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The official weekly publication of
The Rotary Club of Bakersfield Breakfast
October 23, 2024
World Polio Day 2024
World Polio Day 2024 – a chance for reflection and a reminder to reach every last child
 

Thursday 24 October marks the annual World Polio Day, a chance for public and civil society partners to raise awareness and resources for the global effort to eradicate polio.

Rotary International and Rotarians around the world are using the day as an opportunity to showcase the current status of the eradication effort, and what steps need to be taken to ultimately achieve a lasting world free of all polioviruses.

2024 is a special year for the eradication effort.  An outbreak of variant poliovirus type 2 in Gaza has drawn the world’s attention on the reality that as long as polio exists anywhere, all countries will remain at risk.

But the outbreak in Gaza has also shown something else: the incredible global commitment to achieving a polio-free world.  Against all odds, in September and October, two rounds of outbreak response were implemented in Gaza, each time reaching well over half a million children with the lifesaving polio vaccine and other health interventions.  If it can be achieved here, amid all the challenges the people of Gaza currently face, it can be achieved everywhere.

That is why this year’s World Polio Day is perhaps an opportunity not just to celebrate progress: but indeed, to re-garner support and commitment at all levels to finish the job once and for all.

Because the reality is: there are no technical, medical or biological reasons why polio should persist anywhere in the world today.  Polio can be eradicated, there is no question about that.  And it will be eradicated on the very day that we finally reach the remaining un- or under-vaccinated children in a few remaining endemic hotspots. Not a day earlier… nor a day later.

Let us therefore focus all our efforts on that one goal: to reach and vaccinate every last child. Success will then follow automatically.

To find out what a dinosaur race has to do with Polio, Read on!
Read more...
Polio Vaccination Postponed in Northern Gaza
 
Intense bombardments, mass displacements and lack of access in northern Gaza force the postponement of polio vaccination campaign
 
23 October 2024, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva- Due to the escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, including the Palestinian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and partners have been compelled to postpone the third phase of the polio vaccination campaign, which was set to begin today. This final phase of the ongoing campaign aimed to vaccinate 119 279 children across northern Gaza.

Read more...
President David Lari - tell us about being President
 
As Club President, my job is to appoint a Board of Directors that has a passion for their area of service and has a desire to lead.  The key is to find people that can attract the general membership to get involved and can lead independently with an ability to report the accomplishments regularly and be accountable to the membership.  Rotary provides leadership opportunities for all and encourages members to rotate to different positions throughout their tenure.
 
I have been in Rotary for many years and have supported Youth Service, International Service, Fundraising and Treasurer before becoming Foundation and Club President.  I am honored to have this role and feel a sense of responsibility and love for this Club.
BBRC Happenings
Family of Rotary
Tom Pasek shared that both he and his sister are polio survivors. Polio eradication has a special place in his heart.
 
Myrna Arias – Where are you? We wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday.
Happy Spots
Dave Spalinger returned from a vacation.  This was an annual get together with the guys.  Fifteen of them go to a college football game annually. This year they went to Tennessee for the Alabama vs Vanderbilt game (which was a spectacular game in case you missed it.  BIG upset.)  Spalinger brought a bottle of Jack Daniels single barrel whiskey. Somehow the gang of 15 managed to drink almost all the whiskey before it got to President Lari. 
However, Dave and his lovely wife Melody followed the guy bonding trip with a spouse bonding trip to Italy.  Melody made sure a full bottle of limoncello made it to Pres. DavePresident David, if you decide that you and Marti don’t like limoncello, I am happy to take it off your hands.
 
David Spalinger somehow managed to escape a fine after he ratted out President David that he is getting Spalinger- made cabinets for their new home, which they are moving into next week.  Does this mean if the cabinet aren’t installed by the time the moving vans show up, Past President Spalinger is getting bonus recognition from you?
 
Heath Niemeyer – Where are you? President David has a special surprise for you.
 
Interact Activities
Willie Gordon shared about a service project completed by Del Oro High School Interact Club.  This club is Rockin’ it! They put together a pumpkin decorating event for second graders at Crescent Elementary School, located at E. Panama Lane and Cottonwood Rd.
Past President Jackie Maxwell and 28 Interactors worked with the 75 youngsters. The kids were having so much fun they would clean off the pumpkins and redecorate them.  The Interact
Advisor from Del Oro, her husband, and their baby attended also.
 
