Northwind 1/4/07

Whatcom County North Rotary

Northwind

January 4, 2007

MEETING TO ORDER:  President Ken called the meeting to order at 12:35 and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.  Gary Tomsic gave the invocation.

VISITING ROTARIANS:  Dewey Dessler from the Bellingham Club and George Tsakumis from the Vancouver Club.

GUESTS:  Rome Sarwas introduced his son and Patty Quanz introduced a FerndaleHigh School student named Anthony, who is spending a "career" day with her.

RETURNING ROTARIANS:  Adam Finfer is returning from a cruise in Mexico, Scott Piper is returning from a drive to Carmel, California and Jim Bliss is returning from a trip to Tucson, Arizona to "warm up".

BIRTHDAYS:  None

ANNOUNCMENTS:

Pre-paid quarterly meals were started today.  A reminder that payment must be made by check or cash.Credit cards cannot be used.  Guests, visitors and Rule-of-85'ers may still pay $10 at the door, or $5 if not eating a lunch.  Rule-of-85'ers may also choose to participate in the $100 prepayment system.

There were not enough members at the last meeting so President-Elect Greg Thulin officially nominated the following members as officers and board members for the new Rotary Year beginning July 2007: Hilary Baumstarck, President-elect; Secretary, Gary Cordrey; Treasurer, Gary Tomsic; Board members: Randy Carr, Paul Cooley and Maureen McCarthy.  The motion was seconded by Doug Thomas.  There was no discussion and Tim Carpenter moved to close the discussion, seconded by Bill Grace.  The vote was unanimous to approve the nominations listed above.

HAPPY BUCKS:

Ken Richardson: $5 for the new slate of officers and directors.

Rome Sarwas: $30 for his recent birthday celebration.

Larry Pollett: $2 for the big Washington/Arizona basketball game to be played tonight, even though he's really a WSU fan.

Scott Wallace: $2 for the Boise State/Oklahoma football game â¿¢ the most exciting ending he's ever seen.

Winton Smith: $2 for the bodacious wind storm that created enough work to last him until summer.

Jerry Landcastle: $2 for the new year and good health.

Jack Curnow: $2 for USC's big win over Michigan plus $2 more for his daughter who just became an Assistant Professor in Anthropology for WWU!Then he slammed WSU and UW, asking what Bowl game they went to.

Doug Thomas: $2 for the Cougs beating USC in basketball.

Tim Villhauer: $2 because he was going to invite the new Ferndale Chamber of Commerce president but Patty Quanz beat him to it.

Marlene Sexton: $2 for her kid's being home for the holidays.

Dick Donahue: $20 with $16 going for something to do with no more weekly trips to Seattle and $4 going to completion of his term on a Condo Board.

FINEMASTER: Larry Pollett was Finemaster today and started by asking Gary Tomsic, Pete Kremen, Dewey Dessler and Jerry Landcastle whether their respective communities have kept up with Bellingham and changed their traffic lights to the new cost saving LED bulbs.  Pete, Dewey and Jerry said they were way ahead of Bellingham and Gary claimed that Blaine had no traffic lights, for which he was fined $2.  Larry then decided to test everyone to find out if they had even looked at the recent Rotary Magazine.  Marlene Sexton knew that Mia Farrow was on the cover but Sharon Robinson didn't know the color of her hat and was fined $2.  Maureen McCarthy was fined $2 because she didn't know that Mia was involved with UNICEF.  Tim Carpenter was fined $2 because he didn't know that the first Rotary Club was chartered in 1917.Everyone who didn't stay up until 12:00 on New Year's Eve was fined a $1.  Everyone who didn't watch at least five bowl games was fined a buck and everyone who didn't see what was probably the best college football bowl game of all time (Boise State & Oklahoma) was fined a buck.  Finally, Jack Curnow was fined $20 for something about USC.

BANNERS:  The banners had something to do with snow.

PROGRAM:  Rome Sarwas introduced our speaker, Curtis Smith, a retired dentist and former Rotarian.  Curtis has written a book titled, "The Brothels of Bellingham".  He initially came up with this topic back in 1985 when he was talking with famed local historian Galen Biery.  Based on significant research of back issues of local newspapers, the Brothel industry in Bellingham began in 1890 and flourished until the early 1950's when they were completely closed down.  Curtis presented several dated photographs showing the location of these early Brothels in the town of Whatcom, (an area called Devil's Row), which is now the site of HeritagePark.  At the height of this industry, there were thirteen brothels in the Fairhaven area, with names like Trocadero, The Jewel and Miss Reno's to name a few.  Later on, when the town of Bellingham was formed, these brothels were centered in the downtown area of Holly Street, Railroad and State Street in such places as the Gordon Hotel, The Spokane and the Ritz Hotel.By the early 1950's they were all out of business.  Curtis's book can be purchased from Village Books for $12.95.

DRAWING:  No winner.  Dick Donahue drew the three of spades.

Editor this week:  David Engels