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As the COVID-19 pandemic leaves this world, the Club has migrated from 100% virtual meetings to providing our members and guests the option to attend IN PERSON or via ZOOM. This hybrid format of a simultaneous live and virtual meeting will continue until further notice. Please attend in person because we would love to see you. But if you cannot, information on how to attend our meetings virtually is as follows:
Next Hybrid Virtual and LIVE Meeting Information:

 

Wednesday, April 27th, 12:00 PM (PDT)

Log in for social time from 12:00pm (noon) – 12:15pm, bell will be rung at 12:15pm to start meeting. Please join our meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Click Here To Go To Zoom Meeting

The guest speaker will be Ron Freitas, San Joaquin County Prosecutor, “Being a Deputy DA in the juvenile division & member of LUSD board” ( bio ).

You can also dial in using your phone. United States: (669) 900-6833

Meeting ID: 845 6619 6027
Password: 005220

If you plan on attending in person, plan to show up around noon as it is anticipated we will be serving lunch prior to the meeting starting at 12:15 pm.


“The Rotary Club of Stockton Begins the 2nd Century of Service to the Stockton Community”


Activities

  • Call to Order and Welcome! President Kevin called the Zoom meeting to order.

    Welcome to our members and their guests to a year of Service Above Self. “Serve to Change Lives” is our mantra this year, and with your help we can be as successful this year as we have been in the past. Rotary Club of Stockton was formed in 1914 just the 92nd club worldwide. With over 1.4 million Rotarians worldwide.   Rotary International was formed by Paul Harris in Chicago in 1905. Stockton Rotary celebrated our 108 Anniversary just last month. We have a rich history in Stockton.


    Meetings are brought to you live at the Stockton Golf and Country Club and via Zoom, thanks to the CARES act funding and the City of Stockton for sponsoring the meeting. If anyone would like to sponsor any future meeting, please contact Club Secretary Matthew for details.  A $100 Sponsorship will help pay for the operations of our hybrid meeting.

  • Pledge of Allegiance & Four Way Test – led by the group
  • Song of the Day – Past-President Michael Blower to lead us in God Bless America
  • Meeting Sponsor: This is an opportunity; who needs some more advertising? The slides advertising our upcoming Club events shown
    throughout the meeting accept when our speaker is presenting is an example of how one’s company can reach our Club members.
  • Special Thanks to – Secretary Matt Grizzle and Corie Stewart for the making the Live/Zoom meeting possible and our Srgnt at Arms team today (Ken, Monie, John, and Duane).  We also want to thank Past President Melanie Vieux’s program committee for getting our speakers. President Kevin, Waqar Rizvi for meeting notes, and to Leena Mittal for putting it all together in the Wheel. A round of applause for all the Worker Bees of Rotary Stockton. We appreciate you and all your time and effort.
  • Concern Report – Our fellow freedom fighters in Ukraine, our homeless neighbors, and all those in need of our thoughts and prayers.
  • Guest’s of Rotarians –
    Past President  Kuy E. Ky introduced Paolo Marlow, his colleague; Past President Bill Brown introduced Olga Rodrigues and Wayne Richardson who are representing NFP receiving checks today from the Stockton Rotary Endowment; Past President Michael Blower introduced Minister Dr. Henry Watkins; Sally Motta introduced Nancy Cochran and Leslie Edman. Capel. Sargent at Arms Duane introduced a proposed member, Julie Eckasrt-Cantrall.
  • Visiting Rotarians –Past President Waqar Rizvi introduced Jay Hishop as a visiting Rotarian and as a potential new member, who was at the meeting via the ZOOM call.
  • Club Service & District Calendar for 2021-2022 – Click HERE for the latest list! Don’t miss out on some great activities that may or may not happen in the near future (due to the COVID-19 virus.)

Rotary News

  • District 5220 has launched a campaign to send money for Ukraine and you can go to DACdb for the link to make your donation or provide it directly to Leonard Hansen.
  • Rotary Direct: We have 24 participants including myself that have our donations electronically our donation taken out automatically and it is easy and adds up fast. Please consider donating this way. See Leonard Hansen, Secretary Matt or President Kevin for more details.
  • Monie Ky and Liz Hull described their fundraising event for May and June of this year. May will be Mother’s month and June will be Father’s month. For a $40 fee, one can have their parent included in a slide show to be shown during the social portion of every meeting in these respective months. If one wanted to choose two mothers or fathers they can purchase both for $75.
  • Leonard Hansen, our Foundation Chair is doing a fantastic job of raising funds toward this year’s goal of $30k. We need help to make this goal.
  • Presentation of SRE Checks:  Paul Koslow, President of Stockton Rotary Endowment, presented checks to:
    Wayne Richardson from the Gospel Center Resue Mission for $5,000;
    Olga Rodriguez from Haven of Peace for $2,830; and
    Leslie Edman from the Central Valley Asian-American Chamber for $1,200.


