Flag Salute & Invocation by Mike Kirkland

Visting Rotarians: Terry Myers (Sunrise Club in Sequim) 

Guests: Nancy Steiger, Mark McCampbell and SJ Med Center crew.

Announcements:

Anna gave a special award Bob Moles for 30 years of perfect attendance!

Grape & Gourmet: Anna thanked some of the major sponsors such as Silver Reef Casino, Lakeway Inn, Applied Digital Imaging (Donna), Comcast, Cascade Radio, Walton Beverage, and several others.

Steve Kimberly explained that Northwest Youth Services has come to us with a request for $15K to help them complete the renovation of a "drop-in center" for homeless and at-risk youth.  The space is in a building they own on State Street.  The NWYS office is on the ground floor, and the drop-in center will be upstairs.  Our money would go to help finish the kitchen as well as buy some furnishings.  Anna explained that we had not planned to have a major gift this year, but we could make it work but using $4K from the Foundation annual proceeds, plus the remainder from our general external fund.  Dennis Archer motioned that the $15K donation from our club be approved, Lance seconded, motion passed.

 

Sergeant at Arms by Dale Brandland

Fines for Eddie, "newish members", Bob Moles, Bill Gorman, Donna, Tony, Sue, Phil X, Barry Kramer, Patti, among others.

Program

Christine introduced Nancy Steiger, CEO of St. Joseph's Medical Center (SJMC), which is part of the Peacehealth Medical Group.  Nancy gave an update on the center.  The hospital stated in the late 1800 when Cathlic sisters came to Bellingham to open a small hospital serving the local miners and loggers.  Journey to become "World Class".  Some recent accomplishments include many awards, and many widely recognized physicians.  

History: In 1891, two members of the fledgling Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace left their convent in Newark, N.J. and went to Bellingham, WA.  Their charge: to build a hospital to care for loggers, mill workers, fishermen and their families.  Over the next decades several other hospitals were created around the Pacific Northwest.  In 1976 they decided to consolidate the healthcare ministries of their Western Province by forming a not-for-profit system, Health and Hospital Services, which was renamed PeaceHealth in 1994. PeaceHealth now operates seven hospitals, medical office complexes, chemical-dependency services, home-health services, medical laboratories, and other services in five regions

SJMC provides a world-class patient experience:

  • focus on service,
  • healing environment (such as rotating art exhibits);
  • tasty, healthy food.  

Orienting towards the future.  Improving quality while improving quality. FY12 Sustainability Initiative. Growth and innovation.  Peacehealth is now building a facility on San Juan Island (Peace Island Medical Center) opening late next year.  Cancer Care Center also an upcoming project - which will be a unified placewhere all the cancer focussed care will take place.  It's a $23M project, very dependent on private donations.

Respectfully submitted,

Stowe Talbot