WEEKLY TATTLER PHOTOS

Ron Judd - The Cascadia Daily John Harris-Music

October 3, 2022

Opening Welcome:

President-Elect Doug Cole rang the meeting to order at 12:30 PM., the first in our new, spacious, awesome permanent meeting place, the Syre Theater, in the Syre Student Center on the campus of Whatcom Community College. Doug asked for a show of hands of those who were RCOB members when we met at the Yacht Club, then the Elks Club, then Northwood Hall, then Four Points by Sheraton, revealing that there were many old timers at today's meeting!

CLUB ASSEMBLY - OCTOBER 10, 2022

We were also reminded that, on October 10^th, our club will have a “club assembly”. The purpose is to have members communicate what is going well and what we can do to make our club stronger. This is a chance for every member to be heard and we encourage you to attend and participate in the spirit of taking our Club to new heights.

(Click Here) for key questions that will be asked at the Club Assembly.

BREAKING NEWS: WE HAVE MOVED TO OUR PERMANENT MEETING LOCATION IN THE SYRE THEATER STRAIGHT IN FROM ENTRANCE. SEE MAPS BELOW...

FOOTBALL POOL DATES AND GRID:

2022-23 Football Pool Game Dates (Click Here)

10/8/2022 UW vs Arizona State (Click Here)

Football Pool

Mike Plenkovich reported that the entire grid had been filled, which totaled $1,000, of which $250 will go to the RCOB and $750 will be distributed. Mike explained that half-time and final scores will be used and winners will be determined by the unit numbers on the grid. Congratulations Tom Grinstad and DC for being our first winners.

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS & CLUB ANNIVERSARIES:

Birthdays:

DC Morse

Paul Grey

Mike Diehl

Del VandeKerk

John Huntley

Tim Farris

Rotary Anniversaries - a lot of them this month!

Jack Westford - 52 years

Larry Halgren - 43 years

Loch Trimingham - 42 years

Ann Jones - 35 years

Teri Treat - 33 years

Tom Grinstad - 27 years

Roland Trenouth - 17 years

John Pedlow - 13 years

Colleen Baldwin - 9 years

Scott Wilson - 9 years

Ward Naf - 2 years

Corey Chaplin - 1 year

Club and Committee Announcements:

Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE)

Felicity Dye reported that we currently have very few applicants for our outbound program and asked members to contact high school students they know who may be interested. There will be a Zoom information meeting tonight 6:30-7:30.

Social Committee

Nathan Twining reminded members of the casual happy hour appetizers and wine event at Felicity and Curtis Dye's home on October 7, 5 - 7PM. Check your email invite of September 29 for more details.

Major Project Committee

Andy Day reported that the committee had narrowed the candidate organizations to three, interviewed those, and has sent its recommendation to our Board of Directors for approval. The chosen organization will be announced at our next meeting.

Late Arrival Incident

Tim Farris sauntered in to the meeting very late and President-Elect Doug alertly called him out, asked him to sit at a table by himself and to walk around the table first, to loud, mocking applause from members!

Menu for October, 2022

10/10 Roast Pork Loin with Mustard Herb Crust, Mashed potatoes, variety season veg, Garden Salad, Fruit Platter and Iced Tea

10/17 Chicken Alfredo, Roasted Garlic Green Beans, Bread Sticks, Garden Salad, Fruit Platter and Iced Tea

10/27 Rosemary & Garlic Chicken, Rice Pilaf, Roasted Fall squash, Garden Salad, Fruit Platter and Iced Tea

10/31 Beef Chili, Cornbread, Baked Potatoes, Garden Salad, Fruit Platter and Iced Tea

Bellingham Rotaract's invitation: Bellingham Rotaract's first event of the year! We are working with Maple Alley Inn- a local organization that supports Bellingham's food insecure population- to replace their garden beds before winter weather sets in. This is a high-priority goal for them as these beds are necessary to grow the food they prepare as meals for the community.

They have 11 beds, so the more people that can attend, the more we can complete! We are meeting at their garden, Faith Lutheran Church, 2750 McLeod Rd. at 9am-1pm on October 15th. Light refreshments will be provided. Please let me know if you are interested in attending or if you have any questions. We'd love to have you there!

Contact Lily Storbeck at Bellingham@rotaract.org to register or lstorbeck7@gmail.com

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 3RD WE MOVED TO THE SYRE STUDENT CENTER - SYRE THEATER AT WHATCOM COMMUNITY COLLEGE. HERE ARE THE DIRECTIONS.

The buildings address is 235 W Kellogg Rd. But this is not where you park. There is no parking off of Kellogg Road. You must enter parking off either Eliza Ave or Cordata Parkway. You are looking for the YELLOW lot (look on light poles for Y2 or Y3).

Enter from Eliza Ave: the driveway between Kellogg Rd and Westerly Rd has a driveway into the campus, follow that about 200 yards until it slopes down, park in the area between the three buildings.

Enter from Cordata Parkway: Just north of the WTA station and Cruisin Coffee before the round about is Orca Lane, take Orca Lane around the first two buildings until you find a large parking lot between three buildings.

