President Casey Blair (Financial Services: Private Trading | Feis Options) called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone at 12:15PM. Visiting Rotarians from as far away as Mongolia and Kentucky were introduced as well as guests of members.
Casey thanked the volunteers who made the meeting run so smoothly and reviewed the agenda. He then reviewed the past week’s activities, including a very successful gathering to assemble and present baby shower gifts for the Homeless Prenatal Program, the Youth Leadership Initiative Kickoff launching this important project, and the pool party at the home of Heidi Kuhn (Peace Building | Roots of Peace) to recognize the many friends and supporters of Roots of Peace. Dinner at The Arc was also a heart-warming event.
Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired), VP of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, presented a $5000 grant to help re-establish a Boy Scout troop in the Tenderloin to members Frank Yoke (Development | San Francisco Bay Area Council, Boy Scouts of America) and Major Raymond Erickson-King (Nonprofit Management | The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center).
Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) presented a Certificate of Appreciation to President Casey and the Rotary Club of San Francisco for the many Club members who have volunteered and attended Glaucoma Research Foundation events over the past few years.Then there were "20 seconds for $20" presentations from members exemplifying the many programs, activities, and events involving our Club’s family.
An excellent lunch was enjoyed by all with time for discussion at each table.
Christopher Wiseman introduced the day’s speaker, Caroline Roberts, founder and executive director of OASIS Legal Services, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal counsel for those seeking asylum in the US. Caroline gave an excellent presentation outlining the important work of OASIS and their focus on the LGBTQ community, one of the least served groups seeking asylum. She explained how OASIS operates and the importance of their work protecting asylum seekers and training other lawyers and groups in best practices to help people receive asylum in the US. Her organization helps more than 500 people every year and has a 99% win rate gaining asylum for their clients.
Casey thanked our speaker with the traditional certificate verifying that 100 children were inoculated against polio in their honor.
The door prize, a Seahawks memento and Pearl Jam t-shirt donated by President Casey along with a bottle of champagne donated by Cecile Chiquette (Accounting | Fiduciary Administration), went to Kelly Stieglitz (Nonprofit Management | Clinton Health Access Initiative).
Casey announced the speaker for our next meeting on October 1, newly-appointed Fire Chief Nicholson, and adjourned the meeting at 1:26PM.
Photos by Carlos Infante (Banking: Management | Chase Bank)
Edited by Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group)