The Sunrise Spirit: September 2015

Volume XIII, Issue 12: September 25, 2015

Coming Soon ...
Oct 3 - RISE EVENT - CASA Kids Walk (Support the North Bay Rotaract Club's team) - 6 pm at the Old Town Gazebo
Oct 10 - RISE EVENT - HSU Homecoming Tailgate Party!
Oct 22/23 - District Governor Erin Dunn visits our Club (officially!). Thursday night Board Meeting and Social, Friday Morning Club Meeting.
Oct 23 - World Polio Day! For more information, please click here
Oct 30/31 - RISE EVENT - Lost Coast Rotaract's 5th Annual "Spirits & Spirits" in Old Town - Three tours each night!!
Nov 14 - RISE EVENT - Foundation Dinner North in Ferndale - "An Evening in the Enchanted Forest"
Nov 19 - A Taste of the Holidays at the Arcata Community Center
Dec 5 - RISE EVENT - Christmas Caroling for Arts Alive in Old Town Eureka

Rotarian News

Arcata Volunteer Fire Department Chief Desmond Cowan was on hand last Friday. He invited us to tour the renovated Fire Station on Saturday, October 3rd. Tours will be taking place all day.
John Gullam reminded us that the Backpacks for Kids program is experiencing a funding gap for the coming year. If you would like to sponsor a year's worth of nutritious food for a needy student for $265, please contact him. Partial sponsorships are also welcome.
President Howard announced that the Manila Community Services Board has named Mad River Montessori School the new managers of the Manila Family Resource Center. This should mean that we will be working on our next SWOT project soon!
Our indefatigable Friday server, Elsa Dearth, announced that she has extended her anniversary sale on massages and yoga training. For more information, please call her at 805-453-4593.

Sophia's Week
Rotary Exchange Student Sophia Waern-Bugge told us that she recently went to Coos Bay, Oregon for a cross-country meet. "I'm not the best runner yet," she admitted, "but it's fun, and I'm improving." Last Thursday night, she went to dinner with Tami Camper, who is Sophia's Rotary Counselor.

Sophia also joined the Arcata High School Interact Club recently. She had only been to one meeting, but there was another scheduled later that day. "I hope I get some pizza this time," she said. She summed up her life right now, saying, "I go to school and to cross-country practice. That's what I do. I'm very tired all the time."

Interact/Rotaract Update
Craig Newman told us that the mission of the Interact/Rotaract Committee is to support the North Bay Rotaract Club (which we sponsor) and the Arcata High Interact Club (which we co-sponsor with the Arcata Noon Rotary. Craig noted that we had sponsored an unofficial Interact Club at Sunny Brae Middle School, but there was mutual agreement that we would still support their efforts and they would help at our events, but their service club will no longer be considered an Interact Club. Fortunately, the Arcata Nooners were willing to share responsibility for the AHS Interact Club with us.

In addition to Craig, the Committee includes co-chair Robert Goodman, Dustin Littlefield, Nick Torres, Laura Montagna, and maybe Tomas Chavez. "Tomas kinda hung around our meeting last time," Craig said, "so we think he's probably going to join."

Kendall Boyett is this year's AHS Interact President, and she told us that the previous weekend, several of their members helped with the Prairie Creek Redwoods Half Marathon, handing out t-shirts and staffing the water stations. The same weekend, they worked at the North Country Fair, helping the event participants achieve zero-waste by directing people to recycling areas. They have an auction coming up on Saturday, October 10th at the Fortuna River Lodge. Craig reminded us to think about the AHS Interactors as we develop projects through the year. Kendall said that there were about 70 members at their last meeting. (No wonder they ran out of pizza!)

Kendall Boyett, Craig Newman, and Rachel Damme

The President of the North Bay Rotaract this year is Rachel Damme, who told us that her Club boasts 21 active members, and another 15 "Friends of Rotaract" - people who are involved, but either can't commit at this time, or who are over the age of 30 (the upper limit for Rotaract membership). The group was chartered 15 months ago, and in that time, "we have accomplished a lot," Rachel said. In April, the group put together the "Run for a Cause", which supported Project La Trinidad, which the Rotaract Club is co-sponsoring with the Arcata Noon Rotary, Club Rotario San Jose in Costa Rica, and our Club. It was their first fundraiser, and they had over 100 runners participate!

Among their goals for the current year are increased youth advocacy, community beautification, creating more opportunities for networking and leadership, and maintaining a focus on helping to End Polio Now. Rachel said that the group will participate in the CASA Kids Walk for the third year, they will field a team in Bowl for Kids' Sake, which supports the North Coast Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, and they will spend some cold nights near the Costco parking lot in November and December, collecting Toys for Tots. They will raise funds to support the Raven Project, which provides outreach for homeless youth. They are also building raised planter beds for the Raven Project's vegetable and herb gardens, and they will be working with other Rotary organizations to revitalize Rotary Grove in Prairie Creek State Park.

Last year's North Bay Rotaract President, Ashleigh Diehl, is this year's District 5130 Rotaract Representative. She said that the local Rotaract Clubs are working more closely together, and they held a camping retreat recently, with 21 attendees from throughout the District's six Rotaract Clubs. They discussed common goals, better communication and coordination of efforts. The District-wide effort to create a second volume of the Rotaract Cookbook will be dedicated this year to Rotary's polio eradication efforts.

