Soundings (2/20/18)

Posted by Inga Drechsel on Feb 20, 2018
Flag Salute & Invocation by Bill Geyer
 
Visiting Rotarians: None
 
Guests: Erika Buse
 
Announcements
 
Tresha Dutton with birthdays and Rotary anniversaries. 
 
Fellowship event on March 10th dinner (venue TBD) and show at Mt Baker Theatre (“Gobsmacked”, see http://gobsmackedtheshow.com), please let Eric Chambers know if you would like to join the group for dinner.
 
Follow-up to last week's programs - Tresha will provide a summary of the notes from the discussion.  There will be a follow-up meeting next month.
 
Business Promo: Orphalee Smith paid so John Templeton wouldn't tell the joke
 
Bucks in the Bay
  • Bill Gorman in honor of his friend who passed away last week
  • Tim Krell for 24th Wedding Anniversary and a great day at Mt Baker
  • Brad Cornwell for his two daughters and their adventures
  • Christine Palmerton for the joy of spending time with a grandchild, and the birth of another grandchild
  • Bill Unrein for birthday, grandchildren
  • Phil Hageman for seeing Chuck Olson, who passed along greetings, and for a visit with grandchildren
  • Mark Turner for a wonderful weekend at a gay men's retreat, and looking forward to hip surgery.
  • Mark Turner - various fines & misdeamenors
Program
Barbara Demorest was the presenter, and founded  knitted knockers.  knitted knockers is a non-profit creating knitted prosthetics for women who have experienced mastectomies due to breast cancer.  Barbara battled breast cancer about six years ago, and a friend made her a knitted prosthetic.  She says it changed her life, and so she partnered with friends and a local doctor to create prosthetics for other women.  
 
The prosthetics are made to order for free for women all over the country.  Patterns are available online for download on the website, and the pattern has been downloaded more than 800,000 times.  Video tutorials of how to make the patterns has been viewed 340,000 times.  Brochures are available in 550 medical clinics all over the country.  Barbara estimates that 1,000 knitted prosthetics are made each month!  She has organized state suppliers and now has 204 providers in the country, and there are approximately 4,000 registered knitter volunteers in 20 countries.  
 
Barbara was lucky enough to travel to Rwanda a few years ago to teach local women the pattern.  There is much stigma in Africa regarding mastectomies, with women often choosing to keep their breasts even if it is not the best choice for medical treatment.  In Rwanda, her trip was reported on by the local media.
 
Barbara says that the stories from the women receiving the prosthetics are priceless, and she says that when asked if she could change her own breast cancer diagnosis if she could, she wouldn't, due to the journey she has had with knitted knockers.
 
There are three ways to help the organization:
1) Volunteer to knit or crochet 
2) Share the story on social media
3) Donate to the organization at:
 
 
Stew Ellison wins the raffle!
 
Respectfully submitted,
Inga Drechsel