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Announcements   ROTARY DONATIONS & CONTRIBUTIONS   Use your credit card to make donations, contributions and other Rotary payments.   YARD  SALE   BENEFITTING SACRAMENTO VALLEY HISTORICAL RAILWAYS   8AM SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25   WOODLAND  TRAIN  DEPOT   DONATIONS SOUGHT  SEPTEMBER 18   VIEW DETAILS       CLUB TRIP TO SF GIANTS GAME   SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2   SOLD OUT!!   $82/PERSON, GET CHECK PAYABLE TO 'WOODLAND ROTARY' TO MARIE GALBO   BUS LEAVES JC PENNEYS' PARKING LOT 9AM   ROTARY CLUBS OF WOODLAND   WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S   10AM SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2   VIEW FLYER   CLUB BBQ AT   WOODLAND  HIGH SCHOOL  STADIUM FOR CITY OF WOODLAND 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION   4PM - 9PM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17   INTERESTED IN PLANNING FOR OR ATTENDING?   SIGNUP WITH ANIEK RAMSAY SAVE THE  DATE!   WOODLAND ROTARY CLUBS CHRISTMAS PARTY   4-8PM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021   FAIRFIELD INN WOODLAND   DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED     Help us make this the 'go to place' for all your Rotary information.  Email comments or suggestions to Kris Kristensen, or call 530 304-5641.

 Rotary Theme 2021-22

Shekhar Mehta, 2021-22 Rotary International President

What is Rotary?

We improve people's lives, locally and globally, through service. 

View Full Size Video

Worth a look: 2 minute video showing where we've come from

and what we do. 

September 14th at the

Schwarzgrubers'

A big THANK YOU!!! to Tom & Gail Schwarzgruber who opened up their beautiful backyard to us for a special BBQ dinner meeting. With the pot at $850 Blair Voelz drew the joker from 3 remaining cards to win our 50-50 raffle. David Shepard, Woodland Police Deparment Canine Officer and his dog 'Chase', were our guests this evening demonstrating Chase's ability to find drugs and take down suspects.

September 7th Meeting

President Dan Stroski led a well attended meeting today. Tom Schwarzgruber reminded us next Tuesday's (Sep 14) Club meeting will be an evening session beginning at 5:30pm in his backyard: 6:15pm dinner ($20/person); 7pm Woodland PD K9 Officer David Shepard and 'Chase' will be the program. Spouses are encouraged to attend. Sign up with Tom. 

Derrek Kaff introduced his guest today, Woodland Fire Chief Eric Zane. Brian Dwyer was happy his nephew got safely through his start at quarterback for Sacramento City College this weekend. Visiting Rotarian Bob Hulbert (Woodland Sunrise) joined us today and talked about the Walk to End Alzheimer's happening 10am, Saturday, Oct 2, at the Californian (see story under 'Announcements'). Chuck Moore told us about his 64th birthday on Sep 6, and the success of the FFA Livestock Auction that took place at the Yolo County Fairgrounds last month. 

 Don Huff III led Recognition today with questions about this date in history. President-elect Shawn Seyk was presented with his official Club badge showing his new title. With the pot at $838 and just 4 cards left, Lisa Martinez got herself a free lunch. 

 Immediate Past President Tabb Randolph enjoyed his annual fishing trip to Alaska (Excursion Inlet) recently where he caught a 76 lbs halibut. Eric Sharp 'rang the bell' reporting he also enjoyed a recent salmon fishing in Alaska, but also last Friday he retired after 42 years in the financial management business. 

President Dan introduced his high school classmate Diane 'Dee'

 Howard Scott, as our guest speaker today. Dee gave us a presentation on the Honor Flight program which provides veterans tours to Washington DC to visit the national military memorials honoring their service to the nation. 

Alan Flory - 1932-2021

Rest in Peace

President Dan Stroski informed the Club that long time Club Secretary Alan Flory passed away on Monday, August 25 at the age of 89. Alan was a member of the Rotary Club of Woodland for many years. Alan had worked professionally with the California State Board of Equalization before being elected Yolo County Assessor in 1986. Alan was equally active in the community serving as Woodland Community College's representative on the Yuba Community College Board of Trustees for 12 years. He also served the Woodland Methodist Church, Woodland Food Closet, Yolo Land Trust, Yolo County Historical Society, Woodland Clinic Foundation, Communicare Health Centers, Yolo County Fair and other non-profit organizations. In 2011 Alan was recognized with a Community Service Award from the City of Woodland. Alan was also an avid San Francisco Giants fan, regularly attending their spring training in Arizona. He will be missed.