Ashleigh said that the six Clubs want to work more closely with both the Rotary Clubs and the Interact Clubs in the District. They plan to support the World's Greatest Meal to End Polio, and the Purple Pinkies for Polio project being adopted by several District Clubs.

Foundation Final Friday
Last week was the last Friday of September, which means ... it was time for Foundation Final Friday!! We started with Paul Harris Presentations. It was the third time around for Karen Burgesser, and with Paul Harris Fellowships, it's always a charm! And Foundation Chair Terri Clark announced three new PHFs - Lisa Hemphill, Ed Christians, and Exchange Student Sophia. Congratulations to all!!

It wouldn't be Final Friday without our Foundation Auction. All proceeds are donated to the Rotary Foundation, with the prize donor and the winning bidder splitting the Paul Harris Recognition amount. And here is the list:

The North Bay Rotaract Club donated a basket filled with pasta sauce, pasta, and a bunch of other goodies. Maggie Kraft will be going Italian, courtesy of her winning bid.
Bourbon, anyone? Alyson Hunter's package included Maker's Mark bourbon and a batch of bourbon brownies. The top bid came from Bryan Reeser.
Krissemma wine is not available in stores, but Jessica McKnight attests that it is excellent. She brought a bottle along with wine glasses. It was ready to enjoy, but I think that the winning bidder (Alyson Hunter) waited at least a few hours ...
Rebecca Crow will be doing some baking for the holidays, with Jeff Stebbins and John Gullam as the happy recipients. They will receive a large tin of cookies from Rebecca at a holiday time of their choosing for their winning bids.
We don't know who donated the certificates for a night at the Benbow Inn and $50 credit toward dinner or other amenities. We know who bought it, though - Your Editor!
Orrin Plocher is quite the woodworker, and he made a very special cross ornament. He told us that he made it in memory of his father, who also crafted in wood. Bob Johnson's winning bid made it a memory for his family, too.
Maggie Kraft donated a bottle from another rogue winemaker (from the Calistoga Rotary Club). The label read "Iniquity Cellars", and Ed Christians will be able to study it at length, courtesy of his winning bid.
Joyce Hinrichs provided beautiful jewelry from Baroni Designs, which was purchased by Carol Vander Meer.
The last item was a "Project Bucket", assembled and donated by Chris Hemphill. The bucket included several items essential to the completion of any project - including beer and chips! Resident handyman Craig Newman is sure to make the most of it!

As always, thank you to all who donated and/or purchased items. This time, we raised $1,025 for the Rotary Foundation. But remember, you don't need to wait for the next auction - you can make your contribution online by clicking here!

Volume XIII, Issue 11: September 18, 2015

Coming Soon ...
Sept 26 - Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup - 9:30 - 11:30 am - Meet at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center
Sept 26 - District 5130 Rotary Foundation Workshop in Fortuna - 10 am to 2 pm
Sept 27 - District 5130 New Focus Membership Meeting in Fortuna - 10 am to 2 pm
Oct 3 - RISE EVENT - CASA Kids Walk (Support the North Bay Rotaract Club's team) - 6 pm at the Old Town Gazebo
Oct 10 - RISE EVENT - HSU Homecoming Tailgate Party!
Oct 31 - RISE EVENT - Lost Coast Rotaract's 5th Annual "Spirits & Spirits" in Old Town
Nov 14 - RISE EVENT - Foundation Dinner North in Ferndale - "An Evening in the Enchanted Forest"
Nov 19 - A Taste of the Holidays at the Arcata Community Center
Dec 5 - RISE EVENT - Christmas Caroling for Arts Alive in Old Town Eureka

Rotarian News

President Howard was on the road last week, so Past President Barbara Browning filled in.
Members of the North Bay Rotaract Club were on hand, selling cupcakes to support their team for the upcoming CASA Kids Walk. Former Rotary Kid Lacey Watson invited us to join their group at the Walk, which will take place on Saturday, October 3rd, from 6 to 7 pm during Arts Alive.
We'll also have a chance to support our other young adult group - the Lost Coast Rotaract Club - during their annual "Spirits and Spirits" Ghost Tour of Old Town Eureka. This year, the event takes place on Halloween night!
John Gullam told us that we will resume filling Backpacks for Kids on October 9th. He said that a new slot will be added to the Signup Genius. John also reminded us that individual Sunrisers can help out by sponsoring a year of backpacks for a needy child for $265.
John then said that our Club is expected to receive a Matching Grant to help support the "The Shoe That Grows", a program that provides expandable shoes to children in countries where there is the danger of soil-transmitted diseases and parasites.
You can help the victims of the Valley Fire, which has claimed homes and property in the Clear Lake area. Rotary Kid Mary Crow is collecting clothing along with others at her school, and you can make a secure online donation by visiting the Redwood Credit Union's Announcement Page. To donate by check via the Lakeport Rotary or the Calistoga Rotary, visit the District 5130 website for mailing instructions.

Humboldt Live!
Jim Ritter visited our Club last Friday. He heads up the College and Career Center at Arcata High School, and his program Humboldt Live! provides career and academic information to students in junior high and high schools in Humboldt County, in addition to providing outreach to young adults transitioning from the foster family program to living independently.

Jim Ritter

Jim noted that the program for transitional youth is a partnership between our Club and Humboldt Live. He also said that the College and Career Center recently received a grant, which will allow it to provide some services to McKinleyville High.

Our Club is a key to the success of the Center and Humboldt Live!, according to Jim. He showed several photos of Rotarians serving as members of career panels and hosting job shadow participants.

