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| June 12, 2009 |
Editor: Dave Covey
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As Rosana Roseannadana once said on
Saturday Night Live, "It's always something, ya know!" A projector was
needed for the meeting and getting there early to set up doesn't always
provide the results wanted when there's no computer! Thank heaven for
our program speaker, Melissa Covelli Derry, who had a laptop we could
use. Notice the Covelli insert, we'll get back to that later, but from
now on, can Lakewood Rotary plan enough to have an audio / video
committee / film squad - or something? - Ya know?
President Joel Feldman had Richard Simmons up front to test the
microphone. The test proved successful so we were called to order by
Joel (not Richard). Lakewood Rotary has been serving our community for
53 years and 3 months.
Behind the scenes to make the meeting run like
clockwork were: Jim Shultz - Paul Harris Desk; Jay Mayer - Sgt at Arms;
Dave Covey – Bulletin; Carl Fynboe – Invocation; and Walt Richardson -
Flag Salute.
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Our Greeter
Joe Quinn introduced THE man who walks through the Grand Canyon every year (with Terry Roarke), Sumner Rotarian, Bert Stibbe. Also making up with us was Life Center senior pastor Dean Curry from Tacoma 8 Rotary .. who was sitting with Dr. Ron Rice of www.WheelchairsforNigeria.org (our program a couple of months ago), here because of the Gates Foundation program this week.
Guests of Rotarians
Bob Lordahl introduced (though no intro was needed) his wife, Janet. President Elect Greg Horn introduced a future member (in 2 weeks?) Kismet Kertesian and then, with flair, Greg introduced Lakewood Rotary's future First Lady, Mary!
Sunshine Report
Fortunately, Jan Luze had nothing to add (thanks Jan, sure streamlines the meeting when you do that).
Courage Classic
We're just 2 months away from the one project that all 15 Pierce County Rotary Clubs work together on for the Child Advocacy Center at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. Each year the 500+ bike riders participating in the ride raise $600,000 that goes to the Rotary Endowment, an endowment that Lakewood Rotary created back in '92. Mike McGowan shared with us that the creation of the foundation had its birth on Don Greenleaf's lawn with Jane Shanaman, then head of the MultiCare Foundation, over a glass (or two) of wine!
Now with the MultiCare underwriting all costs of the event, every dollar raised goes to help KIDS! The Rotary Endowment is up to $4.3 mil and this year area Rotary Clubs agreed to give $600,000 to help offset the economy's effect on other money sources. Since its creation, over 16,000 sexually or physically abused children have had the benefit of their services. In addition there is a prevention program to reach out to vulnerable families to stop potential abuse before something happens.
The 3 day event is so unique, both the cause and the unifying of all the Clubs, that RI President Glenn Kinross came here twice in 1997 to see for himself. Last year District 5020 Gov. Brian Beagle toured the Sunday and Monday rest stops, meeting Rotarians from 10 of his Clubs. Sunday evening in Leavenworth, he spoke to the dinner gathering, a great way to start his year as DG. The pro-jection squad could not get the Courage Classic video to work - so we move on!
How can I help? I don't want to ride over mountain passes, those bike seats hurt after a few miles!
1. If you don't ride, then support our Rotarians that are. Your support of them is entirely tax deductible, can be done with cash, check or a real convenience is on-line with a credit card. Please help with your pledges.
Your 2009 Lakewood Rotary Bike Team:
Walt Richardson 253.582-2911 www.firstgiving.com/WaltRichardson
Bud Montgomery 360.893-1108 www.firstgiving.com/BudM
Sam Hunter 253.584-5141
Dave Covey 253.677-7538 www.firstgiving.com/DaveCovey
Jim Churchill (Oregon friend of Coveys) www.firstgiving.com/JimChurchill
OR
2. Volunteer at our Rest Stop: Monday morning, Aug 3, half way up the east side of Stevens Pass on US Highway 2. Rest stop chairman Dave Guttu talked about the planning with Clover Park & Tacoma South Rotary Clubs who share the root beer float stop with us. Come join the FUN; it has been voted the Best Mid-Morning Rest Stop by the riders for over 5 (I'm guessing) years now. Thank you goes to Lakewood Rotarians and their friends that we've seen working up there: The Adkins, Richard Simmons, Ward Fletcher, the Sclairs (although not in recent years because it coincides with a major aviation event in Oshkosh, WI that all the Sclairs have to attend)), Rick Selden, the Wiers ... but Dave Guttu (hm 253-460-0646) always can use more volunteers dguttu@CityofLakewood.us
Writer's Claimer: What a coincidence, the Courage Classic presenter was also this week's Bulletin writer/bike rider and overall cavalier guy, Dave Covey!
Installation Dinner June 30
Our new District Governor, Alex Alexander, will be swearing in our 2009-10 officers. $35/person. Reservation Deadline June 19. Mail - Call - Yell to Joe Ghilarducci 253.584-2932 joeghilarducci@msn.com
FINES
The video problems hastened a $20 fine volunteered by Dave Covey after attending last Saturday's Intercollegiate Men's Rowing Championship in Sacramento and Washington winning. He is sure that John Magnuson, when he returns from his remote Pacific atoll, will want to kick in another $20.
Carl Fynboe volunteered $62 for he and Ingrid's 62nd Anniversary!
Mary Lou Sclair agreed that she had a birthday - her 39th. Pres Joel asked if she would pay up$39, one per year and she agreed. Of course, after getting a new Ford Escape she was smiling and willing to agree on anything!
Jim Ray reminded us that last year he had casually boasted his Grandson made Eagle Scout. He's got 14 Grandkids. Not too proud! That Eagle Scout just climbed Mt Denali (he says McKinley, I say Denali). Jim volunteered $25 for going up the mountain safely and $25 for getting down!
The Lakewood Community Foundation Update
Our Lakewood Community Foundation made a $3,000 grant to Emergency Food Network 2 weeks ago. There will be another $3,000 given to the Lakewood Area Shelter Association soon. Foundation President Dave Betz has been urging his Board to work hard, not an easy task while he's fly-fishing on the Deschutes! Our goal is a $1million endowment to be attained through donations and estate giving (we're at $394,000 now), A 3 year fund raising campaign is about to start.
If any Rotarians are thinking about estate planning and considering ways to help our community, Board Member Clint Johnson has offered to do codicils for free to the Lakewood Community Foundation. Call Clint or Dave if you have any questions. Other Lakewood Rotarians (either officers or board members) are Greg Rediske, Joel Feldman, Jim Bisceglia, Tom Sadler and Dave Covey.
Lakewood Rotary Calendar
Sumner Golf Tourney Jun 18
Fathers Day (very important reminder) Jun 21
RI Convention in Birmingham, England Jun 21-24
Installation Dinner Sound the Horn! Jun 30
Board Meeting Jul 15
Courage Classic - Nason Creek Rest Stop Aug 3
Our Exchange Student, Satu Sihvo, will be leaving soon Do something?
Call the Korsmos 581-1560
PROGRAM - GATES FOUNDATION
It's not very often that a Rotary Club gets a briefing from the Gates Foundation, but Lakewood Rotary did, thanks to Mary Covelli Johnson. Polio Plus, Clean Water, Education - all good causes addressed by the Gates Foundation, but Mary was especially thankful for her daughter, a Foundation employee, taking time off to give her a 20 month old Grandaughter! Supposedly, it made up for all the trouble she caused growing up - right! Melissa Covelli Derry was a wonderful representative from the Foundation who sprinkled in a few human interest stories about her experiences in Nigeria. (She's quite a young woman too, climbing Mt Rainier and running a Marathon in '05! Known as Missy as a kid going to Hudtloff Jr High and Clover Park HS, she was good friends with my daughter. Welcome home, Missy!)
This was her first Rotary meeting. As she said, it's a little backwards after attending two Rotary International Conventions on behalf of the Gates Foundation. She's given children anti polio drops in Nigeria and been part of meetings with Nigerian Provincial Governors and Muslim Mullahs in an effort to finally turn the corner in that country.
The Gates Foundation is moving to South Lake Union across the street from the Experience Music Project. There are 760 employees with offices now in Seattle, Washington, DC, New Delhi & Beijing.
In 1994, Bill & Melinda Gates read a New York Times article about rotavirus, something they had never heard of that kills 500,000 children a year with diarrhea. He sent the article to his Dad and asked him if they could do something about this - the Foundation was formed in 2000 after learning how to give! The guiding principle is that every human life has equal value. It shouldn't matter if you were born into a slum family or poor country. Giving encourages others to give, in 2006 Warren Buffet became a huge contributor to the Gates Foundation rather than invent the wheel all over again. Along with Bill retiring from Microsoft, this has put even more pressure on the new CEO in 2008, Jeff Raikes.
In 2008 they gave $2.8 billion; since their 2000 inception they've given $20.1 billion and also given $27.5 billion to an endowment. Huge numbers, but the key was drawing in others: The World Health Organization, governments, countries and the U. California alone does $200 billion on education! 50% of their annual giving goes to Global Health, 25% for Global Development (agriculture & water) and 25% to US programs on poor and education.
Things like higher productivity in agriculture, HIV/AIDS treatment, Polio eradication all don't fit neatly into a package, but are handled. Hard to believe but locally there are 25,000 street people in the Puget Sound region alone.
Why does the Gates Foundation partner with Rotary? Rotary has inspired the Gates Foundation, everywhere there are Rotarians willing to help. Acknowledging the polio problem is the first step and President Obama mentioned in his Cairo speech the fight against polio now is predominately in Muslim countries. Together, we're building stronger partnerships to give every human life has equal value .
On behalf of Lakewood Rotary, Mike McGowan thanked Melissa for her efforts and all the work the Gates Foundation is doing. In big business, there has been example of giving, but Bill & Melinda Gates have set a new standard, a legacy of giving. Thank you, Melissa, you touched all our hearts with your work. Please pass along to your co-workers how much your Foundation is admired by Rotarians - and your proud Mom & Step-Dad !
Weekly raffle drawing
President-elect Greg Horn held the lucky raffle ticket and drew a red ticket to win the whole pot. Amount of his winnings unknown at press time.
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