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.
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“
- August 26 – RCAS Race Day at the Humboldt County Fair – Post Time is 3 pm
- August 27 – Adopt-a-Highway – Meet at 8:30 am at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center
- September 7 – Welcome Party for our new Inbound Exchange Student Lazo and his counterparts from the Mad River Rotary and the Arcata Noon Club
- September 11 – Out of the Darkness Community Walk – Meet at 10 am at the Arcata Plaza (and sign up for the RCAS Team)
- October 1 – Oktoberfest!
- November 17 – The return of in-person Taste of the Holidays! All hands on deck at the Arcata Community Center!
For Openers …
“All people hold visible and invisible qualities that inherently make them unique, and we strive to create an inclusive culture where each person knows they are valued and belong.” President Vanessa shared that portion of Rotary International’s statement of its Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She noted that this is the part of the document that resonates with her.
Then Vanessa welcomed our guests, including Lazo – our Inbound Exchange Student from Uganda – and his host parents. Amanda Nelson told us about her vacation in Idaho, and then Bob Johnson recounted a few of his recent musical performances. Vanessa reminded us about the Kevin Ebbert Memorial Trail Run, which took place the next day, and Rebecca Crow noted that we have the opportunity for fellowship at the Humboldt County Fair – Race Day will take place on Friday, August 26th. Rebecca gave us some semi-dubious betting tips to help us out.
The annual Out of the Darkness Walk is coming on Sunday, September 11th. Romi Hitchcock Tinseth reminded us that we can participate by walking in person, or by becoming a virtual walker. However you want to support the event, please do – its goal is to increase awareness of suicide and mental health issues. Vanessa noted that the event organizers will need help on the day of the event.
President Vanessa gave Rebecca Crow a spray of flowers to thank her for all the work she does for the Club (and for her enthusiasm). She also thanked Lazo’s host family and Ian Schatz for working so hard coordinating Youth Exchange for our Club and for the District. Ian in turn thanked Craig Newman, who has worked in Youth Exchange for as long as we have been hosting Exchangers! Teri Clark was lauded for bringing in a teddy bear of massive proportions, donating it to the county court system to help young people overcome their fears and feelings of discomfort during court proceedings.
Vanessa provided a quick overview of the Board Meetings that were held earlier in the week. She reminded us that “Dues are Due” – if you haven’t paid yet, your dues are overdue. The Club has already paid your share, and we need to be reimbursed. Also, the Board heard the early reports on the recent Sunrise Summer Sale, although the final numbers aren’t in yet. The Board also approved a donation (via our DEI Committee) to support Black Humboldt’s Back to School backpacks program. Finally, they opted to charge a fee for RCAS Members who attend our meetings via Zoom. This is to help defray the room charges that we incur each week at the Plaza View Room.
Jessica McKnight talked about events that the Fellowship Committee is developing. The first is the aforementioned Day at the Races, but wait – there’s more! A cruise on the Madaket is tentatively planned for September, October will likely see a mini-golf day, with more exciting events to come. Carol Vander Meer noted that on Saturday, August 28th, we will taking another Adopt-a-Highway cleanup stroll along Samoa Boulevard. As she noted, it’s a quick but important task we have taken on. And Ian Schatz noted that the welcome party for Lazo and the Inbound Exchange Students for the Arcata Noon and Mad River Clubs will take place on September 7th, so mark your calendar.
Terri Clark announced several new and returning Paul Harris Fellows, including JOYC (the Justice Of Your Club), who designated her new grandchildren as PHF recipients. The new Paul Harris Fellows are Hannah Golden, Robyn Jensen, Pat Knittel, and Dallas Fuentes. Carol Vander Meer, Rebecca Crow, and Jeff Stebbins were also recognized as multiple PHFs.
President Vanessa reminded us that we will need volunteers for Oktoberfest, which will take place on October 1st, and Jeff Stebbins talked about the planning for a return to the Community Center for an in-person Taste of the Holidays! We then celebrated Lazo’s arrival earlier in the week, and he spoke to us briefly and eloquently.
Talking Power with the Redwood Coast Energy Authority
Mike Bishop is a Senior Technician with the Redwood Coast Energy Authority, and he was also the Featured Speaker at the August 19, 2022 RCAS Meeting. Mike and two colleagues showed up on short notice, but they did a great job explaining their agency’s role in providing power to businesses and households in Humboldt County.
The goal of RCEA is “to develop and implement sustainable energy initiatives that reduce energy demand, increase energy efficiency, and advance the use of clean, efficient, and renewable resources.” It operates as a local joint powers agency. They work with PG&E to provide your electricity – RCEA sources the energy, while PG&E delivers that energy to you.
Mike talked about projects in the region, including the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid, potential offshore wind efforts, and more.
For more information, please visit the RCEA website by clicking on the logo below:
