Meeting Notes from February 22, 2024
The meeting was opened by President Justin Raithel who led the Pledge of Allegiance. Bob Mange gave the Invocation.
Secretary Jim Padgett introduced guests and visiting Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Folsom Lake. With the teachers, their guests, Folsom Lake Rotarians, and our members, we had a full house of about 90 attendees.
President Justin announced that there are 10 spots left on the February 29 Mystery Trip.
He also announced that there are no spots left for rowers on the Dragon Boat but there are 4 alternate spots available. Our fund-raising goal for Powerhouse Ministries is $6,035 and we are currently at $2,498.20 or 41% of our goal.
President Justin presented a Paul Harris +4 pin to Carolyn Woods. Her husband, Frank, pinned it on her collar.
Lisa Ferro from the Rotary Club of Folsom Lake talked about their upcoming event with the Rotary Club of Historic Folsom on Friday, April 19 from 6 pm to 10 pm at the Folsom Community Center. The event is Bet on Rotary 2024 Game Night and Fundraiser. For information and tickets go to
2024BetonRotary.eventbrite.com.
Bob Mange introduced our program, Teacher Grants. He said that he is currently substitute teaching at both middle schools in Folsom and is enjoying being back in the classroom. Bob introduced the Folsom Cordova School District Superintendent and 3 Assistant Superintendents and thanked them for joining us for this special recognition of Folsom teachers. He then introduced each teacher who received a grant. We partnered with the Rotary Club of Folsom Lake and Sonny DeMarto, who coordinates the teacher grant selection for the Rotary Club of Folsom Lake, presented the checks to the teachers. Each teacher told us where they teach, the grade level they teach, and their project that was funded by the grant.
Sonny presenting a check to one of the teachers.
2024 Teacher Grants
At the February 22 meeting of the Rotary Club of Folsom, the 2024 Teacher Grants were presented to the teachers who were selected based on their projects. Bob Mange was emcee for the presentations and gave the following introduction about the grant program and our support of Folsom schools.
The Rotary Teacher Grant program started as a club project 27 years ago. It started as an up to $250 grant to fund a project, materials and/or equipment for a class or classes. Thanks to the generosity of our members this was the ninth year that grants have been offered as an up to $500 amount. The Rotary Club of Folsom Lake joined with us again this year and with both clubs provided a grants totaling $7,500. To date, Rotary has provided 366 teachers with grants that total over $157,000. This year we had 51 applications from 14 schools and were able to fund 20 grant winners.
Over the past 27 years, the Folsom Rotary Club has provided over $500,000 to Folsom Schools though the teacher grant program, annual Rotary Student Speech Contest, annual Student Scholarship program, Partnership for Tomorrow, which is our annual Leadership and Ethics Conference for high school juniors, and dictionaries annually to all Folsom third graders. The Rotary Club of Folsom also sponsors Interact Clubs at Folsom High, Folsom Lake High and recently sponsored a new Interact Club at Vista del Lago High School.
Bob introduced each teacher and Sonny DeMarto presented the checks to the teachers. Sonny coordinates the teacher grant selection for the Rotary Club of Folsom Lake. Each teacher told us where they teach, the grade level they teach, and their project that was funded by the grant. Here are the grants:
Teacher School Amount Project/Equipment
Jill Godtland Blanche Sprentz $492.14 Art Weekly
Aimee Peterson Blanche Sprentz $500.00 Play based learning
Swati Mangat T. Judah $442.76 Classroom Books
Elizabeth Isaacs Oak Chan $500.00 Literacy for Little Learners
Ashleigh Himmelberg Carl Sundahl $180.00 Novel Study-Lemonade Wars
Jean Girard Folsom High $216.00 National French Contest
Brett Bower Folsom High $385.00 Immediate Feedback Assessment Danielle Judd Empire Oaks $500.00 Mystery Science Kits
Genevieve Acosta Empire Oaks $500.00 Calming Area (Autism)
Kristine Baciocco Folsom Hills $327.55 Reading center Games
Patrick Crean Visa del Lago $450.00 PA System for Speech and Debate
Tricia Jenkins Mangini Ranch $207.50 Introducing Music Magic
Jennifer Torres Russell Ranch $500.00 Math curriculum for Special
Education Students
Chelsea Oherich Gold Ridge $490.00 Book Nook - Special Ed.
Kristina Cameron Natoma Station $98.68 Math Games
Juli Thompson Natoma Station $500.00 Play ground equipment
Reid Edlund Sutter Middle $500.00 Fish Tank Ecosystem
Beth Ruskauff Sutter Middle $214.00 Chess Club for All
Lyndie Aquila Sutter Middle $500.00 Material to engage students
Rachel Williams Folsom Middle $500.00 Ancient Civilization Monopoly
The teachers who received the grants with Bob Mange on the far right.
March Birthdays and Anniversaries
Happy Birthday to the following members:
- Bob Mange - March 3
- Jim Ortega - March 5
- Solomon Chis - March 12
- John Baciocco - March 13
- Josh Brannan - March 16
- Frank Woods - March 20
- Dave Doherty - March 22
- Will Kempton - March 29
Happy Anniversary to the following couples:
- Dave and Terri Doherty - March 24 - 38 years
- Leslie Cope and Josh Brannan - March 2 - 1 year
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