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Attend a meeting

Join us on a Wednesday convenient to you and experience the fun and friendship of the Rotary Club of San Jose!

Contact our Executive Director, Leslee Hamilton for more details and to RSVP at (408) 297-6101.

Join us

Fill out an application and join community leaders. Become a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose.

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“Service Above Self”

Rotary is a service organization of business and community leaders united worldwide.  Rotarians are making a positive impact in our local and global communities.

The Rotary Club of San Jose

Benefiting the community and our world through action, integrity, service, and fellowship.

The Rotary Club of San Jose is the largest, most active and well-known service organization in the community. We are a leadership organization working together to make a difference. Our members include local business, nonprofit, professional and civic leaders. We form lasting friendships through our shared Rotary experiences including weekly meetings with interesting speakers, committee meetings and projects, social events and group service projects within our community and internationally.

Diversity & Inclusion

Having a diverse and inclusive Rotary Club means we value and welcome individuals of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, and races to our Club. We invite younger people, women, and minorities who support Rotary’s values, ideals, and mission to join our members in service to our community, and we strive to give all members equal opportunities to serve as leaders within our Club.

The Speakers for October 9, 2024

Longtime Sharks TV play-by-play broadcaster Randy Hahn will share the strategy employed by the Sharks organization to reshape the team into one in which our community can be proud. Additionally, Sharks Vice President of Government Affairs Chris Shay will provide pertinent updates on the future of SAP Center at San Jose, how it continues to be a top economic generator for the City of San Jose, but also the need for substantial upgrades to the NHL’s soon-to-be oldest venue, and what lays ahead as talks to extend the team’s lease at SAP Center continue between the Sharks and city
 

Randy Hahn provides Bay Area hockey fans with play-by-play action for Sharks games on NBC Sports California. Hahn started with the Sharks  during their first season in 1991. In 2022 he called his 2,000th National Hockey League game. Along the way, Hahn has won eight Northern California Emmy Awards in the “On Camera Talent Play-by-Play” category. In addition to his career in sports broadcasting, which has spanned more than 43 years, Hahn is actively involved in charity work in the Bay Area especially with The First Tee of Tri Valley, Silicon Valley and Monterey County programs, Hope Services, the American Cancer Society, The Aubri Brown Club and The Have a Ball Foundation. He also actively supports the Campbell Chamber of Commerce.


Chris Shay is the Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at Sharks Sports & Entertainment. In his role, Chris serves as the primary liaison on all government matters involving the Sharks organization. Chris joined the Sharks in November of 2023 bringing with him extensive experience in capital construction having overseen 1M square feet of new construction and countless renovations at Stanford University, Santa Clara University, and San Jose State University during his 24-year career. Chris is a proud 24-year resident of San Jose, punctuated by a two-year tour in Vietnam at the U.S. Embassy. 


Quarterly Program Survey

To continue delivering programs that are engaging and entertaining, the Program Committee needs your feedback. Please take two minutes to click on the following link to complete our Quarterly Member Survey. You’ll have a chance to rate the topics and speakers we featured during Q3 2024 and to tell us about the topics and speakers you’re interested in for future programs. Here’s the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L9XQWRF
 


Lunch Order for October 9th Meeting

Scott's Seafood will provide lunch ($30*) at Wednesday's meeting. The buffet lunch menu includes: 

Starters: Minestrone Soup (VGT), Spinach Salad (VGT)
Entrees: Prawns and Calamari Fra Diavolo, Spaghetti Bolognese, or Vegetable Lasagna (VGT)
Sides: Sauteed Seasonal Vegetables (VGT), Roasted Red Potatoes (VGN)


GF - Gluten Free, VGT - Vegetarian, VGN - Vegan

Please order by Monday, October 7th at 12noon.  Plan ahead and order early! Late orders will be charged an extra $5.

Important note: If you have a 10-pack, you still need to register, so we have enough food. Please look at payment options as they have changed.

Click here to place your lunch order. 

*Rotary is underwriting the Service Charge and Sales Tax.


2025 Membership Directory in Progress!

We are working on the 2025 Membership Directory! You should have received an email from Tori with your current information. If any data is incorrect or missing, please either log into DACdb to update it or reply to the email giving the updated information. All changes must be received by Friday, October 18th.  

Want to update your DACdb photo?
Our talented Photography Committee will be holding a "photo booth" before the meeting on both October 23rd and October 30th from 11:30-12noon. No need to reserve a spot! Just make sure to show up early and dressed to impress! All photos are due on October 30th.

Interested in advertising your business or service?
Put an ad in the Directory! Please reach out to Tori Berninger at Tori.Berninger@gmail.com if you are interested. The deadline for commitments is October 18th. You must be a member to advertise.

Mobile App
Also, you can always access up-to-date directory information through the DACdb app, which is available for Apple and Android phones.

 


Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards

Home - Leigh WeimersJoin us to celebrate the 2024 Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards recipients. You can't help but be inspired when the winners share their art through performances or discussions. The event closes with our Club presenting each artist with an unrestricted grant of $5,000. Many of our members count this as their favorite program of the year!

We welcome all members of the community, even non-Rotarians, to join us for this wonderful event.

Wednesday, October 16 at Hammer Theatre from 12:15pm-1:15pm.

It is free to attend*, but the Hammer Theatre requires everyone to register with Eventbrite! Register HERE!

*Do you want to buy a $20 box lunch? If so, click here. Please plan to arrive early enough to eat before the meeting starts; no food or drink are allowed inside.


International Feast - Date Change Oct 18

The International Service Committee invites you to the Annual International Feast to enjoy the "Tastes of the World" focusing on Peru!

Improve Life and Health with Clean Water for Peru's Santa Rosa De Pedro Human Settlement. Enjoy a delicious international feast, music, Jaranon y Bochinche dancers, wonderful raffle prizes – and fun and friendship!

WHEN: Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 5:30pm
WHERE: Gordon House, 1690 Senter Rd, San Jose, 95112
COST: $70 per person, additional donations are welcome!

RSVP and buy tickets here.
To donate only, click here.


Next Big Project - Mobile Medical Clinic Public Launch

Service Opportunity: Native Pollinators Community Project

The Xerces Society needs help with their Habitat Kit distribution event. The plants come from the nursery as one giant order which they need to sort into 'kits', so that each project participant receives the correct selection of plants for their projects. It is somewhat labor-intensive (bending and lifting plants), but it is a really fun event!
 
Monday, October 21 & Tuesday, October 22, Martial Cottle Park, 5283 Snell Ave., San Jose 95136
 
The sign-up times are flexible throughout the day on that Monday and Tuesday – optimal windows are from 8am – 5pm.

Sign your team up here - you don’t have to be a Rotarian to volunteer!


The Donation Page is Back!


Thanks to Lisa Reigel's hard work, we have our donation page back up and running!

At the very top of our website, sjrotary.org, you will now see the word DONATE located next to MEMBER LOGIN. We currently have the donation module set up for the International Service Committee Feast, Gala Sponsorships, and Neurodivergent Youth Empowerment Fund. We are expecting to make more available soon.


The Meeting Summary for October 2, 2024

President Heather called the 5,454th Rotary Club of San Jose meeting to order. Jeff Pohle, our Piano Man, provided pre-meeting entertainment which accompanied the Rotary Video Loop. President Heather thanked the Golf Committee for forming today’s greeting line. The Golf Committee has an October 22 event planned; check with chair Nicholas Adams if you are interested in participating.

           
Guest introductions were facilitated by Red Badgers Hal Hendrickson and Yuhui Guo.
President Heather “rang the bell” for each Foundation donation of $100 from Rotarians sharing great personal news. There were an amazing 23 rings.

Rotarian David Cowan, Program Committee chair  1) provided a QR code for a program survey https://bit.ly/3TTk34R; and (2) then gave a preview of upcoming speakers (which is on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/SJRotaryClub/).




Mark Purdy will be speaking on October 30th.  Click here to purchase his book on the 49ers.

Rotarian Dan Pulcrano provided three updates for downtown San Jose this weekend.
 
1.  The Italian Festival in Little Italy (Saturday and Sunday days)
2.  Jon Nakamatsu and the Jazz Age at California Theatre (Saturday night and Sunday afternoon)
3.  Rock n’Roll San Jose, half marathon, 5K and 10K. (Sunday morning)

Earlier this month President Heather learned that San Jose’s Veteran’s Day Parade was going to be cancelled because of lack of leadership and funds. Rotarians, “people of action,” immediately began networking and raised half of the funds needed. President Heather gave a special shout-out to Brad Baron, Audrey Fox, Catherine Tompkison, Megan Toeniskoetter and Leslee Hamilton, modestly leaving herself off the list. The city has raised the additional funds, so the parade will happen.
                       
Rotarian Mary Curtis gave a report from the Disaster Relief Committee. They are currently reaching out to Asheville North Carolina Rotarians to understand the City’s needs after the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The Committee had dedicated funds for relief from the Maui Fire last year; currently the Rotary Club of Maui, on our behalf, is vetting an equine therapy program.
                                   
Rotarian Arthur Weissbrodt introduced our speaker world-renown astronomer and professor Andrew Fraknoi. The Asteroid 4859 is named after him.
Professor Fraknoi gave a talk on how space weather could get stormy in 2024-2025. He described the unquiet sun as a million miles across. 4.6 billion years old and composed of very hot gas. Atoms are ripped apart by heat which in turn forms a ball of plasma which has magnetic properties. Sunspots on the sun are a little cooler than the rest of the sun; by studying excess sunspots, the activity of the sun can be measured. Sunspots grow and decrease within an 11-year cycle. The professor shared a photo of the sun that looked like boiling miso soup or a lava lamp, all of which demonstrates the magnetic activity of the sun. As charged particles (arcs of hot gas) are ejected from the sun (coronal mass ejections) most are not hurled in direction of earth; however, there are consequences when the ejections (CMEs) are flung toward earth.

