" regarding our donations to the Foundation. We gave $2336 to the campaign to end polio, which came in addition to the record $9,155 that we donated to the Annual Program Fund. Remember, "Every Rotarian, Every Year" can be accomplished with as little as $10 per member. We achieved that last year - let's do it every year!

Rebecca Crow and Dawn Elsbree co-chair the Community Service Committee, which will meet at the Plaza Grill on Thursday, August 16th. The new projects that the group is working on include a literacy outreach program, which features portable bookcases and reading lists, and helping children at local schools with needed supplies. Ongoing projects include Adopt-A-Highway, Backpacks for Kids, support for Pastels on the Plaza, and the Annual Cross-Country Run.

The Membership Committee is co-chaired by Karen Burgesser and Charlie Jordan, and they are on a tear. Karen reminded us that it is easy to propose a new member, and August is the ideal time - it's Rotary Membership Month. Keeping Rotary in the public eye is essential to attracting new members, and next Tuesday is the first-ever "Rotary Moment Tweet Day". You are encouraged to take to Twitter and share your favorite time as a Rotarian. Use hashtag #RotaryMoment, and spread the word!

Recognitions

Orrin Plocher was our Recognitionmeister last Friday, and he asked Scott Heller about his recent travels. Scott and Robin Meiggs traveled to Maui. The trip was partly for relaxation, but Robin used to live there, and one of her Maui friends was recently diagnosed with cancer. So the trip had a dual purpose.

A half marathon is 13.1094 miles, according to Wikipedia. That's a long way to run, but Sunriser Rebecca Crow did it recently. She met her goal of completing the course within three hours. She provided another potential meme by saying that she didn't want to have to be picked up by the "Loser Bus" (the vehicle that picks up stragglers when the course has to be opened to the public once again). Maggie Kraft publicly wondered where the Loser Bus takes its passengers ...

Last Friday, Karen Burgesser celebrated her last day of work. She said that she has spent almost 18 years at Winzler & Kelly - about half of her working life. She's preparing for life after work - she recently played Bingo, which "made my Mom roar", and she's planning to do some traveling. Congratulations, Karen!

Karen may want to get some travel tips from Terri Clark. Terri has been getting around a lot. Two weeks ago, she was in Evanston, Illinois chairing a gathering of Rotarians involved in organizing multi-district President-Elect Training Seminars (PETS).  Later, she flew to Juneau, Alaska to board a cruise ship where she taught a course. She said it wasn't as glamorous as it sounded, and she is glad to be home. After all, home is where she also recently became the Director of Operations for Hunter, Hunter, and Hunt, a local accounting firm. Congratulations, Terri!

Volume XII, Issue 3: July 27, 2012

Foundation Fourth Friday

Just a reminder - President George (aka Kahuna Kavinta) decreed that we will celebrate the Rotary Foundation on the Fourth Friday of each month. In months where there is a Fifth Friday (such as August), we will have a special fellowship meeting.So ... last Friday looked like a Final Friday of yore, but it wasn't.

And we immediately had some Foundation news! The District 5130 Foundation Seminar, which had been scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 11th has been postponed. The Seminar will take place in September; the exact date will be announced soon.

Angelo, Craig, and President George

We received a note from Karen Nutter, thanking us for honoring her late husband Jerry by funding scholarships to Crabs Camp. Karen said that Jerry wanted to live where "people greeted him by name when he went to the store or out in the community". She believes that by providing the scholarships, our Club is "mark[ing] the success of his wish."

 

Our Newest Sunriser!

Craig Reed joined our ranks last Friday. His sponsor is Angelo Baciagaluppi, and we welcomed him to the Club in our traditional way - by lining up and shaking hands with him. Welcome, Craig!

 

Ian Schatz Gives His Craft Talk

In 1975, Ian Schatz learned a lesson in culture shock - his parents moved the family from Los Angeles (a little town in Southern California) to Maple Creek (a bit smaller). He said that it was a "great adventure for a kid". After all, he got to spend his first six months in Humboldt County residing in a tent! But when the rains came, the family was able to share a house with another family.

Ian Schatz

When Ian graduated from Maple Creek Elementary, he was at the top (and the bottom) of his class of one. He said that when he arrived at Arcata High School, he was "a little socially inept", but he persevered and went on to Humboldt State, where he met his wife-to-be, Elizabeth. Following a nine-year courtship, they were married 19 years ago. They have two daughters - Jasmine, who is 18 years old, and 15-year old Brianna. The girls have been homeschooled by Elizabeth.

Ian was recruited four years ago by Advanced Security Systems, and he is now their Operations Manager. He said that his tasks are quite varied, and that his schedule changes very frequently. Ian manages the company's Central Monitoring Station, and he is also responsible for all special projects, training, and implementation of procedures.

