Next Meeting (8/27/15): Dr. Sarah Wagner, manager of MCDH’s Rehabilitation Services Department, will give us an update!

(Notes thoughtfully provided by Past President John Cottle, covering for our Secretary’s vacation. Thanks, John!)

Erich Schmidt called the meeting to order at 12:15, and Ray Alarcon led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.  John Porter was beaming as he led us in God Bless America.
Visiting Rotarian Dennis Kirwan of Ft Bragg, owner of Geo Aggregates is becoming a resident of Mendocino and may be transferring his membership to our club.
Guests included Django Dimitri, winner of the Masterson Scholarship, who will be attending Sacramento State this fall.  Our speaker Sheila Semans was joined by her mother Diane.
Susan introduces our guest.

Susan introduces our guest.

Sean introduces our scholarship winner.

Sean introduces our scholarship winner.

Kira gives happy dollars!

Kira gives happy dollars!

Happy dollars were given by Pete Rose who donated both of the dollars he won at poker, John Cottle for a decent

Pete gives happy dollars!

Pete gives happy dollars!

turnout at Highway Cleanup, Sean Leland for a fun family vacation, and Kira Meade with 16 teams signed up for our Golf Tournament.

John C. gives happy dollars!

John C. gives happy dollars!

Finemaster Ray introduces today's speaker.

Finemaster Ray introduces today’s speaker.

Ray introduced our speaker after pounding us like storm surf with questions about the ocean, doing so with humor and innovation.

Sheila Semans had a 20+ year career doing ocean conservation while mapping the ocean floor and currents.  These days she is managing the Noyo Marine Center, started by the City of Ft Bragg in 2006 for the purpose of developing an education and research center on 12 acres near the SW corner of the 420 acre ocean front Mill Site.  The Noyo Marine Center became a 501c3 in 2014, with mandates to build a board and research consortium, fundraising, propose architecture, build partnerships with universities and other like minded entities.

Speaker Sheila Siemans.

Speaker Sheila Siemans.

One of the first buildings will house the blue whale skeleton, the specimen that washed ashore near the Botanical Gardens in 2009.  Sheila showed us pictures which conveyed the magnitude of the project, and some of the science which was gained in the process.  The bones had to be extracted, then buried for 4 years while microbes aided the cleaning process.  This will be one of only 20 displayed complete blue whale skeletons worldwide.  In addition, the Center has been gifted an orca skeleton which when displayed will be the world’s largest!  Their sea lion skeleton is already on display in the Ft Bragg City Hall.8-13 Sheila-2r
Phase 1 is developing education and conservation programs.  Phase 2 will focus on research facilities and lodging for visiting researchers.  It will be an earth friendly facility, boasting energy efficiency and a living green roof.

Noyo Marine Center staff.

Noyo Marine Center staff.

Our next regular Thursday club meeting will be Aug 27.  Donna Schuler will introduce Sarah Wagner, manager of Rehabilitation and Wellness Dept. at MCDH.