Start 7:00-7:30 pm, home of Chris Monger; RSVP to 
Mouse over photo for yet another strange occurrence.
Greeters Paul Martin & Lorenzo Hines
"Good morning, Bellevue Breakfast Rotarians!" President Jenny President Jenny greeted BBRC members to open the meeting.
Lorenzo Hines gave the invocation and led members in the Pledge. Hines’ invocation was from the Paradoxical Commandments written by Kent M. Keith in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders.
Paul Martin introduced visiting Rotarians and Guests
President-Elect Margie Burnett
Margie Burnett gave a recap on the recent Annual BBRC Retreat in Leavenworth. President-Elect Burnett’s opening remarks at the retreate were followed by three focus group discussions:
- Session 1: Jonathan Koshar – “The Best Darn Rotary Club in the World” – What does that mean?
- Session 2: Chris Monger – Goals for 2009-2010 & Beyond
- Session 3: Chuck Kimbrough – Fundraising
These morning sessions concluded with a summary of the club’s key priorities:
- Membership – Focus on membership retention, new members, and appropriate members.
- Success – Having a plan and structure to educate new chairs as they prepare to take responsibility.
- Programs – Focus on great programs, while maintaining a good balance and variety of programs, providing members with something to talk about when we go to the office or go home for dinner .
- Metrics – Develop ways to track and measure our progress and achievements.
- Matching Grant – Obtain at least one District matching grant for a community service project in 2009-10, and continue to seek World Community Service Grants from Rotary International
- Balance —Do not focus on one area to the detriment of others. Strive for balance in membership, programs, and service projects.
- Fundraisers – Increase net fundraiser $$$ by 25% per year.
- 100% Participation – Create awareness and inspire membership to participate 100% in Rotary activities
- Documentation – Focus on improved documentation on all BBRC activities, committee minutes, procedural documentation, etc.
- Planned Giving – Implement program to increase awareness and encouragement of planned giving to BBRC Endowment
- Fun – Continue to create a positive atmosphere and encourage having fun in all we do.
Tim Johnstone
Tim Johnstone reminded everyone that on April 26, the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club (BBRC) will be hosting their third annual Bellevue 5K Run/Walk, this year on a new route, starting and ending at the Crossroads Community Park.
The proceeds from this event will provide funds for local programs including: Kindering; scholarships; feeding the hungry; literacy projects; and support for homeless families. The BBRC has a long tradition of sponsoring healthy communities, both locally and around the world. BBRC’s third annual Bellevue 5K Run/Walk is designed to promote healthy children and families. The goal is to combat child obesity and raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices for children.
To sign up for the walk please visit www.bellevue5k.com
BBRC Band Promotes Fashion Sense
The BBRC Club Band performed a special song for Sergeant At Arms David Bolson’s campaign to make every BBRC Rotarian a “Sharp Dressed” member. Click on the audio player below and sing along with these special lyrics by Andrew Face.
The very sharp BBRC Band: Andrew Face, Chip Erickson, John DeWater
- Clean shirt, new shoes
BBRC is where I am goin’ to
- Silk suit, black tie
Bolson’s fantasy’s the reason why
- He’ll start finin’ if you dress like a tramp
Cause Sgt. Bolson’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man! Or Woman!
Gold watch, diamond ring
Goldfarb can get you anything
Cufflinks, club pin…
When you show up here…you wanna fit in
He’ll start finin’ if you dress like a tramp
Cause Sgt. Bolson’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man! Or Woman!
Top coat, top hat
Friday casual’s a thing of the past
Black shades, white glove
Lookin’ sharp, you’ll get David’s love
He’ll start finin’ if you dress like a tramp
Cause Sgt. Bolson’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man! Or Woman!
Wall Street, Big Bank
You should be stylin’ cause you’re in the tank
Microsoft, Flower Shop
Its diversity, don’t call it slop
He’ll start finin’ if you dress like a tramp
Cause Sgt. Bolson’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man! Or Woman!
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BBRC exchange student Cristóbal Baladrón promoted his “Chilean Feast” on April 25th. The cost of the feast is $50 per person, with proceeds going to help cover Cristóbal's expenses in attending a Rotary Youth Exchange Summer Safari to California. Mike Ralph and Chris Monger are members of the Top Chef Team preparing the meal featuring Cristóbal's family recipes. Bellevue Rotarian and frequent visitor Frank Young donated $100 to Christobal’s fund. |
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Antigua Computers for the World Project
John Martinka and Steve Lingenbrink are off again to Antigua with a group of Newport High School students and members of our Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club to deliver dictionaries and computers to 15 schools. From April 1-11 the BBRC and Newport High School team will be working on two separate activities to help bring technology and dictionaries to the children in Antigua’s schools
The computers were reconditioned (refreshed) with the assistance of Interconnect, a local non-profit that recycles and upgrades computers while teaching people the skills to work on computers.
The project follows up on the success of last year’s Computers for the World Project.
“It is great way to help provide children with modern tools that expose them to world of technology," said Martinka, program coordinator. He points out that by reusing computers, we can impact "kids' lives in tangible ways."
For more information, click here.:
Health Panel Comes Together to Support Major Health Care Reform — Mike Kreidler & Steve Leahy
Mike Kreidler
Bob Holert introduced the Healthcare Reform Panel: Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler and Steve Leahy, recently retired CEO and President of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce (see biographical information here).
