Photographer: Del VandeKerk, Aaron Booker and Sandee Lindhout
RCOB Past President Recognition and Appreciation Day
Opening Welcome:
President Doug dressed to the nines in his John Philip Souza uniform smacked the bell to start the meeting. He then joined the Rotary Brass for the national anthem.
Guests:
Del VandeKerk introduced Pete Kirkman
Dave Blair introduced wife Cheryll
Doug Cole brought wife Margie Goetz and Judy Coons, wife of Joe Coons
John Dunne introduced wife Joy
Paul Grey brought wife Mary
Larry Halgren introduced wife Sandi
Bob Morse brought wife Jeanette
Former Rotarian Past Presidents in attendance: Steve Adelstein brought wife Debbie, Peter Theisen, Jim Cunningham and former member Chuck Snyder in Arizona on Zoom
Members on Zoom: Sandy McIntire in Italy, Dick Tucker, John Moffat, Mike Bradburn, John Pedlow and Monty McAllister
Club Events and Committee Announcements
Meal Packing May 4 (Volunteers and Donors sign up now)
District Conference occurs on 4 May, coincidentally the day of our food packing day. Marty Haines assured us that we selected the date before the District. And he hinted that maybe it should be an event of the social committee – it is so much fun. So they can confirm how many supplies we'll need on May 4, Marty asked for volunteers to sign up and to donate for the meal packing day now. Event will occur at Assumption School gym. Last year, we packed 37,000 meals with 106 volunteers, including Rotaract members and other clubs’ volunteers.
The format for the Conference is family inclusive and the same day as our Meal Packing Event. President Doug is looking for members to register to go down with him later in the day, after the Meal Packing Event. Other options to participate include Friday, May 3rd for Bowling and a meet and greet and Sunday May 5th for a service project at Camp Korey.
Prexy Doug put in a plug for the Memorial Day Parade, encouraging all members to get out there and march. We have a Rotary float, which we escort over the mile-long parade. If you start conditioning now, you will be in shape to even run laps around the float as it careens down the route.
Whatcom Community College Orca Food Pantry All Rotary Food Drive March 29, 2024. To date we delivered 361.2 Lbs and raised over $4,577.00 (Our Members donated over $600.00)
Photo from left to right: Kathi Hiyane-Brown, WCC President and Rotary Club of Bellingham member; Mike Bates, Assistant Governor for Rotary District 5050 (Whatcom County); Mark Corkill, President Mt. Baker Rotary; Tim Krell, President Bellingham Bay Rotary; Jennifer Slattery, President Bellingham Sunrise Rotary and WCC Foundation Board Member; Douglas Cole, President Rotary Club of Bellingham.
The Orca Food Pantry is now nicely stocked for Spring quarter, thanks to the dedicated efforts of our local Rotary Clubs!
Together, we gathered a significant contribution totaling $4,577 along with 361.2 lbs. of food.
Our goal was to collect both food and cash donations for the Orca Food Pantry, aimed at addressing food insecurity among WCC students. Mike Bates, serving as the Assistant Governor for the Rotary District 5050 (Whatcom County), took the lead in orchestrating this initiative. When asked about his efforts, he said, “This is an opportunity to celebrate our accomplishment of community engagement with the College while demonstrating Service above Self. We are all happy to have the opportunity to play a small part in addressing food insecurity."
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RCOB Past President Recognition and Appreciation Day
Photo above is Brian Griffin, President 1967-1968
President Doug started the presentation with an interesting brief history of The Rotary Club of Bellingham:
The first meeting of the Rotary Club of Bellingham was held on August 24, 1917 at the Leopold Hotel. 31 charter members attended and attorney Will J. Griswold presided. Griswold was later elected at the first president. The club was sponsored by the Seattle Rotary Club. CLICK HERE FOR THE REMAINDER
Brian Griffin (1967)
"It seems impossible. it was so long ago, So much has changed. I was only 35, My father and I were doing business on the third floor of the Medical Building. The Owl Drug Store occupied the ground floor of what was called the Medical Building, where the Green House now exists. Rotary meetings were just across the street in the great Ballroom of what is now called Hotel Leo. We would just walk across the street every Monday noon to be greeted by Brick Carr the long time club secretary who just a couple years later would hire a cute blonde girl named Sandee to help him out." That's the starting paragraph of Brian's tale.
Bob Morse (1977)
One memory was of Rotary’s not so good decisions sponsoring the circus when it came to town. We worked very hard and made no money in the endeavor.
J. C. Hickman (1991)
In 1991, with 230 members in attendance, it was difficult to put all the names and faces together
Larry Halgren (1995)
As a 45-year member, the “I’m a goer” pins were a favorite, and the Fairhaven Park project was a win.
Jan Marchbanks (2004)
As RCOB’s first female president, sending two container loads of wheelchairs to Chile with the Rotary International Wheelchair Project was really special. It was powerful to see their communities creating a wheelchair loan system and coming together to build ramps and offer support to their homebound neighbors.
Jim Cunningham (2005)
The Bellingham Foodbank building project had a lot of impact and was seeded by Rotary support
Tim Farris (2006)
Tim really enjoyed catching people doing good. He then showed a video of the club booing him (good naturedly) when he subbed as president for Teri Treat.
Dave Blair (2007)
David felt Rotary’s support of the Hospice House to the tune of $150k was exceptional. He also remembers Tim Farris getting in trouble with the police for dropping eggs off a bridge on Eldridge.
Steve Adelstein (2011)
Steve played a tribute video for his friend: Rotary’s inhouse pianist, Don Anderson
Chuck Snyder (2015) (Zoom from Arizona)
Chuck joined in 1994. His fond memories include the Meal Packing program, the Parade, and the Sunnyland Park cleanup. His most favorite, though, was the youth scholarships. These projects and the club comradery impressed him the most during his time.
Del VandeKerk (2016)
Del was honored by the role as the 100th president. His favorite memories were Vegas night and the Lydia House project.
Sandy McIntire (2018) (Zoom from Italy)
Known as the “hat guy,” due to regularly wearing hats from different parts of the world, Sandy enjoyed fostering understanding of Rotary clubs from other countries.
Cathy Buckley (2019)
Cathy was inspired by Jan Marchbanks to thrive in this leadership role. Dinner at Brian Griffin’s was memorable. When meeting at Northwood Hall Cathy made a point to sit at different tables in order to get to know everyone in the club. It was especially needed at the back table which generally hosted the club’s more recalcitrant members. If you got in with them you were going to be okay as President.
Peter Theisen (2021)
Peter was the Covid president that had to find a new location, new food services, and weather the controversies of masking, social distancing and vaccination status. Finally returning to in-person meetings was powerful.
Paul Grey (2022)
It was the wisdom found here in the club members that was so special to Paul. And then securing the new meeting location at the Whatcom Community College.
We also missed absent and traveling Past Presidents:
Paul Hanson (Honorary) 1975-76; Herb Ershig (Honorary) 1979-80; Ken Culver (Honorary) 1996-97; Rick Haggen 1997-1998; Kathy Hughes 2010-2011; Brad Burdick 2014-2015; Teri Treat 2017-2018
Closing:
President Doug thanked all for attending and participating in what he hopes will become a tradition in the club. It is important to remember our heritage and to fete it every once in a while.
Guess Who?
Rotary Brass played "Hail to the Chief"
Doug Cole, John Dunne, George Halsell, Del VandeKerk and Pete Kirkman
RCOB apparel, including polo shirts, dress shirts, vests and hats is now available. These are items that every Club member simply must have in his/her wardrobe! Besides looking great, Club members will be contributing to branding for the RCOB as well as supporting our Club's Foundation, which will receive part of the proceeds.
Click on the button below for the the clothing catalogue, with the Order Form on the last page. Fill out the order form, turn it into Vinson Latimore at a meeting or email a scanned copy to embroidery@choicesscrubs.com.
