Weekly Meeting instructions:

You will still receive an email from Sandee each week prior to the Monday 12:30 meeting if you are unable to attend in person (you can start logging in at 12:00 for short socializing) with the link for that privacy protected meeting.  If you have not done so, please download the Zoom app on your computer (you need a camera and microphone on it), iPad or phone.  There is no cost to you.  If you do not have either, you can also call in.  On the invitation, there are US phone numbers you can call and enter the meeting ID number also indicated on the invitation.  HERE ARE ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS.

Four Points is not requiring a Contract thru 2021 and need only 72 hours to cancel an event. We will continue to evaluate other locations for a permanent location.   Lunch will be $22 for a sit down meal. We must notify them by Wednesday at 4:00 pm each week prior to the Monday meeting as to the number of members attending.  We are sending out meeting “Invite's” weekly and members are asked to sign-up ASAP. You can also sign-up by going to the event section of our website at bellinghamrotary.org.  If you sign up for a meal at the meeting, you will need to pay the $22 even if you don't wind up attending the meeting after numbers are turned in.  If you plan to attend but not eat, PLEASE indicate that on your sign-up so we don't overorder meals and still make sure there is enough seating. 

Four Points also will not collect the payment weekly, so the Club will collect payments prior to the meeting or at the door.

We urge members of the RCOB has set up a Venmo account for ease in payment of Meeting lunches, Happy Bucks, Minister of Fun, Dues or donations to the club.  Our account is @RCOB-Bellingham.  If you do not have a Venmo account you can set up an account with your computer then download the app. on your phone (just Google "Venmo" and you will find all the information you need)  You then attach it to a debit or credit card (a fee on your end) or attach to your checking account at no cost.  Payment will be sent directly to the RCOB checking account. When you use it for the first time it may ask you the last 4 digits of the RCOB phone number which is 0282.   Give Sandee a call if you need help.  360-734-5532

Other payment options are to bring a check in the correct amount to the meeting made out to RCOB or cash in the exact amount to speed up the payment process.  There is also the PayPal option as usual and we are set to take payments at the meeting.  We have a QR Code that you can simply click on to pay thru paypal also.

1. John Pedlow, filling in for ailing Major Projects Committee Chair John Dunne, announced that the RCOB Board approved the Community Boating Center (CBC) as the recipient of our Club’s 2021 Major Projects grant. The Club’s goal is $75,000, which John said we should reach easily. John noted that the CBC was a worthy recipient of the award because of its local involvement and broad community reach.

On hand to accept the award and make a presentation for the CBC was Executive Director Bryan Rust. Bryan showed a video emphasizing the CBC’s goal of putting people on the water. He said boats are a catalyst for people to get respect for the water and confidence in themselves. Exposure to wind and water leads to personal growth. The CBC is a community center that uses boats as an excuse to gather. It teaches about marine stewardship and science. Bryan said that the CBC seeks representation from underrepresented groups and promotes diversity. 

Bryan said the CBC has experienced huge growth in the last two years. The proposal before the Board, helping to finance the construction of a new building on its campus, reflected the CBC’s need to build out infrastructure, reach a new constituency and expand inclusivity. They have already made a number of expenditures to do things like add new boats. The Rotary “Wheelhouse” will be a structure that includes a community room for 30 people on the second floor, with a balcony having a capacity for 15 more, 7 restrooms on  the ground floor, and an outdoor classroom space. It has a $400,000 price tag. Bryan closed by emphasizing the number of community partners and sponsors the CBC works with.

2. President Peter reported that the Board discussed at its last meeting how best to keep the members safe from COVID-19 during our weekly meetings. Peter encouraged all members to get vaccinated and use masks at meetings (or participate via Zoom).

At the Board's request, Steve Ban made an additional presentation, providing statistics supporting the benefits of full vaccination. He focused on asymptomatic COVID infections, since, hopefully, no Club member or guest with symptoms would attend meetings in person. He reported that over 30% of COVID infections are asymptomatic. Fully vaccinated people are 90% less likely to acquire asymptomatic infections than people who are not vaccinated. Furthermore, even if a fully vaccinated person gets an asymptomatic infection, he/she is much less contagious to others than a non-vaccinated person with an asymptomatic infection. This is because the degree of contagiousness increases with increasing amounts of virus in the respiratory tract and a vaccinated person's "viral load" either starts out lower or decreases rapidly compared to that of an unvaccinated person. The bottom line: The science tells us that all Rotarians are much less likely to contract COVID-19 during our meetings if everyone attending in person is fully vaccinated.