Soundings (7/27/10)

Bucks in the Bay

• Bill Gorman for pouring Lost Coast Tangerine Beer;
• Bob Moles $100 in honor of Whatcom Community Foundation winning a "foundation of the year" award, and the Moles family named philanthropic family of the year!
• Steve Spitzer had relatives from TN, had a wonderful time showing off Bellingham, and a new puppy - a black golden doodle!
• Lynn Templeton recognized Steve for leadership at Brewers! Expecting 4th grandchild;
• Bill Geyer also poured Tangerine Beer, and something about nephews jumping off the Taylor Street pier...?
• Anna thanks to all that cooked at Brewers (tough job!), looking forward to many years of Brewers ahead;
• Ed Satuchek had a whole week off, welcomed new relatives into town (daughter's wedding!), enjoyed pouring at Brewers;
• Curtis enjoyed Brewers and just got back from an Alaska cruise;
• Tonja said it is now Shapespeare season (Skagit River Shakespear Festival www.shakesnw.org/). Opening show is Anthony & Cleopatra this Thursday at Skagit Valley College!
• Mary Humphries sorry was not at Brewers while in San Juan Islands for a family reunion, husband had successful back surgery!
• Leena K was awarded of employee of quarter;
• Doug Wight $50 for Brewers unfortunately he missed it attending to family matters, also announced annual Hospice Pro-Am Golf tournament September 15-16 at Padden;
• Gordon Plume's company got a big order for recycled wood for a government building in Seattle;
• Curt Smith offered some interesting suggestions for expanding Brewers...
• Steve Kimberly has a new grandson;
• Steve Swan thanks to Steve B for the heroic Brewers' effort, and congrats to WWU's "X Prize Competition" team for beating out all other college teams before being eliminated in the final round - they put forth an awesome grass roots fundraising effort to raise the money just to attend the event in Lansing, MI;

Sergeant at Arms by Bryant Engebretson
Interesting trip towing a boat to Hope, BC complete with technical difficulties... fines for Frank, Steve Spitzer, AND Tour de France trivia.

Program
Dennis Archer introduced Mike Cohen, the director of the Bellingham Food Bank. Update on the new building, 10K sq ft of new space, been there now two years. 2009 was the busiest year ever (100,000 visits!). We have many volunteers that work there. In 2010 visits have plateaued but not decreased. Children and senior citizens are two key important constituents.

The new facility allows us to buy smarter more nutritional food (bigger cooler and coldstore). Victory Garden program for locals to bring in their spare garden produce. Also BFB now has its own farm (at the corner of Meridian and King Tut) - you can bring a group out there to volunteer.  That small plot produces 30,000 lbs each year. BFB also runs the "Small Potatoes Gleaning Program" which produces 135,000 lbs food. Also two other programs:
a) Food for Tots:  They need 12 annual sponsorships for one-month ($1000) to buy baby food;
b) Milk Money:  They need the same deal - 12 sponsorships each taking one month to buy milk;

BFB is just ecstatic about the new facility, it even improves the look of Ellis Street. They are so thankful for our investment to help build that facility, and they will make sure it will pay off to the community!

Every day they go around to grocery stores and accept donations up to 10,000 lbs. The farm project have expansion plans?  Maybe, we will see, but it's difficult to find interested professionals to run it.

Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot