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Meeting Responsibilities
Greeter
Fleming, Mark
 
Pledge
Dillavou, Anna
 
Invocation
Dobbins, Mike
 
Four-Way Test
Ferrara, Michelle
 
News
Rotary Foundation News
Fellow Rotarians,
 
Your donations to The Rotary Foundation are not wasted on overhead.  See below how much goes to the end user.
 
The Rotary Foundation recently earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the largest and most prestigious independent evaluator of nonprofits in the United States. In the 2013-14 Rotary year, 92 percent of the Foundation’s expenditures were applied to programs, with only 6 percent spent on fundraising and 2 percent on administrative expenses.
 
The Foundation funded $23.5 million in district grants and $47.3 million in global grants. These grants support local and international humanitarian projects as well as scholarships.  Together with its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has led the effort to end polio, contributing more than $1.3 billion to the initiative since its outset.
 
Bob Kline - Foundation Chair
Read more...
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Susan Gisler
March 6
 
Tracy Swope
March 6
 
Bob Kline
March 14
 
Kim Pruett
March 18
 
Debbi Corbett
March 21
 
Dave Henderson
March 22
 
Anniversaries
George Broder
Janet Broder
March 30
 
Join Date
Barry Gray
March 1, 1994
21 years
 
Barbara Ross
March 11, 2003
12 years
 
Chuck Zavitz
March 17, 1993
22 years
 
Mike Heauser
March 17, 1993
22 years
 
Russell Hampton
Sage
For the Meeting of
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
St. Patrick's Day
President's Message
Barbara Ross
member photo
On Tuesday, March 17 our Penn Valley Rotary was abuzz with excitement and energy – or was it the just old blarney?  We definitely had a representation of the “Wearing of the Green” and a few shenanigans.  Thanks to Dave Walker for pinch hitting for Doug McDonald in presenting our invocation.  He shared comparisons or contrasts for us to consider in our daily thinking.  Doug was enjoying a trip to Scottsdale for sun and spring training.
 
Dick Landis led us in a rendition of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.”  Did I say led?  It was more like "carried us," as most of us only seem to know two lines:  the first line and the second to last line.  Thanks, Dick. 
 
Thanks to Supervisor Hank Weston for sharing an update on county issues and concerns.
 
Greg Marshall just happened to notice Bob Barbaro and me loading the last containers of water for the elementary schools snacks last Monday from June’s café so he offered to help Luis Vazquez shop and deliver mandarin oranges this Monday to the elementary schools.  Thank each one of you for your willingness to help make a difference in Penn Valley! 
 
Speaking of the snacks for our local elementary schools during their testing period, we are in need of funds or WOW points to complete the enormous task of providing 7 weeks of snacks.  Mike Dobbins heard this and stepped forward donating WOW points worth $140 last week!  We really need the points donated by March 31.  Please share the word with your neighbors and friends.
 
Doug McDonald would love to turn over the reins of the Distinguished Citizen Dinner this year so there might be a smooth transition before he takes over as District Governor.  Please let me know if you are interested in chairing or co-chairing this wonderful event. 
 
Don’t forget that District Conference early bird event pricing extends through March 31.  The discounted rooms for District Conference are good through April 29. 
 
I am excited to report we have partnered with Nevada City Rotary Club to provide international project funds for repairs to a school dormitory in Baja, Mexico.  These dormitories were hit by the recent hurricane and are in bad need of repair.  Nevada City Rotary Club members will be headed down there around April 25. 
 
So, I mentioned at the beginning of last week’s meeting that we were celebrating a special event, but aside from those who knew it was St. Patrick’s Day or Bob Kline knowing it was Einstein’s birthday, no one guessed the uniqueness of the day.  Perhaps someone might be able to share the significance of March 17 on Tuesday when we have Chelle from Hospice as our guest speaker.  
Stories
From PE Mark Fleming's Desk
I had no idea what to expect heading from Grass Valley to San Jose for PETS (President-Elect Training Seminar) this last weekend.
 
On arrival, I realized that 400+ PE's from California, Nevada and Hawaii were arriving for the same reason. Adding to the numbers were District Governors, District Governor-Elects, and Assistant Governors making the total over 650.
 
There was little free time. Two learning sessions Friday afternoon, four on Saturday, and two on Sunday morning before our departure. The instructors were amazing and the information absorbed overwhelming. At every meal there were distinguished Rotarian speakers who were knowledgeable as well as humorous. The food was excellent and the hospitality suites in the late evening were great. All Rotarians there were very friendly ;and it was good to spend time with our Presidents-Elect from our area as well as our incoming Assistant Governor.
 
Quite the experience. Looking forward to being on the lectern on July 1st!
 
PE Mark
PETS Perspective
Posted by Doug McDonald
Getting to attend PETS as a Sergeant-at-Arms representing our district is a distinct honor, as new representatives from our district are chosen each year by the Governor-Elect. We saw a different perspective of PETS in this role.
 
Interacting with 650 Rotarians, giving directions, taking meal tickets, ushering them to seats, patrolling the hallways so Rotarians aren't taking short-cuts through the hotel staff area and that service elevators aren't being used, moving luggage and equipment, and helping the volunteer crew taking down the lighting and sound equipment were all part of the job description. We had long days, starting at 7AM and ending late into the evenings.
 
The impression I came home with was that 98% of our fellow Rotarians are enthusiastic, engaged, polite, interested, and excited to serve. We were thanked several times by the attendees for just doing our job -- a nice feeling. We have a great set of incoming Presidents who are looking forward to doing their best job in serving their clubs and communities next year. And we have a great reputation as a district for producing excellent leaders, outstanding training, and a strong sense of continuity from year to year, both in the clubs and on the district level.
 
PETS is an outstanding training event, coordinated by 9 districts and a team of many. If you have the honor of attending, you will come away as excited and energized as you can imagine!
 
 
 
www.pennvalleyrotary.org