President's Farewell Message

June 28, 2005

President's Outgoing message to the members of Bellingham Bay Rotary.

You sent me to P.E.T.S. training and to the Rotary International Convention in Osaka, Japan where I met Rotarians from around the world. I met members of the International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians in Chicago. I went to other Rotary Meetings across this country. But there is no group of persons anywhere who is more generous, more dependable or who are possessed of a better sense of humor than our own Bellingham Bay Rotary. It has been a pleasure to act as your president, and I thank you.

This is our Centennial Year, one that should be remembered as the year we embarked on a new level of commitment to Fund Raising, to local giving, to International Service, and to the Centennial Project. John Templeton used to say we were a Club of A Hundred Heroes. I agree, except now we are A Hundred and Twenty. To remember this year I have given each of you a coin that recites the 4 Way Test on one side, and that commemorates the Rotary Centennial on the other. I hope it always reminds you of the great things we, and Rotary International, have accomplished this year.

We raised more money than ever before. We contributed more money to charity than ever before. And we did it with compassion, grace and teamwork. You have made this year's presidency an easy task by your generosity and selfless service.

At the beginning of the year I identified some goals I wanted to meet during my presidency. Not all were met, but the important ones were.

• District Governor Gary said "shake it up". I asked each of you to participate in giving the invocation, and you did, resulting in a representative cross section of thought and understanding to begin each meeting.

• I asked each of you to sit at the head table once during the year. I think almost all of you did, and I thank you for sharing that hour with me.

• I identified our Centennial Project: The Taylor Avenue Gateway. You rallied behind the idea, raised the money, got the concept passed through the bureaucracy, lined up the materials. And we should all be proud of this accomplishment. The project is ready for completion as soon as the city schedules construction to begin.

• The new Grape and Gourmet fundraiser was a huge success for us, perhaps our largest ever, and now may pave the way to greater achievement. Our final Auction was a great success.

• I asked our "give our money away" committee to institute some standardized procedures for applications and deadlines, and to develop some conflict of interest rules. They not only did that, but we were able to give away nearly $37,000 to local programs. We made use of our first District Simplified Grant.

• I asked the Club to invigorate our International Service, something I began working on as Vice President. You enthusiastically stepped up to the task. Last year we raised enough money, and got enough Rotary partners (21 other clubs) to put together our first Rotary International Major Grant Request for the Trujillo Honduras Pure Water Project. That Grant is now awaiting funding.

This year we began work on the second grant, for Copan, Honduras, starting off with a resoundingly successful fundraiser, and strong interest from several other Rotary Clubs already.

• I asked that we try to start the process to identify and sponsor an Ambassadorial Scholar. The process has begun and our first application is eminent. Moreover, our Youth and Vocational Service Committee did outstanding work, giving out a record amount of Scholarships, working with high school students in the mock interview process.

• I asked that we begin recognizing our weekly speakers with certificates acknowledging $50 contributions made in their names to our own Bellingham Bay Foundation. Club members again stepped up to create the certificate, the program was instituted and has been well received by our speakers.

Not all my visions came to fruition, however. I had hoped our Past Presidents could mentor new members. I hoped that our hands-on projects would increase and that we would have more public relations. I had hoped that our Polio Plus pledges would be completely satisfied and we could achieve 100% participation in the Sustaining Paul Harris program. And I really would have liked more Monty Python gags. Unfortunately I did not find a way to move these programs into the mainstream of our club. I hope that these goals are met in time, and I am sure if someone asks the right people to take care of them, they will be done.

It has been a great year. The goals that were met were because of what you all have done. I handed out 25 small pins with crossed U.S. and Rotary Flags with the words "Service Above Self" beneath. I know some deserving individuals were overlooked, and I apologize if I have missed you. But these 25 individuals have been examples to us how our Rotary Motto is put into effect each and every day.

Bob Moles, Clean Water Project

Mike Lude, Bill Night

Kathy Dwyer, Paws with a Cause

Dale Brandland, Senator

Brad Burdick, Mt. Baker Theatre

Bill Elfo, Whatcom Sheriff

Carol Folette, Little Swan Theatre

Ogie Shaw, fitness

Sue Parrott, Domestic Violence Project

Patti Imhoff, St. Joseph Foundation

Dr. Dennis Murphy, Econ. Forecast

Jim Lambright, UW football

Brad Jackson, WWU basketball

Denis Boyd, "emotional intelligence"

Todd Ramsay, Bellingham Police

Debbie Granger, Student Volunteers

Jeff Hegedus, Health Dept.

Lesli Brewster, Whatcom Symphony

Carolyn Casey, Port of Bellingham

Gerald Pumphrey, Bellingham Tech

John Servas, Bellingham Independent

Lynn Templeton, Boys & Girls Club

Lee Gorsuch, Alaska Economy

Therese Holm, City Finance Dir.

Dave Harding, YMCA

Chip Hilarides, Geo. Pac.

Linda Ballsy, Big Bro, Sis