August 10, 2021

Introduced by: Pam Moulton

As our President Pam entered this morning looking refreshed and at ease, she took her place in the back of the room and we were called to order by Past President Renee Hyde, who was the first of several Past Presidents Pam will call on to lead our meetings.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Maureen to a small but mighty crowd….   Our Inspiration was a quote by Margaret Mead:  “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world:  indeed, it is the only that that ever has….”

This was followed by JP leading us in our Song this morning, “We Are Rotary” complete with words to follow and background music by Sister Sledge, while everyone seemed to be moving to the beat!

Visiting Rotarians and Guests were ………………… I am sorry to report that this volunteer Scribe (Di) did not get the names of our visitors and for that I apologize!

Carol Martin reported on the Adopt a Road project which Past President Bill supported.   He did adopt a road and has signs to prove it “thanks to the Windsor Rotary Club” – in the area of Shiloh and Faught.   Thanks Past President Bill for doing that.    You too can adopt a road in your area, help keep it clean and have signs posted acknowledging your good works……………..

Club Socials: 

  • since the surveys showed our Club members wanted more socials, we aim to please.   There will be at least one per month of the that month’s Birthday Bunch – the group can get together for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or cocktails – this month we salute Lauren Antoni, Bill Bolster, Heather Cullen, Daniel Myers, Laura Buhrer, Art Diaz, Brian Ling, Bill Rash and Maureen Merrill who are our August birthday bunch.    Sandie asked that Maureen be the first ringleader to get the group together and have a social.
  •  We also discussed the “Rotary Bar” so named for our intrepid leader at the time, Jack Hyde – music is coming back on the Green and we will need volunteers for our first Rotary Bar on August 26th.   Those who are willing to help set up let Renee Hyde know and be at her house that day at 3 pm for set up.   Once it is determined how efficient a group can be to set up another time may be selected.   But the first one, we need you there at 3 pm.

Recognitions:   

  • This is a time honored tradition in Rotary to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, birth of kids or grandkids, graduations, great efforts or “rat on someone”!   It is a way to get to know our members and have some fun while raising money for Rotary International projects (polio or other), our Windsor Rotary Community Foundation or to put against your fines.    Our masterful and clever Finemaster, Leslie Lewis stepped forward and after a few false starts to celebrate birthdays (they were not present..) she did honor Bill Bolster for his birthday on the 8th – seems JB and Carol took him pizza, a cake and a balloon – we discovered the Past President Bill was not at home but zooming in from Disneyland.   He admitted flying to Anaheim.   He will give $100 to our Windsor Rotary Community Foundation.
  • Laura Buhrer was celebrated for her birthday (it is today folks!!!) and so we sang to her.   We discovered she is a twin, older by 2 minutes and admitted her son and daughter-in-law will be making her dinner – she will donate $62 (do you supposed that number has significance???)  to our Windsor Rotary Community Foundation.   Laura shares the day with Daniel Myers who was not there today.   Happy birthday Daniel.
  • Art Diaz who was there has a birthday August 21st and will donate $62 (looking good Art )   And Leslie reminded Mike Merrill that wife Maureen will celebrate her birthday on August 24th.
  • Leslie then went on to fine Maureen Merrill for her Editorial in the Press Democrat “Close to Home” regarding the need for civil conversations.  Although she is not sure it worked, she will donate $100 plus another $70 for her upcoming birthday for a total of $170 to the Windsor Rotary Community Foundation.  Mike Merrill was fined $10 for the reminder Leslie gave him for Maureen’s birthday later this month.
  • Joan Mora was fined for some of her upcoming travels…. She leaves Friday – something about going to a Giants game, going to Las Vegas to see Bruno Mars and then Utah for river rafting………………   her donation?   $100 to John Lewis Fellow

New Badges:      Past President Renee welcomed Jamie Williams and Mike Freedman and let them know they have new badges.    Glad to have you both!

