Soundings (5/23/06)

Bill introduced Sandy Berner, the executive director of the Whatcom Center for Early Learning (WCEL)â¿¢ We will be giving them a check for $5000 this year. Sandy described how the WCEL helps local infants and toddlers with developmental risks and delays reach their highest potential through family-centered early intervention services. Our donation last year helped purchase an indoor play structure and resurface tike track. The check today will support the painting of the building. Sandy presented our club with a photo of the play structure.

Bill read letter from Boys & Girls Club thanking our club for the $4,000 donation.

Dick Stark told us about the fun run in July that will benefit cancer research in honor of Bob Rice. The run will take place on Saturday July 8th. All Bucks in the Bay money this week will go toward purchasing tee shirts for the run.

Applicant for Membership: Steve Spitzer, owner of Play it Again Sports, has been approved by the membership committee and board. Steve is sponsored by Lance Calloway. If anyone has any objections or comments, please let Frank Z or Bill U know.

Bucks in the Bay
Orphelee - A missing rooster on South Hill (?)
Denise - Article in Herald Saturday about daughter in State tennis meet; John Hulbert - for Bob;
Bob Moles - for bob, also presented our club with Rotary International's "Presidential Citation" (citation in the good sense);
Gordon Plume - for Bob;
Cy Lindberg - daughter going to Oregon State grad school, moving from East Coast;
Dave Nichols - for Bob, a motorcycle trip, Patti;
Duane McNett - 88 yr old mother in law;
Stowe Talbot - for article in Herald;
John Sleeth - trip to SF and witnessing the Bay to Breakers run;
Lance Calloway - Herald article about Sportsplex;
Harold Scott - for Bob;
Bryant â¿¢ trips to NYC;
Tim McEvoy - for Bob;
Jeff Kochman - for the joyride taken by two disoriented senior citizens at the Barkley Golf range yesterday which totaled their car and did several thousand dollars damage to the range.
Stephanie - Known Bob since high school;
Art - nothing about grandkids;
Chuck Walters - 30 wedding anniversary;
Mike Kirkland - St. Joseph's recognized as one of the top 100 hospitals in country;
Curt Smith - last week performed volunteer dental work on 42 patients patients in need (through DSHS) with help from other volunteers dentisits, also scheduled a brothel talk for the Lynden Rotary club, which desperately needs some sex education;
Stew Ellison - for Bob, and spring skiing in preparation for S-to-S;
Brent Walker - boat trip and for Bob;
Chip Hilardes - Diablo Lake with son;
Ron Hardesty
Stan Dyer
Chuck Olson
Jim Wells - went out on his boat the Mai Tai Monday, and everything worked!
Steve Brummel - golf tournament;
Bill Unrein: Over $1500 was raised!

Sergeant at Arms by Robin Schmidt
Automobiles, baseball, Germany, daylight savings time.

Program
Orphalee introduced Professor Don Alper, the Director for the Center Canadian-American Studies, and Border Policy Research Institute. The center is rather young; in 2004 it received Fed US funding, then last year it received Canadian money to start the center.

The Border Policy Research Institute is a multi-disciplinary research institute at WWU focused on policy research dealing with transporation, mobility and security issues affecting the Canada-U.S. border. In its work, the BPRI is especially dedicated to fostering creative thinking about the border and the complex relationships and infrastructure that connect the northern 1-5 corridor with Canada.
Some of the areas on which it focuses research:
1) freight and passenger mobility (3,000 trucks and 23,000 passenger cars cross over each day in Whatcom County); 2) drug traffic both directions; 3) energy; 4) environment; 5) immigration.

Passport requirements by 2008: 2/3 of crossers are Canadian, most cross at Blaine. Any slowdown will have big economic impact - half of all tourism dollars comes from Canadians. Studies suggest most non-passport holders have no intent to get passport to travel across border. On the other hand, most business travelers already have passports.

Olympics will have a big impact for the county, but not during the actual games. The best potentials areas: a) practice venues in the months before the games (snowboarding, hockey⿦) b) overall legacy and recognition by visitors and media people.

Respectfully committed,
Stowe Talbot