October 23, 2007

It’s been a long time coming, but here it finally is...our newsletter for the past month. First and foremost, a heartfelt thanks goes out to Sandy Stoddard for his exceptional job and dedication in keeping us appraised of the many activities and events that the Santa Rosa club participated in and passed on to his fellow Kiwanians through the writing and editing of The Kiwaniian for the past three years. As Sandy steps down, Cindy Lembo-Somma, the club's Vice President is stepping up and has replaced Sandy.

At our meeting held on September 20th, Judy Sepik invited Steve Carlton from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Sonoma County to be our speaker for the day. Steve is also a Kiwanian. He informed us of a Bowling for Kids fundraiser in which our very own new President Judy Sepik and her employer, Redwood Credit Union, play key roles in helping to raise monies for the continued support of helping mentor a child through their program. If you are interested in participating in the Bowling for Kids or help sponsor, contact Judy Sepik directly.

Our club's Installation of New Officers dinner was held on Thursday evening, September 27th, at the Cattleman's Restaurant in Santa Rosa. Michael Kurty emceed the event.

Our new Club Officers and Board of Directors for 2007-2008 are:

President: Judy Sepik

President Elect: Dwayne Chaney

Vice President-Cindy Lembo-Somma

Secretary: Marsha Sanchez

Treasurer: Sandy Stoddard

Past President: Charlotte Baker

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Ed Berland: Board of Directors

Dave Berto: Board of Directors

Doug Braik: Board of Directors

Don Gomes: Board of Directors

Melinda Hughes-Berland: Board of Directors

Michael Kurty: Board of Directors

Al Miller: Board of Directors

Leonard Sevall: Board of Directors

Our newest Committee Chairs for our 2007/2008 fiscal year are:

Becca Hood-Community & Youth Services, Dave Berto-Human Spiritual Services, Ted Shaw & Stan Borges-Sponsored Youth, Doug Braik-Kiwanis Family House, Dave Sloat-Fundraising, Charlotte Baker-Memberships & Promotions, Al Miller-Interclubs, Leonard Sevall-House & Programs and Michael Kurty-Social Events.

Orissa Kruse, past president of our club in 1997 and past Lieutenant Governor was awarded the 10th Bright Award presented by Doug Braik. For those of you who do not know what the Bright Award is; it is a medallion award for the support of the Kiwanis House. She was the 10th recipient of this award. Congratulations Orissa!

Orissa Kruse had the privilege of swearing in all new officers to their positions at the dinner.

Michael Kurty brought gifts from his garage which included a leather whip, a nail padded paddle and other mementos of value to award winning recipients of a trivia game compiled of the questions relating to the Santa Rosa Kiwanis club history.

A very nice basket that was donated by Judy Sepik, Marsha Sanchez and Cindy Lembo-Somma was raffled off and won by John Hacku. Our new President Elect, Dwayne Chaney was unfortunately not able to attend the Installation Dinner, but his lovely wife Maria graciously accepted in his honor.

Hats Off goes to Al Miller for coordinating dinner arrangements for this event.

Check out the photos from our installation dinner on our website. www.santarosakiwanis.org

The Wine to Waves event for Multiple Sclerosis was held on September 30th, at the former HP plant in Rohnert Park on Valley House Drive. The participants from our club were, Doug Braik, Charlotte and Steve Baker, Marsha and Phil Sanchez, Alexi Repoff, Dana O'Gorman and Luane Bigham. Four members of the Windsor club also came to help out that morning.

Thank you to all who got up in the wee hours of the morning to make breakfast for the bicyclists and the many volunteers for this important annual event.

Phil Sanchez, husband of Marsha Sanchez, our club's Secretary was our guest speaker, along with Holly Vinson from the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa. Holly talked about her role as the Educational Director and her family background in the arts. She works with children and adults alike in preparing for plays and musicals that are presented to the public. Their last presentation of Beauty and The Beast was a huge success and they hope that the upcoming play, The Grapes of Wrath, will be as well received. Phil and Holly donated two sets of complimentary tickets to our club in which we raffled off to the highest bidders. The lucky winners were Cindy Lembo-Somma and Marsha Sanchez.

