UPCOMING SOCIALS & PROJECTS & EVENTS  

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:

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Santa Rosa where we are “United for Good” in our community and our world. Tavo Guillen led us in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four/Five-Way Test.  Tavo’s reflection was the Serenity Prayer.

Visitors:

Floranne Fanti, our guest speaker, Michael Tonjim, a guest of Curt Groninga AND he has applied for membership! and Jill Cohen Sandler, a guest of Richard Lazovick.

Sunshine Report:

Rose Frances fell and broke her arm. She still came to the meeting (before getting a cast) because she always feels better after coming to a meeting.

50/50 Drawing:

We started over with 10 marbles (Debi insists that there should be 12, but that is another story). Ann had the lucky ticket. The pot was $17.00 and…it rolls over to next week.

  

Joke of the Week:

An elderly couple was celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary. The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and moved back to the old neighborhood when they retired. Holding hands, they walked back to their old school. It was not locked, so they entered and found the old desk they’d shared, where Jerry had carved “I love you, Sally.” On their way back home, a bag of money fell out of an armored car, landing at their feet. Sally quickly picked it up and, not sure what to do with it, they took it home. There she counted the money – fifty thousand dollars!

Jerry said, “We’ve got to give it back.”

Sally said, “Finders keepers.” She put the money back in the bag and hid it in the attic.

The next day, two police officers were canvassing the neighborhood looking for the money and knocked on their door. “Pardon me, did either of you find a bag that fell out of an armored car yesterday?”

Sally said, “No.”
Jerry said, “She’s lying. She hid it up in the attic.”
Sally said, “Don’t believe him, he’s getting senile.”
The officers turned to Jerry and began to question him. “Tell us the story from the beginning.”
Jerry said, “Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday…”
The first police officer turned to his partner and said, “We’re outta here!”

Paul Harris Fellow Award:

This week, Doug Landin presented Curt Groninga with his Paul Harris plus one pin.

Announcements:

1. On the November 19^th meeting, we will be honoring major contributors to the Cherkasy Central of Ukraine: Jeff Gospe, Ann Gospe and Jeff Kolin
2. The Board of Directors will be developing an updated strategic plan for our club that will cover the next three years.
3. Hands on project! Our local Rotary ESRAG group will be working at the Russian River in Healdsburg to remove the invasive Arundo Donax on October 18, 2025, from 8:30am to 11:30am. This removal of Arundo Donax is one of the top three priorities of the Russian River Keepers. Arundo is very invasive, highly flammable, a major water hog that takes millions of gallons per acre from the river every year and displaces vegetation that supports fish and wildlife. To participate you must sign up in advance at the Russian Riverkeeper’s website and sign a waiver. Sign up at: https://givingtime.org/club/?club+7   Only 50 people can participate. On the day of the event, they will meet at the Veterans Memorial Beach Regional Park at 13839 Old Redwood Hwy, Healdsburg. They will have passes for your car so that you do not have to pay for parking.  If you have any questions, both Ann Gospe and Kris Anderson have worked on Arundo Donax removal.  Unfortunately, neither one will be able to help this year due to previous engagements.
4. Lunch Books – for those who buy the lunch books, please write your name on the back of your ticket each week.
5. The Wild Game Dinner was an absolute stunner this year! Thank you to those who bought tickets and those who helped serve the dinner.  $2600 was earned for the club!
6. November 14, 2025, is the Veterans Luncheon and we will be back at the Veterans Building this year. Tickets are $20.00 and we ask that you also buy a ticket for a veteran.
7. Ray Giampaoli is starting the plans for next year’s Giro Bello.

Recognitions:

1. Fred and Jeanne celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary on September 12th!

This week’s guest speaker, Floranne Fanti from Canine Companions for Independence

This is their 50th anniversary. Floranne is a puppy raiser and a board member. Bowie was her most recent puppy she raised and trained him for 18 months. The veterinarian said he will likely become a good breeder.  She brought with her today a black lab named Darrell, 10 weeks old and already breaking hearts.  These dogs are trained to work with people with disabilities.  Once they are placed with their person, they stay in touch to make sure it is a good match, and the dog is treated well.  At San Quentin Prison they have puppy raisers that do an excellent job.

The disabilities that they help with are numerous. People with MS, wheelchair-bound, have PTSD, hard of hearing, blind. Some dogs go to hospitals to comfort patients. They go to court with children to give them comfort.

Dogs will stay with a person for about 13 years before they are retired.  On average they have about 400 people on the waiting list to get a dog.  Locally 900 puppies were raised last year.

Their facility was donated by Jeanne Shultz.  They have 125 breeders.  40 pilots are able to fly the puppies to their new homes around the United States.  About 8200 dogs have been matched with their human in the 50 years. Each year the dog is checked out by a veterinarian. They get their shots and make sure they are in good health. Overweight dogs will be put on a diet. Their teeth are checked out. They may have x-rays and ultrasounds.  If cancer appears, they will not use that line of dogs again. The dogs are always Labradors due to their temperament and gentle nature.

55% of the dogs graduate and get matched with their human. The other 45% can be adopted.  Their puppy raiser gets first pick.  No home is allowed more than four dogs. Donors can adopt with a $2000 adoption fee.

Click here for some notes and key dates from Floanne

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