President Jenny Andrews called the meeting to order.
Madeline Gauthier gave the invocation and led members in the Pledge, and Diane Gamache introduced visiting Rotarians and guests.
Heidi Klum, with a German accent sounding vaguely like Paul Chapman, did a stellar job narrating the BBRC Logo Wear Fashion Show. Other famous celebrities (looking remarkably like BBRC Rotarians Scott Sadler, Andrew Face, Madeline Gauthier, Colleen Turner, Kaj Pedersen, Craig Groshart, Steve Luplow, Elena Howell and Steve Goldfarb) graced the runway wearing the latest fashions for discriminating Rotarians. We all have the opportunity to upgrade our fashion wardrobes with these latest fashions.
To Order BBRC Logo Wear:
- CLICK HERE to select your clothing item:
- Click on the item(s) you like, write down the item number(s). Example: Sport Shirt Item B#L448, Size M, Color Blue
- Email or call Steve Szirmai (Ph 425-746-4151) at Fast Signs with your order.
Speaking of fashion, Sayoko Kuwahara was presented with a T-shirt inscribed with the saying “I’m going to come at you like a Spider Monkey."
Congratulations to two former Rotarians, Susan Amini and Craig Groshart, who have rejoined the BBRC. They were presented with their Blue Badges for again completing all membership requirements for new Rotarians.
Classification Talk – Ryan Scharnhorst
Ryan grew up in Coeur d'Alene, ID, and attended Lake City High School, where he played varsity baseball and basketball, and ran cross country. He was also a caddy at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. Kaj graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters in Accounting and led campus tours for prospective freshmen families.
Ryan’s work history includes public accounting, private equity consulting in La Jolla, CA, and now personal wealth management at Soundmark Wealth Management, with former BBRC Rotarian Bill Schultheis
Ryan and his wife Jodene have a daughter, Anya, and are expecting a son in January.
On behalf of the BBRC, Tim Leahy presented a $2,000 check to Shanna LaMar, Executive Director of Washington State DECCA. DECCA is using the funding for student scholarships in a program which raises funds for community service projects.
Thanks to our speaker Mike Lucero and Microsoft for donating a Microsoft 8GB ZUNE MP3 player to the BBRC as a fund raiser for the BBRC Foundation. The ZUNE came complete with a 3 month subscription to online services and has capabilities for video, music, social networking and radio. Thanks to Susan Amini for her kind donation of $500 and to auctioneer Tim Leahy.
The annual BBRC Golfing with the Elves will be held on Wednesday, December 24th, with a 9:00 AM tee time at Mt Si Golf Course. Green fees will be just $10 if you bring an unwrapped stuff toy or non-perishable food items.
Take a break from the sounds of the holiday with some fresh air and fellowship, as we celebrate the Winter Solstice. RSVP to Norm Johnson.
It's Time for the Piggy Banks to Come Home!
Please bring your food bank piggy bank to the next two BBRC club meetings, and drop them off at the check-in table. Bob Bowen will deliver them to the Renewal Food Bank in Bellevue just in time for the holidays, when the spare change is most needed.
Thanks to everyone for filling your piggy banks with spare change to help make this holiday season warmer for so many in need in our community.
Kaj Pedersen
On October 4, the BBRC co-hosted an adoption party with the Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS) at the Woodridge Elementary School in Bellevue. The main purpose of the party was to introduce foster children waiting for adoptive families to families waiting to adopt children in an emotionally safe and fun environment. Child/Family matching events like this have been successful in many states over the last 25-years and are increasing in frequency across the Nation. In similar events hosted within Washington, there have been successful matches with up to 50% of the children going to families that attended these gatherings.
The collaboration between BBRC and the DSHS began on July 21, 2008, when our President-Elect Margie Burnett set up a meeting with Region IV Adoption Social worker Laurie Mayer to discuss the idea. From this meeting the idea of the BBRC co-hosting these events came to fruition, and the club subsequently raised awareness of the program within its own membership, and it was warmly received both in terms of financial support in the sum of $2,000 and with BBRC volunteers to assist at the Woodridge Elementary School adoption party last October.
The first event had 20 families attend, and they were given an opportunity to meet 10 children at the school. The event resulted in success in that we had three children matched with families and another two who are being matched with families who attended this event. Families who attended the event felt that it was well organized and enjoyable, especially in light of the fact the majority were not aware of what to expect. The families were impressed with the comfort of the event and that the children enjoyed themselves.
“The BBRC learned a great deal from this experience, and we are excited about the initial success, both with the number of children matched and the feedback we had from families attending. We were overwhelmed at the response, and we look forward to our continued support in this vital area for children in our community. BBRC membership takes pride in supporting local activities that have such a profound impact in others lives,” said President Jenny Andrews. Laurie Mayer added, “We are excited and pleased at the generous support and outstanding effort provided to this adoption party. We look forward to their continued support in this effort and we are heartened by the party’s initial success.”
Rotary Foundation Gift Baskets will be awarded to lucky donating Rotarians next week.
Rotary First Harvest work party is scheduled for this Saturday, December 13.
All remaining Giving Tree gifts should be brought to next week’s meeting!
Online sign-ups continue for the December 19 Holiday Breakfast and the December 20 Ice Skating and Shopping Extravaganza.
"Shifting Times in the Music Industry," Mike Lucero, Zune, Director of Advertising Solutions, Microsoft
Mike Lucero, Microsoft’s Director of Advertising for Zune Digital Solutions, is a 10-Year Microsoft veteran, where he has played key roles in launching the X-Box, managing Microsoft’s corporate image, and now working within the Zune organization. Mike is working on reshaping the music industry by pioneering new business models for music.
Digital music consumption is rapidly changing from the purchase of CDs to downloading music to digital MP3 players such as ZUNE and iPod. Download sources range from the purchase of individual songs and albums to subscription services to free music downloads and pirating.
Nearly half of all music sales are now from digital sales. This ease of music acquisition is good news for both consumers and music artists. Established artists have never been better off because of the ability to establish relationships with customers, ease of music exposure, and ease of consumer music acquisition. The challenge is for establishment of emerging markets and for new artists to gain exposure to music audiences. Consumer benefits include new ways to discover old artists, new ways to share music, and new ways to discover new artists.
I have been on his case to get the Christmas lights up for a couple of weeks now.
Well, they're up now, and he can't figure out why I refuse to speak to him.
