Northwind, August 26, 2010

MEETING TO ORDER:   President Marlene called the meeting to order at 12:30 and Sharon Robinson gave the invocation.
 
GUESTS: Stan's son Donald from Spokane, and Jerry Landcastle's guest Kyler Randall.
 
VISITING ROTARIANS: George Tskumis from Vancouver, Harte Bressler and Shannon Terrell from Bellingham Bay.
 
RETURNING ROTARIANS:  Marlene is back from San Diego again.
 
BIRTHDAYS:  Sharon on the 28^th of August, and Nancy Tieman on Sept. 1. 
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:  1. Bill Grace needs final committee assignments, let him know asap. if you need to change anything.
2.  For the Copan brunch all Past Presidents are asked to contribute a bottle of wine to the "instant wine cellar" auction item.   At the brunch there will be a number of contributor recognition levels for donors. 
3.  Rotary Leadership Institute is on October 2.  Anyone interested in a board or other leadership position in the club would benefit from this training. 
4.  Ray gave thanks to everyone who helped with the Lynden Junior Livestock Auction, particularly Laurie, Jon, Brian, Julie, Dan.  Over $13,000 was spent in the buying and sponsoring, including helping to launch a brand new 4H club, the Barn Buddies.
5.  The newly completed Hospice House will have an open house on September 11 from 10:00 to 2:00.  Our club made a $2,500 donation to this project.
 
HAPPY BUCKS: Happy - Marlene was happy to have her last daughter "married off."  [Tardy co-editor takes over].  The family-in-law is a bunch of cops - couldn't tell from her demeanor whether this was a good or bad thing;  Dick D. mentioned the passing of former member Duane Reinke's wife; there were a vast number of sincere thank yous and attaboys directed to Ray for his efforts on the livestock auction, started by Tim V. (hereafter "metoo").  Tim also happy about Golfun, and Rocky's family's success at the event (Chuck, Fred Sexton of the B'ham Club, and the two Tims shot 42.2 and lost by ten strokes); Scott for  good crabbing, family fun; Larry R., Jonathan, Bill G., Jeanne Mc, Rocky and Laurie - metoo;   (scribble - scribble - multitask - listen - scribble). Ray for auction and getting chewed out by his doctor - lost 30 pounds [looks good!];  Maureen for a new nephew; Stan for great granddaughter's first birthday AND 67^th anniversary of his marriage to the extraordinary Margaret - matched by a dollar for each year [why would she marry that guy?].  Sharon $50 for her birthday, but she wouldn't say which one.  I believe I have deduced it, though. Also, Jeanne for a camping trip, Red Cross training; Rome and Bill for something about painting; Gary forty-six bucks for 46^th anniversary [Why would Alix marry him?]; Chuck - Golfun; Rocky - Wife's KP and son's long drive (to golfer's, these kinds of people are known as "sandbaggers"); Ray for the auction [Ray - we love you, but write down your notes so you don't need four trips to the mike.   
 
FINEMASTER: Scott stood in and immediately violated the Wallace Rule.  Less than two cookies, fined; driving while texting - $10, talking without hands free - $5; Harte (our guest for heaven's sake!) for wearing a tie (how far have we come, or how low have we sunk - the ties, not guest Harte); the cover story of the latest Rotarian (Answer: Polio); Not attending the NWW Fair; eating a Moo-wich".  [sorry - attention wandered]; Mark Sexton on the Seattle news and something about that was sad?; Rocky was late with his Happy Bucks.  Then Scott (do you all k now he is a Rotary scofflaw - with the full support of the club, but nonetheless) dispensed Recognition (it this is a the start of a new tradition, I like it):  Tyler and Paul got Moo-wich Attaboys; Marlene for simultaneously serving as president of two organizations (get a life); and Ray for the auction; Shannon Terrell and Sharon for something
 
BANNERS:  The estimable Stan confounded most of us.  The theme was opposites:  Hard and soft; river and dam; cat and dog (sorry, some of these categories are not true opposites, but that is nitpicking); night and day; old and new; wide and narrow; plain and fancy; fish and fowl; Academe and Pullman; black and white; north and south; mountain and valley; water and desert; and beauty and beast.  Bravo.
 
PROGRAM:  Okay - this is important.  We got a program from Rick on our club webpage, provided by ClubRunner.  If you don't already have the address in your Favorites, just search Whatcom County North Rotary Club [Editor's note:  this also works for Rotary International and District 5050].  The main thrust was that this is a wonderful tool, and we are all encouraged to try it out to see its capabilities.  Rick discussed many aspects of the tool, including: logging-in; editing your profile; access to the Administration page; email - creating custom lists of recipients (committees should this), composing messages, and even bypassing the need to communicate with members without having to go through the club administrators; event registration - events, meetings, dinners, seminars.  Our club has a Facebook page, for those of you into that sort of thing.  If you need or want help, Rick has graciously offered to help.  There is also a handy Help site on ClubRunner.  Rick discussed many more important and helpful points that you can investigate on your own.  Thank You, Rick!
 
DRAWING:  Jim Sands - not a winner.
 
FACTOID:  Did you know that our own Stan Brunner and Jim McKellar were members of the original Board of Trustees of Whatcom Community College?
 
Editor this Week:  Sharon for the objective news; Tim C. for the gobbledygook.