Castro Valley Rotarians Murline Monat and Gary Howard stepped up to provide the program for the day. Murline is currently serving as the Vice President of the Castro Valley Arts Foundation (CVAF). Rotarians Bernie Kempen and Bill Nott also served as members of the Board of Directors. The Rotary Club of Castro Valley has supported the CVAF in many ways since it was founded by Erma Smith and Terri Liebowitz in 1998 (read the history). Murline provided an update on current happenings with the CVAF and programs at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts (CVCFA).

Kathleen Scheidel – Update on Capital Punishment in California Kathleen is a Castro Valley resident who has been active in the schools (e.g., Marshall PTA, Measure G Bond Oversight Committee) and community, works for the State Public Defenders Office representing individuals charge with a crime subject to capital punishment. While she was not representing the Office today, Kathleen did provide a history and update of capital punishment in California. The 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution addresses “cruel and unusual punishment,” but nothing in the Constitution prohibits capital punishment. Her office has 40 attorneys and numerous paralegals, but is not funded or staffed at the same level as the Attorney General’s Office

Ginny Roth – Walk to End Alzheimer’s Ginny Roth, Chair of the East Bay Walk to End Alzheimer’s Volunteer Planning Committee, and Sherry Ford, a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association of California and Nevada, share their personal stories regarding Alzheimer’s in their families and explained why they are actively involved in the Walk to End Alzheimer, which is scheduled on October 20, 2018, at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek.