Richard Forster's Project for the 2011-13 year was to renovate a 150+ year old building in

downtown Ione at 25 E. Main Street, which belongs to the Native Sons of the Golden West Parlor 33.

After two months of almost constant work a contingent of workers from Ione's service clubs and good Samaritans had nearly completed their tasks as the day of the event arrived. Four hundred and sixty seven tickets were sold and about four hundred and fifty hungry people were fed. This was called the best crab we had ever served by several very pleased patrons.

The arrival of the Norovirus to our area as well and colds and flu took a toll on some ticket holders. Some partners and spouses were able to take dinner’s home to their shut-ins but everyone else ate until they burst.

In November of last year Rotary District 5190, covering north eastern California and northern Nevada, tried an experimental program providing leadership training to a select group of Eighth Grade students from 17 of its’ Rotary Clubs. Dubbed (REGL) Rotary Eighth Grade Leadership program it included Amador County’s four Rotary Clubs, which sent 10 students. Ione and Plymouth Foothill Rotary’s shared the $1,500 cost of sending 5 Ione Middle School students, selected by Principle Dr. Bill Murray, to the three day training at Grizzly Creek Ranch just east of Portola in Plumas, County.

Ione Middle School Eighth Grade Leaders receive Rotary International’s Four Way Test

From the left: Larry Costick, Jaida Edwards, Jake Herfel, Sharon Long, Miles Tomczak, Zoey Peters, Principle Bill Murray, and Katy Hirschfelt

From the left: Richard Forster, Judy Finch, George Lambert, Jake Herfel, Sharon Long, Andrew Tanis, and Jim Rooney

Rotary International (RI) and more than 34,000 clubs worldwide change their officers and Boards of Directors July 1^st of every year. Sharon Long Ione Club's new President has mapped out projects for her 2013-2014 year and has been very busy adopting many new procedural changes instituted by RI over the last several months.

Individual members of the Rotary Club of Ione have devised their own micro community service projects that when taken together make a grand impact on our community. During a Rotary District 5190 training session retire Ione teacher Judy Finch heard about making Birthday Bags for families in need. Walla; just a few weeks later Judy’s first individual program was born when she delivered the first batch of Birthday Bags to the Amador Interfaith Food Bank. Each delightfully decorated bag contains: a box of cake mix, cake pans, frosting, candles, balloons and a horn. Clients of the Food Bank have been very appreciative of this program.

After the success of her Birthday Bag project Judy was inspired to try another pilot project suggested at the training, which recycles food coupons discarded at the Post Office. By placing an empty box with a Rotary sign next to it stating that coupons are collected to extend the resources of the Food Bank folks have been sorting through the throw-away papers and placing coupons in the box. Judy delivers the coupons daily and those that the Food Bank can’t be used immediately go to a service group supplying military families where their expiration date is extended indefinitely. These are small steps by individuals that make a huge difference in the lives of people living on the edge of poverty.

Another small project, from an international prospective that was brought the Ione Rotary by Sharon Long is the WAPI. Slightly more complex and labor intensive than Judy’s Birthday Bags is the WAPI a water pasteurization indicator. The assembly process is guided but member and local wine maker Andrew Tanis using polycarbonate tubing, stainless steel and wax thousands of these little devices are being used to render water safe for drinking in areas of the world where treated water is not available. Ione Rotary assembles the WAPI’s and with the help of local travelers gets them to parts of the world where they can be used.

More on the WAPI history and distribution look for the link on the lower left portion of our home page