Volume XII, Issue 15: October 19, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Last week, we had a visit from Mike Crumbo, a Rotarian from Indiana. He said that the Greenwood/White River Rotary Club has 24 members, and meets Wednesdays at 6:30 am. Mike was in town to visit his daughter and her family, including Mike's new grandson.

Kahuna Kavinta with Mike Crumbo

Fa Sillapajarn, our Rotary Exchange Student from Thailand, said that she was all ready for her impending "Bluesbuster" trip to San Francisco. Each year, our District's Exchange Students head for the Bay Area for the weekend, and our Exchangers invariably cite it as a highlight of their years. I'm sure that Fa will weigh in at our next meeting.

Carol Jacobsen of the ARMACK Orchestra visited last week, along with two of her students (including Kahuna Junior, aka Georgie Cavinta). The trio was promoting their fundraiser, "The Black Pirate". This is a silent movie starring the swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., with music and sound effects provided by the swashbuckling Orchestra. The movie was screened last week at McKinleyville High School, and it will continue this week at Arcata High. Your next chance to enjoy this multi-dimensional event will come Thursday at 7 pm. It will be repeated Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2 pm and 7 pm. The event will help support the Orchestra's travel to New York to participate in a music festival and perform at Carnegie Hall next April.

Another ARMACK musical contingent will be performing Friday at the Veteran's Memorial Hall. The  "Howlin' Moon Blues Review" will feature the ARMACK Jazz Band, along with performances by musicians from the Arcata Arts Institute. (Rotary "Kid" Brody Johnson is part of both groups.) The event will begin at 8 pm, and tickets are $10 per person, which will provide finding for the Jazz Band's trip to the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival.

Here are some things for your calendar:

• November 15:  A Taste of the Holidays - it's our Club's Fall Fundraiser, and your help is needed! 
• November 24:  Fifth Friday Fellowship Event - Tailgate party at the HSU Jacks Basketball Game.
• December 6:  Foster Youth Holiday Dinner - Prep or serve, it's a great way to help our local foster youth.
• December 6-8:  The Jerry Paul Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament - The first night coincides with the Foster Youth Dinner, so we could use help then, but don't rule out a Saturday shift!

Volume XII, Issue 14: October 12, 2012

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ember works on our Pastel ...

Last Friday, we welcomed back Marianna Sanchez, who was our Rotary Exchange Student from Mexico during the 2010-11 year. She told us that she graduated from high school in Mexico, and she is taking a year off before moving on in her formal education. Part of that time will be spent here, so she will be attending our meetings while she is in town. How long that will be is not certain: "I bought a one-way ticket, so ..."


Our current Exchange Student, Fa Sillapajarn from Thailand, recently participated in Pastels on the Plaza, a benefit for Northcoast Children's Services. She also attended Homecoming at Arcata High School.

Speaking of Pastels on the Plaza ... (Don't you love smooth segues?) ... the square sponsored by our Club was drawn by Ember and Vivian - two artists from the Arcata Arts Institute.

... with Vivian Harp

And while we're on the subject of fundraisers, the team lists for finding auction/raffle prizes for A Taste of the Holidays were announced at our last meeting, and tickets were distributed. If you weren't there, watch your mail, then start selling. The event is fast approaching (it's on Thursday, November 15th).

Other stuff that's on the Sunrise Horizon:

• October 19 - Youth Exchange "Bluesbuster" Trip to San Francisco
• October 20 - Lost Coast Rotaract Club's Art & Wine Pairing Event

AN UPDATE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Chief John McFarland and Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Desmond Cowan were at Friday's meeting to deliver an update on the Benefit Assessment that was approved by property owners in July of last year. Chief John said that his department has accomplished many things as a result. For starters, all deferred maintenance on its equipment has been completed, additional personnel were hired, and a reserve firefighter program was established.

Desmond Cowan

Desmond told us that the department is now comprised of a combination of on-duty paid firefighters and volunteers. He encouraged us to contact him if we are interested in volunteering in any capacity. Desmond also said that he wants us to reach him if we have any questions or concerns about any aspect of the Fire Department's operations. "I don't want anyone with questions unanswered." He even provided his cell number (498-5781).

John said that what we have in Arcata is "a showcase example of how fire services can be offered economically with quality". For more information about the Arcata Fire Department and/or the Benefit Assessment Review, visit their website by clicking on the Arcata Fire Logo below.

SPECIAL DAY AND RECOGNITIONS

Karen and Kahuna Kavinta with Jessica looking on

Last Friday was Karen Burgesser's birthday. Since it was early in the day, she didn't have much to tell us ... yet ... about that. However, after we sang "Happy Birthday" to her, our Recognitionist du jour, Jessica McKnight, asked Karen to tell us of her recent travels. It seems that she journeyed to Paris and London! She came home with a cold, she was still suffering from jet lag, and her luggage took an extra day of  vacation. In spite of the end-of-travel hardships, she had a great time. "I don't know," she said, "if there's an adjective more awesome than awesome." The trip was part of her mother's 80th birthday celebration, and Karen noted that although "it's a challenge to travel with two octogenarians in Europe," they all had a great time. She brought a gift for Kahuna Kavinta - a crown pin commemorating Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.

Also in Europe recently (but only for a whirlwind trip) was Susan Jansson. Susan was in Italy for three and a half days at the invitation of exercise equipment manufacturer Technogym. The company's facilities encompass 60 square miles, and they employ about 1,000 people. The event drew people from around the world, and featured speeches by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and Economic Development Minister Corrado Passera. The keynote address was delivered by Former President Bill Clinton.

Ian Schatz had a longer vacation in Hawaii with his family. No former Presidents were involved, but he did get to chase sea turtles and hang out.

DRAWING BACK THE REDWOOD CURTAIN
Our Featured Guests last week were Clint Rebek and Peggy Metzger of the Redwood Curtain Theatre. Clint is RCT's Artistic Director, and Peggy serves as its Executive Director. 

Clint Rebik and Peggy Metzger

The 2011 Season was the group's first in its new home at 221 First Street, in Old Town Eureka. The entrance to the Theatre is through Snug Alley. The final production of the current season, "Dusty and the Big, Bad World" will premiere on Thursday, October 25th, and it will run through November 17th. Clint and Peggy described it as a political comedy that involves a PBS program. The plot has taken on added relevance with the reference in the first Presidential Debate to Big Bird and PBS. Both say that it is not to be missed. 

Redwood Curtain Theatre was established in 1989, with its first productions staged at the Eagle House. The company was formed because there were locals who wanted to be professional actors, but didn't want to have to leave the area. Since its beginning, RCT has helped the area become a magnet for arts tourists. 

Although the group's intent was to be part of the cultural scene in the Old Town area, they did relocate to the Eureka Mall for seven years. However, in 2010, they were able to begin the process of moving to their current location.

RCT will soon announce the productions that will make up its 15th season, which will open in mid-February. And in January, the group will hold its Live Radio Show fundraiser, with a lot of help from Sunrisers Jessica McKnight and Laura Montagna. 

Peggy and Clint extended three invitations to us, as individuals and as a Club:

1. Come to the shows,
2. Become corporate sponsors, and
3. Take advantage of RCT's Benefit Nights

Unlike some of the other theater groups in the area, RCT maintains a company of players for its five-play season, Clint and Peggy encouraged us to consider auditioning for the 2013 season. Auditions will be held at the theatre on Saturday, October 27th. 

For more information about Redwood Curtain Theatre, please visit its website:

Redwood Curtain Theatre

Volume XII, Issue 13: October 5, 2012

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Last Friday, we opened our meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and a recitation of the Four-Way Test:
Of the things we think, say, or do ...

1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will It build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Is it fair to all concerned?

Fa with Kahuna Kavinta

The Four-Way Test was devised by Herbert J. Taylor, who brought it to Rotary when he became a director of Rotary International in the 1940's. Taylor devised the test during the previous decade, when he was turning around his failing aluminum distributing company.

President George also shared the October message from District Governor Michael Juric. If you missed it, click on this link: Michael's October Update.

RECOGNITIONS WITH LORI

Former Club President Lori Breyer was in charge of recognizing Sunrisers last Friday. Her theme du jour was "The Bridgers". Lori explained that those who were born prior to 1945 are the Builders, the 1946-1964 group are the Boomers, from 1965 to 1983 came the Busters, and those born between 1984 and 2001 are the Bridgers.

The first Bridger that Lori asked about was a Bridger Bruce - Mark Bruce's son Adam. Mark said that Adam is doing well at UC Berkeley, where he is involved in research with the winner of a Nobel Prize. He did have a girlfriend, but that only lasted about two months. That's probably because Adam is so busy - he has oneyear to go before graduating. Mark had his own news as well - The Man In White (Mark) will be performing at the Bayshore Mall this Friday, October 12th. He said he will be playing from 5:30 until he's tired.

Dawn Elsbree's son Nicholas is also working in a lab at Berkeley, and doing quite well. Her other son, Trevor is attending Cal Poly, and riding the occasional surfboard. Her daughter Claire is more than happy to be riding horses closer to home.