He also said that Arcata Sunrise, the Arcata Noon Rotary, and the North Bay Rotaract Club were instrumental to the success of last year's Pancake Breakfast - the Career Center's major funding source.

The transitional youth program is scheduled to begin soon, meeting twice each week, with field trips to be arranged. Jim noted that the subject matter at the meetings is based on the interests expressed by the participants, as it is in other Humboldt Live! programs. He expects that he will be reaching out to members of our Club once again in the coming year.

The Continuing Story of Brother Bob
Our latest Recognition gave us the tale of Bob Johnson, as told by Rebecca Crow. She told us that one of Bob's favorite pastimes is to dress in red, and pretend to be a Target employee.

Bob is the oldest of three siblings, and he began honing his leadership skills early, working to keep his sisters in line. Those efforts were not well-received by the sisters in question, however, but they are all great friends now.

Bob attended St. Bernard's School in Eureka through 6th grade, and he graduated from Eureka High. Rebecca said that he later received his degree from College of the Redwoods, but that point was later clarified by Bob. It seems that he was told that he needed but one class to achieve his AA. He completed the class only to be told that there was, in fact, another final class needed. Bob said, "Forget it!" (or something that starts with a similar sound). Years later, he inquired about taking that last class, only to be told that additional requirements had been added. Bob said, "Phooey!" (or something that starts with a similar sound).

Bob has always been involved in music. He played French Horn in his school orchestra, and he also plays trumpet and guitar. He played in his family's band, the Johnson Music Company. However, Bob is best-known for playing the string bass, the instrument he plays in his current band, the Living Rooms.

Bob is quite the family man. He has been married to his wife Susan since 1980, and they have two adult sons- Patrick and Aaron. Everyone who knows the family realizes what a great husband and father Bob is.

His mother noted that he has always been self-supporting, always had a job. He bought his own car and his own gas. He worked in the family band on weekends, and always had more money than the other kids. He's still a hard worker and he is great with customers. He owned the Arcata Color Center for almost 25 years, and now he and Sue co-own Shady Lady Window Coverings in Henderson Center. In 2010, he earned Master Installer status from Hunter-Douglas.

Bob served as our Club President in 1995-1996. When Rebecca asked who was on his Board of Directors that year, he thought for a moment and said, "Craig Newman, Craig Newman, Craig Newman, and ... Craig Newman." She also asked whether Bob is a "good Johnson or a bad Johnson". He copped to being a "bad Johnson". [But he's in good company!]

Bob also loves to travel, and he is a river rafting guide. His favorite place to visit is "Waikiki, baby!" His favorite foods are bread and cheese or pizza.

His mother told Rebecca that Bob is very funny, and "there's never a dull moment" when Bob is around. "He's very entertaining and quiick-witted," she said. I think we can all agree with that!

All About Sweden
Our Featured Speaker was Sophia Waern-Bugge, our Exchange Student from Sweden, who told us about her country and herself. She thanked us for hosting her this year, and she said that she appreciates the warm welcome we provided.

She said that Sweden is roughly the same size as California, however "we have almost 10 million people, while you have almost 40 million." Of that population, about 2.2 million live in the capital city of Stockholm. Sophia and her family live in the municipality of Nyköping, which is about 100 kilometers southwest. She said that it is a small coastal town with about

Sophia Waern-Bugge

55,000 inhabitants. The town boasts a castle that dates from the late twelfth century. During the winter, the sun rises at 9 am and sets at 3 pm, while summer days start at 3:30 am and last until 10 pm. "It's hard to sleep sometimes," she said.

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, "which means we have a royal family," Sophia told us, "but they don't have any power." She did say that they have "really nice weddings".

Sophia's family consists of her parents, Maria and Kristian, her brother Fredrik, and her sister Anna. Her parents are doctors, who work for the local hospital. Fredrik attends university in Uppsala, while Anna recently graduated from high school. Anna was also an Exchange Student, and her experiences in Australia helped inspire Sophia to try it as well. The family loves to travel and to ski - Sophia has been a skier since she was four. Sophia also plays piano, she enjoys photography, and she loves to read.

Sophia said that she and her cousins are very close. They spend summers and holidays together. When she is with friends, she likes to go for coffee (and take selfies).

Sophia showed us a slide with pictures of delicious-looking food. She said that "we make all kinds of things with blueberries where I live in the summer", including blueberry pie. She made several plates of thumbprint cookies, which she shared with us. Her photos also included cinnamon rolls and jumbo shrimp.

Sophia shared some interesting facts about Sweden - it has over 100,000 lakes, about half of its area is forested, and it has been at peace for over 200 years. Its notable exports include Volvo, IKEA, and ABBA. And about 85% of all Swedes speak English.

