Minutes: Buffalo Joe and Betsy Munroe (07/10/2013)

Madam President Betsy Munroe called the meeting to order.

​Invocation:  Chris Baxter
​Flag Salute:  Tom Heath
Raffle: Dana Goba brought two bottles of olive oil and a bottle of balsamic vinegar
​Rotary Minute:  Andy Doerr
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​The ukulele group performed “Stand By Me.”
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​Guests of Rotarians: Jim Munroe, JB Quigley, Geoff Rue

​President’s Announcements:

• ​Group 8 presidents have been asked to poll their memberships regarding Zoo day . (a) Should we continue doing this? If you have any comments, please email Betsy before July 16. The zoo day has been $25 per person whether you attend or not. The cost could go up next year.
• ​Upcoming District Events:  The 5240 District Membership/PR/Foundation Seminars are on their way. No cost. Karen Kawaguchi is organizing it. It’s held in Goleta July 13 from 8-12. Please register in advance on the website (www.rotarydistrict5240.org).  A few of the new board members have registered, and it is open to all members.  Other dates/locations: July 20 Thousand Oaks; Aug. 10 San Luis Obispo; Aug. 24 Bakersfield.
• The 5240 District Conference is Oct. 18-20, Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo. You may want to sign up early. We now have a new “District Corner” on the Blogle, so you can look there or the website for the information, too.
• July Birthdays:  Karin Napel, David Vo, Bill Abel.
• July Club Anniversaries:  Amy Clemens, Dana Goba, Lucille Ramirez, Joanne Orenstein, Bill Abel, Darren Doi and David Vo.
• NEW! Weekly getting-to-know you questions. This week starring Gary Jensen. What is an item on his bucket list? To travel around the U.S., living in different places for a few months at a time.

Club Announcements:  ​

• Diana Cecala, new Club Service Director, asked the club members to share their opinions about the rendezvous tradition via a survey on the tables.
• Thank you to the Sunrisers who worked the Goleta fireworks on 7/4th:  Karen Kawaguchi, Liz Werhane and Boris Alves, Bill Boyd, Sandy Grasso-Boyd, Tom Putnam, Mark Reinhardt, Tim Durnin and his wife, Bill Abel, David Vo, Andy Doerr, Janet Napier, Connard Hogan, Gary Jensen and probably at least one other person.
• Jim Ruh announced that the ad hoc fundraising committee/survey was emailed to all members. Please find the email and respond to the survey this week.
• Janet Napier announced that the trip to Nicaragua will be August 30 – September 5. Please let Janet know by July 15 if you plan to join in the service adventure.
• Jody Dolan Holehouse announced that there will be an orientation for the new foundation members on Thursday at 6 PM in her office.
• Andy Doerr said the planning committee will meet next Thursday, July 18, at 5:30 PM at the MTD.
• Our club received a handful of awards at the District Awards Night. Read all about it in a previous Blogle post.
• Bill Abel thanked the participants in David Velarde’s stepdown.
• ​​Pay and tell with sgt at arms Scott Burns. Go to Macchu Pichu. Everyone is doing it.  Graham Guess‘s band plays at the Pacific Pride Festival from 6-7 on Saturday at Leadbetter. Chris Baxter will be retiring from Nova Sensors on August 2.
• Raffle: Guest Geoff won.

Program: Joanne Schoenfeld-Orenstein introduced Buffalo Joe (AKA Joe Schomer).

• He’s a docent at the Carriage Museum, The SB Historic Museum, the Presidio and will soon be a docent at The SB Museum of Natural History.
• He grew up in Michigan.
• His father is 101 years old, and he still drives his brand new Malibu.
• His love for history was sparked when he retired 7 years ago. He estimates that he does about 100 hours of research per month, largely based on questions that kids ask him.
• Presidio’s location is strategically farther than a ship at sea could shoot a cannon.
• If you ever have kids in town, let Joe know, and he’ll give you a VIP tour if he’s available at the Carriage House. Tours take 45 minutes.
• He had a good fish tale.
• He led a trivia game pitting men against women. It took about 180 years between when Vizcaino came to Santa Barbara and when the Presidio was built.
• Population boom was not until 1850, when California became a state. It was difficult to get into Santa Barbara — Calle Real route from LA and in the 1860s, the stage coach service and San Marco Pass.
• A pony express rider would go 60 miles before being relieved. Each horse only went 20 miles. “Orphans preferred” on Pony Express job posting.
• As a token of our appreciation, it is the club’s practice to donate 15 dictionaries to local 3rd graders in honor of our speaker.

Next Week’s Program:  Craft Talks – Jacqueline Duran and Betsy Munroe