April 25 meeting notes

 April 25, 2023, Meeting Notes

The meeting was called to order at 7 am by President Robin DeRock.

National Hug A Plumber Day (This one "cracks" me up."

Guests: 

• Bill Ostheimer (Wayne M's guest)
• Emma Crowe
• Julie Banken
• Jennifer Moraski

Announcements

Road Apple Roulette Update - Wayne

• 2346 Ticket Sold (of 5000 available)
• More opportunities to sell tickets 
• Memorial Park - This weekend (4/29 and 4/30)
• SELL! SELL! SELL!

 New member zoom meeting available

• Check with Robin and watch email

Youth Parade - Volunteers Still Needed - Alan Walker

• Parade scheduled for 4/29

All Service Club Meeting/Dinner - Carol Adamson - 5/3/23 at 11:30am - $25

• The guest speaker will be the Apple Blossom Grand Marshal Colonel Sarah (Droz) Babbit 
• Click here to see the Apple Blossom Website for her biography and to purchase tickets to the luncheon

5/6 - THE BIG EVENT - Road Apple Roulette and Apple Blossum Parade

• A horse will make one lucky winner $10,000 richer!

5/12 - Dose de Mayo fellowship event - Rebecca and Carol

• Event will be at Robin's house
• Check with them for details

6/13 - Tuesday 5:30pm - Change over dinner - Robin passing the torch to Craig

• Will be held at Pybus!

Community Paul Harris Award

• Robin is looking for nominees for someone in the community that would deserve recognition from Rotary 
• They should be making a difference in the community in line with Rotary values

Brags and Confessions

Carol Adamson

• Rotary Park Event
• Sunrise Club had more volunteers than the other clubs combined
• Jennifer (not even a member yet) was there (she is becoming a member)

Mark VanHorne

• Went to the Wild Game
• He got on the "Dance Cam" 4 different times
• He will be hosting a hockey player 

Wayne Massing

• Attended the Gold Show
• Purchased a rock guaranteed to have gold in it
• He got quite a few shavings he showed in a vial

Kathleen McNalty

• Traveled to Seattle with her husband and son
• They went to 2 Mariners/Cardinals games

Robin DeRock

• Her Huntsville hockey team (with a player she had hosted) lost and is out of the playoffs

Program - Bill Eagle - Wenatchee High School Interim Superintendent

Bill originally joined Wenatchee High School as a Math teacher in 1987. He later moved to administration, first as a Vice Principal and later as a Principal. Since then, he has worked for ESD responsible for 4 central Washington counties.

He was training Principals, among other responsibilities, when he was approached by the Wenatchee School District to take on the role of Interim Superintendent. When he stepped into the role, he was handed a "newly minted" 5-year strategic plan to implement. While the plan is "not flashy" Bill is excited about the key outcomes for students laid out in the plan.

The plan's 6 Student Outcomes:

• High Quality Instruction - Both content and delivery
• Heavy focus on training teachers to have a united approach

• Feel that they "belong and feel connected"
• At least one teacher or high school official will find a way to connect with each student
• Their goal is to make sure each student feels "Safe, Seen, Valued"
• The Violence project identified that these goals as critical to preventing school violence

• Read on Grade Level by the 3rd Grade
• It has been determined that each student needs to "learn to read" by the third grade
• They will then be asked to "read to learn" from the 4th grade on

• Ready for Algebra
• This will be accomplished by helping them to recognize facts 
• Achieve "fact fluency"

• On Track for Graduation at the end of Freshman Year
• A student that finishes their Freshman year having passed every one of their classes (including gym class, etc.) have 4 times the likelihood of graduating from High School

• Well-rounded education opportunities Real World Learning Experience in:
• Medical Occupations (i.e. Nursing)
• Tech Skill Center
• Cooking
• Law Enforcement
• Air Force ROTC

Bill's tenure is ending at the end of May. He will be handing off the Superintendent role and returning to ESD.

Questions/Answers:

• Freshmen enrollment is down, partly due to the pandemic and partly due to companies like ALCOA leaving town.

