Northwind June 4, 2015

President Rocky called the meeting to order and led us in the flag salute.

Invocation:  Marlene inspired us with the invocation.

Visiting Rotarians:  Patty Klassen (Port Moody) Bob Moles (B’ham Bay) Graham Harris (New Zealand)

Guests of Rotarians:  Rocky was joined by his wife, Sylvia.  Ken was being supervised by his wife, Sue.  Julie brought daughter, Sherry, grandson, Dakota, friend of all, Deb Wiggs, and husband, Bob.  Graham brought his son, Martin and Marlene was accompanied by her friend, Brian Lott.  Welcome ALL!

Announcements:  Sharon has left for the RI meeting in Brazil, so the board meeting has been changed to June 24^th.   This will be Rocky’s last official meeting as President.  Our next meeting, (June 11) will be at Barron’s Heating on Pacific Highway.  Please attend!!  Rocky attended the official ground breaking at the B & G club in Blaine and stated it was a great time had by all.  WCNR received kudos for being the 3^rd highest donor to this great project.  On a sad note, Scott W., Pete R., and Gary T. have all resigned from the club.  They will be missed.  For some reason, Greg refused to drive to Sumas to get his sponsor pins off Rocky’s dining room table, so Rocky brought  them to Greg.  Ken discussed the Duck Race and we are to see Pati to sign up to sell tickets on the 21^st of June at Ferndale Haggen’s.  (Last weekend’s sales apparently were successful and fun!)  Ken will also have a “tools and duties” list and hopes families will be involved in this fun event on August 29^th.   Bill encouraged us to read the Peace Arch Journal and learn how Mel has donated 80,000 Paul Harris Points to District 5050.  (Remember the Hollinger clan at the Dec Foundation Dinner?)  WCNR was also recognized in the Journal for being on the “Honor Roll”, #10, for annual giving.  Also, we were #1 for clubs over $100 per capita for PolioPlus! 

Birthdays & Anniversaries:  Bill Grace has been in the club since 1986!!  Congrats!

Happy Bucks:  Ken was happy that Sue was with him and also happy to see Deb Wiggs.  Bill was happy with the new set-up at the library, but sad about the membership dwindling.  Rocky was happy Sylvia was there and the great weather.  Stan was happy his grandson, who is Greek, won a 10 day trip to Greece sponsored by his church.  Patty Klassen was happy to be here.  Laurie was happy that she arrived and Bill had already set up for the meeting.  Pati was happy for the Duck ticket sales on Saturday.  Graham was happy to have finally found the Library!  We are glad he and Martin made it, as Graham is leaving for New Zealand tomorrow.  Julie was happy to have grandson, Dakota do the presentation on his RYLA experience.  She was also happy to have her daughter, Sherry,  here and to be celebrating another granddaughter’s graduation.  Big family week!!  Deb was happy to be here and talked of being a Rotary “Brat” and how important Rotary has been in her life.  Linda was happy she will attend 3 graduations (Windward, Ferndale, and Lummi Nation), but sad that she has to leave early for one of them.  Greg was happy that his son, Jason, will be teaching at Mt. Baker high-school. Brian Lott was happy to be here and Marlene gave money for her past sins, as well as extra money for future ones. 

Finemaster:  Tim showed no mercy!  Ken got fined for a ridiculous pun involving the “long and short” of it.  Laurie was fined heavily for dining and dashing at our last meeting at Bob’s.  (Tim paid her bill and added a generous tip to avoid the law being called.)   Anyone who had not sold a duck ticket was fined.   Anyone who had not gone to Haggen’s was fined.  Anyone who signed up to go to Haggen’s and did not go was fined.  Anyone who was thrown under the bus by her own daughter (and grandson) at Haggen’s was fined.  (And those were the “future sins” Marlene was paying for.) Stan was fined $1 because Tim thought a woman was Stan’s daughter, she wasn’t and Tim was embarrassed.  Anyone who has not gone to King’s Court was fined.  Also fined if you didn’t know what Kings Court is.  Rocky was fined for Sylvia’s ignorance on this matter.  Bill was fined for being the closer on Tim’s ticket sales.  Julie was fined for not being in King’s Court and not knowing it existed.  Jake was fined for not putting in happy bucks.  Jim “Jimbo” Blaney was fined for no apparent reason.  Tim then opened the floor for others to fine a deserving member.  Marlene began by fining Pati for being with “Mean Tim” and Sue fined Ken for being Ken, which makes sense!  Deb fined anyone who has not yet gone to New Zealand and Bob Moles fined Tim for wearing his badge backward, but Tim informed Bob that as Finemaster, he is immune to fines. 

Program:  A great program hosted by Patty Klassen and Dakota White, (Julie’s grandson), who admits he was “convinced” to go to RYLA by Nick Caples, who is the general manager of the Bellingham Bells and also a RYLA alumni.    Patty is the Past District Leader for RYLA and is now the District Chair for Interact.   Patty and Dakota discussed the importance and intrigue of RYLA and the benefits gained by all participants.  Dakota described his “take-aways” such as improved communications skills, a good understanding of ethics, conflict resolution, and leadership skills.  He apparently became much more comfortable with hugs, as well.    He stated he was very  grateful to the club for this “priceless” experience and he considered it life-changing.  Hopefully, he will “climb the Rotary ladder” and become a Rotarian when he is older.  Good program!