Posted by G. Stowe Talbot on Nov 13, 2018
Flag Salute & Invocation by John Purdie
 
Visiting Rotarians: Del Vanderkirk
 
Guests: None
 
Paul Harris Fellowships were awarded to Mike Werner and Donna Edquist.
 
Announcements
 
Thanksgiving Turkey Drive: Mike Hammes trying to raise money to buy 2,000 birds which the Food Bank will distribute to its clients. Checks can made out to Bellingham Food Bank, but give the checks to Mike (℅ Ram Construction, 4290 Pacific Hwy, Bellingham, WA).
 
November Tuesday Fun-day-Tuesday, Nov 27th: “Behind the curtains” at the MBT.  Lunch meeting at the Mt. Baker Theater with a tour by our very own John Purdie. Sign up sheet for lunch at MBT are circulating at our Tuesday lunch meetings.  If you're unable to attend the next couple of Tuesdays, but want to go to the Nov 27th lunch meeting at the MBT, please email Mike Bates with your lunch order: Name, # people in your party, sandwich choice (turkey, beef or vegetarian), dietary restrictions. Mike's email is: mikebates9@aol.com
 
 
Mark your calendars and register online (link below) for the club’s November fellowship event at Uptown art. You don’t have to be an artist; they will teach us how to paint a picture while we “meet, drink and paint happy!” Cost is $30.00, and our event will run from 5:30-8:30. Beer, wine, ciders and soft drinks can be purchased (our Rotary will provide some food!) Space is limited to make sure to register ASAP!
Use the link below to register:  
 
This Thursday, major project discussion at Barkley Overflow Taps at 4:30pm, everyone welcome.
 
Del Vanderkirk made a plug for a new program called Starfish Pack, which supplies a backpack full of food for homeless kids each Friday for their weekends. It was started in BC Canada, and is now starting up here in Whatcom County. Schools provide food on schooldays, but many kids go hungry on weekends. This’ll be a joint project between the Rotary Clubs, Bellingham Public Schools, and Wildbird Charity (https://www.wildbirdcharity.com). Donations can either be made online https://www.wildbirdcharity.com, or checks can be made out to “Wildbird Charity” and Steve Kimberly will collect. 
Bucks in the Bay
  • Tresha was in California, saw Seahawks game there;
  • Curtis Dye fun weekend hosting 14 exchange students, on Sunday volunteered to  help at Bayview prior to Veterans Day;
  • Bill Gorman happy bucks for relatives in CA who narrowly escaped the wildfires;
  • Bob Moles thankful for all our club does for the community, and success getting funding for the Honduras school project, also birth of great grandson;
  • Doug Wight kudos to Mike Hammes, and Hospice Auction last weekend was very successful $450K raised!
  • Carlye Gillespie made pies with grandma;
  • Chris Vasquez helped son with his final Eagle Scout project, and Veterans Day;
  • Harold Scott turkey bucks;
  • Christine Palmerton sad bucks for fires and the CA shooting, happy bucks for Nauti brand!
  • Donna Edquist kudos to Lesa Boxx for her Hospice auction work, at ADI giving to Food Bank and Giving Circle;
  • Steve Kimberly was traveling back East for a military graduation;
  • John Purdie gave turkey bucks in Brad Cornwell’s honor;
  • Eddie thanks for confidence on the Bloedel docks project, thanked Bill Geyer for his personal donation; the docks WILL BE installed July 1, 2019, so fundraising needs to happen!
  • Lesa Boxx $ for the dock project, said the auction was so successful thanks to the Hospice organizing crew who really have it down to a science;
Sergeant at Arms by Steve Swan
Fines for misc. trivia.
 
Program
Mike Bates introduced Dick Spink.  He’s a WSU gad of 1985, teaches computer-aided design at Mt Vernon High School. He also founded a company called Dynatrax - marine architecture design company specializing in aluminum hull vessels.
 
Dick talked about another activity he has been involved with:  The researching what really happened to Amelia Earhart. She disappeared on one of the final legs of her trip around the world, flying from New Guinea to Howland Island - 2550 miles.  She flew a plane called a Lockheed L10-E, which has plenty of range (4,000+ miles) to reach the island. Dick met some people on the Marshall Islands who claim that she landed on the island with several witnesses. Also many reports that she ended up as a Japanese prisoner and was held and died in a Saipan prison.
 
Dick and many others speculate that the crash site was on Mili Atol. Evidence suggests Japanese dragged the plane across a little island onto a barge for removal. Controversial photo from 1937. And a message in a bottle found on a beach in France from 1938 that references seeing Earhart in a Saipan prison.
 
Debbie Kiene wins the raffle!
 
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot