Volume XII, Issue 18: November 9, 2012

PLEASE JOIN US FOR 

"A TASTE OF THE HOLIDAYS"

Thursday,  November 15th from 5 to 8 pm

Arcata Community Center

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our Exchange Student from Thailand, Fa Sillapajarn, got a taste of American artistic culture when she recently attended "Arts Alive!" in Eureka. Her verdict? "I like it!" She will be exposed to American "Foodie" culture at this week's Taste of the Holidays.

We received word that Arcata House, a local nonprofit that helps locals with transitional housing, has merged with the Humboldt All-Faith Partnership to form the Arcata House Partnership. The organization will continue to operate emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive housing for the homeless. Their First Annual Drive-By Drop Off event will be held this Saturday, November 17th, so take your gently-used home furnishings and the like to the Arcata United Methodist Church at 1761 11th Street between 1 and 4 pm. If you would like to donate but can't make the event, or if you would like more information, please call 822-4528.

Don't forget the following dates:

• Saturday, November 24th - Fifth Friday Fellowship at the HSU Jacks Basketball Game
• Thursday, December 6th - Foster Youth Holiday Dinner
• Thursday, December 6th through Saturday, December 8th - The Jerry Paul Classic Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament (AIBT)

RECOGNITIONS WITH BOB!
"What is up?" That was the question posed by Recognition Meister Bob Johnson last Friday. He had some inside info on Jessica McKnight and Romi Hitchcock Tinseth. Both were in Texas at the beginning of the month to show their support for Airman Sky Tinseth on her graduation from Basic Training. Romi said that her daughter is now headed for Biloxi, Mississippi, where she will be one of only 17 airmen to attend tech school, and only two of those are women! Congratulations and best wishes, Sky!

Bob then asked about our plans for Thanksgiving:

• Sir Charles Giannini will be traveling for the holiday. He plans to do some hunting with his son and his grandkids in the remote areas of Eastern Oregon.
• Harry Johnson will be in Mt. Shasta, although he wasn't sure whether skiing was in the forecast. Bob asked if he had been in Mexico recently, volunteering at the dental clinic. Harry said that he is planning to go down in a few weeks. 
• St. Bernard's Football Coach Jason White said that he doesn't have any plans yet. "I'm hoping that we will be practicing." That was a reference to his team's progress in the North Coast Section Playoffs. His guys face the Ferndale Wildcats this Friday. Good luck, Crusaders!
• Angelo Baciagaluppi said that he will probably dedicate part of the holiday to drywall. He is sure that the family will be in town, and since his wife doesn't enjoy cooking as much as he does, he will be in the kitchen on the big day.
• Patty Stocum and her husband, Visiting Rotarian Jon (from the Old Town Eureka Rotary) said that their annual tradition is to spend Thanksgiving at their property in Hyampom, in Trinity County. They have invited our former Exchange Student Marianna Sanchez to join them. Patty said that they built a barbeque outside this year, and that's where the cooking action is expected to take place.
• Maggie Kraft will be celebrating her sister's birthday next week, and then she plans a return to Botswana for a few weeks. She will be back for New Year's Day, but she said that while she is there, "I'm hoping to see a well."

SIMPLIFY YOUR HOLIDAYS
Our very own Barbara Browning was the featured speaker last Friday, and she gave us some great ideas for making the holiday season more relaxed and more meaningful. Here are her thoughts:

1. Examine your existing traditions. Ask yourself what you enjoy most about the holidays, and what you like least. Sometimes, traditions persist because we assume that they are important to another member of our family or social group. An open discussion with your loved ones may lead you to discard unwanted customs. "Remember," Barbara said, "Less can be more."
2. Enjoy meaningful traditions. With meaningless traditions out of the way, you can focus on the ones that do provide meaning to you.
3. Engage your kids. Set realistic expectations for the holidays, including activities and gifts. Barbara said that one of the traditions that she and husband Ron Sharp keep is having Christmas breakfast with the grandchildren. 
4. Make something. There is something very personal about a handmade gift. Barbara shared her recipe for cinnamon candied almonds (it's reproduced at the bottom of the page). She also shared samples, which were delicious!
5. Choose meaningful activities. This leaves "the best of yourself for the people and activities that mean the most to you".

If you answer these questions, you can decide which traditions to keep and which to let go of:

• Do I love this?
• Do I honestly have time for it?
• What is the worst thing that will happen if I say no?

As Barbara says ... "Relax and enjoy the season!"

Volume XII, Issue 17: November 2, 2012

What's Goin' On?
Our Rotary Exchange Student from Thailand, Fa Sillapajarn, enjoyed Halloween as an angel!

Angel Fa

Fa was on the Arcata Plaza for part of the festivities, but left before the going got ... shall we say ... a bit rambunctious.


Lynda Moore announced that the Eureka Symphony will honor veterans of World War II on November 12th. The concert will take place at the Arkley Center for the Arts, and it will feature anthems from the various armed forces, and other patriotic music. Admission is free for WWII vets and their spouses, $12 for other adults, and $5 for children. The event will begin at 5:30 pm.

Lynda also said that Margaret Gainer and Kathrin Burleson are editing a book detailing the experiences of WWII veterans. If you know someone who should be included, please let Lynda know - she'll make sure the connections are made.

Bob Moore reminded us that to reserve Saturday November 24th. That's the day that our Club will celebrate November's Fifth Friday Fellowship meeting. We will gather at HSU to take in a Jacks basketball  game. Details will follow.

Ron Sharp reminded us to sell those tickets for A Taste of the Holidays. It's coming up on Thursday, November 15th.

The Rotary Club of Arcata Sunrise Cross Country Championships were held on Friday, October 26th, and they were a great success! Thanks to all who helped out at the event, and a special thank you to Dewey Kiefer and Arcata Lumber for the medal stand they created.

As you update your calendar, remember that December is a busy month, and the busy stuff starts early for Sunrisers. On Thursday, December 6th, we have not one, but two events - we are sponsoring and serving the Foster Youth Holiday Dinner, and it's also the first day of the Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament (AIBT). The AIBT continues on Friday the 7th and Saturday 8th, so be sure you've eaten your Wheaties that week!

History With Cam Appleton
Last Friday, we heard quite a bit about the history of Jacoby Storehouse from Cam Appleton. He said that Augustus Jacoby built the building with two stories and a basement. The Storehouse provided supplies to the mining camps for many years. Cam's great-great-grandfather, Alexander Brizard, purchased the Storehouse in 1881, after his old store was destroyed by fire.

Cam Remembers the 1800s

In 1907, Alexander's son expanded the building's scope of operations, filling it with retail stores. Cam recounted that the third floor (where our Club meets) housed an appliance and furniture store, and that the telephone switchboard was also located there. The second floor held dry goods, ladies' fashions, and an employee kitchen. There was also a freight elevator in the back. On the ground floor, which now houses Abruzzi's and Chase Bank, there were a dry cleaners and fish market. Next door to what was now called the Brizard Building (but connected by several walkways) was a grocery store. Next to that, and also connected, was a sporting goods shop.

In 1973, small retail businesses were suffering from the arrival of shopping malls, and so many of the Storehouse's shops closed. But in 1977, the building was re-opened, featuring many small business spaces, and it served as an incubator for several retail shops in Arcata. Cam managed the Storehouse from 1984 to 2005. He said that Bill Chino and Chris Smith of Abruzzi's and the Plaza Grill purchased the Storehouse in 2001.


Special Olympics Northern California
"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." That is the Special Olympics Oath. Our featured speaker last week was Ken Musante, who serves as the group's head softball coach and as an assistant swimming coach.

Ken Musante

Ken noted that Special Olympics started in the early 1960s as Eunice Shriver began an effort to provide people with intellectual disabilities opportunities to participate in competitive sports. The first International Special Olympic Games were held in 1968 as a result of her vision. Today, the Special Olympics organization helps more than three million athletes in over 150 countries.

Today, Special Olympics Northern California serves over 170 athletes in Humboldt County, ranging in age from 5 to 70. The program is open to anyone with an intellectual disability, and the competitions are held at all skill levels. All of the services are provided at no cost to the athletes, without government funding.

The athletes compete in several sports - aquatics, soccer, bowling, softball, bocce ball, and basketball. The competitors are empowered to reach their full potentials, and they learn to live physically active lives.

Ken noted that only 10% of disabled adults in the U.S. hold jobs, while over half of the adults in the Special Olympics program work. He said, "Our athletes are diverse. Our benefits are immediate. And the experience is humbling."

For more information about Special Olympics Northern California, please visit their website at www.sonc.org.

Volume XII, Issue 16: October 26, 2012

FANTASTIC FOURTH FOUNDATION FRIDAY!

Last Friday, we heard from our Exchange Student from Thailand, Fa Sillapajarn. Fa said that her recent trip to San Francisco with her fellow District 5130 Exchangers was "really fun". The group traveled to the Bay Area the previous Friday, and the evening was spent playing basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Then they were off to the City, taking in Union Square, Chinatown, and Pier 39. On Sunday, she went to the Oakland Coliseum to watch the Raiders beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in overtime. Fa also told us that she plans to don an angel costume for Halloween.

Angelo Baciagaluppi said that Mad River Brewing Company will be selling tickets for A Taste of the Holidays at its Blue Lake Tap Room. How are your ticket sales going? Remember, TOTH is one of only two fundraisers that help our Club do all of our important work in the community and around the world.

A few short notes ... Bob Goodman said that the Tasting Room at Robert Goodman Winery now includes a full bar ... The Club received a note from North Coast Children's Services, thanking us for our participation in the recent Pastels on the Plaza ... November has five Fridays, so we will hold a Fifth Friday Fellowship meeting on Saturday, November 24th. We will meet at 7 pm to attend the HSU Jacks basketball game vs. Holy Names University. Due to space limitations, the meeting will be limited to Sunrisers and their family members only. Thanks to Dan Collen for setting this up ...

