Rotary Club of the Valley of the Moon
6572 Oakmont Drive, Suite A, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
Volume VIII
Issue No. 32 John Heilbronner, President April 17, 2009
(www.valleyofthemoonrotary.org)






The Four-Way Test of things we think, say or
do:
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
MAC IS BACK !!
OPENING
President
John
decided to start the
meeting early due to a
full agenda but I
wasn't
wearing
a
watch so I have no
idea what time we
started and he forgot
to ring the bell. Barb Lowell did a great job
leading us in the pledge to the flag.
Fred
Polkinghorn
reminded everyone that
they need to be prepared
for
an
emergency
whether
it's
an
earthquake,
fire
in
Annadel or some other
disaster.
The following are a few
very useful reminders;
Do you have:
An emergency plan for your family
An escape route for your house
A contact person outside of the area so
family members can contact them to
relay information to others
heavy bookcases etc. bolted to the walls
of your home
a plan of what you would take if you had
10 minutes to evacuate
Food, water and medicine in your garage
for the first 96 hours after a disaster
Everyone needs to be prepared so don't wait until
it's too late.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dreams Take Flight
is the theme for the 2009 Rotary District 5130
Conference scheduled at the Sheraton Petaluma
May 14–17. Actual event scheduals are not yet
available but President John has conference
registration forms.
Gordon
Freedman
announced that the VOM
Rotary
Club
in
association with Irene
Lucia and himself will
present a Piano &
Operatic
Recital
by
Alexey Artemyev, Piano
and
Evegenia
Chaverdova,
Voice.
Mark you calendars for
Sunday, May 31, 2:30 PM at Berger Center.
Admission is free but donations are welcomed.
All donations will benefit Rotary's World Wide
Polio Eradication Program.
Checks can be made payable to VOM Rotary
Foundation which is Non Profit so checks are tax
deductible.
Gordon also asked for a volunteer to represent
VOM Rotary at the Newcomers Reception at
Berger Center on Thursday May 7 from 6:00 PM
– 8:00 PM.
state – Jim we miss you).
Jeff asks that if you have any potential
candidates to please contact him.
PAUL HARRIS AWARD
Treasurer Arnie Lamb
gave a brief report
confirming
we
have
enough money to continue
to fund all of the projects
we
currently support
during Gordon's term at
current levels.
R HOUSE PICNIC & BBQ
Ken
Young
asked
everyone to sign up to
work at the picnic for the
residents of R House on
Wednesday, April 22.
Picnic starts at 12:00 but
volunteers need to arrive
around 11:00 to help set
up. The picnic will be
held at Rincon Valley
Park. There will be approximately 65 students,
terachers and staff attending and we need as
many members as possible to help. Rotary
members will provide food, drinks and will BBQ
hamburgers and hot dogs.
Volunteers are needed for shopping, cooking, set
up and clean up so if you did not sign up at the
meeting please call or email Ken Young or
Brian Adams if you can help.
Barb Lowell and Lois Kelly are covering for
Pat Gooler and the next Bunco is on on
Wednesday, April 22 at
the East Rec. so please
sign up and PAY for your
reservation.
Jeff Cave is the Co Chair
of
the
Community
Service Award this year
(unfortunately his “Co”
seems to have left the
Members have often been reminded that an easy
way to build your Paul Harris contributions is to
pay $20 at each meeting, $13 of which would go
towards breakfast and the remaining $7 towards
your
Paul
Harris.
Ken
Young
has
been doing just
that for some
time now and
this morning
Rich
Irwin
presented Ken
with his Paul
Harris +1 award. Rich reminded everyone that
Rotary International funds do come back at a
District level and one example is the $25,000
that has helped fund the World Peace Program at
Cal Berkeley.
NEW MEMBER INDUCTION
Membership
Chair Gordon
Freedman
had the honor
of welcoming
Jeppe
Juhl
into our club.
Jeppe was a
member of the
Orinda club until he and his wife moved to
Oakmont a few years ago.
Gordon reminded everyone that Rotary was the
first Service Organization and was founded by
Paul Harris. There are 26,000 clubs and 1.5
million members and our motto is Service Above
Self.
HAPPY DOLLARS
An exciting day for our club because
MAC IS BACK
We also welcomed back Dave Noorthoek who
has been spending time in Palm Desert.
SANTA ROSA SYMPHONY
Caroline Keller, Barb Lowell and Fred
Polkinghorn are celebrating birthdays but the
really special birthday boy is Paul Edstrom who
celebrated his
93rd birthday
this
week.
Paul brought a
beautiful sheet
cake
to
commemorate
both
is
birthday and
his 60 years as a Rotarian.
The Santa Rosa Symphony is the largest regional
symphony north of Los Angeles and at 81 years
is the 2nd oldest (San Francisco is the oldest). We
were privileged to have Conductor Bruno
Ferrandis
and
Executive
Director
Alan Silow
as
our
guest
speakers
today.
Frank Sites just returned from a family vacation
in Hawaii – the group included seven
grandchildren.
Bruno is starting his third season here in Santa
Rosa and he told us about the outstanding
programs that will be offered during the
upcoming 2009 – 2010 season. The season
opens with Bruno and Jeffrey Kahane
performing together for the first time. With
Bruno conducting and Jeffrey as piano soloist
the “Rach 3” piano concertos will be performed.
John Derby went “home” to Hawaii but is now
back “home” in Oakmont.
Debby Roumbanis gave very happy dollars
because her Kids are taking a trip.
For a complete listing of programs please go to:
Dan Grow had a great time eating in Paso
Robles and Cambria and Mac McHenry says it's
great to be back and he donated to both Polio
Plus and the Sierra Youth Center.
Lois Kelly had a wonderful vacation that
included going to Jack's granddaughter's
wedding.
RAFFLE
The
pot
was up to
$244 today
and
the
winning
ticket was
held
by
Caroline
Keller but
all she won
was breakfast so more $$$$$ next week.
www.santarosasymphony.com
As mentioned Alan
Silow is the Executive
Director
of
the
Symphony and he told
us that he doesn't play
an instrument and he
doesn't conduct so
many people wonder
what it is he actually
does.
Although it's
impossible to list
everything that Alan
does, after he gave us an overview of the many
programs supported by Santa Rosa Symphony
and the fact that they have been running in the
“black” for the past six years is a testament to his
skill and ability as the Director.
SRS has a major commitment to Education and
they support four youth orchestras depending on
the level of training.
The Youth Orchestra is celebrating their 50 year
anniversary and wanted to do something the
“Tall Orchestra” had never done. It was decided
they would do a concert tour in Europe and on
June 17, 2009 55 students will go on tour to
Berlin and Leipzig (Leipsic) Germany and
Prague, Czech Republic.
SRS's commitment to education is music in the
schools and to that end they arrange for free
concerts for youth, send musicians to perform in
the schools, invite students to rehearsals and a
host of other events.
Alan explained that 75% of the audience is made
up of subscribers and their goal is to make it
100% when they open at the Green Music Center
which has been designed for unparalleled sound
and optimum concert experience. Please visit
www.santarosasymphony.com/gmc.asp
for more exciting details on the Green Music
Center.
about the importance of this project. Pat
Randall sent all members an email copy of the
Grand Jury report (on April 13) but if you need a
copy just let Caroline or Valerie know and we
will send you another copy. If you would like to
email the PD their address is:
letters@pressdemocrat.com
If you have any questions I am sure Caroline
would be happy to try to answer them. Special
note: Al Blake has already submitted an article
to the Oakmont News.
President John led a brief discussion about the
pilot program being discussed at a District Level.
Members present agreed our club would abide by
the wishes of the District to not participate in the
pilot.
CLOSING
President John then closed
the meeting without ringing
the bell, he claimed the gavel
was missing – So Shaman keep those turkey feathers
coming!!!
SIERRA YOUTH CENTER
“49ER GOLD RUSH CONTINUES”
Last
Fall
Caroline
Keller went to the
Sonoma County Grand
Jury with a concern
about the lack of
vocational
training
available for the girls at
the Sierra Youth Center
and the Grand Jury took
on the investigation.
Caroline announced they
have published a report with strong
recommendations to support Sierra Youth Center
with some incredible projects which are now in
the works for SYC vocational training
Share Rotary with your friends. We should
invite business friends and neighbors to a
meeting. Who do we do business with, what
neighbors do we know, what former Rotarians
could be asked to join us? Clip and save the
invitation below to give to a friend, neighbor,
or business associate.
There has been very little coverage in the Press
Democrat on this and Caroline would like to
encourage members to write letters to the Editor
Cut and put in your wallet
Guests and potential Rotarians are invited
twice at the Club’s expense.
MANY PEOPLE SAID THEY WOULD
HAVE JOINED ROTARY HAD SOMEONE
ASKED THEM!
You are invited as a guest
of_____________________________to attend
a breakfast meeting of Valley of the Moon
Rotary. The Club meets Friday mornings at
7:15 a.m. at the Quail Restaurant 7035
Oakmont Drive in Oakmont.
(John Heilbronner presiding)
6/26/09 – Heilbronner Debunking Dinner at
Quail Inn – removal of “old shoe” President
(PE Freedman presiding)
ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
REMINDERS
We are still collecting non-perishable food items
for the food bank at each meeting.
Suitcases are always needed for the Children's
Home.
FUTURE CALENDAR EVENTS
Please submit any corrections or omissions to
Valerie Hulsey for insertion in the next
bulletin.
Editor:
Valerie Hulsey
Publisher:
Jack Monahan
Photographer Jack Monahan
4/24/09 - East Meets West – Vietnam Clean
Water – Laura Ward (Ron Nicholson presiding)
5/01/09- Universal Health Care (League of
Women Voters) Stan Gold (Frank Sites
presiding)
5/08/09 -Wheel Chair Foundation – Jeff Behring
(Ron Nicholson presiding)
5/15/09- Memorial Day program (a military
remembrance theme) (Admiral “Mac” McHenry
presiding)
Congratulations Paul for your birthday and long
service in Rotary!!
5/22/09 - DARK (due to Memorial Day holiday
weekend)
5/29/09- “Face to Face” - Cleft Palate Care –
Les Holve M.D. (Frank Sites presiding)
5/31/09 Piano & Operatic Recital – Alexey
Artemyev, Piano & Evegenia Chaverdova,
Voice. Berger Center, Sunday, May 31, 2:30PM
6/05/09 - VOM-Rotary Scholarship Awards –
with recipients (Fred Polkinghorn presiding)
Maestro Bruno Ferrandis
6/12/09 - Sonoma Country Grand Jury – Rich
Kleincurrent foreperson serving Sonoma County
on its Grand Jury for the year '08-'09 which ends
July 8, 2009 (Jim Carty presiding)
6/19/09 - The BEST of Rotary International –
multiple themes
President: John Heilbronner; President Elect:
Gordon Freedman; Secretary: Pat Randall;
Treasurer: Arnie Lamb; Jerry Dion; Sgt-AtArms