Lake Report (Dec 08, 2020)

Posted by James Monroe on Dec 07, 2020

This week's meeting will include updates from Club Committees and an overview of what the next few months will look like for our Club. There is a Board Meeting Thursday evening. A link will be sent to all members and, of course, members are invited to attend. Next week will will hear from folks involved with the Lake Stevens Food Bank. Then we will not be meeting for two weeks.

Have you read the latest edition of District 5050's monthly newsletter the Peace Arch Journal? It is crammed full of the great things Rotarians of our District are doing in their own communities as well as in various places around the world. Might I even suggest that our Sargent At-Arms do a "quiz" at this week's meeting to see who's read it?

Continue to live by and exemplify the Rotary Four Way Test-

Is it the Truth?

Is it Fair to All Concerned?

Will it Build Goodwill and Better Friendships?

Will it Be Beneficial to all Concerned?

PHOTO CONTEST: You are encouraged to participate in this. Be the first person to correctly identify from where the photo at the top of this bulletin and at the top of our website was taken from by 7:30 am Friday, December 11th. The perspective has changed once again! Look carefully! Send your guess to the Editor.

Scouts - Strictly Business

Posted by Gary O'Rielly

From one uniform with the Fire Service to a Boy Scout uniform as a volunteer, Mike Messer spoke to our Club on Friday, December 4th about the campaign "Strictly Business" launched by the Mount Baker Council, Boy Scouts of America. This is a Matched Gift campaign to support Scouting in the Mount Baker Council. The Nysether Family Foundation and Mark & Brad Nysether are generously providing a $50,000 challenge grant. To earn the Challenge Grant Funds, the Mount Baker Council needs to raise $50,000 in new donations by December 31, 2020. The Council currently has a deficit of $100,000 hence the reason for the Strictly Business campaign.

To give today in this Matching Gift Campaign you can go to: http://scoutingevent.com/606-2020FallCSP or text: strictly to 41444 or send a check along with their form to 1715 100th Place SE, #Bm Everett, WA 98208.

Mike Messer is the volunteer Finance Chair with the Pilchuck (Scout) District that serves all of northern and eastern Snohomish County as well as Camano Island and Skykomish. When he's not spending time with his family or Scouts, Mike works for Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue as Deputy Chief for Fire & Life Safety.

Brad & Kathy Nysether are long time residents of Lake Stevens and strong supporters of the Scouting movement. Brad & Mark own and operate Sea Dog Line, a quality marine, industrial and rigging supply company for the maritime industry. The Nysether Foundation has supported many great causes in Lake Stevens as well as Scouting.

Our Club sponsors two of the nine Scouting programs in Lake Stevens: Cub Scout Pack 88 and Scouts BSA Troop 88. We have sponsored the Pack since its inception in 1994. We started the Troop last year when girls were allowed to be part of the Boy Scouts of America middle school and high school age level program that used to be known as Boy Scouts. This program is now called Scouts BSA. Girls were allowed to join Cub Scouts in 2018. However, girls have been part of Venture Scouting for almost 20 years. Venturing is for older teens and young adults ages 14 through 20. At one time, our Club sponsored Venture Crew 88. Perhaps in the not too distant future will will be in a position to start up the Crew again.

WinterFest 2020

Posted by Gary O'Rielly

A bright, chilly day in Lake Stevens brought out crowds enjoying the sights, sounds, food, crafts, reindeer at the WinterFest Holiday Market, Saturday, December 5th. Rotary shared a booth with the Lake Stevens Food Bank and the Lake Stevens Arts & Parks Foundation. Thanks to John Spencer, James Monroe, Chris Vallo, Angie Hein, Gary O'Rielly, Kevin and Nancy O'Brien for manning the booth during the 11 am to 3 pm public event.

World Polio Day Global Update Video

Posted by Gary O'Rielly

One part of our Rotary program last Friday was watching the video listed here https://vimeo.com/rotary about World Polio Day Global Update narrated by Ade Adepitan, a paralympic bronze medalist for Great Britian. Adepitan is a TV presenter, journalist and polio survivor. The twenty five minute video program via Zoom started by acknowledging that Nigeria hasn't had a polio case in three years which has helped keep Africa polio free. Another commentator was Bill Nye,, a science expert talking about the importance of all citizens getting the polio vaccine because it really works well.

A spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) talked about Rotary launching PolioPlus eradicating polio type 3 while there is still work to be done on immunizing type 1 which is still active in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has a 2-1 match for every dollar to end polio world wide. Take some time and watch the video for more information on the Global Polio Plus update.

This year marks 30 years since Rotary launched PolioPlus, its campaign to rid the world of polio. Beginning on Rotary's anniversary, 23 February, Rotary members worldwide will be holding events to celebrate three decades of polio eradication progress.

Since 1985 Rotary and its partners have helped reduce the number of cases from 350,000 annually to fewer than 400 in 2014, and they remain committed until the disease is eradicated. Rotary has contributed more than $1.3 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 2 billion children worldwide. In addition, Rotary's advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by donor governments to contribute over $10 billion to the effort.

Before the global scope of PolioPlus, individual Clubs with Rotary funding were attacking the disease closer to home.

Quote of the Week - Who Said It?

“Everything we do opens another opportunity for someone, somewhere.”