The Rotary Club of Arcata Sunrise

Volume VII, Issue 11 — September 19, 2007

Club President 2007-2008: Lori Breyer

Editor: Dick Johnson

editor@arcatasunrise.org

Business Spotlight

Be sure to stop by and see Julie Vaissade-Elcock at Vaissade Mortgage Company. Julie will be happy to direct you to the clipboard, and tell you a little something about the real estate business. She opened her business last October, capitalizing on her years of experience with Investors Trust Mortgage, and before that, with Humboldt Bank.

The office is located on F Street, across from the Uniontown Shopping Center (Safeway, Longs Drugs, et al), and Julie says that they are open Monday through Friday during "regular business hours".

655 F Street

Arcata, CA 95521

(between 6th & 7th Streets)

Our Exchange Student from Italy, Jessica Bono, reported that the welcome barbecue that our Club held in her honor was quite a treat. The hot dogs were great. She also said that school is going well. President Lori also discussed the barbecue, noting that the turnout was the largest to date. In addition, the weather cooperated, and it was warm.

Our thanks to the Sunrisers who volunteered to staff the phones during the recent KEET-TV Pledge Drive. Scott Heller, Guy and Janne Joy, Brandi Easter, and Leslie Lawson were on hand and on the phone. The group raised $1,200 to support our local public television station. Other opportunities to contribute are coming - the Quacks for KEET toy duck race is on the horizon, as is the televised KEET Auction.

George Cavinta reported on his Youth Activities Committee, which has been so busy that they haven't actually met. But ... he said that the event chairs do a great job. Bryan Reeser will once again head up the Dictionary Project, Dave Neyra will coordinate our efforts at the Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament, Michael Boreing and Leslie Lawson will handle the Christmas Gift Drive for Foster Children, and George hisownself will lead us into the Arcata Ballpark during the first weekend of the Humboldt Crabs' 2008 season for Kids, Crabs, and Rotary.

Romi Hitchcock Tinseth said that the Interact Club at Arcata High School has begun meeting - her daughter said, "There were hundreds of people there!" Perhaps a slight exaggeration, but the first get-together was well-attended. The Interact Clubs at Jacoby Creek and Sunny Brae Middle School have yet to meet, but they will soon. Romi said that we are establishing a connection with the students at Coastal Grove School - a charter school located on the old Bloomfield campus. She also said that if anyone has a connection at Pacific Union School, to please let her know. We would like to see Interact Clubs at these two schools as well.

Scott Heller reminded us that the next day (last Saturday) was Coastal Cleanup Day - if you were there to help out at our Adopt-A-Highway site, thank you. Let's hope for some pictures!

Don't forget - there will be a dinner for Sunrisers and Others at the Steelhead Lodge in Klamath on September 28th. The Lodge can accommodate a maximum of 56 people, and 44 are on the list (as of last Friday), so talk to Sir Charles Giannini for more information soon!

Terri Clark had another reminder - the Foundation Dinner North will be taking place on October 20th in Crescent City. Tickets for the event will be available next week, and raffle tickets are also on the way. Our Club is expected to provide at least three auction items. If you have something in mind, let Terri know as soon as you can.

Bruce and Ellen LeBel celebrated their 30th anniversary with champagne, 100 friends, and a climb up a mountain.

Jacqueline Debets and her husband Richard Bend celebrated their eight years of marriage a weekend early. They traveled to Bend, where they visited his brother and her cousin - now a couple.

Karen and Steve Burgesser did something "really fun" for their 35th anniversary - they traveled to Mt. Shasta and boarded the Shasta Sunset Dinner Train. They too enjoyed great weather,

Finally, Amy and Steve Bohner put down their hammers and saws to celebrate their 3rd anniversary. They dined at Avalon, and they still have a twinkle in their eyes. Or was it a Twinkie?

I started with Wendy Madsen, since I had been tipped that she ... was planning a wedding, sporting an new 'do, and driving a new set of wheels. Planning a wedding? "Not mine," she said. New hairstyle? "Nope, same old same old." New car? That's where I got her. She has a new Honda CRV to toodle around in. Oh, by the way ... it's not Wendy's wedding, but it is her daughter Breanna's - next year. Watch for it!

There are always Sunrisers who are difficult to find good fineable dirt on. When I served as Club President, I occasionally dealt with that problem by Googling the name of a Club member who was underperforming in a recognition sort of way. When I checked the list and saw that David Kiff was sitting on a zero balance, I decided to take action. Little did David know that he actually lives in Great Britain (Hertfordshire, to be precise). There, he completed his four year network technology degree. But I was most taken with his hairstyle - quite different from the one he favors here in the colonies:

Several of my intended targets were no-shows last week, so I called upon Kathy Moxon, who is always on the go, so she is eminently fineable, and always interesting. I'll rely on Brody's notes to refresh my memory regarding Kathy's activities: "Kathy Moxen - Nat. Funders". It's all coming back to me ... uh, no it's not.

My last target was Scott Heller, who usually rides his Harley to Rotary. I asked him to tell us about his ride, and he said, "Which one?" It turns out that he has two motorcycles. (Neener, neener to me, who has only one!) Someone volunteered the information that Scott was also recently featured in an advertisement for Eureka Harley-Davidson.

Jon Sapper on Preparing the Humboldt Workforce

Jon says that the new economic engine of Humboldt County needs fuel - "a capable, entry-level ready workforce". But, he notes, that fuel may be lacking. The indicators seem to show that we are approaching a "crisis ... where there may not be enough entry-level workers to meet demand".

Our schools continue to report declines in enrollment, partially stemming from the lower birth rates experienced in recent years. Jon told us that, until about 1980, the birth rate in Humboldt County was pretty consistent. But in the past three decades, the rate has dwindled.

Our county's unemployment rate is currently just under 6%, a figure close to "full employment".  As the baby boomers age and begin to retire, the employment deficit will just grow more quickly.

Jon believes that a partial solution to the problem is to coordinate the efforts of the various components of the local educational system - from elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools through the College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University. They should share their curricula and their facilities, and work together to produce an emerging workforce that is well-prepared to meet the needs of the business community.