Volume XII, Issue 32: February 27, 2015

On The Calendar
March 14 - Please join us in a journey "Down The Rabbit Hole" - it's our Spring Fundraiser ... in Wonderland!! 
March 21 - District Training Assembly in Ukiah
March 21 - Spring Wine & Food Festival at HSU - Fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Arcata (the Nooners)
April 24-26 - District 5130 Conference at Yosemite!

Announcements 
Our work with the Foster Youth community continues. The group recently held a panel discussion with a military focus. Members from each branch of the Armed Forces talked about what young people can expect if they choose to make a career in the military. The discussions continue, so please make time to participate if you are invited. Also, the majority of the meetings are open to Sunrisers, so check with Ceva Courtemanche or President Barbara if you are thinking of attending.

Super-duper Business Leader Ceva!!

We had a good turnout for the previous week's Charter Night,  and several Sunrisers attended the Arcata Chamber's Annual Dinner a few nights later. Sunriser Ceva Courtemanche of Hensel's Ace Hardware won the award for Business Leader of the Year! And Gregg Foster's Redwood Capital Bank received the Beautification Award! Congratulations!! (Photos courtesy of the always amazing Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth.)

Sunrisers in Da House ... er Da Chamber!

We received a video thank you from Tom Pulaski, the 67 year-old disabled man who suffered a broken hip last year. Our Club helped him move to an apartment that better accommodated his recovery. We also purchased a much-needed hospital bed for him. The mini-SWOT Project was spearheaded by Randy Mendosa, Romi Hitchcock-Tinseth, and Scott Heller. 

Our help will soon be needed to rehabilitate Rotary Park on South G Street. First, however, the City has to work out all the liability issues and decide what elements of the project are Sunriser-safe. We were warned that the lead time for specific phases of the project may be very short. 

Mozara Moves
Our Exchange Student from Brazil, Mozara Abdalla, has a new host family! After her extended stay with Tami Camper-Dart and family, she has moved in with Julie Vaissade-Elcock and her husband Stan. Mozara said that she had a lot of fun when her parents were in town a few weeks ago. They went hiking and visited the Brewery. She said that her parents loved their visit. Appropriately, our Word of the Day was "família", Portuguese for "family".

Vocational Service Award
Most of the rest of our meeting was devoted to the revitalized Vocational Service Award, which Jessica McKnight presented to Rand Hall, the Woodworking Instructor at McKinleyville Middle School.

Our Club has a history with Rand and his program. He gave a presentation at our March 23, 2012 meeting, in which he told us how the program began about three years earlier. (See the Sunrise Spirit that covered that meeting.) His class also builds the portable bookcases that our Community Service Committee designed for the literacy project we co-sponsor with the Nurse Family Partnership. We have also donated to Rand's program, to help purchase needed equipment and supplies. 

Cam Appleton, a long-time friend of Rand's who has also been one of his students, nominated Rand for the award. Check out the video below for the entire presentation, including Terri Clark bestowing a Paul Harris Fellowship on Rand:

Thanks for all you do to help the young people of our community, Rand! The Vocational Service Award is an honor richly deserved!!

Rand Hall with President Barbara