Volume XIII, Issue 10: September 11, 2015

Coming Soon ...
Sept 26 - Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup - 9:30 - 11:30 am - Meet at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center
Sept 26 - District 5130 Rotary Foundation Workshop in Fortuna - 10 am to 2 pm
Sept 27 - District 5130 New Focus Membership Meeting in Fortuna - 10 am to 2 pm
Oct 3 - RISE EVENT - CASA Kids Walk (Support the North Bay Rotaract Club's team)
Oct 10 - RISE EVENT - HSU Homecoming Tailgate Party!
Oct TBA - RISE EVENT - Lost Coast Rotaract's "Spirits & Spirits" in Old Town
Nov 14 - RISE EVENT - Foundation Dinner North in Ferndale - "An Evening in the Enchanted Forest"
Nov 19 - A Taste of the Holidays at the Arcata Community Center
Dec 5 - RISE EVENT - Christmas Caroling for Arts Alive in Old Town Eureka

Rotarian News

We had special visitors at last Friday's meeting - Ramon and Iberto from Camoapa, Nicaragua were in town to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sister City relationship between their home and Arcata. We were also joined by Antonio Llanos of Engineers Without Borders. Past President Barbara Browning was part of the Sister City process from the beginning (along with President Howard). She told us that the connection came at a time during the war in Nicaragua. Camoapa also has a second sister city in Spain, and the employees of at least one company there donate a portion of their wages to Camoapa, which has funded some significant projects. Barbara noted that there is movement toward establishing a Rotary Club in Camoapa, which is very exciting. President Howard promises a program this spring which will discuss the history of the relationship between Arcata and Camoapa (including "the famous Yellow Bus Incident").
President Howard announced that Dustin Littlefield has been appointed to our Board of Directors, replacing Angelo Bacigaluppi, who has moved to Portland. Dustin will be the Director of the New Generations Avenue of Service.
Exchange Student Sophia Waern-Bugge spent the long weekend at Trinity Lake with Claire Ajina and family. They were on a houseboat, and Sophia got to water ski and she did some tubing, as well. She said that the lake is really low, due to the drought. Then she was back at school, and ... "I don't know how it happened, but I joined the French Club." Sophia will also be competing for the AHS Cross-Country team this fall. Her first meet was scheduled for the following day.
President Howard is a Burning Man veteran, and he told us that we have a "closet Burner" in our Club - former President Bob Goodman. "I've been a couple of times," Bob said. "During my [Presidential] year, I only missed one meeting. It just happened to be that weekend." Howard showed photos of other Rotary and Rotary-relations who attended this year. These included Patty Hoyt, President of the Rotary Club of Dougherty Valley, San Ramon (which is the Club that Sunrisers Chris and Lisa Hemphill belonged to before joining our Club). Chris and Lisa had another connection - their niece and nephew Sara and Alex Crosby also attended, as did Howard's daughter Sarah. Sarah called her dad to report that a dust storm with 50-mile per hour winds was threatening to blow down her tent. Which of course was followed by, "I'm having a wonderful time!"
Scott Heller headed up a group that discussed the catering situation with Abruzzi's. Although food prices have increased, we have been paying the same amount ($10 per regular meeting, $15 for Final Fridays) for quite a while. Scott noted that our regular meetings were intended to be relatively simple, Continental Breakfast-style meals. To maintain the current pricing, we have agreed to return to that model, at least for a two-month trial. Please give Scott or Howard your feedback during that time, and we will determine if a change is needed.
Backpacks for Kids is scheduled to return in early October. The program needs individual sponsors this year (in addition to the amount donated by our Club) to serve 43 students at Arcata Elementary and Trillium Schools. Supporting one student for the entire school year requires a commitment of $265. Please contact John Gullam for information about making a donation.

Committee Report: Membership
Tomas Chavez told us that the Membership Commitee, which includes Co-Chair Nick Torres, Ray Noggle, Brandi Easter, Karen Burgesser, and Tom Tellez, is acting on the information that President Howard gained in his pre-Presidency interviews with each of us. The consensus was that we would like our Club to have about 65 to 70 members. This means that we should look to add about 8 new members this year. "We've already lost three or four," he said. "You know, attrition happens."

The Committee would like us to continue to add diversity to our membership. We plan to engage Rotaractors who will be transitioning to Rotary, as many are "aging out" this year. The goal is to keep our Club "diverse and vibrant".

They intend to maintain a close relationship with the Mentorship Committee, so new members will have support once they become Sunrisers. Brandi serves on both Committees, so she will serve as the liaison between the two groups.

Finally, the Committee plans to incorporate the Youth Exchange vetting process into the New Member checklist. This will allow new members to be able to engage with Exchangers, which opens up more possibilities for both the new Sunrisers and for the students.

Tomas said that they would like each Sunriser to contact at least five people whom they think may be interested in Rotary. And they want each of us to bring at least one guest (potential member) to a Friday meeting at least once during the year.

Recognition
Dustin Littlefield provided last Friday's recognition of Praj White, noting that Praj was born in 1972, and he is a native of Garberville. His family lived "off the grid", and his father was part of a commercial fleet that fished for salmon, albacore, and rockfish. Praj enjoyed working on the boat with his father, and they would often spend as long as two weeks at sea. He said that seeing the North Coast from the ocean was and amazing way to grow up here. It also engendered Praj's appreciation for clean air and the beauty of the area.

The family moved to Arcata in 1982, where he attended Jacoby Creek School followed by Arcata High. He liked to go to Tiffany's, Blue Max Pizza, Tsunami's, and Larry's Market, among others.

After graduating from AHS in 1990, Praj went to Humboldt State. He received his Bachelor's Degree in May 1994, and he moved to Colorado in July. He had met his future wife Alisa by this time, and she lived in Texas. So after three trips to visit her during July, he moved to Texas in August. They were married August 14th. They relocated to Alaska, where Praj attended the University of Alaska, Anchorage and worked for Dowl Engineering. He graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in June 2000.

