North Notes
Spokane-North Rotary Club Bulletin
January 23, 2023
Calendar:
Jan. 30: Noon meeting at the Bark. Speaker: Madison talking about the Bark rescue program.
Feb. 6: Noon meeting at the Bark. Speaker:TBA.
Feb. 10 (Friday): Club social at Melinda Keberle’s house for Colin and Kelley Prestesater baby shower starts at 5:30 p.m.
Announcements:
Club President Melinda Keberle said the Feb. 10 baby shower will be pizza and “BYOB.”
Melinda said at our annual “coats for kids” project, Burlington Coats provided three huge boxes of winter coats to the Union Gospel Mission. Coats were donated by the store and by patrons at the store.
If you have misplaced your Rotary pin, the club now has new pins, including some with magnets, rather than stick pins. Cost is $7.
Happy Bucks:
Ron Noble was happy when his grandson in Bremerton – a 6-foot-4 player, sank three 3-point shots over an opponent who is 6-foot-5 at Shelton, Wash.
A quarter- and fund drive - to remember
At the Jan. 23 luncheon, Michelle Fossum highlighted the club’s active Rotary 2nd quarter and Bill Simer detailed charitable fund raising for the Rotary year to date.
Michelle, club president for the October through December quarter, shared slides of the speakers and activities in her “State of the Quarter” report. October featured lively club debates for Spokane County Sheriff, Spokane County Prosecutor and Spokane County Commission District 1.
November programs featured Veterans issues. Topics included the special Veterans Court, USERRA and a very memorable “empty table” presentation by Terry Fossum, plus shared memories and photos of all of the veterans in the club.
November’s social gathering was a holiday lights cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene, following by a dinner.
December featured the holiday gifts for children and families in 40 needy families at Holmes Elementary School. The long corridor to the Bark Conference Room was filled with large bags of gifts then transported over to the school. Michelle noted that 100 percent of club members donated to the gift drive.
The December club holiday celebration was a joyous gathering at Sandy Fink’s home.
Michelle noted that the club had three new members – Laura Zahn, Megan West and Jerry Logan.
Bill Simer discussed the strength of the club’s charitable fund raising, in which, after Covid, individual club donations have replaced wine-and-dinner and auction events.
He said 80 percent of donated funds are distributed to community projects and 20 percent to international issues. Monies to Holmes total $6,626, including $700 for Mobius science kits which go to every 3rd and 5th class students.
The total fund budget is $14,326. Some $5,810 has been deposited to date (since July 1) for the charitable fund and Bill said another $5,000 to $6,000 would reach our “sweet spot” total.
Past president Sandy Fink said, “25 years ago we had 90 members and were barely able to raise the dollars for the school supplies for Holmes but look at us now.” In the beginning we applied for a District grant of $2000 at the encouragement of Lloyd Gray, District Governor.
Simer said “adding our scholarships and “dirty hands” projects, our club makes a big difference in the community.”
Bulletin editors: Chuck Rehberg and Sandy Fink