UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS & EVENTS  

Socials, Meetings, & Events:

Click image to view flyer and how you can help with this inspiring event!!

November 14, 2025 – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm – Veterans Tribute 2025 –  (Click here to view some pictures from the event)

November 24, 2025 – 3:15 pm – Foundation Board Meeting @ Andersen, Zeigler (Mtgs are 4th Monday the month)
December 2, 2025 – 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Rotary Board Meeting @YMCA (Mtgs are 1st Tuesday the month)
December 7 or 20 – Rotary Children’s Christmas – The Nutcracker at Spreckles Performing Arts Center (See flyer to help)
December ??, 2025 – Bell Ringing – Will be looking for volunteers. (Dates still tbd)
December 11, 2025 – 7:00 pm – Rotary International’s Club Meeting  @ Jim Green’s house (Note new date – Mtgs are 2nd Thursday of the month)
December 22, 2025 – 3:15 pm – Foundation Board Meeting @ Andersen, Zeigler (Mtgs are 4th Monday the month)
January 5, 2025 – 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Rotary Board Meeting @YMCA (Mtgs are 1st Tuesday the month)

Click on flyers below to open:

 

 

Upcoming District/International Events:

Rotary commemorates the United Nations

December 11, 2025 – Rotary commemorates the United Nations at 80 in SF
April 4, 2026 – District Assembly (most likely in Ukiah)
May 1-3, 2026 – Far West Fest (District Conference for 5130, 5170, 5190, 5220, and 5230) at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV
June 13 – 17, 2026 – Rotary International Convention in Taipei

Check back for new socials

Like planning parties and having fun? Talk to Debi Zaft.
Talk to Ann about joining the team leading hands-on service during the 2025-2026 year.

More socials and events coming soon.

For more details and additional events, see the Announcements section below.

For pictures and descriptions of previous socials and other events click here.

More socials, projects, & events coming soon!

Rotaract Fund Raiser
If anyone would like to donate money to GRA (Global Rotaract Alumni Club) they can donate the money on the GOSC site and include a note that it is for GRA. This would help us tremendously to continue growing as a club and be able to conduct larger scale projects. Here is the donation link: Donate Now – Global Offsite Care

Opening The Meeting:

Curt and Leonid lead us in the Pledge and Four Way Test, alternating in English and Ukraine

Curt Groninga led us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and Leonid Lashchenko joined him in reciting The Four-Way Test… including the fifth way, “Will it be fun!”

Curt’s reflection was a quote from Volodymyr Zelensky, “Our weapons are our truth, and our truth lies in the fact that this is our land, this is our county, our children, and we are going to defend all of this…Glory to Ukraine!”   and he finished with Emma Lazarus’ “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

Visiting Rotarians:

Dan Lambert, Lindsay Frey, Past District Governor Tom Boylan, Hap Culp, and Jean Chirhart all from the East/West Rotary Club, and Past District Governor Jim O’Grady from Petaluma Valley

Visitors:

Mel Konrad, Nate Zaft, Peter Redko, Leonid Lashchenko, Natasha Lashchenko, Katya Lashchenko, Judith Harris-Frisk, Jerome Harris, Kathy Kumpula, Vicki Groninga, Bethany

New Member Application:

Nate Zaft has turned in his application for membership. He’s practically an honorary member already,

Nate Zaft has turned in his application for membership. He has been coming to our meetings, off and on, since he was born (well maybe that is an exaggeration). He is now working locally, which allows him to attend meetings. He has served on the Giro Bello Committee and others. We told Debi to order his red badge and blue badge at the same time, because he has fulfilled most of the member requirements already!

Sunshine Report:

Not so sunny for Cecil Humes.  He has had Diabetes his whole life and has done very well. However, he now has one of the common problems of Diabetes when one ages. He recently had to have a toe amputated and now they had to remove part of his leg.  Please keep Cecil in your thoughts and prayers!

Also, Jack Abercrombie’s beloved wife, Pris, is very ill and may be close to death.  Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers too.

50/50 Drawing:

We were down to only 3 marbles and had $172.00 in the pot. Bill Hatcher, who always buys a lot of tickets, had his number drawn…and he pulled out the blue marble! He generously donated all his winnings to Polio Plus.  What a sweetheart!

Joke of the Week:

Michael Moore had a fishing joke for us this week. Three men were out fishing. They caught an angel. She said, “If you let me go, I will grant each of you a wish.” The first man said he would like to get rid of his persistent neck pain. Just like that, he had instant relief! The second man said, “I have very poor eyesight. I really would like to see better.”  The angel told him to throw his glasses into the water and just like that, he could see perfectly! The third man said, “Don’t touch me! I am on disability!”

Announcements:

1. Ray Giampaoli thanked us all for attending the Veteran’s program last week. There were 420 people in attendance.  He thanked Dan Lambert for his work on the program.
2. Diane Moresi let us know the Children’s Christmas Program at the Nutcracker will be on Sunday, December 7^th. She already had enough people to sign cards for the kids and volunteers for the day, but she still needs a few more people to bake cookies for the kids. See her if you can bake two dozen cookies.
3. Steve Olson announced the Jameson Merit Award kick-off.
4. The new lunch pricing, all meals are going up $2.00
   Reservation made in advance will be $35.00
   No reservation paid will be $37.00
   Dessert only will be $14.00

Recognitions:

Ann and Jeff Gospe are doing some celebrating: 20 years since Jeff joined Morgan Stanley, 20 years since he joined Rotary, Ann just turned 60, the 250^th birthday to the Marine Corp, and Jeff also recognized for just attending his 35-year graduation reunion from Stanford University. Therefore, they are donating $500 to the “John Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund”.

Today’s program, Curt Groninga and Leonid Lashchenko on our efforts to help the people of Ukraine.

Curt & Jeff

Curt contacted Leonid on the day of the invasion and asked what could be done to help. Curt contacted Jeff Kolin, and seven members formed the core of our mission to help Ukraine. District 5130 and Rotary International joined in. So did a lot of clubs in the district The first project was medical grade first aid kits for the Ukrainian army. They raised $185,000 for 6000 Life-Saving Emergency First-Aid kits. Project number two was to raise money for generators since power supplies were being targeted by the Russian army. They bought 390 generators, inverters, and batteries for $289,000. The third project was $276,000 for mental health services for over 1000 impacted children. The fourth project was Orthoses/braces to support the recovery of injured children and adults.  So, in three years the Rotary Clubs of Santa Rosa and District 5130 have raised and disbursed $840,000 to help the people of Ukraine.  Here is an English translation of their thank you letter:

“Dear Friends and Rotarians of Santa Rosa,

On behalf of all members of the rotary Club-Cherkasy Center and the people of Ukraine, we want to express our deepest gratitude to the Rotary Clubs of Santa Rosa, the Harris Family Foundation, and the wonderful people of your city for your compassion, generosity, and unwavering support.

Because of you, thousands of lives have been saved. Each first-aid kit, orthosis, each medical device or generator you have provided has become not just equipment – but symbols of hope, a bridge to recovery, and a chance to live.

Through your kindness, you have given Ukrainian children back their smiles, their dreams, and their belief in the future. You have brought light where there was darkness, and healing where there was pain.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to every Rotarian for your sincere compassion, tireless effort, and selfless service. You remind us what true Rotary spirit means: Service above Self.

Your hearts and actions have crossed oceans and borders, uniting us in friendship, humanity, and peace.

With heartfelt gratitude and warmest regards, – Rotary Club Cherkasy-Centre, Ukraine”

A bit about Leonid Lashchenko:

He has been a Rotarian since March 1998

A Founder and past president of the Cherkasy-Center Rotary Club

Living in Alameda, CA since 2022, and continues as an honorary member

Organizer and coordinator of numerous children’s Rotary programs

He helped evacuate children from affected areas after the Chernobyl explosion in 1986 at great peril to his own life as he worked as a doctor in the infected area. The sanitarium that he started treated 1500 –2000 annually who were suffering from the nuclear fallout.

The Harris Family used to own King’s Office Supply. Robert and Shirley Harris were wise investors and became philanthropists. The got involved with Ukraine back in the 1990’s when Cherkasy became Santa Rosa’s sister city. Judith Harris-Frisk is their daughter. Kathy Kumpula worked for the Harris’ at King’s Office Supply and has remained a close member of the Family.  Doug Landin presented Paul Harris Fellow awards to Leonid (he is now +1), Judith and Kathy got their first Paul Harris award. (Here is Doug’s Recognition)

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