Thanksgiving is the season of gratitude … and also the season of traditional college football rivalries. To that end, many Rotarians sported apparel of their alma maters….most prominent being Cal and Stanford, with a smattering of others thrown in the mix. Who knew President Anne was a football fan??
In a game of “Name the Rivalry”, Anne showed an image of the trophy and challenged Rotarians to name the rival schools. Most of us would have received a letter grade of C or below; a notable exception was Mike Kelly, seated next to this editor, who correctly identified 5 1/2 out of 6 rivalries. Either he is a serious student of the game, or he has spent way too much time in his man-cave watching college football!
Worth Repeating: In the spirit of the day, Peter Webb offered the following reflection on athletics:
Sports are a training ground and a microcosm of life...
There are many lessons to be learned in defeat. Some teams wish they were not so well educated.
The game is long...what happens early often changes as the game goes on, just like life. Even the best players make mistakes. Lots of them.
Finally ....always remember goliath was a 40 point favorite over David.
Now…like David would do, I offer a prayer of thanks for this food and this fellowship. Amen
Juan Raigoza embraced the “Thanks” in Thanksgiving by offering multiple reasons for gratitude, a refreshing reminder in these turbulent times. He concluded with:
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you’ve made a difference. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things, but a life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.
In an expression of mutual admiration, Tom Mohr was presented with his Rotary Badge #148 by Chief Susan Manheimer who quipped that 148 in the California Penal Code is Resisting Arrest. She continued to cite Tom’s decades tireless service and leadership in education within San Mateo County, most recently as President of the SM Community College District’s Board of Trustees.
Tom lent voice to views that most of us hold, but may not verbalize…that we are members of the preeminent club in the district, and that in Susan Manheimer, San Mateo has had a law enforcement leader who cares deeply about this community and its residents and who has infused that empathy throughout her department.
Not that you’ll forget, but PAL is coordinating it’s annual Christmas gift drive in collaboration with Samaritan House. Together, they make a Christmas celebration possible for families less fortunate than our own, providing not only gifts, but a decorated tree and fixings for a holiday meal. Be a part of their good works …. give generously, either by check, credit card or other currencies. The check-in desk will accept your donation, or for those unable to make meetings, send a check to POB 95 (yep, we still have a post office box). The digitally inclined can donate through the website (sanmateorotary.com).
Mike Kelly reminds us that Cog Club, meets the 1st Thursday of the month at the main library in San Mateo at 7:30 AM. In the month of January, however, Cog Club will meet at Poplar Creek immediately following the regular Rotary meeting testing whether it may be easier for some to fulfill the Cog obligation with a mid-day opportunity. While Cog Club is for the benefit of newer members, all are welcome, and it’s a great opportunity to become better acquainted with one another!
Ken Armstrong, Founder of Ouroboros Farms in Half Moon Bay has your next salad ready for your enjoyment …. but with a unique twist. The greens are grown aquaponically!
Aquaponics enhances the benefits of organic farming, producing multiple varieties of field greens in half the growing time, in a fraction of the space, and using only 5% of the water required for traditional farming. How is that possible you might wonder? It is accomplished by combining fish farming (koi and rainbow trout raised in 30,000 gallon tanks) with hydroponics (no soil needed) all in a closed system.
The fish are the growth engine, and just like any river, lake, or stream ecosystem, their waste products become the plant nutrients thanks to tiny aquatic creatures and microbes. That same water which nourishes the plants, is recovered, filtered to remove any residual contaminants, and reintroduced to the system. In essence, aquaponics embraces nature’s elegant design, in a manner that is eco-friendly, scalable, and produces dual revenue streams of produce and fish!
In response to the question of how he became involved in this farming venture, Ken replied “YouTube”. He then went on to explain that he had been an english major at UC Boulder, but it was a video on aquaponic farming that piqued his curiosity and interest. “With some further research, I decided to put my money where my ethics are”. (... a thought consistent with the values of Rotary...)
Many thanks to those on Speaker’s Committee who continue to provide great presenters across a wide spectrum of interests!
Photos courtesy of Peter Webb MD
