Wenatchee Sunrise Rotary Club: Meeting Notes July 27, 2021

President Kathleen McNalty opened the meeting at 7 am. The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was patriotically led by Carol (stirring no doubt because of the Olympics) and Milt followed with the Invocation.

Jim Adamson introduced our guest Mario Perez, Head of the Coffee Roasting at Café Mela. He also mentioned that Mario and his wife own a roasting company in Poland where his wife still lives. Can't wait to hear more on that story!

Announcements

Green cups are on the table. Don't forget to bring your change for the donation cups!

Zach Pauw had his club orientation on Friday and five club members were able to join and tell their stories about Rotary and answer Zach's questions.

Calling on early risers (of the early riser gang!) We need some help setting up the room and taking it down after our meetings. If you can be at Pybus at 6:30am on meeting days or stay a little late to help break things down, that would be greatly appreciated. Let Kathleen, Wayne, Kevin, or PJ know if you can help and they'll give you an easy job to start. :-)

Robin gave a Goathead Warriors update from... a bathroom floor in Prosser. I know what you're thinking, but I checked my notes and that's what she said. I even wrote it down so I'd remember. I'm sure if she had a nickel for every time she'd been in this situation... Anyway, on to the report! It might not sound like much fun, but you know Sunrise Warriors, there was a lot of joking, laughing, and having fun. And it turns out when all you have to do is sever the tap root and you don't actually have to pull the root out, it's not too hard on you either. The promise of breakfast and bloody Mary's never hurts either. It was just some good old goats picking up goatheads. Want to know more about this great service project? See the EXCELLENT write up from this weekend!

Alan mentioned that Bike Ride sponsors are coming along and riders are signing up quickly too. Both are good to see. Lots of things to sign up for as this is an all-hands-on-deck event. The next meeting is August 3rd at 5pm next door at the Hilton Garden Inn.

He also reminded us that our club is teaming up with CVCH to hand out back-to-school supplies and clothing to Wenatchee Valley youngsters at Town Toyota Center on Sat. Aug. 14th from 8:30 am to Noon. We will have sign up sheets for shift. We will be spread around the different booths handing out supplies and clothing as needed. Easy volunteer opportunity!

Our final Farmers Market takeover will be August 21st. We've inspired another Rotary club to do the final two months. I'm sure they wouldn't say no to you helping them if you're interested in showing them how to do it right.

Brags and Confessions

Carol read a nice letter that one of our former Rotary exchange students (2017-2018) from France wrote to us. His update included that he'd passed his first year of University in Switzerland. A huge relief. He also told us that he met up with two Rotary exchange students from Switzerland to go hiking last week. One he knew from his year that was in Revelstoke and the other was Adele who was our inbound after Joseph! He had never met Adele before that and enjoyed re-telling stories of our wonderful area.

Jim paid for Robin calling in an update from the bathroom. No one knew if he was bragging that he wasn't calling in or paying for Robin's confession. Too much information, Robin! Robin did clarify that Jim and Carol never told her this would be part of her duties!

Alan bragged (confessed) that while Kelly was off at the Market for some coffee, everyone picked their partners at the goathead rally and he was last pick, left without a team. That's the rough part about schoolyard picks! But in the end, he was left to gather goatheads in a section on his own, and while there was no one in our club to laugh with, he was able to make a new friend. A woman outside in her bathrobe waiting for someone. It wasn't fully closed, she wasn't fully clothed, and she wasn't waiting for Allan. Good thing Kelly didn't need to wring your neck. He made noise as he approached and she finally saw him and wrapped herself up. Right....

Program

Kathleen introduced Linda Haglund, Executive Director of the Wenatchee Downtown Association.

Kathleen also serves with Linda on the Wenatchee Valley Museum board where Linda serves as president. Linda likes to say she "was born here, raised here, and loves it here!"

Sometimes volunteering turns into something even greater and that's how Linda feels about the WDA. The Historic Main Street movement is an idea from the 1970s. Many of our downtown buildings are over a 100 years old. It's a state and nationally accredited program and allows for 75% of donations from local businesses to offset B&O taxes. Since the WDA Main Street is accredited and a 501c3 organization, the other 25% is a tax deduction. Sounds like a great program for everyone! While there is still fundraising needed, this has really freed the WDA up to focus on benefits they can bring their members, our downtown, and our community.

Many may not know this, but our own Alan Walker hired Linda 10 years ago! There were 12 accredited Main Street programs then, but there are now 36 and more looking to do the same. It's designed for smaller cities and towns and if your city grows big enough, it can grow out of the program.

The last 18 months were challenging for many, and it wasn't too different here. Linda went home for 30 days and it was very hard for her, because she likes to be out there in person, and they weren't able to do their three major fundraisers. A grant from the Chelan-Douglas Port Authority was a big help.

At first, there was a glut of information with COVID. The four-way test was needed often over the past 18 months. She had altitude sickness because she took the high road so often over the past year and a half. Many businesses were confused about the PPE program and all of the rules. The WDA had built up reserves so they were able to act quickly to help businesses and then seek reimbursement from other agencies after the fact.

They tried to source locally for masks and other items. And while they supplied many masks free of charge to businesses, they also handed them out to the public. There was one demographic that was hard hit in our area and were reticent to accept masks. They heard of a masking program in Pasco with a sister city in Mexico to get wrestler masks. The WDA tried it, found it so successful that they did it again for Dia de los Muertos in November.

They've tried a Girls Night Out and found that not everyone was ready, but there are a lot of people looking to get out. They're ready for Halloween so that it won't need to be a drive-through like last year and have sourced the candy through a local grocery store. Other upcoming plans are for an open house and wine walk. Tomorrow at 3pm meet at the old Sea-First bank building at the corner of Wenatchee Avenue and Orondo gather for a "Possibilities" walking tour to see some of the newly remodeled buildings and some to come downtown.

The partnerships with Wenatchee and East Wenatchee, as well as the Chelan-Douglas Port Authority and others, have been really valuable partners for activities. One of the more exciting and emotional programs is the My Heroes banners. In just the 4th year, they have increased from 21 the first year to now a hundred banners of heroes (65 in Wenatchee and 35 in East Wenatchee). The cities hang the banners at no charge. The banners cost $200, but donations have reduced the cost to $125 and every dime goes to the Bunker (Vets for Vets). The banners hang off lamp posts for two consecutive Novembers and then go to the family. Some Vietnam vets have talked about how the banner of them was extremely cathartic, and finally felt like their public acceptance of their coming home.

Linda says that the downtown is like a family, and that entrepreneurship is alive and well. COVID revealed strengths and weaknesses in people and businesses, and that she was proud that only two businesses went out during COVID. One that was already on the way out and another that moved out of downtown. She is excited for the lineage and PUD properties, as well as new apartments that are coming in the next five years. With other changes in the next five years, she believes you'll see businesses and restaurants open later and a more open and lively downtown.

If you haven't caught the "We Are Downtown" video, check it out on the Wenatchee Downtown Association front page. Linda was excited to give an example of being a family downtown in that if you join the WDA, you become a member of the Chamber as well. The WDA then gives a portion to the Chamber so they don't compete and work together. Individuals can join the WDA as well!