Club Events
Editor’s NoteBBRC has a very soft spot in our hearts for the Social, Emotional, Academic Learners at Rafer Johnson Elementary School. One of the ways we support the SEAL students is by taking them shopping for shoes.  This is a big deal for these kids. Unfortunately, the only Rotarian at last week’s shopping was the event coordinator, Past President Denise Haynes.
 
October 30 Clothing Drive – this is the last week for St Francis clothes drive. Please bring men’s and women’s warm hats, undergarments, lightly used clothing, socks, and more to the meeting.  Greg Desme is leading this effort. Contact him or Char Vega for more information.
 
November 2, Pancake Breakfast. - Meet at 6:00 am at Dignity Health Learning Center, 631 E. California Ave. Event Chair Erick Bautista is taking sign-ups.  Please contact Erick with questions.  Last year we gave out 200 meals, he expects to break that number this year.  Thanks to BBRC member Scooter Tangeman for providing toothbrushes for the dental kits that will be passed out.
 
November 2 – Queen Jackie Maxwell is offering her home and yard again for the most amazing Halloween party. Her friend Hope has decorated indoor and outdoor. Past BBRC member Becky Brooks is running the drink tent, always interesting beverages.
 
 Bring hors d’ oeuves or a dessert please. Costumes are encouraged and prizes will be awarded. Dave Spalinger made a point of mentioning that the cabinets in Jackie’s kitchen are from Skyline Cabinets, his business. Sounds like another opportunity to recognize Dave.
 
December 11 – offsite meeting at Skyline Cabinets, Dave Spalinger’s business. He tantalized us by saying that they have totally redone the shop since we were there during the COVID years.
 
Please sign up and ATTEND service projects and events.
You probably joined Rotary to do good in the world and hang out with like-minded people.
Here are fantastic opportunities!
Kern County Grand Jury - Steve and Tom
Mary Jo Pasek did an excellent introduction of our speakers, Tom Pasek and Steve Bowles. One might say she had inside knowledge.
Tom Pasek opened up the discussion by sharing the process by which Grand Jurors are selected.
  1. Complete an on-line application. You can get more information here.  Application solicitation begins in late December/January.
  2. You will be invited to attend an orientation meeting so you understand what is involved and the time commitment. You
  3. A judge will contact you for an interview.
  4. If the judge believes you would be acceptable for the position, a background check will be run on you.
  5. If you pass the background check, your name will be submitted to an initial random drawing. Thirty names are selected in this drawing.
  6. A second random drawing is conducted from the 30 selected in the first drawing. Up to 19 grand jurors are selected for Kern County.  Up to ten jurors from the prior jury may be held over. The remaining seats are filled from the drawing.  Alternates are also selected.
  7. The drawings are held in June for the jury that starts the next month. The Grand Jury term is July to June.
  8. If you are selected the normal work schedule is four days per week, five hours per day. You will be paid $30 per day + mileage. There may be situations where you need to work longer days.
Kern County is not a “law and order” type of Grand Jury. They rarely handle indictments.  In fact, they have had two in the past year; the Cal City West boys murder/disappearance and the Corrections officer shooting on Stockdale.  In both cases they indicted the perps.
There are twelve committees that the jurors may serve on.  Of these twelve committees, the one that caught the members attention is the Special Districts committee.  Kern County has 168 special districts, the most of any county in the state.  While each special district should be reviewed at least every ten years (which would be over sixteen per year) they can only review four per year. There are lots of possibilities for corruption in the special districts due to the lack of oversight and trust by the constituents of the special districts.
How does Grand Jury decides what they will examine
  • Complaints entered on the Grand Jury web page
  • Committee members make recommendations to the rest of GJ
  • A Special District has not been reviewed in more than ten years.
  • The District Attorney may refer cases to the Grand Jury.  It is their decision to accept or decline an investigation or indictment case.
What else?
  • The objective of the committees is to write at least two reports per year, some write committees write three to four reports.
  • If the Grand Jury finds illegal activity, such as genuine corrupt behavior in a group, it is referred to the District Attorney.
  • The size of Grand Juries is determined by the population of the county, which ranges in size from 11 to 23 members.
  • Sworn to lifetime secrecy, if violated, the juror can be charged with a misdemeanor or a felony.
Our two Kern County multi-term Grand Jurors, Tom Pasek and Steve Bowles did an excellent job of presenting information about the Grand Jury – it was both interesting and entertaining. Thank you to both!
2024 Ride to Nowhere
Our District's Past District Governor Sandi Schwartz has completed her End Polio Ride. Her goal was to break 7 hours.  She made it in 6 hr and 48 minutes.  Thank you to everyone who contributed!
 
