Sandy McIntire reviewed A Gentleman in Moscow, a book of historical fiction (460 pages) by Amor Towles. It is one of the greatest lock-down stories of recent decades and thus timely for those of us in our own lock-down. The Hotel Metropol, where the story takes place, is one Sandy visited frequently during the 7 years he lived in Moscow, and where the likable, polymath protagonist has been sentenced to life-long confinement following a crime he committed in Paris. Sandy (and Bill Gates, who also recommends it) found the book to be well-written and the details of place and relationships engaging.
Opening Welcome
President Gary started the meeting right on time at 12:30. In addition to the regular welcome and numerical chronicling of our meeting history, President Gary welcomed us all. Apropos of nothing, Chuck Snyder favored us with the obscure fact that, for one hour every fall, when most of the country changes to Standard Time, there is a city in an Atlantic Coast state, Florida, that is in the same time zone as a city in a Pacific Coast state, Oregon. As if we aren't already inundated with on line trivia! :-)
Club Announcements
2020-2021Major Project announcement - Max Higbee Center is the unanimous selection of the committee. The Center started as grassroots effort led by educators, families and people with developmental disabilities who wanted quality recreation and social opportunities. Today, the Center serves over 400 individuals in Whatcom County through its welcoming social and recreation programs. Jen Moehl and John Dunne will be leading the fundraising of this project. Members can donate from their tax-deferred accounts directly to RCOB without incurring a tax liability. Click Here for Donation Form
These programs also provide vital respite support to families. The stress and financial responsibility as a family caregiver can be extraordinary and lifelong. The services that Max Higbee Center staff provide are essential in supporting families to work, rest, and fulfill obligations while maintaining a safe and enriching environment for their family member with a disability. Their new facility at 1400 N. State Street, currently under construction, will allow the Center to expand its program capacity to meet an urgent community need. Our contribution to the project will be funding the new recreation room, the largest and most actively used room in the new facility, which is to be named the Rotary Room. Click here for further information.
Blood Drive -Steve Ban reported that our blood drive will be open for the entire Rotary year, until June 30, 2021. We are participating, along with the other clubs in our Area G, in a District 5050 challenge against the other District Areas. He is encouraging friends and relatives to join in. Those who can't donate blood can donate plasma. Currently, the W. Bakerview office is the only donation location open in Whatcom County. Click Here for additional information. You must schedule your donation appointment on the eflyer in this link to make sure your donation is counted. If you have already given blood and didn’t follow these procedures, please contact Steve and he will make sure that your donation is counted.
URGENT: We are still looking for Website/Tattler sponsors for the next Rotary year starting July 1st. It is a great opportunity to advertise your business and support Rotary. $350.00 for the year. Please check out the current sponsors on our website by going to www.bellinghamrotary.org on the home page. If you "click" on a sponsor it will take you to their website. It also shows up in the Tattler. Contact Sandee if interested. We have 2 spots remaining.
All Rotary meetings will be held Virtually on Zoom until at least January 1, 2021 due to Covid-19 social distancing. You can look for an email from Sandee each week prior to the Monday 12:30 meeting(you can start logging in at 12:15 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.
RCOB has now set up a Venmo account for ease in payment of 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
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 my 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:
Christine Palmerton, our District 5050 Area G District Governor Assistant attended our meeting with a potential Rotarian, Angela
Former member, Dale Ring joined us again.
Paul Grey introduced our speaker, Kait Whiteside, Exec. Director of the Max Higbee Center - Our Rotary 2020-21 Major Project
Kait Whiteside introduced speakers Andrea & Ian Shenton
President Gary introduced Michael Mallory
Covid Update:
President Gary reported that the number of people hospitalized remains low. There are an increasing number of positive tests, but not as many as in some other communities. We are definitely not over the virus. Gary encourages us to watch the county dashboard. Testing turnaround times are good. Gary called this a status quo report.
Program:
Paul Grey introduced Kait Whiteside, Executive Director of the Max Higbee Center, to present today's Program. Supporting the relocation and renovation of the Center is our Club's Major Project this year. Paul noted that this major project spans two of our focus areas: children and education. Kait has a degree in nonprofit management, with a focus on human services, years of learning Spanish, and time spent working in Peru. Among her many
accomplishments as ED, Kait established the Higbee Hikers, through which staff and clients
hike the rich network of trails in Whatcom County.
Kate started her presentation by expressing her deep appreciation for our contribution to the Center's renovation. The Center serves individuals who have developmental disabilities, and their families, seeking to promote social, physical and emotional health throughout the clients’ lives. They also seek to increase clients’ community engagement and social connections, which is more important than ever. Services can start at 14 years and continue
through adulthood. A secondary benefit of the program is giving clients’ families some breathing room while clients are at the Center. The services that the Center provides are not available elsewhere in our area, in our state, and, apparently, in our nation! This may be the reason the Center receives so much support from the community.
The Center was initially founded 35 years ago by Max Higbee, a local Rotarian. The Max Higbee Center was on Bay Street for the past 10 years. Staff offices and other aspects of the facility were inaccessible to the many clients who have limited mobility issues, and the building was much too small for their needs. Presently, the Center has a waiting list of over 50 people. There are an estimated 21K people with disabilities in Whatcom County. Often, they are underserved and living below the poverty line. As many of our presenters have mentioned, being below the poverty line leads to many negative outcomes, including health
disparities in underlying medical conditions, greater isolation, homelessness and poorer employment outcomes. Half of those living with developmental disabilities are living with their parents.
With all of this evidence and analysis in mind, the Center’s board recently resolved to expand the capacity of the facility and encouraged the community to take on responsibility for its developmentally disabled by dreaming big and assisting them in their expansion effort. They are seeing this as a transformational change in both facilities and services. The new center will be located at 1400 N State St (formerly Bridal Center), a 5K square feet building. This is a perfect location: huge, one level, accessible, downtown, close to bus station and other community resources. Kait likes the symbolism of being in the heart of Bellingham, illustrating the community values of inclusion and respect. They have signed a 25-year lease, with deep discounts for the first 10 years. The expansion will allow them to take all who are currently on the waiting list. Inside, they will do a full demolition to make it fully accessible. The design is being handled by Jennifer Moehl and Zervas Architects. There will be large rooms and smaller rooms for noise sensitive people. Staff offices are readily accessible and have large glass windows for safety purposes.
Andrea and Ian Shenton, mother and client of the Center, followed with a presentation of
their own. They were very grateful for the RCOB gift of $100K. Andrea and Ian both participate in activities like yoga, hiking, book club, bingo and cooking (making sushi). Andrea’s brother was previously a client of the Center. She appreciates the long-term services, which give clients continuing services after they leave the school system. She resonates with the motto of the Center that ‘no one is left behind.’ She feels inclusion should be a core value in Whatcom County, with all being welcomed and respected members of our community.
Program Recordings: We are now recording the speaker portion of our meetings:
Missed a meeting? Remember a great speaker but want to revisit the content? You can catch the recording on our Rotary Club of Bellingham YouTube page:
