The Splinter - Archive  Jan 26, 2010

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 CLUB 470 * DISTRICT 5160  *  ORGANIZED APRIL 29, 1926                   MEETING DATE:  January 26, 2010 

www.rotary5160.org                                                                                    ww.woodlandrotary.org

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Today's Meeting 

With weeklong rain changing to showers, President Bob opened today’s meeting with the reminder we are the original Rotary Club of Woodland.

We had a good crowd on hand once again. While not an exact attendance headcount, we did pay for 45 lunches today (thank you Aniek!).

Randy Blake led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Steve Venables set our tone for Rotary Grace.

President Bob provided us with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson (American author, poet & philosopher) on “success”:

"To laugh often; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded."

Visiting Rotarians 

None. We assume they heard our raffle pot was won last week.

Guests of Rotarians

Mark Ullrich introduced his daughter, Erin Ullrich.

Announcements

President Bob repeated that Rotary International is organizing a program to aid the victims of the recent, devastating earthquakes in Haiti. Every Club in the nation will be involved. Club members are being asked to make a donation of $20 as soon as possible. President Bob said our Club hopes to get the check covering our donations off to the District this week, so if you haven’t already done so, please get your donation to President Bob quickly.

Mark Werum reminded us that work is now underway on the Club’s annual auction. A recent email sent out to members had the wrong date for the event. This year’s auction will be held Saturday, March 27^th. Mark Ullrich said the oral auction committee wants to obtain at least 20 items (i.e. vacation homes, group dinners, art work, etc.) for this year, and asked that anyone with items to donate to see him to sign them up. Duane Ewing also encouraged everyone to consider donating an item for the silent auction. His committee (including Randy Blake, Rigo Torres, Clancy Duppong and Duane) are hoping to offer 60 silent auction items this year. Contact any committee member with possible silent auction item donations. Also, have some idea of the value of the item to be donated. The Auction Committee will meet next at Noon, this Thursday, January 28^th, at President Bob’s office.

President Bob reported that planning for the replacement of the Rotary Park shade structure at the County Fairgrounds is moving ahead. The old shade structure was removed last month. It appears steel posts will be used in the new structure, and Rigo Torres is working seeking a donation of concrete. Our Club will pay a proportion of material costs involved along with other area Rotary Clubs. President Bob expects to attend a meeting on the subject this week and will report the results back to the Club.

Kevin Vaziri announced that Woodland Healthcare Foundation’s 41^st Annual Dinner will be held Friday, February 26^th at the Woodland Community Center. This year the Foundation is honoring retired physicians Bob Hansen and William Robinson. Tickets are $75 each or $550 for a table of eight. A raffle for a “luxurious” Las Vegas trip for two is also being held. Raffle tickets are $50 each with only 400 tickets to be sold. See Kevin for tickets, or call the Foundation at 669-5680.

President Bob said he will be unable to attend our next meeting, so Mark Werum will preside February 2^nd. President Bob also indicated that next week’s Board meeting will be moved to Thursday, February 11^th (at noon; his office).

Duane Ewing, in anticipation of today’s program, noted that the difference between a mosquito and a lawyer was that one was a blood sucking parasite… while the other was an insect. Scott Johnston liked that so much he paid for it!

Birthdays

    Don McNary celebrated his 87^th birthday on January 17^th (San Francisco).

Anniversaries 

None.

Recognition

Jim Nolan was the ringmaster.  Don Huff III was glad to get some shots off today as the duck season is coming to an end. Frank Gardner was happy he recovered from bronchitis which he caught after attending his grandson’s wedding in New York on New Years’ Eve. Karl Diekman was happy to represent our Club and District at last week’s International Assembly in San Diego. Mark Faye was happy for the 4.5” of rain we’ve received the past week; and put in a plug for next week’s program to be put on by Club’s “senior” set. Jim McGibbon was happy about a trip he and wife Susie just took earlier this month to the Galapagos Islands. Peter Holmes was happy he could continue riding his wife’s bicycle during the recent rains. Scott Johnston was happy to see the attractive Erin Ullrich at today’s meeting.

Based on questions posed by Jim, Don McNary, Bob Moeller, Ben Pate, Mary Ann Trongo, Clyde Brooker, Gary Buch, President Bob, Bob Griffith and Bob Meyer helped us learn that 2280 tickets for the upcoming Super Bowl remain for sale. The lowest ticket price is about $1,000, while the highest price ticket goes for $242,900.

Rags to Riches

Starting a new pot today at $100, Gary Wegener drew a free lunch.

Today’s Program

Duane Ewing introduced David Brown, Manager of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, who spoke on the District’s activities.  David has been the District’s Manager the past 13 years. He is also past president of the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California, and past president of the American Mosquito Control Association. He has a degree in Environmental Studies from CSU, Sacramento.

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District was formed in 1946 “to protect the public against diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and relief from serious pest nuisance”. David provided us with several key facts:

·       Mosquitoes can successfully transmit various diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria, canine heartworm, Western Equine Encephalomyelitis virus, and St. Louis Encephalitis.

·       A vector is an insect or animal that transmits a disease to other animals or humans; they include ticks and wasps.

·       Not all mosquitoes feed on blood; just females.

·       Over 20 mosquitoes species live in our two county district.

·       Mosquitoes need water to develop and females will lay their eggs directly in water or on dirt that will eventually be covered by water.

·       The breeding season for mosquitoes is April-October. The typical life cycle of most mosquitoes is 7-10 days.

·       Most mosquitoes remain near their birthplace, but some can fly 5-10 miles from home.

·       During the breeding season humans should avoid skin exposure, or use appropriate insect repellant.

The District spends much of its efforts limiting the breeding grounds of mosquitoes. Where standing water cannot be drained the District will plant mosquitofish because they are efficient predators of mosquito larvae. Brown also said that the rise of house foreclosures the past two years has increased the number of abandoned swimming pools in our area, which are huge mosquito breeding grounds. The District wants the public’s help to identify these abandoned pools so that the District can correct the problem.

Brown explained that the West Nile virus is a dangerous disease transmitted to humans, birds, horses, and other animals, by infected mosquitoes. Mosquitoes get the disease while taking blood from infected birds and can later pass it on when they bite animals or humans. The West Nile virus first came to the United States in 1999 and to Northern California in 2005. While the District’s primary prevention efforts are to reduce breeding grounds, the District has conducted aerial spraying in the area when there is evidence of significant West Nile Virus transmission when larval control measures are insufficient or not feasible. The West Nile threat locally declined last year, but it has not gone away. And, says Brown, more mosquito and vector borne virus’ are expected to arrive in the future.

Like most governmental agencies, the District has had its share of budget reductions these days. Brown said the State took 10% of District funds to solve the State’s budget issues last year. The District also recently lost a major research grant from the University of California. David said the District does accept tax deductible donations.

Rigo Torres reported he really appreciated the District’s help last year when he found an underground wasp’s nest in his yard.

More information about the District can be obtained at its website (www.fightthebite.net ), at their Yolo County office at 1234 Fortna Avenue in Woodland, or by calling them at 800 429-1022.

Upcoming Programs

Feb 2 – A Step Back in Woodland Rotary History – Mark Faye

Feb 9 – Celebrating the Boy Scouts 100^th anniversary – Robert Griffith

Feb 16 - District Governor Earl Kilmer

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