• Graduation rates for Wenatchee High School and Westside High School are over 90%. Westside High School students may take 5 years to graduate but their success rate is over 90% as well.

• Wenatchee High School is hiring Integration Specialists in Math to raise test scores.

• Modernization of the High School is needed. A study is in progress with a recommendation in 5-6 months. A new bond will be proposed from the recommendation in 3-5 years.

• There was a reported issue with their budget for around $8mm. The issue was an error in reporting of an expense, not an overspend on the part of the school. FYI 85% of the budget is in employee and teacher salaries.

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The raffle was $488. Earl did not win so it will continue to grow. (Awwwwww....)

Next Programs

• 5/2 - Ryan Graig, Project Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for TREAD

Joke: "The Doctor told me I was suffering from multiple personality disorder. I told him he had the wrong guy."

Rotary Anniversaries

• Erin McCool:       04/16/2013
• J. Woody Lotts:   04/26/2022
• Ruth Dagg:          04/17/2018
• Mark VanHorne:  04/26/2022

Earth Day event at Pybus

 April 18, 2023, Meeting Notes

The meeting was called to order at 7 am by President Robin DeRock.

National Animal Crackers Day

Guests: 

• Bill Ostheimer (Wayne M's guest)

Announcements

Fran Moment

• Fran enjoyed spring break
• She is traveling to California

 Road Apple Roulette Update - Allie

• 45% of tickets available have been sold
• Ticket selling opportunity at La Bien on Fri April 28th

 New member zoom meeting available

• Check with Robin and watch email

Youth Parade - Volunteers Still Needed - Alan Walker

• Parade scheduled for 4/29

All Service Club Meeting/Dinner - Carol Adamson - 5/3/23 at 11:30am - $25

• The guest speaker will be the Apple Blossom Grand Marshal Colonel Sarah (Droz) Babbit 
• Click here to see the Apple Blossom Website for her biography and to purchase tickets to the luncheon

5/6 - THE BIG EVENT - Road Apple Roulette and Apple Blossum Parade

• A horse will make one lucky winner $10,000 richer!

5/12 - Dose de Mayo fellowship event - Rebecca and Carol

• Check with them for details

6/13 - Tuesday 5:30pm - Change over dinner - Robin passing the torch to Craig

• Location to be decided and communicated

Brags and Confessions

Allie Schank

• Allie completed a full marathon in under 5 hours! 
• Congrats Allie

Mansour Ravassipour

• He and his wife are celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary

John Schapman

• The name of his business is changing to:
• Thriving Together North Central Washington (TTNCW)

Alan Walker

• Went to Ellensburg to celebrate his mom's 86th birthday

Stacy Gold

• Stacy's daughter has a torn ACL and meniscus 
• Stacy is organizing the "Color Rush" on the 29th of April
• Wenatchee Valley Color Rush — Washington State Apple Blossom Festival
• To register, click here 

Program - Erica Grissmersen - Regional Alzheimer's Association and Alexis Bonoff - Community Outreach Central and SE Washington State

Left to Right: Erica Grissmersen and Alexis Bonoff

Erica Grissmerson is the Walk to End Alzheimer's manager for the Wenatchee, Tri-Cities, and Yakima Walks. Her focus is getting families, organizations and companies to start Walk Teams, recruit companies for sponsorship and partnerships and to help individuals and teams fundraise for the Walk to End Alzheimer's for critical care research, support and care services and awareness.

Alexis Bonoff is the Community Outreach Manager for the Alzheimer's Association and oversees Community Education and Outreach programs, Support Groups, and the volunteers who lead them. She also presents Education Programs in places where we do not have volunteers (yet)!

The presentation was excellent! Click here to see the presentation in a PDF. 

The statistics are sobering. 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alheimer's or another form of Dementia.

Heart disease dropped 7.3% between 2000 and 2019, while Alzheimer's disease increased 145%. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

The presentation includes 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's. The symptoms are not a black and white checklist, but it does give us several behaviors to watch out for. If these arise in your daily life, it is best to consult a professional to evaluate the situation.

There is a 24/7 Helpline. Call 1.800.272.3900 or visit https://www.alzwa.org for more information.