“PASSPORT TO SUCCESS”:

Past President Renee Hyde provided each of us the new Passport to Success booklet that was developed by her with help from Tom Boylan with the graphics.   The booklets are fantastic and the idea great – she explained that our previous system of new members going from a Red to Blue Badge has been discontinued as many felt like second class citizens during this process.   The idea is for our new members to be successful, help them, make them feel welcome and valued.  This Passport looking booklet has them over the first Quarter getting opportunity to meet with President and the Chairs of our important committees so they can talk one on one and focus on that committee.   It will build understanding of what our Club is about and give new members a real chance to establish themselves on a committee that means something to them.   We will find out their areas of interest……………..

Membership:    Past President Renee Hyde is our Membership Chair and she discussed the Power of Three and how our Club used to have the “3 Amigos”  – there is  power in numbers and putting our heads together brings results.  Renee asked us who in the Club were the sales types, who were the ones who like to mentor and lastly who are those who will do the paperwork and get the process complete.   After dividing into those 3 groups we made groups of 3 or “Tres Amigos” to discuss who we thought would be good to invite to one of our meetings.   Renee and Maureen did a short role play explaining WE DO NOT INVITE THEM TO JOIN ROTARY BUT TO COME JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST, get to know us and see what and who we are……   the trios met and Renee asked that we email her our ideas to renee.hyde.ngjs@statefarm.com

Maureen shared with us that in 34 years she has brought in the most members (Yay!!!) and it just the act of inviting them to breakfast.

Next Week’s Speaker is Sarah Keiser, from Wild Oak Hollow who will share with us tales of clearing fire zones with sheep.

Our meeting was closed by Past President Renee with this quote….. “Coming Together is a Beginning ,Keeping Together is Progress, Working Together is Success!”

Go out and do some Rotarian…………….   See you next week

Di

COVID UPDATE

NEWS FLASH!!!! Governor Newsom mandates all health care workers are to become fully vaccinated by Sept. 30th. We continue in Sonoma County to have a mask mandate for use indoors, regardless of our vaccination status.

Total Cases: 34,023 (last week 32,880) Recovered: 31,439 (last week 31,100) Active Cases: 2247 (last week 1450) – this is 797 more cases than previous week and almost 4 times growth from the previous week increase.

New Cases: We are seeing an increase in new cases and breakthrough in the vaccinated – people are out and about and socializing without masks and there is a crisis in our hospitals with overwhelming admissions due to COVID. Last Tuesday we saw 406 new cases and yesterday, 270. These are huge jumps in numbers…….

Hospitalized: 70 confirmed and 3 suspected (last week 59 confirmed and 3 suspected) This alarming increase in hospitalizations means we are taxing our hospitals, our ER’s and putting a strain on medical services that are needed by others not fighting COVID. We have a labor shortage even in health care and we are seeing it in are health care settings with positions open, people not applying and those working on overwhelm. Wait times in ER’s have increased dramatically due to COVID.

Vaccination information…. As of August 9th, 633,286 residents in Sonoma County have received the vaccine (last week 626,035). 71% of our populations 12 and older are fully vaccinated and approximately 79% have received at least 1 dose. We are beginning to see large corporations put into effect hiring requirements that all are vaccinated and deadlines for current staff to become vaccinated. The Governor has now issued a new mandate that all health care workers in the State must be fully vaccinated by Sept. 30th and previously issued a mandate for all state government employees to become vaccinated beginning August 2nd and implemented by August 23rd

Please be aware that effective Tuesday, August 3rd, the State Public Health Officer did issue a directive to wear masks indoors regardless of your vaccination status. I realize that many people have very strong opinions on vaccinations and even stronger about mandates and requirements for hiring. However, our children under 12 cannot get vaccines nor do our little ones wear masks; unless we surround these little ones in totally vaccinated individuals they are susceptible. Children are dying and many children’s hospitals are full of kids with COVID. A vaccination is still a personal choice, but if you do not do it for you, do it for others! We have frail elders and immunocompromised individuals who need us to mask up and get vaccinated. Think about others please!!

Thanks

Di