President Phil Siegle called the meeting to order at 12:40.
Past President Lage Andersen led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Father Michael delivered the invocation, reflecting on the values of the country and how we respect our change of governments. When the people speak, we recognize what they want. It is time for us to begin healing, looking at ways that we can come together and work together and be people who can make a better country and home for our families.
New Rotarian: Doug Person introduced our newest member, Charlene Hsu-Winges, wife of longtime member Jerry Winges, and presented her with a certificate and Rotary pin. Welcome Charlene!
Announcements:
Jeff Krolik announced that Christine Krolik won her Hillsborough Town Council race. Way to go Christine! Jeff also let us know that he and Christine are new grandparents to baby Calvin! Finally, Jeff is working on a publication for our Centennial celebration and wants to interview people who have been in the Club for some portion of the last 25 years. Contact Jeff if you’d like to participate.
Jennifer Pence introduced former Rotarian Jesus Nava and Lara Pankova, a scholarship student, who are working on a Centennial film that will be released in January. A third filmmaker, Brian Tran, will fly to India and incorporate information about our international project in the film. Three Rotarians have helped sponsor Brian’s travel expenses. Jennifer announced that Brian needs about $1500 more to fully cover the trip. Check in with Jennifer if you are willing to contribute.
William Li provided an Interact update. Last weekend was the senior dance. Eight or nine Interactors were there helping the more than 100 seniors who attended. Interact is also sponsoring a November food drive. They are looking for non-perishable foods like canned goods and baking/cooking ingredients. You can bring items next week, and the Interactors will deliver them to Samaritan House.
Program:
Program: Past President Carol Tanzi introduced today’s speaker, John Goodwin. John is the Mayor of Colma and is stepping down in December after serving two terms on the Colma City Council. Thank you for your service, John!
During his 27-year career with the National Park Service as a Park Ranger, John worked in a number of different National Parks throughout the country including Rocky Mountain, Mount Rainier, Everglades, North Cascades, and Golden Gate. He shared photos from his career, including pictures of him rafting, horseback riding, hiking in the snow, waiting to board a helicopter, and patrolling different areas.
John told a story about hiking Longs Peak in Colorado when a lightning and hailstorm started. He was able to save several people from getting stuck on the mountain and struck by lightning. That convinced John to begin a law enforcement career with the Park Service rather than just working at entry kiosks and leading tours.
In September 1999, John was out on a boat in Florida during Hurricane Floyd. He brought the boat to the Florida Keys to try to seek shelter. As he was heading back to home port, navigating through a shallow channel, he was struck by lightning, and his heart stopped. When he regained consciousness, his boat was going in the opposite direction. He had to peel himself off the deck of the boat, crawl up to the throttle, and turn off the boat. He was in excruciating pain but was able to get back to home port and to the hospital. That incident started a decade of PTSD. He was then struck by lightning again, but it was less serious the second time. (Maybe John should stay off the water….)
He told another story about patrolling Ocean Beach in San Francisco. He saw a person at a fire pit throwing items into the fire. The guy had just broken up with his girlfriend and was burning picture frames, letters, and marijuana—everything associated with the girlfriend, including their stash. John and his colleagues got contact highs from the fire and had to wait out the effects at a local coffee shop.
Finally, John shared a story about working with former local reporter Stanley Roberts to try to educate people about car break-ins at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area/Marin Headlands. He and Stanley worked together to get the word out that people should lock their car doors and not leave any valuables in the cars. That’s good advice even in Burlingame!
John wrote a book entitled Echoes of the Badge: Stories from a National Park Service Career. To learn more about John’s career, get your copy today.
President Phil closed out the meeting after thanking John and presenting him with a certificate noting that Burlingame Rotary is donating polio doses in his name.
California Water in a Time of Change: Can We Rise to Resilience?
California has built the world’s fifth-largest economy, thriving in both agriculture and culture, with urban and rural communities that are the envy of many. This progress has occurred despite facing some of the most erratic and unpredictable water resources in the nation. With climate change amplifying this variability, making it even more extreme, the future poses significant challenges. Learn how California is preparing for the looming threats just starting to show as it anticipates the more severe impacts projected for the coming decades.