Their two children, Logan and Isabella, were born while they were in Alaska, and Alisa told Dustin that they survived on their love for each other and their children. Praj attended school and worked as much as he could. She said, "Praj has a big heart, and he is committed to our family."

Following Praj's graduation, they sold their house and most of their belongings to return to Arcata, to be closer to friends and family. He went to work for CalTrans, and later opened his own firm, White Engineering. He merged with Manhard Consulting, which is a Top 500 Engineering Firm. As the Northern California Area Manager for Manhard, Praj supervises 12 Specialists who provide engineering services, mostly in the private sector. He said that at any given time, their group could be working on as many as 100 active projects.

Logan is now 19, and he attends UC Merced, and 16-year old Isabella is attending Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy. Praj's father lives in McKinleyville, and his mother lives in Arcata. Praj is a 49ers fan, and he likes to golf, fish, and other outdoor activities. He also enjoys eating great food, doing community service, and being with his family. (After Dustin was finished, Praj noted that "Alisa used to babysit Dustin".)

How Do You Like Them Apples?
Last week's Featured Speaker was Jamie Ashdon, one of the co-founders of the Humboldt Cider Company. Jamie has co-owned Humboldt Beer Works since 2011, selling supplies and equipment to local home brewers. That led to his association with his partners, Darren and Michelle Cartledge.

Jamie Ashdon

The three decided in early 2014 to begin producing hard cider for sale, and they began the process of setting up shop. Their cider debuted in November 2014, at a benefit for the Eureka Theater. In February of this year, they opened their Tasting Room at Redwood Acres, adjacent to their business incubator space.

Their cider has already won awards at tasting competitions. In 2014, they won the "Das Boot" People's Choice award at the Strange Brew event at Mad River Brewery. And this year, they won three medals at the Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition.

Jamie said that making hard cider has more in common with winemaking than with brewing beer. In fact, the finished product is technically considered a type of wine, which limits the way Humboldt Cider Company can distribute its product.

In addition to its Tasting Room, you can find Humboldt Cider Company's product at Larrupin's Cafe, Mad River Brewery, Six Rivers Brewery, Jambalaya, HumBrews, Richard's Goat Tavern and Tea Room, Cafe Phoenix, T's Cafe, Humboldt Bay Tourism Center, the Hop Grenade (in Concord), and the Local Beer Bar. (The last venue is owned by Jamie's partners Darren and Michelle.)

Volume XIII, Issue 9: September 4, 2015

Coming Soon ...
Sept 13 - RISE EVENT - "Out of the Darkness" - Arcata Community Walk Against Suicide. Begins at 10 am at the Arcata Plaza
Sept 26 - Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup - 9:30 - 11:30 am - Meet at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center
Sept 26 - District 5130 Rotary Foundation Workshop in Fortuna - 10 am to 2 pm
Sept 27 - District 5130 New Focus Membership Meeting in Fortuna - 10 am to 2 pm
Oct 3 - RISE EVENT - CASA Kids Walk (Support the North Bay Rotaract Club's team)
Oct 10 - RISE EVENT - HSU Homecoming Tailgate Party!
Oct TBA - RISE EVENT - Lost Coast Rotaract's "Spirits & Spirits" in Old Town
Nov 14 - RISE EVENT - Foundation Dinner North in Ferndale - "An Evening in the Enchanted Forest"
Nov 19 - A Taste of the Holidays at the Arcata Community Center
Dec 5 - RISE EVENT - Christmas Caroling for Arts Alive in Old Town Eureka

Rotarian News

Tim Randles & President Howard

Before last Friday's meeting, we were treated to live music - Pianist Tim Randles provided us with some mellow jazz melodies as we prepared for the bell to ring.
Exchange Student Sophia Waern-Bugge told us that the concert she attended the previous week. "It was a country concert," she said, "which was crazy American". She said that she's not very familiar with country music, but "now I know I really like it". Then Sophia talked about her first week at Arcata High School. She said that it's very different from school in Sweden. She said that she liked it, but she has to get used to it. She has moved in with Julie Vaissade-Elcock and her husband Stan, after spending a couple of weeks with her counselor, Tami Camper, and her family.
North Bay Rotaract Club President Rachel Damme was unable to attend our meeting, but the group is now selling its cookbook. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities to purchase one and help NBR support (in a yummy way) the local Raven Project.

Sergeant-at-Arms Committee Report
Last Friday, Sergeant-at-Arms Janice Newman provided a report on her committee's activities. The group is probably the most active committee we have. Although they don't have separate Committee meetings, they provide logistical support at our meetings and events. Janice said that her team is made up of "very helpful people" who are very dependable, which she appreciates.

In addition to Janice, the Committee consists of Romi Hitchcock Tinseth, Ray Noggle, Chris Hemphill, Lisa Hemphill, Craig Newman, Joyce Hinrichs, Steve McHaney, Tom Tellez, and Rina Brodhag (who is currently on leave).

They show up at 6:30 am to set up the room for our meetings, they greet Rotarians and guests as they arrive, collect meeting fees, sell raffle tickets (and conduct the raffle during the meeting), provide meal counts to the caterer, provide financial information and cash receipts to the Club Treasurer, provide attendance information to the Club Secretary, assist the President during meetings as needed, take down all the banners and clear the room after our meetings, and notify members when their meal card balances are running low.

President Howard noted how reassuring it is that all these details are handled so efficiently, "so I don't have to worry about it all".

