Dear Nevada City Rotarians and Friends,

 

We had a great time at our Social on August 15. Paula Gleicher Greenstreet gave her craft talk. What an incredible woman she is. In college she majored in Computer Information Systems back when it was just beginning to be “a thing.” She moved to Salt Lake City and worked as a software engineer for BTS, Broadcast Television Systems. Their major competitors were Envision and Grass Valley Group. Life changes led her to join the Grass Valley Group. She came here and she met and fell in love with Joe Greenstreet. They married in 2000. In 2001, amidst the dot.com bust, she endured a “Reduction in Force.” She joined Joe’s tax business, Broad Street Business Services. She found out that “taxes are exciting and fun.” She became a mortgage broker and in 2004 Andrea Mason joined the team. After the housing bubble burst, she went back to taxes.  In 2014, sadly, Joe was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Paula and Joe lived life to the fullest. They traveled to family reunions, New York City in December, challenged the Rubicon, and did lots of camping. After Joe passed away, Paula continued to run the business and became involved in volunteer service through the “Hope for Widows” group. She loves living a life of service and volunteers for Music in the Mountains. She looks forward to the new InConcert Sierra venue. She has become an active Rotarian and is working on the Paws and a Cause FUNdraiser team. We are so fortunate that Paula chose to become a Nevada City Rotarian.

 

This week please join me in giving a great big thank you and shout out to our International Services team. Last spring, several of our members returned from Los Barriles and shared the great news of a brand-new high school building in El Cardonal. Many students drop out there before high school because it’s just too far to commute down to the Town of Los Barriles for high school. Our team came back with a simple request, student desks and chairs for three high school classrooms. I knew someone who introduced me to The Reuse Network. It’s a non-profit agency which facilitates donations of used school equipment to schools in need. The offerings were far larger than we had capacity to accept and transport. Long story short, The Reuse Network and Char Wegener from the Los Barriles Rotary Club connected.
 

We just got this news from Char that the furniture arrived in Mexico. “Six people helped to empty the 52-foot trailer the day it arrived. We decided on storage at the Middle school because they have a covered basketball court and play area. It took us 5 hours to set all the furniture aside and organize separating the El Cardonal first. The El Cardonal teachers, delegation, school handymen, and police helped take the large lot for their schools there. They were able to unload all the furniture into the classrooms and are ever so grateful to have this gift. I'll make sure to forward pictures to you to share. This was the biggest project I've ever accomplished. However, I've said this before, and this was GREAT.” Personally, I find myself humbled and awed at the power of people helping people as we do in Rotary.

 

I saw a saying the other day that said, “August is the Sunday of Summer.” “Buckle your Seat Belts, The Nevada City Rotary Club is About to Fly!” We have our Lithium Ion Battery "Recycle and Recover" Collection on September 21 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Rood Center. Time to go mining in your junk drawers! Every bit of recycling helps to avoid new mining of the elements needed for our new technology. Then on October 20 we will need all hands-on deck at Pioneer Park for our new FUNdraiser, Paws and a Cause. The committee is busily planning a fun day for our canine friends and their humans.  Mark your calendar and stay tuned!

 

We are back to Creekside this week with GV Councilman Tom Ivy speaking about his vision for a biomass fuel program. Please RSVP with your lunch order!

 

Many thanks to those of you who turned out for our Patio Patter on Sunday, August 18. Here’s some fun photos here!