Services will be private and for the immediate family only. The Club stood at its meeting Tuesday and toasted Alan for the wonderful Rotarian and friend he was.

Our thoughts are with Alan's wife Gerry and family.

View the Daily Democrat obituary published August 29, 2021.

Kenya WASH Project

At their October 2020 meeting, our Club’s Board of Directors approved Club participation in the Kenya WASH project to improve Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) at the Karen C Primary School in Karen, Kenya. This is a Rotary Global Grant proposal sponsored by the Rotary Club of Karen (Karen, Kenya; http://rotaryclubofkaren.org/ Rotary District 9212) to make improvements needed at the Karen C Primary School in Karen which serves 1300 students, 50 teachers (established in 1958) and an adjacent girls high school with enrollment of 600 students (established in 2011) by installing water storage tanks, plumbing, wash stations, modern toilets, and training students and teachers and otherwise creating a communitywide awareness on hygiene, water usage and sanitation.

Karen is a suburb of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. Karen Blixen, the author of the colonial memoir ‘Out of Africa’ owned a farm where much of the suburb now stands. While we in this country take clean water for granted, in Karen water is a precious necessity and scarce. Facilities at this school are basic & aging, and include urinal and pit latrines.

The project consists of two phases: Phase One involves putting up large, steel water storage tanks, connecting plumbing to and from tanks, and portable washing facilities. Phase Two buys new toilets and sinks, the buildings to house them, as well as a large capacity septic tank. Phase One costs total approximately $40,000, while Phase Two costs are estimated at $75,000.

Our Club’s approval includes agreeing to serve as the international sponsor for Phase One of the project and to contribute a maximum of $5,000 in a Phase One local match once the District & Global Grants are approved. Remaining Phase One funding is expected from the Rotary Club of Karen - $5,000 in a local match; Rotary Foundation Global Grant funding (applied for by both clubs) - $20,000; and District 5160 Designated Funds - $10,000. In addition to funding, our Club will also provide oversight, monitoring and managing the Global Grant and reporting the project progress to all involved. A Committee including Blair Voelz (chair), President Tabb Randolph, President-elect Dan Stroski, Karl Diekman, Tom Schwarzgruber, Gary Wirth and Jayne Williams will oversee the Club’s involvement in this project.

UPDATE: Blair Voelz reports Phase 1 of the Kenya WASH project will be complete August 31, 2021. Due to limited access to the local well, it is critically important that during the school's turn to use the well, they store as much water as possible. So, the primary improvement of Phase 1 has been the installation of a tower mounted 5000 gallon tank, and a 10,000 gallon ground level tank. The tanks are made with panels with an embossed design. The panels were hauled up to the towers, then bolted together and sealed; ingeniously avoiding the need for a crane to lift a tank and welders for assembly, just nuts & bolts. Phase 1 also includes hand washing stations for kids. See the related pictures below.

Phase 2 work is expected to include to constructing toilets for boys and girls, and address wastewater disposal.

Berrettoni Scholarship Award

President Dan Stroski announced a $2500 award from the George Berrettoni Scholarship has been made to Ethan Horowitz of Woodland CA. George Berretoni was a long time Woodland Rotarian, a past Club President, and was very active in the Boy Scouts of America. This scholarship was established in 2018 in George's honor following his passing. This is the first award of the Berretoni Scholarship.

Ethan Horowitz, an Eagle Scout himself from Troup 464, graduated from the Da Vinci Charter Academy with a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Ethan plans to attend Colorado State University in the fall where he will seek a degree in mechanical engineering. Ethan was on hand at the Club's July 20th meeting to receive the award from President-elect Shawn Seyk.

President Dan said "Rotary always wants to contribute to both our community and other various international projects; all with the intent of helping to make this world a better place to live." It is anticipated that future Berrettoni Scholarship awards will be made annually.

