Through the Lens of a Davis Businesswoman”. Dr. Julie Helmus,

Optometrist, Davis, CA. Introduction by Tim Ainsworth

May 9 “From Rags to Robes, an autobiography” Judge Dave Rosenberg, Yolo

Superior Court.  Introduction by Tim Ainsworth. 

Jan 13  California Water Issues, Sandi Matsumoto, California Water Commission and Nature Conservancy

Jan 20  No Meeting- (Martin Luther King Day)

Jan 27  “The Breath of Life”  Gautam Gandhi, M.D.

Feb 3   Jan Judson, co-founder Make It Happen (MIH) for Youth

Feb 10  Club Valentines Day Party

 

1/16   Coord: Jen Kukis

             J.D. Denton

             Derraugh Dawson

1/23   Coord: Peter Leon-      Guerrero

           Andrew Dowling

            Louise Ferguson

1/30  Coord: Greg Phister               Perry Eggleston

            Clyde Froelich

2/06   Coord: Dave Scheiber

           Ed Green (FM)

            Bob Gregoire

 

2/13   Coord:  John Siemens

           Brian Horsfield

            Bruce Hartsough

 

2/20  Coord:  J.D. Denton

            Lynette Hart

            Jen Kukis

 

 

To donate to M.O.W. go to: www.friendsofyolomow.or

Sharon Shoemaker announced that the  2025 Big Night event will be held February 22 at El Macero Country Club.  There will be a Big Night Committee meeting at Donna Prebys’ home later in January.  Bottles of wine or $25 contributions for a wine collection to be auctioned off at Big Night are being collected. There was an error in the wording in the letter that was sent out about Big Night:  Checks to buy dinner tickets and/or for donations should be made payable to Rotary Charities of Davis.  Sharon Shoemaker announced that the Church has heard our concerns about the speakers in the hall.   J.D. Denton announced the Meals on Wheels schedule noting that there had been some changes.

Draw of the day:  Mark Berman had the winning ticket and drew the 7 of diamonds so the pot grows.

Birthdays and anniversaries:  Bob Crow is a California native having been born in Salinas.   We wished Richard Rose a happy birthday in absentia; likewise Ben and Lynette Hart celebrated a wedding anniversary- congratulations.  Sharon Shoemaker joined our club on January 5 years ago.

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Bruce started off asking Steve Bick about our unbelievably large national debt.  The problem is that the Republicans have a mind to borrow and spent while the Democrats want to tax and spend – we badly need some cost containment but with the 3 biggest expenditure areas being national defense, Social Security & Medicare, and interest on the national debt, cost savings are hard to come by and taxes will have to be increased at some point.  Lou Below was asked about lawn mowing but he is not available to be hired.   Food expert Sharon Shoemaker was asked about a big rig that was carrying tons of chocolate that recently burned on a roadway.  Sharon noted that fireproof chocolate is not generally available.   In another matter Bruce noted that while Great Britain founded the Americas Cup in yacht racing, Great Britain has never won the event even after sinking (pun intended) some $140,000,000 into the building of their boat.    Bob Gregoire has joined the leadership alliance CORE.  He noted many companies need top CEO and CFO talent but cannot afford such talent full time so CORE is offering these services on a part time basis.  JD was asked about Fleet Feet  - apparently Fleet Feet has adopted Jelly Bellies as its official mascot.      

Today’s Program featured  Carrie Rohrback who is the executive director of the Davis Chamber of Commerce.        The Chamber of Commerce in Davis has had a long history having been organized in the early 1900’s to help bring the University Farm to Davis.  It has had many distinguished people including some Rotarians such as J.D. Denton  serving as the head of its board of directors.  The chamber used to have a physical office in Davis having owned a building on B Street in the 1980’s.  When COVID hit, the chamber was renting an office on Third Street, but given the economic turmoil of COVID the Chamber fell on hard times and had to give up its physical presence.  It currently uses some office space from time to time at the locations of some of its members.   The Chamber sponsors a number of events, some of which are for Chamber members only while other events are for the public at large.  It puts out a newsletter “Membership Matters” and works with UCD and the City of Davis and Yolo County to promote local businesses.