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.
Usually, we meet on most Fridays at 7 am in the Plaza View Room
at Arcata’s historic Jacoby Storehouse,
however, due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are again meeting online.
Please visit the RCAS Website for the meeting links.
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 Calendar …
RISE: “Rotary Involvement Strengthens Everyone“
- September 25 – Rotary Blood Drive from 8 am to 3 pm
- September 25 – The District 5130 Youth Exchange Golf Tournament at Baywood Golf & Country Club
- November 11-14 – The Zone Institute, tentatively scheduled for Tuscon, Arizona
- October 8, 2021 – The North Coast Ethics in Business Awards
- October 8-9, 2021 – The District 5130 Conference, celebrating the 2020-2021 Rotary Year
- November 11-14 – The Zone Institute, tentatively scheduled for Tuscon, Arizona
- June 4-8, 2022 – The 2022 Rotary International Convention in Houston, Texas.
For Openers …
Former President AJ Gonzales started our meeting by welcoming Holly Martel as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Arcata Sunrise! Holly was raised in Humboldt County, and she recently left Humboldt State after 25 years to join Edward Jones. She is excited at the prospect of being a Rotarian, which will allow her to continue to contribute to the community. Holly and her husband, Arcata Fire Chief Justin McDonald, have four children and an extended family locally. She and Justin enjoy loading their three dogs into the Jeep and exploring the mountains, but she also likes time at home with friends, reading, or watching Netflix. Holly’s sponsor is Jessica McKnight, and her mentor is Brandi Easter. We are pleased to welcome Holly!!
Several members of the Arcata High School Interact Club joined our meeting, as Co-President Seri Walsh provided an update on their activities during the new school year. Seri said that the group is tentatively planning to post a plant pole at the Samoa Dunes. If all goes well, the event will take place at 1 pm, Saturday, October 16th. The group has also been working on training over Zoom and has plans for some improvements to bathrooms at the school. The group meets every other Friday at noon, in person at the school. However, their next meeting will require a larger room, since about 50 students attended the last meeting!
Rotarians: People of Action!
President Ian noted that Rotarians are “People of Action”. As evidence, he cited the previous weekend, when several of our members helped build a greenhouse at Peninsula School. It was a great success, tempered by Mike Pazeian’s bout with heatstroke. We will be adding a rain catchment system there soon.
Our DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Minute recognized that Black Humboldt is providing “back-to-school kits” for low income and BIPOC community members. Each kit will contain school supplies, a journal, a calendar, gift cards, a story book, and more. President Ian encourages us to visit the organization’s website at blackhumboldt.com. Here are some ways you can help:
- Donate school/office supplies
- Donate cash
- Donate time (giving out kits)
- Donate a BIPOC-focused story book (Pre-K to college)
- Sponsor a student or a classroom
- Visit blackhumboldt.com
Sarah James told us that the Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Committee is accepting donations of clothing, especially business attire.
We also heard from the Fellowship Committee, as Jessica McKnight told us that they are working to determine what fellowship looks like during a pandemic. The committee hopes to bring the “fellowship spirit” to our fundraisers and projects. They plan to host an online meditation session in late September or early October, and they are hopeful that we can have some holiday get-togethers. Charter Night is traditionally held on the Sunday nearest February 6th, but we may need to move it to a later date, depending on our pandemic status in the early part of next year.
Brandi Easter reported that the California Relief Grant’s final round of funding is underway. You have until September 30th to submit your application.
Carol Vander Meer told us that the Trinidad Land Trust will host Trinidad Appreciation Weekend on September 25th and 26th. The event will include kayaking, walking tours, and Trinidad Arts Night.
Carol also told us about a fundraiser for the Friends of the Dunes – “Wine by the Screen” will take place on October 2nd. It’s usually “Wine by the Sea”, but the event will be virtual this year, due to the pandemic. You can order “Pour and Restore Care Packages”, and/or a gourmet to-go dinner provided by Brett Shuler Fine Catering. There will also be an online auction. This will begin on October 2nd, ending on October 9th.
Claire Ajina reported that the Oktoberfest event needs a co-chair, and Lisa Hemphill is also looking for someone to co-chair this year’s Taste of the Holidays @ Home.
Brandon Kakitsuka gave us some insights on parenting, and we closed with updates from District Governor Dustin Littlefield on the decision to make next month’s District Conference and some other events virtual rather than live, due to the pandemic. He did tell us that his meetings with the District’s Clubs has been going well. He said that they are showing a lot of passion and that the pandemic has solidified the things they care about.
President Ian’s Closing Haiku …
So many in need
How can we help everyone?
Start with one today