Weekly Meeting instructions:

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 n  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 cannot do 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. 

Lunch is $17.00 for soup, salad and bread buffet.  We must notify them by Wednesday at NOON the week prior to the Monday meeting as to the number of members attending. We are sending out meeting "Invites" 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 $17 even if you don't wind up attending the meeting after the 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. 

The Club will collect payments prior to the meeting or at the door by Venmo, check or cash.

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 option to pay by  PayPal. We have a QR Code that you scan and simply click to pay thru paypal.

Program Chair-Elect John Moffat introduced club member Daver Morse, president of Blythe Mechanical as today’s speaker.

Daver gave a brief history of the company.  It was started in 1904 as Christopher and Co. plumbing.  Arthur J. Blythe began working for Christopher, and soon became part owner (Dupar-Blythe Plumbing and Heating) and later became sole owner under the renamed A.J. Blythe Plumbing and Heating.  The business remained in the Blythe family for two generations.  In 1974 D.C. Morse left Morse Hardware and got involved with Blythe.  Around that time, Blythe got involved in fiberglass pipe fabrication.  Ershigs manufactured fiberglass pipe and subcontracted with Blythe to fabricate piping assemblies.

In 2003, Daver and his partners bought the company from his father.  Since then, there has been significant revenue growth, which has followed the company’s expansion into design-build.  Dave said the business model has been to build the product offsite at its 40,000 square foot fabrication facility on West Illinois Street, and then assemble it onsite.  Daver showed a number of photos of the facility and various parts of the facility, including assembled ductwork and piping.

Daver went through photos of many of the important and well-known projects that Blythe has worked on over the past 8 decades, contributing to our community:  construction of Bellingham High School in 1938; Work on Bellingham Shipyard in the 1940s-1960s; much work on Bellingham Cold Storage; all three of the Bellingham Housing projects (Lincoln Square, Chuckanut Square and Washington Square); the Uniflite Vietnam Patrol boat piping; Semiahmoo Hotel in the mid-1980s; the Lummi Nation Administration Building (the first geothermal building in the county); Angel of the Winds casino and hotel expansion; NAS Whidbey Hospital; Maberry Packing; Mount Vernon School District; Mount Vernon High School; Anacortes High School; and the Lummi K-12 school in 2004.

Daver thanked his parents (D.C. Morse and Jan Marchbanks)and his uncle, Bob Morse, for being so supportive in many aspects of the business.  Additionally, he thanked the Blythe family for all their work and contributions to the community.