UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS & EVENTS  

Socials, Meetings, & Events:

Social & Wine Tasting at Mark Burchill’s

January/February – Book of Why? Distribution to 3rd Graders
February 12, 2026 – 7:00 pm – Rotary International’s Club Meeting  @ Jim Green’s house (Mtgs are 2nd Thursday of the month)
February 23, 2026 – 3:15 pm – Foundation Board Meeting @ Andersen, Zeigler (Mtgs are 4th Monday the month)
February 24, 2026 – 5:30 pm – Social and Wine Tasting at Mark Burchill’s residence. (click here for details)
March 2 & 3, 2026 – Read Across America Volunteer Days, Boys & Girls Clubs. See Past President Casey D’Angelo for details
March 3, 2026 – 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Rotary Board Meeting @YMCA (Mtgs are 1st Tuesday the month)

Giro Bello – June 27, 2026

June 27, 2026 – Giro Bello – Register or Volunteer now (See Flyer)

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:

Julia & Casey kick off the meeting to a great start

“Welcome to the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa where we do good in Santa Rosa and around the world.” said President Julia.  Casey D’Angelo led us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, the Four/Five Way Test and his Reflection was a quote from Anthony Doerr’s book, “The Four Seasons of Rome.”

“Before any outcome, before cynicism, or disappointment, or exultation – there is hope, and the promise of change. The joy is in expectancy, in the swelling potential of it all. The last-second shot hangs above the rim; the final ballot box is upended onto the counting table. It’s the admissions envelope in the mailbox, the corner of the telegraph sticking out from under the door. It’s Christmas morning. It’s holding the pregnancy test to the light. It’s springtime.

Not knowing is always more thrilling than the knowing. Not-knowing is where hope and art and possibility and invention come from. It is not-knowing, that old, old thing, that allows everything to be renewed.”

Visiting Rotarians:

Edgar Flores, Harry Polley, Steve Prandini, Catherine Jefferson, James Alexander, and Constancia Alexander

Visitors:

Malia Nichols, Elias Marquez

Sunshine Report:

Steve Marburger is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer and is praying for a speedy recovery (Our guest speaker, James Palleschi M.D. says that 90% of men over 90 years old will get prostate cancer).  We will think/pray healing thoughts for you, Steve!

50/50 Drawing:

Craig Meltzner ran the drawing this week. We had nine marbles in the bag and $71.00 in the pot. Guest Steve Prandini from the Sebastopol Club had the right ticket, but he pulled a yellow marble. The pot rolls over!

Michael Moore’s Joke of the Week:

A guy was at a hotel and took his computer down to the bar to do some data entries. He asked the bartender, “What’s the Wi-Fi password?”

Michael with another “great” joke

Bartender: “You need to buy a drink first.”

Guy: “Okay, I will have a cola.”

Bartender: “We have Coke, no Pepsi.”

Guy: “Sure. How much is it?”

Bartender: “$3.00.”

Guy: “OK. Here you are. What is the password”

Bartender: “youneedtobuyadrinkfirst, no spaces and in all lowercase…….”

Report on December’s Salvation Army Bell ringing”

Marcos Marquez let us know that five Rotary Clubs participated this year. Our club collected $2760.40 out of the over $6000 that was collected by all five Rotary Clubs.

Birthdays with Keven Brown:

Ok, my friends. We have to start recruiting new members who were born in February. Jeanne Levin is our only Rotarian with a February Birthday!

Keven let us know that a new exhibit is opening this Friday, “Renewal and Strength in Art.” The reception is from 5:00 – 7:00pm……Keven donated $50.00 to the club for this announcement.

Rotarian of the Month:

That would be Casey D’Angelo. Besides the dictionaries and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, he also negotiated our new contract with Iron and Vine for this next year. Thanks, Casey! Well deserved!

Somebody Got Their Blue Badge:

That would be Gary Nichols. Thank you for being a member of our club, Gary!

Club President for 2027-2028:

Rich Rossi has been selected and has agreed to be our club president for the year 2027-2028! Thank you, Rich, for stepping up.  We know you will do a fabulous job.

District Conference in May:

President Julia passed around the clip board to sign up for Sergeants of Arms duty for the District Conference. The plan is to have many Sergeants of Arms so that no one must work more than two hours.  Five Districts are participating this year.

SCARC:

Heidi Kuhn spoke at last week’s SCARC meeting. She was very inspirational. (Click here for some great SCARC pictures)  This month’s SCARC is the Cloverdale Crab Feed.  Let Debi know immediately if you want to go.  This event always sells out!

Zimbabwe Grant Status:

Zimbabwe Telemedicine Project, as presented by Gary Nichols

Gary Nichols says our Zimbabwe global grant application should be submitted by the end of the month! Woohoo!

Simple Gesture:

Our Board of Directors is looking into a program called “Simple Gestures” a program to help eradicate hunger. It costs nothing to operate, but they need drivers, donors, and administrators monthly. They will be at our club to talk about the program in April.

Book of Why:

Casey reminded us to get our books out to the schools as soon as possible. He said he knows someone whose daughter grabbed her dictionary when they had to evacuate from one of our local fires. That’s how important these books are to these third graders.

Giro Bello:

We are up to 85 riders. Summit Bank is back as a sponsor. Scott Bartley is arranging for us to be up on a billboard.  If you go wine tasting, ask the winey if they would like to sponsor or put up our flier. President Julia gave Patty Kolin her sponsor check today! (Click here for Giro Bello Sponsorship Packet)

A Future District Governor?

Ann Gospe is applying to be a future District Governor!  Thank you, Ann! We will be rooting for you!

Dr Palleschi on working as a Urologist in Zimbabwe

Dr. James Palleschi

Dr Palleschi started working in rural Zimbabwe in 2012 and has made five trips to work at the Chidamoyo Hospital. Zimbabwe is about the size of Montana. Before achieving independence in 1980, the country was called South Rhodesia. It is a long drive from the capitol city of Harare to Chidamoyo Hospital. This hospital has 85 beds, 300 employees, and about 6000 outpatient visits a month. The OB department is very busy. They have limited surgical services. An antiviral program for pregnant women and outreach clinics in the surrounding villages. Dr Palleschi is the only urologist to work there from outside Africa. Most of the local people do not have money. They trade for the service, often with peanuts, a major part of their diet.

Women come to the hospital 2-3 weeks before they give birth. They love music and dancing. Maybe that helps with birth?

When a urologist is coming the word is sent out and men from all over come to schedule an appointment for treatment. Some of the men live with catheters for many years before they can get surgery. Hernia surgery, removing prostate glands are common surgeries for the men. Anesthesia for these surgeries is usually a spinal local.

At the hospital and surrounding clinics, they provide immunization for several diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis.

One time, a lion was brought in for kidney failure. They considered transplanting a kidney from the lion’s brother, but it was not meant to happen and the lion died.

Special Election

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