Program - Thinking Outside the Box

Jim H. introduced Stacy Luckensmeyer, Business and Industry Liaison for Wenatchee Valley College.  In his role she works with businesses to find out what kind of training their employees need, and then get WVC programs to provide it.  The Center for Entrepreneurship at WVC offers programs to meet the needs of citizens and businesses with outside the box methodology.
Stacy elicited responses from our members regarding what our community and our citizens need. Some of the discussion centered around new students, mature workers, and new training needs.

Announcements

A Day at the Races is On!  We have 23 attending the August 15th event.  Those attending should meet at the race track around 1:15.

Assistance for Fire Victims  Jim Huffman proposed our Rotary club sponsor a victims' support group for those affected by the Sleepy Hollow fire.  Confluence Health is donating the use of its sleep clinic (1000 N. Miller) for use as a meeting space.  The first organizational meeting is on Wednesday at 6 pm.  Contact Jim if you want to volunteer.

Back to School Giveaway will be held August 15th at Community Health on Orondo St.  We had 15 members volunteer last year, and would like to provide this service again.  Our club also donated $1000 again to help with school supplies.  More information to come.

Program - Iran

The People of Iran.  Club member Mansour Ravassipour described his departure from Iran to live in the United States and a recent one month visit he made to Tehran.  Mansour came to the US in 1963.  He has dual citizenship so can travel back and forth with little risk of being rejected or retained.  

Tehran is a city of 12 million people.  It is quite polluted and travel across the city can take half a day.  Mansour reports the government is heavily focused on mandatory religious obligations and in his opinion uses this to subdue the people.  

Mansour has family in Iran and enjoys seeing them and meeting the people of Iran even if he disagrees with its government practices.  He is hoping for a future trip but no date yet.

July 7 Announcements

Welcome New President.

Wayne chaired his first meeting as Sunrise Rotary President.  Go Wayne!

Day at the Races.  Only a few more days to sign up for August 15th Day at the Races at Emerald Downs.  Please contact Dave Freimuth if you would like to attend.

Ski Racer. Reagan Masuda enjoyed breakfast as a guest of his dad, Taro Masuda. We learned in brags and confessions that Reagan recently skied Palmer Field on Mt. Hood.  (That's a glacier, baby!)  Go Reagan.  We also learned that Taro has questionable standards for vehicle purchases, but you had to be there for that story.

Courage Classic Bike Ride.  Puyallup Rotary is looking for volunteers to help with this endurance ride that covers Snoqualmie, Blewett and Stevens passes and raises money for the Rotary Endowment for the Intervention and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.  Volunteers are needed August 2nd near Peshastin to support a pit stop.  Contact Dan Moody for more info.  

Landing the Big One!  This big one did not get away from Kathy Karney, wife of Jerry Karney.  A very successful day of fishing was reported by Jerry but the grand prize went to his wife, Kathy

District Governor Greg Luring Visits

District Governor Greg Luring and his wife Jan made their official visit to our club. Greg was introduced by Assistant Governor Rob Tidd.

Greg talked about his pride in Rotary, the interest of our international Rotary president in  moving to fully electronic records, and the importance of growing our membership. Our District 5060 had the highest membership increase in the last few years out of 37 districts.

Greg recognized Jim Adamson for his role in training others on the new membership initiative, Membership Matters.


Greg mentioned a few other initiatives including grant simplification and a more equitable "unsung hero" award program for the annual meeting.

Mark your calendars to attend the next District 5060 Conference in Yakima on May 12-15, 2016. Register early to win a free registration.  http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50005