THE FA REPORT
Fa SIllapajarn, our Rotary Exchange Student from Thailand, recently
took in her first Rhododendron Parade. She described the event using four
adjectives: it’s fun … it’s long … it was cold! Following the parade, Fa and
her host mom Romi Hitchcock Tinseth had their nails done, and then it was off
to an Open House hosted by Amy Bohner (and Alchemy Construction).
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS
Ceva Courtemanche is headed for Vegas, baby! With her baby! (And her
mother, to babysit.) Ceva and her team at Hensel’s Ace Hardware will receive an
award at the National Hardware Show for their merchandising efforts. There will
be a banquet honoring Ceva and the other winners, and she will have to give a
speech. Congratulations!!
 |
| Vegas Bound!! |
Want to know more about tequila? On Wednesday, May 29th,
you’ll get your chance. It’s Tequila 101 – the “Fifth Fellowship Friday” for
May, and it will take place at the Blue Lake home of Barbara Browning and Ron
Sharp. Ted Rose and Susan Hill will be on hand to provide an update on Project
Amigo, their multi-faceted, Rotary-sponsored program in Colima, Mexico. Be sure
to bring your favorite finger foods, especially if they have a South-of-the
Border flair. The fiesta starts at 6 pm.
President-Elect Jessica McKnight reminded us that we will not meet on
Friday, May 10th, since that week is devoted to Fireside Meetings.
If you are unfamiliar with that term, it refers to our annual small-group
breakout sessions where we brainstorm to help our incoming leader plan her
Rotary Reign. Our Club will meet in groups of 10 to 15 Sunrisers per night,
Monday through Thursday of next week. Check your inbox and sign up for one of
the evening slots if you haven’t already done so.
Another planning event, the Board Retreat, will take place on May 17th
and 18th. That’s right, it’s a sleepover! If you’re on the Board of
Directors (or if you just want to get away from it all), bring your ideas and
your jammies to Samoa that Friday.
Also on the 17th, this year’s Group Study Exchange team from
France and Andorra will visit our Club. The team consists of three men and
three women. GSE Team Leaders are always Rotarians, while the Team Members are
not. Here is some brief information on the sextet:
- Lionel Lenard is a member of the Rotary Club of Balma who, after years working for an aeronautical firm, now heads his own leadership development company.
- Sophie Guérandel is an attorney for the Federal Union of Consumers. The Rotary Club of Toulouse, where she works.
- IT Security Jérome Marty is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Revel. He has been interested in computers since he was very young.
- Célene Mazières is a Commercial Assistant for a winery in the South of France. Her sponsor is the Rotary Club of Gaillac.
- Dr. Jésus Diaz is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Montpellier. He is an anesthesiologist who developed a medical encyclopedia smartphone app.
- The Rotary Club of Portet sur Garonne is sponsoring IT Project Manager Emmanuelle Delon. She recently lived and worked in Spain on a freelance IT project.
· The District still needs a few volunteers to
drive the GSE Team to some of its destinations. If you can help, please let
Brandi Easter know.
Here's another plug for the fundraiser to be held by next year's Outbound Rotary Exchange Student, Logan White. On Friday, June 7th,
Logan and two fellow Exchangers will host a dinner at the Bayside Grange,
featuring live entertainment and a live auction. Tickets are $25 in advance,
and $30 at the door. You can reach Logan at 845-2922.
SPECIAL DAYS
May 2nd was Ceva Courtemanche’s birthday. Husband Doug
remembered, although “we don’t usually do gifts.” Nonetheless, she received a
necklace from someone. Ceva said that most of their celebrating will take place
in Las Vegas (since Ceva’s mom will be available to babysit little Hayes - see
above).
RECOGNITIONS
Last Friday, Bob Johnson reminded us that as we wind down the Rotary
Year, our thoughts naturally turn to the Debunking of President. Bob got the
recognitions off to a great start by saying he placed a note in his mental file
folder for 2015. The note reads, “First you eat the frog.” That was part of the
title of Barbara’s article in the previous Sunday’s Times-Standard. Her topic
was procrastination, and the frog reference was from a book by Brian Tracy, in
which he recommends that you tackle the most difficult and/or unappealing
elements of a project early. But experience tells us that Sunrisers are often
able to take such metaphors and integrate them in a literal way into a debunking.
That doesn’t bode well for the frogs of Humboldt County.
Continuing his musing on debunkings and the waning Rotary Year, Bob
called upon the Past Presidents in the room to offer advice to the Kurrent
Kahuna Kavinta. Here are some of their thoughts:
- Dan Johnson (2002-2003) – Think about sending a student to RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership in Action). In his year, they sent two, and Dan served as guest counselor.
- Julie Vaissade-Elcock (2009-2010) – Julie said that all she remembers about her year is her debunking and that she needed a mani-pedi to go with the amazing dress she was provided.
- Craig Newman (1999-2000) – Good things happen in Rotary, and George is doing good things this year.
- Mark Burtchett (2008-2009) – Mark told George that he’s about to get the best job in Rotary: Past President!
- Janice Newman (2004-2005) – “You will be President one year, and a Past President forever.” She agreed that George’s year has been great. “You’ve been a motivation,” she said.
- Dick Johnson (1997-1998) – I agreed with Mark's comment about the best job in Rotary. I also encouraged all Sunrisers to aspire to that position. As Club President, you'll learn how fantastic our Club is, and you'll have a great time, to boot.
- Bob Goodman (2010-2011) – Bob said that he didn’t have much to add, so I stopped writing even though he kept talking.
- Scott Heller (2011-2012) – “Don’t do anything between now and June,” Scott advised, “that can be used at your debunking!”
- Bob Johnson (1995-1996) – Bob said that when he was President, ours was a very young Club, and our traditions were just beginning. But he agreed with Scott – “It’s debunking season!”
IT’S ALMOST CRABS SEASON!
Matt Filar, a member of the Arcata Noon Rotary and President of the
Humboldt Crabs, was our Featured Speaker last Friday. Matt said that the Crabs
are not a semi-pro club, as many people believe. They are a summer collegiate
wood-bat baseball organization. This year, they will play four games against each
member of their league – a Friday night game, a doubleheader on Saturday, and a
series-ender on Sunday. The Crabs will play a total of 52 games this season.
 |
| Crabs President Matt Filar |
Although most of the players hail from California and the Pacific
Northwest, there is one Crab from Dartmouth and another from North Carolina.
Over 60 former Crabs have gone on to play in the Major Leagues over the years.
Regardless of where they are from, the Crabs are all locals once the
season begins. The organization provides the players with apartments, which is
more appealing to the Crabs that home-stays, which are typical at that level of
competition.
Matt said that the Crabs’ Board of Directors (it has been a nonprofit
since 1995) has become increasingly concerned about the condition of the
bleachers. Last year, over 35,000 fans visited Arcata Ballpark, and the
bleachers are showing their age. The board received a bid to replace them with
a new design, which would incorporate a newer, safer press box. The project
will cost about $600,000, and the City of Arcata is slated to kick in $100k of
that. So if you have half a million in your piggy bank, contact Matt. In the
meantime, if the Crabs come asking for a donation, remember that the ball club
is a venerable Arcata institution. Go, Crabs, Go!!!
