President Phil Siegle called the meeting to order at 12:35.
Past President Lage Anderson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Announcements:
Past President Marilyn Orr received an email from Joe Galligan that former member Mary Janney passed away last week. She joined the club in 1989 and was the first woman president of Burlingame Rotary and the first woman Governor of District 5150.
Jennifer Pence announced that two weeks from today is the holiday lunch, with catering from Esposto’s. Jonnie and his girlfriend Anita will serve us. The cost is $40. Christine Krolik’s trio, Swing Set, will provide the entertainment. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.
Past President Marilyn reminded us that we are less than two months away from the 100th Anniversary Gala at Kohl Mansion. Don’t forget to sign up! The date is Thursday, January 30. Cocktails are at 5:30, and the dinner and program start at 7 p.m. Doug Person gave out candy bars for folks who had signed up to attend.
Jennifer passed along news and photos from Bobba’s trip to India. The official invitation has gone out for the opening of the school, and the official plaque lists Rotary Club of Burlingame and several Burlingame Rotarians as donors. Thank you to all of the generous donors!
Newscast+:Jennifer has been in the thick of college application season. That got her thinking about undergraduate majors. She then did some research on Burlingame Rotarians to find out their majors and gave a pop quiz to see if we could figure out what people studied. Past President Cary Koh majored in music, obviously. William Li majored in managerial economics. Lisa Goldman majored in American history. Past PresidentMarilyn majored in German languages and literature. Alan Drummer majored in English, while Christine majored in English and theater. Rachel Ni majored in consumer studies and family economics.
Program: Past President Cary introduced today’s speaker, Burlingame Rotary’s own Peter Comaroto. Peter was born and raised in Burlingame and has been a member of Burlingame Rotary for 14 years. He just got back to town after a few months away. Peter brought back several different sized bottles of extra virgin olive oil, some of which were available for taste tasting at the end of the program. Peter is working to introduce an extraordinary extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) to America, sourced from a little-known region in the deep south of Italy.
Peter started his presentation with a video of the town that his family has lived in since at least the 1700s and possibly earlier. People in the town have been growing and harvesting olives for centuries, turning the fruit into EVOO.
Italy has been producing olive oil for over 3000 years. It’s served as a healing balm, a sacred oil in rituals, a fuel for lamps, and a core ingredient in Italian cuisine. Monasteries played a significant role in the cultivation and production of olive oil as the Catholic Church gained more land and power. Olive oil became synonymous with family, tradition, cuisine, and the Mediterranean Diet. Today, olive oil is undergoing a transformation, with over 50% of EVOO failing to meet quality standards. Yikes!
In 2023, Peter became an Italian citizen and moved to southern Italy for about six months. He visited his family’s village in southern Italy and immediately felt deeply connected to the land and people there.
Olive oil and wine are the primary crops of the region. Peter’s first experience with homemade olive oil was at house of one of the villagers (Peter calls her Mama), where she made spaghetti with her homemade oil. After the passing of Peter’s mother while Peter was in Rome, he honored her wish to keep the family together and began to explore the deep cultural, religious, and familial significance of olive oil.
Peter told us that to pick a good EVOO, you should get a dark bottle (preferably glass, not plastic—recycle those giant plastic Costco bottles!), which protects the oil from light degradation. Freshness is key. Look for the harvest date to ensure the oil is recent. Ensure the oil is made with olives grown and harvested in Italy and that it is processed in Italy and maintains the traditional quality of Italian olive oil. Look for DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) or organic certification to guarantee authenticity and quality. Once you purchase your oil, use it within one to three months for optimal freshness and flavor. Olive oil does not improve over time.
EVOO has many health benefits. It reduces LDL (bad cholesterol) and promotes heart health. It reduces the risk of heart attack by improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It reduces inflammation, helping with conditions like arthritis. It fights free radicals in the body, reducing the risk of oxidative stress and chronic diseases. It promotes bone, brain, and skin health. It may help reduce the risk of cancer, particularly breast and colorectal cancer. It supports digestive health, promoting regularity and gut function.
Peter is working with farmers from the region where his family lives in the south and from the region where his wife’s family lives in the north to bring this EVOO to the US.
There was a question. What makes olive oil extra-virgin vs. virgin? Peter said that chemical analysis, looking for certain compounds, allows the oil to be legally marketed as extra-virgin. He provided the full list for those who are interested.
President Phil closed out the meeting after thanking Peter and presenting him with a certificate noting that Burlingame Rotary is donating polio doses in his name.
Twists, Turns, and Triumphs: Building a Resilient and Well-Rounded Leadership Journey
Join us for an inspiring fireside chat with Shannon Nash, a global leader, CPA, attorney, and award-winning filmmaker, as she shares her remarkable journey from law to finance, overcoming personal and professional challenges, and eventually breaking barriers in the boardroom. Through twists, turns, and triumphs, Shannon will reveal how resilience and diverse experiences shaped her leadership and fueled her passion for increasing diversity on corporate boards. Don’t miss this engaging discussion and a special screening of the OnBoard trailer—a film sparking critical conversations about inclusion in leadership.