REMINDER:
There will be no meeting Friday, July 4.
The July 11 meeting will be at Tam O’Shanter Golf Club.

Opener

President Phil opened the meeting by thanking the members for a wonderful year.

Kaj Pedersen gave the invocation and led members in the Pledge, and Mitch Freedman introduced visiting Rotarians and guests.

Four prominent visiting Rotarians were a delegation from Thailand. The group, from District 3350, included P.P. Suchada, who will be the District Governor in the 2010-2011 year; P.P. Somsre, who will be the Assistant District Governor in the 2008-2009 year; President Phatsre, who will be president of in the 2008-2009 year; and Rotarian Siripim. The group only had one day in Seattle and spent it by starting off at the BBRC.

Special Father's Day Meeting Nets ROTM: Lynne Gauthier

Phil thanked Lynne Gauthier and the other Rotary ladies for last week’s meeting. Lynne told of two incidents that tried their resolve to get information about the Rotary dads.

In one case, she could not get the Rotarian’s home telephone number, so she called his cell. He answered and Lynne said she wanted to talk with his wife. The Rotarian (unnamed) questioned her at length about why she needed to talk to his wife. In the other incident, she called the Rotarian’s cell, asked to speak to his wife, and he said, “Sure.” Then it was the wife who Lynne could hear in the background wanting to know why some woman wanted to talk to her on her husband’s cell phone.

For her efforts Lynne was named Rotarian of the Month for June.

BBRC's Newest Member: Mark Mason

Mark Mason became the BBRC’s newest Rotarian as his sponsor, Phil, and wife, Patricia, pinned the Rotary pin and Red Badge on him. Mark is a brother of Jeff Mason, who has been instrumental in our Computers for the World project. A software engineer who founded Affirma Consulting in Bellevue, Mark is an entrepreneur with a strong sense of social responsibility. He serves on the board of Rainier Avenue Free Methodist Church and has volunteered to teach computer skills to physically handicapped adults in Pucallpa, Peru.

Mark and Patricia live in Seattle with their two children, Jack and Jane.

Welcome to the BBRC, Mark!

Grant Checks Presented

Fred Barkman presented checks to two agencies as part of the major grants program.

The Children’s Institute for Learning Differences (CHILD) was given a check for $17,000 that will help pay for a mobile computer lab at the institute.

The Lake Hills Wrap-Around Program received $12,800 that will go to reducing the waiting list of those needing services.

Friday Potpourri

The club said goodbye to Evelyn Cogswell, who is moving to Virginia. She will be missed.

Phil gave a special thanks to the board and Sergeant At Arms Tom Harrelson for a fine year. Harrelson still got some hisses.

Members were reminded about the upcoming golf tournament.

Also, a Rotary exchange student is coming for the next school year. The club needs families who live in the Bellevue High School district (the school the student will attend) to help host his stay.

BBRC Annual Golf Tournament

The BBRC Annual Golf Tournament is set for July 28 at Eagle's Talon golf course, Willows Run. Cost is $180 per player (includes green fees, power cart, range balls, lunch, shirt). Shotgun start at 8:00 AM, checkin at 7:00 AM, scramble format, Get your teams together! Click here for a sign-up form.

Friday's Program
"With the Price of Oil Going Out of Sight, Have You Considered an Electric Vehicle?" Jim Johnson, President and Founder, MC Electric Vehicles

Bob Holert introduced the guest speaker who gave an electrifying speech.

Jim Johnson is President and Founder, MC Electric Vehicles, in Seattle. Johnson told how the company developed from one that made mowers for golf courses to moving into electrified versions of them so work would be less noisy.

That morphed into production of a 48-volt plug-in car, which can go 30-50 miles at 25 miles an hour. Now the company has jumped to a 72-volt car, which can go 35 miles an hour and has been approved for use on streets statewide.

Johnson said the cars are an excellent choice for a family’s second vehicle and many find them ideal for new drivers, since they can’t go faster than 35 miles an hour.

They can plug into any 110-volt AC outlet.

Coming next year, he said, is a car that can go 100-125 miles on a single charge and reach speeds of 80 miles an hour.

Johnson parked an electric car outside the meeting room window. After the meeting, it was surrounded by interested Rotarians.

Web Fun

Courtesy of Steve Goldfarb

Two guys were drinking in a bar. The first guy says, “Did you know lions have sex 10 to 15 times a night?”

Second guy says, “Oh, no! And I just joined Rotary”

Ba dum bump ...

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Courtesy of Steve Goldfarb