The Rotary Club of San Francisco has a long-standing tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with the Participants of The Arc San Francisco. In 2020, we had to pivot from an in-person celebration to a virtual event. The virtual tradition was repeated in 2021 with the preparation of 300 hot meals delivered to 150 of The Arc Participants this past Tuesday, November 23.
Past President of our Club and Past District 5150 Governor Eric Schmautz along with support from Rotarian Marti Sullivan, former Senior Director of Development & Communications of The Arc, and our Club's Vice President of Community Service Bob Hermann led this project to prepare, package, and deliver hot meals with a festive Thanksgiving theme to The Arc Participants experiencing social isolation and food insecurity.
The San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF) Board met recently. Our invested funds continue their strong growth cycle. The funds are up $500K YTD, and now stand at the highest value ever, about $5.3 million. Also, the Colant Scholarship fund has risen to a record high of $509,000. Here is an update on our recent activities:
2021-2022 GRANT REQUESTS SFRF has been busy fulfilling the grant requests for 2021-22. Approximately $164,500 plus $28,000 in district-designated funds have been allocated to 19 projects. All Vocational and Community Service project requests to date have been funded. Up for consideration next will be requests for International and Youth Leadership projects.
Editor's Note: Clifford Dochterman, Rotary International President 1992-1993, passed away on November 23, 2021. Below is a story shared by Peter Lagarias, President of the Rotary Club of San Francisco in 1992-1993. Peter went on to become District Governor in Rotary District 5150 in 2001-2002.
Cliff Dochterman was, and remains, a brilliant beacon of light about service and Rotary. I first met Cliff in 1985, when our Club’s then executive director, Bill Ecker, recruited me for PETS (President-Elect Training Seminar). I was not a President-Elect at the time; rather I was sent as a Sergeant-at-Arms. Cliff was one of the speakers, and his talk was “If I Could be President Again.” Over the years I heard him deliver these remarks at least ten times (including when I became President-Elect and then District Governor and beyond). His message was about service and what was available and possible through Rotary. During his talk he mentioned his years as an Administrator at the University of California and joked about Berkeley and also about a Rotary project by some Rotarians in Oklahoma where “they were trying to smuggle books into Texas.”
Editor's Note: Clifford Dochterman, Rotary International President 1992-1993, passed away on November 23, 2021. The following members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco shared their memory of Past RI President Dochterman.
Cliff was an outstanding Rotarian and man. He impressed me repeatedly. At my PETS, he gave the often replayed speech about doing things that put Rotary in the public eye rather than just giving checks to non-profits. Cliff's words inspired me to be involved with Rotary Meadow in San Francisco.
Harold Hoogasian President, 2001-2002 Rotary Club of San Francisco
What's new? Actually, it's what has come back. Club socials returned in July; the next one is a historical walking tour in San Francisco's Chinatown. There are still tickets left.
After a year of silence, bells will ring once again for the Salvation Army. Sign up here.
Also back is our Holiday Party and Annual Meeting in person with a Zoom option. This is always the most festive and fun-filled luncheon of the year; don't miss it.
Join us to assemble care kits containing laundry, transportation, art and other items for clients of the Huckleberry Advocacy and Response Team. Participation is limited to FIVE people, so sign up early. Masks are required. REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED FOR THIS PROJECT.
Explore the alleys of the oldest and most storied Chinatown with Marc Pomerleau as we journey through time with stories of the brutal and the beautiful, unfathomable adversity versus incredible courage and creativity. This is a walking tour and limited to 12 participants. Everyone must be vaccinated.
December 7 is observed annually in the U.S. to remember the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Join Author Bill Yenne, as he provides a brief look at what DID happen after Pearl Harbor, when the other shoe fell on the West Coast.
President Mary Liu hosts “Coffee and Conversation” to provide an opportunity to meet new members and provide a forum for all members to learn more about how to get involved in various Club activities and events.
This year, the kettles, cans, and bells will once again “invade and overtake” Union Square. Join your fellow Rotarians and some of San Francisco's finest celebrities to ring bells, spread holiday cheer, and raise awareness for The Salvation Army and its Kettle Program.
Join us at the Hotel Nikko for this year’s Holiday Party and Annual Meeting. This is always the most festive and fun-filled luncheon of the year, so bring your family, friends, and business associates to celebrate with us!
The RCAT Network Global Forum presents a three-person panel moderated by local Rotarian Gary H. White and focused on Glasgow to help us understand the commitments countries made at COP26 so that we can hold them to their promises. Advanced registration required. Connection instructions will be provided to all who register.
We are not meeting on December 21 and December 28. In addition, Grindings will not be published on December 26, 2021 but publication will resume on January 2, 2022.
We wish you good health and all the best during the holidays and throughout the new year.
Note: This birthday list is based on membership information in ClubRunner. Please update your ClubRunner account to help us keep this information current. If you need help with ClubRunner, please contact our current newsletter editor.
1993: Fred Marschner
1995: Benjamin Lam
1996: Jim Kennedy
1997: Andi Valo-Espina
1999: Eric Schmautz
2000: Cecile Chiquette
2008: Emily Borland
2016: Dora Dye
2017: Bob Hermann, Jane Mermelstein
2018: Kat Ebanks
2019: Valentina Sacchi Beccarini, Ed Shenkan, Tricia Tran
2020: Dan Davies
Note: The year listed above is when these members joined the Rotary Club of San Francisco. Happy anniversary to all!