UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS & EVENTS  

Upcoming District/International Events:

June 13 – 17, 2026 – Rotary International Convention in Taipei, Taiwan
May 7-9, 2027 – SAVE THE DATE! – Jeff’s District Conference & Lakeside Jam @ Konocti Harbor Resort (Click here for flyer)

Check back for new socials and events

Flyers:

   

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

Rotary Club of Santa Rosa
May 27, 2026

 

Opening The Meeting:

“Greetings from the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa where we are “United for Good” for the children, and the world!” Says President Julia for her fifth to the last time for this Rotary year. Jim Green led us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four/Five Way Test. He improvised his Reflection, “We may grow old, but you do not need to be old.” Yes, Rotary has a way of doing just that!

Visiting Rotarians:

Len Geraldi – Sonoma Mountain Twilight, Jack Strange – East West, David Mark-Raymond – Sebastopol Sunrise, Maggie Padovani – Napa

Edgar Najar, Shannon Ayers Aquilar, and Sophia Nguyen from the SRJC Rotaract Club

Visitors:

Dan Towers- Interested is joining a club, Madelaine Keegan O’Connell – guest speaker

Sunshine Report:

Everyone is groovy!

50/50 Drawing:

5 marbles today with $150.00 in the pot. Ann Gospe pulled out her own number! However, she did not pull out the blue marble. Her consolation prize of $10.00 went into the Polio Pail.

Michael Moore with the Joke of the Week:

A six-year-old went to the hospital with his grandma to visit his grandpa. When they got there, he ran ahead of his grandma and burst into his grandpa’s room. “Grandpa, Grandpa.” He said excitedly. “As soon as Grandma comes into the room, make a noise like a frog!”

“What?” Said his grandpa.

“Make a noise like a frog, cause Grandma said that as soon as you croak, we’re going to Disneyland!”

World Polio Day Event:

Jeff Kolin would like to stage a torch relay from Cresent City to Petaluma to raise $50,000 for Polio Plus in October.  We need to register about 1000 walkers, runners, and bikers to cover the distance from Cresent City to Petaluma.  The route has already been mapped out. It would cost participants $26.50 to participate (the amount of the very first contribution to the Polio Campaign back in 1986). We would be working with the other local clubs. Bob Rogers has an actual Olympic Torch that was his daughter’s. World Polio Day is October 24, 2026.  Stay tuned for more details!

SRJC Rotaract:

Edgar played a video to recap the 2025-2026 year

Polio Plus Society:

Len Geraldi announced Ann Gospe is the latest to pledge “$1000 a year, every year, as long as she is able” and is joining the Polio Plus Society. So, she got a shield to attach to her Paul Harris pin. Len says there is a “Triple Crown” to the Paul Harris Society: Donate $10,000 to either the annual fund or Polio Plus, promise to leave $10,000 in your will to Rotary and promise to donate $1000 a year.

Announcements:

1. President Julia is encouraging us all to sign up for A Simple Gesture. About 1% of Santa Rosa households participate monthly. If we can get that up to 20%, we will have eliminated hunger in Santa Rosa. A Simple Gesture is active in Rohnert Park and Windsor. (Click here)
2. Ann Gospe announced that Sign Up Genius is ready to be used for the Giro Bello. Please go on and sign up for Giro Bello jobs.
3. Dan Balfe has been spammed. If you get an email “invitation” from him, Do Not Open!
4. 

   Robert & Ray show the Giro Bello Sponsorships

   Ray Giampaoli said our Giro Bello sponsorships are up to $38,900. So… Ray did what Ray does really well. He challenged the audience to donate more! This may not be correct, but here goes; Richard Lazovick, Craig Meltzner, Bill Hatcher, Peter Holewinski, Rich Rossi, Jeff Kolin, Mary Graves, Susan Nowacki, Diane Moresi, and Ray Giampaoli. Some donated $500 and some $50.  All total it is between $3000 and $5000!

5. We need someone to write the bulletin for Wednesday, June 8, 2026. Kris Anderson, Matthew Henry and Diane Moresi will all be out of town. If you can help, Kris will give you a template to follow. After you type it up, you email it to Debi Zaft for proofing and then make sure you get it to Richard Lazovick by Friday.
6. Cal India is planning two more Polio Vaccination trips to India. This is the same tour Kris Anderson went on this past March. Here are the links for information:

https://worldpolioday.agratajmahalrotary.org/default.aspx       October 2026

https://polionid.agratajmajmahalrotary.org/default.aspx            March 2027

Any questions, you can ask Kris Anderson.

Madeline Keegan O’Connell, CEO of the Sonoma County YWCA

Madeline was here to share the story of the YWCA, celebrating their 50th year supporting women, children, men and families.  She is entering her 15^th year as CEO. She feels like she is coming home when at a Rotary meeting because she knows Ann, Susan, Julia, Kris, Matthew, Ray…  Robert Pierce took her senior portraits…a few years back.

First, she played us a video of two women and a man who came to the Sonoma County YWCA for help. It took them great courage to call and ask for help. In coming to the YWCA, they found security, safety, and support. This video is available to view on their website

https://www.ywcasc.org/.   Madeline says that what the YWCA provides is the immediate triage that is needed when a person or family comes to them for help. The crisis line phone number is 707- 546-1234.  The shelter house is about 4500 square feet with 9 bedrooms; four beds to a room. The average length of a stay is 60 days.  People will call for help 6-7 times before they actually leave to get help. The YWCA helps them with getting legal aid and restraining orders. She is on very good terms with the Santa Rosa police chief and the Sonoma County Sheriff.

Ann Gospe asked if there was any way Rotary could do a hands-on project for the YWCA. Madeline said there are only a few ways. Maybe gardening at the preschool? The safe house must be kept safe.

How do they celebrate the holidays? They do have presents for the children, but they are not gift wrapped. Gift cards are great.  Did you know they have a wishlist on Amazon?

Arundo Donax Update:

A few years ago, Norm Fujita, the environmental chair for the Rotary Club of Healdsburg began a working relationship with the Russian Riverkeepers to help remove the invasive Arundo Donax. Norm and Barbara McChesney began to collaborate on Arundo Donax removal days with other clubs and Interact kids. Now they have gotten the attention of the Rotary Magazine, and an article is being written to be published at a later date.  On June 13, the magazine reporter is coming out to see Arundo Donax removal in action and take pictures!

Arundo Donax removal is one of the top three priorities of the Russian Riverkeepers as it turns our river from a natural fire break to a bridge for fires to intensify and spread. Arundo is incredibly flammable and burns intensely and in wind events it can cast embers to rapidly spread fire. Arundo is also a water hog that takes 8 million gallons per acre from the river every year and displaces native vegetation that supports fish and wildlife.

To participate in the next Arundo Donax removal day go to https://russianriverkeeper.org

June 13, 2026, from 8:30am to 11:30am. There is only room for 40 volunteers, so you must sign up on the website in advance. You must sign the waivers to participate. Please wear your Rotary shirts if you are coming.

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