The Rotary Club of Kirkland held an in-person meeting November 20, 2023, at Madison House in Totem Lake.

Following a bit of socializing and nibbles, former President Joanne Primavera called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m.

Attending were David Aubry, Michelle Cazeau, Gary Cohn*, Jocelyn Ellison, Doug Evanson, Kate Koslosky, Jim Meniketti, Kristin Olson, Rick Ostrander, Peter Peaquin, Joanne Primavera, John Pruitt, Josephine Shi, and Rick Walter.  *Attended via Zoom.

Former President Joanne gave us a Rotary Minute recounting a short history of the 1937 beginnings of the Rotary Club of Kirkland.  She noted several descendants or relatives of charter and other early members of the club are currently members of the Rotary Club of Kirkland.  In the early years, the club met a number of different locations.

As a scholar and athlete, Brooke Lewis devotes her time to being impactful within her community. A senior at Lake Washington High School, Brooke is a Feminist Club officer, a member of National Honors Society, and a panel member for Kang Connections, a student founded and run peer-to-peer mental health organization. Branching beyond her school community, Brooke is a 2023-2024 National Alliance for Mental Illness Eastside Youth Ambassador. This opportunity grants her a platform to increase mental health literacy within the greater Eastside community.

The Holiday Gift Wrapping Party will be Monday, December 18, 2023, will begin at 5:30 p.m. with gift wrapping, dinner will follow, and the subsequent meeting will constitute the club's annual meeting for this Rotary year. The club will meet at the St. John's Episcopal Church in Kirkland. Registration is now open, and club members may register using the club's Calendar event through midnight on December 12. The fee is $40 per attendee, which covers venue, food, and drink costs, and must be paid at the time of registration.

 

Holiday gifting supports John Muir Elementary School families. The John Muir staff identifies families whose circumstances make them eligible for holiday gift donations.

The Club Service Committee is planning another Rotary Valentine Dinner for Rotarians to gather in celebration of the Valentine's Day holiday.  The event has been moved to Monday, February 12 in place of a virtual club meeting and is to be held at Heritage Hall.  Committee chair Doug Evanson is leading the planning for the event.  If you have suggestions for the organization of the event, please click on Doug's name above and send him your advice, or contact other committee members.

Welcome our newest member to the Rotary Club of Kirkland! Josephine Shi was inducted into membership in the Rotary Club of Kirkland by Rick Walter this month, with the classification Senior Services-Marketing. After experiencing international trading in the alfalfa market with Run Harvest International Trade, LLC, and then luxury retailing with Gucci, Josephine landed in the senior living industry.

Rotarians are reminded that the club's annual board nominating committee, this year comprising the president-elect, Pete Anderson, and past presidents Rick Walter and Joanne Primavera, has begun its work. The committee is responsible under the bylaws for organizing a proposed slate of officers and directors for the forthcoming year. The slate will consist of the president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and five members of the board of directors who are chairs of the avenues of service committees.

The club held five meetings during the months of October and November 2023. Overall club attendance for the month was 56% for October, an increase of 17% over the prior month. Attendance for November was 50%, a slight decline then compared to October. During October one in-person meeting was cancelled due to COVID at Madison House, and the October data includes the foundation gala and dinner, which is classified as a special meeting.