Volume XII, Issue 18: November 8, 2013

Exchange Student News
Alex Rialet, our Club's Rotary Exchange Student from France said that he was busy last week. He had mid-term exams on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and the AHS football team had a game scheduled for that evening, against Del Norte High.

We also heard indirectly from Exchanger Logan White, who continues to enjoy himself in Northern Italy. He keeps us up to date via Facebook and his blog - "Rye Italy Logan White", which can be found at http://loganwhit.blogspot.it. His most recent post noted that he has been in Italy for two months now, and he has visited Aosta and the Aosta Valley, and he said that "I fell in love with the small city/capital of the valley". He found the combination of Roman ruins and the mountainous region amazing. He hopes to do the "Haute Route" this winter. This is a six-day ski tour of the Alps, which begins in France and ends in Switzerland.

Announcements
President Jessica told us that the Backpacks for Kids program still needs help. Please check out the open slots on the Sign Up Genius page, or let Howard Stauffer know that you would like to lend a hand.

Steve Bohner (Sunriser Amy Bohner's lovely spouse) was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow at last Friday's meeting. Congratulations!

This weekend, the Rotary Club of Garberville celebrates its 75th anniversary with a big to-do at the Scotia Inn. It may not be too late to crash the party!

TOTH (also known as "Taste of the Holidays") is only two weeks away. Please be sure to sell tickets and get your raffle prizes in as soon as possible. It's not too late to put up posters, if you notice any blank spaces on walls you encounter.

It's a busy time for us - hard on the heels of TOTH comes the Foster Youth Family Dinner. The good news is that this year, the dinner is a week earlier than the Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament (AIBT). Mark your calendars or set reminders in your smartphone: the dinner is Thursday, December 5th, and the AIBT is the following Thursday through Saturday (December 12-14). The ever-popular AIBT Coaches' Party will be held on Friday, December 13th at the Plaza Grill. There will be an opportunity to purchase ad space in the AIBT program, as well.

Representatives of the Arcata Volunteer Fire Department will provide our program on Friday, December 6th. They promise new and exciting information on their plans. They have a very interesting plan for moving forward, but they want to let us know how their thinking has evolved before making any public announcements. So be sure to attend on December 6th to hear the latest before your neighbors tell you!

Howard Stauffer's wife Rebecca is an accomplished artist, and she has chosen to offer a selection of her paintings to the public in a unique way - she is exchanging works of art for works of generosity. Her program's name is "Art of Giving", and here's how it works. You select the painting you would like, and you make a donation to your favorite nonprofit organization. The event will take place from 1-5 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, at 24 Fellowship Way in Bayside. Visit Evolvingreflexions.blogspot.com for a preview of the pieces available. Kudos to Rebecca for supporting nonprofits in such a novel way!
President Jessica reminded us that the play "Far East" continues at the Redwood Curtain Theatre through November 23rd.

Recognitions
Ceva Courtemanche hosted the recognitions session last Friday, which focused on the person Ceva thinks of as "The One and Only" - Janice Newman. Janice has served our Club and our District in many roles over the years. When her husband Craig was our Club President in 1998-1999, she overcame her initial reluctance, and agreed to host a Rotary Exchange Student. She said that she was worried that "I would be the one who had to give, but I've gotten so much more". She has since been the Youth Exchange Chair for our Club and for the District.

She served as our Club President in 2004-2005, ushering in our regular donations to the Wheelchair Foundation, and beginning the first of our four-year cycles presenting the Every 15 Minutes program (which will take place once again this spring). She is currently our Club's Sergeant-At-Arms. As such, she oversees the group that sets up the Plaza View Room before each meeting (then puts everything away when it's over). They also work to ensure that all of our meetings and events run smoothly. As another part of her role, Janice serves as a non-voting member.on our Club's Board of Directors.

Janice is coming up on her 30th anniversary with local accounting firm Jackson & Eklund. She is justifiably proud of her two sons. Michael is an Assistant Manager for a Trader Joe's in Oregon, who plays saxophone in local music groups and bands. Ryan lives in Rohnert Park, and works as a professional musician, playing bass in a reggae band called "Groundation".

What is perhaps Janice's most important contribution to our Club's culture was unmentioned last week, however. She brought us the concept of "Birthmonths", which has been widely adopted among Sunrisers.

Rebuilding a Brand - Marketing Redwood Products
Chris Gaines, a Business Professor at College of the Redwoods and the founder of Capital Gaines Marketing was our Featured Speaker last week. He spoke with us about his work helping the redwood products industry regain ground it has lost to manufactured decking and fencing products. Chris said that the market share for redwood products has fallen by almost 50%. He said that part of the reason for the industry's decline could be traced to weak marketing efforts in the face of strong competitive assault and uncertain messaging in the marketing that existed.

Chris noted that many of the positive ideas that people have about composite materials used to build decks are unfounded. For example, many believe that such decks are friendlier to the environment than wood decks, but their opinions change when they hear that the composites used cannot be recycled when they are no longer usable. It is not common knowledge that composite decks also more efficiently absorb and retain the sun's heat,which can lead to burned feet on hot days.

