November 4, 2021 - Club Social at Old Train Depot

Joe also mentioned Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY), for which every Rotarian is encouraged to give $25 to the Rotary Foundation. This is our chance to support that event, he said, which helps our club to be eligible for club awards. Donations up to $260 will be matched with Paul Harris points. Shari spoke at length of how donations by Rotarians are used for good causes and good things done around the world by Rotary and the Paul Harris Society.

 

Plans are being debated for an event, perhaps April 9 and at Coyote Point, involving three clubs – Half Moon Bay, Millbrae and Pacifica – and ideally focusing on a large community service project. Suggestions included something that would tie in with the environment, which is Rotary’s newest area of focus. 

 

Shari spoke of the Oct. 31 cruise of the San Francisco Bay on the Potomac – U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Floating White House” – sailing again after being stuck in its port due to the effects of the Covid pandemic. She had joined the cruise and saluted President Joe for his work leading that effort, and said she had been impressed with the detail she had seen in the restoration of the boat and with the friendliness of the crew and staff.

 

Inspirational Thought Switching to a little Rotary business and thinking of a thought for the day, Warren Barmore reflected on the local history of the setting we were in – a historic depot which was the Kelly Street station. He spoke of early ideas for a rail line that would go from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, and of other stations along the coast, i.e. the Montara station. Of those stations, one, built in 1903, is now a residence. Another was a post office. The El Granada station, built in 1900, has had many incarnations as a restaurant, the last one being the Monster Chef. Now it is empty. Then there was the Arleta Park station, built circa 1904 at what is now Railroad Avenue. Joe mentioned the Moss Beach station, with landscaping that featured rosebushes which produced white blooms. The building is long gone but rose bushes still grow there, he said.

 

Attendees were divided into small groups to brainstorm ideas for future events were explored. One was a party which would involve our club as well as the Pacifica and Millbrae clubs. More discussion revolved around meeting and event possibilities in February, since that is Valentine’s Day month. One was a fund-raiser for a heart organization i.e. the American Heart Association, another was something for seniors who are alone on Valentine’s Day,  another was sending Valentine’s cards to seniors, and Stacy suggested a theme of “heartwarming,” perhaps for seniors or youth. Ideas also touched on meeting structure, Weekend meetings? Other venues we may want to explore? And of course our club’s celebration of its 50^th anniversary, perhaps in February, March or April. 

 

As the holidays and Adopt-a-Family are fast approaching, Rose Serdy said that she will send an email around to the club. She recalled that last year we raised more than $600 which was used for the six seniors the club had adopted. Hoping Rotary will be involved, Rose said she will approach Rotarians around shopping this year.

 

She said she and Kevin O’Brien had become aware of Senior Coastsiders reaching out to contact local residents interested in helping out with projects such as gardening help for local seniors, or Meals on Wheels delivery. She said they had not made any commitments, but tossed out the idea of Rotarians filling in with Meals on Wheels delivery if any of the regular deliverers are sick. Meals on Wheels has three local routes, Rose said; and she suggested shadowing a person who covers such routes, since that would be a good opportunity for us to be on call if needed. She also floated the idea that it would be a nice way for the community to check in with those who may need help, as many local seniors live alone. It’s a nice way to give back to the community, she said.

 

Discussion also touched on donations to Coastside Hope: typically on the third Thursday of the month, eight bags filled with household items to be distributed through Coastside Hope – and those bags can get quite heavy. The packers meet at Mary Rogren’s house around 5 p.m. on Wednesdays to prepare the bags – one bag per family -- and Mary hoped that there might soon be a district grant to help. She will send emails around inviting club members to join in this project. 

 

Abundant Grace will have an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, and as we support Abundant Grace, Rotarians are invited to drop by. 

 

 

Mary will host next week’s club meeting, on Nov. 11, Veterans’ Day. The speaker will be Patrick Hall, President of the Rotary Club of Pacifica. As he stated in an email, Joe said that “the title of his talk is ‘The History of Veterans Day and what it means to me’, a brief history, the meaning of poppies, and a summary of his service in Vietnam as an Air Force pilot.” This meeting will be through Zoom. 

 

Heather Bodmann talked about blood donations. Now there is a virtual element to blood donations which are held at the I.D.E.S. Hall in Half Moon Bay -- though the Rotarians pondered, how can a blood donation be virtual?