Whatcom County North Rotary Club
Northwind
April 20, 2006
Meeting To Order:
President Scott Piper called the meeting to order at 12:31pm and Jim McKellar greeted the club in the native language of Scotland. President Scott then led the club in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mel Hollinger provided today's invocation.
Visiting Rotarians:
Gary Cordrey introduced not only today's visiting Rotarians but just for the fun of it reminded us of last week's visiting Rotarians. This week's visiting Rotarians included Mimi Ferlin and Harte Bressler from the Bellingham Bay Club. Ron Vekved was in from the Mt. Baker club and from out of town Bill Kirby from Carson City and Peter Sly.
Guests of Rotarians:
Timmy Villhauer introduced his guest Steve Benson of The Business Bank of Skagit County.
Returning Rotarians:
Mel Hollinger was back from a trip to the lone star state where he picked up a banner from the Livingston Texas Rotary Club.
Birthdays:
We re-celebrated Mary Kanikaberg's birthday of the 14th since she was with us today.
Rotary Foundation Minute:
We didn't have one today but it would have been a good one if we did have one.
Announcements:
Jim McKellar announced that the Dick Metcalf Teen Center Campaign Committee was asking for possible donor names from club members. Each week a half sheet notice will be available for members to recommend possible donors and turn those names into Jim.
President Scott reminded the club the board had voted to enforce the 60% attendance rule and that it was the member's responsibility to notify the Sergeant at Arms members of any makeups that the member had completed to insure accurate attendance figures were being kept.
Tim Villhauer reminded the club member to carry a "What is Rotary" business card with them to hand out to prospective new members.
Bill Grace announced that he was making and selling garden benches for $250 each with proceeds going to the Dick Metcalf Memorial Project.
Julie Johansen announced there were two fellowship dinner sign up sheets available. Pete Kremen on June 14th and Bob Bowman on July 17th.
President Scott announced the WCN Rotary Fun Run raised over $6500 for Blue Skies for Children.
Happy Bucks:
Dave Adamson was $6 Happy about his 2 boys taking first in their age division in Saturday's race, his time with Dick Metcalf a year ago and his third son on the way. Billy Grace was happy about having Dahlia bulbs available to anyone who wanted some and his bench project to help the Metcalf fund. Mary Kanikeberg was $2 happy about her recent birthday, which she shares with other historical dates like the day Lincoln was shot, the Titanic sank and Tax day. She asked that we keep her son in our thoughts and prayers as he heads out to Iraq. Winton Smith was happy about the Scottish Lodge scholarship to Woodering College. Roger Lehnert was happy about Winton's efforts and Roger's recent 11 days in Hawaii with his wife. Maureen McCarthy was happy about her recent bike ride before Saturday's race and a very embarrassing story about your editor. Rose Abbaspour was $5 happy about her meeting one of the Blue Skies for Children interns. Mel Hollinger was happy about his week in Texas where he saw the biggest church in the world with 20,000 parishioners at just one service. Marlene Sexton was happy about the Lummi Island Ferry working again. Brad Peterson had scooter bucks and sorry to miss today's program about the Pickford Theatre. Sharon Robinson had some thankful bucks for all the Fun Run support the committee provided. Paul Cooley told of his side trip to Indio while in California two weeks researching for the produce department the sex life of a date. Ken Richardson was happy the ferry to Lummi Island was working again too. Jim McKellar was happy his purloined lanyard was returned. Timmy Villhauer was $2 sad he missed the fun run and sorry he didn't have Jim McKellar's 24 years of perfect attendance pin with him today. Visiting Rotarian Bill Gorman was $10 happy of the club's support of the Ferndale Boys and Girls Club's new building project.
Fine Master:
Winton Smith was today's Fine Master and came prepared with plenty of material. Gary Tomsic had the opportunity to buy back a picture of him published in the Northern Light for $2. Dan Parsons paid $2 for his photo and candid comments regarding the legal profession. Tim Villhauer paid $2 for the efforts of the Membership Committee. Dan Baker was fined $2 for Trillium buying portions of Old Town. All Condo livers or non-lawn mowing members paid $1 since the rest of us now are faced with that weekly chore. All boat owners who had not yet this year been out in their dinghy's of various sizes were dinged a buck. Addie Brown was fined a dollar for her fine efforts on the closing of Winton's daughter's home. Golfers who hadn't beaten their handicap this year paid a buck. All accountants were taxed a dollar for the lifetime job security that US tax laws afforded them. Non-participants of the Fun Run were dinged a dollar. Dave Engels had to pay a couple bucks for the missing photos on the website. Rose Abbaspour was fined for having her name all over her blouse. Gary Cordrey was fined for reading last week's list of visiting Rotarians. All present that went to grade school with Winton had to pay $1 and that seemed to only be Harte Bressler.
Stan's Banner Theme for this week was the worldwide reach of Rotary.
Program:
Lex Ludtke introduced today's program about the Whatcom Film Association. Fellow Rotarian Bill Gorman and Alice Clark the Executive Director of the association presented the history of the Film Association to present day activities. The WFA was born out of the lack of an independent cinema in Bellingham. Through various fund raising efforts including the outdoor cinema in Fairhaven, the WFA was able to purchase projection equipment. From this humble beginning, the Pickford theatre was established. The membership of the WFA is now over 1000 members.
The present location of the Pickford Theatre is on Commercial Street but the association is in the early stages of the Capital Campaign to renovate the building at 1318 Bay St. next to the Radio Museum. Currently the WFA is in the second stage of their Capital Campaign with plans to open the double screen theatre in the fall of this year. The campaign should be complete by November of 2007. Our own Sharon Robinson and the Zervas group are assisting the WFA in the design of the new facility. It will provide Bellingham with the independent cinema location the WFA envisioned from the very beginning.
With this expansion, the WFA will be able to present larger scale Film Festivals similar to this weekend's event called the True/False West Film Festival featuring 7 independent films. This small independent film community in Bellingham has already been recognized by the Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival. With this type of success, the Whatcom Film Association is well on their way of achieving their mission of providing a forum and resource for independent cinema while strengthing the community through education, dialogue and the celebration of film.
The drawing was held and JJ drew the 7 of spades.
Your Editor: Rick Staeb