Santa Rosa West Rotary Bulletin

Dark on May 25, Regular Meeting June 1

BULLETIN:
FROM HISTORY LESSONS TO BIOSOLIDS

Monday, May 18, 1998

Opening History Lesson

When President Jim Valinoti clanged the bell at 12:30 p.m. and called upon Emery Barrus to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, little did anyone suspect that we would remain standing well over five minutes while Emery gave an erudite lesson on the history of the pledge. It seems that Francis Bellamy of Boston wrote the original pledge and public school children began reciting it in 1892. The National Flag Conferences of the American Legion expanded the original wording in 1923, and in 1954 Congress added the words "under God." It also seems that Jim Sullivan clarified the proper recitation, with punctuation in mind, at some later date. With this historical perspective, Emery led us in the pledge.

Bob Miller followed gamely with this week's Rotary Moment which, among other blessings, offered thanks that President Jim Valinoti's term of office is almost history.

Visitors and Guests

Lou Giacometti introduced 11 visiting Rotarians who joined us for lunch and the raffle chance of pocketing $900.00. Another visiting Rotarian who came the greatest distance (Sea Ranch) was somehow omitted and introduced himself, announcing also that he won a $500.00 raffle a few days ago at another Santa Rosa Rotary Club and stayed a few extra days to also win our $900.00 raffle.

Mark your calendars...

May 25 - Memorial Day -
We are Dark - no meeting

May 29-31 - District Conference

June 1- Regular Meeting - Santa Rosa Players - Excerpts from Anything Goes!

June 6 - Healdsburg Rotary Golf Tournament

June 8 - President's Update on S.R.J.C. by President Agrella

June 15 - District 5130 Rotary "Project Share Life" by Sonny Yates

June 22 - "The Whales of St. Ignacio," Elliot Daum

We were privileged to have four guests today, Lynn Wallace, Jan Hansen, Tom Ford and Sam Crump, who were the guests of Paul Stychno, Bob Zeni, Terry Price and Mike Merrill, respectively. Of course, none of these guests was out of order at any time. Only their introduction was out of apparent order, certainly not due to any presidential lapse, but no doubt due to a grander scheme of things understood only by our president.

Announcements

Visitor Sam Crump--the missing program speaker last week--apologized and promised to return on another Monday to present "The Highway 101 Solution." It seems that Sam's campaign staff got our meeting date mixed up. He was actually driving to Los Robles to speak to us when he learned about their "Ooops." The problem was that he was coming on Tuesday for our Monday meeting.

The District Conference is coming up May 28 through 31 at the Doubletree Inn, Rohnert Park. Please Note: The Keynote Speaker is Richard King, a former R.I. Director and a prominent California trial lawyer. Reservations are required to attend his luncheon speech on May 29.

June 27 – End of Rotary Year Celebration at Lake Sonoma, Picnic Area 3, 4:30-8:30 p.m.

June 30 - Windsor Rotary Golf Tournament

July 6 - Club President Rich Standard "Visioning for the New Year"

July 13 - Assembly, Visioning Session and Raffle Kickoff

July 20 - Kid Street Theater, Linda Conklin

Photos & reports from the
GSE Team now in Austria

The new editor of the Bulletin is David Björklund (left), replacing Bo Simons who is transferring to the Healdsburg Club. Bo is a tough act to follow. The Bulletin under his editorship has been superb, and Bo's efforts were warmly recognized by applause.

Jim Valinoti's reign is nearing an end. The end-of-year celebration honoring our outgoing president is on June 27, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Lake Sonoma, Picnic Area 3. Be there!

The Rotary International Convention is coming up next month in Indianapolis visit the Rotary International Web site for more details and a preview.