Recognition
Joyce Hinrichs provided last week's recognition of Sunriser Legend Harry Johnson. She noted that Harry was born in Seattle, his parents' sixth child. When he was two years old, his family purchased a large ranch on the Winchuck River at the border between Oregon and California, 21 miles from town.

There, Harry grew up as a cowboy, and he attended Brookings Grade School through second grade. He transferred to Smith River Grade School for third through eighth grades, then he attended Del Norte High School for two years.

In 1958, the family moved to Arcata, and Harry attended Arcata High School while working at a Signal Gas station in Eureka and working nights at Fairhaven Plywood. He graduated from Arcata High "without honors" in 1961.

After graduating, Harry worked in the logging industry as a choker setter, a cat skinner, a truck driver, and a "secondloader". He then worked for US Plywood in Anderson while attending Shasta College.

In 1965, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was there that he married Sheryl Simpson. The couple lived in Milwaukee until Sheryl completed her coursework to become a Dental Hygienist at Marquette. Then they moved to Eureka, where Sheryl worked as a hygienist while Harry was a route driver for Coca-Cola.

The following year, Harry noted that "the US Army had a project going in Vietnam". Although they asked for Harry's help, he declined and joined the Air Force. His initial training was in San Antonio, then he was stationed in Glasgow, Montana for two years. Following a couple of overseas tours, Harry was stationed at Barksdale AFB near Shreveport, Louisiana. There, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and named Airman of the Year for the 15th Air Force. In 1968, while Harry was stationed in Louisiana, their son Brett was born.

After completing his military obligation in 1970, the family returned to Humboldt County, and Harry attended College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University, and he was a dedicated student, achieving a 3.8 grade point average.

In 1971, a second son - Marc - arrived, and two years later, Harry began studying at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in June 1973. Although the family purchased a home in Pleasant Hill, Sheryl remained in Humboldt County until their daughter Stacey was born in August 1973.

Harry said that UOP's accelerated program was difficult - it ran throughout the year, with ten days off at Christmas. He started his days at 4:30 am and ended at 11:00 pm, but Sundays were reserved for the family. He graduated in June 1976, fifth in his class of 131.

After graduation, Harry immediately opened his practice in Sunnybrae. In 1990, he moved the practice to McKinleyville, where he worked until his retirement in 2008.

He joined the Rotary Club of Arcata in 1988, and he was one of several members who helped Charter President Jim Hamby form the Rotary Club of Arcata Sunrise in 1992. Harry served as the Club's second President. Over the years, Harry has been part of eight different District committees, three of which he chaired. He has attended 11 International Conventions, and he was the chair for the Western States Youth Exchange (WESSEX) for three years. In 2000-2001, Harry served as the Governor of Rotary District 5130.

Harry and Sheryl treat a Project Amigo dental patient

Sheryl and Harry have actively supported Project Amigo for the past 23 years. They own a home in Colima, and spend 3 to 5 months there each year, providing their expertise and labor to the community. They have visited over 35 countries over the years, mostly in service to Rotary.

Joan Gold - Art and the Artist
When Howard asked artist Joan Gold to speak to our Club, she wasn't sure where she should focus. She asked him whether she should concentrate on her artistic process and vision, her personal history, or art as a business. Howard said that she should talk about "all of it". Joan asked, "How much time to I get?" When she was told that she would have twenty minutes, she said, "I'm 81 years old, so the history's not short!" But she was able to address these areas of interest - her personal history, her history as an artist, her career history, and her take on the art business.

Joan Gold

Joan was born in Brooklyn. "I was a good student when I studied something I liked," she said, "and I was a poor student if I didn't like what I was doing." She has been drawing since early childhood. Her father was a policeman who would bring home pads and pencils from work, and he would also provide crayons and coloring books. Joan would also draw in grade school during her classes. "No one would ever stop me," she told us. "That always amazed me in retrospect."

When she was 17 years old, she was accepted into "one of the finest free tuition schools in the country, which is the Cooper Union in New York City. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me." Joan felt at home there, and she loved studying there.

She was later provided a fellowship which allowed her to study art in a foreign country. Although her friends applied to European countries, especially France, Joan applied to Latin America. She was interested in botanical forms. She hoped to go to Costa Rica, due to its distinct art history. However, there was labor unrest there at the time, so Joan was sent to Venezuela instead.

Although Venezuela was Joan's "second choice", she went and she stayed for 24 years. "I married," she said, "and raised my children there." She decided that she wanted to paint, and so she took her children and she came to Humboldt County, where her father and one of her brothers lived here.

Even as a child, Joan realized that she didn't want to simply reproduce, on paper, the things she saw in the world. Instead, she created designs. When she began art school, she disliked figure drawing projects. During one of the assignments, she drew the model, but she also drew a number of empty bottles on the floor around her. The implication was that the model was drunk. "I got into trouble for that," she said. The instructor felt that Joan was being disrespectful.

Although she did not enjoy such assignments, she said that they had value for her. She learned how to use lines, and she still appreciates that and uses it in her work today.

She began to develop her style, using botanical forms as a starting point. She showed examples of pieces inspired by blossoms and by fruits. Upon her return to the US, her style became more minimalist, but still based on plants and fruits.

About a decade later, Joan's style had evolved to where she is now - based in colors. She enjoys patterns, textures, stripes, and flowers, all of which she incorporates into her work. Her goal is to paint something that gives her pleasure, and she hopes that it pleases others as well.

She noted that there are "a huge number of artists in Humboldt County". Few of these artists export their work out of the area, so most of them have day jobs. By contrast, Joan markets her work outside the area, to a much larger market.

She had her first one-person show while she was still in Venezuela. She said, "I was totally naive - I got completely ripped off." The paintings sold, but the various fees charged by the gallery owner left only a few hundred dollars for Joan.

By the time she had her second show, in Arcata, she was much more savvy. One of the people who attended encouraged Joan to show in Seattle, and she arranged a contact with a gallery there. The appointment with the owner never took place, because she was rebuffed by the gallery manager. So she went to other galleries, but most said that they only showed local artists.

Finally, she came to the Lisa Harris Gallery in Pike Place Market, and the owner offered her a shot. She sold every one of her paintings quickly, and so Joan was "in". She worked with that gallery for many years. "I learned about the business," Joan said, "from someone who ran a business well."

She said that she made a mistake, however, because she did not seek out additional markets. When Lisa Harris "got tired of me", it took a bit before she made another solid connection, this time with a gallery in Boston. But Joan became determined to market herself better, so she developed a new system.

She has photos of her work on her website (joangoldart.com), and she sends emails with links to her price list and other information to art consultants. She follows the emails with a packet of information and a letter. Some respond directly, but others place the information into their databases. These often lead to sales to builders and designers, which can lead to in a "pretty check" arriving in the mail.

Initially, she spent three days a week painting, three days marketing, and one day off. Now that she is in many of the art databases - in Atlanta, Toronto, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Houston - when a project comes up, she is contacted for a consignment piece. She says that this works to the point that "it may be an easy old age".

Special Daze
Alyson Hunter's birthday was August 8th, and she said that she celebrated at Lake Tahoe ... President Howard noted that his offspring contacted him for his August 10th birthday ... Tomas Chavez's birthday fell on August 11th, which was a Tuesday. So he and Heidi planned to go to Ruth Lake the following weekend for four days of camping. That didn't happen. "Instead," Tomas said, "we were calling to see if our boat was still there, or if it had burned". Fortunately, it hadn't, so instead they visited his brother in Portland for a visit ... Special guest musician Tim Randles provided accompaniment for our rendition of "Happy Birthday" ...

Ray Noggle took his wife Holly to Jacksonville for their anniversary, "and she took my wallet and bought all of the wine" ... Randy and Lisa Mendosa "still have to go to Larrupin's", but they did go up the coast to Newport, Oregon for their anniversary, and they stayed on the beach ... Ian and Elizabeth Schatz did go to Larrupin's for their anniversary. It rained that night, "which was great, since we woke up in the morning in Trinidad, and we could see everything. It was absolutely beautiful" ...

Unsung Rotarian of the Month
President Howard's Unsung Rotarian for August is Joyce Hinrichs. She served as Club President for the 2000-2001 Rotary Year, she co-chairs the Recognitions Committee, she provides staunch judicial support of our community's young people, she is a loyal Sunriser, and she is the "Gatherer of the Badges" at the end of each meeting.

Volume XIII, Issue 8: August 28, 2015 - Foundation Final Friday

Rotarian News

Exchange Student Sophia Waern-Bugge was unable to attend last Friday's meeting. She and Exchanger Mia (hosted by the Old Town Eureka Rotary) were with Julie Vaissade-Elcock, enjoying a country music concert in Sacramento.
Outbound Exchanger Trula Rael put in a final appearance before leaving for Italy this week. She said that it will take her about 24 hours to reach her host city of Trieste, but she's ready. She has set up a blog - "Trula in Italy" - to document her experience. There is a link in the sidebar to your right. President Howard said, "I am envious."
Howard told us that two more wheelchairs have been delivered to needy young people, thanks to our contributions to the Wheelchair Foundation!
Don't forget two things ... First, after you've participated in a RISE EVENT, attended another Club's meetings, or completed any of the other qualifying actions, be sure to put your name in a square on the Participation Grid. (And don't forget that it's hanging on the display cabinet as you come in for our meetings. Second, send your selfies to Dustin Littlefield. When the number of photos reaches Critical Mass, we'll see an onslaught of them flood President Howard's screen!

Craft Talk
Last Friday, we learned about Steve McHaney, who transferred to our Club earlier this year. But first, a musical interlude - "The Red-Haired Boy" ...

Steve's mandolin was crafted by an engineer he worked with in Walnut Creek, Bob Schneider. Bob was also a long-time bluegrass musician and a fine woodworker to boot. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he quit his day job to focus on making instruments. "He probably made about 50 or 75 of these before he passed away," Steve told us. He said that he doesn't play as often as he should, but "it's so much fun".

"Not much happened before college", according to the slide that opened Steve's Craft Talk, but he explained that most of his early photos are at his father's home, in non-digital form.

Steve said his life was not a "Series of Unfortunate Events, it was more like a Series of Unlikely Events." He said that, given his family history, "I probably shouldn't even be standing here." He told us of his grandfather, who served in France during World War I as part of an engineering battalion. He was a driver, and when different parts of various vehicles were blown up or off, he and his associates would cobble the remainders together. From an official point of view, each of the trucks had been destroyed, but Steve's grandfather and his colleagues were able to make some extra money selling the reconditioned vehicles to local farmers. He also helped various shady characters move goods through military checkpoints.

