by Tom Port
Showtime: Terry opened the well-attended meeting by the invitation to a Teriyaki Chicken lunch.
Shekhar Mehta is Rotary International President and this year’s theme is: “Serve to Change Lives”.
Greeter: Jerry Marrs though for the day: “Life’s most important question: “What are you doing for others?”
Visitors: Carol Rowley President of the San Ramon Historical Foundation, and the speaker, Solhail Siddiqui
Announcements: Dr. Glen Weber reminds us to be sure to make our annual contribution to the Rotary Foundation.
Scholarship Applications: Colette says applications are being accepted.
Club Leadership: Our President Elect, Carolyn Degnan, has, sadly, concluded she does not feel able to serve next year and so, after some deliberation, we have decided to appoint a new President Elect, Mike Roberts. Thank you Mike for taking on this major responsibility. We are all looking forward a wonderful year under your leadership.
Annual Military GALA: Mike Conklin of Sentinel’s of Freedom reports that on May 21 the Marine Corps will be honored at this year’s GALA with a keynote speech from the 35th Marine Corps Commandant. Sponsorships are available at $10,000 or individual plates at $300.00.
Book Of Traditions: Chris Gallagher presented Terry Koehne with the long-cherished and much ignored “Book of Traditions”. Hopefully, our current President will keep it well dusted until he passes it off to Michael Roberts.
Interact: Cal High reported:
Interact brought in about $400 in sales during Dos Coyotes Fundraiser and collected over 470 Hygiene Items for “Simply the Basics”. They also completed the Bollinger Canyon Sight Words Painting.
The “Saver’s Clothing Drive” ends Mar 3rd (Collection Day Feb. 26-27 from 1-2:30pm)
The Trinity Center Sandwich Making Event is Feb. 17.
Interact is currently publicizing Camp Royal, Camp Venture, and Scholarships to members and, as always, they have numerous other activities planned.
Program: Harlan House Preservation
Sohail Siddiqi, a local resident and real estate investor, presented his plan for restoration of the long neglected and furiously debated Harlan House. The Harlan house, known as El Nido, (the nest), was originally built in 1852 by Joel and Minerva Harlan. Known for its carpenter gothic style, it was part of a cattle ranch and remains the oldest structure in the valley.
The ownership passed from the Harlan family in 1932 when it was purchased by the Gelderman family.
In the 1990’s much of the structure was demolished by a developer who had other plans for the property.
Since then, the structure has slowly deteriorated to its present rather sorry condition.
Mr. Siddiqi purchased the property in 2017 and developed a plan to renovate the house in combination with a 48 room “assisted living” residency. The first floor of the house would be a common area connected by breezeway to the residency and the upper floor would be utilized as administrative offices. The exterior design of the assisted living facility would be comparable to and consistent with the carpenter gothic style of the Harlan House.
Unfortunately, substantial opposition has developed from neighboring property owners who had long hoped the dilapidated house would be demolished and the property made into a park. Also, they apparently object to the construction of an assisted living facility at that location. However, the City of San Ramon has so far not been willing to incur the expense of purchasing the property for use as a park. Meanwhile, those who favor historic preservation are mostly supportive of Mr. Siddiqi’s development plans.
So, the future of “El Nido” remains uncertain.
Raffle:
Bill Harlan won the Greeter’s Gift; Jerry Marrs won the Progressive, but drew a black marble.
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