Northwind 1/24/08

Whatcom CountyNorth Rotary

Northwind

January 24, 2008

Meeting to Order:  President Greg Thulin called the meeting to order at 12:30, and Gary Snyder gave the invocation.

Visiting Rotarians:  Don Anderson (Everett-Port Gardner), Bob Moles (BellinghamBay Rotary), John Moles (Bellingham Rotary), Kirstin Sherer (South Whidbey Island Rotary) and George Tsakumis (Vancouver Rotary).

Guests:  Tim Villhauer introduced his guest Ray George.  Gary Tomsic introduced his wife Renate.  Maureen McCarthy introduced her guest Loni Rahm.  Lex Ludtke introduced his guest Charlie Heggem.  Don Anderson introduced his guest Gabe Rodriguez and Scott Wallace introduced his wife Marge Laidlaw. 

Birthdays:  Dan Parsons celebrates his birthday on January 28^th.  Happy Birthday Dan!!

Returning Rotarians:  None.

Announcements: 

-           Don Anderson, from the Everett-Port Gardner Rotary Club, announced that he is a member of DOG (District Operations Group) and they help clubs like ours sponsor a water project.  If that is of interest to our membership let Don know.

-           Bill Grace has put a membership update on each table with specifics regarding two new members, Eric Nelson and Peter Ruese.

-           Dick Donahue put a brochure on each table outlining Whatcom North Rotary's new fundraising project - "Bay 2 Bay" Supported Bicycle Ride.  The board has approved a fully supported Bike Ride as a fundraiser for Whatcom North Rotary.  The target date will be the last weekend in August before Labor Day - August 23^rd and 24^th, 2008.

Happy Bucks:  Max Legg has $1.01 happy buck/penny because the new penny does not have In God We Trust.  Tim Villhauer was happy to have run into Bruce Brabec, a former club member.  Bill Grace was happy to celebrate his birthday last week with a new "Dyno Leg" and he had so much time on his hands he labeled Chris's spice drawer.  George Tsakumis had special "happy bucks" (a $1,000 contribution to the Rotary Foundation) because he became a new grandfather yesterday.  Congratulations! And thank you George for your generous contribution.  Lex Ludtke had sad bucks for the passing of Mayor Lou Parberry, and happy bucks because his wife entered a "foul shot" contest and won, and his daughter is in Barcelona, Spain (hope I got all that right).  Scott Wallace was happy for all the cold weather.  Stan Brunner is happy for his wife and daughter's recent birthdays and their new house.  Rome Sarwas is happy because he was visiting his parents (snowbirds) and somehow broke a pipe in the utility room just before he left.  Dick Donahue is happy for a new grandchild.

Finemaster:  Today's Finemaster was Phil Bratt.  The Sergeant of Arms was fined for keeping the room too cold.  Maureen McCarthy was fined because WTA needs better drivers.  Marge Laidlaw was happy to pay a fine for George Tsakumis' gift and new granddaughter.  Rick Staeb was fined because a new radio station is coming to the area, but it turns out the station (I didn't get the call sign) is also owned by the Cascade Radio Group.  Gary Tomsic was fined for contributing to advertising in Blaine.  All Cougar Fans were fined because Alaska Airlines has a major WSU Logo on some of their airplanes.  All investment bankers were fined because of the 600 point swing on Wall Street.  He also fined all other bankers because they also must have benefited from falling stock prices.  Jim Bliss was asked if he could identify the only undefeated girl's basketball team in WhatcomCounty (Lynden Christian) but he was unable to come up with the correct name.  John and Bob Moles were fined for something to do with coaching in Lynden.  Anybody who files a Joint Income Tax Return for under $150,000 was fined but those making more were not.  Finally, Bill Grace was fined for being retired and bored.

Program:  Tim Villhauer introduced today's speaker, Humphrey Blackburn.  Humphrey has been in the water treatment business for 35 years, having traveled to Peru half a dozen times in the past year.  He is owner of Blackburn & Associates and Blue Future Filters, Inc.  He has recently been developing low tech drinking water treatment projects in the Manu Region of Peru.  His companies manufacture and package Plant Filters, consult on EPA Compliance, cover the US and International, and they handle water treatment projects ranging in size from 2 gallons per minute (gpm) to 1,000 gpm.  He has been collaborating with House of Children, the USA and Peru to develop water treatment facilities in Huacaria, Peru.  The main type of water filtration system developed in this region is the "non functioning slow sand filter".  He has also traveled upstream to Yomibato where they install New Piletas (tap stands), which collect safe water.  His 2008 Project Plans include installing piping, storage and SSF/X slow sand filter's in design phase, which run about $10,800 each.  One of these water filtration systems will serve a village of 150 to 250 people.  The origin of water for these filtration systems is surface water.  Sustainability is the critical issue as well as training for the villagers to test the water and teaching hand washing, (which cuts water born diseases in half).  Empowerment is the issue - the villagers are now realizing they can take care of their own water problem.  

Banners:  Maureen McCarthy correctly guessed the Banners represented clubs whose names start with J or who have a J in their name.