Flag Salute & Invocation by Tim Krell
Guests: None
Visting Rotarians: None
Announcements by Mike Bates
On Wednesday March 18th, we will be hosting a “New Members Social Hour” at Keenans with a District 5050 representative (New members are those who became members over the past two years). Invitations were sent to 15 folks; please rsvp ASAP.
On Thursday March 19th at 4:30pm: BBRC Board Meeting at RMC Architects office.
On Tuesday March 31st, 4:30pm there will be an “Intra Club Social” at the Lynden Inn with the Mt Baker, Semiahmoo and Whatcom North Clubs.
Call out for RYLA applicants, May 7-10 https://district5050.org/sitepage/ryla/rotary-youth-leadership-awards
Upcoming District Conference April 30-May 3 at Harrison Hot Springs https://district5050.org/sitepage/district-conference-1/
Rotary Leadership Institute May 7-8 in Mount Vernon https://www.district5050.org/Event/rli-weekend
Brewers By The Bay 2020
Saturday June 13th from 6pm-10pm
Market Depot Square
Members are required to sell/purchase 12-$25 tickets
All member will be asked to join in the fun with the day of event tasks.
Details see lancercalloway@outlook.com or 360.961.5323
Annual “Changing of the Guard” Party
Tuesday, June 30th, 5:00
Bellingham Golf & Country Club
Details to follow...
Wine By The Water (a Grape & Gourmet event) 2020
Sunday, October 4th, 2:00-6:00
Hotel Bellwether
Members are required to sell/purchase 2-$95 tickets
For details see planning committee: Lesa (lesa.ferguson@countryfinancial.com), Tresha (tdutton@whatcom.edu) or Mike (mikebates9@aol.com).
Business Bucket by Curtis Dye
Plug for his company Interconnect Systems, receiving many requests for “work from home” systems which IS can quickly install. IS also can assist with consulting and flexibility for setting up office systems.
- Mike’s son's girlfriend is an epidemiologist!
- Brent Walker with wife went to Ikea (Canada);
- Tim Krell went to rugby tournament at BC Place, really fun event, fans are really dressed up, plus he scored a hockey goal, and going to see Canucks this wkend;
- Lesa Ferguson for 56th birthday;
Sergeant at Arms by Lesa Ferguson
Fines for the low turnout, and trivia on month of March.
New Member Talks:
Stowe Talbot introduced Doug Thomas CEO of Bellingham Cold Storage. Doug talked about a proposed local hatchery project he is working on called "San Juan AREA Sea Life" https://www.sanjuanareasealife.org/. This would be a new model hatchery, based here in Bellingham, but benfitting the entire North Sound ecosystem. Many stakeholders in such a project: The tribes, WA DFW, Southern Resident orcas, Whale watching, POB, fishers, tourism, support, COB and WC, taxpayers, local resident.
They are basing the San Juan AREA hatchery on the design and structure of an existing hatchery in Juneau, Alaska called "DIPAC" (http://www.dipac.net/): one of the most successful hatcheries in the world (“best in class”). Doug and his team have taken several field trips with stakeholders up to tour and learn from the DIPAC plant.
The current WA hatchery model is a taxpayer-supported model:
- Budget constraints common,
- Limited education and tourism component,
- Limited marking of fish,
- Always on the tax roll,
- 1.6-1.8% return rate success.
The Alaska hatchery model (which AREA wants to emulate) is a private, non-profit, cost-recovery model:
- Mostly self-supported,
- Funding constraints are uncommon
- Robust education and tourism component,
- Remote-release site advantages,
- 100% marking of fish,
- 2-4% return rate success.
Currently, Doug and the AREA team members are working with the tribes and the legislators to get bipartisan support for such a project. DIPAC (Alaska) really wants to help out and lend advice and know-how to the effort. Still some staff at WDFW are more hesitant about the idea and need to be convinced.
Raffle won by Andy!
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot