Vol. 18, No. 17, October 24, 2005

IN THIS ISSUE:

The Friday Program: A Report from the Front — the 22nd STS, McChord AFB | Margie Wings Her Way to Africa | Fellowship | October Student of the Month: Brice Budke | Classification Talk: Zul Alibhai | Sergeant At Arms Amok | Tim Leahy Proposed for Membership | Raffle Update | Foundation Report | Friday Potpourri | Web Fun

• REMINDER: Off-Site Meeting this Week •
This week’s meeting is at Microsoft Conference Center,
Building #33 on the Microsoft campus.
Meeting begins at 7:00 a.m.
Click here for map of campus.

Lt. Col. Mike Sneeder brought a program that featured an up-to-date report on his unit, the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, (STS), based at McChord AFB in Tacoma. The unit recently returned from a tour of duty in support of operations in Afghanistan.

“We’ve got all this high speed, high tech equipment to make presentations, but we got lost trying to find Glendale! The crew had breakfast AFTER the meeting!

Sneeder described how his unit is designed, “to operate in a Special Operations Command, a unified command headquartered at McDill AFB which brings the latest technology to bear in operations at various theaters overseas. Unified means joining of the Air Force, Army and Navy on the battlefield.”

READ MORE HERE

Margie Wings Her Way to Africa
Written Friday afternoon prior to embarkation 

Thanks for all of your good wishes on my upcoming trip. I am sending out this advance message so that I will have all of your addresses in my email system to expedite sending mail once I am in Africa. 

I have almost 7 hours before I leave for the airport and I already have my care packages that I plan to leave in Africa already packed and have a good start on my own clothes, etc. Margie the procrastinator is turning over a new leaf! Of course it helps to be unemployed at the moment so I have a lot more time to get organized. I am holding my breath  that the airline gods will be kind to me as I packed so much in school supplies, books, gifts and clothes to give away in Africa I have well over the 100 pounds I'm allowed.

I will be thinking about all of you "back home" while I'm gone so return mail will be greatly appreciated. I'll do my best to keep you informed, entertained and captivated with all of my adventures. My hope is that you'll be so enthralled with everything that I'm doing that you'll plan your own trip there someday.

Love to all,
Margie

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October Student of the Month: Brice Budke

Brice Budke, a senior at Bellevue Christian High School, was honored as the October Student of the Month.

Brice sports a perfect 4.0 grade average, is an outstanding athlete in his chosen field of soccer and has participated in mission trips to Ethiopia and other points in Africa. He also credited his experience as Yearbook editor as a broadening activity.

Brice will be attending Seattle Pacific University, with an intention of enrolling at the UW in their pharmacy program.

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Classification Talk: Zul Alibhai

Zul Alibhai brings a wealth of Rotary to his membership. He was born in Mombassa, Kenya and joined Rotary in July 1977. For 28 years, Zul has toyed with near-perfect attendance, with 100% attendance most of those years. He has served as Secretary, District Treasurer, and Chairman of his club. Zul explained that no clubs in Kenya have presidents because there can be “only one President in the country. So, we’re known as ‘Chairman.’”

Zul has been a Paul Harris Fellow since 1984. He is a CPA by profession, and he explained that he often has trouble sleeping because “I may make a mistake, and it takes me three hours to find it! My daughter reminded me that a budget is the ‘Organized system of living beyond your means.’”

Zul’s classification is “Financial Consultant,” He serves as treasurer of his son’s business in Bellevue, Advanced Endodontics, Inc.

Zul’s wife Rashida is a painter, a full-time artist, mother and grandmother. His warm, humored-filled talk was enthusiastically received by his new club.

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Sergeant At Arms Amok

Chris Ballard returns from an out-of-town trip to fine all members not wearing their Rotary pin. Dick Brown was fined $5.00 for no pin on a business flyer. Frank Young came to his rescue with a matching gift.

It was song time, with a promo for the Anniversary Party with the vocal of Andrew Face and Jay Powers at the piano (see lyrics at right).

“Don’t Make Her Ask You Anymore” was a ballad written for Sayoko, who doesn’t take “NO” for an answer.

Andrew tried to sing another chorus, but got the hook. The point is clear: register, one way or another, on the website right away!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP!

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Tim Leahy Proposed for Membership

Timothy James “Tim” Leahy was approved for membership by the Board of Directors at a special meeting after last Friday’s meeting. Tim is proprietor of Leahy Benefit Auction Services in Bellevue. He provides auctioneering and consulting services to charitable organizations. His classification is proposed to be “Auctioneering,” and he is sponsored by Andrew Face.

Tim operates his business out of his Bellevue home, where he lives with his wife Kathy and child, Lauren, 11. His community involvement includes membership in the Knights of Columbus and United Way of King County. He also belongs to the Metal Service Center Institute and is a State of Washington licensed auctioneer. Tim's hobbies include sailing, and he enjoys golf, racquetball and fishing.

Tim has already stepped forward to auction off a couple of items in the past month as he’s attended BBRC meetings prior to posting of this application.

For members who have comments or questions for this application, please contact Tom Smith (Ph 425-451-8036) no later than Thursday, October 27, at 3:00 p.m.