Just wanted to say thank all of you for your contribution to my 100 mile ride today. My energy today came from all of you who support this effort year after year. Together we raised $7841 to the End Polio Project. With the Gates Foundation 2:1 match, you can do the math!!!
 
The good news is that Polio is for the most part confined to two countries Afghanistan and Pakistan. The workers who walk the countryside delivering those two drops do so under such dangerous conditions with the geography and militants who kill our workers, which is not good news. And sadly it is one airplane ride away from our country and our children are not vaccinated for polio anymore.
 
Rotary stands firm on its commitment to eradicate this debilitating disease. And we are close. 
 
My goal was to stay under 7 hours which I did. 
 
Thank you on behalf of the children of the world!! 
 
Sandi Schwartz 
St George Sunrise Rotary Club (Past President Bakersfield East Rotary Club)
 
Photos from Oct 16, 2024
Meeting Duties
October 30, 2024
 
Greeter
Singh, Bani
 
Greeter
Spalinger, David
 
Invocation
Tangeman, Scooter
 
Flag Salute
Walkover, Freddy
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Walker, Neil
 
November 6, 2024
 
Greeter
Pratt, Cory
 
Greeter
Wilmot, Mindy
 
Invocation
Vega, Char
 
Flag Salute
Turnipseed, Michael
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Wooldridge, Frank
 
November 13, 2024
 
Greeter
Baker, Stephanie
 
Greeter
Blunt, Darin
 
Invocation
Alexander, Jacque
 
Flag Salute
Ardron, Brenna
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Arias, Myrna
 
November 20, 2024
 
Greeter
Bonanno, Karen
 
Greeter
Bryan, Shane
 
Invocation
Black, Bill
 
Flag Salute
Bender, Dale
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Burke, Thomas
 
December 4, 2024
 
Greeter
Esparza, Art
 
Greeter
Fringer, Troy
 
Invocation
Desme, Greg
 
Flag Salute
Duerksen, Will
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Galvez, Anne
 
December 11, 2024
 
Greeter
Haynes, Denise
 
Greeter
Haynes, Jeffrey
 
Invocation
Harris, Duncan
 
Flag Salute
Gordon, Willie
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Guerard, John
 
December 18, 2024
 
Greeter
Maxwell, Jackie
 
Greeter
Nelms, Ron
 
Invocation
Henry, Jennifer
 
Flag Salute
Heise, Marlene
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
Kelly, Shaun
 
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Stephanie Baker
October 4
 
Denise Haynes
October 5
 
Kay Pitts
October 5
 
Char Vega
October 17
 
Myrna Arias
October 25
 
Art Esparza
October 31
 
Carol Smith
October 31
 
Anniversaries
Peter Leveroni
Michelle
October 12
 
Jennifer Henry
Matt
October 18
 
Your BBRC Team
President
 
Vice President
 
Secretary
 
Treasurer
 
President-Elect
 
Vocational Service Director
 
International Service Director
 
Community Service Director
 
Club Service Director
 
Youth Service Director
 
Membership Director
 
Fundraising Director
 
Sgt-At-Arms
 
The Rotary Foundation
 
Peace Chair
 
Public Relations
 
President Elect Nominee
 
Immediate Past President
 
Audio Visual
 
Club Dashboard
 
Programs
 
Awards Chair
 
Meeting Responsibilities
 
Web Master
 
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If we lose hope and remain with pessimism, that is the greatest failure. So, in spite of difficulties, remain with optimism - Dalai Lama
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