Soundings (8/19/14)

Posted by G. Stowe Talbot 
on Aug 20, 2014
 
Flag Salute & Invocation by Steve Swan
 
Visiting Rotarians: None
 
Guests: Stowe’s guest Chris Clark (ship brokerage business), Don and Jim (husbands of Celeste and Andy), Gordon’s daughter Virginia, Tonja’s coworker Heidi (head of childcare at St. Francis)
 
Brewers yielded $33K.
 
Committees will be up and running soon, we’ll have a club assembly late in September
 
Tonja announced fellowship event Jan 20 MBT Rain (Beatles tribute band).  Please put that on your calendar.
 
Fellowship gatherings: Jim Haupt announced this Thursday night at Bellwether 6-9pm. BBQ food available, music by the Atlantics, it will be a fun evening.
 
Rotario dinners:  Sarah R will host October 6 Monday night football dinner.  Engebretson will be hosting a dinner in September.
 
Brent Walker talked about our BBRC foundation.  It’s an endowment fund - we’ll never spend the principle.  501c3 entity, so all contributions are tax deductible.  Goal is to build significant fund to fund our charitable donations.  Started in September of 2000, 14 years ago. John Templeton was the first contribute a check.  We’re now at $275K.  10% of Brewers and G&G earnings always go to this foundation. 
 
Bob Becker will be auctioning his condo to highest bidder contribution to the foundation, next week.
 
New member induction
Eddie Hansen introduced Jeff Clement:  IT professional for 17 years, born in TX, moved to Bellingham as a kid, fell in love with skiing, attended WWU, graduated management systems, met wife Sarah in Colorado, then moved Seattle for a while before returning to Bellingham six years ago.  Has two young boys.  Jeff coaches youth soccer. Bill Gorman inducted Jeff into the club.  Curtis Dye and Bill Gorman will be his mentors.
 
Bucks in the Bay
  • Denise $100 for foundation for missed meetings, celebrated 50 year birthday, son’s wedding!
  • Terry Brown 5 days in Bay area, a 49ers game;
  • Curtis Dye’s kids likes Birch Equipment’s new service trucks, upfront theater really good;
  • Steve Kimberly train to/from Seattle;
  • Bill Geyer celebrated a hard-fought “victory” for a rezone (Sunset Drive), and his “birthday house” was sold yesterday;
  • Mark Turner missed meetings while in Pittsburg, enjoyed relaxing;
  • Pete Rittmueller missed meetings, Aug 6 birthday, daughter had 1-year wedding anniversary;
  • Tonja and son Iian both are cast in Lynden’s upcoming Sound of Music, her oldest child expecting a baby any minute!
  • Andy Clay wedding anniversary;
  • Brad Cornwell quizzed Flo about events in Missouri;
  • Doug Wight thanks Sarah for sponsoring the pros at the recent Hospice Pro-Am golf event, also thanked Jim @ Hotel Bellwether, Orphalee, Anna, Steve, and others, over $145K was raised for Hospice;
  • Gordon proud of daughter who finished first year of nursing school;
  • Lance took his son golfing, happy that Bellingham Bells finished their season, Nick sends his regards;
  • Lesa Boxx missed meetings, took nieces to California Adventure Park;
  • Scot wedding anniversary, trip to Whistler, trip to CA;
  • Stan Dyer has a cane because of back issues, and a surgery that did not happen.
Sergeant at Arms by Flo
 
Program
 
Dannon introduced our own Andy Clay, co-owner of Mt. Baker Care Center and Summit Place Assisted Living Center.  She is also a registered nurse, a licensed nursing home administrator, and has has a master’s degree in sustainable business. She has served on numerous boards and volunteers with many of them.
 
Andy talked about her founding a secondary school in Kenya.  The school has become very successful, despite the adverse conditions, and has graduated over 200 students, some of whom have gone on to college.  She showed a very inspiring video about the school and her work there.  Currently they are trying to create a computer lab, but first the school needs electricity.  Also they have a new focus on teaching entrepreneurship skills because unemployment is a huge problem in Kenya.
 
Respectfully submitted, 
Stowe Talbot