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Meeting Highlights provides members, guests, and the community an overview of each speaker's presentation, significant Club and member achievements, and information regarding upcoming speakers and events.                                                                                                                                                                                                           Jim Negri, Editor
Growing Walnuts
Henry Gilbert, Gilbert Orchards
President Gary Howard introduced Henry Gilbert as a Renaissance Man:  anthropologist, paleontologist, professor, author (Homo erectus: Pleistocene Evidence from the Middle Awash, Ethiopia), and currently, a third-generation walnut farmer at Gilbert Orchards (founded over 100 years ago).
 
After a brief discussion of his academic life including positions that he still holds at UC Berkeley, CSU East Bay, and the Director of the Kesem Kebena Project in Ethiopia, Henry explained how he became a walnut farmer on 2000 acres in Wheatland, California.
 
Henry provided a great deal of information about the history of walnuts, walnut farming, the current market including labor issues and land prices including the fact that walnuts come from the foothills of the Himalayas and were spread by Alexander the Great as food for his troops.  Walnuts then spread to the Mediterranean and into Europe.
Business Computers vs. Ransom Ware
Mark Hall, Owner NetSolutions 
Mark Hall, CEO/President of NetSolutions in Concord, spoke on Business Computers vs. Ransomware.  In his six-minute presentation, Mark
  • defined ransomware,
  • described the Most Common Methods of Ransomware Infections in North America,
  • detailed the Top-Clicked Phishing Tests/Top Social Media Email Subjects,
  • focused on the Top 10 General Email Subjects for phishing, and 
  • shared how to prevent ransomware without completely shutting down a company’s network or computers.
  • The Rotary Club of Castro Valley is the new sponsor of the Castro Valley Car Show 2021Chair Dave Sadoff provided an update on event scheduled for October 2nd.  Everything is moving forward very well with over 60 cars already registered.  Watch for requests from Dave for assistance with this great community event.
  • Ceta Dochterman announced that she is now living at Baywood Court, a corporate member of Rotary.  Ceta invited everyone to drop in an say hello.
  • Dwight Perry reported that he has talked with Cliff Sherwood two or three times in the past week.  Cliff is rehabbing and getting stronger, and should be home this weekend.  Chris Carr noted that Cliff has responded promptly to emails.  Wishing Cliff, a speedy recovery.
  • Ceta Dochterman provided an update on her brother, Former Rotary International President Cliff Dochterman, who has been in ICU at John Muir Hospital.  Ceta reported that Cliff is improving slowly and plans to be around a few more years.  Cliff has made a great contribution to Rotary Internation.  Keep him in your thoughts.
  • President-Elect Dwight Perry thanked members for volunteering to chair and serve on committee next year; however, he noted that the new Technology Committee still needs a chair.  This committee will be critical as the Club moves to hybrid meetings in July.  Jim Negri responded to a question explaining the need for the Technology Committee.  Please contact Dwight ASAP if you are willing to chair the Technology Committee.
  • Past President Todd Anglin, Demotion Chair, reported that details have be finalized for the Demotion that will be held on June 29th at Redwood Canyon as an in-person event.  Cost is $35 per person for food and drink.  Registration information has been sent to all member and is available here
  • Roland Williams noted that the East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD) Advisory Committee of which he is a member approved the renaming of Concord Hills Regional Park to Thurgood Marshall Regional Park - Home of the Port Chicago 50.  The EBRPD Executive has also approved the name.  The EBRPD Board will vote on the name at it July meeting.  President Gary thanked the Racial Discrimination Forum members for their work on the petition to support the name change.  Lance Brede noted that in August, he will have a speaker to provide the history of the park and the events leading the naming.
  • President Gary Howard reminded members of the joint meeting with Castro Valley Science on June 8th at 12:00 pm featuring scientists from the South Pole describing their work on Project Ice Cube.  Register here.
  • Watch the announcements here. 
June 1 at 12:00 pm - The State of the Economy
David Wissinger, Mechanics Bank
 
June 8 at 12:00 pm - Project Ice Cube
A webcast from the South Pole with scientists (called winterovers) currently living and working at the South Pole  
 
June 15 at 12:00 pm - Comcast in California 
Keith Turner, Sales & Marketing VP for Comcast California
 
June 22 at 12:00 pm - Annual Report to the Club
President Gary Howard
 
June 29 at 6:00 pm - Presidential Demotion
Information here.
 
Hybrid meetings are planned to start tentatively in July.  Watch for details. 
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
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Rotary Club of Castro Valley
P.O. Box 2107 
Castro Valley, CA 94546
www.castrovallyrotary.org
Founded 1953
Gary Howard, President