The Rotary Club of Kirkland held a meeting – actually a holiday gift-wrapping and holiday party – on December 20, 2021 at the Kirkland Woman’s Club. We did not have a structured meeting as this event substituted for our traditional gift-wrapping event for one of the club’s community service projects, providing gifts for needy families whose children attend John Muir Elementary School. We combined the gift – wrapping event with our traditional, annual holiday party.
Attending were David Aubry, Christine Bell, Rich Bergdahl, Bella Chaffey, Terry Cole, David DeBois, Shellie Gehring, Brandon Honcoop, Mike Hunter, Laura Loomis, Jim Meniketti, James Nevers, Rick Ostrander, Joanne Primavera, John Pruitt, Steve Shinstrom, Patti Smith, Bill Taylor, Brian Tucker, and Rick Walter.
Guests:
Guests for this special holiday evening event were Anna Aubry, Nanette Bergdahl, Michelle Cole, Christine DeBois, Sharon Hunter, Nikola Lakic, Charles Loomis, Jackson Nevers, Jessica Nevers, Peggy Ostrander, Janet Pruitt, Patty Shinstrom, Sandy Taylor, Joanne Tucker, Student of the Month Monique Loos and her mother, Katrina Loos, and guests of Terry Cole (and a potential Rotary member).
Greeter:
Bella Chaffey, the community service chair, acted as greeter for the special holiday event. Bella did a great job subbing for our event organizer, Monica Fratita, still out after delivering her new son. Bella opened the building at 4:30 p.m., and several of us immediately began setting up tables for wrapping the gifts, and to use afterward for eating. Wrapping began about 5:00 p.m. and continued until about 5:45 p.m. Dinner, catered by The Catering Co., arrived about 5:30 p.m. at was set up in a buffet-style in the kitchen. A bit before 6:00 p.m., we began lining up for our great meal, a choice of lemon-herb chicken or a beef pot roast, both accompanied by excellent mashed potatoes and roasted, mixed vegetables. There was also salad and bread available, and a vegetarian dish, so no one went hungry. Plus, there was an apple-blueberry crumble for dessert! The food was great, so thanks to Monica for her good choices.
Once at our tables, we had our choice of two white wines and three red wines, plus assorted beers, soft drinks, and bottled water. The evening was very festive, with much socializing and catching up in our first real member-and-guest event in quite a while.
There was a good deal of chicken and side-dishes left over, so many attendees took food home and will not have to worry about a meal or two in the near future.
Adjournment:
The meeting/event “wound down” and was adjourned at about 9:30 p.m., after everyone pitched in to clean up the facility and put away the tables and chairs.
Respectfully Submitted
Dave Aubry – Acting Scribe