The Alzheimer's Association is always looking for volunteers. Visit https://alzwa.org/volunteer for more information.

Annual Wenatchee "Walk to End Alzheimer's" will be held in Wenatchee on Saturday, September 23rd, 2023. To register: Click here

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The raffle was $450. Mansour did not win so it will continue to grow.

Next Programs

• 4/25 - Bill Engle - Wenatchee School District Interim Superintendent
• 5/2 - Ryan Graig, Project Manager and Volunteer Coordinator for TREAD

Joke: "Yesterday I read an article about the dangers of drinking too much..scared the heck out of me so...I'm never going to read that again."

Rotary Anniversaries

• Erin McCool:       04/16/2013
• J. Woody Lotts:   04/26/2022
• Ruth Dagg:          04/17/2018
• Mark VanHorne:  04/26/2022

April 11 Meeting Notes

We welcomed guests Bill Ostheimer, Heather Moraski, Eric Harrison, and Emma Crowe.  We also had the Apple Blossom Royalty (our program) and their chaperones, Adele Haley and Cici Woods.

Robin made sure most of the women had tierras on for our guests,

Announcements

Road Apple Roulette tickets were sold at the Firehouse Pet Store on Saturday.  Kathleen, Rebecca, and Jim & Carol were there.  Thanks to Kathleen for setting up, and being there all morning.  We'll be selling at Community Glass next Friday from 8-1, and at Henry Harrow on Saturday from 10-1.  Kathleen needs help setting up Saturday, and selling tickets on both days.

April 11, 12, and 13 is the Rotary District Spring Training from 5-6:30.  This is an online (Zoom) time with various Rotary topics (membership, fundraising, PI & marketing, leadership, The Rotary Foundation, etc.).  Great for any member.  Watch for Robin's email with the link.

We need volunteers for the Youth Parade on April 29 from 8:30-1.  Contact Alan Walker and/or show up at Triangle Park at 8:30 to get instructions, clipboard, radio, etc.

May 3 is the All-Service Club Luncheon at the Convention Center.  Call the Apple Blossom Office for tickets ($28) and join us in supporting all the service clubs in the area.

May 18 is our first Pybus Farmer's Market day, where we can help with kid's crafts, greet, and show our presence in the community.  We need a small committee to organize our volunteers and the set-up/take down at each Pybus event (maybe one a month).

May 16-19 is also the District Conference in Leavenworth.  Hit Rotaryreimangined.com to get info and to register.  Our club will subsidize all but $99 of the registration.  This is a great way to see Rotary on a larger scale, and to meet Rotarians form all over our district.  Next year's' conference will be in Canada, so this will be the closest one for a few years.

Invoices for this quarter will be coming out soon.  

We will be planning another round of picking goatheads in June with the Goathead Warriors.  More to come on this weed irradication effort.

Brags and Confessions

Woody - the PAC schedule is going well, with good attendance from all over the state. He and his wife and dog took a vacation to Lake Wenatchee.

Earl - oldest daughter Katie turned 26.  Middle daughter Emma is back from Burundi and finished her BA degree, and youngest daughter Lucy is driving now.

Craig - back from Burundi, celebrated his 35th wedding anniversary, and said Ruth Dagg did a great job holding down the office while he was gone.

Alan - international Louis, Louis Day (Washington's unofficial state song).

Ruth - Columbia Chorale's 40th anniversary concert this Friday at Saddlerock Church.

Wayne - visited a friend in Lewiston, and she had to have the Heimlich maneuver used to dislodge a piece of meat she had eaten.

Kathleen - going to events at the Numerica PAC tonight, Thursday, and Saturday.

Rebecca - sold her first RAR tickets at the Firehouse Pet Shop on Saturday.

Robin - went to the Epic Queen concert at the PAC.

Program

The Apple Blossom Royalty was the program today.  Jim introduced them and their chaperones.  They talked about the AB festival coming up April 27 - May 7, including events like the food fair, entertainment in the park, health fair, youth day and the youth parade, the Stemilt Grand Parade, chief for a day, pie and funnel cake eating contest, and more.  They also shared about themselves, and some memorable moments, and a glimpse of their busy schedule (they have 180 appearances this year).  These young ladies are great ambassadors for our community.

