Welcome to the Sunrise Spirit –
the Weekly Newsletter of The Rotary Club of Arcata Sunrise
We hope that you will attend one of our lively Friday meetings,
whether or not you are interested in joining Rotary.
We meet (almost) every Friday at 7 am in the Plaza View Room
of Arcata’s historic Jacoby Storehouse,
Please note: Our meetings will take place online through the month of February 2022, and possibly beyond.
For more information and for the meeting links, please visit the RCAS Website.
Rotary Vision
Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create
lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
The RCAS Calendar
RISE: “Rotary Involvement Strengthens Everyone“
- February 16 – Community Service Committee Meeting
- February 25 – March 5 – Arcata High School Safe & Sober Virtual Auction
- March 1 – World Community Service Committee Meeting
- April 1 & 2 – District 5130 Training Assembly in Ukiah
- May 20 & 21 – District 5130 Conference at the River Lodge in Fortuna
- June 4-8 – The 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas.
Click Here to access the current period’s sign up for Backpacks for Kids!
– Editor’s Note: Due to technical difficulties within our control, Your Editor failed to record video of the February 11th meeting –
For Openers …
We started the meeting with a discussion of the RCAS Progressive Zoom Super Bowl Party, scheduled for the impending weekend, followed by an invitation to attend (also virtually) the following Tuesday’s Board of Directors Meeting. President Ian also reminded us to respond to two surveys that are on the web – one discussing service opportunities and the other asking for your input on returning to hybrid meetings (both online and on-site).
We then held a special Valentine’s Day Auction, with the proceeds benefiting the RCAS Foundation. Many, many thanks are owed to Angela Roberschotte for coming up with the idea and for putting together four amazing prize packages! Here is a list of the packages and the winning bidders:
- The “I’m Really Into You” package included a cut flower arrangement, wines, wine tastings, torte, cocktails, dinner out, fancy table dressings, jewelry, chocolate, Honey Dust, an intimate card game, massage oil, and a handmade card. This item was purchased by a syndicate, consisting of Maggie Kraft, Terri Clark, and JOYC. It would be interesting to know who got what …
- Package two was titled, “So Much Love, I Can Taste It“. This contained flowers, wines, cocktails, dinner out, candles, chocolate and other goodies, coffee, an intimate card game, Honey Dust, massage oil, a pelt, and a handmade card. Another trio teamed up to take this package – Brandon Kakitsuka, Terri Clark, and Amanda Nelson.
- “Lots of Nice (And a Little Naughty)” was the billing for the third package. This included a live orchid, wines, cocktails, dinner out, candles, jewelry, chocolate and goodies, coffee, an intimate card game, Honey Dust, massage oil, bubble bath, a bath pillow, a mohair throw, and a handmade card. This was purchased by the dynamic duo of Holly Martel and AJ Gonzales.
- The last package – “I’m a Little Sweet on You” – included roses, wine, a Madrone Tap House certificate, chocolate covered strawberries, candles, and a handmade card. The winning bidder was JOYC (the Justice Of Your Club).
The auction provided $1,900 to help our Club do good things in the community and the world. Thanks again to Angela, and to those who donated items for the auction – Harbour Coffee & Wine, The Madrone Tap House, TK Confections, Be Inspired, Libation, The Griffin, Terri Clark & Marty Lay, Holly Yashi, Good Relations, Bubbles, Just My Type, Clara’s Irish Shop, Stacey & David Jones, Dazey’s Supply, and the Laird Family Estate in Napa.
Helping Local Agencies with Disaster Relief Preparedness
Our Featured Speaker was Alison Stirling Nichols, the Humboldt COAD Launch Coordinator. COAD is the acronym for Community Organizations Active in Disaster, and Alison’s organization is a partnership of nonprofits, faith-based organizations, tribes, government agencies, and businesses who share a desire to coordinate relief efforts in the event of a disaster. She told us that COAD is positioned as the hub for the civilian sector to work with the state Office of Emergency Services. The organization has worked with existing COADs in Napa and Sonoma Counties, developing a suite of best practices. Alison told us that the organization recently received a $100,000 grant from PG&E’s Better Together Resilient Communities program – one of only four grants offered annually throughout the PG&E service area.
The agency’s Mission Statement reads, “Humboldt Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD) develops and enhances partnerships for communication, coordination. and collaboration within our whole community, including businesses, tribes, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and government agencies, before and throughout a disaster, including prevention, mitigation, protection, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Alison said that there are three ways a group may get involved – as a member organization, as a partner organization, or as a resource organization. She listed what it takes to get involved:
- They are not seeking individual volunteers – members must represent an entity
- Joining the COAD is free
- No experience is necessary
- Each participating organization is expected to have a representative attend COAD’s quarterly meetings
- Once you are a member, you can participate in one of the working groups
- This organization offers a unique role for Rotarian
For more information, visit the Humboldt COAD website by clicking on the logo below, and follow the organization on Facebook.
President Ian’s Closing Haiku
One shouldn’t assume
Someone else will get it done
Be the one who DOES