May 16, 2011 Spokesman
Posted by Elizabeth Rusnak
on May 16, 2011
Rotary minutes, Monday, May 16, 2011
By: Elizabeth Rusnak
President Pat Dye opened the meeting at 6:35pm. Rick Walter led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. President Pat thank Elizabeth Rusnak for scribing, Mekonnen G. for greeting, and Barbara Hagstrom & John Pruitt for working the front desk.
Guests announced: Karen Styner, wife of Jim Styner; Chris Rusnak, husband of Elizabeth Rusnak.
Visiting Rotarian: Scott East of Bellevue Tuesday noon Club.
Announcements:
Rick O. asked everyone to complete t he sign-up sheets for this weekend’s Duck Dash sales. Tom Sturgell will be filling in for Rick O. while is away for 2-weeks.
Chuck Brockway thanked all the volunteers from Miracle League this past weekend, and asked for volunteers for this coming weekend, May 21st at Perrigo Park in Redmond (off Union Hill Road). Remember there is no Miracle League on Saturday, May 28th. Kirkland Downtown Club will be facilitating the year-end picnic on June 11th.
By: Elizabeth Rusnak
President Pat Dye opened the meeting at 6:35pm. Rick Walter led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. President Pat thank Elizabeth Rusnak for scribing, Mekonnen G. for greeting, and Barbara Hagstrom & John Pruitt for working the front desk.
Guests announced: Karen Styner, wife of Jim Styner; Chris Rusnak, husband of Elizabeth Rusnak.
Visiting Rotarian: Scott East of Bellevue Tuesday noon Club.
Announcements:
Rick O. asked everyone to complete t he sign-up sheets for this weekend’s Duck Dash sales. Tom Sturgell will be filling in for Rick O. while is away for 2-weeks.
Chuck Brockway thanked all the volunteers from Miracle League this past weekend, and asked for volunteers for this coming weekend, May 21st at Perrigo Park in Redmond (off Union Hill Road). Remember there is no Miracle League on Saturday, May 28th. Kirkland Downtown Club will be facilitating the year-end picnic on June 11th.
Pres. Pat read a thank you card that was sent by the Aryouzoa family, thanking our club for the financial donation after their Rosehill home burned on new years day.
Press. Pat announced the "fill a bag challenge" to benefit Eastside Baby Corner. Purchase any of the following items and bring them to Rotary on 5/23/11 to fill the bags: any size of disposable diapers; powdered instant formula such as powdered Similac; baby bottles; nipples and liners (especially Avent, Dr. Brown and Playtex); pacifiers; diaper ointment; baby shampoo or body wash; Ivory bar soap.
Brandon Honcoop inducted our newest member, Vicky Cooley. Her sponsor was President Pat Dye and her mentor will be G.G. Getz. Welcome Vicky!
Brandon Honcoop presented Barbara Hagstrom with her blue badge. Bill Taylor was her mentor and she went from red to blue in record time. Congratulations Barbara.
Chuck Brockway collected Happy Dollars, and started it off by announcing the birth of his grandson.
Bill Taylor provided a great recap of the District Conference and how smooth it went.
June 20 is the Transition dinner and the theme will be Caribbean.
President-elect, Brandon Honcoop thanked everyone for completing the survey for tonight's Club Assembly, and provided the following recap of the results:
1. Both social and programs were noted as what members enjoyed most.
2. Rich Bergdahl will be membership chair and will continue having after-hours for members and guests. This proved to be a great way of recruiting members.
3. The events that members enjoy most are salmon bake, holiday party, and golf tournament.
4. As for how the club spends money, most agreed that 1/3 should be divided equally between international, community service, and vocational.
5. While everyone supports the youth exchange program, no one has stepped up to the plate to be the youth exchange officer or provide leads for host families. The club needs both components for a successful youth exchange program.
6. As for fund raising, 50% were in favor of the Duck Dash and 50% were not. As this is our 14th year doing it, the club needs to decide how to make it better if we are going to keep doing it.
7. As for the Foundation, all enjoyed the Texas Hold 'Em event and wants to continue having a worthy beneficiary.
8. With respect to finances, our club is in good shape and we have a reserve account to cover 1-year of operating needs. Our dues at the club level have not increased in 3-years (although dues at District and International level have gone up slightly).
9. Eric Olsen will be Chairperson for scholarships. Jim Going has been laying the ground work for an Interact Club.
10. Patti Smith will continue to be Programs Chair, and spoke about how to recognize a good potential program and to let her know of them.
11. Pat Swenson provided an overview of the Reading Buddies program with John Muir Elementary. The program starts November 1st and each segment lasts 6-weeks. Some volunteers choose to do just a single segment, while others do multiple through out the year. There is an end-of-year party where each student receives a free book. There is a section in the library that is dedicated to the Rotary Reading Buddies books. All is made possible by the Kirkland Rotary Club.
12. President Pat Dye provided an overview of the Warm Coats and Shoe Drive through John Muir Elementary. The school counselor at JME coordinates the families who receive these items, and also coordinates order the 200 coats. The school counselor partners with Fred Meyer in Kirkland for the shoes.
13. Short-term projects: the Warm Coats project, the Shoe Drive project, and the Holiday Gift Baskets project are all considered short-term projects, but nonetheless, need a coordinator.
14. Dan Bartel provided an overview of the Rotary First Harvest work days. These take place 3-times per year, where a group of Rotarians goes down to the Food Bank in Kent. Various jobs are completed from 9am to 11:30am, and then everyone usually goes out to lunch as a group. It's about 4-hours in total.