Bob Johnson's two Bridger sons are also doing well. Patrick is working as a Medical Assistant in the Open Door Clinic's Community Outreach Program. Aaron is in his second semester at the University of Hawaii, and Bob told us that this is "the hard semester" for students.

Our Club's JOYC ("Justice Of Your Club") has two Bridger daughters, and they are living near one another. Kayla graduated from college last year from the San Francisco Academy of Arts University. JOYC tells us that now, she's considering applying to law school! Her sister Lacey's field is science - she is working toward her degree in Biology.

Lori had an update on a Bridger who is also a former Rotary Kid. Hayley Madsen was married a few weeks ago, with a number of past and present Sunrisers in attendance.

Lori closed by mentioning her own Bridgers - Alli, who is doing well in Southern California; Kate, who is still at home (and working on homework during our meeting); Natalie, also in SoCal, studying Psychology; and Megan, who is in her freshman year at the University of Nevada, majoring in Accounting. Her other "daughter", former Exchanger Noëmi Schöenenberger, is also doing well back in Switzerland.

SAWA DEE!!! EXCHANGE STUDENT FA SILLAPAJARN'S PRESENTATION

It's always a treat when our Exchange Students provide us with a glimpse into life in their home countries, and last Friday was no exception. Punyanuch Sillapajarn is better known as "Fa", and last week she talked with us about her native Thailand.

Fa said that the Thai ruler, King Rama IX, has had the longest reign in the country's history. The King is the head of state, he leads the Thai armed forces, and he upholds the Buddhist religion. He is also the Defender of All Faiths, which is important since, as Fa told us, culture, faith, and tradition are central to the Thai way of life.

Thai culture has many elements. Thai dancing is a very important cultural touchstone. Marriage in Thailand is also important, and it involves two main parts - the legal part and the ceremonial part. One important cultural element is the Tak Bat, or morning alms, where Buddhist monks are fed by the faithful.

Fa also talked about other important parts of Thai culture, including Thai boxing, the delicious food, and (it's a separate category) dessert. She also noted that the geography of Thailand contains a variety of features - mountains, waterfalls, and of course, the sea.

Fa told us that there are many festivals in Thailand. She mentioned the Loi Krathong Festival, celebrated throughout Southeast Asia as an example. Krathongs are generally small vessels or rafts that are floated on a convenient body of water. These are launched under a full moon, usually in November. The floats contain coins, food, flowers, and a candle. Fa's home town of Nakhon Sawan has a big celebration in honor of the Chinese New Year.

Fa said that she has a big family, which includes her Rotarian father, Kaisin; her mother Punyanat; her older brother Chawametha, who is 19; and her 12-year-old sister, Apinpom. Fa has a lot of experience with Rotary, helping her father's club with its Casino Night, and attending the District 3350 Youth Exchange Orientation Camp.

In case you're wondering what "sawa dee" means, Fa explained that it is a multi-purpose phrase. It can either mean "hello" or "goodbye", depending on the context. (Much like "aloha" for Hawaiians.) So, whether you're coming or going, when you see Fa, now you know what to say!

Volume XII, Issue 12: September 28, 2012

GOOD MORNING, FA!

Fa Sillapajarn, our Rotary Exchange Student from Thailand, told us that she had recently attended a baby shower. “It was sooo cute!” she said. She had also planned to take in a presentation for prospective HSU students, to be given by Sunriser Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth. Although Fa made it to the correct room, alas Romi did not. Fa’s coming plans include lunch with Sunriser Cindy Sutcliffe.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kahuna Kavinta (aka President George) told us that leaves of absence were approved for Julie Schaefer and Scott Heller by our Board. Don't worry, they'll be back within about three months. On the other hand, George also told us that John Wesa has decided to leave the Club for now. John still plans to contribute, and he hopes to return to our ranks someday.

Terri Clark told us that she recently met her grand niece Faye Taylor Clark, who was born September 3rd. Little Faye is already a Paul Harris Fellow, and she owns three quilts - all courtesy of Great Aunt Terri.

We heard last week that our Club will continue our tradition of hosting and sending Rotary Exchange Students again next year. As usual, our Club will join with the Arcata Noon Club to host an Information Night for prospective Outbound Exchangers at Arcata High. We'll let you know when the date is arranged - if you know of any students who might be interested, please tell them to watch for the meeting.

The Rotary Foundation Dinner North is coming to Fortuna's River Lodge on Saturday, October 13th, starting at 6 pm. To register, click on this link: FOUNDATION DINNER. But don't be slow!

Here are some other events that should be on your radar (or at least your calendar):

• October 15th  - Youth Exchange "Bluesbuster" Trip to San Francisco
• November 15th - A Taste of the Holidays

CRAFT TALK With CRAIG REED

Editor's Note: New Sunrisers are presented with a red Rotary Badge when they join our Club. One of the requirements for attaining the Coveted Blue Badge is to give a Craft Talk. This is an opportunity for the new Rotarian to tell us about their personal history - how he or she came to be a Sunrise Rotarian.

Craig Reed was born in Livermore, California, and raised in Cameron Park. When he graduated from high school, he decided to attend Humboldt State  University."Eventually," he said, "I got my degree in Theater Arts." He said that it may not have been the most relevant major, given that he is a Network Engineer for Humboldt Open Door Clinics. However, he noted that he is not your stereotypical information technology professional. "IT guys have a reputation as being hostile and combative," he said. "I try to knock that down." 

Craig became acquainted with Rotary in the fall of 2010, when he served as a member of a District 5130 Group Study Exchange team that visited Japan. Thedestination was perfect for him. As a kid, Craig and his family had neighbors from Japan, and he took Japanese in high school. Craig and fellow GSE team member Jillian Yerby visited our club in August 2011 to recount the highlights of their adventure. (See Sunrise Spirit Volume XI, Issue 5 for more information.)

That set the Rotary Wheel in motion. He learned more about Rotary and about our Club from Terri Clark, who had worked with him at Open Door, and his co-worker Angelo Bacigaluppi agreed to serve as his sponsor. 

Craig's family includes his girlfriend and her two children, and his own child. He said that they are not yet married ... yet. "That will be rectified soon," he stated, "but she doesn't know that yet." The family is also owned by a cat. And we welcome them all to our Club's extended family.

RECOGNITIONS WITH ROMI

Last week, our Recognition Maven was Romi Hitchcock Tinseth, and she told us that Max Crow had recently celebrated a birthday. Max told us that he just turned six, and that he celebrated by playing laser tag with friends. He also had a special treat - popsicles with candles! We sang "Happy Birthday" to him - another treat, but maybe not quite as special.

Our last meeting also saw the return of the game Liar, Liar. In this game, a Sunriser says three things about his or her life. Two are true, and one is false. A second Sunriser is selected to ferret out the falsehood. 

Our first Liar was Dean Krushke. He said that (1) he has swam/swum across Lake Tahoe six times, (2) he has a "very useful degree in Microbiology", and (3) he played Minor League Baseball. Ceva Courtemanche got it right - she correctly guessed that Dean hadn't made the Minors. (He said that it had been "a pipe dream".)

Liar Number Two was Dewey Kiefer, who claimed (1) that he had set a record by drinking a fishbowl-sized glass of margaritas in 24 seconds, (2) he is descended from Daniel Boone, and (3) he was an early neighbor of Glenn Tinseth (Romi's hubby). I failed to write down the Lie Detector, but I did catch that the first statement was ... shall we say ... less than true.

Our Final Liar of the day was Past President and Past District Governor Harry Johnson. Despite his credentials and knowledge of the Four-Way Test, Harry took some liberties with the truth. He said (1) that he is and was a Charter Member of our Club, (2) That he was born and raised in Humboldt County, and (3) that he has caught a bigger fish that Kahuna Kavinta. I don't know whether Tomas guessed correctly (sorry, Tomas), but the second statement was untrue.

FOUNDATION FRIDAY AUCTION

Most Foundation Fridays feature our special auction, where Sunrisers (and anyone else who happens to be in the room) get the chance to bid on prizes donated by other Sunrisers. The proceeds are donated to the Rotary Foundation, with half of the purchase price credited to the donor, and the other half credited to the winning bidder. Here are the details from last week's auction:

Prize Description	Donor	Winning Bidder
"Snack Attack" - a selection of snacks plus a Figueiredo's gift certificate	Rob McBeth	Cindy Sutcliffe
A Cooler filled with beer, wine, and snacks	Donny Rosebrook	Terri Clark
Four HSU Basketball tickets - baseline, with complementary beverages	Ian Schatz	Rina Brodhag
Special Zucchini Bread hand-made by Rotary Kid ...	Mary Crow	Mark Burtchett
Two HSU Basketball tickets	Mark Burtchett	Jessica McKnight
Chocolates Galore!	Dawn Elsbree	Laura Montagna

Thanks to all of our donors and purchasers. Your generosity added up to a $515 donation to the great programs of the Rotary Foundation. There will only be one more Foundation Auction this calendar year, to take place on October 26th. That will be a perfect opportunity to get some special holiday gifts, so be there!