Northwind September 27, 2012
September 27, 2012
WHATCOM COUNTY NORTH ROTARY CLUB
NORTHWIND
MEETING TO ORDER: President Laurie called the meeting to order and led us in the flag salute. Tim C. acted as greeter and gave the invocation.
VISITING ROTARIANS: Shannon Terrell from Bellingham Bay.
BIRTHDAYS: Brian today; Rick on the 30th; Dick on October 1st.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1) Board meeting to follow; 2)Thank you cards were received including, among others, from the 4-H and FFA kids; 3) Laurie was quite proud of new content on the website – information about the New Zealand trip next April; 4) wine-tasting October 23rd 6-7:30p.m. at Sound Beverage – contact Tim V. to order your special wine, even if you are unable to attend, in which case your wine will be delivered to you 5) at the Foundation Dinner on November 8th, where we will honor club members and the community. The wine income will be the seed money for next year’s duck race; 6) fundraising committee continues to meet Monday mornings at Arlis’ Restaurant – 7:00 a.m. The committee is planning another fellowship event at the VFW, which cannot be held on May 4th because it would conflict with the trip to New Zealand; Bill is passing out Rotary Challenge Coins for use in a drinking game, and also has pins available.
HAPPY BUCKS: Bill for a car show in Monroe; Ken for a trip he and Sue took to Wisconsin, but that event did not constitute the basis for him being a returning Rotarian – bad weather model for full-time living; Max is going to an event next January in Whitefish Montana, put on by West Pointers, but apparently Annapolis grads are also invited – to support the Wounded Warriors project; Rick C. happy to be back and happy his wife is coming over from Spokane for the week-end; Sharon “Jake” Robinson for the start of construction on a project she is designing, but the plans for which she hasn’t yet finished; Tim C. for sobriety and marriage longevity; Gary T. for being sober twelve consecutive hours and getting his lost wallet back virtue of the honest folks at Bob’s Burgers and Brews; Tim V. for something; Stan for recollections of his and Margaret’s wonderful time in New Zealand; Laurie for the return of the real NFL ref’s.
FINEMASTER: Tim V. started by fining Gary for the apparent outofcontrolness of his city; an I.O.U. for Greg T. for his son’s picture on the front page of the sports section (personal note – fortunately for the boy he takes after his mother); Alina for being more educated; Tim C. for interfering with his conversation (during the course of the meeting, making it impossible for this scribe to hear the speaker at the podium and thus record the meeting – outrageous fine); Rocky for grinning too hard; Stan for not looking the finemaster in the eye; Tom for his newness; Ray for being last in except for Sharon “Jake” R. Shannon for being a visiting Rotarian and thus being immune from fines; several members for not being able to figure out Stan’s banners.
BANNERS: Spell out “Hail Mary – Thanks”.
PROGRAM: In preparation for next month’s Rotary theme – Vocational Service, Gary gave us a blurb about the original concept of Vocational Service. Rotary membership was originally based on the work you did – an opportunity to network. Members would travel to each member’s business site, hence the origin of the name Rotary. Today we celebrate Vocational Service month with projects such as the Career Fair, the Rotary Code of Conduct and the 4-Way Test. Each of us were given a sheet of paper asking us to identify what profession we would have chosen had we not become what we are or were before retirement. Laurie then announced the profession, and we were asked to surmise for whom this has the alternate profession.
Veterinarian: Turned out to be Alina who served for years on the Humane Society board and loves animals;
Educator: This was Rocky’s wish. Both his parents and some aunts and uncles were teachers and he admires the profession;
Neurologist or neuroscience: While always fascinated by the brain, gooey stuff and death, Sharon’s career path did not go in that direction;
Banking: Tim C. cornily said he saw bankers as being able to help people and businesses access their dream;
Rock Musician: On an “Interest Test” his highest score was in music, which he loves, and has thousands of songs on his iPad. So how did Gary become a city manager? The mystery was not answered;
Designer: Tim V. fessed up to this dream, which was denigrated by Ken who suggested that Tim was only interested in designing lingerie;
Designer (2nd): Ray has always enjoyed designing buildings and signs – and he gets to do a lot of this in his actual profession. His other passion is music;
Electronic Gadget Designer: (Is that a recognized profession?) Max has had an interest in mechanical engineering and considers himself a “Gadget Guy.” He thinks gadgets are very cool and help humanity;
Montana Cattle Rancher: Although he also wanted to be a high school math teacher, this is Jake’s now alternate profession choice. He might retire to ranching because there is not much thinking; the work is outdoors, no one telling you what to do (has anyone ever successfully told Jake what to do?). Jake is also convinced that there is a mathematical solution to every question in the world;
Woodworker: Of course, this is Bill. As a child he worked with balsa wood and enjoys thinking three dimensionally. He is now, in retirement, able to pursue his first choice of jobs.
Fireman: Tim V. has a grandfather, uncles and cousins who are firefighters. While in the Navy he trained in firefighting;
Pilot: He joined the Navy at seventeen and spent the next eight years in a plane. Pete would have wished to be aboard a plane where he could see out the window;
Motor Trend or Road and Track journalist: He loves cars, and with this Rollo could drive them all without having to buy them;
Engineer like Frank Lloyd Wright: Ken has worked in public works; accounting and the military but he is interested in the Third Law of Thermodynamics and designing a 5280 foot building;
Doctor: Greg I. has a degree in biology and has always had an interest in health sciences;
Pilot (2nd): Shannon earned a pilot’s license while in high school but circumstances got in the way. He would have enjoyed the freedom of being a commercial pilot;
Financial Consultant: Scott always wanted to play with other people’s money, so if he couldn’t have become a banker he would have liked to be a financial consultant
This was a lot of fun – sorry if you missed but I am sure we’ll do it again.
DRAWING: Yeah – Pete, who drew the five of hearts.
Scribe this week: Tim Carpenter