May 9: Service Opportunity - Tour of the Unknown Coast
May 12: Board Meeting at the Golden Harvest Cafe
May 22: RISE EVENT! - Progressive Dinner Substitute (Watch this space and save this date)
May 31: RISE EVENT! - Kids, Crabs, and Rotary at the Arcata Ballpark
June 2-9: Rotary International Convention - São Paulo, Brazil
June 20: Oyster Festival Beer Booth
July 4: RISE EVENT! - Arcata Plaza Fourth of July Celebration
Announcements
President Barbara gave a brief report from the previous weekend's District Conference, held in Yosemite. We were well-represented, with six Sunrisers (and one Sunriser Spouse) in the house. We won several awards (some details can be found later in this edition), and we also woke up Saturday morning to a snow-covered landscape. The snow only lasted for a day, allowing our safe return to Humboldt County.
President Barbara came home in time to help with a Community Service project - prepping Rotary Park for its patrons. A crew of Sunrisers and members of the Arcata Noon Club descended on the park to spread seemingly endless loads of wood chips. When the work was finally done, a group of kids arrived to enjoy the results. Thanks to all the volunteers, especially Jessica McKnight and Scott Heller for organizing the work party!
Barbara also showed us progress on the latest batch of folding bookcases being built for us by Rand Hall's woodworking class at McKinleyville Middle School. We provide the bookcases to needy families to promote literacy.
Bert Campton of the Rotary Club of Eureka was on hand to encourage us to host members of the Friendship Exchange Team that will be in the area May 29-31. The group is from India, and it consists of five couples, one of which is bringing their 12 year old son. This is a reciprocal visit - a small group of District 5130 Rotarians visited India earlier this year. If you can help out, please contact Bert (or President Barbara).
Exchange Student Mozara Abdalla was in Yosemite for the District Conference, and she told us that "it was fun, but I wasn't prepared for the snow". But she said that Yosemite was beautiful. She had a good time getting together with the other Exchangers. Barbara noted that when she asks Mozara what she did here and there, one of the first things Mozara usually answers relates to food. So the Word of the Day was "comer", Portuguese for "eat".
Awards and Honors (Part I)
As noted above, our Club won several awards at the District Conference. We were honored for our work in Community Service, International Service, and New Generations (Youth Service). We also received the All Five Avenues Award for providing service in all of the areas recognized and promoted by Rotary International. We also received the Presidential Citation and the Outstanding Club Honorable Mention.
Although he was not able to attend, Scott Heller was honored with a well-deserved Humanitarian Service Award. Congratulations, Scott!
Recognition
Karen Burgesser took to the podium to recognize Julie Schaefer. Julie had mentioned early on that she is not comfortable talking about herself, so Karen used a Q & A format for the recognition. Julie's husband Jim Huber was on hand, and Karen noted that he had shared the story of the anniversary of their first date at a meeting last month, but there was still plenty to talk about.
Julie has four daughters and six grandchildren. Karen spoke for all of us when she said, "I just look at her and say, 'No way!'".
Julie told us that she earned her Small Business Certificate before attending beauty college. She said that both phases of her education proved valuable when she opened her own business - New Image Hair Studio and Spa. Julie said that her "unruly" hair inspired her to become a stylist. "I'm the only one in my whole family who has hair like mine," she noted. "Everyone else had really fine blonde hair."
When asked what her hobbies are, Julie said that "we always seem to be fixer-uppers". She and Jim have been fixing up houses, "and not completing any of them, it seems like". She said that they love the outdoors and being on the river.
Julie choked up a bit when she talked about the closing of the Korbel Mill. Jim worked there for 31 years, and it was very important to their family.
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| Jim & Julie |
History Day 2015
Last week, we were visited by four winners from this year's edition of History Day. This year's theme was Leadership and Legacy in History, which generated presentations, posters, and websites discussing a wide range of subjects, including Jackie Robinson, Rachel Carson, and Johann Sebastian Bach.
Kai Hansen, a fifth grader at Jacoby Creek School presented his individual poster, "Robert Oppenheimer: A Lasting Legacy". Eighth grader Chloe Stemler, also a Jacoby Creek student, was also a winner for her Junior Exhibit "The National Geographic Society". Hannah Burnett and Rowan Baker from Arcata High School were Senior Group Exhibit co-champions for "Andrew Jackson: Setting the Roots of Modern Democracy".
President Barbara presented all four young scholars with checks to help defray their costs as they travel to Rocklin for the statewide competition, which will be held this weekend (May 8-9). Good luck!
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| Chloe, Rowan, Hannah, and Kai with President Barbara |
