May 16, 2016 Spokesman
The meeting was called to order at 6:30Pm by President Rich Bergdahl
Alice Volpe led us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States.
Bill Woods our 50 year club Rotarian gave an inspirational moment based on his recollections from his school days in Montana. He related a special moment when a history teacher in 1942 announced that he had been drafted for the war effort. He recalls the teacher said to the class that we should remember that it takes courage to speak but even more courage to open your mind and listen. He also recalled his favorite President Ronald Reagan saying a responsive idea will solve the problems we face if you are willing to annoy enough people with it.
Our guests tonight were our favorite bartender from years back Tyson, the man with only one name. Actually he has a last name but friends need to know only one. Our two students of the month from Lake Washington High School were here for their last visits and presentations, Matthew Malloy and Amanda Chau with some of their families. Another guest was Shreedar from India who was to speak at the end of the meeting.
- Announcements included that we need volunteers for Miracle League this Saturday since no sports or club team youth volunteers will be present. Ten Rotarians indicated they can come. Twenty are needed.
- Steve Shinstrom announced he needs signups for scribe and greeters and made a special pitch for Rotarians in the Club to respond with guest numbers that they are coming to the Wild Rover next Monday the 23rd of May for the Duck Dash kickoff. Otherwise there may not be enough food if you just show up.
- Ben Premack announced that May 28th is the next Rotary First harvest activity at the food bank in Kent. Assemble at the 70th Street park and Ride or at the facility in Kent. Ben was also awarded a Rotary International pin for signing up his grandfather as a Rotarian.
Matthew and Amanda gave their combined reports to conclude their Student of the Month participation cycles with an eclectic and different approach from usual. They came up together and did a mock interview of each other in front of the club. From this we learned of their personal interests (Matthew has no spare time due to volunteering and other club memberships such as Beta Club, Decca, as well as basketball and track; just got a job with Kirkland Park’s Department) Amanda was snowed with activities as well (Rotaract and taking classes at Bellevue Community College volleyball team and friends) Matt will attend the University of Montana but his major is not yet chosen but so far interested in biology or city planning. Both our students are planning senior year trips to one place or the other. They announced that they have been classmates since kindergarten. Elizabeth Rusnick presented them with their participation certificates and donation cards for food in their honor in Rotary First Harvest food banks (600 pounds of food each as donations in their names. The traditional racing ducks were also gifted to each.
A special guest tonight was Tyson our one name favorite bartender and friend to many Rotarians at the happy hour before meetings. Tyson reported that he fondly remembers the friends he made at Rotary and the advice many of them gave that aided him in the transitions of his life that are ongoing. He has been accepted to the Foster School of Business at UW. Wherever Tyson ends up we are confident he will be contributing to life and progress and we fully expect him to become a future Rotarian. He already has that look. His thanking us for the inspiration he received was genuinely expressed and heart felt in the reception.
Patty Doherty gave her classification talk: Having done many things in life including IT sales and lived all over from here to California, Florida and back, Patty’s classification is insurance sales. Aflac has been her major employer but she did a few years in teaching but soon returned to her love insurance sales. From no planning whatsoever she spent a number of years in troubled spots or conditions: a husband with a drinking problem, four hurricanes in Florida but always learned to love to serve people in their responding to helps. She has one daughter who is now a student at USC in California. Every time she moved away circumstances seemed to bring her back to Washington where she has acquired many friends and will stay. She was introduced to Rotary by President Rich Bergdahl whose Rotary pin attracted her interest at a Kirkland Chamber of Commerce Meeting and when she asked about he, he said, “Come and see” She did and here she has stayed. We welcome you Patty Doherty, Rotarian.
Jason Overleese introduced our program representatives from Kineta, a pharmaceutical drug development firm. Ken North, chief fund raiser, a former banker who retired from business to shape drug development at Kineta introduced the company and our speaker Kristin Bedard, PhD, head of Kineta’s urology research program. Kristin explained why the pathway to an FDA drug for disease treatment takes so long. Kineta receives government grants from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and others that are called undiluted grants which means the government does not control the use or the means of the expenditures in research or the ability to take the drugs for governmental use once developed. Kineta calls its programs translational development which was ambiguous to your scribe. Some of their initiatives include innate immune systems, dealing with chronic pain and immune oncology. FDA approval for therapeutic drug products average 12-15 years in development which partly explains why the cost is so high. Some of their research programs include auto immune functions, research into lupus treatment products and anti-viral programs, something called one side suppressors (whatever that means) and efforts to find solutions to such killers as lupus and Ebola. New areas being worked on include immune response research, immune modulating drugs, killing cancer cells and fighting various viral infection causes. Kineta also works on research to combat or control chronic pain. 44 people per day die from addiction to pain killing drugs that cross the blood barrier into the brain which makes addiction a problem. Kineta is finding sources for substances that can develop drugs that will control chronic pain and not cross the blood barrier and become as addictive. They invited us to inquire and even make a visit although some parts of the facility may not be accessed for obvious reasons of cleanliness and the scientific precautions involved.
Our visiting Rotarian Shreedar gave a presentation of his club in India called Chennai Upscale in the town of Chennai. They speak the Tamil language in the language family group of Dravidian. The club is only 100 days old. Their vision is education assistance for kids in their community. He presented slides of historic buildings like temples although not necessarily religious as well as pictures of the kids they help. He had only heard of Rotary and knew nothing about it but somebody suggested he help form a club. We got to see the results so far. President Bergdahl presented a Kirkland Rotary Club flag. Shreedar is a mechanical engineer in India , has a son in Redmond and a daughter in Bellevue so we are likely to see more of him in the future. He stated that for the annual cost of $60-$70 a student’s life can be saved through education in his area. A true Rotarian in action, this one was and heartily welcomed by our club.
The meeting adjourned approximately 7:45Pm.
John E. Woodbery
Scribe