About three years ago, his younger daughter said that she wanted to participate in local theater. Ian tagged along, and he was soon hooked (and booked). He has been in several productions of the Ferndale Repertory Theatre, including "Amahl and the Night Visitors", "South Pacific" and "Oliver!"

More recently, Jasmine said that she wanted to try Rotary Youth Exchange, and she was selected to go to Sicily for a year. Her Exchange brought the whole family into contact with Rotary, which was the trigger for Ian to seek out our club.

President George capped Ian's Craft Talk by presenting him with the Coveted Blue Badge.

Save the Date

Mark your calendars now - our Welcome Celebration for our Inbound Exchange Student, Fa, will take place on Wednesday evening, August 29th, at Moonstone Beach. We will barbecue, bring side dishes, and hold a BIG SALMON CONTEST. Details will follow.

 

 

Sunriser Olympic Tie-In

The winning table with their design ... or a blank page?

President George told us of one of the many ties that Rotary has to the Olympics. We heard about Bob Izon, who had been a distance runner as a youth, and who was later a founding member of the Rotary Club of Hereford Wye Valley. Mr. Izon was one of many Rotarians who carried the Olympic Torch on its journey to London's Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Our Club celebrated the Games by creating its own 2012 Sunrise Rotary Olympic Mascot - each table drew its own, and President-Elect Barbara Browning chose the winning design. The photo shows the all-star designers and their creation, but the mascot itself is hard to make out. The Sunrise Spirit will publish the image soon - watch for it!

Special Days

Dan Johnson's birthday was somewhat quiet. His family was gone all week, all with different destinations, so he had no exciting plans. "Just working - it's kinda boring." With luck, they will celebrate when everyone returns.

Cindy Sutcliffe said that she has been following time-honored Sunrise tradition by celebrating her birthday all month. She did indulge in her favorite thing - donuts!! She also revealed that she has stepped in as the Interim Executive Director for Humboldt Domestic Violence Services.

Lori Breyer's family was also out of town the week of her birthday, and they took her along. They did some river rafting on the trip, and on the day of her birthday, they were in Truckee at Fifty-Fifty Brewing Company for her fiftieth! The crew also went to the University of Nevada at Reno for daughter Megan's Freshman Orientation.

Jim Maher and his wife Joni celebrated their anniversary on Thursday night. Going out to dinner with their daughter Allison and her boyfriend.

Julie Vaissade-Elcock commented on her anniversary, noting that "Stan tried to go cheap on me!"

Bryan Plumley and Kim Floyd were married 23 years ago on July 12th. They planned to leave the next day for a week on Hawaii's Big Island. They had the foresight to take their mother-in-law to watch the kids.

Recognitions

Laura Montagna was in charge of recognitions last Friday, and she asked for Good News Volunteers.

First up was Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth, who was very interesting. However, she was done before I turned around and picked up my pen, so I probably missed a few details.

Orrin Plocher, also known as O.P., had three things to tell us. First, he was going to the Crabs game on Sunday. Second, his family has a new addition - a two year old with red hair ... everywhere! (Yup, it's a doggie.) Third, they are expecting another new addition, but this is a very cute one-year old named Alexander.

Laura had a terrific plan for additional recognitions. She went to the workplaces of several Sunrisers and asked them a few questions. Unfortunately, technical difficulties reared their ugly head(s), and we were unable to match video with audio. However, this gives us something to look forward to. (Once the tech stuff is figured out, the Sunrise Spirit will publish each video as Laura presents them at our meetings.)

Fourth Friday Foundation Auction

Last week we held our auction to raise money for the Rotary Foundation, and it was a great success (as usual).

Cam Appleton donated a basket containing lots of goodies, including wine, cheese, albacore, and kettle corn. The winning bidder was Lori Breyer.

Scott Heller and Jim Maher donated gift certificates to the cause, and these were snapped up at face value by Dawn Elsbree and Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth.

One year of shredding service with an on-site locking bin was donated by Kyle Visser. With his high bid, Bryan Plumley took advantage of that offer.

Mark Bruce donated a red ukulele and an out-of-print collector's CD of "Surf & Sun", an album Mark made with his son Adam years ago. Music lover Janice Newman was the winner.

Julie Vaissade-Elcock donated a wall hanging by Benaya Art Ceramics. The lovely piece was purchased by Mark Bruce.

The last auction prize was provided by Laura Montagna, and it was a large basket containing many interesting items, including a portable fondue set, a bottle of wine, and the game "Sexuations". Hmmm ... Our final winning bidder of the morning was Joyce Hinrichs.

Thanks to all who donated and all who bid for helping to raise a quick $675 for the Foundation's great programs!