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- Written by: LaDonn Morgan
On behalf of Middletown Rotary, I want to thank everyone who participated for another sold-out, successful fundraiser for the Rotary Club’s 21st Annual Crab Feast and Auctions.
Thanks to continued support from major sponsors: Calpine Corp., Langtry Estate & Vineyards LLC, St. Helena Hospital-Clearlake and Reynolds Systems Inc., plus new sponsor Bottle Rock Power LLC.
Thanks to our local sponsors: Jim and Hettie at Clover Lake Dairy, Karen Turcotte at Eco-Arts of Lake County, the Smith’s Lifetime Health & Fitness Gym, Margaret at Lovie’s Nursery, Jon “The Tax Man” Meyer, Jeff and Sheri Smith at Middletown Animal Hospital, Tina and Tenae Stewart at Middletown Florist & Gifts, David Neft, Tri-Counties Bank and Westamerica Bank.
Our grand door prize was once again a coveted Hardester’s Market Basket plus a $100 gift certificate and was won by Brian Harms. Our signs and banners were donated by RAH Signs & Outdoor Media; our printing is by Jessica Bennett of Bennett Solutions. Twin Pine Casino & Hotel offered a special Rotary room rate for our out-of-town guests.
Every year, Karen Jones’ Floral Design Class at Middletown High School fashions our floral centerpieces, which are auctioned off. We then split the proceeds with our local FFA chapter.
And every year, our fabulous Interact Club at the high school offers the best of customer service for greeting, seating, serving and cleaning up. They deserve all the tips they make and recognition of the fact they choose to use the tips for club programs.
We give hearty thanks to our too-numerous-to-name-in-this-letter auction donors who are recognized in our auction book.
We’re a small club and rely on our Rotary friends to help us, so another click of those crab claws go to Kari Donley, Karen Turcotte, Andrea Siebert, Craig Bainbridge, Sheri Smith, David Neft, Wiley Weiss, Randy Perkins, Dustin See, Reg Garcia, Steven Novak, Robin and Brian Wallace, Alicia Adams and Linda Moran.
We had a lot of fun this year, the crab and chef Duane’s pasta was at its best, and we’re looking forward to enhancing our community with donations and hands-on projects. We’ll keep you posted. Check our Rotary Club of Middletown Facebook page for updates.
LaDonn Morgan is 2012-13 president 2012-13 and auction chair for the Rotary Club of Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: Nikki Sabatier
As teachers our job is to teach students. We do not only teach academics and standards, but we also teach students to become productive members of our community.
Our job is to offer insight and opportunity. We serve as role models, counselors, and advocates. We have a job not outlined in our job description; to show students how to give back to their community.
Saturday, Jan. 5, was opening day for the 2013 Konocti Basketball League (KBL) season.
Players and their families gathered at Lower Lake High School for a day of fun, teamwork and community celebration.
KBL has been bringing our community together for 25 years. The league serves more than 300 students in our community.
Students in good academic standing in grades three through eight are encouraged to participate in this extracurricular league.
Volunteers of all ages come together to make KBL possible each Saturday of the season.
This year there are 33 teams run by volunteer coaches and assistant coaches.
All of the volunteer scorekeepers, referees, bookkeepers and coordinators keep KBL alive with their dedication to our community.
Students are not only playing basketball, but learning to ref games, selling concessions and keeping score.
“We have an abundance of students from the high school that are volunteering their time,” said KBL coordinator Barbara Montalvan.
“We are a feeder program for the high school basketball teams, if students are sincerely interested in playing at the high school level,” she added.
Students are learning to give back to themselves and their community.
Teachers notice. Teachers appreciate. On behalf of the Konocti Educators Association (KEA) we would like to thank all of the volunteers that give this opportunity to our students and our community.
Nikki Sabatier lives in Lower Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
Guns do not give us power. Guns give us the illusion that we have power. We have no power over the major issues that we currently face.
For example, the environment: we know that we don’t have too many flushes before the bowl overflows, but we are helpless to effect change. We can’t even protect our beloved lake from despoliation.
The majority of Americans are opposed to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And yet, they are both over a decade long. We are lost in a loop of killing and dying. We used to at least have the perception that we had the moral high ground; now we betray our principles and our leaders torture and murder with impunity.
Another major issue of concern to us all is health care. The “Obamacare” bill was forged in a crucible of 100 senators, 437 congressmen and congresswomen, and 3,000 lobbyists.
Although there are some good things to the bill, such as not being denied coverage for “preexisting conditions,” the bill passed because it will make the health insurance companies more money.
Guns are not power, money is power.
A few years ago, our economy was in imminent danger of collapse because the credit spigot was about to be closed.
If the economy is a patient, credit is the life support system, and the plug was about to be pulled before the government (read: our money) began to bail.
The system that caused it is not much reformed, and the guys that caused it, have done so with impunity. If the “economic royalists” (FDR’s phrase) ruin the economy, there is nothing that you can do about it.
I admit that when a man lines up Bambi in his gun sights, and feels some nuance of libidinous excitement, he does have the thrill of power over life. (And, by the way, how do they call it sport, when the best the opponent can do is tie?)
But, as far as power over the decisions that affect our lives, we are but spectators.
Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Andrew McEvans
I have lived in Lake County all of my life.
Born in Ft Bragg, no hospitals in Lake County then. I remember when Soda Bay Road didn't go to Buckingham. It stopped at an orchard just up from Soda Bay Market which is now the corner of Bergeson and Soda Bay Road. Not where it is now.
I remember having to go to Loch Lomond to get to Lower Lake. The highway didn't exist then.
I remember riding our horses on the unfinished new road to Lakeport from Lower Lake.
I remember when everyone had guns, everyone smoked, everyone hung out at the Lakeview Tavern on Soda Bay. And everyone went to the Harbor Inn across the lake for the bar stool races.
I remember when people were friends and tolerant of faults. We all have them.
Once upon a time, I knew everyone in Lake County. No more. People are moving here with attitudes and city ways – homeowners associations and creating the very environment they were trying to get away from when they came here.
I am fortunate to have a ranch ... an insulator from these things. Until my young friend was killed at his store in Kelseyville.
I remember when we were all friends.
Andrew McEvans lives in Kelseyville, Calif.