September 9, 2007

The Club’s fiscal year is coming to end at the end of September. Our annual community projects are nearing completion, and the Club Officers and Board of Directors, who have led us through another successful year, are approaching the completion of their year of service. Thanks will be given to them at the Club’s Installation Dinner on July 27th, and their replacements will be sworn in on the same evening. This year’s installation will be held at Cattlemen’s Restaurant in Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village (6:30 cocktails, 7:30 dinner.) If you haven’t signed up yet to attend, please contact Al Miller, who is organizing the event. President Charlotte Baker, who has done a wonderful job this past year leading the Club, promoting Kiwanis and drawing in an unprecedented number of new members, deserves a rousing applause for her term in office. Come on out and join in the ceremonial farewell to her and husband Steve and to all of the outgoing officers/board members.

It is also time to bring new blood into the writing of the newsletter every two weeks. Your current writer/editor is stepping down after three years, and incoming President Judy Sepik is looking for a willing replacement. Please contact her, if you are interested in passing on, twice a month, the news of our club to its membership through “The Kiwanian.”

Our last fundraiser for the year was a great success, due to the wonderful efforts of coordinator Leonard Sevall and his kitchen crew at our annual pancake breakfast at the Pacific Coast Air Museum’s (PCAM’s) “Wings over Wine Country” air show at the end of last month. This August event, which was held at the Sonoma County Charles Schultz Airport, brought in about $1,600, a record amount for this event. Flipping, grilling, pouring, cleaning, selling, etc. were all done by a large number of club members over the two day air show, including: Charlotte & Steve Baker, Ed Berland, Dave Berto (& grandson), Luane Bigham, Stan & Claire Borges, Doug Braik, Richard Crowder, Mari Featherstone, Don Gomes, Cindy Lembo-Somma, Robert Maize, Al Miller, Marsha Sanchez, Leonard Sevall, Sandy Stoddard and a contingent of Boy Scouts from Troop #134. (Apologies, if anyone has been left out.)

Al Miller, our coordinator for interclubs at other Kiwanis clubs in Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma Counties, has done it again. Through his conscientious efforts, we have completed another “round-robin,” i.e. every club in Division 32 has been visited this year, plus a couple additional special interclubs).On August 21st, the final piece to the annual puzzle was completed with a trip up to the Fort Bragg Club. Those members who were in attendance for this “historic” trip were: Stan Borges, Don Gomes, Robert Maize and Leonard Sevall.

Quickie News:
(1.) Welcome aboard to our newest club member: Dana O’Gorman. Charlotte Baker is Dana’s sponsor. (2.) Happy 74th Birthday to Rev. Jim Coffee. (3.) Annual dues for the coming fiscal year are due NLT 9/30. Please mail checks to Kiwanis Club of Santa Rosa, P.O. Box 1204, Santa Rosa 95402. (4.) Happy Anniversary to Leonard & Diane Sevall; 38 years! (5.) Special 90th Happy Birthday to our oldest member, Trevor White! (6.) The District Convention in Reno was attended by the following representatives from our club: Charlotte Baker, Doug Braik and Cindy Lembo-Somma. (7.) LtGov Bob Young was welcomed back for another year at an installation dinner last Thursday evening in Petaluma. Our club was there in force to cheer him on: Doug Braik, Dwayne Chaney, Becca Hood, Ramon Rodriguez, Marsha Sanchez, Judy Sepik, Leonard Sevall and the presidents of our two Key Clubs and our Circle K Club. (8.) Looking ahead, Mari Featherstone is our club representative again this year for the annual Veterans Recognition Luncheon. It will be held on Nov 8th at the Vets Memorial Building. Plan on attending and bringing along a veteran as your guest. (9.) Judy & Tim Sepik had a wonderful time cruising to Alaska last month and at the same time earned $100 for the Club.