                                                        Apple Blossom Royalty

 

QUEEN Scarlette Cron

 

Scarlette is a member of ASB at Wenatchee High School and is the Club Coordinator as well as President of Art Club. In her spare time, she loves to write, read, bake, and knit, and enjoys going rock climbing at the Riverfont Rock Gym and helping her family with beekeeping. After graduation, Scarlette plans to attend Western Washington University and major in Sociology.

PRINCESS Dylan Schmitten 

Dylan has been actively involved in many events at her high school, some of which include track, Key Club, and Link Crew. She has also taken on many leadership roles this past year, such as being the chair of community events for her high school’s Key Club, a mentor for underclassmen, and a captain of both the track and cross-country team. Outside of school, Dylan is an active member of her church's youth group, and volunteers at the Museum. She also enjoys working with young children as often as she can, whether it be in the community or babysitting, and this past summer she worked as a lifeguard at Slidewaters in Chelan. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, reading, getting outside, and going out to coffee or lunch with her friends. After graduation, Dylan plans to move to Boise, Idaho, where she will attend Boise State University and the Honors College while majoring in Education.

PRINCESS Natalie Pearson

Natalie is currently enrolled in running start and a team captain on the WHS softball team. Natalie also is a captain on her NCW travel team the Sun Devils and works for Maurices. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, hanging out with her dog, singing, listening to music, and working out. After graduation, Natalie plans to attend Eastern Washington University and be enrolled in their dental hygiene program.

Princess Natalie signing one of the books given to Pinnacles Prep library in their names.

After Notes

Queen Scarlett won the raffle draw, but didn't get the right marble.  Pot is over $400 and climbing.

Mark gave the joke of the day - He doesn't like elevator music; it's bad on every level.                         He doesn't like elevators; he take steps to avoid them.

Tuesday night about 20 Rotarians and some spouses joined at the Taproom in Pybus for some fellowship.  A fellow-Veteran (From Tour of Duty veterans group) stopped by thank Wayne M. and Bill O. for their service and bought them dinner.  

 April 4, 2023, Meeting Notes

The meeting was called to order at 7 am by President Robin DeRock.

National Hug a Newsperson Day

Rotary Guests: 

• Janna Hatton - Downtown Club

Guests: 

• Bill Ostheimer (Wayne M's guest)

Announcements

Fran Moment

• Joel covered for her
• She is in Penticton for spring break
• She will be with us until mid-July, so be sure to take her somewhere, or have her over for dinner or coffee.

Exchange Student Program

• Host families are needed - Reach out to Joel
• Milt Herman has been hosting students since 1982. As result he has been able to visit them in New Zealand and he always had a place to stay for free

Carly Sagerser - Current Exchange student from Wenatchee - In Denmark

• Carly sent the following message and provided pictures about her year abroad so far:

Dear Julie, Joel, and Sunrise Rotary, 

I cannot tell you how much I love my life in Denmark. I wish I could just stay here forever. My class and I just got back from our study trip to Club La Santa in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. In Denmark every class takes a trip out of the country in their second year of gymnasium. Some trips are based around music or economics but ours was a sports trip so we got to swim, play tennis and padel, kayak, bike, hike, etc. It felt like I was home doing all the things I normally enjoy in the summer. I am so glad I was able to experience that with my friends. We have also taken trips to universities in Aalborg and that was really interesting to see how higher education looks in Denmark compared to in the US. 

I have also stayed in contact with all the other exchange students living in Denmark right now and I can’t wait to go on the EuroTour with them.

I also just moved to my last host family! They are such lovely people but it was bittersweet saying goodbye to my mom and dad from my last family. Speaking of families, my parents and siblings are coming to visit this week and I can’t wait to show them around Denmark and the place I call home. 

Thank you all again so so much for making it possible for me to go on exchange, I wouldn’t trade this year for the world:)

 Road Apple Roulette Update - Wayne Massing

• Great booth at Pybus last Saturday
• Special thanks to Kathleen for setting up the booth and coordinating the volunteers
• Over 130 tickets sold
• Total ticket sales at 2,000 so far - There are 5,000 tickets so sell, sell, sell!
• See club calendar for selling opportunities or contact Kathleen to volunteer
• Turn your tickets in to Wayne Massing or Allie Schank or ask them for more

 Volunteers Needed for Wednesday and Thursday Concessions at TTC

• Robin is contacted any time there are opportunities to work when the other club cannot provide all the volunteers needed for an event

Applesox Billets Needed

• Allie mentioned that are still players looking for places to stay for this season
• They are here for about 2 1/2 months
• Host familied get free season tickets and other great benefits
• Reach out to Allie if you are interested

Applesox 50/50 - Kathleen and Allie

• Allie has provided our club with 4 dates to sell tickets to 50/50 raffles
• Kathleen is coordinating the volunteers

Museum Grant - Environment Film - Thursday 7pm at the PAC

• A $20,000 grant allowed the museum to renovate the childrens area
• Milt Herman's daughter painted the mural which will be unveiled that night
• The film will be about Hummingbirds

All Service Club Meeting/Dinner - Carol Adamson - 5/3/23 at 11:30am - $25

• One table has been filled but we are hoping to fill another table for the event
• The guest speaker will be the Apple Blossom Grand Marshal Colonel Sarah (Droz) Babbit 
• Click here to see the Apple Blossom Website for her biography and to purchase tickets to the luncheon

Brags and Confessions

Chris McDarment

• Chris and his family went to a Kraken game last weekend for the first time
• They lost 3-1 but the stadium was very nice and they had fun

Erik Holmberg

• Erik just got back from golf trip
• He got to play Pebble Beach for free
• He then met his wife in San Francisco
• She had been spending time with their son Ben who lives in Isreal
• They traveled to Jordan
• They saw Petra and went hot air ballooning

Robin DeRock

• Robin broke her laptop
• Her orange cat (Bruce) brought in a full grown rabbit through the cat door in their bedroom - they didn't notice until morning (it wasn't good news for the rabbit)

Woody Lotts

• The PAC will be adding an Admin office
• They will be located in the Exchange Building
• They will be 2 floor above Two Rivers Gallery

Program - Pat West Turner - Author - "Skiing Uphill"

Pat West Turner was raised seven and a half mile up the Entiat Valley. Now she lives in East Wenatchee, with her husband of forty-three years, Joe. She attended Wenatchee Valley Community College for two years, then received her B.A. in Special Education from Central Washington University and Fifth Year from the University of California Sacramento with a double major in Social Sciences. Placerville, California was her first teaching assignment then finished her career in the Wenatchee area, after thirty-eight years.

Before her teaching career started, she was in a car accident when she was a senior in high school. She eventually lost her leg because of complications. Her recently published memoir, "Skiing Uphill - A story of Strength and Persistence" outlines and active life regardless of her challenges living on one leg.

She had been active at her local ski area, Mission Ridge, learning to three-track ski in 1966 a year after her car wreck. After a couple of skiing accidents, she finished her time at the Ridge inside scheduling lessons.

She continues to work out a WORX gym as well as taking up wheelchair bowling a couple of years ago.

Her travles include New Zrealand, Tahiti, Mexico, and Hawaii. Pat also enjoys Painting kindness rocks and crocheting book worms. You need to read her book to learn about her up in the air passion.

You can purchase her book on Amazon. Click Here

Pat has spent the last 10 years writing her book. Thanks to the support of Joe and her friends she found the courage to lay herself bare. She shares her greatest successes and her greatest fears openly in her book. She struggled with trying to make the book perfect. She finally realized her best was good enough.

Pat has been an amputee for 55 years. She inspired many amputees with her success as a skier. She won a Silver medal in three-track skiing. This began a long period of loving her hobby and inspiring others with her challenges, showing them that they too could live life to the fullest.

After her skiing career ended, she and her husband took up tandem biking. They rode in the 50-mile event put on by Sunshine Rotary every year. The turn around on the route was at the location of her parents' property.

Pat read part of her story to the club:

Mission Ridge Taunts Me

by Pat West Turner

"Come back Pat, it's a blue bird day, the sun is shining, it's warm, and there's forgiving corduroy snow, your favorite."

    It was a warm, sunny day in March with conditions a skier dreams about after the cold of January when the air sparkles like diamonds, and the hairs in your nose freeze with every breath. Following a more than adequate snowpack, I had taken up a new challenge, skiing with the standard poles instead of the outriggers I was accustomed to using. Due to a previous accident which resulted in the loss of my leg, I started using Canadian crutches known as "outriggers" for balance while skiing on one leg. they have arm bands which hook to me forearms and little short ski tips on the ends of the rods. From metal fatigue, one outrigger broke near the top of chair three. My husband was notified of my location and predicament. Instead of waiting for a replacement, I asked to use my friend's poles. Joe was on the chair bringing me another pair when he saw several ski patrollers attending a skier on the snow. He realized it was me when he saw my red jacket.

    Minutes before, I had cautiously made the first turn. In the soft spring snow, I caught an edge and crashed. When I fell, the end of my stump hit first. Then my pole became trapped under the ski, forcing my shoulder to plow through the snow until I stopped sliding. Face down, bellowing like a wounded animal, I couldn't move.

    Seconds later the urgent call blasted over the Ski Patrollers walkie talkies, "Pat's down. Everyone, Toketie split, NOW"! Within minutes, help arrived. I hurt so badly I couldn't cry but continued making guttural howls. The Patrollers assured me I was going to be okay. Stabilizing my stump and shoulder, they turned me over and attempted to place me in the toboggan. With all the splints and wraps I wouldn't fit on the floor in order to securely strap me in for the ride off the mountain. They all threw their fanny packs with various first aid items on the bottom of the sled. This allowed just enough room on the sides that I fit. Secured, they carefully started the descent off the mountain. Impatient, yes; striving to do better, yes; over-achiever maybe. The challenge I thought I was ready for, I WAS NOT!

    Joe and I had just completed a first aid refresher course and the instructor said more people die from shock than injuries. I knew lying there in the snow, I was going to die.

    By the time we got to the Patrol room at the base of the mountain, the ambulance arrived. Diagnosis in ER; dislocated shoulder and broken femur an inch below the hip on the stump side. Surgery required, months to recover. Complication later as the hip was not set straight, so I lost stabilizing muscles required for walking. Two years later, first day of the season, I crashed again, breaking my pelvis on the stump side.

    Only then did the doctors realize I have severe Osteoporosis for the lack of weight-bearing on the bone. That was an emotional blow. Over the years, I became a strong walker and now the doctors were telling me that didn't matter! They were right, there was never weight-bearing on the bone. When I pulled my stum into the socket, stability was accomplished through tissue containment.

    It was hard enough losing the ability to walk the first time. Now because of the misaligned bone, I wasn't even back to square one; I was below ground zero. Frustration and fear of falling took over. The sport I loved since I was five years old, now scared me. The final year I skied, I skied alone. I didn't want people to see me cry as I rode to the top of chair one, skied down, got on the lift again and cried some more. Fear of injury was so strong, I quit torturing myself and stopped skiing. The end of my skiing career was slow, painful decision.

    Why is the desire to ski so strong in my core>? I enjoyed this sport for over 30 years without injury and now this. "Ok mountain, I know it's not your fault, but you continue to look so enticing." I hate to let this freedom go, but I must. My hear wants to come back, but for once my common sense screams, "NO"!

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The raffle was $377. Glenn King did not win so it will continue to grow.

Next Programs

• 4/11 - Apple Blossum Royalty
• 4/18 - Erica Grissmessen - Regional Alzheimer's Association

Joke: Did you know the man who invented the Ferris Wheel never met the man who invented the Merry-Go-Round?  They traveled in different circles.

Rotary Anniversaries

• Erin McCool:       04/16/2013
• J. Woody Lotts:   04/26/2022
• Ruth Dagg:          04/17/2018
• Mark VanHorne:  04/26/2022