Chris Gaines

Chris said that the Forest Products Initiative, funded in large part by the Headwaters Fund and members of the redwood industry, has launched an advertising campaign to help educate the public about these misconceptions, amonh others. The process involved developing and testing a concept strategy, and producing television ads to contrast the two types of decks.

He reported that the TV spots were very successful in test marketing. One question that the researchers asked the test groups was, "Which material is strong, durable, and lasts a long time?" Before viewing the ads, 45% answered composite materials, with only 18% identifying redwood. After seeing the ads, only 29% believed that composites were the right choice, and 47% selected redwood.

Similar results were seen when subjects were asked these questions:

• Which material is environmentally friendly?
• Which material is safe and comfortable?
• Which material would you choose to build or replace your deck?

In each of these cases, the information provided in the commercials led to a large swing from favoring composites to preferring redwood.

Since California comprises about 75% of the redwood products market, the initiative's organizers rolled out their 2013 media campaign in this state, concentrating on the four primary core markets of the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The programs airing the two commercials were targeted on sporting and lifestyle shows. The early results from the  "Real.Strong. Redwood" ads indicate that the campaign may be even more effective than the testing showed.

Chris acknowledged that the campaign aggressively targets the composite industry, but he said that it was important to establish a strong contrast between the two types of material in the first and second years of the program. Eventually, he said, redwood is expected to regain its leadership role, and then the industry can "fly above the competition." For more information, visit realstrongredwood.com.

Volume XII, Issue 16: October 25, 2013 - Final Friday!

Announcements
On October 24th, students to Arcata came from all over Humboldt County - as far south as Rio Dell, as far east as Hoopa and Casterlin, and as far north as McKinleyville - to compete in the 4th Annual RCAS Cross-Country Championships. Medals were awarded to the top three boys and the top three girls in each grade. Thanks to all who helped, and a special thanks to Rebecca Crow who once again organized the event.

On Saturday, November 9th, you have the opportunity to support the Rotary Foundation by attending the Foundation Dinner. It will be held at the River Lodge, and you can still sign up at the District 5130 website. If you aren't able to attend, you can still help out by purchasing raffle tickets. 100% of the price of each raffle ticket is credited to your Paul Harris account, and you could win a raffle prize as well! Contact Terri Clark for more details.

On Monday, November 11th, the Rotary Clubs of Eureka and Southwest Eureka will hold a joint meeting at the Adorni Center in honor of Veterans Day. Participants in the Honor Flight group that visited Washington, DC during the recent government shutdown will in attendance. 

Later that week ... on Saturday, November 16th, the Garberville Rotary will celebrate 75 years of service to Southern Humboldt. The event will take place at the Scotia Inn. For more information, please see President Jessica or contact a Garberville Rotarian.

We received a thank you note from the members of the Mad River United Youth Soccer League for our recent contribution. 

Don't forget about A Taste of the Holidays, which is now only about three weeks off. Right now, the focus should be on selling tickets, but don't forget to lock in your raffle prizes and sign up to work at the event. 

Jessica Ayala-Pimentel and Rachel Damme of the North Bay Rotaract Club visited our Club last Friday, along with Lost Coast Rotaract member Ashleigh Diehl. Jessica said that her Club is close to completing all the requirements for chartering. They've written their bylaws and constitution, but their main need is for additional members. They meet the first and third Wednesdays of each month, currently at the office of Jackson and Eklund in McKinleyville. If you know someone between the ages of 18 and 30 who would like to make a difference in our community, please encourage them to visit the Club to find out more. 

Cindy Sutcliffe just can't seem to stay retired. She told us last Friday that she is once again back at her old job with Humboldt County Child and Family Services. She is filling in while the woman who replaced her is on maternity leave. 

SWOT OPERATION #003: Clubhouse Edition
Last Friday, Barbara Browning provided a recap of our Club's makeover of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Redwoods clubhouse. The work took place over five days - from Friday, October 11th through the big "reveal" on Tuesday, October 15th. 

Barbara said that she and her fellow planners thought that the project would cost about $40,000, but they only had a $2,000 budget. Thanks to the efforts of 29 Sunrisers, over 40 local businesses, and an additional 50 or so volunteers, the makeover was a success - and they only spent $1,961! Another $2,125 has been donated since the reveal, and that money will go to fix a few remaining issues.

Ours was not the only Rotary Club involved in the project - Old Town Eureka Rotary pitched in, as did the Arcata (Noon) Rotary and the Eureka Rotary. The Southwest Eureka Rotary helped, and they agreed to adopt the Boys & Girls Club to provide ongoing support. Hillarie Beyer, whose McKinleyville Family Resource Center was the target of our Club's first SWOT Operation, lent a hand and offered to mentor Clubhouse Director Monica Rose.

Barbara said that, in undertaking this latest SWOT Operation, "I think we changed a lot of lives." For more information about the makeover from the recipient's point of view, visit the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Redwoods website.