Directions for members on how to make a payment to Rotary Club of Stockton
:
Click on “$ Online Payments” in the blue bar at the top (or click this blue box)
 

Meeting on-line reservations
Click on “Meeting Lunch Reservations” in the blue bar at the top (or click this blue box)


Club Announcements

Retention/Attendance Committee headed by Ken Steele- calls beginning this week!

President Elect Designee Walt Wager: Hope and Harmony Event by the Uplift All Foundation, which provides services for the homeless. It will occur on April 23rd, at Harmony Wynelands. $25 to SRE

Note: Live Meetings will continue, and you can make your reservations online and gives us a good headcount and you can even prepay for lunches. Beginning May 4th (may the 4th be with you), we will not be conducting HYBRID meetings; other than for special occasions.

Board Meeting April 20th – The club will be asked to consider some possible changes to offset our deficit and to better budget and get a handle on our finances. We have discussed several strategies and will bring them to you and ask for your opinion and then we will bring them before you for a vote. You will soon be receiving a survey from Matt to help your Board make a final decision on these issues.

Wine & Food Pairing Event – Thanks to President Elect Colleen and her committee; we are so pleased to announce a date and time for our Stockton Rotary Wine & Food Pairing Event-  Lucky Friday May 13th at the First Congregational Church at 5 pm for a cost of $75.00.

Heroes Award Event June 1 meeting will be a celebration of our local heroes from the police, sheriff and fire department; we need one more table sponsor. Please see Melanie for details.

President Elect Colleen Stewart wants the Club members to mark their calendar for April 28th Community Philanthropy Summit at Hutchin Street Square in Lodi. A flyer was provided and Colleen donated $25 contribution to SRE for this opportunity.

Use That Credit Card at The Meeting – You may now pay for lunch, raffle tickets (minimum Credit Card Purchase of $5.00) and other purchase at the Club meetings with a credit Card.  For now, make reservations using the website link.

Potential Members – To encourage Club members to bring a potential member to the Wednesday meetings the Rotary Club of Stockton will pay for the 1st meal of a potential member brought by a Club member. For the proper procedure when proposing a new member, read this document.

Blain Bibb made a ‘point-of-order’ that President Kevin introduced the City’s Economic Development Director as our speakers assistant. Kevin agreed to pay a $50 fine to the SRE for this insult although Carrie and Kevin agreed that we all assist Harry Black.


Register now for the 2022 District Conference at The Pines Resort-Bass Lake May 20-22!

See a DG Tim’s promo video on You Tube:  https://youtu.be/mklK1tHualI

We’re celebrating after three long years! Bring the entire family to the Pines Resort on beautiful
Bass Lake. There’s so much to do for all ages, you’ll never get bored.

Click here for a pdf copy of the conference flyer with all the details.

https://rotary5220.org/2022-rty-conf-flyer/

Go to the DaCdb calendar to register and pay by credit card or send in a registration form with your check.  Discounted rates for kids available!

Copy and Print Registration Form CLICK HERE


Program

Program: Mike and David from Stockton Diamond Grade,  “Separation Project”

Introduced By:President Kevin introduced David Lipari and Mike Higgins.

David Lipari from the San Joaquin Rail Commission and the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, and Mike Higgins from HDR
engineering David as the marketing manager for his employer provided the background on the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project. This is the project to modify the Union Pacific railroad tracks to be proceed without delay over top of the BNSF railroad tracks. This diamond location currently delays traffic on the N-S UPRR (Amtrack and ACE) trains and the E-W BNSF RR trains (from the Port of Stockton and Inter-Model train Center SE of Stockton.
Mike Higgins the project engineer for this project walked the Club members through his slides and poster boards of how the project will be constructed and what design options continue to be discussed by the project team and the public. The project is currently receiving public comments on its NEPA review process. It has already successfully completed its CEQA review. Rotarians were encouraged to provide comments today, or on the cards handed out today, or many other options available to the public.
Rotarians had many questions and David and Mike agreed to remain after the meeting to continue to address these questions. Cost will be covered primarily with Federal and State funding. Efficiency will be improved by at least 30% and no additional train traffic was anticipated. Minister Watkins had not heard about this project but was reassured that there has been a multi-year public outreach program to reach as many folks as possible. This appears to be a project that everyone in the region should support. Construction is expected to begin in June of 2023.


Next Meeting:  April 27th, 2022

Ron Freitas, SJ County Prosecutor, “Being a Deputy DA in the juvenile division & member of LUSD board”

As a Prosecutor for the DA’s Office for over 30 years, Ron brings a unique set of skills that help guarantee we have the safe and secure schools our children deserve, as well as, ethics and integrity to promote a transparent and responsive leadership. In 2017, he was named the California District Attorneys Association Instructor of the Year. He is currently, Co-Chair of the California District Attorney’s Association Gang Violence Suppression Committee.

Ron is current President of the Lodi Unified School Board and past Vice-President. In 2016, he served as President of the Measure U campaign where voters approved $280 million to increase school security, provide new construction, and needed classroom renovations. He is the Past President and current Board of Director for Giving Opportunities to Kids (GOT Kids) Foundation which raised over $750,000 for needy Lodi Unified students to have a fuller educational experience. He is also a member of the California School Boards Association and the San Joaquin School Boards Association.

The safety of our neighborhoods is important to Ron. He raised his family in this community. His daughters are Lodi Unified graduates, and his grandson graduated from LUSD in 2020.


Upcoming Speakers

  • May 4, 2022  – Mary Eberhardt, VP Bank of Stockton,  “Stockton History”
  • May 11, 2022 – Louis Ponick & Moses Zapien, Community Foundation of San Joaquin

 

Recognitions

 

Birthday Recognitions

  • Pete Wolfe (4/10) $89 SRE;
  • Matt Grizzle (4/18) $46 RF;
  • Chevvy Lema (4/15) was going to donate $40 to the RF, but if one or more individuals reach a bell-ringer, she will commit to $250 to RF; The following folks made up the additional bell-ringer: Christine Morrissey ($100); Walt Wager ($50); Kuy E Ky ($50); and, Frank Whitney ($54) recognizing his wedding anniversary as well.

April 2022 Birthdays…

Week Dates Rotarian
1 1st -2nd
2 3rd – 9th Bruce Uch – 3rd April
Monie Ky – 5th April
Sylvan Young – 6th April*
Blain Bibb – 6th April*
Peter Lynch – 8th April
Ronald Allison – 8th April
3 10th – 16th Peter Wolfe – 10th April
Jose Gutierrez -12th April
Judith Chambers -14th April
Jessica Garcia -15th April
Chheavy Lema -15th April
4 17th – 23rd Matthew Grizzle – 18th April
Gerardo Garcia – 20th April*
5 24th – 30st Steve Bestolarides – 26th April
Melvin Rakoncza – 28th April
Karen Munro – 29th April
Madisen Sena – 30th April
*= Meeting Day – Wish Them a Happy Birthday!

 

Photos…

Rotary Club of Stockton Member Files
(Logon to DACdb required to access)
Conflict of Interest Policy 2019 Updated Club Constitution
Approved 2016/2017 ByLaws

 

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Special thank you to everyone who contributed to The Wheel…

Editor, Leena Mittal. Special thanks this week to President Kevin, note taker, Matthew Grizzle, Virtual and Audio Visual Guru as well as Club Secretary, Corie Stewart our Zoom meeting entry coordinator, Chief Checkers Matthew Grizzle and President Kevin Kauffman!

Contact Information
Attn: Matthew Grizzle, Club Secretary
1024 W. Robinhood Dr. Suite 5
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 7457
Stockton CA 95267
Phone: (209) 472-9662
Fax: (209) 472-9664
secretary@stocktonrotary.org

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Rotary International President

Shekhar Mehta

 


District 5220 Governor
Tim Madden

 

Assistant Governor Area 2
Muhammad Waqar Ali Rizvi

 


Stockton Rotary Club President

Kevin M Kauffman

 

Meeting Location
Wednesdays at 12 Noon
Stockton Golf & Country Club
3800 W. Country Club Blvd.
Stockton, CA 9520