Rotary Calgary Nicaragua Project

This project, begun in March 2020, involves establishing a UNICAM or “University in the Country” in four regions in and around the Nicaraguan municipality of Tuma-La Dalia (located approximately 100 miles northeast of Nicaragua’s capital of Managua), including the Jinotega region, by training local high school graduates to become dentists, optometrists, or family doctors.  This area has a medically underserved population of approximately 300,000 people. The training duration will be 5 years for dentists and optometrists and 6 years for family doctors, and result in providing 30 physicians, 15 dentists, and 15 optometrists. University of Managua faculty members will provide training for these students, all of whom are from this region, and most of whom are likely to remain after graduation. Training is being conducted in buildings built or remodeled by those living in the Tuma-La Dalia region. The University of Managua will pay all future costs of staff salaries, student tuition and housing, as well as equipment and building maintenance. This project’s model is considered so successful and its sustainability so likely that 2 more UNICAM training programs are already being planned for this region.

Responding to a request for additional funding from the International Host Rotary Club of Calgary (Canada), the Rotary Club of Woodland made a contribution and solicited additional financial support from other Rotary clubs in our area, as well as several individual donors. We collected a total of $5000 USD which has been forwarded to the Rotary Club of Calgary. This sum will allow purchase of badly needed teaching equipment during this second academic year. No further Rotary fundraising is planned for this project.  The total funding for this global grant project is $212,399.

Woodland Rotary Club Board member Dr. Jim McGibbon has been working on this effort. He reports recent problems involving banking and distribution of these funds have delayed the project, but are being addressed. When the Nicaraguan government effectively prevented the Jinotega local host club from opening an account in a local bank to house these funds, the Calgary international host club was able to open one in Calgary. Since the banking delays resulted in the expiration of time-sensitive bids for equipment, the bidding process is now being repeated.

We have requested that on-site photos be sent to our club later this year showing the new equipment, as well as some visual confirmation of Rotary's contribution to this program.

Club Dinner & Auction -

A Big Success!!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS, DONORS, PRESIDENT-ELECT DAN STROSKI AND HIS COMMITTEE!!

Event pictures can be viewed in the Photo Gallery.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 SPONSORS!!!

Silver Sponsors ($1,000)

Dignity Health

Ernie Hodges & Roger Kohlmeier

Edward Jones - Kevin Haarberg, Craig Miyamoto, Jen Ward,

and Brian Dwyer

Gardner, Janes, Nakken, Hugo & Nolan - David Janes, Robert Nakken

and Jim Nolan

Matchbook Wine Co. - John & Lane Giguiere

Wilkinson International - Terry Wilkinson

Van Beurden Insurance Services - Aniek Ramsay

Bronze Sponsors ($500)

Akin Ranch - Dick Akin

Helene Dorris

Ullrich Delevati CPAs - Mark Ullrich & Tony Delevati

Wraith, Scarlett & Randolph Insurance Services, Inc. - Tabb Randolph

Yolo Federal Credit Union - Janee Rawlings 

Business Card Sponsors ($250)

Scott & Sheila Johnston

Tack Warehouse

Valley Ag Loans - Peter Holmes

Polio Plus Update

from Gary Wirth

Rotary District 5160 has decided more emphasis must be placed on our efforts to eliminate Polio right now. At this time the only two countries containing active Polio viruses are Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Polio virus has been mutating making it all the more difficult to keep ahead of the spread. We’re getting closer - just 3 weeks ago there had been no new cases for the previous 3 weeks. However, since that time a couple more cases have been reported in each country. To help stay on top of this outbreak a new modified vaccine has been developed to attack this “wild” form of the Polio Virus.

To focus member attention on the severity of the need, District 5160 has founded the PolioPlus Society and encourages all members who want to play a bigger part in the battle against this terrible disease, to join up. To join the Society you must simply pledge to donate $100 per year to the Rotary Foundation's Polio Plus program. These donations also count towards your Paul Harris status with Rotary.  Those interested please contact Gary Wirth for the form and proper methodology to guide the donation to your target.  Tel/text: 530 662-3429; email:gfwirth@sbcglobal.net  

Listed below are recent members of the Society:

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