Foundation Final Friday Auction
The last Friday of most months, our Club dedicates its meeting to the work of the Rotary Foundation. Since we won't be meeting on the last Fridays of November or December, our last meeting was the Final Final Friday of 2013. Fortunately, the Sunrisers were up to the challenge. Here are the results of our Foundation Final Friday Auction:

• George Cavinta donated a feast in a basket, including salmon that had been vacuum-sealed that morning at 5:30 and a bottle of wine. Rebecca Crow was the high bidder.
• Mark Burtchett offered a bottle of wine that he and his wife Cammy purchased at a winery. Fearing spousal retribution Mark purchased his own auction item. We don't know yet whether he put it back before Cammy noticed.
• Something came from Beaver Creek, and it was either the gin or the designer tonic water.  Either way, Matt Babich provided a highfalutin' combo that hailed from Great Britain. Cindy Sutcliffe knows, 'cause she won the package!
• Terri Clark brought a basket filled with bath and beauty goodies, which soon became the property of Kathy Fraser.
• Mary Crow has earned one Paul Harris Fellowship, and she is now working on her second. To that end, she donated some hand-crafted jewelry to the auction. You may see some of these accessories adorning winning bidder Janice Newman.
• It was a "Craft Party in a Basket" that Tami Camper offered. It contained beauty and crafting items galore, and Rebecca Crow was the winner.
• Brandi Easter has won prizes for her home-canned goods, and she donated several such items, including albacore and some jelly, which she described as "mostly pomegranite". The purchaser was Susan Jansson.
• Rebecca Crow noted that we don't hold Final Friday Auctions during the holiday months, so she offered holiday-time "subscriptions" of cookies to be delivered in November and December to two lucky bidders. The lucky ones were Dawn Elsbree and Amy Bohner.
• Scott Heller said that the bottles of wine he donated were nine years old ... plus one month? They were slated to be auctioned off at our last Final Friday, but the Cabernet Sauvignon survived an additional 30 days. I don't know whether the additional aging had an effect on Tami Camper's winning bid.
• Our last item was a 49ers Fan Package donated by Tomas Chavez. It included sportswear and memorabilia galore. Terri Clark snapped that right up.

Thanks to all the donors and to the bidders. The total take for the Rotary Foundation was nearly $1,200!!

Volume XII, Issue 15: October 18, 2013

Checking in With Alex
Last Friday, our Rotary Exchange Student from France, Alex Rialet, told us that his previous weekend had been very eventful. His host family, the Baciagaluppis, took him out to dinner to celebrate his 17th birthday. They went to the Bayfront Restaurant in Eureka for teppanyaki. The next day, Alex went to HealthSport to work off some of that birthday dinner. He thanked Susan Jansson and HealthSport for the complimentary membership. After Monday's Columbus Day holiday, the rest of Alex's week was normal, and he planned to suit up for that night's football game against Fortuna.

Announcements
President Jessica provided a Sunshine Report, letting us know that three Sunrisers have recently lost close family members. The fathers of George Cavinta and Donnie Rosebrook passed away, as did Robert Goodman's brother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all three and their families. 

Jessica also announced that our third SWOT (Serving With Our Talents) Operation was a great success the previous weekend. The enormous volunteer effort was amazing. Barbara Browning, who planned and coordinated the makeover, was under the weather last Friday, so we can look forward to an in-depth recap at our October 25th meeting.

Rebecca Crow reminded us that the RCAS Youth Cross-Country Championships will take place on Thursday, October 24th. As of press time, we still needed race spotters and help at the finish line. The event will be held at the Arcata Community Center, and set-up begins at 2:45 pm.

There may still be a few tickets left for the Lost Coast Rotaract's fall fundraiser - "Spirits and Spirits". The walking (and drinking) tour of Old Town Eureka will visit the city's haunted sites. Check the Lost Coast Interact Facebook page for more details and for contact information.

This year's Taste of the Holidays is less than a month away - Thursday, November 21st from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Arcata Community Center, to be precise. Be sure that you are selling those tickets and acquiring your raffle items with your group. (And let the Raffle Committee know what you're providing as soon as you can.) TOTH'll be here before you know it!

Stan Elcock is the Past President of the Arcata Noon Rotary (and a Sunriser Spouse). He's also serving as his Club's liaison to the Interact Club at Arcata High School. He said that the group has over 60 members this year, and they are ready and willing to volunteer for anything! So ... if you need help with a fundraiser or project, give Stan a call.

The North Bay Rotaract Club still intends to seek its charter soon. They are seeking additional members and a new location for meetings. If you know a young person (18 to 30) who will make a great Rotarian someday, help them connect with this group. They meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. See President Jessica for more information.

Humboldt Live! sent a thank you note for our recent donation. The program helps students in junior high and high school set goals and explore options for their futures. Five schools currently participate in the program - Fortuna Middle School, Jacoby Creek School, Pacific Union School, Sunny Brae Middle School, and Toddy Thomas School. (Thanks back atcha - Jim Ritter, the program's Executive Director, lent a hand in the SWOT Operation at the Boys and Girls Center!) For more information about the program, check out its Facebook page.

Craft Talk: Tami Camper
Last week, we were once again treated to a Craft Talk, this time from Tamara Camper-Dart, aka Tami Camper. She was born on March 4, 1977 in Spokane, Washington, the only child of a general contractor and a nurse/writer. Although she was only three years old at the time, she recalled the aftermath of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. She said that everything was covered in ash, and she collected several jars of it.

Her childhood home was in a rural area near Spokane. Tami said that her parents compromised in finding a place to live, since her father was an outdoorsman, and her mother was more urban. Her family is descended from Swiss/German farmers and ranchers, with a long history of living and working in sparsely populated areas. 

