President Peter must have been feeling his oats today as he smacked the opening bell with unusual vigor. After the welcome and music brought by Rick Kaiser, Paul Grey gave us the invocation which included The World Peace Prayer
Lead me from death to life
From falsehood to truth
Lead me from despair to hope
From fear to trust
Lead me from hate to love
From war to peace
Let peace fill our hearts,
Our world, our universe
Book Review: Shauna Naf
Shauna Naf gave a report on the book The Art of Fear which had nothing to do with making slasher films. It introduced a new way of looking at fear, using it to gain new experiences. Not that Shauna is urging us to bungee jump off high bridges, but doing something that brings fear into our lives, and taming it. She is heading to the Toastmasters meeting this week, putting what she learned from the book into practice.
The Art of Fear by Kristen Ulmer
This book takes a look at our relationships with fear – an uncomfortable emotion for most. Some people squelch it away, trying to avoid the feeling at all costs while others revel in the adrenaline and push for more, more, more. Both of these relationships is unhealthy. The goal is to tap into fear in the way our more-primitive selves would have – as a warning device used to keep us alive or when fearful situation appears that is not life-threatening, ask fear (one of the 10,000 emotion employees at our disposal) what it is feeling about that situation. Then we can tap into what is really causing the fear and determine how we will use that information in our decision-making. Our issue isn’t the fear itself – it is our reaction to it that needs to change.
I found this book very helpful in dealing with worry and anxiety as well as situations that take an element of risk. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to apply calming principles to stressful situations.
Dick Tucker had a great Minister of Fun session with measurements. (How many bushels in a peck?)
Support Rotary in Ukraine
Message from our District Governor for District 5050, Bev Harrington:
My Fellow Rotarians:
As the humanitarian crisis unfolds in Ukraine, we ask "what can we do from so far away?" Here is the most comprehensive information I have received to date.
Financial contributions are easily made online to The Rotary Foundation Disaster Response Fund. A link to view the projects that are already in place is also provided below.
You and I and Rotarians from around the world can make a difference.
All donations made online at Disaster Response Fund | My Rotary, including the use of available district designated funds (DDF), need to be received by April 30, 2022. Grant applications to take advantage of the funds will be available now through June 30, 2022. This will be the main avenue for Rotary Foundation support, but Rotary and Rotaract clubs are also encouraged to create their own responses to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
In addition to the support provided through the Disaster Response Fund, the Foundation is coordinating with partners and regional leaders, exploring effective solutions to the increased humanitarian needs. You will find a comprehensive list of projects at this link, with the contact details and websites.
Thank you for all that you do to promote peace
Club and Committee Announcements
Rotarians on the Move!! Put these dates on your calendar...
1. Shauna announced a hands-on work day April 9th at the Community Boating Center from 10-4. Sign-up sheets distributed this week and next or contact Shauna. T-Shirts will be available for purchase.
2. Teri Treat, following Shauna’s example said that the clean-up at Memorial Park will happen 21 May. More info coming soon.
3. This weekend is the Bellingham Electronic Toastmasters Open House at the Makerspace, 1 Bellis Fair Parkway #618, Bellingham (enter thru Dick's Sporting Goods) or on Zoom, March 15th 7-8:30 pm (see below for additional information).
In 2020 Rotary International and Toastmasters International entered into a formal alliance for the benefit of both organizations and their members. In recognition of the alliance, Rotarians are cordially invited to attend the Bellingham Electronic Toastmasters (aka Bellingham Evening Toastmasters) public open house on Tuesday, March 15 from 7-8:30pm. The event is free and open to anyone 18 and older.
Guests are invited to learn more about public speaking and communication and how Toastmasters helps individual self-confidence and personal growth. A typical meeting agenda will be followed, including speeches from members with various levels of experience, evaluations, and Table Topics.
This will be a hybrid meeting with attendance either in-person or online. The in-person meeting will be at Bellingham Makerspace (near Dick’s Sporting Goods) in Bellis Fair Mall (One Bellis Fair Way, #618). The online portion will be on Zoom at: https://bet.toastmastersclubs.org/ For other information, please go to the Bellingham Electronic Toastmasters website at Bellingham Electronic Toastmasters (toastmastersclubs.org)
The Toastmasters look forward to meeting Rotarians and encourage those interested to attend the open house or any of our regular weekly Tuesday evening meetings.
Questions or comments? Please contact Rick Nishi, Immediate Past President, at 425-802-3036, or ricknishi900@gmail.com
4. Reece Carpenter - Bellingham Rotaract President Message: The Bellingham Rotaract Club is teaming up with Stove-Team International to raise $1,000 to supply 10 clean-burning cookstoves for homes in Latin America. The stoves will offer health benefits and will be built within the country. This supports many pillars of Rotary, including improving the health of mothers and children, growing local economies, and saving the environment. If you are familiar with our district's Rotaract work in Guatemala, it is very similar. If you would like more information on the cause, visit the Stove-Team International website at https://www.stoveteam.org/
To encourage donations, they are doing a virtual fundraiser, where donors enter a raffle to win a gift basket of prizes from local businesses. Between now and March 31st, our GoFundMe page will be live and will be our raffle ticket platform. Here is the link to the fundraiser, which can also be found at the end of this message: gofundme.com/f/bham-stoves.
To participate in the raffle, you can buy a ticket by donating a minimum of $20. Additional raffle tickets can be purchased by donating an additional $5. For example, a donation of $20 is one entry. A donation of $50 is 7 entries. Your chance to win one of our amazing prizes, sponsored by local Bellingham businesses, increase with each entry! Prizes include gift cards to local restaurants, an annual membership to the Pickford Theatre, and products from Honey Salon!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Reece or Lstorbeck7@gmail.com, who is the head of this fundraiser. Your participation in such a great cause would be greatly appreciated!
