Soundings (6/14/05)

Our very own members, Mimi Ferlin and Shannon Terrell treated the club to a fascinating tour of their company, Brooks Manufacturing, one of the stalwarts of Bellingham industry.  Brooks Mfg commenced in Bellingham in 1915 as the Ralph Turner Pipe & Stave Company, and was purchased by Mimi's Granddaddy in 1935. The only items they manufacture are cross arms for power poles, and is perhaps the largest company of this kind in the world. They sell in the US as well as about 6 foreign countries. All of their product is made of wood, and those cross arms may be as short as 4 feet to as long as 55 feet. They have about 45 employees, and it looks as though they will be here for a while.  During all of this great tour, we had lunch of hamburgers, potato salad, cookies and drinks. Our thanks to Mimi and Shannon and the Brooks crew. Please look at the photo gallery from the tour on our Website (located on the right-hand index bar).

What a way to run a business: Thought it might be informative to let all of us know about our Rotary Club's new Board of Directors. Each year, throughout the Rotary world (168 countries), on July First, each of the 32,000 plus Rotary Clubs change Board of Directors -- of course, they do have a number on the Board that are there for more than one year, making it somewhat easy for the yearly transition. Our Board, as of 1 July of 2005 consists of:

• RON HARDESTY, Immediate Past President - Ron came into Rotary in 1998, and is glad to have finished his exemplary year;
• BILL UNREIN, President, is looking forward to a great year, and Bill entered Rotary in 1992;
• G. DENNIS ARCHER, Secretary, has held that position since heck was a pup, and he came into Rotary in 1983;
• BOB YOST, Treasurer, is new to the Board, and Bob became a Rotarian in 1996;
• BARRY KRAMER, President Elect, famous for his Grapes & Gourmet fund raiser and past program Chair, decided to join Rotary in 1996;
• ORPHALEE SMITH, Program Chair, and formerly our Club's Treasurer for many great years (she kept us in the black, didn't she?!), and she joined Rotary in 1988;
• STOWE TALBOT, Director of Club Service, became a Rotarian in 2003, and this is his second year as a Director;
• DICK STARK, Director of Community Service, became a Rotarian in 1981, and this is Dick's second year as a Director
• SARAH ROTHENBUHLER, Director of Youth/Vocational Service, Became a Bellingham Bay Rotarian in 1999 and this is Sarah's first time on the Board;
• TODD RAMSAY, Director of International Service, joined our Organization in 2003 and also the first time for Todd.