15. Brian Tucker (the new International chair) thanked Dan Bartel for his outstanding work on the Youth Exchange program this year. Brian asked members to get involved, and consider being the YEO. Brian also discussed a sample of other international projects: the eye bank and distributing soccer balls in Ethiopia; and Joanne Primavera has traveled to Nepal for Rotary projects.
16. Rich Bergdahl will be Membership Chair, and spoke about how we'll grow membership. He indicated he'll announce classifications that are not currently represented at the club level, so we all have some ideas of who to recruit.
17. Barb Seaton will continue as PR chair, and would like someone to partner with her.
18. Don Dicks will continue to be International Foundation chair, and has 2 volunteers to assist him.
19. Jerry Campo will be Club Service Chair (planning the social events for our club), and Joanne Burns will be assisting him.
That concluded our very informative Club Assembly.
Rick Walter drew the raffle ticket and Chuck Brockway had the winning ticket, although he didn't draw the joker.
For all his work on Club Assembly, President Pat presented Brandon with a donation certificate of 500 lbs of food for Rotary First Harvest.
The meeting was adjourned at 8pm.
Press. Pat announced the "fill a bag challenge" to benefit Eastside Baby Corner. Purchase any of the following items and bring them to Rotary on 5/23/11 to fill the bags: any size of disposable diapers; powdered instant formula such as powdered Similac; baby bottles; nipples and liners (especially Avent, Dr. Brown and Playtex); pacifiers; diaper ointment; baby shampoo or body wash; Ivory bar soap.
Brandon Honcoop inducted our newest member, Vicky Cooley. Her sponsor was President Pat Dye and her mentor will be G.G. Getz. Welcome Vicky!
Brandon Honcoop presented Barbara Hagstrom with her blue badge. Bill Taylor was her mentor and she went from red to blue in record time. Congratulations Barbara.
Chuck Brockway collected Happy Dollars, and started it off by announcing the birth of his grandson.
Bill Taylor provided a great recap of the District Conference and how smooth it went.
June 20 is the Transition dinner and the theme will be Caribbean.
President-elect, Brandon Honcoop thanked everyone for completing the survey for tonight's Club Assembly, and provided the following recap of the results:
1. Both social and programs were noted as what members enjoyed most.
2. Rich Bergdahl will be membership chair and will continue having after-hours for members and guests. This proved to be a great way of recruiting members.
3. The events that members enjoy most are salmon bake, holiday party, and golf tournament.
4. As for how the club spends money, most agreed that 1/3 should be divided equally between international, community service, and vocational.
5. While everyone supports the youth exchange program, no one has stepped up to the plate to be the youth exchange officer or provide leads for host families. The club needs both components for a successful youth exchange program.
6. As for fund raising, 50% were in favor of the Duck Dash and 50% were not. As this is our 14th year doing it, the club needs to decide how to make it better if we are going to keep doing it.
7. As for the Foundation, all enjoyed the Texas Hold 'Em event and wants to continue having a worthy beneficiary.
8. With respect to finances, our club is in good shape and we have a reserve account to cover 1-year of operating needs. Our dues at the club level have not increased in 3-years (although dues at District and International level have gone up slightly).
9. Eric Olsen will be Chairperson for scholarships. Jim Going has been laying the ground work for an Interact Club.
10. Patti Smith will continue to be Programs Chair, and spoke about how to recognize a good potential program and to let her know of them.
11. Pat Swenson provided an overview of the Reading Buddies program with John Muir Elementary. The program starts November 1st and each segment lasts 6-weeks. Some volunteers choose to do just a single segment, while others do multiple through out the year. There is an end-of-year party where each student receives a free book. There is a section in the library that is dedicated to the Rotary Reading Buddies books. All is made possible by the Kirkland Rotary Club.
12. President Pat Dye provided an overview of the Warm Coats and Shoe Drive through John Muir Elementary. The school counselor at JME coordinates the families who receive these items, and also coordinates order the 200 coats. The school counselor partners with Fred Meyer in Kirkland for the shoes.
13. Short-term projects: the Warm Coats project, the Shoe Drive project, and the Holiday Gift Baskets project are all considered short-term projects, but nonetheless, need a coordinator.
14. Dan Bartel provided an overview of the Rotary First Harvest work days. These take place 3-times per year, where a group of Rotarians goes down to the Food Bank in Kent. Various jobs are completed from 9am to 11:30am, and then everyone usually goes out to lunch as a group. It's about 4-hours in total.
15. Brian Tucker (the new International chair) thanked Dan Bartel for his outstanding work on the Youth Exchange program this year. Brian asked members to get involved, and consider being the YEO. Brian also discussed a sample of other international projects: the eye bank and distributing soccer balls in Ethiopia; and Joanne Primavera has traveled to Nepal for Rotary projects.
16. Rich Bergdahl will be Membership Chair, and spoke about how we'll grow membership. He indicated he'll announce classifications that are not currently represented at the club level, so we all have some ideas of who to recruit.
17. Barb Seaton will continue as PR chair, and would like someone to partner with her.
18. Don Dicks will continue to be International Foundation chair, and has 2 volunteers to assist him.
19. Jerry Campo will be Club Service Chair (planning the social events for our club), and Joanne Burns will be assisting him.
That concluded our very informative Club Assembly.
Rick Walter drew the raffle ticket and Chuck Brockway had the winning ticket, although he didn't draw the joker.
For all his work on Club Assembly, President Pat presented Brandon with a donation certificate of 500 lbs of food for Rotary First Harvest.
The meeting was adjourned at 8pm.