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Raffle Update

The gap closes to this One Week as the shout of ‘Raffle Time’ may be heard for the last time this year. Chairman Peter Powell honored “producers of $1000 of ticket sales or more, relating that $25,000 was added to the Raffle total on Friday. The current total is $83,000, which leaves an estimated $25,000 for turn-in this Friday.

Final turn-in of tickets, checks and unsold tickets occurs this coming Friday, October 28 at the off-site meeting at Microsoft. Be sure to bring your ENTIRE packet with you for turn-in of any unsold tickets. Make your checks payable to the BBRC Foundation.

After giving the Raffle accounting group a chance to balance their accounts, the next event is the Ticket-Tearing Party, which will be held Monday, November 7, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Plaza Center Building, 10900 NE 8th street, 2nd Floor. Pizza, refreshments and fun awaits Rotarians who get to take their frustrations out on the ticket stubs. The stubs have to be ready by the next day at 1:30, Tuesday, November 8th when the winning ticket will be drawn at the offices of Trudell, Bowen and Lingenbrink in Kirkland. The winner will be announced at halftime of the 20th Anniversary Party at the Bellevue Club, Friday night, November 11, 2005.

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Foundation Report

Don Deasy, one of the trio of Foundation campaign chairs, announced their group had swelled by one, with the addition of that swell fellow, Past President Cary Kopczynski. He joins Don(s) Deasy and Chandler and Dick Brown (each of whom is a Past President) to form the Foundation campaign committee. Their goal is to have “Every Rotarian” contribute “Every Year.” So far, their work has been rewarded, as the club has racked up consecutive 100% participation the past few years.

Deasy mentioned that “Funds collected each year for the Foundation are immediately invested for three more years, and those earnings are earmarked for administration of the Foundation. Thus, every dollar contributed becomes focused on projects around the world, invested where it will do the most good. These funds not only support hundreds of projects worldwide, but a solid share of the proceeds are returned to the Districts for use closer to home.

You won’t find a better place to put your money — The Rotary Foundation.

RI Scorecard

• Rotarians Worldwide: 1,224,297

• Rotary Clubs: 32,507

• Districts: 529

• Countries: 168

Convention Sites:

• June 11-14 Malmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark

Future Sites:

• 2007 ­ New Orleans

• 2008 ­ Los Angeles

• 2009 ­ Seoul, Korea

• 2010 ­ Montreal

• 2011—Salt Lake City

RI Foundation Facts

• Major Donors: 6,681

• Bequest Society Members: 4,459

• Benefactors: 68,463

• Paul Harris Fellows: 966,267

• November is Foundation Month!

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Friday Potpourri

President Lingenbrink opened the meeting with a special greeting to Past President Norm Johnson. This is Norm’s first visit back to the club after surgeons removed a lung, going after a cancerous tumor. Norm is now on a four-month treatment schedule.

Norm was joined at the meeting by Carol (Hairy) Hoeft, who is also making a courageous comeback from her battle with cancer. A salute to both of these strong-willed Rotarians, who have followed the lead of Don Deasy to fight this illness.

Steve Bender gave the invocation and led the pledge to the flag. Jim Owens greeted a couple of visiting Rotarians, including old standby Frank Young.

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the friday program:
A Report from the Front — the 22nd STS, McChord AFB

Lt. Col. Mike Sneeder brought a program that featured an up-to-date report on his unit, the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron, (STS), based at McChord AFB in Tacoma. The unit recently returned from a tour of duty in support of operations in Afghanistan.

“We’ve got all this high speed, high tech equipment to make presentations, but we got lost trying to find Glendale! The crew had breakfast AFTER the meeting!

Sneeder described how his unit is designed, “to operate in a Special Operations Command, a unified command headquartered at McDill AFB which brings the latest technology to bear in operations at various theaters overseas. Unified means joining of the Air Force, Army and Navy on the battlefield.”

The Special Tactics includes combat controllers, troops organized and trained to establish and control the air ground interface.

There’s a group of ParaRescue airmen, medical technicians operating as search and rescue, personnel recovery specialists, with the capability of deployment by air, land or sea.

The Combat Controllers are air traffic controllers, using navigational aids and survey techniques to establish control over assault zones for fixed and rotary wing aircraft to give close air support to ground operations. These troops are demolition qualified.

Combat Weathermen is another group that provides battlefield meteorological capability, gathering weather data for use by all the unified services.

These special tactics airmen go through basic training of nine months and may continue into advanced skills training for another 12 months. They are trained for airborne, amphibious, helicopter, and land infiltration operations.

Col. Sneeder described the “Air Power in a Rucksack,” showing his audience the hi-tech gear that each unit member carries. Inside the rucksack is a computer, range finder, radio, body armor, night vision tools, marking devices, beacons, and a weapon which includes laser technology.

The latter part of the presentation showed pictures of the work the unit does in support of operations in Afghanistan. “There is much interaction with the populace as we work in villages and other sites. We always have a storehouse of candy for the kids, who seek us out!” Col. Sneeder also described the use of unmanned airborne vehicles as a means to gather intelligence and other battle uses.

A Certificate donating a book to the King County Library System was presented to Col. Sneeder commemorating Rotary’s emphasis on expanding literacy in the world.

Thanks to Jim Gordon for his introduction.

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THIS WEEK'S EDITOR
John Mix

THIS WEEK'S PHOTOGRAPHER(S)
Jim Kindsvater