Opening Bell

Roger Allington gave the Invocation and led the Pledge. Tom Harrelson introduced visiting Rotarians and guests, including Carol Coram (West Seattle Rotary) and Patrick Trudell (Assistant Governor, Kirkland Downtown Rotary).

Find Your Rotary Passion

President Jenny elaborated and asked each of us to find something about Rotary that we feel passionate about and find a way to get involved this year. She shared many examples in which passionate Rotarians have made lasting change in the world ranging from the eradication of Polio to the founding of the BBRC:

German poet Freidrich Hebbel once wrote, “Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion,” and I firmly believe this is true. Twenty-two years ago, men joined together to form the BBRC, the best darned club in the world! And look around you at what they accomplished. Now that’s passion!

In 1985, Rotarians around the world launched the PolioPlus program with an initial pledge of $120 million. By 1988, Rotarians had raised $247 million to eradicate Polio — more than doubling their fundraising goal! And, by 2003, Rotary’s spending to eradicate Polio exceeded $500 million! Now that’s passion!

Over the years since 1985, this Rotary passion to eliminate Polio from the face of the earth has spread beyond Rotary. Today, Rotary has many partners in this quest, including, notably, the Gates Foundation, which has pledged $150 million. This will be matched by $100 million from Rotary, to completely eliminate this horrific disease over the next two years. And that, my friends, is Rotary passion lighting the fire in others to make systemic and permanent improvements in the lives of people around the world!

Closer to home, and on a different scale, we see Rotary passion every week of the year here at the BBRC. Rotary passion shows itself when a panel of BBRC members selects Sammamish High School scholarship recipients. Rotary passion can be the only answer to the question: “Why are those crazy Rotarians out there cleaning up I-405 in a cold drizzly March rain?” Hundreds of local families have feasted on Rotary passion when they receive their BBRC Thanksgiving baskets every year. And kids of all abilities, for generations to come, will feel the Rotary passion when they splash and play at the BBRC-funded Crossroads Spray Park.

So here is my challenge to you. This year, I want each and every one of you to find YOUR Rotary passion. Think about it on your way to work today. Why are you a BBRC member? What do you get out of it? More importantly, what do you put into it? Find your passion. Jump into it, whatever it is, with both feet. Get active on a committee! Attend a work party! Get passionately involved in Rotary this year!

Member Goal

John DeWater approached the podium with quiet reserve and some reluctance. He studied his signing bonus and immediately unleashed a mad scramble of verbiage. It was poetic and inspirational. Mr. DeWater shared Rotary International’s audacious goal to grow membership by 10%. We need to attract two new members per month to help us reach this goal.

Rotary First Harvest

Howard Johnson shared the Club’s past accomplishments associated to Rotary First Harvest. Mr. Johnson gave special thanks to Chuck Barnes, Kevin Jewell, Ruben Ladlad, Bob McKorkle, and Bob Crosby. Each of these Rotarians was recognized with a potato, carrot or corn. Thank you for your incredible effort and dedication to Rotary First Harvest.

Come to Me

Sayoko Kuwahara asked us to approach her when we have BBRC questions such as volunteering for the invocation and pledge.

Sergeant at Arms Singing Corner

David Bolson led us in the singing of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Mr. Bolson followed by outlining his philosophy and regulations as Sergeant at Arms. He explained that for far too long the Club has not operated in an environment of “angst.” He shared that “angst is good, it captures the evolutionary spirit and will ultimately save the BBRC.”

Along these lines Mr. Bolson introduced a number of regulations designed to reinforce “angst.” The regulations discussed included

• $5 fee for scooter badges

• lack of a rotary pin will require the purchase of a rotary pin

• buffet line access up to 7:30am or after the meeting (fine $20)

• appropriate dress for speaker introduction (fine $20)

• invocation limited to 2 minutes (fine $5)

Mr. Bolson’s presentation was greeted by “boos and hisses.” Well done, David!

Friday Program
"Update on Group Health and their Presence on the Eastside," James Hereford, Executive Vice President, Group Health Cooperative

Ernie Hayden introduced our guest speaker, Mr. James Hereford, Executive VP of Group Health. Mr. Hereford shared an overview of the Group Health Cooperative. Founded in 1947, Group Health Cooperative is a consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Based in Seattle, Group Health and its subsidiary health carriers, Group Health Options, Inc., and KPS Health Plans, serve more than half a million residents of Washington state and Idaho.

The cooperative’s guiding principles include improving the health and well-being of our members and communities, assisting persons in need, partnering with other organizations to meet the quality health care needs of people of the Northwest.

Web Fun

24 LINES TO MAKE YOU SMILE
Courtesy of John Mix, by way of Chuck Kimbrough,
by way of Chuck Barnes

1. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn't.

2. I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

3. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

4. Don't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive.

5. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

6. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

7. I'm not a complete idiot -- some parts are missing.

8. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

9. God must love stupid people; he made so many.

10. The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

11. Consciousness: that annoying time between naps.

12. Ever stop to think ... and forget to start again?

13. Being "over the hill" is much better than being under it!

14. Wrinkled was not one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up.

15. Procrastinate now!

16. I have a degree in liberal arts. Do you want fries with that?

17. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

18. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.

19. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!

20. He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.

21. A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times the memory.

22. Ham and eggs: A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

23. The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.

24. I smile because i don't know what is going on.