Google maps directions to parking https://goo.gl/maps/Ng1vkLwcFj19vfTV8

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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 will be $22 for a buffet meal. We must notify them by Monday 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 $22 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.

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 di ctly 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 scan and simply click 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 belling mrotary.org first. In order to login you need t know your user name and password in your Clubrunner account. The user name is Your first name.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:

iphones https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/clubrunner/id434696377?mt=8

Androids https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.doxess.clubrunnermobile

Here is a link for you to take a look at the app:

https://www.clubrunnersupport.com/article/1399-video-clubrunner-mobile-app-for-clubs-district

Please contact Sandee at 360-734-5532 or rcob@comcast.net if you run into any trouble.

Guests

Steve Ban introduced speaker Ron Judd with The Cascadia Daily

Tom Grinstad introduced his wife Kris

Chuck Snyder joined us on Zoom from Arizona

Mike Bradburn, returning member, also joined by Zoom

Members attending on Zoom: Scott Wallace, John Moffat, Dennis Williams, Peter Theisen and Bob Morse

Special Happy Bucks Recognitions

President-Elect Doug recognized Dick Tucker for his many contributions to our Club and community, including continuing to teach dental school students at UW, summitting Mt. Baker with other Club members, hosting this year's Club Picnic and, most importantly, taking care of Doug's teeth for many years!

Several Club members recognized Shauna Naf for her substantial ongoing contributions to many aspects of Club activities and her boundless energy and contagious enthusiasm!

Program:

Program Chair Steve Ban introduced our program speaker, Ron Judd, the Executive Editor of the Cascadia Daily News (CDN), whose presentation was titled Getting to Know Your Truly Local Daily Newspaper. Ron, a graduate of Western, worked for 32 years at the Seattle Times, as a reporter, columnist and feature writer, before co-founding the CDN. He has also written multiple non-fiction books and is a staunch advocate of a vigorous, aggressive and transparent Free Press. Ron and his wife Meri-Jo live in Bellingham and enjoy hiking, skiing, cycling, photography, kayaking and competing in Ski-to-Sea.

The idea for the CDN was born in August, 2021. The Cascadia Weekly, owned by David Syre, was closing and Ron, living in Bellingham, noted that many important local happenings, such as City and County Council meetings, political races, and local development, were not being reported on by the Bellingham Herald, leaving the local public largely uninformed. Most elected officials were being re-elected unopposed, which is not healthy in a democracy.

So, the two of them decided to start a local daily newspaper, David providing the financial support and Ron the journalism expertise. They joined the Associated Press system for out-of-area news and reported on local breaking news, arts and entertainment, sports, and provided opinion columns. The coverage area includes Whatcom, Skagit and Island Counties. The paper debuted daily online January 24, 2022, and started a weekly print edition on March 2, 2022. The print edition is available free of charge at 110 area locations; the online plus print subscription costs $12 a month.

The CDN has a staff of 20 reporters, editors and visual journalists, as well as a few outside contributors, and interns. Ron described the various parts of the paper and mentioned that the emphasis is on covering normal, ordinary public activities, such as high school graduations and 4th of July events. He is particularly proud of the very high quality of photojournalism, equal to that of any large metropolitan newspaper.

Ron discussed a number of CDN special projects:

1. Citizen's Agenda - solicited questions that readers wanted asked of political candidates, asked the top five questions, published responses, and endorsed a candidate in each race.

2. Ski to Sea - in depth, personal coverage of many (not just elite) participants.

3. Local sports pictures - very high quality photos of many local athletes, not just the winners, wanting to validate the efforts of all who compete.

4. Title IX at 50 - analysis of the effects of Title IX on athletes, both women and men, over the years.

Finally, Ron discussed plans for the future of CDN. Although Dave Syre has provided most of the financial support so far, his largesse is not open-ended, so Ron hopes to have the paper be self-sustaining in the near future. This will depend on community support by increasing subscriptions. The public needs to be educated that real, accurate news is not free, in contrast to social media like Facebook and Nextdoor, which, although free, is not reliable.

Ron is planning increased community engagement through presentations like this, as well as more and better delivery systems. He is also planning to increase staffing next year.

In response to a question during Q&A, Ron stated that the CDN, in its news articles, reports only facts, not opinion. Also, if a public figure states as fact something that is known to be false, the paper will either point that out or not print it at all.

Closing:

President-Elect Doug thanked our speaker as well as those members who assisted with today's meeting and rang us to adjournment at 1:33 PM.

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October Rotary Anniversaries - Thank you for your service!


Jack Westford 52 years of service	Larry Halgren 43 years of service	Loch Trimingham 42 years of service	Ann Jones 35 years of service
Teri Treat 33 years of service	Tom Grinstad 27 years of service	Roland Trenouth 17 years of service	John Pedlow 13 years of service
Colleen Baldwin 9 years of service	Scott Wilson 9 years of service	Ward Naf 2 years of service	Corey Chaplin 1 year of service
October Birthdays - Happy Birthday! DC Morse Paul Grey Mike Diehl Del VandeKerk John Huntley Tim Farris