Kreidler and Leahy discussed the features and benefits of Health Care Reform, carrier bankruptsy issues, and the need for universal coverage. Kreidler wants to overhaul the health insurance system in Washington. His plan will guarantee health benefits for all Washington residents under the age of 65 by providing catastrophic coverage and making additional coverage more affordable. The Commissioner's Guaranteed Health Benefit Plan is not government-run health care. Under the plan, private insurers would still provide insurance, but coverage would be portable. It would stay with each individual, if you change jobs or lose your job.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is proposing a Guaranteed Health Benefit Plan that would provide health care coverage for all Washington residents up to age 65 — and preserve freedom of choice. Our state is long overdue for a health care system that provides peace of mind and ensures high-quality care for all. The features and benefits of his plan include:
- All residents get catastrophic coverage for health crises over $10,000 a year. Catastrophic includes all medically necessary costs that total over $10,000 in a calendar year, regardless of the illness or injury that is treated, including prescriptions.
- Limited preventive care is covered, including an annual checkup, immunizations and age-appropriate cancer screenings.
- Consumers choose their own health plans and doctors.All insurance – catastrophic and routine health care – is provided by private insurers.
- Private insurers provide coverage.
- Nine-member board administers the program and determines benefits. Representatives would come from business, labor, insurance carriers, health providers and the public. This board would manage the administrative processes and ensure the financial solvency of the program.
Guaranteed health benefits
Steve Leahy
The Guaranteed Health Benefit Plan is a revolutionary shift in how health care is paid for. It will not increase health care costs, it will simply use the money already being spent on health care in Washington state in a more fair and efficient way. By removing the cost of catastrophic care (about $6.5 billion every year), premiums for additional coverage will drop. People who choose to buy routine coverage would pay less than they do now.
US spends more and gets less than any other country ... we need common systems to insure cost and financing stabilization.
Health care is a “hot political potato” acknowledge both Leahy and Kreidler. And both noted that US citizens and employers pay more and get less than any major Western and European country. Leahy noted that “47 million Americans have no health care.” He urged us to “Look at the problem with fresh eyes, open minds, and caring hearts.” “We are in a code blue situation now!” said Leahy. He said that we need to reduce the “cost of doing business” and pursue guaranteed health benefits and use our purchasing power to influence and bring down both individual and employer costs.
Leahy asked, “To what extent should health care be the responsibility of a nation?” He noted that there is a distrust of BIG GOVERNMENT. However, he pointed out that we do not mind paying for what we are getting what it is of good quality. He noted that Americans pay more for R & D for drugs than our share but also pay more for prescriptive drugs and health care than citizens in other western countries while being limited insured costs for preventive care and wellness.
Both Kreidler and Leahy advocated for cost and financing stabilization, universal coverage, common systems for fees, a reduction of administration fees, They noted that the problem is not just access and the un-insured but the rising cost of co-pays and deductibles. They advocated for the need to protect individual and family health while making universal health care affordable. They agreed that prevention and wellness need to be promoted and funded. And finally, they stressed that the plan they would support must maintain financial sustainability.
For more information: http://www.insurance.wa.gov/consumers/reform/
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Mike Kreidler is Washington’s eighth insurance commissioner. He was first elected in 2000 and was re-elected to a third term in 2008. He has earned a reputation both as a staunch advocate for consumer protection and as a fair and balanced regulator. Among his accomplishments:
- Cutting excessive rate increases on home and auto policies by more than $225 million.
- Helping individual consumers recover about $10 million a year in denied and delayed payments on their insurance policies.
- Restoring troubled insurers to financial solvency.
- Blocking Premera Blue Cross's attempt to abandon its nonprofit status.
- Regaining national accreditation for the office.
- Successfully fighting attempts by big out-of-state insurance companies to strip consumers of their legal protections.
Throughout his career, Commissioner Kreidler has been passionate about achieving health care coverage for all Washingtonians. His major health insurance reform push in 2009 is the Guaranteed Health Benefit Plan — providing catastrophic coverage and key preventive care to all residents.
Commissioner Kreidler, is doctor of optometry, holds a master degree in Public Health, and is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Army Reserve. From the boardroom of his local school district to the state Legislature and halls of Congress, Kreidler has represented our state’s citizenry for more than 30 years. He was a 20-year Lacey Club Rotarian.
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Steve Leahy recently completed a 30-year career with the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. He is currently serving as Co-chair of the $12.5 million Capital Campaign for Family Services, which is building the Rotary Support Center for Families on Rainier Avenue. Leahy was CEO and President for the past 7 years. Steve previously served as the Chamber’s Executive Vice President since 1992. During his tenure at the Chamber he has overseen the organization’s marketing, membership, administrative and financial operations, as well as its public affairs and community development programs and its relationships with regional, state, and federal leaders.
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, he grew up in Bellevue, graduated from O'Dea High School. He received his B.A. in Religious Studies from Lewis University (Illinois), M.B.A. from the University of Puget Sound, and Masters in English from the University of Notre Dame. Steve taught high school English, journalism and religious studies in the Chicago and Detroit areas prior to returning to the Seattle area and joining the Chamber in 1979. He resides in the Seattle area with his wife Janet, son Patrick (20), and daughter Erin (16).
Twenty years ago Steve helped launch both the Leadership Tomorrow and Business Volunteers for the Arts programs and served as Executive Director of both programs from 1982-86. In addition to his involvement with United Way of King County, Steve has served as board chair of both Family Services and the Seattle Children’s Museum. He currently serves on the boards of the Association of Washington Business, the Trade Development, Alliance of Greater Seattle, Leadership Tomorrow, the EDC of Seattle & King County, the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council, and the Washington Chamber of Commerce Executives association.
Courtesy of Ernie Hayden
"Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died." — Steven Wright
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NINE WORDS WOMEN USE
(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't do It!
(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)
(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a woman can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question or faint. Just say you're welcome. (This is true, unless she says, "Thanks a lot." That is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say, "You're welcome." That will bring on a "Whatever.").
(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying !@#$! YOU!
(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking, "What's wrong?" For the woman's response refer to # 3.