Special thanks to our sponsors: Pickford Theater, Honey Salon, Pure Bliss Desserts, Fairhaven Runners & Walkers, Community Food Co-Op, and Galos Flame Grilled Chicken.
GoFundMe page link: gofundme.com/f/bham-stoves
You will still receive an email from Sandee each week prior to the Monday 12:30 meeting if you are unable to attend in person (you can start logging in at 12:00 for short socializing) with the link for that privacy-protected meeting. If you have not done so, please download the Zoom app on your computer (you need a camera and microphone on it), iPad or phone. There is no cost to you. If you do not have either, you can also call in. On the invitation, there are US phone numbers you can call and enter the meeting ID number also indicated on the invitation. HERE ARE ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS.
Four Points is now requiring a Contract thru March 2022. We will continue to evaluate other locations for a permanent location. Lunch will be $22 for a sit-down meal. We must notify them by Wednesday at 4:00 pm each week prior to the Monday meeting as to the number of members attending. We are sending out meeting “Invite's” weekly and members are asked to sign-up ASAP. You can also sign-up by going to the event section of our website at bellinghamrotary.org. If you sign up for a meal at the meeting, you will need to pay the $22 even if you don't wind up attending the meeting after numbers are turned in. If you plan to attend but not eat, PLEASE indicate that on your sign-up so we don't overorder meals and still make sure there is enough seating.
Four Points also will not collect the payment weekly, so the Club will collect payments prior to the meeting or at the door.
We urge members of the RCOB to set up a Venmo account for ease in payment of Meeting lunches, Happy Bucks, Minister of Fun, Dues or donations to the club. Our account is @RCOB-Bellingham. If you do not have a Venmo account you can set up an account with your computer then download the app. on your phone (just Google "Venmo" and you will find all the information you need) You then attach it to a debit or credit card (a fee on your end) or attach to your checking account at no cost. Payment will be sent directly to the RCOB checking account. When you use it for the first time it may ask you the last 4 digits of the RCOB phone number which is 0282. Give Sandee a call if you need help. 360-734-5532
Other payment options are to bring a check in the correct amount to the meeting made out to RCOB or cash in the exact amount to speed up the payment process. There is also the PayPal option as usual and we are set to take payments at the meeting. We have a QR Code that you can simply click on to pay thru paypal also.
Website and Phone App instructions:
Here is a tutorial on how to login for the first time. (Click here) Go to bellinghamrotary.org first. In order to login you need to know your user name and password in your Clubrunner account. The user name is Yourfirstname.Lastname.264 unless you have changed it. Example: Sandra.Lindhout.264 The password is initially set by Clubrunner at 264 unless you have changed it. Sandee can see your Username from her computer but not the password. She can also change your password for you from her computer at your request if you run into problems.
Once you have originally created your User Name and Password you can download the ClubRunner Mobile app on your phone:
Please contact Sandee at 360-734-5532 or rcob@comcast.net if you run into any trouble.
Guests:
Doug Cole introduced our featured speaker, Doug Thomas and additional guests:
Ryan Vasak - SJASL Board Member - Fisheries & Hatchery Specialist
Drew Schmidt - SJASL Board Treasurer - Former member of the RCOB & Owner, San Juan Cruises/Whale Watching Association
Mike Hogan - SJASL Board Secretary - Public Affairs Administrator, Port of Bellingham
Jay Bornstein - SJASL Board Member - with Working Waterfront Coalition
Shauna Naf introduced Erica Mallin
Members attending on Zoom: Bob Morse, Corey Chaplin, Scott Wallace, Vinson Latimore, Lynda Hinton, John Pedlow, John Moffat, Scott Wallace and Robin Halliday. Also on Zoom was former member Mike Bradburn
Program:
Doug Cole introduced the speaker for the day, Doug Thomas. The subject was the San Juan Area Sea Life. This organization is a 501 (c) 3 outfit dedicated to restore and preserve salmonids to the 1985 population. This population level is identified by the state Department Fish & Wildlife as the high-water mark of the fish population. The WDFW and the indigenous tribes are co-managers of the fisheries after the Boldt decision. Basically, the organization is concerned with the fisheries area 7 which is the San Juan Islands.
Their idea is to build and operate a fish hatchery so that all tribes and fishers have the benefit of the program. It will when fully operational, provide juvenile fish to enhance and restore traditional fishery runs. There is an operational hatchery in Juneau, AK that will be a template for the operation here. Mr. Thomas gave many statistics comparing existing WDFW hatchery success with the DiPAK model hatchery in Alaska. According to the presentation, the DiPAK model is a clear choice.
How does it work? Well, the fish from the hatchery have a higher return rate and they are 100% marked. The fish caught from the cost recovery system, (hatchery) are completely harvested. Commercial fishers bid for the right to catch the fish. They do not compete with the native fish. These fish pay the bills. It is anticipated that the hatchery will be self-sufficient in 10-12 years. Any hatchery fish caught outside the boundary are considered “common property” fish and can be harvested. This continues the intent of the Boldt decision.
Current ConditionsSJASL projections
4 million / year released 40 million / year released
High estimate return 72,000 High estimate return 1,600,000
The tribes are whole-heartedly on board with the proposal. The hatchery will concentrate on Pinks and Chums. The Chums “pay the freight”. They are the ones who the orcas will feast (we hope). The Kings and Cohos are the gravy on the top that maybe the sport fishers will have fun hooking. An interesting presentation indeed.
Final Announcement:
Go forth and do good works.
Again, the winning raffle ticket evaded this reporter’s grasp.
