Meeting Date/Location: February 29, 2016 at China City
President’s Comments
It is so exciting when we bring new members into our Rotary family. Most people who have ever heard of Rotary do not understand that it is an organization where an individual must be invited to join. The general understanding is that anyone can join whenever they like. The intent of Rotary is to attract individuals and leaders from the community that share common goals and are invested in service and making a difference. Our newest members Jim Rogers and Gwen Jones are great examples of what Rotary is all about and I am thrilled to welcome them to our team.
It has been a full February and we raised a little money through our flower delivery that will be put to good use. Thank you to Tracy, Ashley, Sharon, Gordy, Jim, Kathy, Karen, Alicia and Jane for volunteering your time. It was fun to participate in this event and see the joy on people’s faces when they received their bouquets. We were also excited to welcome our Youth Adventures in Leadership (YAIL) attendees Liam Henny and Janoah Spratt, who returned inspired and inspiring from the four-day event.
Happy thoughts
We’ve had so many happy thoughts this month, which include spring flowers in bloom, well-deserved vacations, skiing, and gathering to listen to Cranberry Bog at Bloom’s Tasting Room.
Guests:
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Liam Henny, YAIL attendee
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Janoah Spratt, YAIL attendee
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Ray Green, husband of Mary Green and visitor from South Whidbey Rotary Club
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Karen Renz, partner of Alicia Dietrich
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Mike Belange
Topics:
As Lyn noted, we’re delighted to expand our Rotary family with two new members. We were also pleased to recognize George Henny for his 23 years of Rotary service. We’re fortunate as a club to have multiple members with decades of experience, and George has been a valued friend and leader as we continue to grow.
Rotary also thrives by welcoming the next generation of community-leaders, and this week we heard from YAIL attendees Janoah Pratt and Liam Henny, both students at South Whidbey High School. They shared highlights of their experience, including inspirational speakers, new friendships, and group problem-solving exercises. It was our privilege to sponsor Liam and Janoah, and we look forward to hearing more from them in years ahead!
And to continuing the topic of leadership, our next president Ashley Morrison recounted her experience at the Rotary President-Elect Training Seminar. In addition to attending classes and socializing with other Rotary leaders, Ashley met Rotary International’s president-elect John Germ.
Not least of all, we were delighted to donate $1,000 to Arusha School in Tanzania. We have more projects underway for 2016, so watch this space!
Next Week
Next week’s program is from Cynde Robinson from CADA, and there will be a Board meeting beginning at 4:30 prior to the meeting. Both are at China City.
Upcoming Events
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March 14: Jim and Kathy Rogers will deliver a presentation on their annual trip to Guatemala, where they and other medical professionals provide healthcare to impoverished children.
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March 19: Roadside cleanup
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March 19: Rotary Leadership Institute in Surrey, BC.
Next week’s Meeting duties
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Scribe: Virginia
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Photographer: Alex/Melissa
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Greeter: Alicia
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Setup/Takedown: Ed and Virginia