Earth has a magnetic field which protects us from most CMEs. As CMEs are ejected, they are captured, which form the Inner and Outer Van Allen Belts. If the CMEs overwhelm the Belts, charged particles come down and create geomagnetic storms. In 1989, this happened in Quebec and electricity was disrupted.

A future event could cause major harm to our electric and technology infrastructure. In  2024-2025 we are having the greatest sunspots and could therefore experience geomagnetic storms. Space Weather Prediction Center will give warnings.

Professor Fraknoi then answered multiple questions.

President Heather thanked Andrew Fraknoi (a fan-favorite) for a brilliant program; Rotary made a contribute to Trash Punx in his honor.
Next week’s speakers will be Randy Hahn, play-by-play SJ Shark’s commentator, as well as Chris Shay, VP of Sharks Operations. They will address the 2024-2025 season and the ability (or not) of the Sharks to remain in San Jose.

Two future Rotary events need reservations, which can be make online – The International Feast
(October 18) and the Leigh Weimer’s Emerging Artists Awards, (October 16).

President Heather announced the Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah, begins at sunset tonight and
continues through Friday at sundown. Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect on the previous year and focus on
hopes for the coming year.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Karyn Sinunu-Towery, Rotary Meeting Summaries committee.
To see all pictures, click here, thanks to Kathleen Thomas, Photography Committee.
Video is available here, thanks to John Duhring, A/V Committee.


New Member Tony Mata

Anthony ‘Tony’ Mata is a Chicago native and has resided in San Jose for the last 28 years. He served as a police officer, detective, and command officer for the City of San Jose including becoming police chief in 2021 and is currently the Chief Investigator for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

During his time working in public service, he has developed strong relationships with businesses, the community as well as national and world law enforcement agencies and leaders. It is through these relationships that he will continue to keep our City well informed.

Tony’s passion is to empower our youth because they are our future and especially our inner-city youth because he shares their lived experiences. As an Enlace Mentor at Evergreen Valley College for the last two decades and as a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago and San Jose State University, he is an ambassador for higher education.

He continues to support our San Jose community by participating on community advisory boards and attending various community events. He will support San Jose Rotary’s mission by leveraging Rotary events with our entire community.

His recent position has allowed him to spend more time with his amazing wife and children by traveling and supporting his children’s college and high school journeys.

 


New Member Yuhui Guo

Standing in a beautiful pecan orchard, Yuhui (Hui) Guo was deeply moved by nature's gifts—sunshine, water, flowers and fruits. This experience strengthened her commitment to agriculture and sustainable development. Originally from Beijing, Hui came to the U.S. in 2009 to study at San Francisco State University, where she served as president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association. She later earned her MBA from Santa Clara University.

Hui's community service experience includes her role as Project Manager at the China National Children's Center in Beijing from 2020 to 2022, where she led international exchange programs fostering cooperation and friendship among youth from diverse cultures. She also spearheaded biodiversity and climate change projects during COP 15 and COP 26. In response to the 2022 Pakistan floods, Hui organized a successful fundraising event with the support of UNHCR and environmental organizations, raising over 137,000USD (1 million RMB) in relief supplies to support disaster-affected communities and strengthen climate resilience.

As a former member of the SF Evening Rotary Club, Hui is excited to continue contributing to community service and sustainable initiatives.


Calendar

Gala Committee Meeting

More info

Red Badge Orientation

More info

Book Club Committee Meeting

More info

Red Badge Orientation

More info

International Service Committee Meeting

More info

Military Care Committee Meeting

More info

International Feast Day

More info

Fun & Friendship Committee Meeting

More info

Red Badge Committee Meeting

More info

Leigh Weimers Awards Committee Meeting

More info

Program Committee Meeting

More info

Unhoused Impact Committee

More info

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS

Randy Hahn, SJ Sharks Play-by-play commentator & Chris Shay, VP of Operations
Rebuilding the Sharks
Oct 9th 2024 12:15 pm
More info

Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists
Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards at Hammer Theater
Oct 16th 2024 12:15 pm
More info

Chuck Cantrell, Researcher/Writer/Producer: Dying to Stay Here
Why Does Race Matter? Race is not a determinant of potential, but it often predicts outcomes. What can we do as individuals to improve outcomes for everyone in our community?
Oct 23rd 2024 12:15 pm
More info

Mark Purdy, Author, Past Sports Columnist
The San Francisco 49ers: An Illustrated Timeline
Oct 30th 2024 12:15 pm
More info

Larry Gerston, Political Analyst
Analysis of 2024 Election Results
Nov 6th 2024 12:15 pm
More info