The Rotary Club of Kirkland held a meeting on March 21, 2022 at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel.
President Dave DeBois rang the bell at 6:15 p.m., calling the club meeting to order.
John Pruitt led the membership in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attending were George Anderson, Pete Anderson, David Aubry, Scott Becker*, Rich Bergdahl, Gary Cohn*, David DeBois, Monica Fratita*, Shellie Gehring, Margie Glenn, Isabelle Kalisa, Jim Meniketti, Ernie Norehad, Rick Ostrander, Joanne Primavera, John Pruitt, Steve Shinstrom, and Bill Taylor. *Attended the meeting online.
Guests:
Guests this evening included Larry Logue, our speaker, who came to the meeting via Zoom. Dave Aubry introduced Carron Chemobieff, a visiting Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Oak Harbor who is interested in our Rotary Club; and Doug Evanson, formerly with the Rotary Club of Tukwila, was back for his third visit.
Greeter:
Our greeter this evening was Margie Glenn, and Jim Meniketti manned the front desk.
Announcements & Club Business:
Steve Shinstrom reminded us of Bunco at the Shinstroms’ house on April 9. Sign-up sheets were on the tables for those who have not signed up on line. Food sign-ups are on line.
Monica announced that next week we will meet Tuesday, March 29 at the Flatstick Pub in downtown Kirkland, with the Rotary Club of Kirkland Downtown and maybe with one of the Bellevue clubs joining us. Cost is $35 per person, including food. You can pay extra with money going for Ukrainian refugees. Save the date is coming via email.
Scott Becker solicited sponsorships for the Duck Dash and gave us a progress report on sponsorships.
Rotary International Foundation Liaison Rich Bergdahl announced that he had Paul Harris Fellowship Awards to bestow. He called Jim Meniketti (PH+1), Rick Ostrander (PH+8), Brandon Honcoop (PH+6), and Dave Aubry (PH+4) to the front of the room. He presented the awards and gave us a detailed reminder of the meaning of the award and the wonderful things that Rotary International accomplishes with the donated money. Note that Dave Aubry accepted the award on behalf of his California cousin Russ Aubry, who, as executor of Dave’s late sister’s estate, donated the residual amount of several thousand dollars. Russell Aubry became a PH+3 all at once.
Happy Bucks:
There were no Happy Bucks this evening.
Program:
Our speaker, Larry Logue, District 5030 International Chair, was introduced by Dave DeBois. Mr.Logue spoke to us about Rotary International’s priorities and about how international projects can be done. Mr. Logue is an enthusiastic advocate for international projects and the good they can do around the world. He gave us an example of a local Rotary Club that raised about half a million dollars and then had it multiplied six times by grants and matching funds from District and through Rotary International. He explained at some length how money from Club members flows to district and to Rotary International and is invested and then flows back to Clubs for qualifying projects. This is an example of the power of Rotary to marshal resources to accomplish great things.
He showed us a world map that demonstrates the reach of local Clubs to do good by illustrating projects around the world initiated by local Clubs.
Rotary has seven Focus Areas: Peace, Fighting Disease, Education, Growing Local Economies, Saving Mothers and Children, Protecting the Environment, and Water, Hygiene and Sanitation. To successfully do an International Project, a Club needs to partner with a local Club where the project is to occur. District 5030 can assist with finding the necessary resources.
A successful project also requires an accurate assessment of the issue to be addressed. He cautioned against starting with a solution and then trying to find a problem to fit.
Mr. Logue did such a thorough job of explaining the process that there was only one question, and that related to clarifying one small point.
Ernie Norehad then got a chance to tell us one of his jokes before we adjourned.
Joker Pool:
There was not a Joker Pool this evening.
Adjournment:
President Dave rang the bell at 7:10 p.m. to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully Submitted
Dave Aubry – Acting Scribe