Before the Meeting:
Slide show prior to the opening bell. Included preparation for the upcoming Courage Ride and the Birthday Bash hosted by the Communities in Schools
Opening Bell: By President Hal at 7:27 AM. Invocation: by Mike Pinch. Pledge of Allegiance: by Hal Cline; Songs: O Canada and the Star Bangled Banner, led by Ivan Gorne; Four Way Test: by Jan Martin
Visiting Rotarians: Introduced by Coach: Ralph Flick, Mid-Day Club, Garry Schneider, Clairmont Sunrise Club.
Guests: Vicki Laidig, Brian McTavish, Exchange Student, Noah Flick, Dale Fitz-Roberts, Peggy Borgen, and Jordan Poole doing our slides.
Opening Comments: Walker Allen is recovering from back surgery at Cottesmore in room 201. He is glad to welcome visitors.
Announcements:
- Calendar – Wednesday Mary Bridge Foundation Celebration/Rotary After Hours, Youth Services is next Friday, Saturday is the Courage Classic, Following week, board meeting on Wednesday
- New Member Induction – Introduced by Lyn Junge, sponsored by Walker Allen, induction performed by Bob Martin – our newest member is Gary Pellett.
- Paul Harris Fellowship Presentations – Jill Guernsey, Mark Hoppen +2, John Mitchell +3, Ed Lindstrom +4, Terry Brown +4
- KP work party - Ben Paganelli announced the work party for next Saturday (during the Courage)
- Jeannie Simmons – Youth Services needs help with Build-a-Bike project, requested help with tutoring kids
- Gig Harbor Film Festival - Betty Felker announced the Gig Harbor Film Festival is five weeks away, they have a new web site, https://gigharborfilm.org/. Tickets for the opening night movie, Boom, are nearly sold out, they are $45/each.
- International Convention Ideas When Lee and Pam Peterson attended the International Convention, she picked up an idea for a park installation of flowers that are chimes. They have the chimes, and are getting ready to install.
- Community in Schools – Dick Vanberg and Pam Peterson announced that Community Schools is hosting a “Birthday Bash” as a fundraiser Thursday, Aug 22, 5;30-9:00 at John Dunham’s house.
- Courage – Volunteers are still needed
Fines: Chris Myer was the Fine master. President Hal fined his first president $1, Chris asked for anyone connected to city government, “Why can’t we support the Canoe and Kayak club?” Also fined were: Dick Vanberg, Pam Smith, Gary Pellett, Bob Martin, Ivan Gorne, Paul Willett, Jeff Harris, Randy Spitzer, and John Eddy.
Happy Bucks: Dave Freeman’s grandson landed a huge fish, Bob Lutschg is celebrating his 80th and Bob Martin’s 86th birthday, Annie Arbenz announced that her husband qualified for the International Iron Man. Tom Stanfield announced that he and Jill Guernsey were recently married, not once, but twice! Jill thanked her bridesmaids, many of them from this Rotary Club for their performance of “Goin’ to the Chapel of Love.”
Drawing: Larry Olson ran the raffle. The pot was $272. Peggy Borgen won the 10 free tickets for next week and Bob Lutschg won the right to draw from the chips for the chance at the pot. He drew the white chip for $15.
Program: District Governor Maureen (Mo) Fitz-Roberts. Since joining the Rotary Club of Comox, she has been club membership chair, district membership chair, club president (in that order), district visioning chair and an instructor at PETS and at the Rotary Leadership Institute and now the District Governor. She believes that anyone in Rotary can accomplish anything! She gave an impassioned and enthusiastic speech:
Mo and her husband realized a couple of years ago that Rotary was in the top five of their family’s priorities. Her service as district governor is her response. She talked about Rotary’s collaboration with World Vision and many organizations like it are great examples of how Rotary leverages money and peoplepower to get great things done in the world. Her plea was to “connect” to help get things done giving several examples of Rotary projects across the world. Her story of Joy with the micro-loan program illustrated her point very well. The program requires the initial applicant to find seven people willing to “guarantee” the micro-loan, which when paid off is handed off to the next person in the group until all of them had set up successful micro-businesses in their community and had paid back the loan. She called on Rotarians to get more involved in the club by volunteering to serve in projects or leadership. On a serious note, discussed the importance of establishing “Youth Protection Processes” in all of our clubs. She also asked us to support efforts to help end the victimization of children and young women across the world by becoming sustaining members of the Rotary Foundation or by making a designation in your will to Rotary Charities. Finally, Mo called on us to attend the District Conference in Victoria; the training is invaluable. “Enhance the Joy,” she entreated us, by supporting Rotary charities and by volunteering at your club.
President Hal presented a token of appreciation to Mo and ended the meeting at 8:38.
Notes by Randy Spitzer