Anniversaries

May is a month of many anniversaries, not of the marital kind, but of the membership kind in our club, and President Jim Valinoti announced them with much admiration. George Mickelsen has been a member of our club for 43 years; John Palmer for 38 years; Ken Davenport for 35 years; Bob Bartley, Bill Fisher, Pete Hoogland, Don Ling, Carson Mitchell and John Withers for 33 years, exactly, to this very day; Ken Prouty for 31 years; Jim Underhill for 30 years; Bob Miller for 28 years; Pete Lamonica for 27 years; Rich Pratt and Jim Sullivan for 25 years; Mike Merrill for 23 years; Louie Capuano, Bryan Jamar and Phil Talamantes for 22 years; Jim Benoit and Von Vonder Mehden for 21 years; and Chuck Olson for 20 years. All of them received sustained applause.

Outstanding Students of the Month

Bob Zeni (left) introduced the Outstanding Students of the Month from Piner High School. Once again, these young people amazed us with their academic records, talents, and activities. They were given plaques in recognition of their achievements.

Mary Whitmore, a senior, has a 4.0 GPA and is listed in the "Who's Who" of American high school students. She has been a cheerleader, a student council leader, an actress in student plays, a flautist (look it up!) in the school band, a singer in the school choir, a camp counselor, and a Bible teacher. Next September she is headed to Pacific Christian College, where she intends to major in psychology.

Isaac Dozor, also a senior, said he did not have many titles, but he properly boasted that he has worked very hard to achieve his academic successes. He has been accepted and will be enrolling at University of California, Davis in the fall, where he intends to pursue a business major and hopefully a post-graduate degree.

New Member Proposed

Michael Levison is proposed for membership. Michael lives and works in Santa Rosa and his classification will be Executive Search Consultant. Michael's sponsor is Arnie Carston.

Inquiries regarding Teri or Michael should be directed to Paul Schwartz (work 566-2200; home 579-0977 email: pschwarz@sonic.net)

Internal Service Team Recognition and Reminder

Thanks to Dale Sipe and his assistant Ted Miles for their assistance in setting up this week. Up to bat for June 1, 1998 are: Jim Underhill: greeting visiting Rotarians; Roger Olsen: raffle ticket sales; Bill Gittins: pledge; and Martin Miller-Hessel: invocation and bulletin writer. If you can't make it be sure you contact Janet Codding at 576-0416.

Save Our Students Award

Our SOS program was selected as the Volunteer Group Of The Year by the Santa Rosa City Schools. Bob Marigo and new chair Elley Lowry were presented the Award by President Jim Valinoti. In turn, Bob and Elley asked Ginny Pitts and Mike Moore to come to the dais for special recognition. Great work, Bob, and many thanks Ginny and Mike.

Raffle Gains and Losses

Bill Dodson (right) gained the opportunity but lost the draw for $900.00, and so next week there will be just 42 marbles left in the bag. Mark Matson won the $20.00 raffle and gained the pleasure of donating his winnings to the SOS program.

Program - Biosolids Happen

Our program speaker, Tom Leland (left), the son of Bob Leland and introduced by toxic sleuth Bob Harris, presented a fascinating program about industrial and human waste and how to deal with it. Tom holds a B.S. degree in Engineering from UCLA and an M.S. degree in Environmental Science from Utah State. He is employed by Union Carbide Company in the Environmental Technology Division in Charleston, West Virginia, which develops and implements clean-up strategies for the hundreds of contaminated sites created by Union Carbide over the years. Among other things, Tom designs wastewater facilities.

Tom also gave us a history lesson--a lesson about the history of waterway pollution, particularly in the eastern United States where 40 years ago rivers were unswimable and unfishable due to pollution and were essentially sewage runs. In 1972 Congress passed the Clean Water Act in an effort to restore the integrity of America's rivers and canals. Although the goals have still not been met 25 years later, at least two-thirds of American rivers are pollution-free enough to be swimable and fishable.

Tom also described the bacteria plus oxygen treatment mode of treating wastewater and transforming it into virtual drinking water and residual biosolids, aka sludge. He even gave a sludgebar to Mike Merrill, who graciously passed it to his guest, Sam Crump.