General information
RPA luncheons will continue to occur at the beginning of each February, May, August, and November at varying locations. Please note carefully the day of the week and the location of each event.
Upcoming dates will appear below when announced. Online reservations become available approximately one month prior to the event. If you have questions or comments about the luncheons, please direct them to Bryan Fong - <bryfong@gmail.com>.
Saturday, 5/10/25. Berkeley Country Club
Saturday, 8/2/25. Basque Cultural Center
Wednesday, 10/29/25. Spinnaker Restaurant
Next Meeting Information:
Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025
Social Hour: 11:30 am (cash bar)
Lunch served: 12:15 pm
Lecture begins: 1:00 pm
Topic: “The Mystical, Bountiful Farallon Islands”
Location: Berkeley Country Club, 7901 Cutting Blvd, El Cerrito
Presenter: Gerry McChesney, Manager, Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Summary:
Gerry McChesney
The archipelago of small islands known as the Farallon Islands (or, Farallones) sit about 30 miles west of San Francisco. Rugged and remote despite their proximity to The City, the islands have a storied history dating to the early 19th century that included seal hunters, commercial egg collectors, lightkeepers, and a naval station. These uses gave way to the islands’ protection as the Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The islands now host the largest seabird nesting colony in the lower 48 United States, with nearly 500,000 breeding birds, plus thousands of seals and sea lions, and other unique species found nowhere else. A natural biological laboratory, biologists have been studying the islands’ ecosystem since the late 1960s. Gerry’s talk will touch on all these topics with a focus on the wildlife and management of the Farallon Islands.
Gerry was raised in the fine state of New Jersey and has lived in California since 1985. An early interest in nature led to a fascination with birds. Early in college he realized that wildlife research and conservation, focused on birds, was the only career he had an interest in. He received a B.A. in Biology (focus on Marine Sciences) from U.C. Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Biological Conservation from Sacramento State University. While still in undergrad, he volunteered for two summer seasons studying seabirds on the Farallon Islands where he became hooked on seabirds and island ecology.
After finishing his B.A., he spent 14 years as a contractor for Cal Poly Humboldt conducting various seabird studies up and down the California coast as well as a study on marine mammal distribution. In 2002, he came to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to manage a seabird restoration project focused on Common Murres. Around 2008, his career brought him back to the Farallon Islands where he now serves as Manager. An avid outdoorsman, his weekends and other time off are mostly spent hiking/backpacking, biking, kayaking, and, of course, birding.
MENU:
Roasted Salmon
Grilled Flat Iron Steak
Vegetable Polenta Tower with grilled vegetables
No host bar
Ordering Instructions below buttons, if needed.
Ordering Instructions
For a smooth ordering experience, please try the following:
After deciding on your entree, fill in the “Name of Attendee” and any “Special Requests”
Click the "Add to Cart" Button under your menu choice
This takes you to your PayPal cart
If ordering for just yourself, checkout and you are done
If also ordering for a guest
Return to the "Luncheon Page" on the website, do NOT use the "Continue Shopping" button
Choose your guest's entree choice, fill in your guest’s name and any special requests
Click "Add to Cart"
Confirm both orders are correct and checkout
To Review Current Order:
Please remember, there may be those among us who are immunocompromised. We encourage anyone who wants to wear a mask to do so. We urge anyone who feels ill on the day of the event to stay home.
Use PayPal, credit card, or debit card with the button above.
To use a card, click on the "Don't have a PayPal account?" link at the check-out page to bring up the credit card or debit card options, as well as a link to set up a PayPal account if you wish.
If you use a PayPal account or Credit Card that is not in the name of the member, please enter the retiree's name in an unused box on the payment screen, or else email us the information - steensmaka@aol.com - so we apply it correctly.
If you have any other concerns reguarding your order, contact Kristine Steensma, steensmaka@aol.com. If having problems with these features, please try another browser or contact Ed Martin, .pattiandedmartin@att.net.
If you wish to pay by check, please make it payable to RPA and send it with a note containing the meal selections, names of attendees, and other info requested above, to:steensmaka@aol.com.
RPA
c/o K. Steensma, MD
2245 Oregon St
Berkeley, CA 94705-1023
But if it's just a few days before the luncheon, don't use postal mail - we may not get it in time. Instead, contact Ed Martin directly regarding availability by email: <pattiandedmartin@att.net> or phone: 707-853-1217.