Tami said that she wanted to "get away from Spokane", so she attended Western Washington University near Vancouver, BC. In 1999, she earned her bachelors degree in Environmental Science. Along the way, she studied abroad, in Michoacan, Mexico. In 2007, she received her masters degree in Biology from Humboldt State.

Tami Flexes

Tami started working at a young age, doing chores and general work around the family farm, and helping clean up at her father's construction sites. "Everyone asks me where I get these biceps," she said, "and I say 'From HealthSport", but it was actually from bucking [hay] when I was twelve." Her work with her father took place mostly at schools and hospitals, but there were also a lot of septic treatment facilities as well, which were "really gross".

As a young adult, Tami worked as a lifeguard, at a county park, and as a landscaper. In 1999, Tami worked for the Forest Service surveying bryophytes (plants without vascular tissue, such as mosses and worts). The next year, she began a three-year stint with the Mendocino Redwood Company and Campbell Timberland Management, studying fisheries, owls, and botany. In 2002, Tami started Camper Consulting, and performed botany and wetlands surveys. In 2008, she joined Streamline Planning Consultants, where she continued to perform studies of botany, wetlands, and streams, in addition to providing guidance to clients with permitting and CEQA/NEPA issues. Since 2011, she has been an Environmental Planner and Revegetation/Mitigation Specialist with CalTrans.

Tami's volunteer work over the years has included working as a Candy Striper at Spokane Valley Hospital, helping at Cat Tales Zoological Training Center, serving in the LEAD (Learning, Environment, Action, and Discovery) program, assisting at the Wild Walls Climbing Gym, serving as Treasurer/Plant Sale Coordinator for the California Native Plant Society, and supporting the Arcata Christian School.

Here are some items from a "Random Facts" slide that we ran out of time for on Friday:

• Running, Climbing, Snowboarding/Skiing, Hiking, Backpacking, Traveling, Painting, Photography, Scuba Diving, Surfing, Fishing, Gardening, Reading, Writing, Saxophone, Swimming, Cycling, Roller Derby, Dancing
• Climbed Mt. Rainier and Mt. Shasta
• Backpacked alone through Central and South America including Incan Trail and Machu Picchu
• Adrenaline junkie - hang gliding, bungee-jumping, roller coasters, scary movies ...
• Stayed in the Ecuadorian Rainforest with the Secoya tribe and studied ethobotany; Uncle David was character in Serpent and the Rainbow and I was in Breaking Open the Head by Daniel Pinchbeck
• General contractor and laborer on two houses, love designing and building.

Tami also participated in this year's Ragnar Relay - a 200-mile run from San Francisco to Calistoga. She ran a total of 26 of those 200 miles. 

Recognitions
Bryan Plumley headed up our Recognitions last Friday, showing a video tour of the (relatively) new workplace of Charlie Jordan, Mad River Brewing Company. Charlie became the brewery's General Manager in February of this year, and she is helping the company take their operations to the next level. They were at capacity when she was hired, and they have undertaken a three-year plan to increase that capacity by 300%. Even when they reach their production goal of 60,000 barrels per year, the brewery will still be considered "tiny", but they will be considered more regional. Their distribution area covers the entire country and even extends to Japan. Charlie said that she recently returned from the North American Beer Festival, where their Steelhead Pale Ale won a silver medal in the Golden or Blonde Ale category. It won two golds and a silver in previous competitions. Charlie went on to say that the brewery will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year, and preparations are underway. Mad River Brewery also has a monthly "Pints for Nonprofits" program, where on the first Wednesday of each month, one dollar is donated to a local agency for each pint of beer sold. As a special treat, we each received a bottle of beer!

October 12th was Karen Burgesser's birthday, and she said that it was fun. She worked as part of the SWOT Team at the Boys and Girls Club, and when she got home, her husband Steve had a surprise for her. Since beer was being distributed as she said what the surprise was, I can't be positive, but I'm pretty sure that he had a birthday cake waiting for her.

Rising Stars and Salsa 
Sunriser Lori Breyer introduced two of her co-workers from the County Office of Education as our Featured Speakers last Friday. Colleen Toste is the Managing Director of the Rising Stars Foundation, and Linda Prescott serves as the Office's Nutrition Education Coordinator.  Linda has been with HCOE for about 18 years, and Colleen moved there from Umpqua Bank this spring. 

On Saturday, October 12th, the Rising Stars Foundation hosted a Salsa Competition  as part of its Culinary ALLSTARS program. Groups of students from third grade to sixth were mentored by local chefs/cooks to create salsas, which were judged in categories including taste, presentation, use of local produce, and "People's Choice". Another category, "Most Marketable", was awarded by Bien Padre Foods, who prepare, test, and produce the salsa according to the recipes created by the student teams. 

President Jessica with Colleen and Linda*

Linda said that the Culinary ALLSTARS program is an offshoot of HCOE's "Harvest of the Month" program, which strives to educate students about the benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. Linda and her colleagues prepare and distribute an educator packet that crosses the curriculum, including math, reading, science, art, and history. Each month, a different fruit or vegetable is featured. The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and the North Coast Co-Op help to provide local produce when possible. 

Colleen said that the ALLSTARS program is an important part the Rising Stars Foundation, which was founded in 2005. Colleen said that the Foundation provides students "a place ... to showcase the skills they've learned in school". Other programs sponsored by the Foundation include:

• The Seal of Biliteracy Awards Program, which last June recognized the first group of graduating seniors in Humboldt County to earn the California State Seal of Biliteracy.
• The INNOVATE! Business Challenge, which encourages entrepreneurship among high school students. Participants develop business ideas and develop a 60-90 second "elevator pitch". Those who reach Phases Two and Three are asked to defend their concepts, in written and oral presentations.
• The GATE (Gifted And Talented Education) Academy, attended this year by 800 students, who learned about topics that varied from ancient Egypt and origami to roller coaster design and Chinese brush painting. 
• History Day, which our Club has long supported, is also a Rising Stars program. This year, the theme for the competition was "Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, and Events". As is often the case, students from Humboldt did well at the state level, with four local students reaching the finals.
• Projects entered in the Gary Roberts Industrial Technology Fair are displayed over the Memorial Day weekend at Bayshore Mall in Eureka. This year, almost 250 projects in woodworking, metal crafts, and drafting were featured.
• The All-County Music Festival is co-sponsored by the Rising Stars Foundation and the North Coast Section of the California Music Educators Association. The top student musicians in Humboldt County are culled to participate in the Junior and Senior Choirs and Bands, and the Junior String Orchestra.
• The Doris Niles Humboldt County Science Fair is held each spring at HSU. This year, 15 students went on to compete at the state level, with 3 of those eligible to participate in the national competition. 
• The 30th Annual Humboldt County Spelling Bee was held last March at the HCOE facility in Eureka. Four local students went on to compete at the state level.
• In April, 19 high school seniors were recognized as Humboldt County's Rising Stars Academic Achievement Team. These students were selected for their academic records and their involvement in leadership and community activities. 

Colleen encouraged us all to visit the Rising Stars website to read about the achievements of our local students and their teachers.  The Foundation has worked to increase awareness of the program through branding. Colleen would also like us to take special note of the green "DONATE" button that adorns the top of each page.

* - Photo of Jessica, Colleen, and Linda courtesy of Angelo Baciagaluppi.

Volume XII, Issue 14: October 11, 2013

Alex's Week in Review
At last Friday's meeting, Rotary Exchange Student Alex Rialet warmed up for his big presentation (see below) by telling us about his weekend trip to San Francisco. Alex and the other Exchangers from District 5130 traveled to San Francisco to see the sights and have some fun together. The group (pictured below) walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, becam fans of the Oakland Raiders, and had a great time.

Rotary Exchange Students from District 5130

Announcements
President Jessica said that the Club's Fellowship Tailgate Party at the HSU Jacks game on October 5th was a great success. The weather cooperated, and the food was delicious.

Thank you, Vivian, Lexi, and Ember!

Pastels on the Plaza was also on October 5th, and we were represented. Our "double-wide" panel was created by three artists from the Arcata Arts Institute - Vivian Harp, Lexi Jacomela, and Ember Cedargreen.

As of last Friday, our Club's third "Serving With Our Talents" (SWOT) Operation was well underway. There were a lot of Sunrisers to thank, with more to come, but President Jessica noted that Bob and Susan Johnson achieved a coup of sorts. The couple owns Shady Lady, a window covering establishment in Henderson Center, and they wangled an unprecedented contribution from Hunter-Douglas to provide window treatments for the entire building!

Ashliegh Diehl of the Lost Coast Rotaract Club told us last Friday that both times for their Spirits and Spirits event are nearly sold out. The fundraiser, which is billed as a "Walking Ghost Tour of Old Town Eureka", is in its third year. But you'd better hurry if you don't want to miss the spooks!

Tickets for A Taste of the Holidays (aka TOTH) are in the hands of Arcata Sunrise Rotarians. If you need more, contact Angelo Baciagaluppi. If you are not a Sunriser, and you need a ticket, please contact Your Editor at once!

Rebecca Crow reminded us that our annual Cross Country Championships will take place on Thursday, October 24th at 2:45 pm. You can sign up online by clicking here. We sponsor the event, which is part of the Humboldt Redwoods Running Program's Youth Cross Country Program, for kids from kindergarten through eighth grade.

District 5130's Foundation Dinners are coming soon. The first will take place on Saturday, November 2nd, at Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park, and the second will be a week later at the River Lodge in Fortuna. Although the event is labeled "South" and "North", you are encouraged to attend either one. Or both! Visit the District 5130 website to sign up.

President Jessica reminded us that the agendas and minutes from the meetings of our Boards of Directors (both Club and Foundation) are available in the Members Section of our Club Website. Just head for the bottom of the page and click on the link inside the rising sun. (Please note, you will need the password.)

Jessica also announced that we are seeking nominations for two positions on the Board, as well as our Club President for 2015-2016. (I think I got the years right.) She also announced the sad news that Jeff Munther has resigned from our Club, citing recent changes in his life, including his two babies. We wish him well, and respect his decision. His resignation does mean that there is an immediate opening on the Board, and if you are interested in filling that slot (which runs through the end of the current Rotary year), please contact Jessica or another member of the Board.

Recognitions
Tomas Chavez was once again driving the Recognitions Bus last week, and he asked Terri Clark about the Rotary Zone Institute meeting that she recently attended. She said that Zone 25/26 is comprised of 23 Districts in the western parts of the United States and Canada. The get-together was three days long, and included a reunion of the Rotarians who served as District Governors the same year that Terri was our DG. "There were 24 of us originally, back in 2001," Terri said, "but some of them have gone to that Rotary Club in the sky."  Tomas also asked Terri about her little friend Cole, whom she said was "one of the sweetest children not in this room". Cole's mom Kelly, is the niece of one of Terri's friends. 

Depth? 104 feet ... Temperature? 84 degrees!

Scott Heller was recognized for his return to Honduras. You may recall that Scott spent several weeks there last fall, in Roatan, earning several scuba diving certifications. Well, he needed a few more notches on his weight belt, so he went back to complete a few more courses. He took his daughter Jordan along, and she was certified while they were there. Check out the photo at left - Scott said that the temperature was probably a little lower, since his watch was still adjusting, but still ...
  

Volume XII, Issue 13: October 4, 2013

Alex in the Bay Area

The Latest from Alex
Last Friday, President Jessica posted photos of our Rotary Exchange Student from France, Alex Rialet, in his roles as a football player for Arcata High School, and as a member of the Baciagaluppi Family, mowing the lawn the previous Sunday. Alex said that he had participated in last week's information meeting at AHS for potential Rotary Exchangers. He shared his experiences with the students, to help give them an idea of what to expect.

Alex said that was looking forward to the AHS Homecoming, both the parade that afternoon and the game later that evening. He was also anticipating the weekend trip to San Francisco, with his fellow Exchangers from throughout our Rotary District.

Jessica asked him whether students in France have "dress-up days like they do here", but Alex said that they don't. They concluded that they just don't have as much fun.

Announcements
President Jessica reminded us that the Backpacks for Kids program is underway, and invited us to help even if we haven't signed up. The program will continue throughout the school year, so please lend a hand.

Our third SWOT Extreme Makeover will take place this weekend. We will be doing some major renovations for the Boys and Girls Club of the Redwoods in Eureka, with the support and assistance from the Old Town Eureka Rotary, the Arcata (Noon) Rotary , the Southwest Eureka Rotary, the Eureka Rotary, and the Fortuna Sunrise Rotary. In addition, we will be joined by the Lost Coast Rotaract Club, the North Bay Rotaract Club, the Northcoast Kiwanis, and the McKinleyville Kiwanis! The project will include (among other things) painting, replacing the lawn, remodels of the kitchen and the bathrooms, replacing raised beds in the garden, and building a new sandbox. The Makeover will start Friday, October 11th, and will go through the weekend. Please sign up for a shift or two on SignUpGenius if you can, and please come to the Reveal Party, which will take place next Tuesday (October 15th) at 3 PM!

Tickets and flyers are available for a Taste of the Holidays, affectionately known as TOTH. The event is just over a month away, and we want to have a packed house. Signups for the various tasks will be available soon. This is one of our few "all-hands" events, so be sure that you have Thursday, November 21st blocked of on your calendar.

District 5130 will once again hold two Foundation Dinners in November - the first Saturday of that month will see the Foundation Dinner South, which will take place at Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park. It's Northern counterpart will take place the following Saturday (November 9th) at the River Lodge in Fortuna. Visit the District website to register for either or both. The events provide an opportunity for the Rotarians of our District to celebrate our contributions to the Rotary Foundation.


The Real Kraft Talk
We were treated to two Craft Talks last Friday, but we were told by Maggie Kraft that hers was "the only real Kraft Talk you're ever gonna get".  Maggie became an Honorary Member of our Club before she began an assignment with the Peace Corps in Botswana. While she was there, she was inducted as a member of a Rotary Club. Upon her return to our community, she joined our Club as a regular member.

Maggie was born in San Francisco and raised in Palo Alto. Her parents were from the East Coast, and they (and Maggie) had to learn how to speak "Californian". Maggie was in the middle of five children in her family. She had two older brothers, one younger brother, and a younger sister. One of their favorite family activities was playing poker. Since both parents are attorneys, a given hand would often involve arguing your case for winning. It must have provided good training, since two of Maggie's siblings also became attorneys. "The other three of us," she said, "just acted like we were."

Maggie herself almost went to law school, but she went instead to UC Santa Cruz, where she received her bachelors degree in Psychology. She followed that by earning her masters in social work in Sacramento.

She moved to Humboldt County 25 years ago to work for the ombudsman program, and she has worked in the senior services field ever since. She worked for the Senior Resource Center for many years, and she helped create the Alzheimers Resource Center. She headed up the staff there, until she left to join the Peace Corps. Maggie joined the Peace Corps because she felt that she needed a break, although her work in Botswana was intense as well. "Maybe," she said, "I'll come back as a cat in my next life. That would be fair." As a Peace Corps volunteer, Maggie worked with groups of disabled persons

She likes "traveling and eating, which means that I need to exercise more". She also shared some other news, but since she hadn't told her sister yet, I won't reveal it here. You'll have to check with her ...

The Jeff Talk?
Our other Craft Talker last Friday was Jeff Stebbins, who told us that he was raised in Arcata. As he grew up, he split his time between Arcata and his parents' ranch in Kneeland. Jeff graduated from Arcata High School in 1986, then attended Humboldt State, where he earned his bachelors degree in Business Administration. He also became a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

His work history began when he worked for his father, who managed rentals. Following a fire in one of the houses, Jeff helped to clean it. He said that he came home each day, covered in soot. While he was attending HSU, Jeff was involved in a fender bender that required him to make some money to pay for the repairs to his car and to the car he hit. He took a semester off and moved to Park City, Utah, where he began a series of jobs that related to outdoor sports. 

When Jeff returned to Humboldt County, he found that he liked the idea of making money, so he began working at Yakima, on their night shift. He found that he really enjoyed mountain biking, and he moved back to the high country - Steamboat Springs, Colorado. He was hired by a company called Justus of Steamboat, which had retail stores in many far-flung locations. Jeff was flung to several of those in Michigan, Utah, and Colorado before he decided that he wanted a more permanent home.

He moved to Seattle and began working for Emeritus Assisted Living as their Network Administrator. After three years of working 12 to 16 hours per day, he started his own business - Stebbins Consulting. His clients included several wineries.

While living in Seattle, Jeff met his bride-to-be, Rachel Chandler. They were married in 1997, and they now have two daughters - Adora, who is 14 years old, and Ayla, who is 10.

Recognitions
Tomas Chavez led our recognitions last Friday, and he talked about Cam Appleton's busy summer. Cam did a lot of fishing, but he made time for a former Rotary Exchange Student and his family.  Mauricio Mayeya Lopez, his wife America, and their daughter Erica were visiting Sunriser Harry Johnson, and Cam snagged them for dinner while they were here. Cam has been spending a lot of time working on the new station for the Fieldbrook Volunteer Fire Department.

Tomas then asked Mark Burtchett to tell us about his recent visit to Croatia. Mark said that he and his wife Cammy spent a couple of weeks touring the country, on what was billed as a bicycle/boat trip. Although it was not the reason for the trip, their anniversary fell amid the journey, and they celebrated with 30 or so of their boating companions. Mark said that he has also spent a lot of time at Trinity Lake with his family, including his grandchildren. He and his son also won a recent golf tournament at Baywood Country Club.

We then saw a photo of a band from the 80s. It wasn't Depeche Mode or Culture Club, but it did feature Future Sunriser Gregg Foster on bass guitar. We are not worthy!!

About the Mad River Alliance
Friday's Featured Speaker was Dave Feral, the Executive Director of the Mad River Alliance. Dave grew up in Sonoma County, and he said that his "backyard" was Sonoma Creek. He would often head out into the natural setting right after breakfast. His family moved to Petaluma, and Dave attended Casa Grande High School, where he "majored in woodshop and high school football". One of his classes was a forestry and wildlife class, and Dave asked the teacher if the class could adopt a local creek that had seen better days. The idea caught on, and Dave was inspired.

Dave earned his teaching credential at Sonoma State, and he went on to teach science in the Bay Area. He carried his experience in helping to rehab the damaged creek in Petaluma with him, and he developed a curriculum to help other schools start similar projects. Ultimately, he came to Humboldt State and in 2001, he earned his masters degree.

While in Humboldt County, Dave fell in love with the Mad River. This river, he told us, is 100 miles long from its source to the sea, it covers an area of approximately 500 square miles, and it has 40 mapped tributaries. It provides the drinking water for about 80,000 people, and it is home to over 20 fish species. Unfortunately, it is also suffering, and it has been suffering for quite a while.

By the 1920s, a decline was noticed in the Mad River's fish population, and that decline continues. In 1937, Sweasey Dam was built northeast of Kneeland, and it was poorly designed. It had filled with silt by 1942, and it was removed in 1970. In 1961, the R.W. Matthews Dam was constructed. This is the dam that formed Ruth Lake. Dave said that a lot more thought went into the site selection and construction process. The reservoir provides water for the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District.

Dave Feral

In 1992, the federal Environmental Protection Agency listed the Mad River as "sediment-impaired". This is a form of pollution that can severely impact fish and other aquatic life. It often contributes to a rise in water temperatures. The Mad was listed in 2006 as "temperature-impaired", due to the decrease in average water depth.

Dave formed the Mad River Alliance on June 6, 2011, emulating the structures of organizations with similar conservation goals, such as the Friends of the Eel River. The founders interviewed members of the community, held strategic planning sessions, and began an ongoing process of education and outreach. River cleanup events have been held and there will be more to come.

In early 2014, the group will host a Steelhead Derby. The event will kickoff on Friday, January 24th with a Block Party in Blue Lake. On Saturday, February 1st, they will hold a Kids Day, featuring a Casting Contest. Finally, on Saturday, February 8th, the two-week derby will end, with an Awards Dinner. The whole event will feature "fishing, feasting, and live music".

For more information, visit the group's website at madriveralliance.org or its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/madriveralliance.

Volume XII, Issue 12: September 27, 2013

Emma and Alex

A Moment With Alex
Last Friday, Exchange Student Alex Rialet said that he had enjoyed a normal weekend. He took a walk along the beach with his host family, the Baciagaluppis. Following that, his host sister Emma took the time to dress up Alex.

Announcements
Please be sure that the following dates are marked on your calendars:

• October 4 - Backpacks for Kids starts up again
• October 5 - Fellowship Opportunity - Tailgate Party at HSU Football. Approximately 4 pm in the Lower Lot. (This is also the 45th Reunion for the Marching Lumberjacks!)
• October 12, 13, & 14 - SWOT Operation at the Boys & Girls Club in Eureka. Click here to sign up.
• October 15 - The Big Reveal at the Boys & Girls Club.
• November 21 - A Taste of the Holidays

The votes are in, and the theme for the next Spring Fundraiser is ... Pirates!  Aye, me mateys - we'll be lookin' to pack in the doubloons and like swag, so send yer trusty parrot to the dry cleaners and polish yer peg leg, 'cause we be settin' sail soon ...

Recognitions
Ceva Courtemanche hosted a Rotary Foundation version of Jeopardy! for the Recognitions segment of our meeting. The contestants were Ron Sharp, Karen Burgesser, and Craig Reed. Here are the answers they were faced with - how well would you do? The correct responses to all nine answers are at the bottom of the page, and remember to phrase your response in the form of a question:

The Rotary Foundation
$100 - It's the fund that promotes education, health, and peace throughout the world
$200 - Moneys are distributed to specific local and international projects through this                        process
$300 - Through these, Rotarians are able to sponsor educational opportunities for our future            leaders of peace and health

Polio Plus
$100 - 1984
$200 - Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan
$300 - This foundation granted $350 million and challenged Rotarians worldwide to raise                  another $200 million to eradicate polio

Other Ways to Make a Difference
$100 - In addition to treasure, this is a wonderful way to give
$200 - "The power is in the numbers" and "The more, the merrier" are two expressions that               illustrate a way you can contribute without spending a dime
$300 - This is one of the easiest ways to make a donation when you "can't take it with you"

Karen was the big winner, with Ron and Craig tying for second. 

Special Days
Charlie Jordan and Mark Ritz celebrated their 11th anniversary on September 1st. They went to Willow Creek, where "there was no internet and very little cell [service], it was great".

For their 28th anniversary, Joyce Hinrichs told us the she and husband Steve Watson "did nothing together". Joyce was with their daughters, and she had performed a wedding ceremony that day. They talked on the phone, and Steve wished Joyce a "Happy Birthday" - a long-standing joke between the two of them.

Ian Schatz's birthday was the previous Friday, and he told us that he and his family went out to dinner a couple of times over the weekend. "It was nice," he said.

Former GSE Team Member, Current Sunriser
Craig Reed was a member of our District's Group Study Exchange Team that traveled to Japan in 2010. He said that the GSE program allows young professionals who are not Rotarians the opportunity to experience industry, culture, and Rotary in a different country. Craig said that the experience immerses the team members in Rotary. Some of his fellow GSE team members had been active in Rotaract Clubs, so they had more experience with Rotary, but he came to the project without much knowledge of Rotary and its programs. 

Craig Reed

Craig said that for his first host family, every day was Baseball Day. They watched baseball every day, and that provided a way for Craig to relate to them. He said that they also had a fantastic garden, which had won awards from a magazine.

Craig told us that the GSE team was made to feel welcome everywhere they traveled. The people in Japan were very interested in talking with the team members. Children were especially eager to interact with the Americans.

At a tour of a Japanese fire station, the group dressed in firefighters' turnouts, and they were shown a the effects of a simulated fire to a three-story building. They were able to see what was happening because one wall of the building was removed. One of the firemen was particularly interesting to the female members of the GSE team. They quickly nicknamed him "#1 Beautiful Person" (in Japanese, of course). The other firefighters were mystified, saying that the Japanese girls don't like him. The group also toured the Koito factory, where they saw the history of automotive headlight technology. 

Other highlights of the adventure included a trip up Mt. Fuji, where they discovered that the road builders had designed the pavement with patterned grooves that cause an automobile's tires to play a song as it travels toward the peak. Craig insisted that if you travel to Japan, you should attend a professional soccer game. "The crowd is so into it," he said. "They were chanting, and doing cheers the whole time."The team was also treated to a session with one of Japan's premier calligraphers.

One of the last photos Craig showed was of the GSE team out collecting funds for the Rotary Foundation. They collected over $100 that day alone.

The Foundation Auction
As is our wont, we held an auction to raise funds for the Rotary Foundation. All of the proceeds go to the Foundation, with half being credited to the donor's Paul Harris Sustaining Fellowship account, while the other half goes toward the purchaser's account. Here are last Friday's items:

• Karen Burgesser donated a whimsical basket containing a ceramic owl coffee mug, a create-your-own yo-yo kit, and other fun items. Jeff Stebbins was the winning bidder.
• Susan Jansson provided another basket filled with HealthSport goodies, including (but not limited to) a gift card, workout clothing, and a water bottle. Our winner was Joyce Hinrichs.
• Karen Burgesser and Ceva Courtemanche donated a bouquet of sweet treats, which was dubbed an "Early Adult Halloween Basket" by a member of the crowd. Ian Schatz walked away with the goodies. 

Thanks to all who donated, purchased, and ran up the bids. Thanks to you, we raised another $250 for the Rotary Foundation!

Don't forget to check below to see how well you did in Foundation Jeopardy!