Reminder: We will not be having a lunch meeting this Thursday, Match 17th at the club; we are dark as far as meetings go.
Instead we will be having our second annual St. Patricks' Day pick-up dinner at Los Pinos Mexican Restaurant in Cameron Park. We need more volunteers! Please contact President Mike if you can help at Los Pinos. And, we need to sell more dinners! If you have not already, please sign up for a pickup time and entree choice, and maybe a Margarita pitcher, from this Eventbrite link.
In 1971, when Dennis LeBlanc was a rookie officer fresh out of the police academy for the California State Police, he was assigned to Governor Ronald Reagan’s security detail. This was the beginning of their long-term working relationship and friendship. Dennis helped build and improve the Reagan’s 688-acre rural ranch in Santa Barbara and became the spokesperson and decision maker for the property. When Ronald and Nancy Reagan went to the ranch, Dennis accompanied them even after leaving his job at the White House. Eventually, the ranch was sold to Young America’s Foundation.
Dennis told many interesting stories about what Reagan was like when away from Washington and public life. One story: Reagan never left Washington when Congress was in session. He didn't want Congress doing things behind his back. At the ranch, President Reagan insisted upon participating in the hard work of building and maintaining a ranch. It kept him strong and vigorous well into his 70's. The house on the ranch was over 100 years old and only 1100 sq.ft. It was only added onto by a 6' extension to the bedroom, so Reagan's 6'2" frame could fit in there a bit better. There was another friend that President Reagan liked to have there: a former driver for Reagan by the name of Barney Barnett. The President enjoyed talking with Barney and Dennis just like one of the guys -- no deference or politeness needed. The Secret Service were shocked by some of the things that Barney said to the President, but that's how Reagan liked it.
Dennis worked at Pacific Bell during most of these years, and they gave him liberal leaves of absence so he could accompany the Reagans on their ranch when requested. He was a colleague of our member Steve Long at Pacific Bell. Steve told the story of how a campaign director called Dennis several times in one morning trying to get Dennis to go on the road to help with the campaign. Dennis kept refusing these requests saying that had been away from his family too much and needed to stay at home. Then Dennis got a call, picked up, and said "Oh. Hi Nancy." Steve (and Dennis) knew that the argument was lost at that point.
If you missed the meeting, Laurie's video of Mr. LeBlanc's talk is at this link.
Mike Dugan: Bob Dorr contributed $100 for the St. Patrick's Day Fundraiser. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for a pickup time and entree choice from this Eventbrite link.
Ben Young: Bike Program -- There will be a March 22 bike pickup from the MRF (the dump) to take them to the prison.
Don Fuller: Relief for the Ukraine -- Rotary International has formed a fund to get money & goods to people in need in the Ukraine or for refugees from Ukraine. The summary at the RI home page says: "Rotary clubs have taken swift action to provide food, water, medical equipment, and shelter for Ukrainian refugees." Please read about it and use the Donate Now link on this RI webpage.
Guests and Visitors:
Ben Young hosted: Antonio Dimateo, Astute Wealth Management; and Aaron Lungren, owner of Ammo Depot
Joe Harn, EDC Auditor/Controller, who heard about the speaker from our FaceBook posting.
Happy (or Not) Bucks
Don Fuller: $50 happy about having Dennis LeBlanc as a speaker; and that Joe Harn is in attendance after hearing about our speaker on our FaceBook page; and for a great trip to Singapore, where he was able to see his grandkids aged 1, 3 and 4.
Bill Ettlich: $20 happy to have a recent lunch with Sig Hanson. Sig's wife is in a memory care facility in Davis.
Mike Dugan: $10 happy about speaker Dennis LeBlanc.
Steve Long: $10 happy to tell the story about ex-PacBell colleague Dennis LeBlanc described in the larger story above.
Dave Sargent: $10 of Happy Bucks in thanks to Ben Young for his contribution of a dinner for 8 at Land Ocean, for the Christmas Dinner and Auction. A Rotarian who attended praised the event and the money it raised.
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