Northwind March 2, 2017
Posted by Julie Johansen on Mar 08, 2017
Call to order: President Dale Holt led us in the pledge of allegiance and Deb Wiggs led the Moment of Reflection
Visiting Rotarians: None.
Guests of Rotarians: None.
Returning Rotarians: Dan Parsons, a rare break from working every Thursday noon, Deb Wiggs, back from work travels that take her to many interesting places; so many she forgot where she had been last week.
Birthdays: None.
Anniversary: Rollo joined the club this week in 2011.
Announcements:
Career fair (3/30/17) is coming up quickly and most of the preparations are ready with the exception of some presenters that still need to be found. Dale provided everyone with the list of vocations that we need to fill. Please review the list and help solicit speakers for the open spots.
Rubber Ducky Derby sponsors still needed. We have stalled at $7,750 in sponsorship support and we must have a minimum of $12,000 (to cover prize money) and preferably $20,000, to hold the race. Dan Parsons volunteered $500 to sponsor and Greg Iwasaki has a sponsor in the wings, so we moved the needle a bit today. Derby to be held 8/26/17; mark your calendars.
Ferndale Chamber of Commerce lunches are the third Wednesday of the month. Sharon Robinson will be attending on 3/15/17 and would like someone to join her. Please let her know if you can go as the RSVP must be sent in advance to assure a lunch is prepared for you. Dale wants someone from the club to attend this luncheon every month; he will be attending the 4/19 event and needs company. Check your calendars and call him!
Youth Service Awards lunch is scheduled for May 18th. ICU is again the matching sponsor for the student awards. Thank you ICU! Greg Iwasaki is working on the logistics and expects the luncheon to be held at Northwood Hall with approximately 51 guests, students and club members in attendance. This is a good day to bring friends and family to hear the students stories of community service.
Fund Raising committee meeting held every Monday morning, 7:00 AM, at Little Cheerful. Ken and Tim would love to have greater club participation!
Happy Bucks: Jake was happy he survived his chainsaw endeavors without injury to his body..not so much for the injuries to the chainsaw. Greg is happy his and Jill’s son is being married this summer in Slovenia Croatia; sounds like a vacation in the making. Dan was $20 happy to see all of us as he has been away for a long spell. We were happy to see him as well. Moreover, we may see more of him if the new case load for his PD work goes into effect as he hopes. It means less work for the same money and puts him in Ferndale on Thursday. He was also quite happy with his meds that help him keep (stable?) balanced. Jim Sands was $5 happy that La La Land did not win the best picture award and $5 sad that Hacksaw Ridge did not win the award (should have won). Rollo was $5 delighted he is finished with tuition payments to Whitworth, having somehow overpaid and can now coast to his daughter’s graduation. Deb was $20 happy that she was not responsible for the Northwind this week or this month, having been misinformed by Dale that it was her job since Marlene forgot to tell him (is there a fine in this somewhere?) Stan was happy that Rollo’s wife Rebecca has recently published another children’s book. She now has several published books; Rollo is proud of her and will likely be fined for failing to remember this event. Dale put in a $5 IOU for a trip this weekend to Hawaii and to whine about the cost of plumbers..snaking his sink cost him $250 which seemed excessive.
Fine Master: Ken Richardson dispatched the standard group fine; $1 each for not wearing a Rotary pin, Rotary badge, no guests this year, no shorts today, retired people wearing a tie, $2 for cell phone interruptions, history today questions; Mexico declared independence from Texas, Puerto Ricans granted US citizenship in 1919, Massachusetts ratified the Bill of Rights in 1937 (drafted in 1791) and finally Deb won the Jake Smith award for last one in. The banners today were guessed quickly after our history lesson and represented Texas independence from Mexico or vice versa… All unpaid IOU’s had a $1 added to the balance.
Program: Brad Howard a representative of Christian Friends of Korea (CFK.org.) a non-profit organization located in North Carolina that is conducting humanitarian mission trips to North Korea.
Brad is a local realtor and became involved with CFK after discovering a photo of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, posing with his family in front of a Christmas tree, causing him to research the Christian roots behind the photo. Brad has visited the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) four times in the past five years and is going again in June. The CFK group has constructed solar powered water treatment systems and a medical facility for TB patients. Stanford Medical school has a TB treatment program to address the highest rate of TB outside of Sub-Saharan Africa. Brad shared historical facts about the famines, floods, droughts, and general humanitarian disasters that have afflicted N. Korea since 1995. He acknowledged that the political circumstances of N. Korea are not a consideration in the humanitarian aid that is provided by CFK to the people of N. Korea. The individual circumstances of the people are indeed dire and they have a great fear of the US as a threat to their country. There are 24.5 million people in a geographic area the size of Pennsylvania with only 15% of the land suitable for agriculture. The people are starving.
Brad is happy to talk to anyone interested in participating with him in this effort or learning more about the CFK program. He has personally benefited from his mission service through CFK and from the friendships he has developed with the people of N. Korea. My take-away is that the need is great and there are few organizations helping the DPRK people because of the political environment. CFK missionaries are awarded special visas that allow them unfettered access to nearly all areas of N. Korea. Brad said there is hope, but it was hard to see how that could be true.
Raffle: Jim won the door prize – and Jim drew the 50/50 raffle. He did not pick the ace of spades so the pot grows. Winners take next week is $147.50