He took the money made during the war, returned to Michigan, and purchased a barge and tugboat, which he operated on the Great Lakes. The grandfather never learned to swim, and during a particularly intense storm, the barge and tug got tangled in the cable that joined them. The crew had to abandon ship, but they made it to shore safely. He survived that, then nearly drowned again in a fishing accident. Fortunately, he once again survived, otherwise there would have been no Craft Talk last Friday!

Steve was born in Michigan, and grew up in the Bay Area. He says that he was shy growing up, "but I was saved, because I came up here to go to school at Humboldt State University!" Steve ticked off the pluses: "It was a long way from home and it was in the Redwoods." He can't recall how he heard about HSU in the pre-internet days. He arrived not knowing much about the area.

Once ensconced at HSU, Steve joined the Marching Lumberjacks, "and this is probably what really saved me". He said, "What it really taught me was about being a performer. Getting up in front of people and doing." The group has reunions every five years, with its fiftieth anniversary fast approaching.

Steve graduated from HSU in 1986 with an engineering degree. He returned to the Bay Area to work, and that is where he met his wife Patty. Although both are musicians, they met after Steve's brother became her roommate. Like many Sunriser couples, Steve and Patty enjoy Halloween, and Steve showed a few photos of them in costume.

For their nuptials, the couple rented an RV park north of Redding. The decorations included a tiki bar and palm fronds. Steve said that he was the only person with a tie - everyone else was in shorts and t-shirts, since the temperature was about 105 degrees. Even Patty was wearing a mermaid outfit in the photo we saw. Fellow Sunriser and Marching Lumberjack John Gullam was one of the attendees.

One of Steve's projects after he joined the local engineering firm of Winzler and Kelly was to design a wastewater facility in Palau. A delegation of representatives from that country came to Arcata for a visit, and Steve got to show them the sights.

As expectant parents, Patty and Steve built a house in Fieldbrook. Although they have since moved into Arcata, they still own and rent out that first house. The pregnancy led to their twin sons Westin and Carson, both of whom graduated from Arcata High School in June. The family grew by two when Steve and Patty traveled to Russia to adopt their daughters, Zhanna and Kristina.

Everyone in the family is a musician, and the family band played at Fieldbrook Market and the Humboldt County Fair, among many other venues. Steve said that the kids love busking, "because they were real cute, they could play and sing, and they were magnets for money". The kids also played at weddings.

Last summer, Steve and the boys hiked the Trinity Alps to Caribou Lake. Due to fires, the "easy" trail was closed, so they did it the hard way. But when they arrived, they were the only ones there, and Steve said that the view was spectacular, and there was a full moon that night as well. "It is a magical place," he said. He encouraged us to hike the area, since it is so close and so beautiful. Steve also likes to ride his mountain bike, and he often does in the mornings with Westin.

Steve has been to Reggae on the River some twenty times, and he showed a picture of himself as part of the fire crew. They were called upon to extinguish couch fires in between spates of people-watching.

Steve's passion for building things led him to create an entry in this year's Kinetic Sculpture Race - the Tri-Lo-Bike. The team won the award for best engineering, and they plan to retool and enter again next year.

Steve joined the Eureka Rotary 14 years ago, and he has served a board member for the Discovery Museum and he is on the board of the Arcata Chamber of Commerce. Patty plays in the Eureka Symphony, and Carson did as well, before he left this summer to be a Rotary Exchange Student in Switzerland. His family is hosting Alessandro, an Exchange Student sponsored by the Arcata Noon Rotary.

Final Friday!!
The focus turned to the Rotary Foundation as we expressed our appreciation to the three newest Arcata Sunrise Paul Harris Fellows - Mary Heller (Scott's mother), Dave Breyer (Lori's husband), and Sunriser Jeff Stebbins. Thank you all for your support of the Foundation!

Ray Noggle served as our auctioneer for our kinda-semi-regular Final Friday Foundation Auction, and it went purty doggone well ...

The first item on the block was the "Big Blue Guy", a stuffed animal (??? well, maybe) donated by Romi Hitchcock Tinseth. The winner was Terri Clark.
Lori Breyer brought a basket filled with home brewed beer and treats, including cheeses, salami, Jelly Bellys (in cocktail and beer flavors), and a big ol' bottle of Humboldt Distillery Vodka. Who could pass that up? Not me - Your Editor made the winning bid.
Home-canned dill pickles and smoked salmon were the delicacies donated by Brandi Easter. Barbara Browning was high bidder. (She'll probably share with Ron.)
Tami Camper was out of town, but that didn't stop her from providing a photo package that included a Bluetooth Selfie Stick, a photo box, and a photo frame. Lori Breyer walked away with that one.
Tomas Chavez walked in with a package that included four dozen oysters, a cap, a six-pack, and an insulated bag to hold it all together. Visiting Rotarian and Rotary Club of Arcata Noon President C.J. Ralph walked out with it!
A "Smoke-Free" compliation was donated by Ed Christians. I won't get it all, but I did see red wine, white wine, crackers, salami, and a ceramic knife. And there were filter masks to help you breathe while listening to "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and changing the batteries in the included smoke alarm. Did I say, "You"? Oops - I meant Terri Clark, who came up with the highest bid.
The last item offered was a Card-Making Party for up to five people. Guidance and supplies were and will be provided by Barbara Browning. She will soon meet up with the high bidder - Lori Breyer and her friends.

As always, thank you to all the donors, bidders, and winners. This time, we made $685, and it all goes to support the vital programs funded by the Rotary Foundation!