The Weekly Meeting Summary of the Rotary Club of Livermore Valley
August 5, 2025
OPENING THE MEETING
President Sarah Palmer called the meeting to order at 8:15 AM
Pledge of Allegiance - Ward
Thought of the Day - Mony: They say politics is the art of the possible, Rotary is the art of the service project that sounded simple, until it wasn't.
Whether you're passing a bill or passing out dictionaries, one thing we can all agree on-nothing ever goes exactly as planned. But we show up anyway.
That's the magic of leadership: stepping into chaos with a smile, a clipboard, and a budget that doesn't quite add up.
So to our elected officials here today; thank you for our service. And if you ever need a few dozen volunteers who know how to run a crab feed, build a playground, or move mountains with a raffle ticket, you know who to call.
Joke of the Day - John Marchand: Three pets arrived at the pearly gates. God says to the small dog. What is your purpose to mankind? Small dog, we provide companionship to mankind. God asks the big dog. We are here to protect mankind. God asks the cat. Cat says, I believe you are in my chair.
VISITING ROTARIANS & GUESTS
Visiting Rotarian: Roy introduced Bob Tucknott from the Dublin Club. Jerry introduced Mike Tompson from the Livermore noon club.
Guests: Sarah introduced Major John Marchand of Livermore and Major Jack Balch of Pleasanton. Mony introduced Senator McNerney and Caption John Reynolds of LPD. Beth introduced Trevor Dilling from Senator McNerney's office.
TODAY'S 10-SPOT
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rotary Golf day: September 11, noon to 5 PM, Wente, All golfers welcome. $85. Contact Mike Thompson; 925-784-0978
Gib Souza married Pam Souza today, for the second time. Well Gib, they say the second time is a charm! Congrats to you and Pam!
Tour of France started in 1903. Today's race is 3032 kilometers or 1880 miles. One American won three times: Greg Lamond however Lance Armstrong won 7 times but was stripped of his titles due to doping violations. Average speed is 26 mph, up hills is 13 mph. Fastest downhill is 63 mph. There was more but he got cut off by a short blond lady.
TODAY'S PROGRAM: STATE SENATOR JERRY MCNERNEY
Senator Jerry McNerney was elected to the Senate in 2024, after serving 16 years in the U.S. Congress. His 5th District includes all of San Joaquin County and Alameda County’s Tri-Valley.
McNerney served in Congress from 2006-2023, where he was a member of several Congressional committees, including the Veterans Affairs Committee, the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. He also chaired the Artificial Intelligence Caucus, the Congressional Grid Innovation Caucus, and the WiFi Caucus. He authored the AI in Government Act.
In the California State Senate, McNerney serves as chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, and is a member of the Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee; Budget and Fiscal Review Committee; Budget Subcommittee #2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy; the Agriculture Committee; Military and Veterans Affairs Committee; and Joint Committee on Fairs Allocation and Classification.
This year McNerney has authored legislation help make California more affordable, ensure clean water and protect against future droughts, accelerate the transition to clean energy, and make sure that artificial intelligence is safe and beneficial.
Prior to serving in Congress, he spent more than 20 years as an engineer and consultant in the energy and clean energy industry, helping develop cutting-edge wind technologies and wind turbines.
NEXT WEEK'S SPEAKER
Next week we will hear from the students we sent to RYLA this summer.
