Flag Salute & Invocation by Mark Turner
 
Guests:  Anika Palmerton
 
Visting Rotarians: Debbie Van Steenwyk, Del Vanderkirk, Phil Esau
 
Announcements by President Brad
 
John Purdie invited everyone to consider participating on our scholarship committee, which will be quite enjoyable: reading some applications, a visit to Squalicum High School for interviews, and deciding who gets the scholarships.
 
Phil X Hageman retiring from the club.
 
Business Promo by John Purdie
Exec Director Brad Burdick’s last day with the MBT is next Wednesday (reception for him will be 3:30 - 6pm), John Purdie has been named interim Exec Director!
 
Bucks in the Bay
  • Brad Cornwell for Oregon Ducks win;
  • Tim Krell happy bucks New Year at Whistler with wife and kids, also skiing at Baker and Stevens!
  • Bill Geyer football bucks, and for an interesting 911 emergency services situation;
  • John Templeton for Seahawks, and he is getting engaged!
  • Inga Drechsel for amazing trip two weeks in India (with son) visiting a college friend’s family, and thoughts for the Sunnyland Elementary community;
  • Christine with Nautigirl updates, and a visit to Stan last weekend up in Lynden - he’s generally doing pretty well!
  • Justin Kulhanek mixed emotions with news of the fires in Australia and rain here in the PNW;
  • Steve Swan wedding anniversary, football news;
  • Debbie Kiene for nice skiing holiday, and for solving a dripping chimney with help from her neighbors;
  • Martin happy bucks, shared some thoughts from the author Simon Sinek;
  • Eddie was in Hawaii.
Sergeant at Arms by Eddie
Fines for misc. sins!
 
Program:
District 5050 Asst. Governor Del Vandekerk and Phil Esau talked about Bellingham’s “Starfish Pack” program, which is supported by the Bellingham Rotary Club:  The program involves providing a weekly (Friday) bag of nutritious kid-friendly, and easy to prepare food to school kids from economically challenged families, helping feed them though the weekend. 17% of Whatcom families live below poverty level, and another 22% are finding it tough to make ends meet.  How can you participate? You can contribute $, or you can volunteer as a driver (Fridays), or a packer (on Thursday afternoons at St Sophia’s church on Sunset).  Each pack contains 2 breakfasts 2 lunches and 2 dinners, plus snacks.  Last year 1200 bags packed in total, which is about 40 bags per week in Bellingham, but there is a need for probably 250+ packs if we had the resources.  It costs $450 /year to feed a kid.  Determining who qualifies? School decides.  Bellingham, Kendall and Blaine are the three areas the program currently serves. The program started modestly about ten years ago in the Frasier Valley, BC.  In Everson / Nooksack Valley, they have a separate program which is actually much bigger.
 
Raffle won by Andy.
 
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot