Flag Salute & Invocation by Scotty
Visiting Rotarians: Carolyn and Bill Meub (Vermont Rotarians from Pure Water for the World)
Guests: Martin Mead (BBRC applicant), Tom Weller (Sean Cool’s friend), Kara Van Metre (Hand Crank Films - friend of Eddie’s), Laurie Decker (Tresha’s friend)
Announcements
Fundraising committee meeting at VFW on State Street, this Thursday 8/29 at 4:30, everyone welcome!
International Service Committee meeting will be rescheduled.
Viking Night BBRC we will be sponsoring a table Sept. 14 at 5pm, seats are available!
Tim Krell said there will be an excellent volunteer opportunity for us at the SeaFeast festival, which is the third weekend of September, Fri/Sat 9/21 and 22. More details later. Please keep this in mind!
Bucks in the Bay
- Tresha said she and Laurie will attend first Husky game;
- Mike Bates first grandchild arrived in California, a tricky birth but mom and daughter are doing great;
- Sean Cool for 20 year marriage to wife Melinda!
- Andy Clay missed meetings, anniversary bucks, glad to be back;
- Lesa Boxx missed meetings, daughter’s birthday will be celebrated in San Francisco;
- Inga parents visited from Idaho, Sunday went to a ropes course with son in Woodenville amazing time!
Sergeant at Arms by John Purdie
Fines for misc. vices and misdemeanors.
New Member Talk
Mike Bates introduced Ray Deck III. Ray is a serial entrepreneur and also runs Skookum Kids http://www.skookumkids.org. Ray loves to run, surf and backpack.
Ray told the story of how he moved to Bellingham, met his wife, and fostered the idea of Skookum Kids. Take care of foster kids. On elf the programs is Skookum House - for kids new to foster care, taking care of them for the first 72 hours at the house. Staffed almost exclusively by volunteers. Average 4 kids per week, there at the house for average of about 5 days. During that time an appropriate foster family will be found and the child relocated there. We (everywhere) needs more foster care parents - there is always too many kids and too few homes. “200 by 2020” is Ray’s goal (his Phase 2). Ray’s Phase 3 goal is “all foster parents will be well supported and encouraged” - with programs, education and grants.
Ray is very grateful for all the support from Bellingham. Bellingham leads the nation in how quick we respond to inquiries. Foster care is by definition temporary; try to get the kid back to his/her biological parent(s). But only 50% successful. So the other half the time, the solution is adoption by a foster parent or relative.
Ray says foster families most needed in east country. Only a tenth of Whatcom County population lives there, but a third of foster kids come from there. So Skookum is conducting “community conversations” out there, to explain the situation to the community there, and get them interested in stepping up, to take care of kids coming from there. Now there are 4 foster families in east county, up from zero!
Perch & Play was a business acquired by Skookum a couple years ago, and is now a part of the organization, in the process of adapting it.
Scotty wins the raffle!
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot