Before all of that pomp & circumstance, however, we had Ron Adkins being tutored by Gary Fulton in the fine art of Paul Harris collections, with PE Mick Johnson handing out Brew Tickets, and Bill Young Sergeant at Arming.  Guests:  Stephanie Walsh brought Terry, formerly of Emerald City Rotary, Joe Quinn introduced Donya Martin (in the new member process), and Mark Blanchard brought his lovely wife Joan.  And lastly, Jim Skar introduced his daughter from Redding, CA.  Note the incompleteness of the names.  Mea culpa.  That culpa being aimed at the current Bulletin writer (using the term writer very, very loosely), Greg Rediske.

Membership:  It's important.  Without members, we'd have no club, if I'm not mistaken, and Stephanie Walsh plans on keeping the flow going.  She called up new member JohnWalstrum for moral support, and to make sure we all knew what a new member looked like.  To prove a recent bit of success, Stephanie announced that we just had 6 members successfully complete a Fireside, graciously hosted by Cal and Kai Kushen.  One of those graduates was Denise Yochum, who only took 3 years to get her blue badge.  Sadly, she didn't beat the standing record of Leon Titus for longest span with a red badge.  Which was apparently longer than 3 years.  Yikes.  Next week: Stephanie and Company will be awarding another $50 gift certificate to one of those Lakewood Rotarians who have brought a guest in the last 3 months.  And also next week:  Fines will be forthcoming to those who President Greg discovers have NOT signed a new member's directory.  Bring a pen, search out a new member, and sign, sign, sign.

Home Brew Festival:  PE Mick announced the destination of our Brew Funds: Community Concerns, Youth Sports and Activities, and Scholarships.  There will be non-alcoholic drinks brewed, too: Root Beer and two others.  Face painting, games and so forth will be on hand as well.  Bill Potter is organizing a golf extravaganza (now that he knows the expectation level, he must think of something, quick).  Much more! http://www.lakewoodrotaryhomebrewfestival.com  And the main message is: volunteer!!

September 12-15  Reeder Roadster Romp, sez Phil Eng.  Wanted!  Non-roadster for wine transport!  And they had fun, fun, fun till her Daddy took the T-Bird away....

Rotary Foundation Seminar:  9/12 in Duncan BC, 9-3; and 10/3 in Silverdale, 9-3.  Costs $25.  Sign up at www.rotary5020.org.

Courage Classic---a huge success!  over 660 riders started, they're at $620,000 and still collecting (hope for $640,000+).  Bud Montgomery completed his 15th, Walt Richardson his 11th (out of 18).  Other riders: Sam Hunter, Dave Covey, Covey friend Jim Churchill, and Cindy Thompson.  Cindy spent part of the last day in the hospital for dehydration, but lived to tell the tale, thanks in no small part to Ron and Jeanette Adkins' rescue operation.  Way to go, riders!  And these folks helped at the reststop: Dave Guttu, Ron & Jeanette, Rick & Gayle Selden, Bob & Marilyn Zawilski, Ward Fletcher, Terry Roarke, Dave & Barb Reames, Richard Simmons, DuncanCook,and Donya "Nearly a New Member" Martin.

Carl Fynboe is doing a little tit-for-tat after selling Brew tickets at Gig Harbor Rotary, promoting their Dog Walk on 9/26, 10-3, in downtown Gig Harbor.  See Carl for details.

Fines:  John Korsmo yet again, $20 for a picture of John and Lisa in all the Pierce County Libraries.  My guess is that the picture didn't have anything to do with library fines and much to do with generosity.  Lowell Johnson paid $20 for his July birthday.  Phil Eng volunteered $50 for his cruise on an aircraft carrier with his son, Jeff, the Navy man.  Jeff has volunteered for duty in Iraq, leaving soon.  Our prayers follow him.  And PrezGreg is looking for Mike Block......Forewarned is forearmed.  And fore-poorer, eventually.

The Program:  Jon Calder introduced fellow Franciscan Health employee, David Snow, also of Tacoma #8.  David went to the UW, to the Peace Corps, to Sales, to World Vision, to Franciscan.  St. Joseph's downton has 320 beds, with 54,546 emergency visits last year.  St. Clare here in Lakewood has 106 beds, and had 48,363 emergency visits last year.  And therein lies the problem: the ER at St. Clare is grossly inadequate, especially at this volume.  This year, they are on track to have more than 50,000 in there.  They have inadequate space, and inadequate privacy, to do the job they feel needs doing.  They have begun a funding campaign, to be completed by December, 2009, for $1.25 M, of which $500,000 is already there in the form of a challenge grant.  Toby and Jamie Murray chair the committee, while our own Leon Titus serves with them.  A golf tournament at TC&G is on the horizon (8/17), with numerous other opportunities to be a part of this effort.   Go to www.fhshealth.org for more details.

Drawing:  Ron Irwin jumped and shouted, screamed and yelled, and that was just for the $5.00 he won.  Now he can afford a fine.

As the Bulletin "writer" is also chair of the Youth Exchange Committee, he is taking this opportunity to thank this last year's exchange hosts:  John & Lisa Korsmo, Greg and Mary Horn, and Jason and Gael Whalen.  The time and money is not an easy thing.  They receive no reimbursement from Rotary, while feeding and transporting a teenager remains a challenging proposition.  Thank them when you see them for a job well done.  This program is a cornerstone of Rotary's international peace initiatives, and these folks are doing the heavy lifting.  And having fun at the same time!  Next up:  Annatole from Normandy, France, about August 25.  Joan and Mark Blanchard are Hosts #1.  Many thanks!

And now a report from our outbound student, in India, Hunter Larsen:

Before Hunter left for India, he visited the website of the school he would be attending. He and his mother enjoyed reading the Indian-style English in describing the faculty.  "The principal, an ever smiling personality is like a light house that guides the students and staff systematically to their destinations."  His mother sent him on this exciting Rotary exchange understanding that his school's principal was an "ever smiling personality."  It has been difficult to email you these past few days. The power here is shut off at random three times every day for three hours.  I have started school here. I haven't met the ever smiling principal yet but I have met the head nun. She is not ever smiling. When I went at 8am to register for her classes she waved me off and told me to just show up for science.

They sent all the foreign exchange students to science. How boring right? Why would I want to be in a class with a bunch of white kids when I am in India? The classes here are 40 minutes long and are not called classes, they are called lectures. They are not as bad as they sound.  I have decided to take classes in commerce instead of science. I figure if I can sell more tea then Tobin will be very impressed with me. (Hunter worked at the Mad Hat Tea Company in downtown Tacoma; Tobin Ropes is the owner.) Plus I have already taken all the science classes. I am taking classes in 11th grade. (Hunter is a 12th grader).  The examinations are very difficult here. Juhi warns me that the state will examine you so thoroughly in 12th that you will only sleep from 2am-5am at night and that all your time will go to studying.

I tried to learn everyone's names but they are all difficult to pronounce let alone spell. I had a crowd of 40 just listening to whatever was normal in America. I told them about rock music, girls that kiss on a first date and how Michael Jackson is not really dead. They were very excited.
 
Here whenever women and men attend any sort of event it is very segregated. The girls sit in one section in one long row and guys sit in another. I have been eating very well. If you thought I ate a lot in America then you should see me now. I am not fat but probably will be in a short time. I tell my mom I am full but she keeps putting food on my plate. It tastes so good I cannot refuse it.  
Everyone is so hospitable here. I did not have a lunch today so one of my new friends gave me some chapati ( wheat patty) with some pickle on it (cucumber, lots of spices and other stuffs) which was so good. By the way, I have added a new weird food to my repertoire, goat parts. I was at Juhi's grandmother's house and Juhi's aunt was serving delicious mutton (goat) and I noticed there was a testicle with a string attached. Knowing me, I ate it and it was very good. I know you may think this survivor stuff but it was in this delicious broth. You can edit that last part out for Greg and Rotary's sake.