Northwind March 8, 2012
President Gary Presided and Led Our Pledge of Allegiance.
Invocation by Nancy Tieman
Four-Way Test Led by Jim Blaney
Returning Rotarians: None
VISITING ROTARIANS: None
GUESTS: Tim Villhauer’s guest was Terrell Goertz.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES: None
ANNOUNCMENTS: 1. Bill Grace again announced that roster updates are done. 2. Bill G also let folks know that a get well card was being passed around for George Tsakumis. 3. Jeanne McGee has some surgery, and a get well card was being passed around for her as well. 4. Rick Staeb had one copy of the printed roster for anyone who wanted it, and also mentioned that the roster could be printed off of the Club’s website. 5. Bill Grace’s garden bench will be auctioned off on March 15th at the next meeting. Donations will go to Whatcom in Bloom. 6. Tim V also let folks know of our Club’s next fundraising event which will be on Cinco de Mayo (May 5). Tim asked folks to concentrate on donating “experiences,” and not items that folks can get locally in doing their regular shopping. Items should have some thought and uniqueness to them. There will be music of some sort, dancing, and a chili cook-off. It will be at the VFW Post, 1586 State Street. More details to come. 7. The CAREER FAIR will be on March 29th at Whatcom Community College. Come participate if you at all can. 8. Gary T mentioned that Tyler was today’s greeter and he stood right at the front door as a good example for others. 9. Please donate to Every Rotarian Every Year. This needs to be done by March 23rd, and can be done in any amount. Website payments as well as checks can be made. 10. March 24th is the NSEA workday from 9 until noon at Terrell Creek. Just need to bring your outer wear and boots. 11. April 7th is highway trash pickup day. 12. April 28th is the District Rotary Workday to paint parts of the Blaine Boys & Girls Club building. 12. Still need RYLA applicants. 13. Marlene announced that the Club made $576 from the jewelry sale, and that two pieces would be donated by Julie and Marlene to the upcoming auction.
HAPPY BUCKS: 1. Bill Grace was $2 happy for rounding up a vet speaker for the Career Fair. Bill was also happy that he “won” 7 hours of “rent a gardner” at the Home Garden Show. 2. Marlene is soon off with her entire family to Cabo San Lucas. Have a nice trip. 3. Sharon Robinson was a little miffed for coming in 20 minutes late as she had to rush to get a contract finished with the State which she first submitted to it months ago. All of a sudden there was a rush by the State although Sharon has been working on the project without a finished contract since last fall. Now that’s stimulus. 4. Norm paid off an IOU, and had a happy buck noting something about a cockatoo. 5. Tim V had an apology/confession $5 for shotgunning out a club email about someone needing to do the invocation. He said it was a smart rump email. 6. Laurie was $5 happy as she was off to PETS. And she also threw in Brian Finnegan’s $100 for a property deal he was happy about. 7. Nick threw in some dollars about some get well wishes he expressed. 8. Dale plays in a local hockey league and his team won the championship. Way to go Dale. 9. Gary T gave another $100 from Brian Finnegan for another property sale that closed. 10. Gary T also completed an item on his “bucket list,” and that was to get a tattoo implanted on his right forearm with the G Loomis (the fishing rod maker) logo of “Fear No Fish.” Nothing like dreams fulfilled.
FINEMASTER Maureen was the finemistress today. She started off with a couple of vocabulary works for folks to work on - pococurante and interalia. New little twist. Anyone having food with the color orange on their plate paid $1. She had all past presidents stand and be recognized. No fines. Although Jake Smith showed up early (throwing Maureen off her potential fine for Jake’s usual lateness), Maureen heard that he was likely speeding. So she fined him anyway. Gary T paid $1 for somehow messing up how Brian’s 2-$100 amounts were to be presented to the Club. Marlene paid $1 for the upcoming trip to Cabo. Jim Sands and Ray were fined for their pre-meeting handheld device activities. Maureen asked for Max or Julie, and Max offered up Julie to be fined. But the dynamic CPA duo pulled off the reason for why April 17th is tax filing day. It’s because of Washington DC’s holiday for Emancipation Day. Those not having contributed to the Every Rotarian Every Year effort tossed in $1. All paid $1 for the weather. Nick and Darek each paid $1. With new baby girls Maureen wants to hear more baby girl stories. Those not intending to participate in a Saint Patty’s day activity threw in $1. $2 for anyone who was Irish. Dale, Norm, Pete, Greg and Bill G were as a group recognized for their hard work on the upcoming CAREER FAIR. Again some trivia. Rollo answered correctly that the Ides of March is on March 15th. The Shakespeare play coining the term ‘beware the Ides of March” was Julius Caesar. Someone threw in $1 for missing the last part. Tyler paid $1 for not recalling the phrase that “March rolls in like a lion and out like a lamb.” $1 was the fine for anyone not sending a “Thank you” of some sort within the last couple of weeks. The last fine was confusing. Something about paying $1 for being a volunteer and also able to fix a leaky faucet. Nice job Maureen!!
Banners: Today’s banners by Stan celebrated the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the battle at Fort McHenry where Sir Francis Scott Key penned The Star Spangled Banner in September of that year. Maureen also added a side note saying that it’s the 100th anniversary of the Oreo Cookie.
PROGRAM: Tim V introduced today’s speakers, Kevin and Kim Goertz. Kevin and Kim spoke about Whatcom Homefront which is a local non-profit created in 2003 to be a support mechanism sending cards and packages to troops in Afghanistan. Specifically Whatcom Homefront supports troops that in some direct or indirect way have ties to Whatcom County. The intent is to send ongoing messages of support and appreciation to troops in the field 5 times a year. Kevin and Kim became involved because of their son who joined the military after 9/11 and wound up being deployed to Iraq. Whatcom Homefront is a 501(c)(3) organization that can take deductible contributions. Articles have appeared in the Bellingham Herald about Whatcom Homefront. KGMI has also been very instrumental in putting on a couple of fundraisers. Families of service men and women often participate in putting the support packages together, and this also allows families to find others in the same situation. Whatcom Homefront is seeking names of service people deployed in Afghanistan to add to its support list, letters of support to be included in the packages, money and volunteers. Contact can be made with Kevin and Kim at www.whatcomhomefront.com, by emailing whatcommilitary@yahoo.com, or by writing Whatcom Homefront, PO Box 32328, Bellingham, Wa 98228-4328. Thanks to Kevin and Kim for joining us today, and we appreciate all that they do for our troops.
Editor this week: Max Legg