Queen Anne Rotary Newsletter
Meeting of January 9, 2007
President Mark Wilson called the meeting to order. Hugh Branon was the Sgt at Arms
once again. Announcements and happenings are below.
- Happy Birthday Bob Callies if you are reading this! We all showed up for your party,
complete with Howard’s chef’s birthday cake.
Where was Bob? He was in HI. We’ll see him in April.
- Mark W recapped the gifting to 30 children of Seadrunar people. Rotarians shopped,
wrapped, and accompanied Santa who distributed the gifts to the kids. Mark said it was
an event not to be missed. Thanks to all involved.
- Marshall H.S. moms will be given $50 VISA cards by our club to help them out. The
original date was hampered by weather, so was cancelled. The event will probably be
held before the next meeting. We are helping 12 moms this year.
- Today’s meeting was a full house, and included several district people including the
incoming district governor, our district advisor, and the Group Study Exchange (GSE)
leader who is soon taking the group to Japan. She gave us a mini program on GSE.
- The program today was the district chair for Rotary Interact. For those of you who do
not know (probably most of us), Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young
people ages 14-18. The program gives young people an opportunity to participate in
fun, meaningful service projects while developing leadership skills and meeting new
friends. There is talk that our club might try to get something started with the HS at the
Seattle Center.
- Ed Philleo is in the Exeter House, after being hospitalized for a week during the
holiday season.
- Our club sponsored peace scholar, Jonathan Eischer, finished his graduate studies in
England, and writes the following in an email to Pete Geyer:
I was in Kenya in November for a international diploma training in humanitarian
assistance to fulfill the final field experience requirements of the peace
scholarship. In December I finished my thesis and moved my things back home
in the states in Illinois where I spent Christmas with my family. Emily was able to
come along as well. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to find
employment by the time I left England. The UN anti-trafficking unit in Vienna,
where I assisted in some research in the fall, asked me if I was interested in
assisting in a global initiative to bring the human trafficking issue onto the global
forum through conferences, meetings, and fundraisers. So, I am now based in
Vienna as a consultant at the United Nations Office of Drug and
Crime Anti-Human Trafficking Unit for the next 6 months. Although it is just 6
months, I am thrilled to have the opportunity and experience and my student loan
debts can hopefully be a reduced over the time period.
Calendar:
- January 23, 2007: Board meeting starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Best Western, so no
program that day. Everyone is welcome at the board meeting.
- January 30, 2007: No noon meeting because this is the 5 th Tuesday of the month.
Stay tuned for a fellowship event which is still to be determined.
Join us TOMORROW, January 16th, for a special program by representatives of the
Partnership for a Drug-Free America on the social effects of Methamphetamine abuse:
Methamphetamine abuse has been described by law enforcement officials
across Washington state and the nation as one of the most costly, addictive and
destructive drugs ever seen. Its impact on businesses, property owners,
government and communities is staggering. Meth abuse is so serious in the
Puget Sound area that the national nonprofit organization, the Partnership for a
Drug-Free America, has selected the Seattle/Tacoma area as one of just four
sites in the nation to provide “Meth360” presentations aimed at mobilizing our
community to fight this problem and to prevent its spread. “Meth360” is
presented by a 2- or 3-person team including a local law enforcement officer and
a drug treatment specialist and/or drug prevention specialist.
See you tomorrow!
Doug