Colin's Cheese

Colin Swenson, our Outbound Exchange Student, sent news from Trieste, Italy. "This weekend I will participate in The Barcelona, one of the largest sailing regattas in the world with around 2,000 boats participating each year. I've also been spending a lot of my free time doing photography, one of my hobbies." He sent along some of his photos, one of which "a hunk of Parmesan cheese", seen here.

DEWEY KIEFER REVEALS ... SOME
We love Craft Talks - where new Sunrisers get up and let the rest of us get to know something about them. Last week, it was Dewey Kiefer's turn. Although he was born in Bend, Oregon some 43 years ago, Dewey has lived on the North Coast since he was a kid. He and his wife Kathy have two daughters (and if their names are wrong, please let me know). Shayla is a senior at Arcata High School, and Jessica is in eighth grade at Sunny Brae Middle School. 

Dewey has worked at Myrtletown Lumber for 6 years, and he appreciates the teamwork he enjoys there. He has worked in lumber mills in the past, and his career goal is to become a designer "at some point".He enjoys fishing, and he is a fan of the Raiders and the Yankees.

Dewey joined our Club because he wanted to do something for the community, and he has known Bryan Reeser and Donnie Rosebrook for quite a while. Why fight the inevitable?

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS AND RECOGNITIONS!
Joyce Hinrichs celebrated her birthday on October 14th ... and then some. She ran in the Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon on her birthday, but her travels began the Thursday before. Those travels included stops in San Francisco (the race venue), Santa Rosa, and Sacramento. While in Sacramento, she was the Keynote Speaker at the Annual Training Conference of the California State Foster Parent Association, providing "A View From the Bench". Joyce also chaired a workshop at the conference. She said that Halloween would mark the "official end" of her birthday season.

Rebecca Crow celebrated her birthday by going to a "movie in the theater - without kids". The family also took her out to dinner and provided presents. "Max got me a Lego set!" she said, and Mary gave her some lotions and other goodies from Bubbles.

Cam & Terri

The recognition session was hosted by Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth, and it was very interesting. However, it may not translate well to this blog. She had all of us hold up all of our fingers (I'm pretty sure we averaged five per hand). She then listed various activities, and told us to put one finger down each time she named an activity  we had not participated in. As a group, Sunrisers are an interesting and adventurous lot, because a lot of fingers remained aloft for quite a while. 

FOUNDATION FOURTH FRIDAY
Foundation Chair Terri Clark got the Rotary Foundation portion of the show off to a great start by presenting Cam Appleton with an award for being District 5130's Youth Exchange Rotarian of the Year! Congratulations, Cam! 

She also presented a Paul Harris Fellowship to Jayce Shultz, the grandson of Cindy Sutcliffe. Terri said that Jayce is the second youngest Paul Harris Fellow from our Club. (The youngest, of course, is Terri's grandniece, Faye, who received the honor almost prenatally!)
As is our custom, we held an auction to raise Foundation Funds, and here is a list of the items, and the generous donors and bidders:

• Kathy Fraser provided a gift certificate for North Soles Footwear. This was picked up by Lori Breyer.
• Lynda Moore won a catered dinner for six plus two at her home. The donation came from Jessica McKnight and James Hitchcock (they are the plus two).
• A truly frightening Orrin Plocher (see the photo) donated a large bucket of Halloween candy, which was purchased by Dewey Kiefer.
• Donnie Rosebrook pitched in four tickets to the HSU Lumberjacks final home football game, along with t-shirts. Joyce Hinrichs snapped those up.
• A handmade traditional outfit from Pakistan's Swat Valley was donated by Brenda Bishop. The winning bidder was Matt Babich.
• Rotary Kid Mary Crow is working hard to become a Paul Harris Fellow, so she and her mother Rebecca donated two batches of 5 dozen holiday cookies each to be baked to order. Joyce Hinrichs and Amy Bohner will be enjoying the baked delights, thanks to their high bids.
• Brenda Bishop's second contribution (of three total) to the auction was two dozen Halloween-themed cupcakes ... under glass! Donnie Rosebrook scored those.
• Angelo Baciagaluppi donated two certificates. each good for two hours of computer service of any sort. The winners were Lynda Moore and Susan Jansson.
• A "Big Basket O' Stuff" was donated by Dan Johnson. It included candy, a yard ornament, and many other goodies. This was purchased by Bryan Reeser.
• Brenda Bishop's last (but definitely not least) contribution of the day was a container filled with "Witch's Brew", also known as homemade Kahlua. The package included martini glasses in a Halloween motif. Ceva Courtemanche was the winner.
• The final package of the morning was a "Girl Stuff Basket", donated by Julie Schaefer. The basket included nail polish, body spray, and other such finery. The high bidder was Rina Brodhag.

Once again, thank you to all the donors and to the bidders. Thanks to you, the Rotary Foundation has an additional $1,100 for its fine work throughout the world!

Jayce with Cindy and Terri