Soundings (6/13/17)

Posted by G. Stowe Talbot on Jun 13, 2017
Flag Salute & Invocation by Guy Occhiogrosso
 
Visiting Rotarians: None
 
Guests: Someone from Peacehealth, and Bill Unrein's colleague Deka Wiebusch from Fairhaven Financial Advisors.  
 
Dannon read more from club history 2014-15.
 
Announcements
 
This year’s Changing of the Guard is Monday night, June 26th in the Bellwether ballroom.  Appetizers and drinks start at 5:30, dinner will be served at 6:30. There will be live music by the Atlantics.  Dinner costs $30/pp (children welcome, at a reduced cost), and there will be a no host bar.  Come enjoy a great fellowship evening as we say “Thank You!” to President Dannon and welcome our new incoming president, Curtis Dye!  RSVP by contacting Andy Clay (aleebron@aol.com).
 
Brewers by the Bay will be Sunday July 23, 2017 from 2-6pm.  You can get your 12 tickets electronically by clicking HERE (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-brewers-by-the-bay-tickets-34635934011).  Tickets also for sale at the Rotary meetings. Cost is $25 advance, $30 at the door.  Food trucks will provide food this year - no need for volunteers for grilling duties.
 
Fellowship Bellingham Bells baseball game June 20th NEXT TUESDAY.
 
Dannon handed a $50,000 check from our club to Karen Burke for DVSAS's Baker Place project.  This is a small house that has been remodeled into a 4 bedroom house, providing temporary housing for women fleeing domestic abuse.
 
Business Bucket by Guy O
Bucks in the Bay
  • John Templeton said Windermere agents had a fundraising / workparty last weekend for the Lydia Place housing project on Cedarwood;
  • Michael Reams got married at Lairmont Manor then had a great Hawaiian honeymoon!
  • John Purdie update on daughter’s wedding, very successful beautiful weekend!
  • Tonja Myers missed meetings in Idaho, boyfriend’s daughter got married there, and a fifth grandchild was born;
  • Stew Ellison trip to CA, another wedding Saturday in Bellingham and a lovely Sunday on the Bay;
  • Karen Burke talked about (Rotary sponsored) little handout that DVSAS produces called “You Deserve to be Safe” with info on local resources for abused or vulnerable women;
  • Christine Palmerton recovering from ankle surgery, grateful bucks to Henry (raffle) and Guy (invocation) for stepping up today;
  • Brent Walker $ for the Foundation;
  • Michael Tilley son Jarod turns 18, graduates from high school, and heads off to Indonesia next week;
Sergeant at Arms by Flo
Misc. fines for misdemeanors.
 
Program
A talk with Karen Burke (executive director DVSAS) and Claudia Murphy (Detective Sergeant with the Bellingham PD) who both serve on a task force to combat child sex trafficking in Whatcom County. This is a big ongoing problem here in this community, and one that is very hard to combat.  Definition of “human trafficking”, and the distinction between: (legal) commercial sex industry vs. (illegal) underground sex trade.  Discussed the nature of commercial sex laws.  Methods that pimps use to recruit vulnerable girls and boys.  The workforce is trying to come up with a protocol to deal with this problem.
 
Respectfully submitted, 
Stowe Talbot