President Dudley Thompson
Call to Order - President Dudley Thompson
President Dudley Thompson called the 5,360th Civic Thursday meeting of the Rotary Club of Oakland to order at 12:32 p.m. He welcomed Rotarians and guests and invited us to join him in reciting the Rotary Vision Statement.
Thought for the Day - Lou Rigali
Lou Rigali offered some short, sweet and effective words to live by: “nurture yourself, others and nature, each and every day for the rest of your life.”
Paul Harris Fellow Recognitions
Rotary Foundation Co-Chair Joe Goralka introduced recognition of the club's newest Paul Harris Fellows. The Paul Harris Fellow is named after Rotary's founder and acknowledges individuals who contribute or who have contributions made in their name of $1,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation. Multiple Paul Harris Fellow recognition is extended at subsequent $1,000 levels and those who reach the $10,000 level are deemed major donors.
Joe noted four lives are saved with every $1,000 donated to The Rotary Foundation. This means our club’s collective total donations have saved 660 lives.
Joe started the recognition by awarding Dudley Thompson his Paul Harris Fellow +4. President Dudley then introduced the additional new honorees:
Bob Breecker – Paul Harris Fellow +1
Sean Callum – Paul Harris Fellow +2
Joycie Mack – Paul Harris Fellow +2
Ruth Stroup – Paul Harris Fellow +2
Dana Sack – Paul Harris Fellow +4
Shannon Hackley – Major Donor, Level 1
Shannon shared how grateful she is for the flexibility as well as the comfort in knowing her gifts to the Rotary Foundation made a difference when disaster struck around the world. She invited all of us to share in making an impact and the good feeling she has enjoyed.
Bob Hamilton
Bob Hamilton - In Memoriam
President Dudley asked for a moment of silence to honor the passing of Bob Hamilton, a former 20-year member of our club. His interesting life story is presented in an online tribute by his daughter-in-law and Club member Linda Hamilton, available here:
http://www.lindaparkerhamilton.com/blog/2021/10/12/100-day-challenge-54-...
New Member Induction - Jason Toro
Keith Uriarte introduced new member Jason Toro noting that Jason was Keith’s guest at a recent meeting. After its adjournment, Jason fell into a meaningful conversation with club member Derreck Johnson about how joining Rotary has helped him make a difference in our community. Jason was hooked and decided to join (as will his life partner at a future meeting). He is currently the Director of Diversion and Reentry Programs at La Familia Counseling Services and has expertise in serving previously incarcerated individuals. Welcome, Jason!
Nominating Committee Candidates
Past President and Board Secretary Michael Bruck called attention to the written handout presenting a list of qualified candidates eligible to serve on this year’s 12-member Nominating Committee. According to Club bylaws, the committee’s work is to meet, discuss and recommend the nomination of the club’s President for 2022-2023 and members of the Club Board of Directors for terms beginning July 2022.
The following eligible members were nominated for election to the Nominating Committee by the general membership which will take place at the meeting in two weeks:
Wise Allen
Ken Benson
Sean Callum
Phil Campbell
Jim Caponigro
Karen Friedman
Shannon Hackley
Ana-Marie Jones
Kym Johnson
Robert Kidd
David Kittner
Harold Lowe
Elida Scola
Pat Williams
Saroni - Lena Internships Opportunities Needed
Even though we are just beginning to feel a chill in the air, our Saroni-Lena Scholarship Committee Chairs are inviting club members and their businesses to offer a 2022 Paid Summer Internship to a Saroni-Lena student. The internship program was successfully launched two years ago as an additional real-life learning opportunity for Saroni-Lena college scholarship recipients, who receive a $2,000 per year college scholarship for each of their four-year undergraduate degree. Last year nine out of 30 students were able to be placed as paid interns, so more opportunities for placements are desired, as are the variety of industries being offered — insurance, law, real estate, financial services, retail, hospitality, nonprofits and more. Rotarians interested in the details can contact Fred Morse at FredAMorse@gmail.com , Steve Blair at blair5200@gmail.com or Pat Williams at patwilliams3708@gmail.com.
Community Service Day/ Winter Wear Donations
Allison Bliss invited everyone to sign up for the first of three Community Service Days this year being organized by the Community Service Committee. The first is Saturday, October 23 when we will help prepare meals for the unhoused clients of St. Vincent de Paul in Oakland. Sign up on the club website calendar page if you are fully vaccinated, and can help make a difference with some of the more than 500 meals a day served to the hungry. A signed waiver form is also needed.
Allison also encouraged us to donate gently used coats, hats, gloves and scarves this winter season. Bring your warm treasures to a weekly club meeting and drop in the bin provided.
Linda Mandolini
Speaker for the Day - Linda Mandolini
Sean Callum introduced our speaker, Linda Mandolini, President of Eden Housing, where Sean serves as a member of the all-volunteer Board of Directors. Eden has worked in partnership with cities and other partners to develop or acquire more than 10,600 homes in the state, currently serving a diverse population of 22,000 low-income residents from all cultures and backgrounds. Collectively it has served over 100,000 since its founding years ago. Mandolini stated the three key ingredients necessary to provide more affordable housing in California: money, land and the political will to making affordable housing and low-income a reality. One of the biggest problems is the fact that land in California is priced at approximately $1 Million per acre, notwithstanding mitigation and offset fees that can run as much as $200,000 per project. Eden and other nonprofit affordable housing entities are using CEQA environmental law to circumvent some of the mitigation costs. The availability of land is always an issue when looking at affordable housing versus market rate, the latter being easier to approve through the planning process.
More than anything, Mandolini stated, there must be the political will to commit to the affordable housing challenge. Our Governors Newsom and Brown have been willing to work on this challenge and help fund it. Oakland has done a reasonable job of committing to funding more affordable housing elements from planning to permits stages, but there are challenges in money availability. For example, Mandolini stated that San Francisco has allocated $1.8 Billion for affordable and low-income housing versus Oakland’s $32 Million, outspending Oakland 5-to-1 when San Francisco’s homeless population is just twice the size of Oakland’s. (To be fair, it is uncertain where San Francisco’s funding is coming because it is both the City and County of San Francisco. What would funding look like when combining Oakland’s allocation to Alameda County?) Ultimately, California is in danger of losing its blue collar and service industry workforce if something isn’t done to offer housing. The pandemic has signaled the flight of many of these workers to other states out of immediate necessity. It will be up to the will of the people to decide if their exodus is permanent.
Bellringers
Alex Poulsen, Ces Butner, Fred Morse, David Douglas, C J Hirschfield and Rick Draper rang the bell in memory of Bob Hamilton.
Shannon Hackley rang the bell in honor of Sean Callum.
Adjournment
President Dudley adjourned another action-packed meeting at 1:31 p.m.
Margaret Gordon
Next Meeting, October 21 - Margaret Gordon - West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project
Robert Kidd announced our speaker will be Margaret Gordon. She has led the fight locally for environmental justice. The West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project is a resident led, community-based environmental justice organization dedicated to achieving healthy homes, healthy jobs and healthy neighborhoods for all who live, work, learn and play in West Oakland, California.
Its mission is to build grassroots capacity to provide local leadership for positive change. Its work aids residents in understanding the political, social, and natural forces that impact their lives. It gives impacted residents the tools to participate in these processes and to drive change from the bottom.
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