Serving Bellingham for 80 Years

Meets every Tuesday Noon - Bellingham Golf and Country Club - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham Kiwanis Soundings

February 5, 2008

Our meeting opened on the usual way.

Guests:

We had several guests: Beginning with our permanent guest, Bill Audley. We also had a few highly valued auction volunteers, including Joyce Gardiner, Andy Jackson and Anita's son Guy. Dick Z. also invited Casey Curtis to join us.

Emily sent around the SIGN jar, and we raised $105 today.

Committee reports:

Jan Armstrong reported that the Salvation Army has changed the structure of their "Walk-n-Knock". This year we will take bags and ask our friends and families to fill them, and then bring them back to the club.

Bruce reported on the One Day Project. He sent around a "Tools" and a "Task" sign -up sheets.

John Wilson reported that we will not be participating in the Highland games parking this year.

Alyson announced that YCPO would be meeting on Monday ( 2/11) at noon at Cascade Pizza.

Elizabeth reported that there was an interclub coming up. Chiliwack Golden K is celebrating it's 28th birthday on Tuesday the twelth at Noon. She asked for people to call her or Elizabeth if they were interested in attending.

Nancy reported that she was pleased to have seen her submissons published in the Herald and another publication. She asked us to return the copy of the Herald Article that she passed around last week to her.

The Executive Committee meets ( met) on Wednesday ,2/6/ at Roundtable Pizza.

Vaughn handed out the Dues notices to the sound of groans. He asked us to turn in our dues quickly because he needs to send in our money into International soon.

Elizabeth updated us on the Kisumu Kenya club. Kisumu is overrun with refugees from the interior of Africa where one ethnic group is killing two others. Elizabeth reported the that Kiwanis club is spending large amounts of time setting up and organizing shelter and supplies for refugees.

Elizabeth then began an extensive report of Theatre Night. She thanked Larry West for the lovely tickets. She thanked Bob MacIsaac for monitoring the sales of the tickets. Rich Emerson also helped with the tickets.She reported that we made a record amount of money ($7000). We had 139 auction items. Elizabeth Named Joyce Gardiner as "Auction person of the year".

Anita then got up and also thanked Joyce. Joyce is our most adept auction item collector. She was assisted by Nancy L., Elizabeth B., Emily C, Anita J., Ralph G. and Alyson B.. Others helpers included Andy and Guy who helped with the wine, and Marc Hagen and Cindy Patzman who helped with the close-out. Other helpers included John W., Dick Z., Ange, Maggie D.,Larry W, Dee West, Bruce. Special thanks went to John W. for the use of his company's truck.

Birthday:

John Eagon celebrated his birthday. He reported that had been asked if he was the oldest member of our club . We all agreed that Phil Rosser holds that honor. He then mentioned Dick Schmidt, who burst out with " I'm only 82!. You're 83!" Dick struck me as being a little defensive. He will turn 83 in three months.

John offered us a two dollar bill. He said that he wanted this noted, because Ted Dewitt was tracking John's spending, from Moses Lake. John is apparently a very tolerant person. I would complain (loudly) if Ted was doing that to me! John asked for those who were born in Bellingham to sing to him. It was a fairly large and varied group.

Happy Dollars:

Dick Z. started off by reporting that he had met with the Fair Bingo committee, and that everything was already pretty much done. ( These folk are so experienced that they could probably do this in their sleep.)

Nancy gave us two sad dollars. One was for her Mother-in-law, who died last week. George's Mother was a very impressive woman. She survived a Concentration camp in Polland, and went on to become a sharp shooter with machine guns for the British Army. She moved to the U.S. in 1951.

She also commented on the house fire on Bennett in which the home owner, who is the same age as Nancy was described as "elderly". Well, as John and Dick S. have shown us, the term "elderly" is in the process of being re-defined.

Al Dale gave us a dollar to report that Will Duplantis is ill. He suggested that people call him.

Elizabeth gave a dollar noting that the weather today is "hideous" but that Spring is coming!

Jan Armstrong gave $5, because she was nearly in a car accident this morning and was happy to be here.

Bruce was happy both because Russ W., and Bill A. went to Lummi Island with him to survey this year's One Day project. He was also thankful that Bill used his Cadillac to mow down the grass in the parking lot for Bruce's vehicle. Bill's "ride" is a year old now, and a lot tougher than it looks!

Bill A. drew the Queen of Hearts in the drawing and gave the dollar to SIGN. Thank You, Bill!

Program:

Ron Buchinski shared the Lighthouse Mission's plans for the Agape House. In brief, they want to expand the program from 6 beds to 24. They are providing housing for women in two different programs, single women, and women with children. They hope to provide space for Mother's with sons over 12 years old as there is no space available for this group at present. They have raised $700,000, and they need to raise $700,000 more. They expect to build this summer, and the permits have been applied for. He also reported that they have received very good support from local government. Our YCPO committee has donated some money for the provision of an indoor play area. They are working on another project which they hope will bring in further funds for the outdoor play area. Stay tuned!