President Peter welcomed Club members to our 4709th meeting, the 12th straight in person, the 66th straight virtual, with15 Zoom participants.
Book Review: "Nautical Chart" by Rick Kaiser
The Nautical Chart
Copyright 2000 by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Translated in 2001 from the Spanish by Margaret Sayers Peden
460 pages
“A nautical chart is much more than an indispensable instrument for getting from one place to another. It is an engraving, a page of history, at times a novel of adventure.”
Jacques Dupuet
The Nautical Chart is a novel about a modern-day treasure hunt off the coast of Spain. Coy is a suspended sailor without a ship. Tánger Soto is a woman with a secret and an obsession to find the Dei Gloria, a Jesuit ship sunk by pirates in the seventeenth century. El Piloto is an old man with the sailboat on which all three set out to seek their fortune together. At an auction in Barcelona, Coy meets Tánger, a beautiful woman obsessed with the Dei Gloria, who uses her skills with men and her expertise with atlases and nautical maps to search for the ship's rumored lost treasure. Coy is quickly drawn into her search and finds himself falling in love as they seek their fortune together. This masterfully plotted novel combines richness of atmosphere with the addictive romance and mystery of the sea. It is an unforgettable adventure.
The thing that struck me most about this book is the pacing. It's very slow, compared to similar adventure stories. This is never a problem though. You feel your way through the story just as the main character, Coy does. You discover things when he does and figure things out as he does. He is the reader's companion, and the pacing makes you feel as if you're living the tale alongside Coy.
The beauty of this book is the description it gives throughout of the sea and life at sea. You feel the passion Coy has for the ocean and even a seasoned landlubber like myself feels like they're beginning to understand it by the end of the book. The amount of research the author must have done must be massive and the book is all the better for it.
Internationally acclaimed author Arturo Pérez-Reverte was born in 1951 and currently lives in Spain. He worked as a war correspondent for Televisión Española (the Spanish state-owned television broadcaster) for 21 years (1973–1994). Then retired to write full-time. He has written 31 fiction, and 9 non-fiction books. His bestselling books have been translated into nineteen languages in thirty countries and have sold millions of copies world-wide.
I don't want to say anything more about the book as it needs to be discovered for one's self. I do heartily recommend it, as do I some of his other titles - The Fencing Master, The Flanders Panel and especially The Dumas Club. The man is a wonderful storyteller. The good news is I have plenty more of his books still to read.
Club and Committee Announcements
Football Pool
Mike Plenkovich announced the football pool winners of the past week, Bruce Clawson, Mark Knittel, D. C. Morse, Jennifer Moehl, and reviewed the details of the RCOB football pool for the benefit of newcomers (and old members who may have forgotten!):
There are 100 squares, costing $20 each, for a total income of $2000. All of the squares have now been purchased. $500 is retained by the club and $1500 is distributed to pool winners (those who come closest to predicting the score after each quarter), as follows:
$20/quarter for all college games and regular season NFL games, $30/quarter for NFL playoff games, and $35/quarter for the Super Bowl.
Volunteer Mentorship Opportunity:
This fall Whatcom Community College is launching its first bachelor of applied science (BAS) in business management degree. This degree is specifically geared for the workforce needs of businesses that make up the majority of Whatcom county's employers. Bellingham Bay Rotary is leading a mentorship program with the college and is asking for volunteers. Mentors will work with students in an Organizational Leadership & Teamwork class in winter quarter 2022. The mentorship program will be approximately 8 weeks long, occurring between January-March 2022. Details about the time, days, and topics would be mutually agreed upon between mentor and student.
If you are willing to participate in this short, vocational service mentorship program, please contact Mike Bate (mikebates9@aol.com<mailto:mikebates9@aol.com>), past-president for Bellingham Bay Rotary or Tresha Dutton(tdutton@whatcom.edu<mailto:tdutton@whatcom.edu>), past-president and current faculty at Whatcom Community College, by the end of September, 2021.
Please also contact President Peter or Sandee if you are interested!
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 not requiring a Contract thru 2021 and need only 72 hours to cancel an event. 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 has 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) 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:
Del VandeKerk introduced Con Rigas
John Harris brought his wife Patricia
Steve Ban introduced Corey Chaplin as a guest for the last time as he is now an official member - Welcome Corey
Our Speaker, Liz Purdy introduced Carryn VandeGriend with PSE, who joined up on zoom by phone.
Chuck Snyder zoomed in from Arizona.
Other members who were on Zoom: Bob Morse, Robin Halliday, Monty McAllister, John Dunne, Frank King, Loch Trimingham, Ken Marzocco, Maarty Haines, Dennis Williams, Tim Farris, Doug Cole and Larry Halgren.
