Steve:

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:30PM by President Rich Bergdahl, John Woodbery your scribe for tonight led the Pledge of Allegiance and Dan Bartel gave the inspiration moment as a report from having watched the Steve Jobs movie which gave recognition to creative people working as teams  who just see things differently.  Our new digital world is probably the result.

Mekonen Giogis served as greeter tonight and yours truly as Scribe.

 

Guests:

Our guests tonight included Dr. Arun Jhaveri, certified  sustainable development professional and the first mayor of Burien, Washington from 1992-1998.  Also joining us was Jorgni Ramis (SP?) a Bellevue Lunch Club visiting Rotarian who works in Information Technology and supports what are called "Inspiration Playgrounds" for kids with disabilities who with these helps can feel included in social life.  Carly Taylor from Bellevue High School is our Student of the Month for November.  Also joining us as Scott Becker's guest was Michael Oskouian an insurance broker with Willis of Seattle, Inc.

 

Announcements included:

  • For Ann Hamilton not present, the Lake Washington School of Technology benefit lunch is November 3rd.
  • Don Dicks announced the Club's hands on work project for Attain Housing, a program to refurbish housing units for the next short term resident seeking an avenue back into responsible and productive life in the community. Volunteers needed for this weekend; contact Don for location and details.
  • Steve Shinstrom announced that the annual Bunco party at his house will be November 14th, theme is crazy hats so surprise us!
  • Scott Rethke announced that the night before is a warm up event at  Total Wine in Bellevue:  6:30-8:30  beer and wine available.
  • Dave  Debois announced hockey night in Everett on Saturday December 5th. More details as to where to assemble for a pre game meal to be announced.
  • Rich Bergdahl announced that the Club's $50,000 donation will be presented to the City of Kirkland on November 17th and requested some past presidents to accompany him.
  • Eric Olsen, now retired as Chief of Police of Kirkland thanked those who came to his retirement party and reported somewhat on his new life.
 

Happy Dollars:

  • Rick Walters happy to be back from Las Vegas and still solvent after  some change of chairs move that some unlucky gambler more or less forced him to make.
  • Ernie Norehad happy to be back and  had a weird story about a woman with a problem of emitting coins from her private areas and was shocked to learn that the best diagnosis the Doctors could give after many tests and trials and errors was that she was :"going through the change".
  • Don Dicks happy for Husky, Seahawk and Sounders wins.
  • Gary Bruner reported he is happy to be alive and back (no pun intended) after some serious medical problems.
  • Mike Hunter celebrated successful Student of the Month interviews.
  • Scott Becker told a dumb blond joke about a "redhead" (disguised?) who had pain all over her body as she touched herself only to learn that she had a broken finger.
  • Rick Ostrander was just $3.00 happy for nothing mentioned.
  • Steve Shinstrom was happy his winners beard continues to grow for his favorite sports teams.
  • Brian Tucker was happy after a trip to see Univ. of California  play and told a Halloween joke about two Zombie's at a party and one complained that the other Zombie rolled his eyes at him so he took one of his out and rolled it back.

 

Program:

 

All that silliness aside, Jason Overleese introduced  Rachel Brombaugh Chair of the Board of NW Sustainable Energy or Economic Development  (SEED)with her survey of the alternative energy developments in Washington State including solar, win and renewable energy sources.  Her organization serves as an advocate for that development as a solution to the energy needs of the citizens of this state.  One technique called "Heatwise" which brings outside heat into a home and inside heat out by some mechanism your scribe could not understand but supposedly brings 25-50% savings in energy costs.  Her organization conducts "Solarwise" workshops to educate people on reasonable choices available in the industries. This information provides the advantage of group purchases for lower acquisition prices.  They have a program called "Ace for All" which provides information , ideas and assistance to  lower income areas of the state.  She estimated a 5-7 year payback from solar of the costs of installation.  One member raised the problem of the distribution cost absorption what ever that means and the answer was not clear either to your Scribe.  Wind energy is being generated by huge turbines as advocated by their NW Wind Resource and Action Center, a wind cooperative apparently.  Her organization also advocates for and supports rural renewable efforts by providing education, consultations and even assistance with grants.  She reported on a program called Renewable Farm Walks for farming areas providing advocacy, incentive programs of some kind and the reduction of barriers due to the lack of information in those areas. She pointed out that a solar panel approximately 3 x 5 feet was able to generate 1 kilowatt of energy but over how long was not clear.  There were numerous questions from the audience that were answered.

 

Closing:  President Rich Bergdahl closed with a word of inspiration by reading a letter from Kurt Vonnegut in 1997 that  you should live your life in the present making the best that you can do for those around you and by all means use sunscreen, a fitting ending for a program about the positive aspects of the benefits of our sun.

 

John E. Woodbery

Scribe