Presentation:
Sponsor Steve Ban introduced new member Corey Chaplin to the Club. Corey was born and raised in Eastern Washington, obtained a mechanical engineering degree from MIT in Boston, then worked for several engineering firms in the San Francisco Bay area, where he met his wife, Janet. The family moved to Bellingham in 1990 and have lived here since then, except for several job-related stays in Brazil, Abu Dhabi, Calgary, Denver, and Atlanta. Corey retired in 2020 and enjoys spending his time with three local grandchildren, bicycling, swimming, gardening and volunteering. He and Janet have been married for 40 years and have two adult children.
Past President Gary Goldfogel then delivered the usual motivational message to Corey, urging him to meet as many RCOB members as possible as soon as possible, to join committees soon, and, in general, to participate regularly in the Club's volunteer and social activities.
Program:
Program Committee Chair Doug Cole introduced our featured speaker, Liz Purdy from Puget Sound Energy (PSE), whose talk was titled: Beyond Net Zero Commitment: PSE's Clean Energy Implementation Plan and local clean energy projects. Liz joined PSE 7 months ago as Senior Community Engagement Representative for Whatcom County and Whidbey Island. She has a Masters in Sustainable Development and loves contributing to the
collaborative efforts that bring communities together and keeps them thriving.
PSE has been our local energy provider for 150 years, providing about 1/3 of all the electrical and natural gas energy in Washington State. It is the state's largest and oldest utility company and is the largest utility producer of renewable energy in the Pacific Northwest. PSE is the 5th largest utility producer of wind power in the US. It helps costumers conserve energy with weatherization and incentive programs.
The Beyond Carbon Net Zero program was started when PSE President and CEO Mary Kipp joined the company in 2019. PSE helped develop the Clean Energy Transformation Act, which Gov. Inslee signed into law in 2019, and which commits Washington to a carbon-free electrical energy supply by 2045. "Beyond Carbon Net Zero" means not only reducing PSE's own carbon emissions to net zero, but also helping other sectors, such as transportation, to enable carbon reduction across the state. The roadmap to Beyond Carbon Net Zero includes PSE eliminating coal power by 2025, becoming carbon neutral by 2030, increasing energy efficiency (thus reducing customer demand), increasing use of renewable energy and developing large scale energy storage.
PSE is currently submitting a Clean Energy Implementation Plan, which will commit the company to specific targets over the next four years for energy efficiency, demand response and renewable energy, with particular emphasis on mitigating any negative effects of those actions on highly impacted communities and vulnerable populations. Toward that end, PSE has convened an Equity Advisory Group, with representation from low income communities, including two from Whatcom County. There is also a Beyond Carbon Net Zero Advisory Group, which advises the company on the overall direction of the program. Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood has committed to serve in that group.
Liz then described several of PSE's multiple customer renewable energy programs, such as expanding the network of electrical vehicle charging stations. She also mentioned PSE's Green Power Solar Grants to non-profit housing authorities and local Native American tribes. A recent grant funded the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Lummi Nation School.
PSE also funded a Small Business Makeover project, which provided $45,000 each to four regional small businesses last year, including James Place Child Development Center in Bellingham, for energy efficiency upgrades. In 2020, PSE established a COVID Bill Assistance program, which, in the past two years, distributed $1.1million to its low-income customers in Whatcom County.
Liz described the PSE Foundation, which is separate from the company and is giving money in support of organizations that are addressing the impacts of COVID 19. In 2020, it distributed $110,000 in Whatcom County and plans to distribute more than $4 million statewide this year. Liz emphasized that all Foundation funds are privately donated; none come from customer bill payments. Finally, Liz mentioned the numerous Whatcom County Community Partnerships that PSE has formed with non-profit organizations, providing them with financial and organizational support.
Questions from the audience yielded the following additional information:
- As a result of conversion to renewable energy, PSE estimates that, by 2030, residential electricity costs will increase by about $6/month.
- PSE, and other utilities, will be able to handle the increased electricity demands of conversion to EVs only if it occurs gradually, say over 10 years, not more rapidly. Part of the plan will be to build in customer incentives, such as charging cars at low demand times, such as at night.
- Nuclear energy is renewable, but is very expensive and the permitting process is long, so PSE has not received many proposals from developers that involves nuclear energy.
Covid Report:
Gary Goldfogel was able, for the first time, to obtain detailed information about the patients hospitalized at St. Joseph Hospital:
- 26 patients in hospital; 16 needing lower level of care and 10 in the ICU, 4 on ventilators
- In the 5 week period ending October 1, there were 15 Covid-related deaths in Whatcom County, 7 vaccinated and 8 unvaccinated; by age groups:
90-99 yrs, 5 deaths; 4 vaccinated, 1 unvaccinated
80-89 yrs, 3 deaths; 2 vaccinated, 1 unvaccinated
70-79 yrs, 3 deaths; 1 vaccinated, 2 unvaccinated
60-69 yrs, 1 death, unvaccinated
50-59 yrs, 2 deaths, both unvaccinated
30-39 yrs, 1 death, unvaccinated
President Peter thanked all who contributed to today's meeting and adjourned it at 1:30 PM.
